#Black Lagoon: Heaven's Shot

[thebluelagooncompany-567]

The Lagoon company members! Black Lagoon: Heaven's Shot

#Black Lagoon: Heaven's Shot #black lagoon #seinen #rei hiroe #chinese-american #lagoon company #revy lee #rebecca lee #mentally ill character #gunslinger #Rock Okajima #Japanese #dutch (black lagoon) #African-American #benny (black lagoon) #twin modified Beretta 92FS #Shotgun

[dkquentai]

BLACK LAGOON Heaven's Shot

#BLACK LAGOON #ブラック・ラグーン #Revy #レヴィ #Balalaika #バラライカ #Eda #エダ #ロベルタ #Roberta #シェンホア #Shenhua #グレーテル #Gretel

[clashiverse]

[chidoroki]

Takt Op. Destiny EP10

aka: that beautiful melody? it’s just me GODDAMN CRYING!

“Anyone who saw him conduct would always say that they saw light within his sound. I wonder if I could be someone’s light, too.” You can gladly be my light, Lenny.

What luck have I been hit with to see such perfect shots of Lenny??

This cute breakfast with him and Titan is already setting off warning signals. Things are too wholesome. Something is gonna go wrong and I’m NOT prepared for it!

I will never get tired of Takt and Destiny bickering with each other, specifically Destiny calling calling out Takt at every opportunity she gets.

At long last, I finally get another “ara ara~” from Lenny. Is this the fourth time now?

Well if you explain a date like that then of course Destiny is gonna think of yesterday’s outing as one, much to Takt chagrin.

Was that our fifth, Lenny? Probably not, was a bit different.

Sagan? Pretty sure he has to be Heaven’s conductor, but even still, I’m not a fan of you just showing up outta nowhere like this just as Lenny was about to spill some secrets.

Great, this dude pulls up with Heaven and Hell. We could be screwed.

Damn, Heaven got some speed.

“How about we show them what this master and pupil duo can do?” Lenny is too precious. Just agree you’re his pupil, Takt! 

I got just one “ara~” that time.

Takt’s father was Lenny’s mentor? And now it’s like he’s returning the favor by teaching Takt, aw.

“I don’t even know how to make a good pancake.” “In that case, I’ll teach you how to make some very special pancakes that your son will surely enjoy.” Aaaah, and Lenny cooked some for Takt once too! My heart!!

Oh nooo, Lenny was actually right there when Takt’s father was killed. My boy got pretty hurt as well.

His last name is Flyheart.. it suits him.

Titan is absolutely precious!! Smiling so brightly when Lenny couldn’t!

Pftt that umbrella of Heaven’s is pretty indestructible if it can withstand a shot from Titan’s gun like that.

That umbrella turned into a gun itself.. that’s gives off major Black Lagoon vibes.

Mhhmm, the animation and sound design both popping off this episode!

Oh but that blast from Destiny managed to break Heaven’s umbrella!

Anndd their transformation was cut short for some reason, oh no. 

Okay, but Heaven still has a gun though..

I know y’all did not just shoot my man Lenny.. ARE YOU FUCKING FOR REAL?? SHIT!!

Not just once, but thrice????

Oh Titan honey, I didn’t even realize you got hit at some point too, my bad.

Yo Titan is fucking pissed! And rightfully so, because so am I!

Of course Sagan was the one behind the D2 attack at Boston all those years ago..

Sweet lord, that final attack from Titan was beautiful.

Lenny I swear to god you better not die here.. Fuck Heaven. The place and the musicart!

Titan is still smiling for him like she promised! Aaahhhh!

This music needs to stop.. I’m gonna cry.

Takt calling Lenny his harmony and finally accepting him as his mentor.. ah. help.

Bro stop.. this ending is making me too emotional.

I.. won’t accept this. Nope!!

I feared the worst but I didn’t want it to actually happen!! You can’t kill off my fancy, handsome man like this!! Oh noooo!!!!

How much of a chance is there that they’re just playing me and he’s just severely injured? Would I be a complete fool in hoping for that??

I am. NOT OKAY. i’m gonna be a sobbing mess the rest of the night.

#takt op.destiny #episode reaction

[chaneajoyyy]

Hey love 💕 Could you please suggest some MBJ/Killmonger fics that are complete? I’m dying of boredom and I just wanna binge-read

COMPLETED ERIK KILLMONGER SERIES

- tis’ the season series (and the blurbs), dont take it personal series, a catchfish christmas series and the blurbs), the horror of our love series, bedwarmer series (with t’challa and m’baku), musical oneshots series (i know, gangsta, gods and monsters, charm x e)-  @teakturn (all on AO3)

- i call bullshit series, no mercy series- @aloevverified (search: wmi masterlist)

- no place like home series, red bottoms series, strawberry shortcake series, into the depths series, can you handle it series, killing booth series, arguments series, crowning glory series, waiting to get home series, best friends series, line loves series-  @hearteyes-for-killmonger

- sudden reunions series, sorry loser series-  @supersizemeplz (search: masterlist)

- end in flames series- @bvlckgirlmvgix (search: erik killmonger x blackIreader)

- rekindle series- @soufcakmistress (search: masterlist)

- be careful sweetheart series- @avenging-fics

- desserts series- @forbeautyandlife

- you like what you see (may or may not be complete), me and your mama- @panthergoddessbast

- haunted heart series- @youreallyshouldtalkmore

-  mystery of the golden fang series, a map made in heaven series-  @youcantkillamutant (scroll for erik killmonger x black!oc)

- breaking boundaries & breaking walls series part 1- @kaytauru (scroll for #breaking boundaries)

- deal series- @wakandamama

- medicine series, child of mine series- @wakanda-inspired

- operation honeypot series, death of a bachelor series,  liberation series- @blackpantherimagines

- ring series- @blackpantherismyish

- fried green tomatoes series, his nightmare (or his queen) series, best you had series- @iliketowrite1996 (scroll for erik stevens x reader)

- what we used to be series, personal trainer series, on the run series,   @dacreskars (search: masterlist)

- n’jadaka’s helpful hands series-  @eerythingisshaka (scroll down page for masterlist)

- if ever there were angels series- @lesqui

-homewrecker series, grindin series, jp3 series- @shaekingshitup

- my king series- @justauthoring

- for you series- @marvellovegalore (scroll for marvel fanfiction)

- lady and the tramp series- @livingmybestfakelife (search masterlist)

- shae butter baby series- @nachtaiwrites (scroll for erik x reader)

- reckoning series, around the world and back series- @muse-of-mbaku (scroll for black panther mastersit)

- call out my name series, is it over? series- @oshaia (scroll for erikkillmonger)

- what you don’t do series- @wakandanblogger (scroll for erik killmonger x reader)

- i do care series- @cancerianprincess (scroll for erik x reader)

- havana series, snowball series, split part 1 (please read the whole series), drillmonger series, waiting in vain series- @erikismybitch (scroll page for updated masterlist you can’t miss it!)

-  heartbreak series- @artsninspo (scroll down for masterlist)

- sight series- @ghostfacekill-monger

- ember series part 1 ( do read the whole series-part of it is on her wattpad page @/nahimjustfeelingit-writes), the lagoon seiries, wet dreams series- @eye-raq (search: masterlist)

- kevin’s heart series, foot fetish headcanon (one-shot) series- @madamslayyy

- little girl series- @sweeter-thejuice (search: masterlist)

- oops series, east atlanta love letters series, loyal!erik blurg series- @another-imaginesblog

- spoiled series, thru the phone series- @princesskillmonger (scroll for erik killmonger imagine)

- blind date series- @cosmiceyegasms (scroll for cosmiceyegasms)

- dirt little secrets series,  @goddessofthundathighs (search: masterlist)

- loyalty series, changes series- @melaninmarvelgirl62

- sunsets series-  @mbakusprincess (search: masterlist)

- carried series- @ororowrites

- passenger seat series- @blackmissfrizzle

- a perfect crime series- @wikiwakanda (search: masterlist)

- my dope man series, the very best man series, home sweet home series (sequel to the very best man series), daddy time? series, go home erik series, coconut series, i love you king series, you don’t own me series-  @killmoncoochie (scroll for erik killmonger fic and coochiefic)

- a reward series-  @big-flop-energy- (scroll for leeleefic and

- hold your breath series- @njadont (scroll for erik x reader)

- leave a light on series- @mariamermaid (scroll for erik x reader)

- smoke and mirrors series (sequel is on her ao3-> madeline grey)- @lannisterkitty

- pray for me series- @thekrazykeke

- love galore series- @mbjslilthang

- bad at love series- @fandomnom

- the sweetest taste series- @wakandaforeverwrites

COMPLETED MBJ SERIES (I WILL BE ADDING INCOMPLETE FICS & (COMPLETED) ONESHOTS CAUSE THERE’S NOT A LOT OF COMPLETED ONES)

*=incomplete

*- pet peeve series (currently on wattpad)- @aspacefork

- life unexpected series*, midnight fm series*, you again series (with chadwick)*, hot girl summer (with chadwick), at the oscars (with chadwick), the reader wanting a bbl (with chadwick), honey love series (with chadwick)- @lady-love-and-glitter-roses

- loving her, need you by my side, busted, planning the future, false accusations, mesy, flirt, reconnect, can’t help myself, +2, instagram bae, hello mrs. jordan, dance for you-  @plussizeappreciationfics (scroll for michael b jordan x reader or michael b jordan x plus size reader)

- oooh...we got a house house?!, test, birthday fic, he was erik... (one shot for now)- @writerbee-ffs (scroll for michael b jordan x reader)

- comics are for nerds, unexpected surprise, sick times, it’ll be okay, love-  @running-on-fanfiction (search: michael b jordan)

- three times a charm?, late night shenanigans- @marvelouss-marvel

- split series (part 1) do read the series as a whole, just take both, nsfw- @erikismybitch

- red carpet tings- @mbjslilthang

- headcanons series- @atechnologicalmarvel (search: michael b. jordan)

-michael b jordan imagine where hes doing an interivew/red carpet thing and the person asks him where his gf is and not super into the hollywood life, michael and his gf get into a fights where she leaves and ends taking care of her, michael and his gf break up but still miss each other, michael and reader are dating and did a movie together and doing a cool photoshoot together, michael and you take your son to the black panther premiere and you annouces your pregnant again, imichael b jordan imagine where the reader is a famous singer and he goes to one of her concerts (she doesn’t know) and he surprises her backstage and they go out afterwards?, michael b jordan imagine where reader is a famous singer and she invites him to be in one of her music videos (where they play a couloe) and after the video they end up hooking up and start to like each other?- @fangirlfanwritings (search: michael b jordan)

- all mbj fics - @justimagaine (search: michael b jordan)

- imagine: joke, imagine: interview, having a puppy family would include...-@fandomnom (scroll for michael b. jordan)

- alphabet series (a is for arrest)*, soft kiss - @calif0rnia-lovers

*- beauty unit series- @mermaidchansons (search: michael b jordan)

- all mbj imagines- @celebrityyimaginees (scroll for michael b jordan x reader)

-nike air max 97, mornings- @teachallas (scroll for michael b jordan x reader)

- double trouble, movement, photo op, romcom tragedy-  @basickassandra (search: michael b jordan)

- molasses- @michaelbwriting

***IF I FORGOT ANYONE/STORIES FROM THOSE ALREADY LISTED PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!! SOME WRITER WHO I WANTED TO INLCUDE HAVE LEFT SO I COULDN’T ADD THEM***

#the bp plug #the plug #librarian at your service #bp librarian at your service #let's chat #sip tea #talk fanfiction #erik killmonger fanfiction #black panther fanfiction #marvel fanfiction #michael b. jordan fanfiction #completed fics

[aion-rsa]

Streaming on Plex: Best Movies and TV Shows You Can Watch for FREE in September

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

This article is sponsored by Plex. You can download the Free Plex App now by clicking here!

There’s an overwhelming amount of new movies and TV shows hitting streaming services this fall. If you’re starving for new content, it’s set to be a fantastic time, but if your wallet is starving for funds, it can be pretty stressful. With studios and content providers spreading their libraries out across so many different streaming services, keeping up with all of your favorites can get expensive. Thankfully, Plex TV is here to keep you entertained without breaking the bank.

Plex is a globally available one-stop-shop streaming media service offering thousands of free movies and TV shows and hundreds of free-to-stream live TV channels, from the biggest names in entertainment, including Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM), Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, Lionsgate, Legendary, AMC, A+E, Crackle, and Reuters. Plex is the only streaming service that lets users manage their personal media alongside a continuously growing library of free third-party entertainment spanning all genres, interests, and mediums including podcasts, music, and more. With a highly customizable interface and smart recommendations based on the media you enjoy, Plex brings its users the best media experience on the planet from any device, anywhere.

Plex releases brand new and beloved titles to its platform monthly and we’ll be here to help you identify the cream of the crop. View Plex TV now for the best free entertainment streaming and check back each month for Den of Geek Critics’ picks!

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DEN OF GEEK CRITICS’ PICKS

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

They’re the world’s most fearsome fightin’ team. They’re heroes in a half-shell and they’re green. I mean, what more do we need to say? 2014’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is no Citizen Kane, but comic book movie fans flock to it like the four titular turtles to pizza. The film knows exactly what it is, providing cheesy one-liners, silly action, and unpretentious fun. Throwing in Will Arnett as a sidekick for April O’Neil was an inspired choice that paid dividends in laughs and whoever tapped Tony Shaloub to voice Splinter should get a pay raise. Produced by Nickelodeon Pictures, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles wasn’t only the highest grossing film in the series, but also the highest grossing Nickelodeon film of all-time. This reboot of the classic ninja team helped spawn further films, new TV series, and a renewed interest in one of the most beloved comic book properties ever. Cowabunga, dude!

Noah

This isn’t your Sunday School’s Noah. Darren Aronofsky’s adaptation of the story of the biblical figure Noah is an awe-inspiring epic that takes the bones of the famous story and infuses themes about environmentalism, self-doubt, and yes, faith. Pulling liberally from texts like the Book of Enoch, the film has far more action than just leading animals onto a boat and a storm. Shot by Matthew Libatique, the movie looks absolutely gorgeous and at times can be genuinely breath-taking, but it’s not just about the visuals. Russell Crowe stuns in the title role, but the entire ensemble is great, including a post-Potter Emma Watson and a ferocious Ray Winstone. No one expected Noah to be more akin to a thought-provoking art house film than a straight-forward epic, but that’s the sort of genius you get from Aronofsky, one of the most exciting and inventive filmmakers working today. 

Shine a Light

Even if we hadn’t just lost the immortal, suave Charlie Watts, the heartbeat of rock and roll’s longest institution, The Rolling Stones, we’d still be recommending Martin Scorsese’s Shine a Light. Capturing the legendary band during their A Bigger Bang Tour in 2006, Scorsese spends a lot of the time rightfully focusing on Watts. With the camera fixated on Watts, you witness his unflappability; the way that he can make such raucous playing look so effortless. You also catch the man’s unique, jazz-influenced technique, like how he rarely hits the center of his snare, or how he changes his grip whenever he hits a cymbal. Even in their old age, the Stones are still one of the tightest, most electrifying live acts, and Shine a Light puts you right on stage with them as they barrel through one of the deepest catalogs in recorded music. It’s simply a masterful concert film.

The Virgin Suicides

Sofia Coppola likely has to deal with accusations about nepotism to this day, but anyone who saw her directorial debut The Virgin Suicides knows that Francis’ daughter would have made it as a filmmaker even without her famous last name. This haunting adaptation of Jeffrey Eugenides’ novel of the same name taps into the melancholy of childhood, the dreamlike haze of memory, and the mystery that lurks inside suburban homes. Coppola expertly captures the pull that an ethereal group of sisters have on the imaginative group of boys that pine for them in a way that is relatable for anyone that had an unrequited crush in high school. As a coming-of-age movie, it is one of a kind. As an exploration of trauma and grief, it is crushingly effective. The original score by the band Air only adds to its hypnagogic vibe. 

Rock ‘n’ Roll High School

Punk rock music and Roger Corman pictures are some of the core tenants that Den of Geek was founded on, so of course we’re going to recommend 1979’s Rock ‘n’ Roll High School, which features possibly the coolest band of all-time, The Ramones. Let our resident punk rock movie expert Jim Knipfel break it down for you:

“After producing so many dozens of teen rebellion films over the years, Corman finally hit the pinnacle, the ultimate teen rebellion picture, with the cartoon antics ratcheted up more than a few notches. There are so many bad jokes flying around, so many visual gags and film references packed into every scene, so many overwrought teen film clichés pushed way past absurd, it’s a film that demands multiple viewings. Even if “Riff Randall, rock ’n’ roller” (P.J. Soles) doesn’t look much like any punk chick I ever knew, I’m perfectly willing to accept it. And in historical terms, it really was this film more than the 4 albums they had out at the time that spread the word about The Ramones to mainstream America, and that’s worth something. Old as I am I still get a thrill every time the students and the Ramones blow up Vince Lombardi High, and anyone who doesn’t must be wrong in the head somehow.”

New on Plex in September:  

1000 Times Good Night 

13 

13 Assassins 

The Accidental Husband 

All Good Things 

Assassination of a High School President 

Awake 

Bent 

Bordertown 

Brain Dead 

Cold Mountain  

The Descent 

The Descent Part 2  

Even Money 

Fear City 

First Snow 

Freedom Writers  

Gray Matters  

The Jesus Rolls 

Johnny Was  

Keys to Tulsa  

The Legend of Bagger Vance  

Mad Money 

Marrowbone 

Murder on the Orient Express 

The Ninth Gate 

Nothing but the Truth  

Ordinary People 

Rememory  

Rock ‘n’ Roll High School  

Sanctuary  

Shine a Light  

Soul Survivors  

Taboo  

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles  

The TV Set  

The Virgin Suicides  

What Doesn’t Kill You  

Winter Passing  

World Trade Center  

Catch before it leaves in September: 

31 

Absolution  

Accident Man  

Aeon Flux 

After.Life 

Angel of Death 

Answer Man 

The Bang Bang Club 

Battle Royale 

Blood and Bone 

The Broken 

Cashmere Mafia  

Child 44 

Cleaner 

Cold Comes the Night 

Coming Soon 

The Connection 

Conspiracy  

The Cookout  

Critical Condition  

Dark Crimes  

The Death and Life of Bobby Z 

Death Proof 

Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star 

Downhill Racer 

Dragged Across Concrete  

The Dresser  

The Duel 

Dummy 

Flight of Fury 

Flirting with Disaster  

The Foreigner  

Goat  

Gutshot Straight  

Halloween III: Season of the Witch  

The Hard Corps  

Hesher  

High Right 

Honeymoon  

The Hunt 

I Saw the Devil 

In the Mix 

Jason and the Argonauts 

Jeff, Who Lives at Home 

Jiri Dreams of Sushi  

Joe 

Journey to the West  

Kill ‘Em All 

A Kind of Murder 

The Kite Runner 

Lake Placid 2 

Lake Placid 3 

Last Resort 

The Lazarus Project 

Misconduct 

Mr. Church 

Mutant Chronicles 

Mythica: The Godslayer 

Mythica: The Iron Clown  

Never Back Down: No Surrender 

News Radio  

Noah 

Ong Bak: The Thai Warrior  

Ong Bak: The Beginning  

The Order 

Out for a Kill 

The Outcasts  

Phantoms 

Pistol Whipped 

The Protector 

Pulse (2001) 

Reprisal  

Return to the Blue Lagoon 

The River Murders  

The Romantics 

Second in Command 

Shadow Man 

Shattered  

The Shepherd 

Southside with You 

Space Station 76 

Square Pegs 

Standoff 

Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation  

Starship Troopers 3: Marauder 

Steel Dawn 

Substitute  

The Super  

SWAT: Under Siege 

The Terminal  

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada  

Touchy Feely  

Trollhunter 

UFO 

Universal Solider: Day of Reckoning  

Vamps  

Vicky Cristina Barcelona  

Walking Tall: Lone Justice 

Warlock 

What Planet are You From?  

World’s Fastest Indian 

World’s Greatest Dad  

The Yellow Handkerchief  

Still streaming on Plex: 

2:22 

2 Days in New York 

21 Jump Street  

22 Bullets  

24 Hours to Live  

3rd Rock from the Sun 

6 Bullets  

99 Homes 

A Little Bit of Heaven 

A Walk in the Woods 

The Air I Breathe  

Alan Partridge 

ALF  

Alone in the Dark 

Amelie 

American Pastoral  

And Soon the Darkness 

Andromeda  

Are You Here 

Arthur and the Invisibles  

Awake 

Battle in Seattle 

Bernie 

Better Watch Out 

Black Death  

Blade of the Immortal 

Blitz 

The Brass Teapot 

Bronson 

The Brothers Bloom 

The Burning Plain 

But I’m a Cheerleader 

Cake  

Candy  

Catch .44 

Cell  

The Choice 

Clerks II 

Coherence  

The Collector  

Colonia  

Congo  

Cooties 

The Core 

The Cotton Club 

Crossing Lines  

Croupier  

Cube  

Cube 2 

Cube Zero 

Cyrano de Bergerac  

Death and the Maiden 

The Deep Blue Sea 

Deep Red 

Derailed 

Detachment 

The Devil’s Rejects  

Diary of the Dead 

District B13 

DOA: Dead or Alive 

Dr. T and the Women  

Eden Lake 

The Edge of Love  

The post Streaming on Plex: Best Movies and TV Shows You Can Watch for FREE in September appeared first on Den of Geek.

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#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

[cillius]

Θα κάνουμε μαραθον με ρομαντικές ταινίες έχεις να μας προτείνεις;

Eternal Sunshine of a spotless mind (2004)

Malaal (2019)

Deliha (2014)

Ready to Mingle (2019)

Can you keep a secret? (2019)

Punch Drunk Love (2002)

Tall Girl (2019)

The prince and me (2004)

My life in ruins (2009)

Blue Lagoon: The Awakening (2012)

Photograph (2019)

Always (2011) / Sadece Sen (2014) / Do Lafson Ki Kahani (2016)

Her Sey Asktan (2016)

Pure hearts (2017)

The Holiday Calendar ( 2018)

Falling Inn Love (2019)

Honey (2018) 

Miseinen dakedo kodomo janai (2017)

We love (2018)

Missions of love (2018)

The black devil and the white prince (2016)

Clover (2014)

The break up artist (2009)

Maundy Thursday (2006)

The confession (2016)

Φτηνά Τσιγάρα (2000)

Blind Dating (2006)

Project Makeover (2007)

Why your crush doesn’t have a crush on you? (2013)

Waiting for forever (2010)

The Princess and The Marine (2001)

The Beautician and the beast (1997)

The painted veil (2006)

Nerve (2016)

Copenhagen (2014)

Listen to your heart (2010)

A princess for christmas (2011)

Der Krieger + die Kaiserin (2000)

Not another happy ending (2013)

Flying Home (2014)

Last Holiday (2006)

Take the lead (2006)

Fall in love at first kiss (2019)

Barely Lethal (2015)

Romance of their own (2004)

Lovewrecked (2005)

Love me! (2014)

Leading Lady (2014)

Geek Charming (2011)

16 wishes (2010)

Star Struck (2010)

After the ball (2015)

My fake fiance (2009)

It felt like love (2013)

Ego (2013)

Caramel (2007)

Brides (2004)

Το τανγκό των Χριστουγέννων (2011)

Ο 7ος ήλιος του έρωτα (2001)

A little thing called love (2010)

Finding mr. destiny (2010)

My tutor friend (2003)

Love 911 (2012)

Mischievous kiss the Movie (2016)

From me to you (2010)

Besieged (1998)

Pas son Genre (2014)

Love me if you dare (2003)

Heartbreaker (2010)

Populaire (2012)

Keith (2008)

Take me home (2011)

Alacran enamorado (2013)

Lady Chatterley’s lover (2015)

The boss’s daughter (2015)

The lighthouse of the whales (2016)

It’s a boy Girl thing (2006)

The spirit of christmas (2015)

Christmas Wedding planner (2017)

Rabbit without ears (2007)

Blood and chocolate (2007)

Love and honor (2013)

No stranger than love (2015)

My lucky star (2013)

Love at first punch (2014)

Three many weddings (2013)

Khoobsurat (2014)

Love 020 (2016)

In the mood for love (2000)

The scent of green papaya (1993)

Brick lane (2007)

Broken English (2007)

Good dick (2008)

Sparrow dance (2012)

Policeman and me (2017)

Blue spring ride (2014)

Love for beginners (2012)

High school debut (2011)

Seducing Mr. Perfect (2006)

He was cool (2004)

My little bride (2004)

100 days with Mr. Arrogant (2004)

200 pound beauty (2006)

Beauty and the briefcase (2010)

Sky of love (2007)

Las Leyes de la Thermodinamica (2018)

Tumbletown (2015)

Breaking & exiting (2018)

Confessions of a shopaholic (2009)

The ottoman lieutenant (2017)

Carmen (2003)

Candy jar (2018)

Galveston (2018)

Cute and dangerous (2015)

Highway (2014)

The midwife (2015)

Everyday (2018)

A christmas prince (2017)

The free world (2016)

Comet (2014)

Just Wright (2010)

A little bit of heaven (2011)

Orbiter 9 (2017)

Prom (2011)

Nappily ever after (2018)

In your eyes (2014)

This beautiful Fantastic (2016)

La belle et la Bete (2014)

Beyond the lights (2014)

Barefoot (2014)

Austenland (2013)

Accidental Love (2015)

Ashes in the snow (2018)

Double lover (2017)

Frantz (2016)

Mal de pierres (2016)

Dogfight (1991)

I am dragon (2015)

The princess switch (2018)

How I live now (2013)

Three steps above heaven (2010)

Becoming Jane (2007)

Chalet Girl (2011)

The cutting edge (1992)

Where hands touch (2018)

Lol (2012)

Equals (2015)

Penelope (2006)

Made of honor (2008)

The bounty hunter (2010)

Ghosts of girlfriends past (2009)

High Strung (2016)

What’s your number (2011)

Beastly (2011)

Letters to Juliet (2010)

Rust and bone (2012)

Flipped (2010)

The exception (2016)

Far from the madding crown (2015)

Music and Lyrics (2007)

One for the money (2012)

A room with view (1985)

Before we go (2014)

A little chaos (2014)

Last song (2010)

What if (2013)

Labor day (2013)

27 dresses (2008)

Suite Francaise (2014)

Everything, everything (2017)

What women want (2000)

The lucky one (2012)

Shallow hal (2001)

How to lose a guy in ten days (2003)

Warm bodies (2013)

Tulip fever (2017)

Jane Eyre (2011)

Memoirs of a geisha (2005)

The bodyguard (1992)

Remember me (2010)

Safe heaven (2013)

Lust caution (2007)

A walk to remember (2002)

Newness (2017)

The longest ride (2015)

The choice (2016)

Brooklyn (2015)

Passengers (2016)

Dirty dancing (1987)

To all boys I‘ve loved before (2018)

Me before you (2016)

Pride and prejudice (2005)

Cinderella (2015)

After (2019)

Man up (2015)

Leap Year (2010)

Set it up (2018)

Ugly truth (2009)

Mr. Right (2015)

The perfect date (2019)

Overboard (1987) / (2018)

The proposal (2009)

Destination Wedding (2018)

Pretty woman (1990)

The kissing booth (2018)

Man in Love (2014)

Phantom Thread (2017)

The awaking of Motti Wolkenbrunch (2018)

Holidays in the wild (2019)

Long shot (2019)

Let it snow (2019)

Who do you think I am? (2019)

The relation of mind, face and love (2009)

The Broken Hearts Gallery (2020)

An Impossible Love (2018)

The Garden of Evening Mists (2019)

Holidate (2020)

Operation Christmas Drop (2020)

Love & Basketball (2000)

Interlude City (2016)

Looks that Kill (2020)

Alaska (2015)

Babyteeth (2019)

Allacciate le cinture (2014)

The Lunchbox (2013)

Hasee Toh Phasee (2014)

Manmanrziyaan (2018)

Love Jacked (2018)

Psychobitch (2019)

Isi & Ossi (2020)

Love at Second Sight (2019)

Molly Maxwell (2013)

Premature (2019)

Eternal Winter (2019)

#ask #movies #movie #list #movie list #romance #romantic movies

[intricatecaprice]

Bad Business: A Lieutenant Lesaro Fanfic

Summary: The Trident of Poseidon is broken, the seas have closed in again, but all is not over. Lieutenant Lesaro and the crew of the Silent Mary wake on the shores of Black Rock Island, Captain-less, Ship-less, but are they also Curse-less?

Post the ending of Dead Men Tell No Tales.

Warnings: Swearing/Bad Language, self-cutting and descriptions of blood

Word Count: 3300 (Chapter 1 only, this is a wip! More to come)

Chapter 1: An Unnatural Business

1751

The first thing Lieutenant Guillermo Lesaro hears is the sound of the lonely wind, its cold fingers tousling his hair. Sweeping down his body. Chilling his soaked uniform. His sodden leather eyepatch dragged; and underneath it, his eyesocket had set up a dull itch. But his limbs were as stiff as a corpse, and for a good minute he could only lie there and suffer the annoying itch, waiting for his muscles to wake up.

The wind changed direction, whistling harshly in his ears.

He shivered, and managed to force his good eye to open.

Black.

Black rocks.

He blinked, trying to focus.

Craggy dark rocks dotting black sands, stretching out into the distance. Small creamy waves, tumbling up the beach. The confused cry of a circling seagull. Vaguely, he wondered if the seagull was one of the cursed ones that had been bound La María Silenciosa.

A surge of prickly pain, followed by intense cramping, racked his body and made him groan. His bad eye started to itch worse than before, and it took him some time to convince his arm it was alive and could actually move. The last time he’d felt this bad, he’d been fifteen, stupid, and hungover, after a night of drinking eight stolen flagons of his father’s madeira, carousing with his friends in the back alleyways of Barcelona.

With a pained grunt, he was finally able to move enough to clumsily push his fingers up under his eyepatch, tentatively seeking to relieve the itch. He expected to feel the familiar dips and calloused ridges of the decades old battle wound he’d got when a pirate’s point blank pistol-shot had misfired its powder, causing him to lose his eye instead of his life - but the scars were gone.

He paused. His fingertips explored smooth skin, a firm eyelid, an eyeball where there hadn’t been one in years… he sat up fast enough to make the blood rush from his head and the world swim but he didn’t care. He pushed his eyepatch up, and - 

He could see.

With both eyes.

He tore his eyepatch off completely, flinging it away over his shoulder as he looked with perfect vision at the sea before him, his mind blank with shock, his breath stopped in wonder. He felt like he was seeing it all again for the first time, the way the sunlight glanced off the waters, the way the grey clouds tumbled in high winds across the sky, the way the wet black sands reflected the skies like a perfect mirror for the brief moment the waves receded.

Behind him, the craggy island was even more imposing in the sharp morning sunlight - though island was a misnomer in itself. 'Island' suggested white sands and blue lagoons and shady coconut trees. This was an unyielding promontory of igneous black rocks, each one dotted with glowing gemstones, as if a child had daubed them with bright paint in a frenzy of random creativity. It was incredible to think that from above, the entire island was a miniature of the heavens as seen from Earth. And now he could see it, if he chose to. He could walk among the rocks and see the constellations beneath his feet, as if he were himself a god, with the perfect depth and clarity two eyes could give. Tread over the stars like Poseidon would have, so long ago. The thought made him grimace.

“It's about time you woke up.” A voice said drily in Spanish. “I’ve been waiting awhile.”

Officer Miguel Magda sat nearby, his uniform as immaculate as the day they’d left Cadíz. He had his hands clasped over his knees, and a sword in his lap as he stared out to sea. 

“So you got your eye back. Thought you might.” He added tonelessly, glancing at Lesaro before looking back out to sea. “It’s happened to all of us. Everything we’ve lost we’ve got back. Every limb, every hat, every sword. Even down to the buttons on our coats. Everything.” He stopped, and with a wry look, said, “Well, everything physical.”

Lieutenant Lesaro got to his feet slowly, feeling like every part of him had been shaken to pieces, before being shoved piecemeal back together. The wind felt strange on his new eye, and he couldn’t stop blinking.

Further up the beach, he heard abrupt coughing.

Officer Nico Cortez sat up suddenly, several feet away.

“¡Mierde!” He swore loudly, clutching his head. “My head is inside out…”

Near him, Officer Diego Santos rolled onto his back, and took in a deep, rasping breath, his hands pressing against the muscles of his stomach, feeling the healed flesh where there had been nothing but a gaping, ghostly hole for decades. 

Officer Antonio Moss was swaying unsteadily as he turned about in a lopsided circle, trying to get his bearings. He stopped when he saw Lesaro - no, when he saw Lesaro's eyes; and his jaw became slack, and his eyes grew wide, like an unbred boy seeing the King of Spain.

Lesaro ignored him, because there were more men, further down the beach, retching and coughing, helping each other stagger to their feet. He squinted, testing his renewed vision, and found he could see them very clearly. But it’d been so long since he’d last seen them all human, it took him some time before he could recognise them. But now, as he focused on them, he remembered who they were: Bracero, Navarro, Benetez…

One by one, the former crew of the Silent Mary were all returning to consciousness on the black sands of the island.

“I feel like my head is too big for my shoulders…” Cortez groaned.

Moss huffed a humourless laugh as Cortez slowly made it to his knees. “Finally, you admit you have a big head!”

“Shut up, Toni!” Cortez snarled. “It fucking hurts!”

“Language,” Santos panted as he succeeded in sitting up, wincing from the effort.

“How... how did we get here?” Lesaro muttered, unable to resist touching his healed eyelids again. “How are we all still alive?”

“I’d say,” Magda answered him smoothly, “To emulate dear Nico’s language, it’s a fucking mystery.”

Lesaro looked at the sea. The sails of a single ship, far from the island, were the only signs of life on the horizon.

“Where’s La María Silenciosa?” Lesaro asked.

Magda shook his head. “Gone.”

“What do you mean, gone?”

Magda turned and looked at Lesaro.

“She’s not there anymore. I don’t know what happened to her, but I don’t think she even sank. Everyone who stayed onboard La María got washed up on shore here with us. She’s just – gone.”

Magda was right. She was gone.

But their curse had broken. She shouldn’t have sunk. Even if she did, she was such a huge ship, it would’ve taken her hours to succumb to the sea, and they should’ve still been able to easily see her if she was sinking.

But there was nothing where they'd last anchored, nothing but clear blue.

He focused again on the disappearing ship in the distance.

And as he stood on the black rocky shore, the wind lifting his damp hair, an inescapable weight settled on his chest.

He’d been abandoned.

Capitán Armando Salazar, renowned Captain for the Spanish crown, El Matador Del Mar himself, had abandoned them.

But had he made it? Optimism whispered. Had he successfully reached the deck of the Black Pearl? Had his thirst for Sparrow’s blood finally been quenched?

But bitterness was stronger, rebuking such pointless considerations: did it matter, whether he did or not? Dead or not, didn’t he leave me behind? Didn’t he leave us all behind?

As though guessing his thoughts, Magda said quietly, “He’s not among us.”

Lesaro didn’t have anything to say to that.

“But I found his sword.”

He looked.

The sword in Magda’s lap was Salazar’s.

The last time he’d seen that sword, Salazar had been brandishing it in the body of the boy, as he charged towards Sparrow – trying to kill him before he reached the Trident.

Salazar had ignored Lesaro’s warning not to possess the boy. Had ignored his men, too obsessed on torturing Sparrow with the Trident to notice they’d been waiting in the waters. And in the end, had ignored Lesaro’s cries as he ran ahead, pursuing his revenge on Sparrow to the bitter end.

Instead of putting his men first.

As a Capitán should.

“Give it to me,” Lesaro said.

Magda stood, and without a word, gave the Capitán’s rapier to Lesaro.

Lesaro’s own rapier was, curiously, missing. Unlike all the others, his halberd was empty. Perhaps he’d dropped his rapier in the wet sand at the bottom of the sea, in the race for survival. Or maybe, it’d been wrenched out of his grasp, as the force of the turbulent waters had fallen on top of them, and the currents ripped around him. He couldn’t remember. Just like he couldn’t remember exactly how they’d got here, back on the shores of the island.

But, here was Salazar’s rapier: just as sleek and polished as the day they’d sailed into the Devil’s Triangle. He touched the edge with his thumb, hissing in pain as a sharp line of red appeared. He studied the bead of blood forming on his thumb. He hadn’t felt the pain of a cut in over three decades. Fascinated, he watched as the bright red blood trickled, slowed, and then – strangely, stopped. The cut closed over. The blood reabsorbed back into his flesh. His skin was whole again.

“How …?” he muttered.

Magda’s lips parted in shock, but he said nothing. Lesaro knew he’d seen the way the cut had healed. He looked up at him. Magda’s shock was swiftly replaced with an impassive look back.

“What does this mean?” Lesaro asked.

Magda shrugged slightly. “Our curse was broken, Gui. Perhaps this is just – an extension of that.”

In the past, Lesaro would’ve rebuked Magda for using his first name. For addressing him without the respect of his title. But such etiquettes were useless now. What did it matter anymore?

“But…” Magda looked again at the healed skin on Lesaro’s thumb. “I honestly don’t know.” 

“Another complete fucking mystery?” Lesaro asked, though there was no humour in his words.

“Well, at least we are alive.” Magda looked out to sea, the ship in the distance now a mere black mark on the horizon.

Lesaro snorted. “Or just cursed again, only differently this time.”

Thanks to the pig-headed Capitán Salazar, he added silently. Capitán Salazar, who hadn’t slowed, not once, in his determination to run after Sparrow. He didn’t even turn his head.

Lesaro closed his eyes, but the image was relentless like the tide, rolling over and over in his mind: him crying out to Armando to stop, wanting him to come back, wanting him to give up his revenge and lead his men back up towards the safety of the island instead of deeper into the sea… again and again, the echo of his own voice played.

Capitán…  Capitán…

Pathetic.

And then, right before the waters had crashed in over Lesaro's head, he saw Capitán Salazar distantly one last time, clinging to the anchor-chain...

And then the sea had swallowed him.

Caught between the two opposing walls of water crashing against each other, Lesaro had been swept up, tossed and dumped helplessly, this way and that, terror making him reach out to grasp ahold of something, anything, that would stop it.

Scrabbling as the raging waters had dragged him along the rocky bottom, his fist had closed over something small and hard and boxlike, and without even knowing why, he held it against his chest, every fibre of his being screaming for them to be saved, to go back, go back to when they were alive, go back to how it was before everything had started to go wrong, go back and just live this time... to live and not to die. And even amidst the chaos of the powerful sea, the burning of his lungs, the sharp pressure in his ears, Lesaro had felt it.

A silent but powerful assent.

So it shall be.

The small box had cracked open in his death-grip.

And then – they’d woken up here.                                  

Around them, the Silent Mary crew were drawing near, talking in low tones to one another as they came.

Officer Cortez tentatively approached Lesaro and Magda.

Glancing once more up and down the beach, Cortez asked in a low tone, “Have either of you seen Capitán Salazar?”

“Seen him?” Lesaro grated his teeth together. “Sí. I saw the back of him, when he left us to die!”

“No, no, we haven’t,” Magda stepped in quickly. “We should assume – he is lost.”

“But he could’ve made it,” Cortez said, glancing warily at Lesaro. “Perhaps, we should try and –”

“Shut up!” Lesaro snapped.

Cortez’s eyes widened. “But the pirates could be holding him captive!” 

Lesaro laughed harshly. “Ah, the irony would be delicious, Nico, would it not?”

Cortez’s eyebrows drew together in puzzlement. “Por favor, Lieutenant, but I am not making a joke –”

“Nico –” Magda warned.

“I was only asking if the Capitán –”

“Shut up about the Capitán!” Lesaro shouted.

Every man on the beach stopped their conversations to stare at him.

“Who gives a fuck where he is?” Lesaro whipped Salazar’s rapier through the air. “Capitán Armando Salazar, El Matador Del Mar, so great, so heroic, the esteemed son of Spain! The greatest Capitán in Spanish history, sí? Let us all bow down before him, let us worship his fucking boots, he is so breathtaking!” Lesaro’s sarcasm was sharp, his focused fury making every man there stare at their usually reasonable Lieutenant in undisguised discomfort. “He abandoned us! Why should any of us care where he is?

“But, Lieutenant Lesaro,” Cortez swallowed. “The pirates – La María –”

“I am not your Lieutenant!” He thundered. “Not anymore! From now on, there’s no more talk of pirates, there’s no more talk of La María and there’s no more Capitán!”

Lesaro glared at them all, challenging any of them to speak.

No one did.

“Everything that bastard’s ever done, has been to fuck us over! And this – this is just one more fuck up in a series of fuck ups!”

Holding the rapier up in one hand, he ran the length of its blade in a deep cut across his other hand. Blood splattered onto the black sand from the violence of his move. Lesaro then held his bloodied hand up, open for them all to see. Within seconds, the cut had healed, the blood running down his wrist sinking back into his skin. The gory cut disappeared as though it had never happened.

The men gaped.

“We’re alive, but we’re not human,” Lesaro told them. “Thanks to Salazar!”

They all stared at Lesaro’s hand – whole and unhurt, all traces of blood gone.

No one knew what to make of it.

And then, out of all of them, it was Bracero who made the first move. He took out one of his daggers, rolled up his sleeve; and, mimicking Lesaro, made a long cut over his own forearm. He hissed a little in pain, baring his teeth as he studied his work. And just like Lesaro’s had, the cut bled, slowed, and then healed over, the blood re-absorbing back through his tanned skin. He looked down with fascination as he clenched and unclenched his fist, flexing his muscles.

The men looked uncertainly at each other, murmuring low among themselves.

“What’s happened to us?”

“Are we even human?”

“What does it mean?”

And then Moss cleared his throat. “If we’re not completely human…” he swallowed as everyone looked at him, “Then – then what are we?”

“Cursed,” Lesaro said bitterly. “Again.”

Santos frowned. “But we have a heartbeat now. We breathe. And if we can’t be wounded, isn’t that a good thing?”

“We can be hurt.” Lesaro corrected. “We just heal faster.”

“Sí, it stings like hell,” Bracero grimaced.

“But we can’t be permanently hurt!” Moss looked hopeful. “Wouldn’t that mean… maybe... it’s not really a curse?”

“We couldn’t be hurt before either, it means nothing!” Lesaro snapped.

“It’s true we couldn’t be physically hurt before,” Navarro, the oldest among them, spoke up. “But we carried pain. For decades, there wasn’t one among us who didn’t carry the pain of their death constantly in their bodies. That was the strange nature of the curse we had.”

“My point exactly.” Lesaro sheathed Salazar's rapier in his belt. “A curse doesn’t care about whether you feel pain or not. A curse just prolongs your existence in the state you were in when it started. Living, dead, it doesn’t care. Therefore, any pain is just incidental.”

Navarro stroked his white beard thoughtfully. “Still, not being able to be wounded is … interesting.”

At that, the men started to talk at once.

“It’s unnatural.”

“Perhaps it’s to do with the Trident?”

“But that should’ve just broken our curse.”

“Maybe breaking the Trident put a curse on everyone.”

“No, breaking the Trident breaks all curses!”

“Only the ones made at sea -”

“But what are we?”

“Whatever we are,” Magda’s cool voice carried evenly over the noise, his calm authority making all of them stop to listen, “We’re still alive.” Everyone digested this in silence. “If we can’t be wounded – it stands to reason we can’t die either.” He shot a semi-apologetic glance at Lesaro. “It might not be another curse. The curse of the Devil’s Triangle was broken when the Trident broke. Considering how close we were to the Trident when it happened… perhaps, the power that was released when it broke didn’t distinguish between different types of curses. Perhaps, it just broke all of our curses. We were in the sea, we were afflicted with a curse made at sea, but perhaps… being so close as we were… perhaps it also broke the greatest curse of all.”

“The greatest curse…?” Moss was confused.

“The curse of all men,” Navarro said. “Death.”

Lesaro thought again of the raging waters tossing and dragging him along the ocean floor, the small box-like thing he’d squeezed in his fist, the desperate silent plea he’d made right before it had cracked… Magda’s reasoning was perfectly logical, and yet he couldn’t shake the sense that it was wrong.

“So, we cannot die.” Bracero said matter-of-factly. “No hell for me then.” He shot a twisted smile at some of the other crewmen. “Now I will never be able to spit in the devil’s face.”

“Idiota.” Navarro snorted. “What makes you think the devil stays in hell?”

Bracero winked. “You thinking of sending him an invitation, old man?”

“Best beware, boy, or one night he’ll be breathing down your neck.”

"I could only hope!"

Amidst the lewd jokes and hearty chortling of Bracero and a couple of the other crewmen, Cortez’s face creased with worry as he turned and looked out to sea.

“But, if we’re immortal…” Cortez murmured, his eyes squinting at the sunlit sea, “Maybe - maybe Capitán Salazar is too...”

Lesaro heard, and glared at Cortez. “He’d better not be! Because if I ever,” he raised his voice, making sure not one of them would miss it, “See that bastard again, he’ll regret it with every damn breath he takes. I will stab him in the face with his own fucking sword!”

An awkward, painful silence clapped down over the group of men as they stood on the beach. The wind whistled gently through the black rocks. The distant waves hushed. In the distance, living seagulls called out to one another.

Until finally, Magda said, “So… Gui. What do you propose we do now?”

“Now?” Lesaro’s mouth drew into a thin determined line. “Now, we figure out a way to get the hell off of this rock.”

 ....... To Be Continued.....

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've really really wanted to write the good Lieutenant Lesaro going bad for a while now. I wanted to write what might happen if he finally reaches breaking point! @piratesangel​ is the creator of the original female character who we'll meet later, and a co-collaborator/editor for all chapters written. This is our first official collaboration together!

#lieutenant lesaro #fanfic #Intricatecaprice #pirates of the caribbean #potc 5 #pirates #pirates of the carribean: dead men tell no tales #post ending #potc5 #silent mary crew #silent mary #human silent mary crew #bad business #bad business fanfic

[buckyscrystalqueen]

Life On The Road: Part 1

Pairings: Eventual Chibs x Reader

Warnings: Swearing, mentioned unprotected sex, one night stand, fluff, angst

Word Count: 4,380

Aesthetic by @sorenmarie87

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Hey y’all! It’s (Y/N) and Tinkerbell, the killer pitbull.” You said with forced happiness as you turned your phone and your Instagram live stream toward your dog in your passenger seat. Her ear twitched at the sound of her name but other than a huff, she didn’t move a muscle. “See, so vicious.” You turned the camera back to you and smiled as hearts and comments from your nearly two million followers started to pour in. “So anyways, I’d like ta thank y’all for all the awesome music suggestions last week on my blog; been busier than a moth in a mitten, I’ll tell you what. Y’all made this trip through Cali straight legit. However, y’all are so spot on with these songs, I managed to run out of gas somewhere north of Stockton. Yea, I know. Smooth as shit. Apparently the dang porch light’s on but ain’t no one home, t’day.

And a’course, I thought I had the back up diesel but I used it back in Vegas for the dadgum generator.” You sighed and ran your hand through your hair. “Normally I’d blame it on Tinkerbell but just wait until you see this Sunday’s video. I managed ta get her reaction on my GoPro the second the Beast pattered ta a stop an’ if it ain't the cutest thang, I don't know what is.” You reached out and fondly pat your dashboard as you talked about your truck and shrugged your shoulders.

“So any’a y’all out there in the Stockton area wanna come save my ass with some gas? I don’ wanna have ta lock Tink up in the Lagoon on the side’a the road, ya know?” You glanced at your side mirror as a 18-wheeler drove past you. “Welp. I needed ta stop for supper anyways so looks like I’m eatin’ here. If yea wanna rescue my southern ass, Tink and I are on interstate… shit, I ain’t even know. Looks like I’m unloading the bike from the back at save my damn self. Love all y’all!” You pursed your lips together and blew a kiss before waving at the camera. “Check in later!” With that, you hit the end button and sighed.

“The hail didn’t you remind me about gas, Tink?” You asked as you grabbed your truck keys and your purse. Tink, your gorgeous, beige, two year old, red nose, green eyed pitbull rescue, stood up and stretched on the passenger seat. You unclipped her seatbelt and she shook and waited for you to let her out on her side. You checked for traffic before jumping out of your black, Ford F350 Super Duty. You grumbled to yourself as you headed around the front to let Tink out so you could scrounge up something for the two of you for a slightly early dinner.

——

“Guys, look it’s her!” The Sons’ heads all perked up as Juice spun his laptop on the bar so everyone could see. Jax, Opie, Tig and Chibs all came over to watch your live stream.

“Damn… that accent gets me every time.” Tig moaned as Jax’s brow furrowed.

“Did she just say Stockton?” He asked as he tipped his beer toward the screen. The men all got quiet as they listened to the rest of your live video. As they watched, Juice pulled up a different screen on his laptop and pulled up the bookmark he had of your travel blog.

“Really, Juice? You have it bookmarked?” Opie asked as Juice navigated to the live map of your location. It probably wasn’t your smartest decision to give psycho’s the exact location you were in but you felt more secure as a single woman with your followers knowing where you were in case something really bad actually happened.

“That’s right outside Charming.” Chibs said as he pointed to the small photo of your dog’s adorable face; your choice of location beacon.

“Oh, we’re so going.” Juice said as you signed off your live video with a kiss.

“You’re gunna look like a damn stalker.” Jax said as he went back to his beer.

“Yea, on that note, I gotta get home.” Ope sighed as he grabbed his keys off the bar.

“I’ll go, just to hear that accent.” Tig said.

“Aye. Don’ ‘ear much’a tha’ back ‘ome.” Chibs agreed as he hit his hand on the bar. “Prospect! Get the truck and the extra gas can!”

“I call dibs. I found her videos first.” Juice said as he got up from the bar and closed his laptop.

“Can’t call dibs on a girl you don’t know.” Tig said as the three guys headed out to the lot to be your knights in shining armor. “She might be into older guys…”

“Ye’ve nothin’ on the foreigner, lads. Just ye watch.”

——

“Don’t you turn your nose up, miss thang. Just ‘cause it ain’t cooked on the grill, don’t mean it ain’t good steak.” Tink walked up to her Micky Mouse shaped dog bowl (so she would eat slower) and sniffed the cut up meat and dog food mixture in her bowl. You leaned against your tile covered counter top and cocked your eyebrow at her as you munched on the steak salad you had made. With a huff, Tink began to eat.

“Yea, that’s what I thought.” You glanced up your door as someone knocked at it and Tink instantly abandoned her meal. Her vicious growls and barks echoed in your 19 foot long, Scamp trailer as you reached up to grab one of the many guns you owned from the cabinet above the stove.

“I suggest ya back the fuck away from my door, now!” You called out as you pulled back the hammer on your gun. You grabbed ahold of Tink’s collar and stepped toward the door.

“Hey. umm… I’m… uh, shit. I follow your blog. Just figured you could use some gas.” Your eyebrows shot to your hairline as you kicked the handle of your door and let it fly open. You kept a firm grip on your dog’s collar and your gun pointed at the three men, who all jumped back when they saw you.

“See this is why I keep the danged map.” Your eyes danced between the three men for a moment before flipping the hammer of your gun up. “Easy Tink. Pas touche.” The second you said the French command for ‘leave it’, Tink laid off and took a seat at your heels with a deep, low growl still rolling in her chest. “Well… damn. If this ain’t the first time I got help from my followers. Come on in y’all.” You scratched behind Tink’s floppy ear and gently pulled her away from the door as the three guys looked at each other and stepped inside ‘the Lagoon’. You moved Tink’s bowl to the corner and set your gun down on the little table beside the chairs you had put in where the dining room table once sat.

“Wow…” The younger guy in the front said as he looked around your small fifth wheel. You had found it by happen stance after you lost your job four years before and it sparked something inside you. You took a year to clean it up, paint and decorate it to resemble a mermaid lagoon and make it more home-like than it was when you got it and you had been on the road ever since then. “It looks just like your videos.” You smirked and nodded as you leaned against your counter.

“I mean, it ain’t like I repaint the damn thing every other video.” You teased. “So y’all know my name. Who are y’all?”

“Tig, sweetheart.” An older, curly haired gentleman said as he stepped around the younger boy with a mohawk and tribal tattoos on his head. You could almost feel the cockiness oozing from  Tig as you took his out stretched hand and shook it firmly.

“You must be the one who found my videos in the first place.” You said sweetly as you looked at the younger man. He nodded and took your offered hand.

“Juice.” He said as a slight blush tinted the tips of his ears. You smiled sweetly and glanced up at the third man that, out of the three rescuers, you would absolutely not mind getting to know a little better if you had the option to.

“Chibs.” He said in a think Scottish accent you weren’t expecting. Your face revealed your surprise as you covered your heart with your hand.

“Well good Lawd will ya listen ta that accent!” You cooed with a sweet, genuine smile. “Betcha worked hard on that one.” You threw him a wink, causing him to blush as well. You looked at the three men and licked your lips. “Well thank ya kindly for helping me out. I’d love to stay and chat but I’m fixin’ ta have ‘bout a three hour drive ahead of me ta the next campground so I can get some laundry done ‘fore sun goes d…”

“We have a washer.” Tig said a little too quickly. He received a smack to the back of the head from Chibs, who cleared his throat.

“What he meant ta say was, if ye don’ wan’ ta race the sun, we’d be happy ta put ye up for the night. We’ve a washer and dryer ye don’t have ta pay for, hot water for a show’a an’ a real bed if ye’d like.”

“Well bless your hearts.” You sighed as you glanced down at Tink. “That actually sounds like heaven. Be able ta get ta bed early for once and give this little mutt a shower where she ain’t gettin’ dirty ‘gain right away. Won’t be much for company, though; Wednesdays are order days an’ I got bunch of them.”

“That’s OK.” Juice said with a nod of his head. You could tell just by the look in his eyes that he was slightly star-struck.

“Just so you know, we’re mechanics as well. If you want, we can look at your truck for you, free of charge.” You glanced over at Tig and smiled.

“Well I’ll take you boys up on that. I’m due for an oil change as is but I ain’t takin’ no free ride. So I guess just lead the way to the nearest gas station an’ I’ll follow y’all the rest of the way.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You drink, luv?” You looked up at Chibs and nodded as you sealed the next envelope and put it in the box you needed to take to the post office.

“I do. Thank you kindly.” You took the beer from him and gestured to the seat next to you with a smile. “I legally have ta let you know that I’m recordin’. Though I’m always recordin’.” You said as you gestured to your laptop in front of you and the GoPro that was attached to the awning you were under. Chibs nodded as he took a seat and glanced up at the camera.

“Don’ ye get tired of cameras in yer face all the time?” He asked. You took a swig of your beer as you pulled up the next order for the crystals you sold on your laptop and laughed with a shake of your head.

“I’ve had cameras in my damn face for three years. I’m so used to it now I don’t even notice it.” You glanced over at him as you grabbed the box of Obsidian spheres and the box of Lapis spheres you had picked up to sell in Arizona from the tote box beside you. “It’s how I make money.” He cocked his eyebrow as he leaned back in the chair, jumping a bit when Tink pressed her nose against his elbow to get loved on.

“How do ye make money recordin’ yerself?” You glanced up at him and smiled as he scratched Tink on the top of her head.

“Lots’a different ways. Like right now, if I post this part of my week on Sunday’s video, I’m promotin’ the fact that I’m sellin’ crystals. I buy them ‘round the country and people flock ta them like bees ta flowers.” He chuckled at your analogy as you closed the shipping box and taped the shipping label to the top. “And I got companies that sponsor me for this an’ that.” You flicked your Mossy Oak ball cap to make a point.

“I wear their gear, promotin’ their business. My followers see that an’ they’re more likely ta buy their stuff. Ain’t much money in that; ten bucks here, five there but it adds up. I also write reviews on products I try out. Companies send me things ta try an’ pay me a few bucks to mention them an’ their products in my videos. I write those reviews up on Mondays and update my blog those days.” You shrugged as you closed the next envelope and grabbed the label.

“Travelin’ round the states ain’t just drivin’ ‘round. I work forty hours a week jus’ like everyone else. I just do it outta my truck.” You smiled as you grabbed the next box of tumbled stones you needed. “I do tutorials when I fix my RV or redecorate. I do yoga videos few times a month when I find a nice lake or some cool mountains and shit for a background. That’s what got me popular in the first place. Bein’ half naked in yoga videos an’ makin’ fun’a myself doin’ stupid shit when I drive. I called companies ta get sponsored way I do. But in the three years I’ve been doin’ this, I’ve been ta every national park few times and have met so many amazing people. I get ta see the United States in’a way ain’t many people get ta. An’ while it’s a pain in the ass ta live in a small RV sometimes, I ain’t gunna trade it for nothin’.”

“Sounds like a lot of fun, luv.” You smiled and nodded as you added another finished box to the rest.

“It is. I enjoy it more’n anythin’.”

“Wha’ made ye take off on the road in the first place?” You couldn’t help but pinch your lips together as you shook your head.

“Ain’t a story worth tellin’.” He nodded as you reached out, grabbed your beer and changed the subject. “How’s my truck?”

“Oil’s changed. Opie… one of the lads works ‘ere, is gettin’ a new radiate’a ‘ose. Yers woulda givin’ ye some trouble ‘bout a month or so. Rotated the tires for ye as well. And no, ye ain’t payin’ for shite.” Your jaw snapped closed and you scowled.

“Well thank you. That helps more than y’all ever know.” He tipped his head toward you as you tossed the last package into the box going to the post office. With a sigh, you glanced over at Tink, who was laying on her back in heaven, getting her belly rubbed. “Hey traitor. Wanna go get the clothes?” She twisted her body the slightest bit and huffed at you as Chibs pulled his hand away. With a grumble, she stretched and rolled over to her side, almost defiantly. You glanced up at Chibs and held your finger up with a smile. “You want a bath?” Almost instantly, she jumped to her feet and looked at you as her tail started wagging against the side of Chibs’ chair. You looked up at the man and smiled. “Wanna point me in the direction of a shower ‘fore I start laundry… maybe conserve water with me?” He smirked and nodded his head as he got up from the chair.

“I think tha’ can be arranged, luv.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Is it just me or does (Y/N) look like she’s putting on a little weight?”

“Getting a little puffy around the middle.”

“Love this view! Wish I could do what you do!”

“Stop hating on (Y/N)! Love that top, gurl. Going to get one myself, now!”

“Get it girl! Fuck the haters, you’re gorgeous!”

“Damn. Puffy or not, I wish I had a body like that.”

Your brow furrowed as you skimmed through the comments section of the most recent yoga video you posted by Lake McDonald in Montana.

“Puffy?! I ain’t puffy!” You said as you glanced down at your stomach. You had absolutely put on a few pounds in the past few weeks but you didn’t realize it was so noticeable. You glanced over at Tink as the two of you got some summer sun at a small campground in Montana. “Am I puffy, Tink?” She responded with a single, low ‘woof’ and you rolled your eyes. “Shut up.” You closed your YouTube app and set your phone down on your little table; trading it for a glass of sweet tea. You glanced at the liquid for a moment, trying to figure out what you had been eating the past few weeks that could have put weight on like you did.

You hadn’t been eating any different, sticking to chicken mostly because it was easy to freeze and easier to store in your small freezer. You didn’t eat many sweets because you couldn’t justify not sharing them with Tinkerbell and she didn’t need them either. The only real sugar you had was in your tea… You sat up slowly as you mentally ran through your grocery bills the past few months. Your stomach turned almost painfully as you realized ‘tampons’ hadn’t been added to the list in a while.

“Oh, son of’a bitch.” You took a deep breath, trying to steady yourself before standing up and grabbing your chair. Tink jumped to her feet, knowing the rules that she was supposed to stay at your heels at all times in campgrounds and followed you toward your camper. “Smart move, (Y/N).” You mumbled to yourself as you secured your ‘porch’ belongings inside and closed and locked the door. “Condoms, you moron. Condoms.” You grabbed your truck keys off the back tire and headed to the passenger side of your vehicle. You continued to grumble as you helped Tink into her seat and clipped her harness onto her broad chest.

“There's a tree stump in a Louisiana swamp with a higher IQ than me right now.” You grumbled as you headed over to the driver side and climbed in. You snatched the GoPro from your dash and dropped it in the middle console, not wanting to deal with filming yourself on the way to the store to get a pregnancy test.

——

Four pregnancy tests, a trip to the local walk-in clinic and an ultrasound later, you found yourself, absolutely, 100%, 14 weeks pregnant. You laid in your bed that night, staring out the sky roof you had installed yourself the year before at the star dappled night sky, running scenarios through your head of what to do.

You didn’t have a home to go back to, your permanent address was a PO box in your home town of Boone, North Carolina. The only family you had was an older, half sister that couldn’t stand the sight or though of you since, in her book, you were to blame for her mother dying during child birth. Your father dipped out when you were still in the hospital nursery and you had been in and out of foster care since you were a baby.

You made enough money on the road and had enough in your savings account that raising a baby on your own on the road wasn’t a big deal financially but then you’d be raising a baby on your own on the road. That in and of itself was a whole other beast to tackle. With your job choice, your child would be in the spot light from birth. Eventually, his or her father was bound to find out and would probably want to try to put a stop to it.

But your child would be raised to love the country and be respectful to the environment. It would see the beauties of the world most children didn’t get a chance to see. Sure, it would slow you down on the road a bit but in all honestly, where were you in a hurry to get to anyways? You lived day by day, staying in places for a day or a week at a time. It was entirely up to you. It would also open you up to new business opportunities as well… not that that was the sole reason to keep your baby.

It would give you the chance to meet even more people around the country and maybe even joining one of the many groups that traveled around together. But keeping the child meant home schooling and more bills per month. Couponing a little more hardcore than you already did could help that. You knew enough people on the road as is that getting hand me downs from other families would be easy.

You rolled on your side and looked at Tink, who was peacefully snoring away. With a baby, you would have to consider getting a bigger RV or adjust maybe just the current layout. Tink would have to get used to sleeping on the floor or at least down by your feet since she was spoiled. Eventually, you would have to turn the back area where you had the chairs you didn’t really use into a toddler bed.

A smile pulled at the corners of your lips as you though about having a baby. Watching her walk for the first time in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Helping him learn to read in the summer sun by Lake Tahoe. Sure it wouldn’t be easy by any stretch of the imagination… but at the end of the day, it would be worth it. You sat up and grabbed your phone as you flipped on the light on your bed. Tink opened her eye to see what you were doing just as you snapped a photo of her. With a grumble, she put her paws over her eyes and huffed lazily as you took the photo you really wanted and began to edit it. Half hour later, when you were completely satisfied, you added the photo to your Instagram without thinking of any consequences.

@TinktravelstheUSA- Mommy is so mean to me! She’s bringing a cryin’ little monster into my home for Christmas. I protest this new development, mommy. Babies suck!

Baby (Y/L/N) due in early December! Mommy-to-be and big sister, Tink are super excited to share the beautiful world with their little bundle of joy!

Within seconds of you uploading the photo of Tink with a drawn ‘future big sister’ hat, the comments and likes started rolling in. Congratulations and well wishes poured in with the peppered in negative comment here and there. They were always expected from people who didn’t agree with your lifestyle choices or others that were jealous for one reason or another. You smiled broadly at your decision and put your phone into do not disturb mode before climbing under your blankets to call it a night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Hey Chibs. You’re gunna wanna see this, man.”

“Kinda busy a’ the moment, Juicy.” Chibs called out as he held the starter he was replacing in place. He got the first screw tightened in place before he was pulled out from under the car by his ankle. “The bloody ‘ell…” His words sputtered to a stop as he stared at the instagram photo you had posted the week before of you doing a handstand by a lake you found in Buffalo Bill state park in Wyoming outside of Yellowstone and it was beyond obvious that you were five months pregnant.

“With everything going on, I haven’t been keeping up with her posts…” Juice couldn’t finish as Chibs ripped the laptop from his hands. He walked over and set it down on the work bench in the back of the garage.

“I need ta talk ta ‘er. ‘ow do I talk ta ‘er?!” He shouted as he clicked on the arrow beside the photo. He didn’t know whether to be happy or pissed as looked at the photo of your dog, resting her head on your baby bump protectively by the same lake. “Moth’a christ.”

“We can send her a message but I don’t know if when she’d see it…”

“Tha’s m’child, Juice!” He shouted as he started to shake violently. “Ahhh, fuck tha’s m’child.” Tears welled in his eyes as he grabbed onto the table edge in front of him for a moment. His stomach rolled and he ran to the trash can in the corner.

“Hell’s wrong with him?” Gemma asked as she stepped out of the office. Juice turned the laptop toward her as Half Sack ran toward the club house for a wet washcloth and some Jameson.

“Remember that girl with the dog who parked her RV here for a night like six months ago? Yea, she’s pregnant.” Gemma quickly came out of the office and headed over to the computer as Chibs sunk down into a corner.

“How do you know it’s yours? This gash could just want…” She started as she put on her reading glasses and looked at the photo.

“‘cause I was the first man she slept wit’ in a year.” Chibs groaned as he closed his eyes in an attempt to stop the headache that was beginning to pound in his skull.

“She had a thing for his accent. And she’s not after money or she would have messaged me to find Chibs. I stumbled on this myself. Don’t think she would have ever told him…” Chibs instantly lurched to his feet and got sick again, causing both Gemma and juice to cringe.

“Alright, get him into the clubhouse. No one needs to see this.” Juice nodded as he closed his his laptop and headed over to grab his best friend.

“Come on, buddy. Let’s get you inside.” Juice said as he helped Chibs to his feet.

“M’child. I’m gon’ be a father.” He muttered as he stumbled along, too stunned to say much anything else. “Fuck, Juice. M’child.”

“I know, buddy. I know. We’ll figure it out.”

Part 2

#Chibs x Reader #Life On The Road

[thesethingsofours]

Black is King: Africa Beyoncéfied

I really enjoy watching old music videos on YouTube. It reminds me of simpler times: before CGI, insanely big budgets and, well, YouTube.

​Lately, I’ve been tripping on Kate Bush. Wuthering Heights sees her as a cosmic, cherubic teenager wafting alone in a field. In Army Dreamers she’s running through a forest with a  blonde kid, stopping only to mesmerise with her phantasmal, milky eyes. In Breathing she’s stuck in a Zorb until freed to join some green-faced virologists in a lagoon.

Those are all delightful, but my favourite has to be Babooshka. Shrouded in a black veil, she cavorts, improvised and imperfect, with a double-bass; like a mime artist bride's first dance at an enchanted wedding reception. Then, the chorus kicks in. Wailing, she transforms into a steampunk warrior temptress, back-lit by a heavenly white glow; her hips uttering truths even Shakira’s could never profess to know. There is one camera, one room, one performer, two outfits, and one special effect – zoom. It’s lo-def, simple, cheap, and in its way, purely spectacular.

Fast-forward almost exactly forty years and, NOW STREAMING ON DISNEY+, Beyoncé releases Black is King – an ostentatious, opulent, enormous, 85-minute antithesis to the austerity of Babooska. In keeping with BEYONCÉ and Lemonade, it’s a “visual album” to accompany her (I suppose we need to call it now) “audio album” – The Lion King: The Gift. Both are inspired by last year’s CGI-update of the classic 1994 animation, following a similar storyline.

The film opens onto an “African” river. A wicker basket floats downstream, interspersed with shots of colourfully clad “Africans” in a variety of settings. James Earl Jones resonantly reiterates that “we are all connected in the great circle of life”. Under a pastel sunset, Beyoncé materialises on a beach in a flowing, white mille-feuille dress, holding a baby. There is spoken-word poetry, earnestness, shots of her daughter, a man painted blue. A group baptism ensues. Church organs sound. “You’re part of something way bigger”, she exclaims as she paints the face of a pre-pubescent boy.

The imagery steeply escalates, every colour luminescent and outfits increasingly innumerable. Beyoncé in horse-print… on a horse. Beyoncé in a painting… as Mother Mary. Beyoncé in water, dripping with red rope. It turns out we’ve been in heaven. Or space. Or somewhere beyond both - blacker and more kingly. The boy takes off, becomes a comet, hurtling towards earth. Is this in 4K? 8K? 16K?  Did they shoot it in Bey, not K? Whatever the definition, it is high. Babooshka, it is not. ​ This is irrepressible Beyoncé, lofty Beyoncé; the terrestrial goddess, progenitor of pop. To make the film, Queen Bey – who also wrote, directed and produced – drafted in a wealth First off, a word about Beyoncé’s “Africa”. It is relentlessly proud and picturesque in a way perhaps no other film about “Africa” has ever been. It is cool, hot, sensual, and sincere. It is appealingly traditional yet ambitiously modern. It’s Africa filtered first through the American kaleidoscope, then again through a diamond encrusted Beyoncéscope.

But as my Ghanaian mother relentlessly reminded people, Africa is not a country. It is the second largest continent on earth. It is not at all a singular culture. To chop up a kilo of its prettiest bits and squish them all into one tasty, palatable burger would be horribly reductive. One can fairly assume that patty-fying Africa is not Beyoncé’s intention, but if Black is King’s aim is not to represent a real-life place, what is it intended to do? In Beyoncé’s own words from a June 29 Instagram post:

I wanted to present elements of Black history and African tradition, with a modern twist and a universal message, and what it truly means to find your self-identity and build a legacy.

So it’s an idealised agglomeration of cultural concepts in service of Beyoncé’s ideas about her true heritage, and by association, those of anyone that identifies as black. ​Pastiche-ifying Africa. Fair enough.

But as I watch, innumerable questions arise, thudding inside my skull to the rhythm of jovial afrobeats: Where is the line between race and culture? Where does glorifying one’s ancestry end and appropriating a foreign culture begin? What legitimate connection does a billionaire American musician have to the African continent (where she has rarely visited and even more rarely performed)? Does being a dark-skinned American, 10-15 generations removed from your African ancestors, deliver a free pass to portray a place of 1.3 billion people you have barely been to?

What if Beyoncé was white, but born and raised in Ethiopia, and she made this same film? Is Beyoncé, in fact, the best – or only – person to show a positive version of modern “Africa” to a global audience? Is she creating a falsely romanticised version of heritage for Black Americans or a necessary interpretation of the continent they have a natural, genetic attachment to? Is animal print and people in trees cool or offensive? Is it cool or offensive to present all black people as the descendants of Kings and Queens? Is Disney+ available anywhere in Africa and will it ever be?

Is this just a pop music video, geared towards Beyoncé and Jay-Z adding to their billion-dollar empire? Or is it a deeply meaningful, glamorous exposition of what it means to be black, whether diasporic or native to Africa? Is Black, in fact, King?

I can’t answer most of these questions because I could argue both sides ‘til the Beys come home. Black is King is simultaneously superfluous and necessary; respectful and insulting; clever and vapid. It’s completely absurd, and completely logical. Part of me is appalled, but the majority, absorbed; addicted.

​I can’t look away. It’s the Beyoncé Paradox.

Many of these contentions arise because Beyoncé is so often front and centre; royally, religiously presented. In fact, the scenes without her – those dominated by West and South African rappers, singers, and nameless dancers – offer the most exhilarating, authentic, and refreshing moments. Had she chosen to purely direct rather than star, or stayed a little more in the background, her broader message may have been elevated. Instead, with her plumb in the middle, Africa is necessarily re-invented in Beyoncé’s image; moulded to fit the Beyoncé narrative - not that of the global Black diaspora, “Africans”, or nationals of its 50+ territories, hosting 2000+ languages. In this world, Beyoncé is King, albeit a benevolent one that invites her African subjects to participate in amplifying her personal glorification, ancestral identification and iconographic myth-building.

This is the artist’s prerogative, but ultimately, attributing deeper meaning to the film than it being a fundamentally superficial exercise in branding Beyoncé as Disney’s African Queen feels pretentious. Arguable, but pretentious.

That said, just as a joke is only offensive if it is insufficiently funny, when something is as beautiful, stimulating, and cool as this, does anything else matter? If people are happy to pay $7 a month and find some fantastical personal solace in it, what harm does it do? In the end, it’s a big, sexy, pop music video. Entertainment. Treated predominantly thus, it is, in its way, purely spectacular.  So watch it. While Lemonade had far deeper meaning because of her proximity to the subject matter, Black is King is still Beyoncé’s most stunning video to date. Its form and existence raise challenging questions about race, heritage, culture and society, but in the end, the sheer scale and sumptuous visual onslaught will inevitably win out. Streaming now on Disney+.* (*Not available in Africa)

Black is King Trailer

Babooshka

#beyonce #disney plus #film #film review #movie #movie review #godontgo #music #visual album #disney

[thebluelagooncompany-567]

Revy in the online game Black Lagoon: Heaven's Shot

#Black Lagoon: Heaven's Shot #Online game #Black Lagoon #Revy “Two-hand” Lee #Rebecca “Revy” Lee #gunslinger #Chinese-American #dual beretta 92FS (stainless steel) #dual wielders #Modern Pirate #Maryke Hendrikse #Megumi Toyoguchi #Lagoon Company

[nellysbeautypedia-blog]

My husband and I had been planning to take the classic road trip along the Pacific Coast for a long time. We were waiting for the right time for this adventure and decided to make the most of our Thanksgiving week and venture to the West.

Regarded as not only one of the best road trips in the United States but also in the world, the coastal cruise down this major State Route is on many bucket lists. We were worried it might be too much for just 7 days to cover, but the trip went smoothly.

Below is my guide to explore the gorgeous miles of the iconic road with some essential stops along the way. 

You can start this trip at either end. We flew from Boston, and our trip begin in the ultimate “City by the Bay,” San Francisco. Next we headed south to more beaches and breathtaking views in Carmel, Monterey.

Our longest drive of about 4.5 hours, was from breathtaking Monterey to elegant Santa Barbara, and it was absolutely worth it. Then we went further south to the bustle and excitement of Los Angeles, followed by San Diego, at the southern end of the state.

    Our favorite by far were the less crowded and more scenic places like Carmel by the Sea and Santa Barbara. You can see the Spanish influence in the architecture; even their CVS Pharmacy looks like a beautiful Spanish villa from afar.

The weather is tropical and about the same all year long. North is cooler than the south, so as we drove down the coast, temperature rose drastically. Even in November, the week of Thanksgiving, it was blazing 90 degrees in LA and San Diego. I’m glad we had packed accordingly.

San Fransisco

San Francisco is a top holiday destination featuring scenic beauty and great ethnic and cultural diversity.

I went to San Fransisco, with flowers in my hair (or on my jacket), with many high expectations. It was just how I had imagined and better. Steep streets and colorful houses, among mountains and a deep blue sky. It feels much different than the East Coast.

Palace of Fine Arts Theatre

Our itinerary included the famous Cable Cars, Fisherman’s Wharf, and many other attractions. Day 1, we strolled through Golden Gate Park,  and then took a memorable ride with Cable Cars at night to avoid the crowds. On Day 2, we took a leisurely stroll along Fisherman’s Wharf, and finally the famous Lombard Street. We also saw the popular among tourists, the Painted Ladies and Mrs. Doubtfire’s house, that brought back many childhood memories.

Golden Gate

An other attraction I loved was the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre. Built for the 1915, it was one of the only constructions kept intact after the world fair. You must visit this landmark to take in the elegant rotunda, the Greek-style colonnades, and the lagoon, where you can see a clear reflection of the building. Here you can relax in the company of swans and ducks and be surrounded by stunning homes around you. It is also steps away from a beautiful beach.

My absolute favorite part of our trip to San Fransisco was hiking up the hill to get a better view of the Golden Gate. The secret is to cross the bridge and head to the Vista Point. From there you take the steps, cross under the bridge and hike up a small hill and reach the perfect height for a great view of the City by the Bay.

Carmel by the Sea & Monterey

Our drive on Highway 1 from San Fransisco to Carmel was absolutely stunning. Carmel-by-the-Sea, often simply referred to as Carmel, is a city in Monterey County, founded in 1902.

We spent our day walking around the fairytale cottages and admiring the scenic beauty of Carmel.

The white sand beaches and the cottage like homes made it look like it was out of a storybook.

Fairytale Cottages in Carmel by the Sea

Carmel Beach

I made my husband promise me to buy us a home in Carmel after we retire. It’s so beautiful and peaceful. This was by far the best part of our trip.

After spending the day at the beach, we headed towards Monterey, where we stayed the night at Portola Hotel & Spa, which I would highly recommend. In Monterey, we saw the spots where my favorite HBO show Big Little Lies was shot.

The next morning we drove past the Big Sur, for some horseback riding on the beach. This was by far the best experience. Riding a horse by the ocean, under the blue skies, was dream like.

  Santa Barbara

Nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez Mountains, Santa Barbara is a solid vacation destination with its wide beaches, renowned wineries, and some of California’s finest shopping and dining options.

Traveling by car from Carmel to Santa Barbara takes about 4.5 hours. We reached Santa Barbara at night and started off our visit by going to a great Spanish restaurant called Loquita. The next morning we toured the pleasant surroundings at Shoreline Park, and took in the waterfront at Stearns Wharf. Tall palm trees, gorgeous architecture and elegance is what Santa Barbara is all about. We enjoyed our short stay in this beautiful American Riviera.

Los Angeles

You can drive from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles in 2 hours.

This City of Angels is surrounded by mountain ranges, forests, valleys, beaches, and deserts, the metropolitan area of Los Angeles is home to over 17 million people.

  We were upgraded to a Penthouse at the Andaz Hotel in West Hollywood, where we enjoyed the view and the hustle bustle of the city. If you love shopping as much as I do, take a drive down Rodeo Drive and it’ll feel like you’re in designer heaven. With the  Holiday decor, it was the perfect place to be.

The next morning we drove around the Sunset Boulevard and towards the Hollywood sign. We also went to see the popular Walk of Fame to conclude our stay in L.A.

San Diego

Our last stop was America’s Finest City, San Diego. You can drive from Los Angeles to San Diego in 2.5 hours.

Divided into neighborhoods with distinct characters and cultural heritages, San Diego sits just north of the Mexican border and offers visitors a blend of tourist attractions, including a lively nightlife, diverse cuisine, and a thriving musical scene.

Our itinerary included Gaslamp Quarter, Balboa Park, and other attractions. Day 1, we enjoyed the sand and surf at La Jolla Cove, and soaked up the sun at 90 degrees at Balboa Park. We enjoyed delicious Persian cuisine at Bandar Restaurant in Gaslamp Quarter, and finally got a taste of local nightlife at Top of the Hyatt.

We had a great experience staying at the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel. The Harbour view from our room was to die for.

Day 2 was a packed day of sightseeing: we admired nature’s creatures, like seals at the Wharf and took in the waterfront at the Seaport Village.

It was a record high of 92 degrees on our last day in California, and luckily it was also Black Friday. We spent the rest of the day, avoiding the heat, at the Fashion Valley mall. it is an upscale, beautiful open-air shopping mall in Mission Valley.

We have now checked off this road trip off our bucket list. √

Hope you found a few good trip ideas in my blog post for your next West Coast excursion.

Cheers!

              7 Days – California dreamers, endless coastline & sunshine My husband and I had been planning to take the classic road trip along the Pacific Coast for a long time.

#accessories #bandar restaurant #beauty #big little lies #big sur #blogger #bloggers #california #carmel #Carmel by the sea #coast #coastal #creativity #culture #dreams #fairytale #fairytale cottages #fashion #golden gate #hbo #hollywood #horse #horseback riding #hotel #Hyatt hotel #instabeauty #instablogger #LA #life #lifestyle

[sake-and-whiskey]

Siren’s Gold Chapter 5

McHanzo Pirate!McCree Mer!Hanzo AU Rated M Read on AO3 HERE 

-this chapter is long as fuck, just a heads up-

The shore had changed since the last time Hanzo had seen it.

How long had it been? Fifty years? More? Only the Gods knew. He had lived on this island for heaven knows how long, but the shore was not part of his domain. He did not belong to the land. He lived in his caves and would venture to the lagoons that Genji ruled on the North side of the island, but the shoreline was never something that called to him. Yet the sound of the waves crashing against the sand was familiar, inviting, quiet sighs as the sea met the land. The island was different than the last time he had come to its beach, soft volcanic sand creeping further into the water, testing, exploring. The forest had grown too, an explosion of green that blanketed the distance, tall palm trees and flowering shrubs separating the beach from the island's interior. In the distance, standing tall and resolute, loomed the volcano the island was built upon, an unwavering power that would occasionally rumble, sighing out thin plooms of smoke. The forest that had once been limited to the north side of the island had begun to spread, creeping its way towards the side in which the volcano spilled its molten flow. The forested side was Genji’s, ruler of the greenery and the life that came with it. The South belonged to Hanzo, where the lava hardened into massive hollow pillows where it met the sea, the perfect system of caves and tunnels for his lair. The island was at peace with itself, a perfect combination of the raw power of the volcano paired with the unyielding resilience of the forest. It was as beautiful as Hanzo remembered, but now even more full of life.

Still, despite the beauty that called his name as softly as the pleased crashing of the waves, he felt…trepidation. No, he thought, apprehension. Nothing made the dragon nervous. Yet the concept of shore, of land, of…walking. That was enough to make him feel apprehension as he treaded water, staring down the shoreline as his long tail slashed behind him. How long had it been again..? The sand glittered under the early morning sun, beautiful and serene, and still he could feel his stomach churning.

Genji hovered at his side, glancing between the shore and his brother with one eyebrow cocked, before giving him a light shove. Hanzo’s gaze snapped to the younger dragon in confusion and annoyance, but Genji simply laughed, shaking his head. “Stop being so nervous,” He chuckled, “The sand isn’t going to swallow you up. Let’s go.”

Hanzo opened his mouth to protest, but Genji had already surged ahead of him, coming up on the land. The older dragon hesitated again, but only for a moment before giving a powerful flick of his tail, gliding through the water until he felt the sand sliding against his scales, sloping up into the shore.

The brothers were powerful creatures, beings of ancient magic that were not limited to simply one domain. No, dragons like them were born to rule every part of the Earth, from the sea, to the land, to the heavens themselves. The form they spent most of their time living in was not the shape they were born to, nor was the form they shifted to now. Their bodies could shift to suit their needs, could mold into whatever shape they so desired.

It was this magic Hanzo called upon now, and as he slid up the incline of the shore, he could feel it creeping through his being, searing hot in his cold blood. His tail stretched and shortened, powerful muscles snapped and bones cracking as they reshaped themselves. His scales dipped into his flesh and disappeared into pale skin, still hard and powerful. His long finned ears tapered, though still pointed in an inhuman design. He could feel his finned fingers receding, anatomy forming and changing, his skin shifting, and his tail rip in two. The transformation was not a pleasant one, but no magic came without a price. The pain was the trade off, and though it burned with the agony of a thousand blades, it was a suffering Hanzo had learned long ago to endure. It took only moments before his split tail gave way, and all too suddenly he felt the sensation of sand beneath his toes, feet sloshing through the water one after the other as he made his way through the surf and onto the beach.

Walking. The dragon would never get used to the sensation of walking on two legs.

Hanzo could not remember the last time he had felt sand beneath his feet, but the feeling was one that was foreign, yet familiar. A vague sense of belonging shot up his spine as he walked across the beach beside his brother, who had already begun collecting arms full of coconuts and fruits, grinning at him from ear to ear.

It had been centuries, surely, since he had last been in a situation that required him to shift into this form. He could remember it clearly: the last time he had given up the land for the sea and let the ocean become his home forever. His nerves were trying to readjust to the sensation of legs, to the warmth of the hot sand slipping between his toes, to the rhythmic sway of walking. It reminded him of his younger years, of when times were much more complex and difficult. He didn’t miss those days, full of struggle and loss, youth distorted beneath a red wash of blood and sorrow. No, the past belonged in the past. But these sensations, very simple, very calm, very human, reminded him of when he had come to learn of himself, and to rebuild what he had once destroyed.

Genji had been excited by the prospect of returning to the land. Once he had shed his pile of lovers and begrudging attitude, the concept of once again taking human form had him grinning and chattering nonstop. He talked the whole time, reminiscing of the happier parts of their childhood, bringing back vivid memories Hanzo had thought to be buried in his mind. The image of the mountains, high peaks painted in snow and forest, the home of Gods and magic creatures. Their home. The river in which they were born, high atop the crest of a mountain that seemed to touch the sun. They had been different then, in their natural forms, creatures of the water that were blessed with magic and power. And their parents raised them as such, two dragons ruling the countryside together. Strong, confident, mighty dragon lords who controlled all that surrounded them. Their lives had been made.

“Do you remember when we first fought?” Genji asked with a grin as he slammed his fist into a palm tree, heavy green coconuts falling to the sand with a hollow ‘thud’. Hanzo scoffed, smirking slightly as he bent to grab it, pausing to look at the lack of claws protruding from his fingers before shaking it off and picking it up.

“How could I forget?” He chuckled, shooting Genji a knowing look. His laughter turned into a choke as he took in the sight of his brother, naked and grinning, topped off by the human’s ridiculous hat still resting on his head, though he quickly regained his composure. “That was when you first challenged me, yes? It wasn’t a real challenge, but you claimed you could best me in battle.”

“I nearly did,” Genji shot back, and his grin grew as Hanzo let out a full bodied laugh, shaking his head.

“Nearly did? Please, I had you pinned in a second,” He sneered, but the two chuckled together at the memory: the two dragons, long bodies intertwined as they beat each other into the hillside, mountains shaking like thunder in their quarrel. Light hearted and easy was their battle, brothers challenging the strength and ability of the other.

There were other memories too, of battles that were much less jovial and friendly, battles that were an ugly stain on the past that Hanzo had fought to forget and leave behind. He glanced at his brother, taking in his naked human form, and remembered why. Even now, his body was painted in scars, heavy dark lines like the stripes of a tiger. His chest, his arms, even his face, was marred by the dark scars, with a large gnarled hunk of flesh missing from his left leg. He could remember when they were still open and raw, so many years ago. In a flash he could see them, opened and fresh, radiating heat as they poured dark black blood, soaking the scales of his brother’s body. He looked away quickly, trying to banish those images from his mind, to push them back into the darkness where they belonged.

Genji noticed his brother’s shift in mood, shoulders falling as a sadness took hold of his heart. He remembered those days too;  their battle for power and strength, when he had been left for dead in the mountains by his brother to wither away slowly and painfully. He could feel the phantom pain in his legs as the memory weighed down on him, but he pushed it to the side, forcing himself to be happy for the both of them as he worked up a smile, moving on past that memory into better times.

“Do you remember when we first walked like this?” He asked gently, offering a tender smile to his brother as they continued along the shore line. Hanzo didn’t answer right away, eyes fixed on the distance, a thousand yard stare. Genji raised his hand, resting it on his brother’s shoulder, comforting and supportive. “Do you remember how nervous you were?”

Hanzo hesitated a moment before turning to look at Genji, nodding slowly. “How could I forget? You were so different, with your human face, dressed in their robes and wearing their sigil, asking me why I was so distraught.” Genji smiled brightly, moving in to bump into Hanzo’s shoulder playfully. “Do you remember what you said? I had never seen you that way, all sad and mopey.” The younger dragon hardened his face, his voice dropping to be deep and remorseful. “‘Seeking power, I killed my brother. But without him, I am lost,’ that’s what you said. Always so dramatic, Hanzo.”

Hanzo whipped his head around to growl at his brother, but he ducked out of the way, grinning playfully in a way that Hanzo could not help but smile back. He shook his head, breathing out hard through his nose, but nodded. “I was being sincere, you know. Most would not be so critical of one’s sorrow.”

Genji shrugged but his face was soft, a knowing and gentle smile playing his lips. “You had inflicted wounds upon yourself. You needed to heal. To find value in humility. That was the only way you would find peace.”

The older dragon looked back towards the sea, nodding again. “It was a hard earned peace, but a peace nonetheless.”

“Well, you had lots of help from them,” Genji offered. “The shogunate was very giving to us. We would not have survived long without them.”

“Especially you,” Hanzo muttered. “Had their scouts not found you in the forest, you would not have…”

“No,” The younger dragon agreed. “I wouldn’t have.” A heavy silence overtook them as they continued down the beach, enveloped in their own thoughts. Hanzo’s mind drifted to their years as humans, so long ago. Genji had lead him to the human kingdom, to the Shogun whose men had saved him in the forest. He could remember it clearly, the high castles of the shogunate kingdom, beautiful and red, surrounded by cherry blossoms. He had felt so small in his new human form, a boy really, long haired tied behind his back, not yet graced with the facial hair of a man. They had walked into the throne room where Genji presented him to the Shogun, and Hanzo had bowed to the human, thanking him profusely for saving the life of his brother, and swearing he would set about to rebuild the land together in their name. The Shogun had smiled on him benevolently, and promised only good intentions. He accepted Hanzo’s thanks, and offered to teach the brothers the way of the humans, and to guide them. The brothers had been overjoyed at this opportunity, and the human ushered them into the clan graciously, taking them as one of his own. Sojiro Shimada, leader of the Shimada Shogunate. “We had good times in the kingdom, didn’t we?” Genji broke the silence first, smiling lazily as he reminisced. Hanzo glanced at him as he was torn from his thoughts, chuckling at his fool hearted expression.

“You more so than me. You were always… indulgent of their hospitalities,” He mused.

Genji snorted, shooting Hanzo a playful smile. “Well when they offered them up so graciously, how could I refuse?  The people of the land were very taken with me. The natives, the merchants, even the visitors were drawn to me. Do you remember the monk, the one who came with his brethren on a pilgrimage from Nepal?”

Hanzo stopped short, feet skittering on the sand as he laughed, loud, genuine, full bodied. “The monk!” He cried, choking on his words. “How could I forget?! You brought him everywhere, and he followed you so dutifully. He was absolutely taken by you, he seemed to take care of your every whim.”

“Oh he took care of my every whim alright,” Genji shot back, which made Hanzo snort once more. After a moment he looked away, sly smile fading into something softer, a look of content crossing his face. “I… rather miss him. I think of him often. I feel I enjoyed his company more than I cared to admit. He helped me through so much, through my struggles and my insecurities. He was a wonderful man.”

A pang of hurt shot through the older dragon’s heart, not at the longing or the adoration in his brother’s voice, but at the fact he knew that he was the cause of those insecurities and struggles. The ever vain young dragon, once so proud of his looks, reduced to a form forever painted in scar tissue, forever damaged. The monk had helped him through much, at the price of Genji leaving Hanzo often to spend time with the human, something that irritated the dragon more than he cared to admit. “You seem just as taken as he was with you,” He scoffed, more roughly than he intended, looking off at the sea.

Genji turned slowly to face the other, cocking an eyebrow. “Oh really?” He mused, though Hanzo did not turn to meet his gaze. “If we are speaking of being taken by humans, I don’t feel you have room to talk.”

Hanzo’s eyes widened and he whipped his head around, voice rising indignantly. “I am not-”

“BROTHER,” the young dragon groaned, eyeing him dully. “You saved a human, a cursed human mind you, from being eaten by scavengers, brought him back to your lair, and claimed his as your property, all without even knowing how you were going to feed him. A human is a big responsibility Hanzo, we don’t have the resources to care for one and yet-”

“Spare me your semantics,” He snarled, “I’m not like you, this isn’t the same as when you brought a sparrow home to Sojiro and asked if you could keep it without a place to put it. I know what I am doing.”

“Really? Because it feels like exactly the same situation.” Genji snapped back, rolling his eyes. “Except my sparrow wasn’t cursed with black magic. Which is an issue you have brushed over multiple times now that I am inclined to bring up. No good comes of owning cursed trinkets, brother, let alone cursed creatures. Why are you so inclined to keep this one?”

Hanzo grit his teeth together, anger gnawing at his throat, but it was cause for thought. He paused a moment, trying to gather his feelings, measure his words, before he let out a sigh. “I did not think,” He said warily. “At first I simply saw the treasure he had, and thought I wanted it. I knew he was cursed, I understood the repercussions of that. I am no fool. But… When I looked at him, at his face…”  Hanzo’s face as it was framed by the waves, lit up in the moonlight, hauntingly beautiful. The dragon racked his brain to think of the right words. “I just.. I don’t know. I can’t explain it. I know it was foolish, but I… I needed him.

“And the longer I have him the more I wonder if it was a mistake,” He grunted, thinking of his argument with the man, the way they snapped back and forth, a battle to overpower the other. “He’s stubborn, headstrong, and a fool. He has no value in his own life, but is still cocky and over zealous. And his voice! He speaks like nothing I’ve ever heard, with words that are as rough as the rest of him. He did not fear me, as the other men of the surface had, he stood to challenge me. It’s irritating and drives me mad, but behind his words…”

Hanzo stopped, thinking of the pain in the man’s face when he had turned away from their power struggle, the sorrow that dripped from his words. Resolute and defeated. It was like nothing Hanzo had ever seen before, the sadness ill-fitting on the strong beautiful brow of the surface man. Something in him hurt watching the human turn away, a mix of irritation at being shut down and empathy for his pain. Hanzo knew of loss, knew of the immense agony of being alone, and how it consumed you whole without a second thought. That had been why he had returned the rings, why he had offered up his meager apology. He would not bow down to the human, but if he intended to keep him, there needed to be a give. They could not continue as they had started.

He sighed, closing his eyes as he pictured the sad face of the human, beauty marred behind a wash of sorrow, and whispered in a low voice, “Behind his words there is something more.”  

Hanzo did not look at Genji, did not see the soft eyes or the gentle smile. He knew his brother better than anyone else, and could read him like a book. It had been a lapse in judgement to take the human, of that Genji was certain. But there was a change in his brother, subtle, just beneath the surface, but there with the arrival of the surface man. He was sure Hanzo would deny it if he brought it up, insist it was agitation or annoyance, but Genji could see right through him. Things were going to change now that the human was around, for better or worse Genji could not say. But he was eager to see how things would pan out.

“Well then,” He said softly, drawing Hanzo’s attention once more. The smile on his lips was soft and encouraging, bright with the promise of new beginnings. “We should probably get back to him, shouldn’t we? He’ll be waiting on you.”

Hanzo said nothing for a moment, before he nodded slowly, offering up a weak smile in return. His brother’s positive energy was infectious, and a welcome change from the swirling amalgamation of emotion in his heart. The two turned back to the sea, Genji changing the subject to Sakana and the others in his nest, of rumors and petty gossip, simple things, as they strode across the sand. The warm water welcomed Hanzo as he stepped into the surf, half listening to his brother’s chatter as he sunk deeper into the waves. A feeling of cool familiarity returned to him as his feet moved together and became one once more, body reshaping as he disappeared beneath the surface and breathed the ocean once again.

~~~~

Jesse McCree was starving.

The descent into starvation had been a slow one, guided along by heart break, dehydration and exhaustion. McCree had woken several hours ago, entire body screaming in pain as his eyes strained to open. Thin beams of pale early morning light cascaded through the weak cracks in the ceiling, refracting off the glittering water to light up the dark cave. Even the gentle brightness was too much for his eyes, and he flinched, only to realize every muscle in his body screamed in protest. His throat burned, his muscles felt as though they were about to snap, and his heart felt as though it had been blown out of his chest. Sensory overload, too much for his brain, head throbbing and full of cotton.

He groaned, sitting up, struggling to make sense of the over-stimulation he was experiencing, brain searching for a meaning behind what he was experiencing, and it all came back; The battle, the Reaper, Fareeha, the sea, the Siren. The Siren, especially, with his strong words and demands for ownership, the power struggle they had exchanged. Their standoff and the creature’s apology. So much in such a short amount of time, and yet it felt so distant, hazy behind a veil of exhaustion.

His eyes flicked down to his hand, gold rings still clenched tightly within his fist, reminders of a simpler time, and now a symbol of the power the siren held over him, its ability to give and take as it saw fit. What had been a heartwarming gesture the night before now had a sour note, tainted by the pain throbbing in his head and the dry scraping of his throat. A siren. An honest to god sea creature, a merman, who seemed adamant in his decision to own the pirate, despite his protests. The thought was bitter and made McCree scowl at the rings in his palm. He had spent his whole life fighting to be free, and here he was, slipping between Death’s fingers into the hands of another entity content to control him.

And yet he had been so ready to accept death, so willing to embrace being consumed by nothing, that was this really any different? Was floating alone in the sea for all eternity really any different than being the belonging of a siren? His brain tried to reason with him, trying to find a positive in his situation, a survival skill he had adopted long ago to keep himself sane.  Surely this was a better alternative, even if it was not ideal. This way he was still alive, still breathing, which in it of itself was a miracle. The siren did not seem as though it wanted to kill him, as opposed to keep him for its amusement, which was not as bad as being eaten alive. His eyes returned to the rings once more, not so much an apology, but a peace offering. A truce between two strong warriors, a sign of mutual respect. Surely that was what the siren had intended. Jesse could work with that.

With a sigh, he lifted his metal hand, slipping each ring back onto its proper finger one at a time, doing the same with his human hand, until each finger shone proudly beneath his gaze. They were beautiful, each unique and dazzling, and that was the reason he loved them as he did. The siren had liked them, he thought, startled by the realization. This creature that surrounded itself by gold, by statues of marble and the most beautiful things, had liked his rings, which were meager in comparison to some of the things Jesse had glimpsed lying beneath the waves. And yet they had caught the siren’s eye and made him covet them all the same.

‘You caught his eye too,’ a voice, soft and quiet in the back of his mind said. His subconscious never sounded like his own voice, it was always someone else. Another survival skill he had come to learn in his younger years. The voice would change depending on the situation, sometimes sharp commands of his former captain’s, other times the soft cooing of women he had bedded in port. Occasionally, rarely, it was the rough scratching of his mother. Now, however, it was a strong voice, shaped with an accent, steady despite the gentle nature of it’s words. Now it was Fareeha.

McCree felt a pang in his heart the moment he heard her voice, eyes burning instantly as they threatened to well up. Her final scream echoed in the back of his skull, murderous and wet with the sound of blood, but was quickly silenced by her whispers once more. ‘He wouldn’t have saved you if you hadn’t caught his eye, Jesse. Clearly there is a reason you are here.’

Jesse closed his eyes, body trembling as he took a few breaths through his nose, trying to calm himself. “Yeah,” he said, voice barely above a whisper. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Yeah, I reckon you’re right about that. Don’t know why he woulda kept me otherwise.”

‘Precisely,’ The ghost of Fareeha soothed in his mind, encouraging. ‘You have been given a second chance, Jesse. Whether it be at the hands of the Gods, or at the hands of a siren, you were spared by the sea. You have more to offer in this life, more you must do.’

There it was, yet another trick to survival Jesse had taught himself long ago, dragged to the surface by his subconscious. He was just a man, and the world was a daunting and terrible place. Anytime he found himself listless, a vagabond to the sea with no reason to live, he would invent one for himself. Give a stubborn man a goal, and he will live the rest of his days trying to achieve it. He had done this many times in his life, a way of keeping the monsters that lived in the back of his brain silent by assuring them he could not die just yet. He had things to do, he had a reason to carry on. And so it was now, whispered to him in the soft coo of Fareeha’s echoed voice.

“What do I gotta do, Fareeha?” He whispered, dry throat burning as he forced it to work. The cloud haze in his mind was grasping at straws, reaching for anything to give it clarity.

‘Justice,’ the voice whispered roughly, so real, so close that he swore it was really her whispering it to him. He had heard her say it countless times in their lives together, that hearing it again made him breathless. “I cannot rest until I have justice, Jesse. You are the only one who can bring me justice, who can avenge me. You’re a smart man. You have survived worse than this. So you need to be wise, and you need to play smart, play Fareeha. Give the siren what he wants. Play his game, but play it on your terms. Earn his trust. Do what you can to survive. Find a way out when the time is right, find a way back to civilization. Hunt down Gabriel. Bring my justice, Jesse McCree.”

The plan slowly unfurled in his brain, coming to actualization, fleshing itself out. He had to survive. He had to survive so he could escape and be free again, so he could avenge Fareeha, so he could hunt down the ghost of Gabriel and end him once and for all. Someone had to do it, it seemed fitting it be him. Only then would Jesse—and Fareeha—know peace.

McCree opened his eyes once more, taking in the scenery of the cave once more, the early morning light sending warbling lines of white across the stone walls. He could do that. He could play the siren’s game, could stay his belonging for now. It would be a slow game, but he could give the siren what he wanted, could earn his trust until the perfect opportunity to escape presented itself. And then he would find a way back to civilization, hunt down the monster, and be free once more. Jesse felt his heart lurch, driven by this new goal. He had a reason to live, and he would fight for it.

In order to fulfill this goal, however, he would have to play the part. But to play the siren’s game would mean giving in a way he had never planned on doing. He would have to meet the siren in the middle, and go through the motions of life as he saw fit. It was not something Jesse was excited to do at all, but he could manage.

His mind ventured to the way he had sat before him, to his proud features and stone cold face. Beautiful, but deadly, like the mako sharks that would follow ships through the sea. Blue and sleek, all hard lines and muscle, the body of a predator. When he spoke, he commanded power, demanded authority in his tone and words. He was the ruler of this domain and would have nothing less, and yet he had met Jesse in the middle. He could hear Fareeha’s voice in the back of his mind, the quiet affirmation ‘You caught his eye too.’ McCree couldn’t wrap his head around this, but knew it must be true. He didn’t have value like jewels did, didn’t have the same worth as the treasure piled beneath the waves. And yet, here he was, the newest addition to the siren’s gold. Yes, there was a reason the siren had kept him alive. He could use that to his advantage.

Jesse prepared himself mentally, talking through scenarios and conversations in his head, rehearsing what he should say upons the siren’s arrival. As the brighter light of the morning began to seep through the ceiling, he was ready. He waited expectantly, legs stretched on the rock as he tried to pass the time. He thought of the kind of ship he would hunt down when he made it back to port, the crew he would have to throw together to be on his way. How much it would cost, where he would find supplies, where he would find the type of men to fill his needs. On the thought of needs, his mind wandered. What he wouldn’t give for brandy, for whiskey, for something strong to chase away the headache burning in his skull. Or water, he reasoned with himself, which was much more needed at the moment than the bite of spirits. He needed drink, to wet his tongue again. He smirked softly at the thought, mind venturing to darker places. It would be good to wet his tongue again, that was for sure, though the wetness of flesh was just as enticing as the promise of water. How good would it feel to give in, to let his sorrow and stress be worked away at the hands of a skilled wench, or a strong sailor, whoever first caught his eye? How good would it be to drink in that kind of pleasure, to give in to that kind of need? McCree tried to construct the best person he could, tried to chase the distraction as best he could as he attempted to paint the most beautiful man he could, only to be ripped from the fantasy when the siren slipped into his thoughts.

Why the siren came to mind while he tried to imagine up the most attractive partner he could, only the gods knew. But the thought was jarring all the same, the image of his sharp jaw and strong features, of how regal he was, like a prince of some kind, cutting through the foggy desire that had been taking shape in McCree’s mind. He thought of his inky hair and the dark waterfall it made as it ran down his sculpted muscles, gorgeous and inviting, though not feminine in any way. Nothing about the siren was feminine, every aspect of his being screamed of the power and beauty of masculinity, raw and untouchable. Something about him was ancient and ethereal, the type of things myths are made of. He had never heard stories of a siren such as he before. He had always heard of them as beautiful women with tails like fish that sang of the most wondrous things, or men with tails like sharks that promised relations of the sweetest and most sensual kind. Jesse racked his brain, trying to remember the ancient tales he had been told over one too many glasses of whiskey in the dim light of a pub, searching for any information that could help him now. Yet he had never been told of a siren like this, more of a man-serpent than a fish, with a tail so long he had yet to see the end. Nothing had prepared him for this kind of entity, a species of its own, as rare as it was beautiful.

As more time passed, Jesse felt his confidence slipping, the distraction of his heady desire pushed aside by the growing physical needs of his body. Dehydration was setting in, his skull feeling as though it was being ripped in two with every beat of his heart, throat like sandpaper every time he swallowed. His mouth was dry, tongue burning with salt, lips cracked and parched. Every part of him ached with exhaustion, and he had a feeling that if he fell asleep, he would be content to sleep the rest of his life away. When the hunger first set it, it was earth-shattering, a low growl in his stomach the first sign that his body was giving in. Before long, he was getting sharp stabs of pain in his abdomen, stomach still churning with salt water as it gnawed on itself. All his preparation was thrown out the window, giving way to the bitterness of his body as he felt his will-power collapse around itself. He had experienced this once before, when he was just a child, but the agony had been forgotten to time. Eventually, as the light got brighter and the day pushed on, McCree laid back on the rock, closing his eyes as he clutched himself, body consumed in pain.

He didn’t remember dozing off, but the splash awoke him in an instant, sending him lurching up with a start, eyes whipping around wildly. There he was, just as radiant and beautiful as Jesse remembered, glittering eyes locked on McCree from the water’s edge. All the thoughts Jesse had prepared bubbled up to the surface at once, and when he tried to speak, his tongue felt heavy in his mouth. He gave a strangled sound, vocal chords shredded as he attempted to talk, mind radiating with every heavy beat of his heart. The siren’s eyes darted all over him, taking in his disheveled appearance with a grim expression. Jesse cleared his throat, vaguely aware he tasted blood in the back of his throat, before forcing words from his lips.

“W-welcome back,” he mustered out, trying to paint his face with as charming of a smile as he could muster.

The siren stared back at him, only his head peeking up from the water. He hesitated a moment before nodding slowly, raising an eyebrow. “Thank you. You… Do not look well.”

Jesse laughed in spite of himself, the sound rough and harsh on his own ears. “Reckon I don’t. I don’t feel well neither.”

The look on the siren’s face was one that looked vaguely reminiscent of pity, though nowhere near it at the same time. He moved closer to the shore, slowly rising out of the water, arms full. “I have brought you something,” the siren said in a low voice as he leaned across the rocks, slowly setting down a pile of fruits.

Jesse thought his eyes might burst out of his skull the moment he saw them. Coconuts, bananas, mangos, a variety of colorful fruit laid out in a pile before him. Hours before, when he still had resolve, he might have told himself to wait, to show restraint, to demonstrate some hesitation or distrust towards the siren and his offering. But his stomach roared at him, head pounding, mind blanking completely. Without a second thought, he scrambled across the rocks, muscles shrieking in protest at the sudden movement but buried beneath the grumbling of his stomach. The siren fell back, face screwed up in confusion as the human darted forward, quickly followed by disgust as Jesse grabbed hold of the first fruit and tore into it. He grabbed without looking, hands falling on a mango before his teeth tore through the thicker papery outer skin. His teeth sunk into it, forcing through the resistance of the stronger outside before breaking through into the bright yellow meat of the fruit, juice erupting from it and splattering everywhere. It was orgasmic, the tangy taste of the mango, sticky liquid running down his jaw, catching in his beard, pouring down his throat. Loud slurps and sucking noises filled the cave, resounding off the stone as he tore through the mango, spitting out hunks of skin only when he had stripped them of all the flesh they had to offer. His mind went blank as he ate, consumed by the raw need to feed as he quickly finished, tossing the empty fruit aside and eagerly reaching for another.

From the water, the dragon watched, brows furrowed as he watched the human devour the fruit, mouth open slightly as he watched. It was disgusting, but oddly charming, to watch the human feed in such a way. It reminded him of his own kind, of how they stripped prey down in a feeding frenzy until nothing remained but a cloud of red in the water. It was intriguing to watch the human mirror his own in such a way, a reflection of their kin. Yet a pang of guilt shot through Hanzo as he watched, knowing that his own carelessness was the reason the human was so crazed to eat. Had he been faster, had he been more prepared, the human would not have been left to hunger. Genji had been right, the human had been waiting on him, but it was for an entirely different reason than the dragon had anticipated. How could he expect to keep a human if he didn’t know the first thing about caring for it? He would need to be more responsible in the future.

Hanzo watched him tear through nearly all the fruit in the pile, slamming coconuts into the cave floor with resounding ‘THUDTHUDTHUD’s until they cracked open in his hand, drinking their milk and eating their meat until they were an empty husk before tossing them into the growing pile of fruit remains. Cluttered, he realized, the human was cluttering his rocks with trash, polluting the area the way all humans did, leaving a mess wherever they went. Another thing he had not considered about owning the human. Still, he said nothing, letting the human eat until the pile of fruit was reduced to empty shells, and watched him fall back, panting slightly, though momentarily satisfied.

“Was that to your liking?” The dragon asked, tilting his head.

Jesse turned to look at him, nodding with a smile on his face. “Just what the doctor ordered. I… Well, thank you.” He stuttered, mind slowly reshaping as the hunger died down, thirst somewhat quenched, and tried to regain his composure, to stick to his plan. “Dunno how much longer I could have lasted.”

Hanzo scowled at the words, berating himself internally once more for leaving his human on the brink of starvation. He was glad Genji wasn’t there to witness it, as the younger dragon would have never let him hear the end of it. He could practically hear his voice, sing song, teasing, ‘I thought you said this was nothing like my sparrow, Hanzo? At least I had it a few days before I almost killed it,’ or something else annoying and patronizing. “Yes, well,” He grunted, shaking his brother from his thoughts. “I will do my best to not let you get to that point again.”

McCree cocked an eyebrow, confused by the meaning of behind the siren’s words, but didn’t dwell on it. “Well. Thank you kindly, then,” He offered, smiling awkwardly. His brain started working slowly, tugging at his attention to remind him of the plan he needed to set in motion. If he was to escape, he needed to earn the siren’s trust, to play along. He swallowed hard, finding his words again, though they came slow the longer he was distracted by the siren’s strong and beautiful face. “I was waitin’ for ya. Wonderin’ if you’d come back,” He began, voice testing and soft.

“If I would come back?” The dragon repeated reproachfully, eyebrow raising. “You did not know if I would return to my own lair?”

“Well, I, no,” McCree stuttered, kicking himself mentally. “I just meant I, well, I wanted you to come back. Guess part of me was scared you wouldn’t. That all this was a dream or somethin’, and I would wake up God-knows-where.”

Hanzo’s eyes widened at his words, head tilting slightly. “I assure you this is no dream,”

“I’m figurin’ that out,” Jesse nodded. “But I wanted you to come back so I could get the chance to talk with ya again, to get back on the right foot. Or, uh, I guess foot ain’t the right word,” He joked, smiling slyly, trying to turn on his charm. “But you know what I mean. I wanted to make amends.”

The dragon’s lips curled into a smile at the pirate’s words, and he drifted forward, propping his arms up in the bank of the rock, chin resting atop them. “No, not the right word,” He agreed, mirth behind his voice. “What is it you want to make amends for, human?”

Jesse grinned back at the siren, leaning forward in spite of himself. “Well, I couldn’t help but feel like you and I had a rough start. I was pretty rough to ya without meanin’ to be. I’ve been through Hell and back in the past few days, so waking up to a siren was kind of the straw that broke the camel’s back. Didn’t give you a proper thank you for saving my life.”

The way the human spoke was so foreign to Hanzo that at times he had trouble picking out what he was saying.  Phrases didn’t make sense or words were cut too short, a dialect the dragon had never heard. Still, it fit the human, words slow and deep, the perfect voice for such a man. When he called him a siren, Hanzo nearly laughed out loud, but held it in, forgiving the mistake as he gathered in response.

“A thanks is not necessary,” The dragon said, eyes locked on McCree’s, smoldering. “You will have plenty of time to thank me. Though it is appreciated.”

Jesse felt a chill shoot down his spine, holding the dragon’s gaze. “‘Spose we do have a fair amount of time together,” he chuckled, though the thought made his gut wrench. “Though we humans don’t like nearly as long as you sirens do, so it might be over before you know it.”

There it was again; ‘Siren.’ Hanzo felt his smile slip, though he pushed the irritation aside, forcing himself to remain pleasant in the company of his human. It wasn’t his fault, he didn’t know how stupid the sirens could be, he didn’t know how poor of a comparison it was, like comparing sharks and minnows.

“We have plenty of time before then,” Hanzo replied shortly.

“Yeah,” Jesse agreed quickly, trying to brush over the subject onto something else, something he could glean information from. “Might need more of that fruit pretty soon though. Or water, preferably the kind without salt if you got any of that.”

The dragon nodded, gesturing to the back of the cave. Jesse followed his motion, seeing that the back portion of the lagoon became another bank, smooth stone disappearing into the shadows of a cave. “There is water in the rocks there that drips from the cave top. It should be good enough for you to drink. And you have more food on the way, rest assured.” Hanzo’s eyes narrowed, coy as his tail sloshed through the water slowly behind him. “I will make sure your needs are always met.”

McCree held his gaze, felt the burning in his eyes, taken aback. Was he… flirting? Was the siren flirting with him? Was he toying with him? Luring him into a false sense of security? Whatever the case, if this was how the siren wanted to play, then so be it. This was a game Jesse knew well.  He smirked back without thinking, his good eye flitting between the siren’s eyes and his lips, testing. “That’s mighty kind of you,” He said, voice a deep rumble. “I’ve been feelin’ an almighty thirst.”

“Unfortunate,” Hanzo said, voice a low purr. He leaned closer, more of his sculpted upper body slipping from the water and into view, back painted with his long dark hair. “Though I am sure that can be resolved. The water is right over there.”

“Already told ya I can’t swim,” McCree said smoothly, cocking his head to the side. “Dunno how I’m supposed to get from this big rock to the shore over there.”

“Mmm, that is quite the predicament,” The dragon mused. “I will have to teach you.”

Jesse cocked an eyebrow. “Really think you could do that?”

“I can’t imagine why I would not be able to.”

“Well, alright,” McCree conceded, licking his lips nervously, deciding he had absolutely no intention of getting in the water with the siren. “Whatever you say. I ain’t gonna question that a siren knows how to swim. You’re the expert, not me.”

“There is a lot you have to learn,” Hanzo muttered, ignoring the third slip. “But I intend to teach you. I am confident in my abilities.”

“Oh? And what abilities might those be?” Jesse grinned slyly, moving closer to the siren.

Hanzo smirked, drawing nearer. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”

“Reckon I would like to very much,” McCree said, voice dropping even lower.

“We have plenty of time for that,” Hanzo purred back, teasing.

“Maybe I don’t want to wait,” Jesse answered, biting at his lower lip as his face drew closer to the siren’s, only a couple of feet separating the two. “Maybe what you want doesn’t matter,” The dragon shot back, voice heavy.

Hanzo’s eyes left Jesse’s for the first time, dropping to his lips, his throat, the start of the forest of chest hair peeking from McCree’s stained tunic. His gaze was appraising, and subconsciously the pirate wondered if the creature liked what he saw.

He was about to reply when suddenly a giant splash erupted from the surface of the waves from behind McCree, water flying everywhere. The human and the dragon whipped their heads in the direction of the splash, ripped from the moment. McCree instinctively drew Peacekeeper, spinning around with his weapon at the ready, eyes wide and muscles tensed. Hanzo’s hands clutched the rock tightly, frozen in place. The source of the splash landed on the rocky island with a hard sound, spilling fruit all across the shore as the younger dragon made his entrance. He fell onto his side, propping himself up on his left arm, chin in his hand. A wide grin was on his face as he landed, flopping his tail across the bank.

“Hello brother!” He said cheerfully, tipping the god-awful hat he was still wearing. “Sorry I’m late. I needed to swing by and make sure Kaiyo hadn’t started a fight with some of my younger collectables. She has a tendency to do that. And I know you told me to drop the hat off but I just couldn’t, I really think it suits-” Genji’s eyes widened when they landed on McCree, grinning from ear to ear. He shifted, rolling onto his stomach to drag himself further up the rock, closer to where the older dragon and the human were frozen in place. “OH! Your human is awake! How exciting, he didn’t perish, that’s wonderful. Hello, Human!”

McCree was completely and utterly speechless. No words could describe the shock that gripped his being. Another siren, tail green instead of blue, body painted like a tiger in stripes, tail tattered and mangled, but long, insanely long. He spoke quickly, excitedly, though his words were lost on Jesse in his current state of disbelief. Here he was, perplexed by the enigma of one sea serpent man, and just when he had developed a plan of attack, here came another. He was muscled just like the blue finned siren was, and behind the stripes- no, they were scars- that patterned his face, he had features as strong and regal as the other’s. His hair was shorter though, much shorter, and disappeared underneath a- “Hat,” McCree said dumbly. “That’s my hat.” Genji stopped short, blinking once, twice, before cackling, throwing his head back and laughing wildly. “I’m sorry, I honestly forgot it was yours! It’s a wonderful hat, I rather like it. Hanzo insisted it was tacky and hideous, which only made me like it more. Isn’t that right Hanzo?” The green siren chimed happily, turning his gaze to the other.

Jesse turned slowly, eyes slowly falling on the blue finned siren. His face was bright red, eyes blown wide. His mouth was pressed in a thin line, gripping the rock so hard his knuckles burned white. McCree couldn’t tell if he was angry, embarrassed, or shocked. Maybe he was all three. Jesse didn’t know. All he knew was that now he finally had something to call the siren who had claimed him as his own. Hanzo.

#mchanzo #pirate mccree mer hanzo #sake and whiskey #samatura #jesse mccree #hanzo shimada #samatura writes

[mst3kproject]

The Creature Walks Among Us

The third installment in the Creature from the Black Lagoon series does not have John Agar in it, thank heavens, but it does have Jeff Morrow and Rex Reason from This Island Earth and Gregg Palmer from The Rebel Set. It continues the theme of the poor Gill-Man just wanting to be left alone in a nice, peaceful swamp where he can snap alligators in half to his heart's content – but western science just won't leave him alone.  So what haven't we done to the poor bastard yet?  Well, we haven't set him on fire... okay, awesome, let's do that!

As the movie begins, another bunch of assholes are setting out to hunt our scaly antihero, who apparently vanished into the Everglades instead of dying at the end of Revenge of the Creature. The biggest asshole of them all is Dr. Bill Barton, who thinks the Creature will be Perfect For His Experiments.  Barton has this Doctor-Moreau-esque theory that he can speed up evolution through surgery, and he's also brought his wife Marsha along because he is convinced that if he turns his back for five minutes he'll find her in bed with three other men.  The other assholes on the trip seem to consider this a challenge, and a couple of them try to put moves on Marsha as the creature hunt progresses.  This is as dull and annoying as all such unnecessary romance plots.

When they finally catch up with the Gill-Man, they manage to capture him – but only after he’s been accidentally doused in gasoline and set on fire.  The fire burns off the Creature's gills, giving Barton the opportunity to save him by making some surgical improvements to his vestigial lungs.  Also burned were the scales, leaving behind bare skin.  Barton takes this to mean he's succeeded in partially transforming the monster into a man, and decides to take him home in order to continue the process.  This is definitely not a terrible fucking idea, is it?

For starters, I do have to say that this movie looks pretty nice.  The everglades are beautifully dense and primordial, which is a relief after spending the previous movie mostly in the bleak, artificial landscape of Sea World.  The night shots are especially good, with artful use of filters and reflection of lights in the water, and good matching of day-for-night to actual night shots.  The Creature on fire is done very well.  And the music isn't bad, either – the familiar Creature Theme is present, and there's a nice bit where music is used to suggest that Marsha is suffering from 'rapture of the deep'.  Too bad the accompanying shots demonstrate that she's only a few feet from the surface.

If you'll remember, my main complaint about Revenge of the Creature, besides the existence of John Agar, was that the female lead was a sexy lamp.  This is actually true of Creature from the Black Lagoon as well – both films end when the Creature kidnaps a woman in white and the men have to chase him down and shoot him until he lets her go.  I'm not sure what the Creature's interest in women in white is... maybe female Creatures turn white as a signal to the males that they’re ready to mate?  Regardless of the reason, The Creature Walks Among Us looks at first like it's going to continue the pattern.  Marsha Barton goes diving while wearing a white bathing suit, and the Creature stalks her in the water as it had other heroines before her.

But Marsha herself soon starts to show signs that she, at least, has potential to defy our expectations.  For starters, she evinces a surprising amount of actual personality.  Her activities have been severely restricted by her controlling and paranoid husband, and she attempts to alleviate the resulting boredom by having a variety of hobbies and sometimes by taking reckless risks.  An early scene establishes that she enjoys hunting, and seems to be a good shot. Could it be that she will save herself from the Creature, or even save one of the men?

To my amazement, the movie seemed to spend some time setting up the latter idea.  After the swimming scene, the Creature actually takes very little interest in Marsha.  His anger is instead saved for the men who are tormenting him with surgeries and experiments.  When he comes charging out of the laboratory where the scientists have kept him sedated, he is drawn by Marsha's cries as one of the men, Grant, tries to rape her.  But it is Grant he attacks, for it is Grant who had previously harmed him.  I found myself daring to hope that the movie would end with the Creature killing Grant and Barton, then being shot and killed by Marsha when he goes after her love interest, Morgan.

Of course I was disappointed.

The movie does end with both Barton and Grant dead, and Morgan alive to move in on the widowed Marsha, but during the climax Marsha herself simply fades away.  She was in the movie not long earlier, taking a swim while the Creature watched, but as the action begins she melts into the background.  She puts in a brief appearance to scream and cry while the Creature goes on his rampage, then vanishes and does not reappear until the denoument.  Time spent setting up that she could swim and shoot was apparently just misdirection.  Instead of using the gun it placed on the mantlepiece, the movie decides that instead, we need to see the resolution to the confused romantic subplots involving Barton, Marsha, Grant, and Morgan.

Barton, as previously mentioned, believes that Marsha is a cheap little tramp (he actually calls her this at one point) and if he lets her out of his sight she'll be spreading her legs for every man and fish monster for miles around.  Grant has apparently decided that a woman with an overprotective husband is twice as attractive – and what the woman herself thinks of his advances is irrelevant. Morgan seems honestly concerned about Barton's mental state and the effect it's having on Marsha, and is the only one of the lot who appears to consider Marsha a person with problems of her own.

Weirdly, the actors playing Grant and Morgan look and sound very much alike, to the point where it's possible to confuse the two. Jeff Morrow as Barton has a similar haircut and is much the same height, so he blends in with the crowd as well.  I hate when movies do this.  Were 50's standards for male beauty so exacting that they could not hire even one guy with a halfway distinctive face?

Grant and Morgan both get a taste of Barton's jealousy, but what eventually drives him over the edge is Grant's evident unwillingness to take 'no' for an answer from anybody.  In a fit of rage, Barton murders him, and then attempts to frame the Creature by tossing the body into the pen.  This gives the Creature the opportunity to break out and kill Barton.  Marsha is nowhere to be found.

The interesting thing about this ending is that while it is a bit disappointing, it represents a complete reversal of previous Creature movies. In both Creature from the Black Lagoon and Revenge of the Creature, the Creature himself represented a sexual threat to the female lead.  He became fascinated with her to the point where he carried her off, and the men had to save her from whatever horrible fate it was he had in mind (I like to think it would have involved a lot of frustrated waiting, wondering when she’s going to lay her eggs so he can swim over them).  In The Creature Walks Among Us, it's exactly the opposite: the Creature, albeit unintenionally, saves Marsha from the sexual threat presented to her by Grant and Barton!

This reflects another reversal, as the script finally seems to understand what the audience has been thinking since early in the previous movie – the Creature himself is by far the most sympathetic character here.  He spends most of the movie badly burned and with possible brain damage, and all he wants is to go back to the water where he belongs.  He doesn't understand that the surgeries Barton has performed on him have left him susceptible to drowning like a land creature.  We want to see him kick the shit out of these guys and while the ending, where he wades into the ocean not knowing he will drown, is tragic, it's also kind of a relief.  The water is not an escape this time, and nobody can drag him back to civilization for another round of abuse.

When I think about it, I'm actually fairly sure that both these inversions are intentional.  I suspect that at least the first writer, Arthur A. Ross, re-watched the first two movies and noticed the things Revenge repeated, and then set out to write something that would turn these specific two ideas on their heads.  I wish he'd done a little more with Marsha, who is really not much more than a plot device to motivate the enmity between Barton and Grant, but it's nice to know somebody actually cared about this story rather than simply trying to wring a little more profit out of last year's success.

The movie has another point to make, too, but it's pretty muddled. In between tinkering with the Creature's internal organs, the scientists have philosophical discussions about mankind's capacity for animalistic behaviour and our ability to overcome it with science, describing us as 'caught between the jungle and the stars'.  Much of what is said here is very poetic but doesn't come across as particularly meaningful, mostly because the actors themselves do not really seem to understand the points their characters are trying to make.  It's all hopelessly undeveloped and serves mostly to confuse and frustrate the audience, who just want to see more of the Creature.

While there are Episodes that Never Were where I really don't know why they never got picked up for MST3K, in this case I think it was actually divine intervention.  The Creature Walks Among Us is a boring, stupid movie that would have made a great episode, but that episode would have sorely lacked one thing.  There is a sequence in which strange sounds bring everybody running to the Creature's lair, where they discover it has killed a mountain lion. While I'm sure Mike and the Bots could have come up with some great Puma-Man or Pyoooma-themed lines, the perfect callback for this scene came into existence only after MST3K on the Sci-Fi Channel was over and done. The Creature Walks Among Us simply could not be properly riffed in a time when “I hear a mountain lion!” was not yet funny.

#mst3k #reviews #episodes that never were #the creature walks among us #tw: rape #it's beginning to look a lot like fishmen #50s

[g9trip]

The Best Yoga Retreats in Belize

Wave-guided meditations and deep-jungle warrior poses bring inner peace to your inner spirit

Belize is an enchanting nation, located on Central America’s eastern coast, where you’ll discover majestic waterfalls, lush green jungle, and sparkling Caribbean shorelines. With scenic mountains, rainforests, and reefs, Mother Nature clearly out-did herself when creating this picturesque slice of paradise. Belize is part of the isthmus connecting North and South America, so it’s technically an island…with islands! And both Belize and its islands are heaven-like.

While there are many ways to explore this beautiful island, joining a Belize yoga retreat is definitely one of the best. During a stay at any of our favorite yoga retreats, you’ll wake up to the sounds of nature and start your day with an empowering yoga session. While yoga and meditation are certainly the focus of these retreats, many of them also offer a wide range of eco-tours, adventures, and seriously once-in-a-lifetime experiences. You’ll be visiting the magnificent Mayan ruins or exploring below sea-level with the tropical sea life of the Belize Barrier Reef (the second largest Great Barrier Reef in the world after Australia). You can do all this and more when you reserve one of the best yoga retreats in the Caribbean.

Via Denis Moskvinov / Shutterstock

Because there are so many amazing adventures to be had in Belize, we’ve outlined our favorites below to give you the inside track. Explore all the incredible options and then choose the Belize yoga retreat that’s right for you. Warning: many of these do fill up quickly, so once you’ve set your heart center on a specific retreat or resort, make your reservations ASAP.

Once you know your travel dates, book your flight to Belize. Then switch off from stress, grab your yoga mat, turn off that cell phone (maybe), and get ready for the most epic wellness adventure in the Caribbean.

The Best Yoga Retreats in Belize

At Thatch Caye, they encourage guests to disconnect from it all and reconnect with themselves. The private island resort hosts some of the best yoga retreats in Central America, where you can discover your Zen and find your balance. Begin your day stretching and moving into your poses in the beachside yoga shala as the expert teachers guide your practice. While each Thatch Caye retreat is different, many of them offer chef-prepared meals, complimentary kayaks, snorkel gear, and even island-hopping tours. Staying in Dangriga will ensure your yoga trip is a memorable one. You may never want to leave the island.

Via belizeyoga.com

Via belizeyoga.com

Belize Yoga hosts all kinds of eco-friendly yoga adventure retreats. Book one of the packages, and you won’t just stick to practicing your lotus pose. Many of these exotic yoga retreats include snorkeling excursions, visits to Mayan ruins, cave tours, and even waterfall hikes. Some Belize Yoga retreat options will also include island-hopping to different parts of the island. You may spend 3 days in the ocean, and 4 in the mountain canopy. So in between yoga sessions, you’ll have the opportunity to explore and appreciate the beauty of Belize. Spend your yoga getaway finding balance and immersing yourself in nature with Belize Yoga. Upcoming retreats will be held on a few of our favorite Belize resorts, such as Ray Caye Private Island Resort, Naia Resort & Spa, Black Rock Lodge, and Hidden Valley Inn & Reserve.

Tucked in the jungle, Serenity Retreats Belize is located in what it calls “The Garden of Vegan Intentional Calm-Unity of Belize.” It’s a sustainable vegan community that offers yoga sessions and accommodations in their Buddhist and Mayan-inspired lodging. When you’re not downward-dogging, you can visit the nearby Mayan ruins or venture to Corozal Bay, just a mile away. Come stay for a yoga weekend retreat and experience the tranquility of this village. It’s the next best option after buying a property and immersing yourself in the community fulltime! No matter how long you decide to visit, the culture does ask guests to practice veganism during your stay. Book your retreat today and prepare your mind, body, and spirit for a holistic oasis.

Via akbol.squarespace.com

Via akbol.squarespace.com

Unplug and get your yoga on at Ak’Bol. This Belize yoga resort offers some of the best yoga meditation retreats, where you can practice mindfulness surrounded by the beautiful Caribbean Sea. You’ll find a variety of different retreats offered at the resort. Each one provides multiple open-air yoga sessions each day, along with water activities and tours to the nearby Mayan ruins. Round out your morning yoga practice with a dip in the fresh lagoon or a stroll along the beach.

This hip little yoga resort is cherished in the North Ambergris Cayes community. It also houses a trendy restaurant and bar, Soul Kitchen, serving local bites, pizza, and vegetarian options. The spectacular setting is paired with a laid-back, chill vibe, but is limited in some amenities. There are 7 simple thatch cabanas surrounding a swimming pool on the ocean side of the property. These cabanas have beautiful sea views and outdoor showers. On the lagoon side of the property, there is a three-story barracks building, housing 30 single-occupancy rooms. These rooms are for guests of the yoga retreats; bathrooms are shared, and there is no A/C. This might be precisely the stripped-down, rustic experience you’re looking for. Still, it’s good to keep in mind when choosing how many days and what levels of comfort you want in a retreat.

For those of you looking to be pampered, here are two excellent recommendations for resorts that are less than a 10-minute walk to Ak’Bol. With exceptional service, location, convenience, and beauty, you’ll want to stay at the Grand Caribe Belize. And we absolutely adore the award-winning 2017 Small Hotel of the Year, Pur Boutique Cabanas; it’s the perfect choice for a reasonably-priced, luxurious, and intimate experience.

Sattva Land labels itself as a “regenerative retreat center for eco-conscious emersions.” Located in the jungle of the Mayan Mountains, the center offers the perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of every life. Join a retreat focused on yoga and meditation or attend a yoga teacher training session to learn how to pass the knowledge on to others. Some even offer add-on excursions, from ziplining and to caving.

Whatever kind of retreat you choose, you’re sure to have a transformative experience on your personal adventure in the jungle at Sattva Land. Sattva Land is a slightly lower priced retreat in the middle of the rainforest, with simple, but comfortable, delightful furnishings. And the team atmosphere created under the canopy instantly makes you feel safe, generous, and amongst friends.

Via Om Shanti Belize

Via Om Shanti Belize

Mango Meditation Yoga Retreats are focused on resetting, recharging, and realigning, and what better way to spend a vacation? Situated in the rainforest in southern Belize, this retreat center features yoga sessions and adventure tours. During your stay, you’ll indulge in Hatha, Power Vinyasa, Yin, restorative, and Ashtanga yoga practices, and then have the chance to learn about the local community.

Join a coconut oil workshop, take a mountain farm tour, and discover sustainable food prep with local ingredients, among other fascinating activities. Mango’s retreats have the unique ability to develop within you a deep appreciation for the local community, and quite quickly upon arrival too. That is something you will bring back with you when you return home from your spiritual wellness quest.

Via Island Expeditions

Via Island Expeditions

Island Expedition is a sustainable tourism company that hosts a variety of yoga adventure retreats at their basecamps. These basecamps are located on Glover’s Reef, on the Southwest Caye (a 13-acre private island), and Lighthouse Reef, which sits on Half Moon Caye National Monument. Both destinations host spectacular retreats, where you can start your day with an invigorating yoga session, followed by sea kayaking, snorkeling, and exploring the island.

These yoga retreats in Central America will have you coming home feeling recharged and itching to book your return trip to the island. For a list of our favorite resorts that are nearby to Island Expedition Basecamps, check out these hotels near the Great Blue Hole at Lighthouse Reef, Belize District. You won’t be disappointed.

Via Quick Shot / Shutterstock

Yogis out there who would rather explore the island at your own pace, book one of these hotels in Belize, and blaze your own trail. Practice your yoga discipline wherever and whenever you want and choose your own activity agenda. You should definitely consider a venture to the peaceful Yoga Cave as well. Whether you join an affordable yoga retreat or explore the island on your own terms, follow your heart and enjoy your next yoga getaway in Belize. Namaste!

  Header Image Via Denis Moskvinov / Shutterstock

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[chaneajoyyy]

Hey girl hey. Could you please suggest good complete Killmonger/MBJ/Adonis series?

Heyyyyyy!!!👋🏾👋🏾👋🏾!! I sure can!!

COMPLETED ERIK KILLMONGER SERIES

- tis’ the season series (and the blurbs), dont take it personal series, a catchfish christmas series and the blurbs), the horror of our love series, bedwarmer series (with t’challa and m’baku), musical oneshots series (i know, gangsta, gods and monsters, charm x e)-  @teakturn (all on AO3)

- i call bullshit series, no mercy series- @aloevverified (search: wmi masterlist)

- no place like home series, red bottoms series, strawberry shortcake series, into the depths series, can you handle it series, killing booth series, arguments series, crowning glory series, waiting to get home series, best friends series, line loves series-  @hearteyes-for-killmonger

- sudden reunions series, sorry loser series-  @supersizemeplz (search: masterlist)

- end in flames series- @bvlckgirlmvgix (search: erik killmonger x blackIreader)

- rekindle series- @soufcakmistress (search: masterlist)

- be careful sweetheart series- @avenging-fics

- desserts series- @forbeautyandlife

- @panthergoddessbast

- haunted heart series- @youreallyshouldtalkmore

-  mystery of the golden fang series, a map made in heaven series-  @youcantkillamutant (scroll for erik killmonger x black!oc)

- breaking boundaries & breaking walls series part 1- @kaytauru (scroll for #breaking boundaries)

- deal series @wakandamama

- medicine series, child of mine series- @wakanda-inspired

- operation honeypot series, death of a bachelor series,  liberation series- @blackpantherimagines

- ring series- @blackpantherismyish

- fried green tomatoes series, his nightmare (or his queen) series, best you had series- @iliketowrite1996 (scroll for erik stevens x reader)

- what we used to be series, personal trainer series, on the run series,   @dacreskars (search: masterlist)

- n’jadaka’s helpful hands series-  @eerythingisshaka (scroll down page for masterlist)

- if ever there were angels series- @lesqui

-homewrecker series, grindin series, jp3 series- @shaekingshitup

- my king series- @justauthoring

- for you series- @marvellovegalore (scroll for marvel fanfiction)

- lady and the tramp series- @livingmybestfakelife (search masterlist)

- shae butter baby series- @nachtaiwrites (scroll for erik x reader)

- reckoning series, around the world and back series- @muse-of-mbaku (scroll for black panther mastersit)

- call out my name series, is it over? series- @oshaia (scroll for erikkillmonger)

- what you don’t do series- @wakandanblogger (scroll for erik killmonger x reader)

- i do care series- @cancerianprincess (scroll for erik x reader)

- havana series, snowball series, split part 1 (please read the whole series), drillmonger series, waiting in vain series- @erikismybitch (scroll page for updated masterlist you can’t miss it!)

-  heartbreak series- @artsninspo (scroll down for masterlist)

- sight series- @ghostfacekill-monger

- ember series part 1 ( do read the whole series-part of it is on her wattpad page @/nahimjustfeelingit-writes), the lagoon seiries, wet dreams series- @eye-raq (search: masterlist)

- kevin’s heart series, foot fetish headcanon (one-shot) series-@madamslayyy

- little girl series- @sweeter-thejuice (search: masterlist)

- oops series, east atlanta love letters series, loyal!erik blurg series- @another-imaginesblog

- spoiled series, thru the phone series- @princesskillmonger (scroll for erik killmonger imagine)

- blind date series- @cosmiceyegasms (scroll for cosmiceyegasms)

- dirt little secrets series,  @goddessofthundathighs (search: masterlist)

- loyalty series, changes series- @melaninmarvelgirl62

- sunsets series-  @mbakusprincess (search: masterlist)

- carried series- @ororowrites

- passenger seat series- @blackmissfrizzle

- a perfect crime series- @wikiwakanda (search: masterlist)

- my dope man series, the very best man series, home sweet home series (sequel to the very best man series), daddy time? series, go home erik series, coconut series, i love you king series, you don’t own me series-  @killmoncoochie (scroll for erik killmonger fic and coochiefic)

- a reward series-  @big-flop-energy- (scroll for leeleefic and 

- hold your breath series- @njadont (scroll for erik x reader)

- leave a light on series- @mariamermaid (scroll for erik x reader)

- smoke and mirrors series (sequel is on her ao3-> madeline grey)- @lannisterkitty

- pray for me series- @thekrazykeke

- love galore series- @mbjslilthang

- bad at love series- @fandomnom

- the sweetest taste series- @wakandaforeverwrites

COMPLETED MBJ SERIES (I WILL BE ADDING INCOMPLETE FICS & (COMPLETED) ONESHOTS CAUSE THERE’S NOT A LOT OF COMPLETED ONES)

*=incomplete

- pet peeve series (currently on wattpad)- @aspacefork

- life unexpected series*, midnight fm series*, you again series (with chadwick)*, hot girl summer (with chadwick), at the oscars (with chadwick), the reader wanting a bbl (with chadwick), honey love series (with chadwick)- @lady-love-and-glitter-roses

- loving her, need you by my side, busted, planning the future, false accusations, mesy, flirt, reconnect, can’t help myself, +2, instagram bae, hello mrs. jordan, dance for you-  @plussizeappreciationfics (scroll for michael b jordan x reader or michael b jordan x plus size reader)

- oooh...we got a house house?!, test, birthday fic, he was erik... (one shot for now)- @writerbee-ffs (scroll for michael b jordan x reader)

- comics are for nerds, unexpected surprise, sick times, it’ll be okay, love-  @running-on-fanfiction (search: michael b jordan)

- three times a charm?, late night shenanigans- @marvelouss-marvel

- split series (part 1) do read the series as a whole, just take both, nsfw- @erikismybitch

- red carpet tings- @mbjslilthang

- headcanons series- @atechnologicalmarvel (search: michael b. jordan)

-michael b jordan imagine where hes doing an interivew/red carpet thing and the person asks him where his gf is and not super into the hollywood life, michael and his gf get into a fights where she leaves and ends taking care of her, michael and his gf break up but still miss each other, michael and reader are dating and did a movie together and doing a cool photoshoot together, michael and you take your son to the black panther premiere and you annouces your pregnant again, imichael b jordan imagine where the reader is a famous singer and he goes to one of her concerts (she doesn’t know) and he surprises her backstage and they go out afterwards?, michael b jordan imagine where reader is a famous singer and she invites him to be in one of her music videos (where they play a couloe) and after the video they end up hooking up and start to like each other?- @fangirlfanwritings (search: michael b jordan)

- all mbj fics - @justimagaine (search: michael b jordan)

- imagine: joke, imagine: interview, having a puppy family would include...-@fandomnom (scroll for michael b. jordan)

- alphabet series (a is for arrest)*, soft kiss - @calif0rnia-lovers

*- beauty unit series- @mermaidchansons (search: michael b jordan)

- all mbj imagines- @celebrityyimaginees (scroll for michael b jordan x reader)

-nike air max 97, mornings- @teachallas (scroll for michael b jordan x reader)

- double trouble, movement, photo op, romcom tragedy-  @basickassandra (search: michael b jordan)

COMPLETED ADONIS SERIES (I WILL BE ADDING INCOMPLETE FICS & NESHOTS CAUSE THERE’S NOT A LOT OF COMPLETED ONES)

*= incomplete

*- cheater series- @erikismybitch

-adonis is imrpessed with the reader’s boxing skills , reader says to adonis it’s either or me or bianca series*, adonis and reader are married ahd shring thier first christmas with their twins and new dog- @nahimjustfeelingit-writes

*-missing brown eyes series, it’s always chilly in philly, balance, senior-itis- @cosmiceyegasms (scroll for cosmiceyegasms)

- whatchamacallit series- @goddessofthundathighs (search: masterlist)

*-  rrush series- @shedyou (scroll for adonis creed x reader)

*- 6 am series- @writerbee-ffs (scroll for adonis creed x reader)

- just a friend- @killmongerkink

- let’s undwind, why do you fight series* (part of the series in on her wattpad -> @ / nahimjustfeelingit-writes), fresh out a fight, baby fever, i object ( on her wattpad -> @ / nahimjustfeelingit-writes), wrong place ( on her wattpad -> @ / nahimjustfeelingit-writes) , my first was adonis johnson ( on her wattpad -> @ / nahimjustfeelingit-writes)- @eye-raq (search: masterlist)

-  lights on, fight night @killmongerdispussy (scroll for adonis x bianca)

***IF I FORGOT ANYONE/STORIES FROM THOSE ALREADY LISTED PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!! SOME WRITER WHO I WANTED TO INLCUDE HAVE LEFT SO I COULDN’T ADD THEM***

#the plug #librarian at your service #let’s chat #sip tea #talk fanfiction #erik killmonger fanfiction #black panther fanfiction #marvel fanfiction #michael b. jordan fanfiction #adonis creed fanfiction #creed fanfiction #completed fics