#I wish the Syndicate!Dream ending was real

[justcallme-ange]

Got some feelings about c!Dream and his whole arc. So I’m making it everyone else's problem XD

The Beginning

The End (Wishful)

Also for those that like Angst: The End (Actual)

#I love doomed narratives- the could haves and the is #I wish the Syndicate!Dream ending was real #but unfortunately his story was not fated for that #c!dream #dreamwastaken #c!george #c!sapnap #c!dreamteam #c!techno #c!philza #doomsday trio #my art #It is finished!! OTL #I’ve been working kind of slow cuz I gotta do it on breaks QAQ #and of course I wanted to add a lot of details - so it took even longer #on the bright side - I finally figured out how to make mirrors!

[kisuminight]

There are so many things that are just hanging around and percolating in my head about this one AU and I'm just going crazy about it? Also it's making me wish that I could draw, but alas.

So, DSMP Blade System AU, what do the Blades look like?

Well, for one, Blades are basically computer processors that are running an aether-based hardlight hologram for their body and they don't have a biological reproduction. So physically apparent sexual dimorphism is something that they can look like having, but they don't really have biologically sexual traits (not that this would stop a Blade from having fun if they want to). Also, a Blade's gender and pronouns are whatever they want them to be. Anyone's gender and pronouns should be whatever they want them to be, even in real life, but it's very unwise to try and mis-gender someone who can pull a weapon out of thin air if you piss them off.

This is a very long way of saying that I am trying to keep everyone's pronouns as they were in canon, no matter the choices I am making on their "default" appearance.

A Blade tends to have a "default" appearance that they take whenever they are first Awakened. This includes things like clothes, hair styles, and even hybrid traits. Some things, such as accessories that they gained in life, will drop like an item when a Blade reverts to core crystal. Regular clothes usually de-materialize with the Blade.

A list of Blades and their default appearances under the cut.

~

I have mentioned that c!Dream's default outfit in this is probably something like Yulia Jue's concept art from Tales of the Abyss. Dream tends to dislike the outfit and change out of it as soon as he can after experiments with c!Punz. His main issue with it is that it shows off his shoulders (aether lines visible) and has a window in the front that shows his core crystal (when shattering it is the one thing every Blade fears), and Dream has spent a while in this AU trying to hide that he is a Blade. He really would prefer if his default outfit was a hoodie, but Aegis Blades are always Peak Dramatic with their looks and this was one of the few things he retained.

Dream is discomforted by it, but not dysphoric? Like his main irritation is that sometimes he forgets to take off his hoodie before he and c!Punz run their experiments post-Staged Finale and then his hoodie gets...eaten, for lack of a better word. And it's just like ffs, not again. And then he steals Punz's hoodie until they can get him a new one.

The rest of his appearance includes slightly tapered ear points--not largely pointed, but just a bit of a tip, and long-ish hair (about the length in the concept art I included, but curly). Since his core crystal is green, it gives him a very woodland/forest elf-healer vibe if you manage to spot him in one of the few times he is relaxed and not hiding behind his mask. Post Staged Finale, post-Red Banquet when ew!Ranboo drops Dream off with the Syndicate, he uses this first impression as a way to throw off any of the members of the Syndicate who seem like they might figure out that he has a technique to keep his memories (and still remembers pre-Staged Finale stuff).

I'd say that his core crystal is closer to a sold green than the lime-green that he favors for his hoodie, but the saturation of the aether makes his aether lines that lime color, except brighter and a bit more diffuse? I'm not really sure how to describe it. I've mentioned before, but it is a diamond/rhombus shape and located at the base of Dream's throat.

~

c!Techno does not get his anime pretty-boy look. Nope, this Techno is closer to a big bipedal pig. Obviously not completely--he does have hands. But his feet end in hooves, and he has a tail! He also has a long mane that he likes to braid. Since c!Techno is a Heartstealer, he cannot return to his core crystal. It's been so long that he doesn't really remember his default outfit, only that it had a lot of straps and buckles. The fabric is long since gone, but most of the straps were durable enough that they survived and were re-purposed for other things, such as billets for his horse saddles.

Techno's core crystal was originally a dove gray/silver, and his aether lines shone brightly against his pink fur. Becoming a Heartstealer tinged the aether with blood, so now his core crystal and aether lines are a dusty pink, like rose quartz. They can be hard to see against his fur. His core crystal is actually located on his back, between his shoulder blades. It has a diamond/rhombus shape.

Techno has lots of gold jewelry. He has his emerald earring (for emerald duo) and his crown, but he also has some tusk rings, a golden cuff that goes on his tail, and plenty of other things. While he has hands instead of hooves, he does have a black claws made out of the same material. The keratin extends back all the way along the finger, and it is jointed. The underside of his fingers are normal (finger pads are important for gripping things!).

~

c!Philza is an Aegis. Techno has only seen his default outfit once, when things got really bad. In the aftermath, the Goddess of Death showed up to reAwaken her Aegis Blade (Phil only requested to have his memories stopped the one time, now he is back to remembering after every death). Phil actually usually wears (most of) his default outfit. He is specifically wearing the bottom most and top most layers of it. Newly Awakened, he has about an extra 3 layers between them, and they're all flow-y and flutter-y with the sleeves artfully tied up so they won't get in the way of his bow skills.

The hat is the exception to this. Phil received his hat from Techno shortly after they became friends. Techno picked it up off the killing fields alongside Phil's core crystal, and gave it back after he was Awakened.

Phil's wings healed very quickly, the same way any other Blade's wounds would heal. He just can't use them at the moment because DreamXD's lockdown of the End and other things includes the ability to fly. As an Aegis Blade, Phil could get around this if he really wanted to, but he doesn't flaunt his powers much.

His core crystal is his crimson hardcore heart. It is located at the base of his throat.

~

c!Punz is also mostly using his default outfit. He basically just put their white hoodie on over it. I picture it as something like the outfit Canaan wears in the Canaan anime, except the top is black instead of red, and he has a grey scarf. Punz's medallion is also part of their default appearance.

He doesn't have any outstanding hybrid characteristics. Punz looks like a regular human Player, all the better to blend into the background.

His core crystal is indigo, and his aether lines are slightly lighter in color. Punz is almost constantly using their passive ability to disguise/make people Not Notice their aether lines, but he keeps their hoodie on anyway. Their core crystal is triangle-shaped, and located at the base of his throat.

~

c!Callahan has a default appearance that includes his antlers and deer-like ears. His original default outfit was a simple tunic and pants, that he changed for the Captain America outfit and the onesie.

His core crystal is a golden color. It is rounds and located over his heart, on the front of his chest.

~

c!Skeppy's default appearance is to look like a diamond statue. He is functionally indistinguishable from carved diamond until he starts moving. The way seeming-diamond moves like skin and muscle even if it looks and feels like sold rock can be a bit disturbing to those who are unused to golems. His eyes look like polished deepslate, and so does the inside of his mouth. His tongue is a ruby.

Skeppy's core crystal was originally round and colored pale blue like a diamond. It was located at the base of his throat. When he and Bad preformed their ritual, he took Bad's heart and Bad received a chunk of his core crystal. Now, his core crystal looks like a deep teal crescent. The aether lines are even darker, colored with a tinge of the blackness that comes from having Bad's heart.

~

c!Slimesicle - I'll be honest, I don't know that much about him or his content creator. I'd probably say that he is currently using his default appearance, which does include the shirt with the three heart markings on it.

He has the physical appearance of a slime hybrid, but he isn't actually slimy or generate any type of slime/mucus (because Blades are mimicking appearances, and do not carry over innate traits).

His core crystal is hunter green. It is a square shape and located on the side of his head. Because the core crystal is in an unusual place, Slime is one of the few Blades that has aether lines on his face as well.

~

Here is the concept art of Yulia Jue I was mentioning:

#DSMP Blade System AU #c!dream #c!techno #c!philza #c!callahan #c!punz #c!slime #even though my concept for how the Blades might start out looking seems very feminine #I promise that the Blades are more androgynous than anything #I just really like all the Tales designs and Yulia Jue's concepts are some of my favorites #and since I'm borrowing some of the magic anyway I might as well

[nerdycolorcupcake]

So, got the time to watch the syndicate lore finale, so i feel the almighty need to do at least one last highlight of my own

1- Phil at the beginning tending to the animals

Is really sad that i got so numb over these past days that i didn't even bring myself to cry, even if the moment were okay to do so, i could feel Phil's pain in going back to their base and remember that Techno wasn't there anymore, neither character nor person, it hurted me specially bc i kept remembering Techno's will and how he somehow knew things wouldn't come to last and prepared it in game, and a death that happened on my life too

Although I'll applaud Phil once again for his bravery to come back there and fulfill Techno's wish, as a way to feel a bit of closure to his grief and to honor him

2- Niki baking for the last time and the bell sellout time

Yeah, that also was bittersweet, Niki went full circle with her character and baking once more shows that despite the things that happened to her she still could find some pleasure in doing what she loved

The bell sellout was good, hope people subscribed to techno and bought lots of merch

3- Kristin showing up to warn them abt the danger and rescues them

Ah, it was so good to see her finally, love the skin made to represent the fierce and yet gorgeous and so generous godness of death in all her glory

And how Phil was so happy he wasn't just being crazy, his wife is real no clickbait!

It's fitting the constrast between her caring nature and the cruel and harsh god of life Dream XD

It was also very funny seeing her remarks abt the portal being the meeting table or how confused Niki got over her and the romantic affair vibes she got from Kristin and Phil (a straight couple in a gay world? how astounding!)

4- Ghost!Connor show up with Rosie the sheep and the implications of Ranboo and Michael being saved

Love my man Connor just vibing with his sheep that he has a connection with now, and how calm he is as he states that god is real (refering to Dream XD) and how he canonized him

Good for him, the best character of the DSMP deserve to have at least a better life outside of limbo

I also liked the implication that Kristin rescued Ranboo from his limbo and reunited him with his son, very comforting

They all went to the portal and reach the end, and hopefully at least these people will remember the DSMP and how important it was for their lives

They'll remember Technoblade

Sic semper Tyrannis

o7

#bunbunscreams #dream smp #c!philza #c!kristin #c!niki #c!connor #c!ranboo #michael beloved #the syndicate #technoblade #technoblade never dies

[spotslong]

Rocky mountain bounty hunters fake

You don’t need to know what’s in my head. I’ll gladly welcome you back when you become a legit adult. Millionaire Jonah White runs Billy Bob's World, selling fake teeth. If you’re not eighteen, consider yourself bounced and walk away from my books. Stargate SG-1 Syndicated fantasy show set in Colorado Springs. Shotgun Slade Syndicated western set in Denver. Secrets of Aspen VH1 reality show set in Aspen. Warning: Oh, I’m sorry, that’s a fake ID. Rocky Mountain Bounty Hunters Animal Planet reality show set Montana and Colorado. Because in the end, there’s nothing more precious than the gift of life. With drug dealers lurking, bullets flying, and threats coming from every angle, Asa must do everything he can to protect the ones he loves. He never dreams the troubles lurking in the hallways of the local high school would shake his family to its core. The cave we enter'd, and his bounty fhar'd A rural banquet by himfelf prepar'd. But when school bullies turn into something much worse, Asa starts to dig around. and knew the rocky feat, Some foutary hunter's wild retreat. America, including high Rocky Mountain lakes, spruce. /rebates/2fshow2fmud-lovin-rednecks&. Reaper (Montana Bounty Hunters 1) - Delilah Devlin.epub. Little does he know, a chance meeting with a petite, strawberry-blonde stranded on the side of the road, would intertwine their lives in a way he’d never want to untangle. Students create fake animal scat and learn to identify an animal by its droppings. Rocky Mountain Desire (Six Pack Ranch 3) - Vivian Arend.epub. Working close to home after years away, he finally has the time to focus on his kids. Controlled, methodical, and focused-Asa Hollingsworth takes charge of everything in life. Saddled with a century-old, dilapidated farmhouse she can’t afford, a bevy of goats, two dogs, and a geriatric donkey, the last thing she has time for is a man-even if that man is a knight whose shining armor comes in the form of worn-in jeans and work boots. Taking on the role of both mom and dad to her two young kids, she’s managing life the best she can. Reviewed in the United States on ApVerified Purchase Wish I didn't pay for it. One person found this helpful Helpful Report abuse Shad Holland Kind of cheesy to me. They should have at least done some research to see how real modern day bounty hunters work. No one would say Keelie Lockhart isn’t determined. These guys are very unprofessional and the whole show seems very fake. From USA Today Bestselling Author Brynne Asher A single-parent romantic suspense.

#Rocky mountain bounty hunters fake

[blockgamepirate]

I actually think Niki and Ranboo's POVs of Doomsday are the most satisfying narratively.

At least for me, obviously, Your Mileage May Vary.

Techno and Phil's are the most fun to watch, for obvious reasons, they're the ones actually having a good time, but I do feel like the narrative structure isn't effective enough. The build up before they arrive at L'Manburg is great but after that it's really mostly just a very long and drawn out battle that's fun and exciting to watch but feels a bit flat deep down because it is kinda monotonous as a story. You can recap it, plotwise, in like three sentences. And then the aftermath is chill and fun but also not the most narratively interesting.

(I can't stress enough how much I love Phil and Techno's Doomsday streams btw, because it's a lot, but yeah, it felt like they were missing something important.)

Tommy and Tubbo and Wilbur and Quackity's streams are all depressing from start to the end. Didn't enjoy watching any of then tbh. Eret's is good but unfortunately Eret themself didn't play much of an active role in the event? So it feels subtly detached, I guess. And I think that's all the ones I watched.

But Niki and Ranboo's though! In Niki's you can really see how L'Manburg is breaking apart from the inside. You can see how the Doomsday Trio weren't the thing that destroyed L'Manburg, they were just the catalyst. The real destruction happens when the citizens stop fighting for it, when they even start fighting against it themselves.

The moment that L'Manburg died wasn't when Dream launched the TNT, it was when Niki set the tree on fire. For me that's the real narrative climax of the day. Once everyone realises the tree is gone, they all lose hope and the battle is over. The aftermath ensues. And for the first time Niki turns into Nemesis. Not yet as a member of the Syndicate, but as someone driven by revenge and hatred. (Niki's VOD does have some unfortunate audio balancing issues though, rip)

Ranboo's VOD on the other hand shows the frantic evacuation, the panic, the despair, the dissociation, the guilt, the anger. Ranboo doesn't have much of an effect on the events directly but he's deeply involved in all of it, and he's the one who inspires Fundy, Niki and Quackity. (Possibly Eret and HBomb too? Sorry, I forget. It's been a year.) And he's the one who goes from such lowest lows to the most hopeful ending. It's almost like the ideal POV. He interacts with pretty much all sides while refusing to really choose any of them.... except perhaps one.

(Shoutout to Fundy's vod from earlier in the day too btw. I don't think he streamed the event itself but the short stream before it was good set up. Even tho I kinda wish he hadn't destroyed the supplies so the fight would have been a bit better.)

#dream smp #doomsday #nihachu #niki nihachu #ranboo

[vicea]

techno and dreams dynamic tho :c so good so pure. how dream said now they're closer and he doesn't want to jeopardize that by doing another big competitive thing against him (even though we'd all be happy to see it and they'd get so much clout) im luv them

oh my god how I literally have been waiting for this moment. technoblade and dream... the OP duo... the “Make-A-Wish” team... I MISS them so MUCH God when they work together, when they team together, when they have interactions I get so excited because there’s not a dull moment with these minecraft nerds.

you already mentioned one thing that literally lives in my head rent free and it’s the fact that dream said the main reason why he doesn’t want to do a manhunt against techno is because he does not want to make this “rival” status of theirs into this enemy thing between communities and between them because they’re friends and he doesn’t want to lose that- and like 🥺 dream really cherishes their friendship a lot !! and respects techno so so much. he’s always been such a big fan of his and they’re both overall super supportive of each other under the whole rivals bit:

exhibit A 

exhibit B <- also has a link to techno and dream wholesome friendship moments where techno is seen being a dream stan (said it himself in minecraft chat) as well (for clout but lets ignore that part) and also being really supportive after the mrbeast duel 

exhibit C techno referencing road trip here GGhhhHHGH 

like i remember his first message to techno on discord was to team with him for minecraft monday too albeit probably for clout but lets be real this clout chase between them is a mutual thing and they both don’t mind at all. plus it’s fucking OP as hell

another thing that lives in my head rent free is the fact that dream wanted to just vc techno when they were the only ones on the dream smp and just wanted to talk (before sap, george, and bbh crashed their VC LOL) like... that’s crumbs yo. CRUMBS for rivalsblr.  and also we cannot forget the infamous “dream is homeless bit” by techno... how dream had techno’s livestream pulled up and was listening in to his every joke and playing along by making a small diary and writing everything word for word that techno said as a joke. and then this part here too. like they easily bounce off of each other so well,, more interactions please.

GOD I cannot emphasize HOW funny it is whenever dream is trying to do lore and Techno is just pulling his “breaking the fourth wall” jokes in the middle (as he always does) because Techno would just be reading his donations aloud and dream would be patient and just barely tolerate it at first then BLOW UP AFTER THE FOURTH TIME OR SMTH. LIKE TECHNO LOVES PUSHING HIS BUTTONS ITS HILARIOUS god i love them

okay this is more dream smp lore related but like,,, c!dream being the only one that ever really stayed true to his word and never betrayed c!techno... and c!techno agreeing wholeheartedly, but then like both of them explicitly stating that they aren’t friends. we love to see it !! stating and !! respecting !! each other’s boundaries whilst blowing up countries together 😎 (like yeah i get it, both of them saw an advantage and took it but let me HAVE MY CRUMBS PLEASE) also dream and techno teaming up with tommy during the battle of the lake and winning... that was fucking epic and before the 3rd explosion of lmanberg and tommy’s betrayal against techno - techno goes “is this where you turn in your favor?” but then dream is like “pft what No you already wanted to blow up lmanberg” and techno goes “you know me so well dream” BHBJBJBHJ (SYNDICATE!DREAM COME TRUE OR ELSE)

OKAY also lmao I think it is always so funny every time I am reminded of how fucking sweaty dream and techno are even in the dream smp lore. Like the two standing facts of how dream literally made a WHOLE ass fucking obsidian grid above lmanberg with his fucking rapid TNT dropping thing and techno 1. breeding probably over hundreds of wolves as his army and 2. grinding for... way too many wither skulls. and both of them were on the same side. like holy shit they really know how to blow a country up.

also lets not forget the fact that once for buildmart, techno and dream “cheated” the MCC system by learning the builds for build mart (they were on separate teams too)- techno saying “there are 26 builds” and dream was like “actually 27″ they are absolute SWEATY NERDS and I LOVE THEM for that

speaking of MCC... when dream and techno teamed up that one time it was probably both relieving and stressful at the same time. because 1. they both play MCC competitively but in the case they are teammates, they will be more confident in each other’s skills and be like “oh i have dream/techno, they can do the heavy lifting.” whilst at the same time 2. because they are competitive and rivals, they want to outdo each other, they want to show off to each other as well you know?? like “I beat you in parkour” or “i outlived you in battle box” but also we’re on the same team and still winning LOL SO IT’S AN EZ DUBBB

OH WAIT and also that one time in minecraft bingo... i remember seeing a comparison of them being nervous due to the time pressure and it’s funniest thing ever. Dream talking really fast about what materials he has and asking questions to techno whilst techno is like the buffering noise. i love how complete opposites they can be 

... we were robbed of rivalsblr content too from that one masquerade party one... could’ve had it all...

anyway! in conclusion, i’m going to drop some more rivalsblr crumbs here and here and god i love their dynamic so much please give me more content of them and also dream smp related- get c!techno to find out canonically that c!dream is imprisoned and being tortured. have him Feel Revenge for someone he didn’t consider a friend just an ally who had a common goals. and free c!dream and have a happy ending of them being besties who spar every day wooooo 

just like i said with tommy’s post... fuck continuity, fuck plot holes. just want techno + dream interactions.

#dreamwastaken #technoblade #rivalsblr #dream smp #long post #rambles #vi's asks #thank you anon. thank u sm. i needed to gush about them somewhere SOMETIME. that is now. #cw torture mention #<- about c!dream :weary:

[dreamsclock]

your wish is my command tumblr user @peppsta just kidding i desperately needed comfort to the hurt so wrote this entirely self indulgently /j

part one found in the “-> syndicate dream au” tag because it won’t let me link it here!

Techno’s not an idiot. This isn’t a story, and it doesn’t end with a happily-ever-after. That doesn’t mean he wants things to end in tragedy.

The prison is drenched in tragedy from top to bottom and only grows more potent the further in they go. With it, dread festers, collects in the pit of his stomach; God, Techno thinks, and then reconsiders. God doesn’t exist in this place. That much is obvious.

Phil draws in a sharp breath when they get to the cell the Nightmare Army have locked Dream in — not quite his old cell, but not much better either. “Fucking hell,” he murmurs, “what’ve they done to you?”

Dream doesn’t respond. Physically, there doesn’t seem to be much wrong with him. There’s a bruise pooling below his right eye, and he’s scraped and slightly bloody, but nothing overly concerning. What Techno is worried about, as he steps closer and Dream only twitches, is the mental damage.

Because the hollow absence behind his rival’s eyes is back, only a week or so after they’d managed to erase it, and Dream’s face is so painfully hollow that it hurts even Techno. He’s not chained up, not even in a particularly secure cell: it only takes Phil a minute to break the door down, even as alarms sound (Sam, knowing they’re there, turns them off quickly), but Dream hasn’t even tried to escape. He doesn’t move, barely even responsive when Techno crouches down to his level.

“Sam,” he murmurs, head dipping in exhaustion, in deference, “I didn’t mean to. I know. I told Bad I wouldn’t.”

Is he in the middle of a flashback? Techno glances back to Phil who nods encouragingly, shoves down any witty nervous replies, and, very slowly, lays a hand on Dream’s shoulder. Instantly, his rival shudders, eyes finally locking with his own. They’re wet and unfocused.

“...Techno?”

Techno forces a sideways smile. “Hey, loser,” he says, “good that you can tell I’m not Sam. I was getting worried about your mental state there, I’m not going to lie to you.”

Dream is worryingly silent. Usually there would be a snort, at the very least, a smile: there’s nothing. “You came.”

“Of course I did.” Techno shifts back to allow Dream to see Phil too, who’s lingering back to give them space. “What, did you think we were just gonna leave you here? How lame would that make me?”

This draws a faint grimace. “Deserve it.”

“Now you’re just being all sad.” Fear makes his heart skip a beat, makes him shuffle back from Dream. If Dream refuses to come with them? What then? “Come on, man, you don’t deserve to be here. Nobody deserves to be here. You know that.”

Silence again, stretching longer this time. Techno swallows down alarm.

“And besides,” he adds, as nonchalantly as he can, “think of this as me repaying my favour to you. We’ll be equal after this.”

Dream’s eyes flicker over him, exhausted, assessing. Techno thinks there might be amusement there somewhere too. “How many favours does that make?” He asks quietly. “Thirteen? Fourteen?”

“Just the one,” Techno tells him, and extends a hand, “come on. We can debate how much you deserve to be locked in literal hell on the way back. Let’s just head home.”

And Techno’s not an idiot. He’s not. This isn’t a story, and it doesn’t end with a happily-ever-after. But it ends with Dream willingly taking his hand and getting to his feet, with Dream murmuring an exhausted “thank you”, and Techno thinks that maybe one day they’ll look back and class that as a real life equivalent of a happily-ever-after.

#> my writing !! #-> my posts !! #> syndicate dream au #smp dream angst #technoblade #dreamwastaken #philza

[chitto]

I ANALYZED ALL OF THE NEW SONGS ON RANBOO'S LORE PLAYLIST - HERE'S WHAT I FOUND

Back in March, I listened to every single song on Ranboo's DMCA Lore Playlist. I came up with a solid theory, published my evidence and that was that. My work was done.

But nope! Ranboo's back and he's deleted a ton of songs and added more. And so I listened. Again. And I'm back with a theory, and it does not look good.

This new batch of songs shows us that this is a new era of c!Ranboo. Redesign Your Logo is meant to tell us that things are changing, and so is c!Ranboo. This could be do to the fact that something bad is most likely going to happen to c!Ranboo in the near future, probably the taking of his first canon life. Songs like Eyewishes and Goodbye heavily point to the ending of a chapter (or life) of c!Ranboo. The song Blue Monday isn’t anything revolutionary, as we were already well aware of the toxic relationship between c!Ranboo and c!Dream. Another thing to point out is that Everybody Wants To Rule The World sets up an interesting take on nuclear weapons, a thing that c!Tubbo has and c!Ranboo doesn’t know exists. If c!Ranboo were to find out about the nukes, it could lead to the two fighting over whether or not they were a good thing. Going into Time Moves Slow, the narrator there discusses a relationship that just ended between them and their lover, meaning there could be a c!Beeduo divorce arc in the near future.

Below are the analyses on each individual song and the added and deleted songs

Deleted: Prologue (StarKid), Introduction to the Snow (Miracle Musical), Dream Sweet in Sea Major (Miracle Musical), Turn the Lights Off (Tally Hall), The Mind Electric (Miracle Musical), The Ruler of Everything (Tally Hall), Ain't No Rest for The Wicked (Cage the Elephant), The Bidding (Tally Hall), Stranded Lullaby (Miracle Musical), Hidden in the San (Tally Hall), & (Tally Hall), I'm Gonna Win (Rob Cantor).

Added: Redesign Your Logo (Lemon Demon), Everybody Wants to Rule the World (Tears for Fears), Blue Monday (New Order), Eyewishes (Lemon Demon), Bystanding (Lemon Demon), Goodbye (Bo Burnham), Time Moves Slow (BADBADNOTGOOD and Samuel T. Herring).

Redesign Your Logo (Lemon Demon) - This song is about a pdf that went around during 2009 about the Pepsi company logo. In it, the Arnell group is trying to sell Pepsi a new logo, so that they can make tons of money. I feel that this song symbolizes evolution and growth, we’re entering a new era of c!Ranboo. He’s redesigned and rebranded. This song could also be on this playlist because of a fan animation on youtube set to the same song by Shyshui.

Everybody Wants To Rule The World (Tears for Fears) - This song was written about the Cold War between The Soviet Union and The United States that happened during the 20th Century. The main line of the song ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World’ is about how everyone wants power, and the misery that it brings with it. This is a theme we can see clearly on the DreamSMP, with many leaders such as c!Eret, c!George, c!Bad, c!Wilbur, and c!Dream all leading lives of misery in one way or another. This is also important for c!Ranboo, as he is the most powerful man on the server. It tells us that his power will soon be his misery. Also a small little thing I’d like to point out is the line ‘Say that you’ll never, never, never, never need it’ which is meant to be about the use of nuclear devices during that time period. Many governments had them but claimed they would only use them if another country was launching a nuclear attack. This could translate to c!Tubbo owning nukes and c!Ranboo possibly finding out, which could cause discourse between the two.

Blue Monday (New Order) - Blue Monday is about the singer pondering the mistreatment of their person by someone they trusted. The person seems to be manipulative and toxic for the singer but the singer is too far under their control to leave them. Immediately we can tell that this song is most likely about the relationship between c!Ranboo and c!Dream. c!Dream uses c!Ranboo as his errand boy, making him do all sorts of tasks, although this hasn’t really happened since the Disc War Confrontation. However, we know the c!Dream still has some sort of hold over c!Ranboo because we saw c!Sapnap trigger an Enderwalk episode by giving c!Ranboo a message from c!Dream.

Eyewishes (Lemon Demon) - Eyewishes is a song about a distraught man who has no eyelashes, as he used them all on wishes, and now he can make no more wishes. The man pours out his frustrations and then resolves to committing suicide. While I don’t believe c!Ranboo would take his own life, I believe that he soon will die. The last line of this song is ‘So take care of my plants and pets and now I’ll say good-’. c!Ranboo has many pets in his care and he would want them taken care of after he dies. I could see him saying this line to a character like c!Tubbo. However, c!Ranboo is still on three canon lives and would not perma died if killed.

Bystanding (Lemon Demon) - Bystanding is the direct sequel to Eyewishes, starting off with bi, completing the phrase ‘goodbye’ started at the end of Eyewishes. Other than this, the song has no real points of interest as it’s just the singer repeating different words, working his way up from 2 to 5.

Goodbye (Bo Burnham) - I’m going to split this song up into two sections, just because I think there’s a lot to cover here. Let’s start pre-bridge. For context, Goodbye is the final track from the comedy-musical special Inside, done by Bo Burnham. Bo says the special was a long project for him as he filmed the entire thing in his house during COVID-19 Quarantine. The beginning part of this song talks a lot about how Bo doesn’t want the special to be over because now he has nothing else to do, and he’ll just have to live his life. This could translate into c!Ranboo losing a lot of things that he worked for, such as his valuables (totems and riches) and just being a normal person again. It could also signify an ending of a chapter for him, maybe his marriage ending, his partnership with the Syndicate ending. However, I believe that its most likely to be c!Ranboo’s neutrality ending. During the recent lore stream he did with c!Wilbur, we finally saw c!Ranboo pick a side. He chose Wilburger over Las Nevadas, losing his trademark neutral stance. c!Ranboo thought his neutrality made him more than others, that he was the one able to see over the conflict, but now he’s just like everyone else. He has a side and an enemy. Let’s move into the bridge and ending of the song now. The first line I’d like to call specifically is ‘Wanna guess the ending, if it ever does.’ This line could maybe signify the fact that throughout the history of the SMP there have been many times that the conflict and story feel like they’ve finally come to a close, only for everything to start up once again. The next lyric is ‘If I wake up in a house that’s full of smoke, I’ll panic, so call me up and tell me a joke.’ This is a callback to another song on Inside, Comedy, in which Bo talks about using his comedy as a way to help people, but really it was he who needed help. c!Ranboo acts as a protector for a lot of characters, most notable c!Tubbo and tried hard to please most people and aid as many as he can, but most of the time he’s the one needed the most help. Similar to Bo, c!Ranboo doesn’t realize he needs help until it’s too late.

Time Moves Slow (BADBADNOTGOOD and Samuel T. Herring) - This song is about a person who’s lover has left them, and although it’s painful they know its for the better. This could, unfortunately, suggest a c!beeduo split but there is another part of this song that I’d like to touch on. ‘Running away is easy, its the living that’s hard.’ This is the chorus for the song and it talks about how running from your problems is easier than facing them but having to live without them is hard. Throughout the story, we often see c!Ranboo ignore his problems, most recently with the vandalism of c!Tubbo’s cookie shop. c!Ranboo found it and decided to fix it and tell no one it happened, which lead to a hostile confrontation between c!Quackity and c!Tubbo.

#PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST REBLOG THIS #THESE TAKE ME AN INSANE AMOUNT OF TIME #dsmp #dreamsmp #dream smp #ranboo #ranboo dsmp #c!ranboo theory #c!ranboo analysis #dsmp analysis #dsmp theory

[findingjoynweirdstuff]

Dream SMP Recap (January 18/2021) - Founding of the Syndicate

Technoblade decides to start a new organization of anarchists in the Arctic and makes plans to find new recruits. He’s not the only one seeking recruits, though, as both Snowchester and the Eggpire attempt to gain Foolish’s favor, with varying degrees of success.

Puffy’s Hero Arc continues as the server also welcomes its second new member: HannahxxRose! 

---

- Techno wants to speak with Phil alone, without Ranboo. He wants more people to join him in the fight for anarchy, and wishes to create a collective of like-minded individuals to help him. He feels that there are other people who hold his beliefs, but they aren’t aware of possible alternatives to the governments that exist. 

He wants to form an association of anarchists to unite all the anarchists on the server.

He says he doesn’t think L’manburg was the only government. He’s heard rumors of other factions...

Techno doesn’t feel like they can trust Ranboo yet. They aren’t sure if he shares their beliefs, and he just hasn’t been there long enough to gain that sort of trust.

- Ranboo is nervous about being kicked out if he tells the truth, but decides to tell Techno and Phil about his memory issues, of him blowing up the Community House, and the fact that he’d had one of the discs

Techno says he doesn’t care about the Community House or the discs. He just thinks Ranboo’s a little weird, but they wouldn’t kick Ranboo out over it. 

- Techno leaves and shows Phil the stronghold and End Portal. They call it a summoning circle and decide to make it into a cool table for their headquarters.

- DreamXD comes on for the first time since the Dreamon Hunters streams and destroys the End Portal, but is convinced to place it back after Techno and Phil reassure him that they have no plans to ignite it. 

He calls himself “the protector” and says that he’s a separate entity from Dream.

- Techno and Phil continue to develop their plans, aiming to form a syndicate. The Syndicate is to remain secret. Techno wants to do some recruiting for more members. 

He doesn’t see Ranboo as a reliable-enough possible recruit. 

- Foolish logs on and wants a lot of gold.

- The Dream SMP has another new member! HannahxxRose on Twitch!

- She gets a welcome from Purpled and Karl. Antfrost and HBomb say hi as well.

- Purpled tours her around.

- Meanwhile, Tubbo wants to work on the nuclear weapons.

- Purpled explains that Hannah can build her house wherever, but Purpled’s the guy she’s got to go to to pay for the land plot. He also shows her his real estate office.

- Foolish wants 292 blocks of gold. Tubbo tells him to come to Snowchester. 

- Tubbo says that he’s welcome to come hang out in Snowchester any time if he wants to be a part of something.

- Hannah plants “Hannah’s Rose” on the boardwalk.

- She then goes off and explores on her own.

- Foolish decides to join Snowchester!

- Puffy gives Hannah a Netherite axe and shovel as a gift. In return, Hannah gives her one of her roses.

- Puffy tells her how to cleanse in Prime water after touching the Blood Vines.

- Then, Puffy and Hannah go into Ponk’s Maze out of curiosity and get trapped in it. Hannah wanders through and wonders whether she should pull the lever to sacrifice the animals. She decides not to and escapes up the staircase.

Puffy has some extra difficulty getting out.

Puffy: “It looked like I was in Heaven. There was no god there.”

- Puffy explains the routes through the Nether and shows her the path to the Guardian Farm and Tubbo’s Jungle Base, then later Sam’s base.

- Finally, Puffy shows her the L’manburg Crater before taking her to see the Egg.

- Later, Puffy checks on the L’manburg Flag and the vines that have spread at the bedrock. She wants to create a hidden refuge somewhere.

She creates a bunker underneath Eret’s Castle.

- Puffy ponders to herself about her loyalties again. Everyone around her seems to have gone off the rails. She no longer has a duckling. The Eggpire’s plans are concerning.

Perhaps it’s time she talks to Techno?

- Puffy also reflects on how Hannah’s only just joined and is thus innocent. But who knows how long that will last? 

She takes the rose Hannah gave her and goes to the bunker to write in the Captain’s Log.

“I’m forgetting what it means to be a knight, but maybe it’s more important to learn to be a hero first.”

- Puffy heads back to the Crater. For all that Tommy’s been through, he’s come back from all of it. 

“We have an empty table with what feels like...empty knights. And honestly, even though I wasn’t part of L’manburg...I feel something more when I come here than when I go to the Castle."

“I’m not just a knight to Eret or the kingdom. I’m gonna try to be a knight to everybody.”

- She feels like Eret hasn’t done much as king to actually protect anybody.

- Bad logs on to check the Egg. He says his disguise needs to be updated or else it might fade. He also needs to be careful with people like Technoblade around...he has a plan to put up propaganda everywhere.

- He observes that the Vines in the Crater aren’t spreading as fast as he thought they would be, and theorizes that without the Egg’s direct presence there, their growth has been slower. He wonders if there’s a way to remedy that.

- Bad speaks with Foolish with the intentions of converting him to the Eggpire.

- Foolish tells Bad he’s already joined up with Tubbo in Snowchester. Bad asks which faction it is, and Foolish skirts around an answer. Bad is confident that the Egg might be able to convince him otherwise and leads Foolish to the Egg Room. 

- Foolish asks what the Egg hatches? Bad says he doesn’t know, but it probably doesn’t matter. Isn’t it nice and red? Foolish says he’s “more of a green guy.”

- Foolish says he wants to sleep on it. Bad suggests he literally sleeps on the Egg. 

- They run into Antfrost on the boardwalk as Bad leads Foolish to the green flower in the Casino. Bad says he doesn’t actually like the green flower, now that he thinks about it...something about it feels off to him. Foolish says he likes this one better.

- Bad tries to convince Foolish by pointing out that Puffy is in the Eggpire, but Foolish says that he wants to have his own space away from his father and not be in the same faction.

- Bad shows Ant the possible Eggpire flag design. Foolish points out that his eyes are bright green, which is why he’s more favorable to the color. It’s a fashion thing! Gotta stick to the color scheme.

- Foolish lets slip that he thinks the Egg is stupid. There’s an awkward recover and he then leaves the Eggpire members to continue with their propaganda.

- After working with Antfrost on the propaganda, Bad decides that he’s comfortable enough that he can reveal his true form to Antfrost. He takes off his disguise. Antfrost observes that the Egg has transformed him, but doesn’t seem disturbed by it.

- The Eggpire is merely a stepping stone for Bad. This isn’t about the Eggpire. It isn’t about Bad or Antfrost or any person in particular.

It’s only about the Egg.

---

Upcoming Events:

- Tommy and Tubbo confront Dream (Wednesday)

- Futuristic Tales From the SMP Episode (Saturday)

- Nuclear Weapons Test (January 26th)

#dream smp #dream smp recaps

[aminiatureworld]

In My Dreams

Characters: Albedo, fm!reader

Word Count: 3,082

Warnings: Waking dreams, amnesia, visions/hallucinations

Premise: The past is many things. Something to admire, something to learn from, something to hold dear. And yet how unreliable it can be, especially in the hands of ghosts.

In which the reader dreams of the past.

Author’s Note: Translation notes and historical references will come after the fic. Tried to be detailed with warnings, tell me if you want me to tag anything else.

Albedo

When you’d first met Albedo you were in awe of his intellect, his passion for alchemy which he honed to a fine point. He had a way of talking about the world around him and himself in a way that was utterly self-assured. This captivated you, made you wish to develop the same thing in turn; the ability to know oneself was an enviable one.

The old Mondstadt ruins were a perfect sketching place. Filled with an old sense of magic, even centuries after its fall, there was an atmosphere to it absolutely perfect for painting. Or so Albedo said – though you found some joy in intermittent sketching you were no master of the art.

While Albedo set up his easel you went around the edge of your little spot, making sure that the monsters that usually dominated the place were at least far away enough as to not cause any interference. The world around you was one of almost perfect peace, the lazy breeze acting as a buffer for the slight heat, the puffy clouds in the sky shading you from the worst of the sunlight.

“It’s such a beautiful day!” You called out. “It almost makes you forget all your worries.”

“That’s certainly true.” Albedo voice called out in reply. “Truly a wonderful time to paint.”

Turning around to join your partner you suddenly felt heard a familiar cackle. Whirling around you found yourself face to face with a hydro Abyss Mage. Annoyance flashed through your mind as your summoned your catalyst. Though the Abyss was certainly a syndicate to be worried about, you couldn’t help but think of the Mage in front of you as little more than a pest, for surely there couldn’t be anything more annoying than the sudden interruption of your outing.

Calling out Albedo’s name you held out your arms, cursing the fact that your bursts of electro weren’t as effective against the Mage’s shield as you’d like it to be. Thankfully a familiar cry of “be careful!” could be heard, as your partner quickly approached, sword in hand, eyes full of the cold determination which was so familiar to you in battle. The combination of your this with his swings soon had the shield dripping, before it burst apart, falling onto the ground in a puddle of water. Standing over the mage Albedo narrowed his eyes.

“Now this is new.”

Following his gaze you could see what he meant. Emblazoned on the side of the Abyss Mage’s robe was a star, made up of a myriad of silver threads jutting out from a red circle in which sat a crown ringed by indecipherable writing. The symbol made you pause, made you take a shaky step back as your throat began to constrict painfully. That symbol, you knew that symbol, you knew that crown. What was it? What was this Abyss Mage wearing?

Albedo appeared somewhat oblivious of your violent reaction, slashing through the Abyss Mage until they disappeared in a puff of ash. Turning around you could see the same mild mannered smile on his face as always, his expression almost one of soft embarrassment. Taking a deep breath you attempted to relax your features, hoping your partner wouldn’t see the panic that laced through you.

“That was an unpleasant surprise. Let’s go back to the clearing, we deserve a little bit of rest.”

“You’re right; that really was a nasty surprise.” You let out a soft laugh, not looking behind at the spot where the Mage had fallen as you allowed Albedo to guide you back towards his easel and away from that too familiar star.

 -----

The symbol wouldn’t leave you alone however. Though the rest of the day was perfectly pleasant, the art Albedo had managed to begin showing the immense promise it always did, you couldn’t help but feel uneasy. Over and over the star danced behind your eyelids, taunting you with hidden information. You knew that the writing was nothing familiar to Teyvat, Albedo himself admitting he’d never seen such a script before. And yet you had; though the memory eluded you the knowledge remained.

You didn’t like to be reminded of your past, of the world that had disappeared before your fingers. It was a world you could barely remember, though surely that was a blessing. Your family had been murdered after all, though you didn’t know why you were sure that they were long dead. Who wants to be the last of anything? Certainly you didn’t want to be. Life was a lonely enough road already; better to focus on the bright future ahead of you than always turning to look back.

And yet the star remained.

You told Albedo that you were simply going out to look for supplies, having noticed no few veins of crystal ore near where the two of you had spent an afternoon. Batting away his questions and his worries you set out with purpose. It wouldn’t take that long, waypointing did most of the job. And you could hardly say that you feared a Ruin Guard or some such thing. You could take care of yourself, and you’d done worse things than take a midnight expedition to an abandoned ruin.

Old Mondstadt looked different in the dark, though perhaps that shouldn’t have surprised you. Old secrets always came out in the night, and the now crumbling city was certainly filled with old secrets. Now they beckoned at you, calling out their siren song, promising an answer to all your questions.

Standing in the middle of one of the stone circles you closed your eyes. Something seemed to be buzzing around you, an energy, a promise. Letting your mind drift you saw the star once more. Reaching out your arm you could almost touch its surface, studded with precious gems, smooth and fragile and a symbol of an old power.

You barely noticed the music at first, so soft was it. And yet somehow you began to move, to dance, following a long forgotten rhythm. Opening your eyes you saw a scene begin to unfold around you, shaping itself out of the dark. You were in a large room now, smooth marble under your feet. Looking up you saw an amber ceiling, You marveled at the intricate design, the flowers which bloomed beneath your feet while golden clouds floated above your head. For a moment you were so entranced by this familiar scene that you took no notice of the people around you, however the moment they entered your vision you could think of nothing else.

They were so familiar, these ghosts of the past. Though you couldn’t make out any of their features, which seemed misty and constantly changing, you felt an immediate sense of recognition. Wandering among these ghosts, you found yourself copying their steps, waltzing with no one but yourself, surrounded by a sea of memory. You felt like you were floated, wrapped in the fabric of the past, so real you could practically feel the fabric of your uniform changing beneath your fingertips, morphing into silk.

Still feeling as if there was more to be seen you looked around, finally finding the answer to your unspoken question at the top of a small group of stairs. Though the specters around you had no discernable features the same could not be said of the people who now gazed down at you, peaceful smiles upon their faces. One of them, a young man who looked to be a little older than you, stepped off the small landing, practically floating as he made his way towards you. There was a familiar star on his uniform, and a comforting smile in his eyes. Bowing softly he took your hand. No words were necessary, you both knew this dance.

The music swelled around you, almost saccharine in tone, coated by the sweetness of a long forgotten nostalgia. You made no attempt to talk to the boy, feeling that words were altogether unnecessary. After all, what could one say to a shadow of the past? There was nothing to muse on, no moments of happiness which you could conjure. There was nothing except familiar company and soothing music; right now that was enough.

Slowly you could feel the world slow down, almost as if the air had grown thicker. A drowsiness washed over you, but you pushed it down. This was a memory of the past after all, something precious to be savored, not something one could simply wake up from. And yet the dance slowed to its end and eventually you were left standing in the middle of the room, looking at the boy who you knew had once been your family.

A look of mischief crossed over his peaceful face, and he leaned in to whisper something to you. “Ferme les yeux sit u veux voir” the words passed over you in blissful familiarity, and you smiled up at this unknown family member, the heaviness around you feeling like a thick blanket. You wanted to know more. You wanted to know your family.

“Hey.”

A familiar voice broke through your reverie, the scene around you tearing apart like tissue paper as Albedo grasped on to your wrist. Whirling around to face him you found your eyes scanning your now gloomy surroundings, as if looking for an opening that might return you to that peaceful room.

“What happened?”

Albedo’s voice was full of gentle concern, and you leaned into his touch as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. And yet you still felt an overwhelming sense of loss, a sadness that pierced through your soul like a dagger.

“I’m sorry.”

“You did nothing wrong. I only wish to know why you were dancing with yourself at midnight.”

“I… I was dreaming.”

“Dreaming?” Albedo raised an eyebrow.

“Yes,” you gazed out upon the ruins, “I was dreaming. And yet it was so real, I hardly realized I’d fallen into it.”

“How odd.”

“Yes, I don’t know how it happened. Maybe I’m just tired.”

“Perhaps.”

And yet you knew that wasn’t the end of it. Lying on the bed you shared with Albedo, listening to the familiar sound of soft breathing, you gazed up at the ceiling, conjuring faces on the white stone, you mind ceaselessly dancing to a somehow familiar tune.

 After that you seemed to fall into dreams more and more, stepping into them as easily as one might walk into the sea. It was small at first. Figures at the corner of your eyes, a sign that turned into that now all too familiar symbol, the sense of one more walking on marble. It was easy enough to ignore, after all you were probably just a little burnt out. However within a few weeks these dreams were becoming more and more difficult to ignore.

The first time it happened was when you were gathering berries. Suddenly the ground shifted beneath you and you were once more in that room, once more surrounded by familiar strangers, once more reaching out to your family. You began to recognize them more and more: the lines of worry that painted your mother’s otherwise smiling face, the way your father stroked his beard quickly, putting his arm back down quickly as to keep his ramrod stance; the way your brother stood a little ways away from the rest, and always approached you even when the others held back. You had no way of verifying the truth of any of these dreams, no way of knowing whether or not these were memories of merely fantasies. Yet how real they were, how real and how terribly disorienting.

A blanket of paranoia settled over you as you continued to fall into these dreams again and again. Every waking moment was a moment of chance, when you might suddenly once more disappear into the realm of dreams. Commissions became almost impossible, you teetered your way from one destination to another, sometimes barely able to dodge the attacks of treasure hoarders and Fatui members. It seemed as if these dreams were no longer revealing information to you, but instead holding you hostage. You always managed to fall when dealing with the Abyss.

Eventually you handed in a letter of leave to Katherine, trying to bat off her questions as you explained that you were finding the work overwhelming. It wasn’t like you were lying anyways; the work was overwhelming. How could it not be, when you could never trust yourself? Trudging back to your apartment that afternoon you felt the sting of tears in your eyes. It was so frustrating, it was so frustrating to lose oneself.

You no longer felt sure, no longer felt the self-assurance that you’d once known. Who were you? What in Teyvat, what in the vast universe had happened to you? You’d accepted your lack of memories, accepted the fact that whatever you escaped was something lost to the sands of time. You never wanted the past to be dragged in front of you, thrown at your feet as you stared at it in horrified fascination. And yet you hadn’t learned anything, not really. All you’d managed to do was shatter what little confidence you’d had in who you were.

“You shouldn’t run away from this.”

The voice was that of a stranger, yet filled with a strange familiarity. Raising your head up you saw your brother appear in front of you, a sole figure against a sea of black.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re trying to run away, you’re trying to forget your destiny.”

“And what destiny is that, what could the past of a destroyed land tell me about my future now?”

“Many things, if you’d let it talk.”

“I already know that I have to be careful, that I cannot take things for granted. These visions, they do nothing but harm me.”

“Your frustration should have nothing to do with us and everything to do with them.”

“Them?”

“The people who slaughtered our family. The gods who stood by and said nothing. Did you not wonder why the Abyss Mage should be sporting such a crest? They’re the only answer. If you weren’t so blind you’d be able to see that.”

“The Abyss is full of monsters, they only bring destruction.”

“Destruction?” Your brother snorted, a cruel expression marring his face, its intensity and hatred something you were sure hadn’t existed before. “No more destruction than the gods have caused. At least the Abyss wishes to right a wrong. Should a crime not be avenged?”

“… This isn’t what you were like.” You shook your head violently, something welling up inside you, something threatening to snap. “I no longer recognize you.”

“You don’t remember me. How can you say what I was once like?”

“I can, I simply can. How do we recognize the people destined to be our family? We simply can.”

“You always were such a simpleton; even now you refuse to understand the evils of the world.”

“I refuse to contribute to them.”

“You know nothing of the world.”

“She knows a great deal more than you.” Albedo’s voice rippled through the nothingness of your dream. Appearing besides you the world shimmered around him, your vision tearing at the seams as you returned to the real world.

“And who are you to say that?” Your brother sneered. “You carry enough rage in your heart, if you even have one alchemist.”

“Perhaps I don’t have one.” Albedo’s voice was calm, grounding you as you stepped towards him. “And yet it would be better to have no heart than a rotten one.”

“We’ll see if you hold that same opinion when the Abyss once rises up.” Your brother smiled, gaze once more fixing on you, eyes pinpricks of rage. “I hope you’ll join me someday sister. If you do then you might finally see us all again. And if not, I’ll see you one day on the battlefield.”

You shook slightly, watching mutely as his figured faded into the wall of your apartment. Sinking down on the nearest couch you let out a few shaky breaths, trying to process what had just happened.

“I trust he’ll no longer come to haunt you.” Albedo sat next to you, a glass of water somehow in his hand.

“I hope not.”

“This is what you meant when you said you were dreaming, isn’t it?”

“Yes. It was different this time however. Usually, usually no one else can see them.”

“Perhaps he wanted it to be that way.”

“Perhaps.” You shook your head, staring down at the palms of your hands. “I don’t know.”

“What do you not know?”

“Everything! I… I no longer know who I am. I’d always thought that I knew myself, that you had helped me realize the need to do so. Now however, now I have no clue. My family, if they’re dead so be it. I’d rather it be that way then, well I’m not sure what this is.”

“I think you know who you are.” Albedo’s eyes were earnest as her stared at you. “You have created your own life, your own sense of self. I don’t know what your brother was hoping to do – or what he thinks you should be – but he cannot change who you are. You’re your own being after all.”

You pondered Albedo’s response, the familiar confidence of his tone, the way he seemed to be stating fact rather than opinion. And perhaps he was right, he often was.

“What if the dreams come back?” You whispered.

“Then I’ll find a way to fight them off.” Albedo took your hand. “You shouldn’t have to suffer for the dreams of your brother, of a past you cannot remember. You shouldn’t be made to feel an artificial vengeance.”

It was all the encouragement that needed to be said. Throwing your arms around Albedo you closed your eyes, resting your head against his shoulder.

The past was something still alive, threads and hooks that dug into your skin and pulled you backwards, away from the place you’d made your own. It was a beautiful façade yes, but that didn’t hide its superficiality. A constructed past, one imagined by an unreliable narrator, could never be trusted, could never be learned from. What could be known was what you’d already built, the relationships that defined yourself now.

Perhaps you would never truly know the past. But as long as you knew yourself, that was all that mattered.

-------

The symbol that the reader sees is essentially the badge of the Order of Sainll Catherine. This was a Russian order bestowed upon Grand Duchesses at birth and given to others such as Princesses of the Blood upon special dates or conditions. The only order higher than it was the Order of Saint Andrew, which was reserved for men excepting the Empress. I will link a picture in the reblog. 

The song I used is La berceuse d’Ahtohallan. The lyrics translate roughly to: “Close your eyes if you wish to see.”

The room that I used as reference is a combination of various Winter Palace rooms and the Amber Room, which has actually been lost to time due mainly to destruction during WWII. We don’t actually know exactly where it is/was.

#genshin impact fanfiction #albedo x reader #albedo #genshin impact #genshin albedo #waking dreams #amnesia #visions #hallucinations #requested #scenarios #my writing

[crystalirises]

'Til Forever, May We Never Part

Dream and Fundy being murder husbands <3 (ft. their son Yogurt who is just here to vibe and has no clue that his parents are plotting murder)

TW: Implied Murder, Implied Death, Threats, and Implied Pregnancy

Ao3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28886223/chapters/80912506

Fundy plucked the arrow from the ground, wiping the green blood-stained head against the fading body of the prison warden. He waited for the corpse to fade, relishing in the stench of gunpowder and blood. Soon, the body was gone. Fundy headed towards a nearby berry bush, pushing the leaves and branches away before finally spotting his unruly kit within the brambles. Yogurt was biting into a sweet berry that Fundy had given him before the murder, blue eyes glancing up the moment Fundy reached for him. A smile appeared on his kit’s face, the little fox hybrid nuzzling into his neck, unaware of what his papa had just done. Fundy ran a hand through his son’s hair. They were taking Dream home today. Now all they needed to do was visit his cell.

With Yogurt in his arms, he headed inside the prison, rolling his eyes at the onslaught of heat. The warden had no respect or sympathy for his husband, was he trying to give him a heat stroke? Yogurt began to whine, ears flicking down while he tried to squirm out of Fundy’s hold. He’d have to make their reunion quick before the warden came back and before Yogurt ran off on his own. He headed towards Dream’s cell, reaching for the mechanism that would make the lava wall disappear into the ground. He wrinkled his nose at how long it took for the lava to clear, his little Yogurt was beginning to cry. The sooner they leave, the sooner Yogurt can be happy and the sooner he can finally hold his husband in his arms. The lava finally fizzled to the ground, Fundy holding tightly onto Yogurt before stepping onto the raised bridge that would lead him to Dream.

His husband was tucked in one corner of the room by the time Fundy reached the cell. Dream threw a cautionary look upwards, the glare quickly disappearing once he spotted Fundy. He lunged forward, pulling both Fundy and Yogurt into a warm embrace. He giggled, pressing a kiss against his husband’s cheek. Gods, he’d missed him so much. Yogurt whined in between both of them, angry that he was being squished. “Took your sweet time, babe. I thought you left me.”

“After you sent me out on that quest? You bet your fucking ass I took my sweet time freeing you. Your siblings sends their regards.” Fundy moved away from the embrace. He loved his husband with all his heart, but he smelt like shit. With the sleeve of his jacket, he wiped at his nose, trying to breathe in the scent of the outside world. They both began to head down the bridge, Dream reaching to run a hand through Yogurt’s messy white hair. The little fox hybrid yipped, his tail wagging against Fundy’s arms. Fundy could tell that Dream wanted to hold their son, but he wasn’t getting anywhere near Yogurt until he took an hour long bath. “XD’s so… dumb. It took a bit of convincing but I sneakily managed to persuade them to give me permission to craft End Crystals. If your older sibling hates me, that’s on you. I only did what you asked me to do, babe.”

“I’ll deal with them when the time comes. You did good, babe. You did really well, darling.” Dream pressed a kiss against his cheek, stopping at the end of the bridge to jokingly hold out a hand towards Fundy. He rolled his eyes before placing his hand on Dream’s, wincing when bits of dirt stuck to his own hand. Dream wouldn’t let go though, and he wouldn’t until they were both home. Yogurt squirmed in Fundy’s hold, kicking until he finally let him back down. Yogurt patted the obsidian floor, tail brushing against the hard stone. Fundy gently took his small hand in his before following Dream further out of the prison. “I can’t wait to be home with you again.”

He loudly purred at the thought. Really, Dream had been ridiculous to ask him to leave after Doomsday. Fundy had taken out New L’Manburg’s supplies, fooling everyone into believing that he’d fallen off the deep end when really he’d only been helping his husband. New L’Manburg. Manburg. L’Manburg. Whatever name people gave that worthless piece of land. It didn’t matter, it had to go. It was a curse, a parasite, a weed that sucked the happiness from everyone who ever dared to love it. He knew that since L’Manburg’s independence. When Dream had come to him after his first death, asking if he understood what needed to be done. He hadn’t believed in the man’s beliefs, but after living through history itself, he knew that L’Manburg had to go. Now it was gone, but its spirit was not. He squeezed his husband’s hand, eyes taking in the scars that ran down Dream’s skin. The heart of L’Manburg lived on for its people still lived. That wouldn’t do.

“Quackity visited me recently. He asked me to join his new country, or casino, or some shit. What do you say we start with him first?” Dream flinched at the mention of the duck hybrid, and Fundy knew exactly what had caused his husband’s scars. He knew which person he’d have to kill for Dream. His husband turned to look at him, a wary gleam in his eye. Fundy internally cursed. If Dream hadn’t sent him away after Doomsday, then maybe he would have been able to help him. Maybe Dream wouldn’t even be in prison. He shook his head. No. Dream had asked him to get permission to make End Crystals. He’d done what Dream had asked. “You don’t have to do anything, babe. Let me deal with him. Let his second death be my anniversary gift to you.”

“Now don’t upstage me.” Dream scoffed, pulling on his hand. They emerged from the prison, the cool afternoon air tickling the backs of their necks. Dream took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment. Fundy smiled, happy that his husband was finally free. If he could have, he would have taken all of the Warden’s lives, but they were on a time limit. “What would you want for an anniversary gift? Would you prefer I kill Phil or should I go after that worthless father of yours?”

“He’s still useful. Don’t you dare.” He tries not to let his voice crack at the thought of his dad dying again, but he knows Dream could see his hesitation in his eyes. “Let’s just fucking go after Las Nevades, then we can attack the Syndicate… unless you and Techno have some deal or…?”

“We’ll see. I wouldn’t trust him though. Lots of help he was back before I got imprisoned.” Dream rolled his eyes, and Fundy startled once he’d realized that Dream wasn’t wearing his mask. A dark pit of jealousy bubbled in his stomach at the thought of everyone being able to see Dream’s face. He’d have to make Dream a new one. Yogurt had let go of Fundy’s hand, running around Dream in giddy excitement. It was the first time he was seeing his dad. Dream grinned, kneeling down in an attempt to pick Yogurt up. Fundy stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

“Not until you take a bath. You smell fucking horrible, babe.”

“Didn’t stop you from embracing me.” Just for that, Fundy pushed Dream the moment he tried to go in for another hug. His husband pouted, bright forest green eyes tearing up. “Please, star?”

Fundy rolled his eyes, leaning up to press a quick kiss to Dream’s lips. “Yuck.” He stuck his tongue out, moving away before his husband decided to steal another kiss. Yogurt let out a loud disgusted whine, pushing against both his dads’ legs. Fundy chuckled, reaching down to pick up their little kit. Dream draped an arm around Fundy’s shoulder, leading them towards where the cabin was. Fundy felt grime cling to his black jacket, pushing down his urge to shudder away.

“Yogurt’s grown up quite a bit. I… I wish I had been there to raise him with you.” Dream glanced down at Yogurt, the little fox kit giggling before trying to reach for his dad. Fundy leaned in Dream’s arm. He wished that for them too. Dream had missed a few milestones, but he hadn’t missed Yogurt’s first word yet. For his husband’s sake, Fundy hoped Yogurt’s first word would be ‘da’. While they headed towards the safety of home, his sharp gaze flicking here and there to ensure that nobody would sneak up on them, Fundy couldn’t help but wonder if Dream had sent him away after Doomsday to keep him safe too. The safest place in this realm, after all, would be The End. Dream’s home. “He’s perfect. Our little Yogurt. I hope he knows that I—”

“He loves you. Remember our wedding photo? No, the stupid one where you accidentally threw the bouquet of flowers on my face. Remember that? Yogurt likes to keep it next to his bed. All his bedtime stories involve you.” Fundy glanced over at his husband, playfully growling when Dream looked down at him with a smug look. There was a soft and loving look in his husband’s eyes, and Fundy knew. He knew Dream had sent him away after Doomsday. It had been for his and Yogurt’s safety. The Essempy was no place to have a child, especially if people found out that the child was his and Dream’s. He shuddered. Almost like he could sense what Fundy was thinking of, he pressed a kiss on the top of his head. This was real. This was the present. They could finally be together. And no one. No one was going to get in their way. “I can’t wait for you to get home. I have so much to tell you, and Yogurt would be very happy to have his dada back.”

“He missed his dada? So does that mean I can—”

“You can’t hold him until you take a bath!”

“But—” Dream was cut off by Yogurt’s yip, their son sniffing at Dream before flinching away.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Clarification:

Fundy and Dream got married at some point during the Manburg Era, but Dream has been interested in Fundy since the L'Manburg Era (this is cause I headcanon that Fundy and Dream know each other from before L'Manburg). So, they never really told anyone about their relationship. Fundy was helping Dream all along, even during Doomsday.

After Doomsday, Dream sent Fundy to The End to talk to XD (who is Dream's older sibling here) and so that he and Yogurt can stay safe. After Fundy had Yogurt and managed to convince XD to give him permission to make End Crystals (I know you can make them without the need for End stuff, but I'd like to think XD would be pissed if someone made an End Crystal).

But yeah, now Fundy has broken Dream out of prison. And now they're gonna be murder husbands together <3

#fundy #dream dsmp #fundywastaken #yogurt #dream smp fanfiction #dsmp

[psalloacappella]

SSM21 Day 5. Jutsu

Pairing: SasuSaku Prompt: Jutsu Title: I’m lost, so lost, I’m lost at sea you see Tags: Blank Period; Canon Divergence; Bittersweet; Fuck the shinobi state

The sun's setting - it may never rise again.

Ao3 | twt | Full series link | @ssskmonth

The only part of her returned to him are the earrings.

His handmade supplication and silent ardor he’d never had the easy ability to express, and she’d never taken them off since. In an ornate box in a small silk satchel set in a plush compartment they rest, an unnecessary labyrinth of layers for any widower to navigate.

Gleaming, the final remnants of his faithful wife. Like the Sharingan and fresh blood, not such different shades of calamity in the end, the glittered edges of them skewer his soul straight through, churning bile in his throat at the sight:

The ruby and the rust.

Knowing already they’d been torn from her flesh without ceremony, as a thief gropes for gold. He feels sick, chokes down dry heaves at the violence of it — all the ‘what if’s’ between the lines of the detached, clinical summary.

Ino had been the one to slip Sasuke the coroner’s report as Naruto sent back food and any emotional entreaties at a dizzying pace, barricaded in his Hokage office and unseen for the 48 hours since.

The photo is almost too much.

You deserve to know, she’d whispered, casting red-rimmed eyes at the closed door. In the face of her best friend’s death — and the wilting and withdrawing of a man who Sasuke suspects was more to her than just a friend, more than he might have guessed — each breath coming is a ghostly rattle, the human shell through which untenable grief passes. She was . . .

And in an uncharacteristic breaching of his physical boundaries, Ino’s face crumples and she falls into his chest, tears taking their worn fjord paths again, endless and unhealing.

She’s clutching, he’s still as stone. If he ever possessed the ability to comfort to begin with, how could he articulate that he was gutted, hollowed and scraped — had nothing left?

She was yours.

❦

A funeral turnout more beautiful and admiratory than expected. Arrangements of flowers in all sundry varieties, proper rites and rituals, tears and anecdotes from every corner, all the tiny pockets in which his wife existed to keep a hegemony well-oiled, well-healed, well-loved.

The sun’s setting — it may never rise again, and Sasuke leans into the shadowed corners of Naruto’s office as a broken, huddling animal while his best friend drinks in a way he never used to, longing for the desperate peace a substance never brings.

In between empties he tells him all of it.

“Was her idea,” Naruto croaks. “I begged her not to, Sasuke. B-believe me!”

Silence.

“Our intelligence team . . . knew the day after she left. The syndicate . . . they’d marked her. I’m sorry.”

Into his shaking hands, muffled, Sasuke speaks in a voice bland and dead. “Then why did you let her go?”

“Because she was right.” Naruto sniffles, wiping his nose with the heel of his hand. Like a child, a genin again. Both feeling useless and stymied. He laughs weakly. “She always is.”

When Naruto tells him the last bit of the mission — this plan so convoluted and shrouded in lies and kept off paper, officially unofficial, Sasuke’s insides and soul twist in protest and he thinks again of labyrinths, noiseless sinister tunnels of all the worst-kept village secrets. Wishing he were lost in them, deaf, dumb, and blind.

Naruto’s men lingering at their posts hear the end of it:  Raised voices shot through with crackling pain, papers skittering, and when Sasuke kicks open the door he tucks his bruised knuckles into his cloak, gripping his secured, temporary discharge orders in his hand.

❦

Arriving after two weeks of listless travel, it doesn’t take Sasuke long to tease out the location based on a handful of conversations with some of the port city’s more loquacious characters. Worries him, but as he approaches a dilapidated beach cottage carrying a scent of neglect on the salty breeze, he begs forces unknown for a last flickering flame of faith.

Nothing in the filthy windows, no sounds coming from within. But it’s here, the lingering scent of familiar soft skin and now he’s on the back step, staring into a dank and empty den, old furniture laden with dust. He raises his fingers as if to tap gently at a door between him and this void, and now he’s feeling the skip of his heartbeat and he brushes his fingers against the air, again, some melancholy heartsick action, desperate for the sign that he can peel this illusion back.

And he falls through.

In her arms, into an embrace, and he’s letting out a burst of air against her hair and for a moment his chest caves in, shuddering with disbelief, that wounded and breathless sound of stolen speech, lost and found again.

“Sasuke-kun,” she sighs.

Taking in this cottage with gleaming wood floors, void of dirt, curtains thrown open to let the sunlight ring with impunity. In defiance of dwelling and hiding, the small resistance cloaked by the jutsu’s delusion to anyone lurking outside. Sasuke closes his eyes tightly, shuts them against this relief as if it’ll disappear the moment he lets go. She’s here. She’s real.

His hand travels down her spine, fingers memorizing each chine with the intensity of a blind man seeking purchase in lost memory.

“You’re—”

“You made it,” she says, sniffling. Prelude to tears. “I was wondering if I’d have to get on the boat myself.”

Lips in the crook of her neck, in her hair, holding her with the grip of a man clinging to life and still wondering if this is the most devastating dream, if he’s died himself.

“You’re real.” A catch in his throat. A gentle, brittle fracture in the exhaled shell of her name:  

“Sakura.”

A moment, another. Then —

“We don’t have long,” she says, pulling back to look him in the eyes, dabbing away endless tears. “I’m so sorry, Sasuke-kun. For everything you had to go through, for the things you had to pantomime, pretending to grieve.”

He doesn’t tell her how the plan had been fucked up, that wires and signals crossed in the chaos of the penultimate piece of intelligence; that they’d already set in motion the plan, her plan, of faking her death to the syndicate as a feint for a larger stratagem, a byzantine game of chess; that only when Naruto had drunkenly and haphazardly explained the mess they’d found themselves in, Sakura with a price on her head and convincing them she could carry the illusion with the knowledge that they’d let her husband know, and in a timely fashion.

Sasuke doesn’t think he can process it yet, much less explain it to her now.

She’d never forgive herself.

“The ANBU’s jutsu did well,” she explains, swallowing hard, “but it won’t last. I’ve packed everything, I have the route. Disguises.” Thumbing his cheek, brushing away what might be an actual tear his buzzing skin can’t feel, she adds, “I need you with me, darling.”

Pretty words have never been her beloved’s forte. Instead he brings her hand to his mouth, pressing each finger against it one by one in quiet endearment — just as he remembers, the hum of her strength and adoration just beneath the skin.

The art of jutsu, at its roots; some form and blend of technique and magic, a pliable spectrum from love to disaster.

This unlucky fate, he supposes, is its own dark spell.

#SSM21 #sasusaku #psalloacappella:SSM21

[busterkeatonfanfic]

Chapter 36

After his Sunday game of baseball, this one in a lot near Newport Beach with Eddie playing catcher and Harold Goodwin shortstop, Buster pulled a tweed cap low, shrugged on an overcoat, and drove back to the Southern Seas Club. When he entered the suite he was sharing with Constance and Natalie, he found the former holding court with a woman reporter. He held back a sigh as he hung up his hat and overcoat. He’d suspected lately that the Talmadges were undertaking a publicity campaign to head off any rumors of his marital troubles. The Friday before last, Beulah had shown up to the suite to get an article, which was to be syndicated. 

“Now Buster,” she’d said, scooting forward on the settee opposite him. “What is your idea of real happiness?”

“A grand slam in the ninth inning,” he’d said, lighting a cigarette. 

“I was rather hoping you’d answer seriously,” she’d said. 

“Alright, a grand slam in bridge when you’ve been losing all night.”

Beulah frowned. He smoked. Natalie and Constance’s laughter trickled through the open door of the adjoining lounge, distracting him. 

“Let’s try again. I thought you might speak to the domicile.” 

He’d fidgeted, sure then that Constance had put her up to this. “You want a serious answer?” he said. 

“If you’d be so kind as to give one.” 

She wasn’t stupid, Beulah. It took real brains to be a publicist and know what the readers would lap up. He knew what she wanted him to say. Real happiness was being a father to two little rapscallions and a husband to the devoted Natalie Talmadge. “My idea of real happiness …” He looked through the door, but the women were out of sight. 

“You were a nomad in the vaudeville days,” she’d prompted. “No real home. There must be something to be said for settling down the way you have. Everything you could possibly want. The Villa must fulfill your every dream.”

His mind drifted away from the Villa.

“It’s a ranch home in the San Fernando Valley,” he said slowly, picturing it before him. “There’s an orchard, peach and apple trees. Some cherry trees. We’ll have a cow. I’ll milk her before I leave for the studio every morning. Chickens, too. A whole damn flock. Our own eggs and milk for breakfast. I’ve built a state-of-the-art henhouse that’s fox-proof. I might try my hand at a vineyard. And inside, a floor where you can dance. All the records in the world in shelves on the wall. I’d build the shelves myself.” He’d stopped there.

Beulah had given him the funniest look. Questions had hung in the air as thick as the smoke from the cigarette burning down in his fingers. “Perhaps,” she’d said, “it would be agreeable if I simply wrote the article with what I know of you. After all, we’ve been acquainted for quite a long time.”

He’d crushed out the cigarette and nodded, feeling unsettled by the blurt of honesty. “Okay.”

The article was published on Father’s Day, the syrupiest pap he’d read in years. Distant fields are always supposed to be the greenest, and the world in general is usually credited with wishing for something it hasn’t got, but in my own case, I am happier now than I would be under any other circumstances or in any other clime, it began. Briefly, my idea of happiness is this: to have a happy, healthy family, and to be engaged in work like this. I am grateful beyond words that I have them all. 

It ended: So, with (pardon me for boasting) the finest wife, the finest sons, the finest friends and the finest work—helping keep the world in a cheerful mood—I am the most contented man in the world. 

“Mr. Keaton,” the new woman reporter said presently. “I’m Elsie McCormick.” She stood up and held out her hand. She’d been sitting near Constance who was sprawled in a settee in getting a manicure from a plain, thin-lipped woman he’d never seen before. Dressed in green silk pajamas, she looked every inch a Roman empress in repose.

“Hello,” he said to Elsie, on his guard. He offered her a stiff smile as he pressed her hand. 

There was a knock on the door and Constance called, “Come in!”

“It’s such a pleasure,” she said. The suite was its usual hive of activity. Wherever the Talmadges went, so did comforts and luxuries galore. Fresh arrangements of flowers and new hats littered the small tables that dotted the suite. Even now a bellboy was bringing in a box of chocolates the size of an elephant. Natalie appeared from the next room to collect them. “Hello, Nate,” he said, catching her arm so he could kiss her cheek. She gave him a real smile. She loved this kind of hubbub. He knew it made her feel on equal footing with Norma and Constance. 

“I was told you didn’t smile,” said Elsie, settling back into a chair. She was in her thirties, businesslike and Midwestern.

“By who?” he said, though he could guess. He took a chair opposite her and pulled out a cigarette.

“Oh, really. It was only a joke, Buster,” Dutch said breezily, glancing at them.

He could tell from Elsie’s tone that Constance had meant the “joke” to be taken seriously and frowned. The reporter’s questions came one after another in the usual pattern. How did he get the name Buster and what was his real name? Where was he born? When did he first get his start in show business? So he really did smile? 

He answered. Harry Houdini. Joseph Frank Keaton. A church. He gave the cyclone story and said he’d first appeared on stage balanced on a platter when he was all of a day old. Even though these were yarns, his pa had always told them in order to drum up extra interest and there was something to be said for keeping tradition going. Yes, of course he smiled and the frozen face wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. For example, people alleged that his teeth were rotten, he was a moron, or was cold and glum. Silence fell in between questions as Elsie scribbled on a steno pad. Constance hummed in an absent way while the woman spread pink lacquer on her nails. A telegram arrived and Natalie was summoned into the room to receive it. “Oh, just Norm and Mama,” she said, when Dutch interrupted the interview to ask who it was from. 

There were further questions about Jimmy, Bobby, Natalie, their home, and his salary. He recited the one about Nate giving up a promising career in pictures in favor of staying home to press her husband’s shirtwaists, cook his meals, and raise his sons. It had some roots in truth, he guessed. She’d dabbled in a little of that when they were first hitched, but now the cook, maid, and governess absolved her of homemaking and childrearing. The promising career in pictures was a tall tale and so was the happy little marriage. He wouldn’t dream of telling Elsie that in that very suite, the two sisters were sharing the room with two beds and he was sleeping by himself in the master bedroom. Though he couldn’t sneak girls into his boudoir as long as the Talmadge women were bunking with him, that hadn’t stopped him in the three weeks past from entertaining Gertie the makeup girl, Florence, Clara, and other girls whose names he’d already forgotten at his bungalow or in his dressing room. They had all been good, pleasant girls who never stayed the night or asked more of him than he wanted to give. He wouldn’t tell Elsie this, either. 

He did tell her in general terms that the filming of The Cameraman was moving along at a nice clip. It was going so well, in fact, that even pessimistic Buster One wondered if Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd had sounded the death knell for his career too early. It was true that Weingarten was still a thorn in his side, as much of one as Harry Brand had been, and that there were too many suits, schedules, and scripts for him to be at total ease, but he’d managed to wrest back about three-quarters control and figured that was about as good as it would get at M-G-M. They would probably wrap in late July. Another reason for cheer was that enthusiastic reviews for Steamboat rolled in almost daily. The LA Times praised the cyclone finish and said it had the best effects since The Navigator. The Los Angeles Evening Post-Record went further and called it funnier than The Navigator. The Santa Ana Register raved about its originality and fresh gags. Even old Jack Barrymore was moved to comment publicly about how much he admired Buster, throwing out the word “genius.” In response to the excitement of filming and good reviews, his brain fizzed with ideas as it hadn’t since the days with Roscoe. Sitting in the bathtub, shaving, or bicycling the four miles to the Studio Two lot every morning, new gags and novel shots spun through his head. He could barely wait to talk to Irv about the story he had in mind for his next picture, one starring Marie Dressler. 

And yet. And yet. 

Those two words provoked him in the quiet moments when he wasn’t wrapped up in pictures, girls, baseball, and bridge. He didn’t wonder why; there were plenty of reminders during the dinner parties or premieres when Natalie dressed in her finest and pretended to love him. Buster Two played along with the charade. He hadn’t much choice. But in the quiet moments, Buster One unscrewed the flask. He was coming around to the fact that there was no going back to the way things had once been with her. She would simply never be interested in him in the way he desired, in the way, for the first few glorious months of their marriage, she had been. He saw now that it had been a fool’s errand to try to reconcile with her the previous autumn in the hope of getting that back.  

And yet.

During the quiet moments, his mind went back to the night of May 31st seven years ago. He and Nate were alone in their cabin on the train back to California. The porters had pulled down the cushions of their seats while they were at dinner and transformed them into a bed for two. Slipping his robe off and climbing into bed next to her in his pajamas, he was the shyest he’d ever felt with a woman. The lights burned with a dim glow and the room was shadowed. Both of them knew what was expected on a wedding night. He’d been thinking about it since their engagement, but the last time he’d been with a virgin was when he was a virgin himself. He wasn’t sure how to start. It struck him, as he stared up at the polished mahogany ceiling of the Pullman car, that he didn’t know the woman next to him. Not counting the brushes he’d had with her when he was working at Comique or the dates they’d had over the past month, they were strangers. 

The train swayed eastward into the night, rocking them back and forth, bumping them together beneath the sheets. He wanted to apologize, but caught himself. It was, after all, perfectly natural for them to touch now. Natalie was stiff, staring at the curtains as if she could see through him. They would be in Pennsylvania by now, maybe Ohio. He sat up and grabbed for the glass of water sitting in a holder near the foot of the bed; his mouth was as dry as a desert. The movement pulled the covers from Natalie. Her nightgown was sleeveless and the color of champagne, with a high neckline. He’d apologized and laid back down, his mouth only slightly wetter from the water.

He remembered talking to her then, but not what he said. It was nervous gibberish. The only thing he recalled for sure was the defining question that came at the end of the babble: “Can I kiss ya?”

They had kissed before, but always chastely. Natalie would press her lips to his, but didn’t seem to know where to take it from there. Afraid of frightening her off, he never showed her what to do next. Now that she was his wife, he was determined to teach her.

She was uncertain at first. He nudged her lips open for a deeper kiss—no tongue, but showing her it didn’t have to be papery. She mimicked him. He ran his fingers through her hair as they kissed. He touched her white throat. Her skin was soft and his pulse thudded. Minutes went by and she seemed to get up some courage. She felt his cheeks and ears with her fingertips. Her hand skimmed through his hair and touched the back of his neck. With the utmost caution, he touched the tip of his tongue to hers and withdrew it to see how she would react. He thought he might die right then and there when she responded with the softest of sighs.

Still he went slow. He traced her body through the silk of the nightgown, staying away from the places he longed to touch most. She wasn’t plump and sturdy like Viola or willowy and strong like Alice, but slender and frail. He could feel every bone of her hip, spine, and shoulders. This was his wife. His wife.

After what seemed like a long time, she asked “How is it done?”

His cheeks were on fire and he trembled. He wanted her as no man had ever wanted any woman, but he knew he must go slow. Some words must have been exchanged, for they removed their pajamas. Natalie was shivering and he rubbed her arm, concerned. 

“I’m afraid it will hurt,” she said. “Dutch and Norm said it might.”

“We’ll go very slow,” he promised. 

The sheets were pulled down to their waists. She looked at his chest and he looked at hers. Her breasts were small, low-set, and somewhat flat. He touched them and, when she responded favorably, licked them. He kissed her stomach and dipped his tongue in her navel. He ran his fingers over her hip bones. She explored his shoulders, arms, and chest. Finally, he cupped a hand between her legs and wanted to hurrah when he discovered she wanted him. 

It was a blessing in disguise that he needed to go slow. He was so keyed up he would have finished immediately at a normal pace, especially because she took his prick in her hand and said, “I’ve never seen one before.”

He rolled on top of her and pushed just the barest inch of himself inside her. She was as rigid as a board and he could feel her holding her breath. He kissed and kissed her, not moving any deeper. “Does it hurt?” he said, fearing the answer.

Her voice was a whisper. “Not as much as I thought.”

He kissed her and touched her breasts until she softened, then tried another inch. Moments later, he was all the way inside her. He stilled, as much for his sake as hers. The train rattled over the rails and rocked them together. He wondered if the sound would be a turn-on from now on. He tried a shallow thrust. “That ain’t too bad, is it?”

“No.”

He kept his thrusts slow and shallow, but even with an attenuated pace he didn’t last very long. He had to grit his teeth as he came, struggling not to go fast lest he hurt her. When it was over, he swabbed her gently with a handkerchief. The fluid came away with a pinkish tinge, but he was gratified to see there wasn’t any real blood. 

That was the memory he returned to most in the quiet moments, although there were equally nice ones from that summer going into the autumn. It was his idea of real happiness for a time, even if she didn’t yield to his suggestion about the small ranch in the San Fernando Valley. She never learned to be an adventuresome lover, but he loved her too much to care. She let him make love to her on nights when he wasn’t too tired from filming from dawn to dusk and he thought she enjoyed it. Sometimes, she had corned beef and cabbage or another homey meal ready for him when he dragged himself through the door. She did press his shirtwaists. They talked about the baby they knew would result from their nocturnal activities. By Christmas that year, she was pregnant. It had been a blue heaven, for a time. 

“Come in!” Constance yelled at the door, where there had just been a knock. 

Elsie looked up from her scribbling and Buster’s reverie evaporated. It was a bellboy with a hatbox. “Mrs. Talmadge?” he said.

Dutch cocked her head toward the doorway of the adjoining room. “I’m not the missus. Hey, Nate!”

“Coming!”

She emerged from the other room with haste in her step and collected the hat box from the bellboy, tipping him a quarter.

“Let’s see what’s inside,” said Elsie.

Natalie removed the lid and angled the box toward them. Within it was a black velvet cloche hat with a medallion of pheasant breast feathers in the center and long tail feathers swooping off to the sides. She stroked them with reverence, looking as proud as a mother showing off a new baby, and Buster was gripped with a thought that chilled him. If he were to lose it all next week and with it the ability to keep her well-stocked in hats, bon-bons, flowers, and new clothes, she would have no reason to be his wife at all. Notes: The “syrupiest pap” article really was published in the Tribune. It’s pretty obviously not written by Buster and I have a strong suspicion that the Talmadge publicist Beulah Livingstone wrote it. If that’s true, you have to wonder whether it was damage control as Buster’s arrival at M-G-M is where the womanizing seems to have begun in earnest. The Elsie McCormick article and scene are real, I just embellished it. Buster’s flashback about his wedding night came out of nowhere. A lot of sources state that he and Natalie took a car back to California after their wedding, but I read somewhere that it was in fact a train given the time that elapsed between departure from New York and arrival in LA.  The next chapter is nearly finished, so you will probably get it next weekend.  P.S. Yes, I know the portrait is Constance and Norma, not Constance and Natalie, but it’s a close fit. ;) 

#Buster Keaton #Fan fiction #RPF #Actor RPF #silent film #Golden Age Hollywood

[thuskindlyshescatters]

Team HRRT: Hey look, it's the main plot!

(Click for better quality.)

I've always wanted to give Ozpin (the person, not the Ozcarnation) an actual backstory, and this seemed like an excellent set of OCs to insert it onto.

Fraxinus based on: Dream SMP - Philza

Atalanta based on: Dream SMP - Technoblade

Explanations below the cut!

Before we get into story things, a couple facts about each of them.

Fraxinus (Frax Soot)

Her crow wings are functional and allow her to glide, but she is only able to fly with the aid of her Semblance, Ashfall, which enables her to take the form of smoke particles for a limited time (sort of like Petal Burst.)

Fraxinus is the scientific name for the genus of ash plants, but in modern day, she goes by Frax Soot, Soot referring to her Semblance.

She fights with a staff/lance called The Borer, in reference to Emerald Ash Borers.

Atalanta

Atalanta is named after the Greek heroine that drew first blood on the Boar of Calydon.

Her passive Semblance, Bloodblade, made her unbeatable in her early days of arena combat. Any blood-drawing blow dealt to her will appear on her opponent.

Part of her prowess as a warrior is attributed to her unfamiliar gait as a Faunus with bowed legs, which are generally more powerful and well-balanced than those of her human opponents.

As previously mentioned in Trixie and Roo's posts, Frax and Atalanta are travelling warriors that have made a name for themselves across Anima as living legends. However, only a trusted few know their true origins as servants of King Ozymandias. Important context: an accepted part of RWBY fanon (which I will embrace here) is that the Last King of Vale that won the Great War was a) the Ozcarnation before Ozpin and b) named, for my purposes, Ozymandias.

Fraxinus and Atalanta were legendary slave gladiators in their youth about a decade before the outbreak of the Great War. They were chosen for their exceptional skill by the previous king to train young Ozymandias, and became his close friends and confidantes. When Ozma entered his mind, he knew such a chance to further Ozma's goal as a person in a position of supreme power could not be passed up, and entrusted Frax and Atalanta with knowledge of his mission, forming their secret syndicate in the fight against Salem.

Shortly after the Great War, Oz recognized the need to build on his momentum in his next life. He granted some of his magic to Frax and Atalanta to extend their lives and delay old age, so that they may train and guide his next incarnation as they did him. (As a side effect, Ozma began passing onto hosts at a much younger age, with both Ozpin and Oscar at fourteen.) When Ozma finally passed, Frax and Atalanta did as they swore, finding and informing a young Ozpin of his task.

But Ozpin was not alone. At the age of fourteen, Ozpin was the only one around to provide for his ailing mother and his six-year-old sister, Wilhelmine. When Frax and Atalanta arrived, they took both children under their (literal) wing. To Ozpin, this was a blessing that gave his life a larger purpose, and he eagerly pursued his mission under Frax's tutelage in using The Long Memory. But Wilhelmine only saw heralds of woe that took her away from her mother and her brother away from her. She grew into a cunning and brutal warrior under Atalanta's watch, who feared the anger and resentment brewing within her. In reaction to Ozymandias's growing power over Ozpin, Wilhelmine developed a Semblance that allowed her to siphon others' Aura into empty vessels, which she attempted to use on Ozpin to rid him of Ozma's influence. It was ineffective, but caused a fight to break out between her and Atalanta that gave her the scars over her left eye, and caused Wilhelmine to run away.

Once Ozpin became headmaster of Beacon, he got the idea to turn Qrow and Raven into spies from Frax's Faunus trait and began building a syndicate of his own. He sent Frax and Atalanta off to become rangers in Anima that kept the peace where possible and ended wars between tribes where not. He also hoped that they would find Wilhelmine in their travels, but they had no such luck. During a period of peace, Frax and Atalanta settled for a time in Keikoku, a peaceful village hidden in a valley in Northern Anima. There, they adopted and raised Lumine, an orphaned dove Faunus they wished not to fail as they did Wilhelmine. However, Lumine was quite averse to combat, instead raising her own young family and becoming the peaceful leader of Keikoku. While Atalanta continued questing across Anima, Frax had the fleeting dream of raising a family of her own and bore Roo, who grew up alongside her technical niece, Trixie. Here's a small family tree including ages and Faunus traits:

However, the peace was not to last. Atalanta caught wind of a rumor of a masked rider known only as the Headhunter, who was said to have a vendetta against Frax and Atalanta. They assumed the Headhunter was a servant of Salem, and fearing for the safety of their loved ones in Keikoku, became much more scarce and secretive, leaving Roo in Lumine's care. After they failed to come to Keikoku's aid during a devastating Grimm attack and were forced to flee to Kuchinashi, Roo and Trixie in particular grew resentful of Frax and Atalanta, dreaming of one day attending Haven and becoming real Huntresses capable of fending for themselves.

As for the Headhunter, she had plans for them of her own. I'm sure you can guess who she once had been under the mask...

Headhunter based on: Dream SMP - Dream

hey look it's evil celty sturluson

#rwby #rwby oc #dream smp #dreamwastaken #professor ozpin #team hrrt #atalanta hrrt #frax soot #roo soot #trixie soot #my oc #my art #my stuff #boy that was a doozy

[futuristicpinklemur]

Let’s kill of Technoblade!

~This be a shitpost, so this whole post is /j ~

So I have seen a lot of people both on Twitter and here on Tumblr wishing the demise of a certain pig.

So me an intellectual proposes that for the angst let them kill techno.

Only for them to pull a jebait on us about techno’s life’s so that he only has one instead of three :)

Who would kill him?? Ee,, Quackity maybe, Tommy would be fun for the drama.

So they kill Techno to prove a point or to like stop him from helping dream. So they kill him. How??? Don’t fucking know,, they try to kill Phil maybe??

Like they think he gonna respawn,, so that their point was proven or so that he won’t help Dream with his escape.

Only for Techno to log out and to never log in again :)

I just want my mans Philza Minecraft go crazy, go stupid

Let angst ensue

——————

Okay but if I am gonna be real for a second, Techno is going to lose a life real soon, which has been alluded a lot both from him (with his syndicate name) and Tommy wanting to end him. So that’s gonna be interesting to see, cuz that man is stacked, so there gonna be a probably be a plot device so they can take a life.

#technoblade #tommyinnit #Quackity #dream smp #philza

[noobsomeexagerjunk]

Breaking the Peace (a Dream SMP au)

possibly a fanfic prompt; basically a self-indulgent alternate storyline—may make more posts if you guys are into it

The third attempt to resurrect Wilbur Soot goes wrong, as it also implicated Jschlatt, and that the two ended up coming back to life in an alternate universe/timeline. Until they find a way back to their universe/timeline of origin, the newly revived are forced to come to terms with their individual issues due to the nature of the place they’ve been displaced in. Wilbur and Schlatt learn to be good to each other too.

Several factors caused this displacement to happen, but it is assumed that it is one or a weird combination of:

The Crimson growing in the server, as the universe they ended up in also has a Crimson infestation

The mysterious implications of Foolish’s totem powers

Karl Jacobs deciding to time travel around the exact same time as the resurrection attempt

The Wilbur that came back is an unholy cacophany of traits found between Alivebur and Ghostbur—he is indecisive and frustrated, now tasked to deal with his relationships with people, and how he feels unable to drop his pride for accountability.

Jschlatt comes back with a body that doesn’t take substances as well as it used to—he returns with a bit more clarity and vulnerability, a stronger need for self-love and people, but also a hungrier ambition to simply have.

The timeline in question is distinctly different from canon but also similar because of several more factors occurring in this timeline. I haven’t gotten to the proper nitty gritty build up to it, just know that:

The Exile is prevented

The Butcher Army is never established

The Green Festival + Doomsday never happen

A series of different big events and significant choices led to the preservation of L’Manburg and the ending of the Disc Saga once and for all on the 6th of January. This timeline takes place sometime in late January to early February.

Ghostbur/Alivebur/Wilbur of this timeline finds peace by the end of the final Disc War, and thus was never seen again since then

Glatt never appears in this timeline

While there is no intent for resurrection in this timeline, Dream is still jailed for the same reasons as the canon

Anyway, here’s this timeline’s official territorial lands and factions:

The Greater Dream SMP

- basically the whole server, whose dominion has been placed in the hands of King Eret since the imprisonment of Dream after the Final Disc War

- ruled by a King, the powers of which are now deliberated by the forces that run the server aka fate decides the next King

- Eret’s rule, as of this point in the timeline, is defined by the establishment of a Roundtable, seated by his most trusted allies and knights:

Captain Puffy (knight)

Hbomb94 (knight)

Punz (knight, secretly allied with the Badlands in service of the Crimson)

Sapnap (ally, w/ citizenship in El Rapids)

GeorgeNotFound (ally, w/ citizenship in El Rapids)

Awesamdude (secret ally, willing spy for the King due to his aversion towards the Crimson)

Factionless members are subject to his power and authority, as they do not live within any other recognized territories:

Callahan

Alyssa

Ponk

Purpled

Technoblade (his anarchist sentiment will resist this power anyway; Eret has no reason to threaten Techno however)

Vikkstar (Boomerville exists like a faction)

LazarBeam (However it is not recognized)

Foolish Gamers

Hannahxxrose

- Pandora’s Vault has been under the powers of Eret and Awesamdude after the Final Disc War; it’s also built in Dream SMP territory rather than in the Badlands

- people who wish to establish stores or businesses on land within the King’s territory must consult the King directly; they have the power to grant this permission for any reason they deem necessary

- the same goes for claiming property and establishing states altogether (as for this, they also need the recognition of all the other factions)

- The King has the power to make anyone build for them—the only exceptions to this rule are those who are legal and recognized citizens of any recognized states/factions in the server

The Federal Commune of L’Manburg

- L’Manburg, just not destroyed. After a significant skirmish (from several, this particular one during the 16th of December) between L’Manburg and Dream, Tubbo resigned his position and dismantled the current cabinet. After further deliberation, conversation, and an impromtu election, Ranboo was elected President. He then used his newfound powers to get the aid and favor of the rest of the server to rally against Dream’s manipulation, of which was easy to do given his preestablished friendships and allies. He, and the other faction leaders at the time collaborated on a strategic plot to aid Tommy and Tubbo for a sure victory in the Final Disc War. Dream was imprisoned and had lost to the collective will of all of those he had desired to control. After this, Ranboo immediately restructured the government of L’manburg, currently resembling an amalgamation of the structures seen in Snowchester and The Syndicate.

- Ranboo is still referred to as President of L’Manburg, but the powers that come with this title are significantly different, merely the name of the chosen representative for the territory. Everyone is free to do as they wish, actions being the responsibility of individuals alone. No one is obligated to the territory’s people except when the physical territory is agreed upon to be protected when threatened. There are no laws, but basic courtesy is still being maintained, the standards of which are established by everyone who is a citizen.

- Some of L’Manburg’s citizens have started stores and establishments, both within territory and in other spots in the Greater SMP

Citizens:

Ranboo (President)

Tommyinnit

Tubbo

Fundy

Niki

Philza

Karl Jacobs (w/ dual citizenship in El Rapids)

Technoblade (offered citizenship by Ranboo and Phil; he is debating this)

El Rapids

- first conceptualized by Quackity and GeorgeNotFound, was founded and recognized directly after the Final Disc War along with the witness of Sapnap and Karl Jacobs; a collective group of friends who happened to make a territory; it’s a proper city in the sky that can only be accessed by its rapids or by Nether portal

- George plays as an ambassador to Eret and representative figurehead but Quackity does all other executive, legislative, and judiciary powers

- it’s very private and intimate, though its members have a habit of initiating server events in collaboration with the SMP’s leaders

Citizens:

Quackity

GeorgeNotFound

Sapnap

Karl Jacobs (w/ dual citizenship in L’Manburg)

The Badlands

- an faction whose goals to conquer the server have been amplified by the Crimson Egg growing in their territory; every member has a say, but BadBoyHalo is the de-facto leader and final word of the group

- The treaty they established with Eret has been broken ever since relations with the King have soured—the Greater SMP and its allies refuse to respect the Badlands unless it gets rid of the Egg. There are rumors of a war if one party decides to cross a line.

Members:

BadBoyHalo (de-facto leader)

Skeppy

Antfrost (w/ dual citizenship in Manifoldland)

Awesamdude (secretly a traitor due to his aversion towards the Crimson)

Punz (honorary member, though this position is known only to himself and BadBoyHalo for the purpose of serving the Crimson)

Little Penis Land

- a territory informally recognized by the entire server and claimed by ConnorEatsPants; it’s the plot of land under the infamous sign, which as of this timeline, has small but really good housing

- it’s been a viable events place, as well as L’Manburg’s major competitor in the server’s drug market

- It is currently embroiled with land disputes involving L’Manburgian Tommyinnit and the infamous, factionless real estate agent Purpled

Inhabitants:

ConnorEatsPants

Slimecicle

Manifoldland

- country founded by Jack Manifold and only gained recognition after the Final Disc War, and after Antfrost cemented his dual citizenship

- doesn’t have a proper government yet as it is two people, but Jack intends to get more people into his country

- Jack goes around with the title of “President of Manifoldland” but insists the power his title describes is far more than it lets on

Citizens:

Jack Manifold (President)

Antfrost

Foolish Gamers (considering citizenship)

#dream smp #mcyt #dream smp au #breaking the peace au #wilbur soot #jschlatt #karl jacobs #eret #ranboo #quackity #jack manifold #connoreatspants #badboyhalo #the crimson #dreamwastaken #awesamdude #pandora’s vault #alternate timeline #alternate universe