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f1crecs · 2 months

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Fic Rec List - Charles/Pierre AUs

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I'm a waking hell and the gods grow tired by @wolfiemcwolferson | M | 4k A Hunger Games AU wherein Charles and Pierre are both victors, doing their best to survive the glittering death trap of the Capitol and taking solace in each other for one singular night a year. Until everything changes one fatal Games. This fic truly captured the essence of the Hunger Games world, and tugged on every heartstring I have as a longtime fan of the series. The writing is so poignant, and I was moved almost to tears a couple of times, while also being kept on the edge of my seat. This was truly a stunning portrayal of love and the revolution it brings.

'“Charles,” he whispers, his voice raw from talking all night. “I love you.” Charles stumbles backwards. It’s the worst thing he’s ever said. It’s an admittance. It’s a confession to what Charles was worried about.'

tell me, baby by @ilspredestinato | M | 4.1k This is a softer sort of AU than some of the others on this list - Pierre and Charles are simply two normal people, not drivers, who meet by chance at a New Year's party and are instantly drawn to each other. Everything about this AU makes me feel warm and hopeful inside: Pierre and Charles' meeting is described with such loving detail, and just enough slight awkwardness to make it believable but still achingly sweet and heartwarming. The fic as a whole is exactly that: heartwarming and hopeful, and exactly the sort of thing with which to wrap up an old year and start the new.

“Stop,” Charles did his best to roll his eyes, even if the dimples next to the corners of his lips betrayed him. He let Pierre’s laugh die down before speaking, nudging at his legs back. “Say my name.” He didn’t have to ask twice, Pierre’s fingers reaching out to tug at the neckline of his jumper the same way Charles had done himself when they were standing against the railing, smile firmly in place. “Charles.” “See?” He raised one hand, wrapping it around Pierre’s wrist softly, keeping the touch there even when he felt like shaking. It wasn’t like he couldn’t blame it on the cold. “You have an accent, too. Way prettier.” Pierre was already shaking his head before he finished speaking, making a small noise of disagreement. “No,” he said, tugging at Charles’ jumper again. They were too close, Charles realised, speaking right up into the other’s space. “Say my name.” He didn’t really mind. “Pierre.” The way Pierre looked at him made Charles want to squirm, even if they weren’t doing anything more than talking. He went all in, was the thing, thoughts so clearly stroked in every inch of his face Charles found it hard not to believe them. “Beautiful.”

firebug by @grandprix-ao3 | T | 5.9k Charles is a popular Twitch streamer. His boyfriend Pierre exists to his audience mostly off screen or at least, his face is never in frame. One day Pierre presents Charles with a pair of pink cat ear headphones. Charles's audience becomes fascinated by the mysterious boyfriend. This is just a cute, sweet, angst-free, low stakes established relationship fic that is having a lot of fun with the adorableness factor of Charles in cat ears and a boyfriend who adores him.

'“Jeez, Charlito,” Pierre says, hyperbolic in exasperation. He raises his eyebrows in a jitter, flicking the corner of the box with enough edge to his nails to make it pop. “I just think you are cute when you purr during your streams.” It’s awful how deftly Charles feels the heat rise in his cheeks. He almost wants to flatten his palms against them to hide the awful shade of pink he knows must be there, perhaps as red as the oversized headphones he already owns and wears for his streams, definitely not courtesy of Pierre, or anyone but himself, for that matter. “I am not—” he starts, cutting himself off with teeth in the back of his bottom lip. ‘I am not purring, I am making engine sounds,’ is probably not going to do anything but make Pierre laugh at him more, so he quits while he’s ahead. “You are so annoying,” he says, instead, like that’s somehow a defense. “I hate you. I am not wearing these stupid headphones.”'

an autumnal affair by @hourcat | T | 11.4k Pierre Gasly is to wed Charles' cousin to save the Leclerc name from disrespute. They fall in love. Pierre in this fic is perfect as a pride and prejudice-ish gentleman, rakish and lovely, and the chemistry between him and Charles is instant and undeniable - when reading it feels inevitable that these two belong together. Of course everything it is not so easy, the author puts you through many twists and although this has a happy ending the heartache a long the way is exquisite.

Once upon a time—a lifetime ago, practically—Pierre had told him that he was a good man. But that cannot be true, because the idea of having to watch his love and his cousin have a life together makes him both angry and horribly, terribly, unforgivably jealous. Charles should not have done this in the first place. Pierre had come to marry Giada, had come to pledge his life to her, and Charles had intervened. He knows he has no right to be upset. But he is. He is, and Pierre will never love him the way he wants to again, and he will never recover from this hole that’s ripped right through his heart. It’s all very simple, really. Charles curls up tighter in his sheets. Pierre will never love him again. A fresh round of tears swallows him entirely. It will be a long rest of his life if he has to watch them together on the estate.

jump then fall into me by @your-littlesecret | M | 13.6k Charles finds a lost puppy, and takes it to a local animal shelter, where he meets a very qualified (and very handsome) man. This story is adorable! I was literally giggling, kicking my feet and rolling around while I read it. I love how clueless Charles is, and how Pierre is immediately so very fond of him. And the puppy is adorable - I love her name!

He brings everything upstairs and once he’s put everything on a place he thinks will be okay, he lays on the floor with his stomach down and stares at his new family member. “What should I call you, huh?” There’s no answer, of course, only a lick to his nose before she goes back to the very important task of chewing on a toy Charles just bought.

nsfw: Imzadi by @effervescentdragon | E | 31k Star Trek AU. Pierre and Charles meet as children, when Charles is among the few survivors of a genocide. Pierre's mother serves in Starfleet, which is dispatched for the rescue effort. It's the beginning of a love that lasts a lifetime. It's not necessary to be familiar with Star Trek to enjoy this but if you are, this fic hews closely and lovingly to not only Star Trek canon, but the entire philosophy of the franchise. It was like a long catch up with an old friend. If you don't know Trek, or don't know it well, the Piarles-ness of the Piarles is note perfect. They are truly soulmates in every universe and this fic not only captures that, it is soaking in it. Possible CW for dubcon (of the sex pollen variety - which only increases the Trek-ness of this fic, considering where sex pollen started. It's actually very enthusiastic on both sides). I also love how Akira manages to make Charles's part-Betazoid empathic ability absolutely no help at all when it comes to Pierre.

"Charles? You're here?" The uncertainty in his voice is the final straw that pushes Charles to move and fall onto Pierre. He is mindful of all the tubes and needles and Pierre’s broken arm, but he needs to touch Pierre, needs to feel him, to know that he’s really here, and alive. His uninjured hand comes up and he tangles it into Charles’ hair, and the gesture is so familiar, it makes Charles cry. Pierre holds onto him until Charles cries himself out. It's Pierre who is hurt, though, and Charles feels stupid and selfish for being the one falling apart when his best friend had almost died. He pushes away, wiping his face as he sits back and grabs at Pierre’s hand, needing to feel him physically, because he can’t feel Pierre’s emotions at all. It’s like there is a void where his feelings used to be, and Charles opens his mouth to ask about it when Pierre beats him to the punch.

nsfw: sometimes I feel like a hostage by @wolfiemcwolferson | E | 36.2k Charles is a prince of Monaco, feeling stifled under the weight of a duty that he never asked for. Pierre is his bodyguard. Look, I just REALLY like the bodyguard trope, ok? This is a gorgeous example. Charles is inexperienced, Pierre is kind and a great protector, the secondary pairings are great (I squealed when one appeared kind of by stealth) and this just scratched a very particular itch for me. Tiredtiredsharl writes these two so well, in any situation.

'Charles starts to feel awkward again, this is so far outside of anything he’s ever known and it’s hard not to feel self conscious as he closes the door to this too big room with the too big bed, unsure of what he’s even needing. Pierre had said intimate. They were going to be intimate. Pierre pulls his coat off, standing beside the little half dresser thing and places it neatly on top. He hadn’t pulled a hat or gloves or a scarf out to wear so he’s now in one of those much too large sweaters that swallow him whole. Oh. Charles can take it off him. “Come here, Charles.” Pierre says, leaning against the dresser. Charles takes the three steps towards him. “Should this be sexier?” He hates that he just asked that question. Pierre doesn’t laugh though. He takes one of Charles' hands and pulls the glove off starting with the fingertips and working it off gently before he says, “There are no rules here. Sex between people who care about each other should be however the two of them wish it to be and it is special because they are together." Pierre is working the other glove off Charles' hand now. It’s so tender that Charles can admit, “I feel very dumb right now.” Pierre snorts. “And I feel very scared. So, we are even.”'

nsfw: have you brought back the light? by @wolfiemcwolferson | E | 36.7k Pierre is a superhero and Charles is his non-superpower boyfriend. A villain targets Charles and he gets sucked in to the multiverse where he gets stuck with a Pierre that isn't his. This fic might be a superhero fic at first glance but what I love most about it is the exploration of grief and trauma and the ways they appear in both universe. The storytelling in this is divine - the way the details of the relationship between Charles and Pierre in both universes is slowly revealed while Charles tries not lose hope that he will get rescued makes an emotional rollercoaster of the best kind.

"You know you’re an idiot .” Charles bites. “You have everything and you -” he wraps his arms around himself. “He moved out because he has feelings for you and you just let him go.” Pierre’s face goes carefully blank. Like that blankness that he leans on when he’s trying not to react to Charles specifically . “No.” “Yes,” Charles bites, and because he suddenly feels like a little soft animal with his belly exposed so he hits back. “You have Esteban and Anthoine and Charles wants you and you could have everything - ” “Charles -” he steps towards him, hand outstretched, “what do you mean?” “That you have everything and you’re wasting it.” Charles says again, even though it’s not an explanation. He doesn’t care that he isn’t offering him an explanation. He’s just angry that Pierre is giving it all away without trying. He’s on the verge of tears again, yanked back to two hours earlier as he gazed at the steeple of the auction house and imagined what it must be like to live in a world like this - with that awful little voice in the back of his head that was saying it doesn’t matter how much you hate it, that’s your home and those are your people and you don’t actually hate it at all. Charles would give anything to go home. He would give anything to stand in this apartment and fight with his Pierre. He would give anything to go and sit on the memorial bench. He would give anything to go home'

nsfw: you are perfection, my only direction (it's fire on fire) by @singsweetmelodies | E | 40k Charles and Pierre are dragonriders, each aligned with a different house. They are required to marry one another to prevent a war. This story is a perfect storm of arranged marriage, marriage of convenience and idiots in love. With DRAGONS. I'm not sure I need to say much else, but if you like high fantasy, handsome men, slow burn and some hot sex well this might just be the fic for you.

'“Don’t give me that look,” Charles groans, and he manages to roll his eyes, knocking his fist against Pierre’s chest. “You’re you! Anyone would want to have sex with you, don’t be stupid. Besides, maybe now I can finally see if you’re actually telling the truth in all your smug little stories about your bedroom escapades.” For a single moment, Pierre’s expression looks frozen, like that breathless instant right before a glass tips over and smashes. Then, Pierre smiles, and when he speaks again, his voice sounds almost cracked. “Right,” he says quietly. “Of course.” Before Charles can ask him what’s wrong, his smile changes. Brightens, and smooths into something real, something a lot more like Pierre’s usual smirk. “Oh, Charlito,” he purrs, and Charles blanches. He knows that tone of voice. It’s Pierre’s flirting tone of voice, which he doesn’t save for Charles, very often, but when he does, it’s always to make Charles blush. Sure enough, Pierre says now, in a voice so layered with suggestiveness that it should be illegal, or a new form of magic all on its own – “You haven’t even heard the half of it. You will be a happy man, married to me.”'

A Nymph's Heart by @espithewarlock | T | 46k In a world where magic and fey creatures are real, Charles is a violinist and Pierre is a water nymph, but they still manage to find each other and fall in love. The worldbuilding in this fic is just brilliant: rich and vivid and so immersive, it's like you're living every step of the journey with Charles. I adored the development of the relationship between Charles and Pierre: how they go from cautious acquaintances to a special friendship to lovers in the first part, and how they prove their love and trust for each other in the second, and get to enjoy a well-deserved happy ending in the third. Music also plays an integral role in this fic, and as a musician myself, that touched my heart and moved me in such a way that I will always have a soft spot for this fic.

'Pierre stepped directly in front of Charles and raised one of the flowers, tucking it behind his ear. “A gift for a gift,” he murmured, “for playing a song at my request I gift you a flower grown from my magic.” “Thank you,” Charles said automatically. The nymph’s fingers were cool and gentle as they brushed the top of his ear and secured the stem of the flower in place. A part of him wanted to close his eyes at the sensation, but he also wanted to hold onto every moment he had to study the nymph up close.'

nsfw: chassis by @hourcat | E | 50k Charles, an art teacher, has a one night stand with Pierre, a mechanic he meets in a nightclub. And that would have been that, had not Charles's car died soon after. In desperation, he contacts Pierre. Pierre is devastatingly attractive in this, all confidence and winking flirtatiousness. Charles never stood a chance. This fic has a perfect rom com vibe, with angst, miscommunication, sassy comic relief Yuki, mutual pining, a happy ending, and some hot car sex.

Charles huffs. “Stop calling me that,” he grits, and Pierre laughs again—louder, which clearly is just pushing his passenger’s buttons even more. “Why do you call my car a girl?” Oh, this is going to make him squirm. Pierre shrugs, pointedly not looking at Charles as he pretends to ponder his answer for a moment. “Well, I work with cars, yes? I fix them, I make them run, I get them purring again.” The line of traffic in front of them slows up just enough for Pierre to make a point of turning to face Charles. “And if I am going to be so hands on, I should think it’s only right to treat them like a lady.” He winks. He turns back to the road. He barely swallows the laugh as Charles makes a choked sound at his not-so-subtle implication.

of mute swans and nests by steponthegaslys | ? | 82k Set at the Royal Ballet in London, Pierre is a talented and rising ballet dancer. The new arrival of another dancer, a generational talent, in the shape of Charles Leclerc brings along additional drama, and not just because of their building attraction. (N.B. This fic contains sensitive content - readers are advised to please mind the tags for this fic before reading). This fic is a fun take on the relationship between Pierre and Charles, told between rehearsals, dances, and revelations. The supporting characters (Alex, George, Max, Daniel) create a brilliant system around Pierre, add amazing humour and really help to tell the story too. Plus, Pierre and Charles as ballet dancers? What's not to love!

“You know,” said Pierre quietly, voice barely a whisper. “My friends don’t think you’re pretending. When you look at me on stage like you love me.”

#piarles #pairing:charles/pierre #driver:charles #driver:pierre #trope:au

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thegreenthepeacetheorange · 6 months

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Everlark (Mockingjay, Ch. 18-19)

because of everything in the last chapter, katniss throws herself into her training with a vengeance. something driven by what they've done to peeta but also that keeps her mind off it

the same way katniss used to watch peeta from afar in 12 when they were kids, she watches him when he starts showing up in training

"my weaknesses? that's a door i don't even want to open' let me guess it starts with a p and ends in eeta

i wish we all got a world where finnick got to heal post war with katniss, peeta, annie, haymitch and johanna... broken brady brunch that i love so much. the way being victors binds them into being this family so that even though when katniss says she doesn't really know johanna, we have seen how they are essentially sisters and understand each other in a way that most people don't... the gift she gives johanna when she's in the hospital is so beautiful and so emblematic of who katniss is despite the horrors she lives in. and it's also such a peeta thing to do. because they're both so thoughtful

(an aside: prim's goodbye to katniss hurts differently knowing what i know now)

the fact that she takes the pearl with her

coin was evil but thanks for sending peeta on the mission actually. forced dating trope is old news, forced fighting together in a war against an entity that has destroyed our whole lives is in

when katniss says the whole thing about how she wouldn't be shooting peeta, just one of the capitol mutts. very annoying of her actually but she says it herself, it's her lashing out because of how she's humiliated by it all that she's felt. but poor peeta having to hear that

gale offering to straight up kill him and katniss is like "um no". the fact that gale thinks that this is something she actually wants, that she thinks like him in terms of just wanting the problem dead. oh sweetie no. katniss straight up being like "i can deal with him" aka "mind your own business"

i answered a question here about the squad giving katniss unfriendly looks after her mutt comments about peeta so i won't type it all again

i'm grateful for haymitch talking sense into her because she needed it. with the situations reversed, peeta wouldn't have treated her like how she was treating him and she needed to remember that

"you're punishing him over and over for things that are out of his control"

haymitch reminding her of the deal they made to save peeta. they're still in the games and she's forgotten her task. but here it is again. she has to save peeta but this time she's not sure how to achieve that

finnick lending peeta his rope. ugh. him being there for peeta when katniss couldn't. the way they all step in for each other when others can't.

and she finally starts to open up instead of being defensive and cold back

"i suddenly want to tell peeta everything about who he is and who i am and how we ended up here. but i don't know how to start. worthless. i'm worthless. " - katniss taking it upon herself when actually the idea of telling peeta all this in its entirety is such a huge task because their relationship is too huge to capture in words, in moments.

peeta remembering her favourite colour...

his thank you to her when she tells him his...

"you're a painter. you're a baker. you like to sleep with the windows open. you never take sugar in your tea. and you always double-knot your shoelaces" - these small intimacies. these little facts that tell us how much katniss knows about him. the small things she's held onto. these little things she remembers with so much fondness.

can you imagine peeta listening to all that and then looking down at his double-knotted shoelaces? remembering the calmer sleep that comes with the wind blowing in through the open windows at night? ugh.

this whole passage tells her that katniss knows his essence. these little details that she's never mentioned to us before.

her running away after saying all that because she wants to cry. she's so devastated and i want to hug her and peeta

cheese buns being part of real or not real, along with the colour of katniss's dresses and their maths teacher. they know each other. have known each other.

i can't state how horrific it is that darius and lavinia were tortured and killed in front of peeta. because we obviously aren't his head for the books but the horrors that peeta suffered?! it upsets me so much every time i read this passage. they hurt and killed darius and lavinia to hurt and torture peeta.

(an aside: them all just being kids/young people and messing around while filming the propos and boggs having to reprimand them while holding back his own smile again just reminds me of how young they all were. it's so depressing)

#everlark #katniss and peeta #peeta x katniss #katniss x peeta #katniss everdeen #peeta mellark #haymitch abernathy #tgtpto everlark read #the hunger games #mockingjay

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kittyball23 · 8 months

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Battle of the Bands (a Trolls fanfic)

Summary: A follow-up to oneshot “The Trade”; Branch is captured by Velvet and Veneer, and the time has come for Poppy and the brothers to achieve the seemingly impossible in order to free him – the perfect Family Harmony!

A/N: Requested by WeirdNCrazy on AO3, krisalyn598 on Wattpad, and with ideas from @pixarchan. See the end for some explanatory notes, too. Enjoy!

__________________________________________

“I don’t know… maybe we shoulda kept the other guy too?”

Veneer tapped the side of the diamond with a finger, peering inside at Branch as though the Troll was some rare species of animal in a zoo.

Velvet, who’d been carefully holding the diamond, tugged it away from him. “Watch it!” she snapped. “We don’t want anything happening to him, unless we make it happen. Besides, Pink Lloyd over there was running out of juice. But something tells me that this little guy is gonna last a whole lot longer…” She smiled what looked to be a sweet smile, though Branch could tell it was laced with a dark menace that chilled him.

“Yeah, right,” he growled at them, trying to think of a better comeback, wanting to say with confidence that he’d get out of there just fine. But he didn’t, because he couldn’t make that claim. He didn’t know what the gang was up to, now that he’d been captured. How were they going to stop them?

“Backtalker, huh?” Velvet shook her head. “Too bad you can’t be more quiet like your wussy brother. It would work out better for me!”

“And me!” Veneer chimed in. “Right?”

Velvet shot her brother a look. “Uh, yeah, duh…” she said, but it was so obviously insincere.

Veneer frowned at this. “You see!” he cried. “You see! I knew we shoulda kept the other guy, even if we were starting to wear him out. You don’t wanna share!”

“Oh, shut up!” Velvet yelled at him. “I’m the one who said we should be singers in the first place, so it makes sense that I get to have the most talent, get it?”

Veneer got it, but he wasn’t having it. “You’re not being fair!” he whined, and reached for the diamond in her hands, grasping it tightly.

“Hey! Let go! Stop it!” Velvet said, struggling with Veneer for hold of the diamond for the next minute, while Branch was knocked about inside. Finally, Velvet came out as victor when she mustered enough strength to tear it away completely and knock her brother back at the same time.

“Idiot,” she mumbled under her breath, then, with a wild look in her eye, she cradled the diamond close to her face. “I will not be denied what I deserve,” she hissed. “And I will be adored.” With that, she held the diamond readily up to her nose, preparing to inhale that sweet Troll essence that would no doubt make her (and her brother, she supposed) the most envied diva in all of Mount Rageous… and then, all of the world!

And she would’ve followed through, if it hadn’t been for the shock that jolted through her when a scream bellowed through the air.

“STOP RIGHT THERE, YOU FREAKS!”

Branch recognized that voice right away, too – he’d heard it just as loud as it had been when it called out at Bridget and Gristle’s wedding, and he was stunned to find that it was his big brother, John Dory.

Wait… all of his big brothers!

Behind him, still decked in their not-so-form-fitting old outfits, were Clay and Spruce who, from the look of it, were ready to rumble. Alongside them were Poppy and Floyd. The Pop Queen had given the second youngest BroZone member back the magenta vest that belonged to him, while she’d taken to wearing the white shades that Branch had donned as a baby. Poppy frowned up at the dolled-creature, while Floyd too put on a brave face. It was a display of courage and determination on all their parts, though Velvet thought otherwise.

She began to laugh in an instant at the five little Trolls, finding them ridiculous, and when she didn’t stop, John Dory, taking leadership as he’d most always done, spoke up.

“Excuse me,” he shouted, “I believe you have something that belongs to us!”

“Or should we say, someone,” Spruce pitched in with a huff.

“Oh, really?” Velvet asked sarcastically. “Sorry, guys, but this diamond – and everything in it – belongs to ME. So if you want it, you’re gonna have to – “

“HIT IT!”

Velvet startled at the interruption, a part of her infuriated for having her victory spiel cut off, and a part of her confused for what started happening right after the Pop Queen had cried out the command. Because the five Trolls gathered together, and jumped right into a song-and-dance routine.

“Every little thing I do Never seems enough for you You don't want to lose it again But I'm not like them Baby, when you finally Get to love somebody Guess what? It's gonna be me!”

“Ugh, what the heck is this supposed to be?!” Velvet asked angrily, getting no response aside from more singing. She was going to turn away and disregard whatever nonsense was going on, when she noticed something happening. She had to blink to make sure that she was actually seeing correctly, and sure enough it was right there, clear as day. It was a sort of light that was glowing around the five, similar to when Floyd’s talent had been sucked out, and it was sparkling and thrumming with energy as the routine continued. The lights were all a different color that coordinated to each Troll – a vibrant green, an alluring purple, an electric yellow, a tame magenta, and a bright pink. It swirled and sparkled in a way that had Velvet in awe, so much that she was taken off guard when the energy shot right out at her in a surprisingly powerful burst.

She yelped and fell back, right on Veneer who’d just managed to have gotten back up on his feet from their earlier scuffle, and causing them both to fall down again in a tumble of skinny arms and legs. She was relieved to find that she’d managed to hold onto the diamond, but her heart dropped when she gave it a quick examination. Right there, stretching like an ugly scar on one side, was a large, and quite deep-looking crack. Velvet made a noise of surprise and ran her finger over it, hoping it was just a horrible illusion, that her twisted dream was not at risk of falling apart at the seams…

… but found that it was very much real.

Taking note of the surprise on her face, the Trolls cheered, feeling the entirely opposite way of their rival.

“Oh! It’s working!” Poppy cried.

“Thank goodness,” Floyd mumbled. He knew exactly what it was like to be trapped inside that diamond, and it was not good.

“Darn right it is!” John Dory exclaimed, absolutely hyped. “Now we just gotta keep workin’ it till that diamond breaks!”

“I hear that,” both Clay and Spruce agreed at the same time.

Velvet meanwhile had recovered from the shock, and was now narrowing her eyes menacingly. “So that’s the way they wanna play,” she muttered, and in a fury she hauled Veneer up by the arm. “Get up already!” she growled. “Looks like we got ourselves a little Band Battle.”

“A Band Battle?” Veneer echoed, “But I didn’t even get a chance to finish touching up!” he whimpered, feeling self-conscious for his lack of vanity.

“Ergh, there’s no time!” Velvet grumbled, shoving a microphone at him and grabbing one for herself. Her gaze locked in on the quintet who’d thought they had everything in the bag with their little rainbow-colored magic trick.

They’ll see that they’re wrong!

The two doll-like siblings began to get it on with their own number, their voices still riding off of Floyd’s talent that still lingered in their system.

“Sweet dreams are made of this Who am I to disagree I travel the world and the seven seas Everybody's looking for something…!”

The production was very flashy, very over-the-top in both the song and dance department. Some of the moves were a bit absurd, given their very thin, limby build, but the siblings still went for it. They were not going to be upstaged by Trolls, not if they could help it. Velvet figured that if the Trolls had some kind of supernatural force that let their combined voices become strong and powerful, then what did it hurt to try it for themselves and see if she and her brother had it too? And it turned out her theory wasn’t wrong. She could feel something surge through her and Veneer, but it wasn’t the same colorful, friendly type of thing that had encompassed the Trolls. This was a dark kind, not only in the dull black and enchanting green schematic, but also with the wickedness that came with it. It was the way poison would look, if poison could be depicted in an abstract form. The pair of them grinned as their song blasted the Trolls back in a replica of what had happened to them moments earlier, only this time, the tables had been turned.

But the Trolls were as steadfast as they were musical.

“Don’t give up!” Poppy ever optimistically urged them. “We can do it!”

The group sang again, determined to prove it.

“It's hard to say I'm sorry It's hard to make the things I did undone A lesson I've learned too well for sure So don't hang up the phone now I'm trying to figure out just what to do I'm going crazy without you…

You're all I ever wanted You're all I ever needed, yeah So tell me what to do now When I want you back!”

And Velvet and Veneer sang back, determined to put an end to it.

“Some of them want to use you Some of them want to get used by you Some of them want to abuse you Some of them want to be abused…!”

Back and forth the supercharged music went from both ends, one lively and positive, the other evil and negative. Both were vastly different, and both were putting up quite the challenge against each other. But it was when the Trolls pulled together on another one of their verses, putting every bit of heart and soul into it that things in the battle began to sway.

“It's tearin' up my heart when I'm with you But when we are apart, I feel it too And no matter what I do, I feel the pain With or without you!”

Resounding in a loud, clear crescendo, the brothers and Poppy succeeded in creating a massive sonic-like explosion. The diamond cracked significantly more, rooting out from its initial crack so that it formed smaller ones, like tree roots or branches.

The siblings noticed and gasped.

“Sis,” Veneer said, “I think they’re gonna – “

“NO, they WON’T,” Velvet quickly cut him off. She adjusted her golden top better, straightened the loose emerald-colored curls on her head, and gripped the microphone so tightly that her knuckles turned far whiter than they already were.

“Sweet dreams are made of this Who am I to disagree I travel the world and the seven seas Everybody's looking for something Sweet dreams are made of this Who am I to disagree I travel the world and the seven seas Everybody's looking for something!”

The counterattack, much to the Trolls’ distress, superseded their song. The soundwave was violent and overwhelming, wracking the Trolls body with horrible electrical pulsations that blew them backwards. While nobody suffered a physical injury, it seemed that their resolve was weakened.

“I’m not sure how much longer I can keep this up,” Floyd moaned, panting a little from exhaustion. It was taxing to have the doll-like siblings take away his talent, and its effects were proving themselves in his inability to keep up the Family Harmony for much longer.

“But we gotta sing the perfect Family Harmony!” John Dory exclaimed. “Remember? You yourself said it was gonna be the only thing that’s powerful enough to shatter a diamond. Don’t you wanna save him?”

“Of course I do!” the magenta Troll replied, feeling a pang of worry far greater than before for his younger brother.

“But Floyd’s right, dude,” Spruce pointed out. “We’re literally doing everything that we can, we’re giving everything our best shot!”

“What more can we do?” Clay asked, going off of the purple Troll.

Poppy thought about this too. What more CAN be done? No way did she want her boyfriend to go out like this, trapped, made to suffer, and at the clutches of two awful folks who were there to – in the words of their song – use and abuse him!

But then Poppy heard a voice, and for a second, she thought an angel had descended from the heavens, having heard her internal plea for help and there to give her advice. It was no angel, however, but to Poppy it was as close of a second as one could get. Because it was Branch's voice.

“Let me take you to a better plaaaace,

I’m gonna make you kiss the sky tonight

Yeah if you let me show the waaay,

I’m so excited, to see you excited!

Take you to a better place (yoo hoOooOo)

And baby you can love me all the way

We’re flying up to outer spaaace,

I’m so excited, to see you excited!”

From within the cracked diamond, his voice carried on strongly, and the brothers and Poppy recognized the tune that he was belting out so beautifully. It was BroZone's most popular hit single, the one that had risen them to fame and destroyed them, the song that had been a blessing and a curse all mashed together in a single glorious melody.

And it was just the inspiration that the Trolls needed.

Poppy was the first of the five to add her voice in the mix. While not an official BroZone member, she still knew the exact words of the song by heart, and sang them with much heart put into it. JD followed in with her...

.. then Spruce...

... then Clay...

... then Floyd...

... who joined with the others harmoniously so that they were creating a heart-stopping sound... But there was still a question on their minds - would it be that perfect Family Harmony?

Velvet and Veneer didn't wait to find out. As soon as Branch had started singing, they'd grabbed the mikes and retaliated harder than they'd done so far with their song.

“Sweet dreams are made of this Who am I to disagree I travel the world and the seven seas Everybody's looking for something…!”

The dark magic was strong and wild, and struck against the Trolls' harmonious one, entangling it in a mess of twisted energy. It was difficult to tell which of the two sides were winning with how stunningly chaotic things became, the rays fighting and wrestling, good against bad, in a heated struggle for dominance.

But the Trolls still kept on singing.

Poppy sang like she never did before in her life. John Dory gave it all his boldness, Spruce all his heart, Clay all his spunk, Floyd all his sincerity.

And the doll-like siblings were giving it their all too - all their spare stolen talent that is, which was rapidly being depleted.

The pair took no notice until Veneer's voice suddenly cracked and became pitchy at a key note in the song.

"Some of them want to use you, some of them want to be ab -ACK! UGHCK CAH!” He coughed suddenly over the unexpected interruption, and Velvet gave him an annoyed stare.

"What are you doing?!" She demanded harshly, but suddenly found her own voice faltering with a rough cough. In a panic, she tried again quickly, opening her mouth and willing her vocal chords to cooperate, but what came out was less than stellar.

"Some of them want to abuse you, some of them want to be abu-UGHCK ACCK HAK!"

With horror, she realized that they were losing. She and Veneer looked at each other, thinking the same as they honed their gaze on their most precious possession.

The diamond!

Both hands reached for it, and both hands drew back, the siblings gave a sharp cry for the sudden, electric ZAP that had erupted from Branch's enclosure. Velvet suddenly regretted not having inhaled his talent right when she had the opportunity. It was as though the Troll musical magic had created a forcefield, preventing her and her brother from even laying a finger on the diamond.

Then the most marvelous thing happened.

And that, folks, was the accomplishment of impossibly fabled perfect Family Harmony.

It was exactly as mystically glorious as the brothers remembered it, with all of the colors and light and absolutely in-sync sensation that coursed through their veins. The Family Harmony was something completely new to Poppy, but it was incredible to her. She’d felt the same light-and-airy way that she’d felt earlier in their adventure as she’d sang with Viva in Putt Putt Village, when the sisters had been over the moon for their reunion. Now that she, the brothers, and Branch had all banded together, there seemed to be no stopping the Trolls. Their magic pulsed and glowed, stronger than ever and - if one looked closely enough - it could be sworn that it formed the image of one great, big ethereal apparition of a Troll… One who, in the climactic moment of the band's union, blasted out a massive burst of pure, bright, rainbow-colored energy. The last thing Velvet and Veneer saw before they had to shut their eyes from the scorching light was the diamond, rippling and snapping, and then making the telltale CRRRRRAAAACKK! that indicated that it had broken completely.

Branch, also blinded by the light, had hardly realized what had happened, barely getting a sense of where he was, at least until he felt himself surrounded by Poppy and his brothers.

“WE DID IT!” Poppy cheered, squeezing Branch in a tight hug. “WE DID IT! WE DID IT! Oh, Branch, I’m so glad you’re okay!!”

“Oh, Poppy!” he cried in relief, holding her just as tightly and never wanting to let go. He’d been fearful that he could never have her in his arms again, but that fear could now rest at ease.

His older brothers were just as pumped as the Pop Queen. “WOO-YEAH!” John Dory shouted. “She’s right – we did it, we owned it, we brought the house down! Or at least that evil diamond… WOOOO!” He made his rounds with the brothers, chest-bumping with Spruce, double-high fiving with Clay, and lovably noogy-ing Floyd.

“No…” Velvet whimpered in the meantime. “No, no, no, no, no, no, NO!” Her hands shook as she grabbed the cracked pieces of the diamond that had scattered all around them on the ground, and uselessly trying to piece them together.

Veneer looked mortified for what had happened too, and helplessly scurried to pick up as many pieces of the diamond that he could. “M-maybe we can fix it?” he stammered to Velvet. “Like, if we got some glue or some tape or, um, or…”

Veneer rambled on about what he thought might work, but Velvet wasn’t listening. Her gaze was fixed on a larger piece of the diamond that had broken off, perfectly shaped as a dagger would be… and then flitted her gaze to the celebrating Trolls. One thing and one thing only crossed her mind then and there, and before she knew what she was doing, she’d grabbed the diamond piece, raised it above her head, and charged at the Trolls with a piercing cry.

“Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!”

Much happened in those next few seconds, all at once. Poppy shrieked at the sight of the maniacal doll-like creature heading for them, and Branch shoved her behind him out of instinctiveness to keep his girlfriend safe. He expected to feel the blade pierce him, but was shocked to find that something had taken the blow full on instead, shielding him.

That something – or someone as it was – was John Dory, who’d jumped in the way with a cry of “NOOO!”

In a horrific scene, like something that someone would see only in a nightmare, the eldest BroZone brother fell to the ground, stabbed.

The brothers gasped in shock.

“JOHN DORY!!”

Branch was the first to rush to his side where he’d landed, sprawled and wincing. “John Dory…” he said, more quietly this time. He was stunned to see that his older brother would do something so stupid as to blatantly put himself in danger. But… he did it to save ME, Branch realized, seeing that maybe his older brother’s reasoning wasn’t all that stupid. It was honorable, if anything. He suddenly felt awful for every bad thought he’d had about him, for every time he’d itched to slap the smug grin off his face throughout the journey and every time he’d wanted him to leave again with his idiotic goggles and never come back into his life. Branch wished he could take it all back now, and not have to kneel there, witnessing his brother’s death.

Poppy was also shook, her brain trying to catch up with what had happened. Branch was going to save her life. Branch had been the one about to take the blade straight on. Her Branch, who would be lying there in pain, at least, until the turn of events that had resulted in the eldest BroZone brother choosing to step in instead.

Suddenly, John Dory began to shift, mumbling something that sounded a little bit like Branch’s name, but it sounded strained. He tried again, and this time managed to be coherent.

“Branch, I… I…”

“Wh-what?” Branch replied shakily, trying his best not to let his voice waver in the midst of it all. There was a lump the size of all the Troll kingdoms combined in his throat, but he refused to break down. For Floyd, though, it was no problem at all. He’d already let fresh tears fall down his face, and was clutching on hard to Spruce who was closest to him. The purple Troll was trying his best not to tremble too much, while Clay had gone ashen in the face with alarm.

John Dory spoke again. “I… I think… she needs… to work on her aim…”

Branch blinked at him. “Huh?”

Suddenly JD grinned at him, rolled over, and lifted his arm to show that the diamond blade sitting snugly in the crook between his arm and body.

Before any of the Trolls could react, Velvet beat them to it.

“WHAT?!” she cried. “Impossible!”

But it was not impossible, not with the way that JD slid the diamond piece out without so much as a scratch on his skin to show and smiled smugly. Then, something strange began to happen. The diamond piece glowed, hovering in the air.

“Uhhh, sis?” Veneer suddenly said, but Velvet already knew what he was referring to, when she saw the other shattered diamond pieces hovering up in the air, too, also glowing.

“What the fu – ?!“ Velvet started, but was cut from her obscenity when the diamond pieces, all floating around them, emitted a beaming blast that looked very similar to the Family Harmony that had shattered it in the first place, causing her and Veneer to scream.

“AAAAGHHHHH!”

When everything had settled, the Trolls saw the two were nowhere in sight.

“What the… where’d they go?” Clay asked out loud.

“Does this answer your question?!”

He was spooked by the sound of Velvet’s disembodied voice, but then he and the others noticed something that they hadn’t before. The diamond had reconstructed itself, and was sitting not too far from where they were. And, trapped inside of it and experiencing a taste of their own medicine, were Velvet and Veneer, shrunken down so they were Troll-sized and unable to escape.

Still, Veneer asked his sister, “How are we gonna get outta this scrap, sis?”

Velvet pounded the glass walls and screamed at her brother. “SHUT UP!!!”

The Trolls chuckled at the two, with John Dory snickering loudly. “Heh hehe, I guess they got theirs, huh? Fooled ‘em good with my act, too, right?”

Clay, surprisingly, was not in his typical jokey mood. He frowned at the teal Troll.

“John Dory, that was not funny!” Clay shouted. “And trust me, I know funny!”

“You scared me, bro,” Floyd blubbered, still trying to get his waterfall under control.

“You scared all of us,” Spruce admitted, letting out a breath of relief and dabbing at the beads of sweat that had perspired on his forehead.

“We thought you were a goner!” Poppy chimed in.

Only Branch didn’t say anything at first. He looked at John Dory incredulously, and then decided to speak.

“Why… did you do that?” he asked, getting awful images back of when their Grandmother had sacrificed her own life to save Branch from the Bergen Chef. Only, his Grandma hadn’t made it out of that one alive.

JD shrugged. “Hey, dude, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do for your fam than for yourself. Something I wish I knew a long time ago…”

He glanced at Spruce, Clay, and Floyd, who got exactly what he meant.

John Dory offered a tentative smile to Branch, which, he was glad to find that the blue-haired Troll returned.

Poppy’s gasp interrupted their moment. “Oh my gosh, you guys, look!”

She pointed down at their chests, to which they noticed for the first time that they were sporting brand-new hair-matching vests that fit them perfectly.

“Whoa…” Clay said, and then looked down to find that he too had a yellow vest that fit him much better. Spruce and Floyd’s were no different.

“Ah, no wonder I can breathe better!” Spruce said, recalling how tight his old vest from his teenage years had been squeezing him throughout the entire performance.

“But where did these come from?” Floyd wondered, his fingers grazing over the sleek material.

“It must’ve been from the Family Harmony,” Branch guessed, remembering how when Barb’s world tour had concluded with all the musical tribes singing together, the magical moment causing rainbow-colored outfits to transform upon Poppy and some of the other tribe leaders.

“Aw, maaan, mine’s ripped!” John Dory moaned, showing that part of it was sliced, due to the diamond blade. He looked at them hopefully. “Hey, you think we can sing the Family Harmony again and get it fixed?”

Branch gave his brother a look like “Really?”, but it was Poppy who actually responded. “Hmm… you know, I’ve got a couple of fashion friends who could probably sow that up once we get back to Pop Village,” she said, thinking about Satin and Chenille. “Well, um, that is… if you wanna go back?”

She scanned the brothers’ faces, who seemed to be a little doubtful at her suggestion.

“Back to Pop Village?” Spruce asked.

“We haven’t been there in years…” Clay mumbled. It wasn’t even in the same place, with how they’d all learned about the relocation into the forest after King Peppy’s evacuation on that one Trollstice.

But it was a homecoming long in the making, and one that Branch - who stood silently in between Poppy and Floyd with bated breath – was hoping that they’d go for.

Luckily, his brothers’ thoughts were right on the same track.

“Sure, we’ll go!” John Dory said, speaking up for the band. “But only on one condition…”

“What is it?” Floyd asked curiously.

JD grinned slyly at his magenta-haired brother. “That none of us ever see another diamond again!”

And everybody laughed, sharing the same exact sentiments.

__________________________________________

A/N: Ngl, I was a little afraid to tackle the climax of the movie, and even writing it now I’m not fully confident 😅 For my version of it, I wrote it according to my oneshot “The Trade” (ch 7) in which Branch gives himself up to Velvet and Veneer to switch places with Floyd. Velvet to me comes off as the more controlling of the two siblings, so that’s why she is the one more adamant about the diamond and the singing powers. Sweet Dreams Are Made of This is one of the songs listed for the TBT soundtrack, and I think it could work as a Velvet and Veneer song. I also think in the battle, we’ll get not only one song from BroZone, but maybe a whole boyband hits mashup (kinda like how Trolls World Tour did the Many Hits mashup!) Not sure of the new song “Take You To A Better Place” is something BroZone themselves is going to be singing (or if it is going to be used for something else) but I included it as their No.1 hit song, since it is an original and it also sounds like the song playing at the beginning of Trailer 2 when BroZone was coming onstage.

I’ve thought for a while what the climax of the movie may be like, and the thing that came to mind (for me at least) was the ending of MLP Equestria Girls Rainbow Rocks. In the finale Battle of the Bands, the musical powers “fight” against each other, with the Sirens winning at first and then the Ponies prevailing with their combined song-powered magical light-being (in this case, a unicorn) blasting the magic diamonds that the Sirens had.

youtube

An episode from a Scooby-Doo show did sort of the same thing with a band battle sequence (Mystery Incorporated episode 44 “Dance of the Undead” in case you're curious which specific one)

youtube

I’m sure if the movie goes this route, it will be much cooler - it’s a little challenging to put on paper what may look awesome onscreen, but I did my best in that respect, and also in trying to include the ideas of my requesters :3

#trolls #trolls band together #trolls 3 #brozone #branch trolls #poppy trolls #broppy #john dory #spruce trolls #clay trolls #floyd trolls #velvet and veneer #dreamworks #fanfiction #kittyball writes #Youtube

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djarins-cyare · 3 months

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The WIP poll results are in!

And the winner is…

✨ Guns n’ Angst!!! ✨

Thank you to all 199 (!) of you who voted because omg that’s so many people and I’m blown away by this level of interaction 😭😭

As a reward, I’ll tell you a little bit more about the winner…

So this is a smutty angsty piece based on the ‘5 of this and 1 of that’ plot structure. The essence of it is 5 firsts and 1 last.

To See A Thousand Things

“Nothing can be sadder or more profound than to see a thousand things for the first and last time” —Victor Hugo, Les Misérables

1. FIRST ENCOUNTER…

2. FIRST FLESH

3. FIRST FEEL

4. FIRST KISS

5. FIRST SIGHT

6. LAST EVERYTHING… 😭

EPILOGUE: Life is simple, people are complicated.

I don’t want to give too much away, hence you’re just getting the chapter titles and that teeny tiny sneak peek for now 😝

I will say that with each chapter, what starts as casual gradually transforms into something else, something neither of you are prepared to admit to or remotely ready to deal with (cue angst).

Timeline-wise, it spans all we’ve seen on our screens so far and more. We begin about a year before season 1… chapters 2 and 3 occur after s1e8… chapter 4 happens halfway through season 2… and chapter 5 takes place after season 2 has finished. Chapter 6 then happens just before s3e1… and the epilogue is after the final episode of season 3.

I should add that I cannot write tragedies, I simply don’t have it in me, so that’s why this has an epilogue. Although it’s laden with angst, I’m ending it with hope.

Also, the inspiration for chapter 6 of this fic comes from @immarocketman’s phenomenal digital painting of Din getting head but looking oh so devastated at the same time (he knowwws it’s the last time 😭).

It’s been in the works since back then (November last year), but it’s taking a while to get right. Generally, I find both smut and angst the hardest things to write, so I’ve really set myself a challenge here. But the fact that it won this poll has bolstered me big time, and I now have new motivation to work on getting it finished.

So thank you once again everyone! 🙏🏻

Hopefully I won’t keep you waiting too long! 🤞🏻

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perhaps-in-anotherdream · 9 months

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[CN] Victor’s Carbon Pen and Glass Bead Event (Day 2)

⌚ This post contains detailed spoilers for content yet to be released on the global server! ⌚

✦ thursday || friday || saturday || sunday || monday || tuesday || wednesday

【High School Affiliated to Loveland University Second Year (Section 1) Semester Schedule - Friday】

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

[PHYSICS]:

If asked to choose the class with the most exemplary learning environment, Victor would undoubtedly go for the physics class without hesitation.

“Next, I’m going to cover one of the most important topics for this semester, which will be included in the monthly exam. Even a fool should be able to grasp the essence of what I’m saying, don’t you think?”

With a cold laugh, the man places the nearly used-up chalk into the chalk box.

“Whoever fails to solve it when the time comes, you all know the consequences already.”

—

[MATH]:

“Answer: D. Analysis: Omission.”

This is the most openly righteous lie in the world.

—

[ENGLISH]:

Take care of your eyes and make sure to rest properly.

I hope the next class, Brother Xiao Ying can be more serious while teaching. In a rare moment, Victor prays to himself.

—

[BIOLOGY]:

“Hey, Sir Vic, pinch me quickly. I finally managed to change to the seat at the back with so much effort, but I might fall asleep listening to Brother Wen’s never-ending ‘The Great Compression Mantra’.”

“If I do doze off, I’ll get late to grab the lunch later.”

—

[SPORTS]:

Right after the warm-up, the students are notified to go back to the classroom. It seems like something serious is about to be announced.

The result is that the physics teacher wins the class registration battle.

It is, indeed, quite a serious matter.

—

[CHINESE]:

“How come I don’t see any of you dozing off during the physics class, huh?”

The head teacher’s eyes curve into a smile, but it silences the entire classroom in fear,

“I’m showing my consideration and kindness to you guys, but I see no appreciation in return…”

“Since you all love to sleep so much, just keep your eyes closed.”

Victor quietly opens the math paper tucked beneath his Chinese textbook and starts writing to save time.

—

[CHINESE]:

How should I analyze your desires and wishes?

Using the first-person narrative will create a warm and friendly tone, while incorporating the second-person will enhance the emotional expression of the article, and using the third-person will portray objectivity…

“The author portrayed the joyous memories of his childhood with vivid imagery, showcasing his profound sense of homesickness…” - Victor’s expression remains stoic as he writes.

—

[CLASS MEETING]:

Today’s class meeting is rare in that it hasn’t devolved into a session of appreciation for classical poetry, and this causes everyone’s enthusiasm after school to soar.

When Victor completes his assigned duties and returns to the dormitory to retrieve his luggage, he finds that everyone has already left the dorm.

That’s alright; it came as a blessing in disguise to help avoid the crowded bus – Victor thinks this to himself as he walks to the bus station and waits patiently.

“Meow——”

Suddenly, a very soft cat purring reaches his ears, prompting him to turn around subconsciously. The little kitten’s paw gently taps on the glass window, as if extending him an invitation.

He walks over and greets the little kitten from the other side of the glass. He smiles happily, and as he turns back, the bus behind him has already left.

──────

✧ next stop: Saturday

─────────

#AKSJSJSDGFG UNI LIFE IS SO PAINFUL I MISS MY HIGH SCHOOL DAYS 😔🫠#THIS BOOOIIII!!! MISSED THE BUS CAUSE OF PLAYING WITH THE KITTEN AKDHDG WHY ARE YOU SO FCKING CUUUTEEEE 🥹🥹#mlqc victor #mlqc li zeyan #mlqc #mr love victor #mr love queen's choice #李泽言 #恋与制作人 #love and producer #mlqc cn #mlqc spoilers #mlqc translations

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doctorofmagic · 1 year

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Doctor Strange #1 review

It’s all about subtleties.

I think issue #1 is a perfect start, not because of the possible mystic threats and glorious magic fights. It’s perfect because it’s just Stephen being Stephen. More than that, it’s just Stephen being happy and doing good on a regular basis. It’s simple, but it sums up everything he represents as a hero.

And all the team got it right, whether it’s the story, art or colors. It’s sweet and colorful, even though not everything is sunshine and roses (which gives the right, believable tone to Clea and Stephen’s relationship, after all).

But first, this is my remark that we were SO RIGHT to assume these two would f* like rabbits. So yeah, it’s canon hehe not that we needed any confirmation but... 👀

Now, back to the subtleties. They speak of a lovely couple teasing one another.

(Clea and Marc’s friendship is unbreakable now btw)

They speak of Stephen’s compassion towards his friends.

They speak of domestic life.

And fluffiness.

And peace of mind.

But they also speak of important matters like the crisis we have to face in order to fight for human rights and equality.

(if this metaphor is not clear, this IS a criticism towards the way the world has been treating war refugees, especially those of color)

In addition, those subtleties speak of injustice.

As well as conflict.

In short, this is the essence of Doctor Strange. If you want to learn who Stephen is, this is the perfect issue to illustrate it all. His kindness, compassion, duty, his conflicted heart, love and life, patience, altruism, stubbornness, weaknesses, flaws, maturity. He’s just a human with incredible mystic abilities and a powerful heart.

It’s not a dramatic story, it’s just... light-hearted in its own way. There’s conflict but the focus is a man who is finally learning happiness again. It’s an accurate portrayal of life, in which nothing is perfect but there’s beauty and joy. A well-deserved happiness after so much suffering and loneliness.

Plot-wise, I’m pretty sure Clea didn’t murder Aggamon. It’s probably just a device to create conflict in their marriage, which was expected by the interviews and solicitations. My heart is at peace because I know Jed wouldn’t reunite Stephen and Clea just to split them afterwards.

There’s also Wong’s new role as an agent of W.A.N.D., and he does have his own unique style to reach out to others -- through peace and compassion as well. I confess I’m in love with Wong in this uniform and I’m just so excited to see more of him and Pandora. He’s finally his own character, having his own life and personality. And I couldn’t be more grateful.

Looking forward to Nightmare and the mystery that surrounds Aggamon’s death. If DODS taught me anything, the culprit is closer than we suspect.

I’m also expecting some healing in the future issues. I know there was a tension between Stephen and Victor (a deserved one after DODS, if I may add) and an apology it’s out of question for a character like the king of Latveria, but a team-up would be nice to go past that. Also, Jed has been cooking Marc’s apologies for a while now (in both his MK’s run and DODS, as well as teased in the sneak peek). You know me, I’m always down to emotional bonding cause I’m hopeless 💜

Verdict: amazing issue! 10/10!

#doctor strange #stephen strange #clea strange #wong #pandora peters #bats the ghost dog #aggamon #peter parker #spider-man #jed mackay #pasqual ferry #matt hollingsworth #vc's cory petit #andy macdonald #ian herring #marvel comics #wednesday tomes #review

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rikeijo · 7 months

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Today's translation #439

Miracle!!! on ICE, Animage 1/2017, Uchiyama Koki's interview

Part 3.

-- That scene makes you feel that figure skating is such an ephemeral sport and that's why it's so beautiful.

U: There is also the choice to become a professional figure skater, but a competitive life of a figure skater, the period, when they can take part in competitions and Olympics isn't long. I'm 26 now and on TV I hear how skaters who are of similar age are being called "veterans". I think that even compared to other sport disciplines, it's very early to have your last season, when you are still in your twenties. I think that fans of Yuri!!! on ICE enjoy the anime, because they are able to find the "essence of figure skating" in this kind of ruthlessness.

-- What do you think about Yurio and Victor's relationship?

U: At first, I think that Yurio simply was looking up to Victor, the legendary skater. Because he is from the same country and somebody close to him, I think that perhaps Yurio did not think seriously about becoming better than Victor. But he believed that if Victor taught him something, he could become an even better skater, so he made Victor give him a promise, but then Yuuri took that privilege away from him. And after that he also started to fight against Victor. Having experience all that, every time he meets Victor, he gives him the treatment of "finished man". I don't know if he hates Victor for real, but the fighting spirit in him, and the goal to "make the era of Victor come to an end" is what helps him to keep his motivation high.

#yuri on ice #yoi translations #yuri on ice translation

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evolutionsvoid · 8 months

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The Grand Sanguine Ball was an event everyone looked forward to every year, except for the mortals who wound up filling out the buffets and goblets. Every vampire from every corner of the land came to this night of endless festivities, ready to drown themselves in food, drink, dance and carnal pleasure. Blood and music would flow and fill the halls of the massive estate, and the fun wouldn't stop til the vile sun arose once more. However, this year would be a bit different, as the festivities were cut a bit short this time around.

An army of slayers descended upon the estate, seeking to end the party that consumed so many mortals and finish off the vampire horde that danced upon their graves. The attack came without warning, and the drunk guests stood no chance against the furious legion. Every being in the mansion was slaughtered, torn to pieces and ground to a bloody pulp. By the time the slayers were done, the estate was now awash with the blood and guts of the entire party, their own viscera joining the bloody buffet. The army left this battlefield as victors, sure that they had ended the threat for good. However, vampire blood is not so easily slain, even if their body has long been ground to beef. The remains of the countless guests soaked the entire mansion, seeping into the floors, furniture and very air. But what arose from this carnage were not restless spirits seeking revenge, but the last memories of the party goers, still lost in the many pleasures and wonders the disrupted ball had provided. The lights have turned back on in this bloody mansion, and the music has risen to a fevered pitch once more, but what dances and drinks the endless night away is now the very estate itself.

One of the few things remaining after the entire party had been reduced to blood and gore were the maggots, born and raised upon the countless drained corpses. When the ball was interrupted and destroyed, these pale grubs feasted upon the blood and abandoned food, growing swollen on vampiric essence. When the party started up once more, but with dancing soaked furniture and living blood splattered lamps, the maggots were cobbled together with their rotted feast to become the butlers that served the ravenous party goers. Suits swollen with writhing maggots and decomposing meat, now slithering through the mansion and flooded dance floors, serving trays of long expired food and goblets of blood wine that had long spoiled. Yet, no one minds it a bit, as they are lost forever in this endless dance, partying in a night that defies the very sun and sky.

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"Rotted Butlers"

Part of an old dumb concept I once had, but didn't go too far with. The first of the month probably called for something a bit more grand, but I have a headache.

#maggot #bugs #butler #rot #monster #creature #art #drawing

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irenespring · 7 months

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TV characters and their mentors

I have realized as I watch TV and find myself liking a character I also start considering who their mentor in @lorata's THG District Two system would be, almost as a personality test. I've put too much thought into it to not publish it somewhere. So, here is a very niche character analysis. TV characters and their District Two mentors. If you are a fan of these shows and have no idea what I'm talking about because you don't read Lorata, do it now. I haven't read the Hunger Games since middle school but I return to Lorata's District Two every few months.

The Mentalist:

Patrick Jane: Callista. The way this fits is actually one of the reasons I decided to actually write a post. He considers himself immune to the rules. He hates authority. He is charming and manipulative, with only fleeting indications he has a conscience. A chaos agent. Exactly what Callista looks for. He would absolutely break up the career alliance early because he decides he doesn't want to kill the youngest tributes if he doesn't have to for his survival and he would rather kill his "allies." It gets Callista in hot water with the other alliance mentors but she is just like "he's excellent."

Teresa Lisbon: Brutus. Lisbon is actually a lot like what Petra would probably become in twenty years. Still hot-headed, still stubborn and rules-focused, still wanting respect at all costs... but a little more chill about it. She's a pretty easy choice for Brutus because she gets things done and doesn't resort to the flashy nonsense of certain Calli tributes. Speaking of... Jane and Lisbon kind of work as an inversion of the classic "back-to-back Victors are a wild girl and chill boy" and would probably hate each other at first before slowly becoming closer as time goes on.

SVU (this is a weird case because I've published a THG AU, but lets just say all of them are Two in this case):

Alex Cabot: This is the hardest of all of them for me, but I'm going to say Devon. She fits the dreamer archetype of always wanting to make things better for everyone (even with the weird season 18 twist SVU pulled, Alex is still fighting for what she perceives as justice). That twist however does rule her out for most of Brutus' branch because it's coloring too far outside the lines. She's very charming and witty, but is focused on trying to do right in the world, rather than the more self-focused goals of Callista or Misha (my runner up for this character).

Olivia Benson: Brutus. Pretty much for the same reasons as Lisbon. She is very closely tied with the rules; even when she disagrees with them, she never really thinks about leaving. She is District Two in the AU I published, so I'm to promote myself and say for more insight into how she views the Games as a Career, go read that.

Rafael Barba: Lyme. The essence of a Lyme tribute. Abusive childhood, attachment issues, using flash to cover for insecurities, depression, and ambition. Has a very tough time in early recovery because he has difficulty squaring the horrors of the Games with his motivation for volunteering---a Claudius-esque (though less intense) desire for family and acceptance.

Sonny Carisi: Tough to decide between Devon and Emory but I'm going to go with Emory. He bakes for everyone. He tries to be a good person even the face of horrors. He has no real desire to do violence to people except when under massive amounts of pressure. He didn't even necessarily need to be volunteering, he just did his best, tried to make friends, and figured they'd tell him to stop when he failed.

Bones (this is another interesting case because I have written a THG AU but have not posted because of how much it uses Lorata's characters in the absence of mentor characters in Bones, and in the AU Temperance is from District Nine, but they will both be Two in this case):

Temperance Brennan: Artemisia. She isn't really sorry about anything from Career training, viewing the Program as the only rational choice given the Capitol's governmental system. She often insults other candidates on accident, because she is the best according to the rankings so why do they take offense when she points it out? She avoids serious injury because she really is the best. It cracks Misha up just reading the file. After it becomes clear in recovery that many of her nightmares come from the foster family that she was sent to after he parents and brother abandoned her, Misha tracks them down to make sure they...understand her displeasure.

Seeley Booth: Emory. He is Two in the AU I'm writing so I've thought this through at length. In the show, he is very pre-occupied with being a good person despite having killed people, and Emory is described as the most decent of the Victors. I've thought of an argument where as Lyme is to Claudius, so Emory would be to Booth growing up in District Two. He also has a habit of pushing all his emotions down because he views them as unimportant, something Emory is shown to have a very good way of countering as a mentor. Emory and Misha meet up to talk about how their Victors are clearly infatuated with each other, Emory dismisses it because Misha had a crush on her, but Misha is like "no this is different." They wager a batch of cookies (Misha's would be baked by Devon). Misha accepts her cookies at Seeley and Temperance's wedding.

ER:

Kerry Weaver: Lyme. A lot of the characters I like have similar vibes, so the explanation for this one is kind of similar to Rafael. She has a harsh persona that is used as a cover for someone struggling with abandonment issues and wanting to belong. As a District Two candidate, she likely would be a lot like Petra (quick to anger, sensitive to being disrespected or not taken seriously), but with less regard for duty and more personal investment. She cares about the people of her district, but she wants to win for herself and the family she would be promised. I've almost written an essay on Kerry and how she behaves and her mental health while she thinks she has a shot at fitting in to ER's found family, and how it declines after she realizes that they will never accept her around season 7 and 8. She really, really wants a family, and Lyme is drawn to those types of tributes.

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