#i do have certain. thoughts about toad to redemption

[heart-wit-strength]

Yeah it’s almost Sad how Ivy and Maddie weren’t given bigger roles to play while Freaking JEREMY who Literally DIED once back in Season 1 was given an episode in Season 3B.

along with Toad to Redemption’s continuity and slight world building that went Nowhere with, accept making Toadstool nicer (which I could care less about imo) Jacinda, Bog, Fens, and Mire being cast out of the show never to be seen again. Least a short reference in the series finale time skip. God they could've been good side villains during Sasha and Grime's time protecting Wartwood, even a parallel with how Grime used to be Vs Bog and Jacinda hwo would refernce what they Used to be.

iirc Toad to Redemption was to address how toads were just as much oppressed in the caste system as the frogs were, followed by the rebellion. Sooo ig it gets a point for that.

But yeah could've absolutely been a good parallel to have Grime against his old tower mates and the bully he used to be, maybe a bit on what came to the formation of the Resistance.

S3b feels like it made a genuine attempt at bringing back elements from previous seasons, but as you already stated, there could've been better choices. The only good one I could think of is Domino 2 moth probably.

But as blunt as it is, i couldn't care less for Jeremy's plant cult, or Sasha's Angels being about Toadie finally snapping. Or idk Sasha's arc of forgiveness being associated with the two random olms from s2 literally no one even remember, and not Percy and Braddock instead who btw absolutely deserved better and a conclusion in Sasha's story arc after how she changed, but ig not all the things you let go makes its way back to you (shrugs)

#i do have certain. thoughts about toad to redemption #such as how Marcy was ridiculously sidelined specifically in the very episode that talks about how newts are the true assholes #also #i literally had to look it up bc i straight up forgot what root of evil was even about welp- #god. the way i keep going on about s3. #amphibia #amphibia season 3 salt

[blorbologist]

Please forgive my noob soul if I don't do this right...

25. Amphibian warpath with Cass (if you're comfortable of course, 2nd runner up would be Delilah)? No ship necessary unless you want to :)

25. Amphibian warpath.

Cane toads at the edges of their invasive range in Australia actually have different behavior than ones in established areas - actually roaming farther and faster. They’re also a lot more prone to cannibalism than their non-invasive counterparts.  

(NGTJRNHKTRN AAAAAHH THANK YOU SM ;; You did great! Have some fluff because boy does Cass need it ;;)

There’s a little pond, in Great-Aunt Melanie’s garden. 

(It died, of course, with the Briarwoods, but it lives now and for once, for once in her life Cass would rather not dwell on the terror and death.)

Because this spring - with help from Keyleth and her plants and Percy and his chemistry - this spring the frogs are back.

They have probably been there longer than it takes her to notice - her room faces the courtyard, not the garden, and she rarely spends time in its neglected depths. 

But one evening she’s talking governance with Vex’ahlia. About the Patchwood, and farmland and grazing rights and all sorts of bland that Percy had ducked out on long before. And the deepest, most guttering and unattractive croak rumbles through the air. 

Cass might be embarrassed by how she picks up her skirts and makes haste to the pond. Might. But she’s suddenly eight again, and it’s not Vex but Vesper startled by her laugh and there’s nothing better than catching frogs in the cool evening. 

“Come on!” It’s said without thought, without considering that this is Vex’ahlia of Vox Machina - dignified and shrewd and gorgeous and so far out of Percival’s league Cass could be red with delight - might not want to run through the gardens. But it’s - it’s something, a magic Delilah could not twist, to the memory of pollywog pond. Like a bard, or a tale of a frog-prince. 

(Percival had hated those stories. Oh, would he turn green if she reminded him that he was the frog-prince, here, kissed to redemption by a fair maiden? Probably.)

The half-elf could outpace her, easily. At first keeping a dignified little trot, before the enthusiasm catches on and she begins to gambol, springing over freshly-tamed hedges to slow her rush to match Cass’ dash. 

Cassandra has to extend a hand to stop her from tumbling headfirst into the pond - it’s almost hidden by weeds, now, almost a danger. The grass is wet with rain from earlier and she slips a little, settles to crouch by the lip of it. 

“Darling?” Vex whispers. 

“Shh - you’ll startle them.”

Her eyes flash, just the barest hint of a reflection catching the light - darkvision, yes. “I never thought - never heard of human nobles cared for frogs.”

“Oh, don’t kid yourself - Percival wouldn’t have been caught dead doing this.” The grass whispers back to them as she adjusts the curtain of he dress, pulls it away from the water’s edge. “But as youngest, I had certain… allowances, for deviant behavior.”

(Stomps down the thought of Ludwig being here with her. No faces, only frogs.)

“Sneaking out to listen to their singing?”

“Not quite.”

Finally, finally, that bullfrog does its very best grumble. He sounds like he’s all the way across the pond, so Cass waits. There’s another frog - this one trilling, high and sharp. A spring peeper. Up in the trees, a distant observer. 

And then the twang of a good, green frog and - ah, there he is. Poised between the reeds, echoed soon after by a competitor somewhere nearby. 

Cass lunges - 

a little too far, her hands skimming water - 

and Vex catches her by the back of the dress with a shriek of surprise, dragging her back. A trail of droplets arcs after, courtesy of the soaked dress-sleeves.

“Cassandra!” laughs Vex. “What are you-”

“Got him!” she declares, clutching the wiggly, very miffed amphibian to her chest. 

She bundles her prize in the front of her dress, feeling its impassioned kicks and lunges to get free, and fixes the Grand Mistress of the Grey Hunt with a devious grin.

“Frogs,” declares Lady Cassandra de Rolo, “are just about the most unwelcome guests in Percival’s workshop. It’s sporting to see how long it takes him to catch them.”

She stands - burgundy made black with muck at the hem, grass-stained knees, sleeves dripping - and gives her most dignified of looks down her nose. “I would like to see if his time has improved.”

Vex’s grin is one of a sister who has accomplished similar devilry. "You know? I think I'd be curious to know, too."

Oh, they’ll get along splendidly. 

(Send me a prompt and I’ll write a ficlet, a HC or an AU idea + share the science fact that inspired the prompt!) 

#prompt #fic prompt #birthday prompt game #cassandra de rolo #vex'ahlia #cr vex #critical role fic #i think this is the First purely happy Cass thing ive ever written JKGRNRGJRNE shes so traumatized ok #based on my childhood frog-catching adventures down at my uncles pond yall i am SO good at catching frogs #pro tip dont do it when out of practice tho then u faceplant into the water #campaign 1 #critical role

[sepublic]

Toad to Redemption!

           (I’ll cover Maddie and Marcy in a separate post)

           Unpopular opinion incoming; But I actually enjoy Toadstool, that child of Rich Uncle Pennybags and Colonel Sanders! Specifically, his recent character development, as well as the progress and change he’d gone through in this episode… I dunno, I always felt that as a jerk, he was definitely aggravating as he was meant to be, so it was a welcome change of pace to see a Jerk character actually change for the better. I’m a sucker for that kind of a trope.

           Not to mention, I like how this episode is getting into Newtopian politics lowkey, especially through Jacinda! You can tell that while not explicitly said aloud, Newtopia is trying to do damage control with Grime’s recent Toad rebellion, and this of course involves doubling down on past areas out of control with their own appointed Toad cronies and minions; And how they don’t care for actual competence at this point, they just want someone who will actually listen to them and their riches in the face of Grime’s revolution. I think it’s a clever little commentary about how Newtopia is clearly prizing control above all else with its Frog-Toad-Newt caste system, and how Toadstool actually caring about the people of Wartwood is concerning; It’s about a certain class solidarity (because there’s more similarity between Toadstool and the Frogs than Toadstool and the people in Newtopia), because Hop Pop ALREADY had that Frog revolution going on…

           Combined with Grime’s Toad Revolution, and Toadstool being an advocate for these frogs, and it could hint at Frog-Toad solidarity in both movements, which of course Newtopia wants to avoid at all costs! This episode was some very nice and clever character arc-building, but also a means of worldbuilding and discussing the status quo, how it’s changed, and hinting more at the political climate and values of Newtopia in the face of this recent revolutionary spirit. Plus, Toadstool as a choice for Jacinda works, because he actively opposed Grime in the past, so it seems like he wouldn’t side with the dude in a revolution… But then it turns out the dude actually cares about people, and that idea went down the drain.

           Also, I like that Toadstool had actual consequences to an outright refusal; It makes his inability to say no a lot more understandable and more of a dilemma, because he’s already MADE his mind… And GOD, I know I keep saying it, but I love how Anne is becoming more of a mentor these past few episodes! How people are looking up to her, how she was a kid who didn’t know what to do, but now others feel safe to count on her because of HER own maturity, and it’s a reversal of Anne being a blind follower of Sasha… And the parallels between her and TOADSTOOL of all people, and how Anne getting to be a side character and help others in the town, allows the opportunity to flesh out Wartwood more! And again, as I’ve said before, I’m a sucker for when the main protagonist is viewed under the lens of a side-character for an episode, it’s just such a fun way of exploring them and others!

           That people actually feel like they can look up to Anne, that she’s having this seasoned, veteran attitude towards Toadstool’s dilemma, of “Yeah I’ve been there!”, it kind of reminds me of Hop Pop in a sense and I like it! She’s becoming a mentor of her own, that’s another thing to bond over with him… At least, amidst the revelations of you-know-what, but I digress! Also I love the acknowledgement that of course Marcy is going to be studying Frobo, it explains why she’s not present, but it also shows that yes, she IS taking advantage of this… And dang, the jokes about Outhouses and the color green just make themselves with Marcy, huh- She really IS the successor to Shrek…!

           And Bog and the others returning, I was really glad! At first I thought they were working for Grime, which would’ve further brought in the political situation of Toad tower, but apparently not- I’m glad to see them back, and I thought the resolution with Bog being placed in charge was a fun continuation of his character and debut, and how HE introduced us to Toad Tower in the first place… I have to wonder if Bog will become more of a major character, and if he’ll choose to side with Newtopia for riches, or if Grime will be able to sway him back to his side when the time comes! That’d be interesting to see… And again, Jacinda’s choices show what Newtopia is actually looking for, and Grime and Anne misunderstanding what Jacinda wants in a leader, is indicative of, like… This assumption of there being more good faith in the rule of Newtopia, than there ACTUALLY is!

           Also, based on Toadie being a kid in Anne’s Halloween story… I take it this means that Toadie IS a kid within the actual Amphibia universe as well? It’d definitely explain more that bit at the end when Toadstool is coddling and comforting him… Sir, that’s his Emotional Support Son! All in all, a good episode, and one I expected to enjoy, but it actually ended up being even BETTER!

#amphibia #amphibia toadstool #mayor toadstool #amphibia toadie #amphibia jacinda #amphibia bog #toads #worldbuilding #speculation

[akjdkakdjakjdjajsjakdeactived]

Sprig and Sasha are characthers foils

Single-trait contrast foils: used when you want to highlight a particular aspect of a character, rather than their whole personality. Often, this foil consists of one main character and one supporting character.

Sasha and Sprig even though they are completely different, they have several characteristics in common that contrast eachother (and after sasha's redemption, i am sure they could be good friends,,,,)

The biggest proof is that both are the first examples that Anne had/has of friendship

Sasha is Anne's first friend, they been friends since kindergarten

Sprig is Anne's first friend in amphibia

Sasha shows the bad and toxic side of a friendship

Sprig shows the good and healthy side of a friendship

Both dont have any respect over authorities

Sasha in prison break had no respect for grime and the toads (the biggest authority in toad tower and her jailers)

Sasha in reunion showed no respect for her teachers and for her school (skipping class), for the police (the graffiti in the wall) and (indirectly) for her parents (these examples above could be shown as her rebelling against them or the education they gave to her, but this we will have to see further in the show...)

Sprig, frequently does not respect neither hop pop and all the other adults authorities (example: when he invaded mrs croacker house)

in toad tax, he didn't respected the mayor and the toad soldiers, in reunion again he disrespected the toads

Sasha disrespects authorities because she wants to be in control (she wants to command her own actions and be free)

Sprig disrespects authorities because he wants to feel independent (he wants to be worthy of respect making his own choices and being free)

both value loyalty and are very loyal.

They stand up to their friends and can even risk their lifes in the process

Sasha always stood up to any bully that dared to confront Anne

Sasha risked her life in toad tower by letting go of Anne's hand (ps: she was certain that she would die, she didn't planned that grime would save her...)

Sasha refused to abandon grime and fought alongside him against yunnan

Sprig is always risking his life to protect Anne from monsters and/or bad guys

Sprig stood up to sasha in toad tower to protect anne

Sprig risked his life stopping Anne from falling while she was holding Sasha

Sasha is loyal but only if she gets something in return (following her orders, not contradict her authority or to have power in some way)

Sprig is loyal and doesn't want nothing in return

Both are extroverts and get along very well with everyone else

Sasha got along easily with the toads in toad tower and with all the other kids in her school

Sprig got along with all the town citizens (well... mrs croaker is warming up to him) and people he finds along the journey

Sasha uses her manipulation to get others to lover her and do everything she wants (again. she wants something in return)

Sprig just genuinely wants to be everyone's friend

They are both impulsive, stubborn and always want things in their way (selfish)

Sasha forcing Anne to do what she wants

Sprig risking his life and other people lifes/objectives just to have what he wants

Sasha will use anything to force others and will only stop when she gets what she want (her needs are the priority)

Sprig will stop and change his mind when he sees that his family are in danger or upset (their needs are the priority)

And oh well... this is what i have for now!

I always thought how much potential Sasha and Sprig friendship have and this got me to think of all their similarities so.. tadaa!!

I am doing this based in only the three sasha eps and some of the things the girls told us about her so meh I am sorry if this is a little off.. cant wait to see more of her who knows what more I can add to this?!?!

Also if you guys want to add something dont be shy!! tell me tell me !!

#also dumb thing but both have names started with s with 5 letters hehe niceeee #sasha and sprig have a lot of potencial to be good friends and get along very well after sasha's redemption #KINDA zuko and aang style you know? anyways i am really interested in see how their dynamic will work #if she has a good and well done redemption (please-) then it would sure been an amazing relationship #amphibia meta #meta #amphibia analysis #characther analysis #characther foils #foils #lverom.txt

[sammysdewysensitiveeyes]

Ranking Brotherhood of Evil Mutant members (including all interations) from your, most to least favorite and please expound why. I do like asking for opinions.

Hmmm....there have been several iterations of the Brotherhood, and I’m not very familiar with some of the later versions, so I’m just gonna go with the earlier versions that I know.  Bear in mind, this is entirely subjective, and I like most of these characters, so a character being lower down doesn’t mean I hate them.  Going from favorite to least favorite:  

Pyro:

Anyone following this blog has probably noticed I love this dude.  I’m not exactly subtle about it.  I think he’s interesting and fun, as villains go.  He’s snarky and cocky, and actually rather friendly when he’s not trying to kill you - very Affable Evil.  He’s not necessarily a very good person - he’s self-interested, and can be rather vicious, but he’s a character that I thought could potentially come over to the good side.  He seemed, at times, to get into the whole “Freedom Force” thing, and clearly enjoyed saving people alongside Longshot.  He seems to bond a great deal with his team-mates - Mystique, Avalanche, even Stonewall (although he was a dick to him and Commando when they first joined).  He even pals around with Blob, even though he also snarks at him sometimes.  In AOA, Pyro was the only one helping and being protective of Phantazia.  And now in Marauders he refers to them as his “friends,” and is perfectly happy traveling around with people that used to kick his ass, even appearing impressed with them (especially Storm), and being a surprisingly good team player.  I don’t think Pyro would necessarily become a good guy for altruistic purposes, but I think he enjoys having “adventures” and getting attention and hanging out with his team-mates.  I think if Pyro was on an X-Team, and was made to feel welcome, he’d probably be content to fight alongside them and follow the rules (which is basically what he’s doing right now with the Marauders), and maybe some of his team-mates’ virtues would rub off on him a bit.  (There was apparently a version of X-Factor pitched to Marvel years ago that included Pyro on the team, and I’m disappointed that never happened, although I loved the X-Factor that we got.)  And of course, there was also Pyro’s somewhat redemptive death, where he came to regret his past actions with the Brotherhood and wound up sacrificing his life to save Senator Kelly (fat lot of good it did, since Kelly got assassinated shortly after, but hey, he tried!) 

Along with all of that, I am also really intrigued by Pyro’s back story of being a romance author and journalist.  There’s the whole dichotomy of a guy who callously burns people to death and also writes gothic romance novels in his spare time.  And honestly, it sounds like he’s lived a really interesting life before the Brotherhood - traveling all around South East Asia, working as a journalist covering Indonesia and Vietnam (I’d assume he speaks at least a little bit of Indonesian and Vietnamese to be able to live there and cover news).  His motives for joining the Brotherhood have never been established, and I’m dying to know more about how he met Mystique, and why he decided to leave what was apparently a successful career and probably fairly comfortable life to go be an international terrorist.  Was it money?  A promise of adventure?  Did he really believe in Magneto’s cause?  Was he already getting into criminal activity before he joined the Brotherhood?  There’s a lot of potential for development there, but unfortunately most writers (except Claremont) tend to completely ignore all of Pyro’s backstory.  I’m still hoping that Duggan at least makes some reference to it, even just a throwaway comment about how Pyro used to write novels.

TL,DR: I like Pyro because he’s fun and clever, he makes friends with his team-mates, and he’s a writer. 

Toad:

Toad is a really intriguing character, but mostly I like him because he’s actually got a lot of potential, but he’s had a shit life and can never seem to catch a break.  In the earliest issues, he was just Magneto’s abused lackey, and appeared quite sniveling and pathetic, but later on it was revealed that he’s actually quite intelligent (and good with machines), he just appeared “stupid” due to all the abuse he suffered during childhood.  Toad also has a lot of interesting powers - writers seem to give him a new one every other appearance.  His stamina, agility, and super-strong legs could actually make him a pretty good fighter if he got proper training.  Plus he’s got the prehensile tongue, pheromone secretion, acidic saliva, secretion of a paralytic resin, mind control over frogs - his Marvel bio is a long, long list of secondary powers.  Toad could be quite formidable if he actually got his shit together, and there are AU’s (like House of M and Age of Apocalypse) where we see a much more stable, competent, intelligent Toad who is living up to his potential.  But 616 Toad remains a joke,  He’s either a low-level bad guy (they tried to level him up in the 90′s by making him the leader of the Brotherhood, but it didn’t last) or a pathetic sad-sack used for humor, or both.  His attempt to “join” the X-Men led to him being the janitor and basically getting treated like shit (he literally had no bed?) then getting kicked out when he follow Husk to the Hellfire Academy, even though he did that largely out of concern for Husk, and actually helped her and Quentin escape.

Basically, Toad has been subjected to horrible abuse pretty much his entire life, he has a mutation that makes him appear “ugly”, and everyone treats him with, at best, pity, and at worst, hatred and disgust.  I’ll admit, he’s had a few chances to better his life that have fallen through because of his own bad choices (and he’s done some horrible things, especially when he was leading the Brotherhood in the 90′s), but most of the time he’s just getting continuously kicked while he’s down.  To a certain extent, it’s really a matter of comic writers not being willing to take Toad seriously - he’s considered a joke villain, and therefore gets written that way, because he’s there as an accessory in someone else’s story.  At least the Toad/Husk storyline seemed to focus some on Toad himself as a character, even if it ended badly for him.  Sometimes, I kinda think Toad is written as evil or pathetic so that writers can justify other characters being shitty towards him.  Like, Magneto’s early treatment of Toad was absolutely, inexcusably horrible.  Magneto treated everyone in the Brotherhood badly, including his own children, but it seemed like Toad caught the worst of it.  Pietro and Wanda were also disgusted by Toad, although they had good reason, since his affection towards Wanda was pretty creepy.  Later on, Magneto was revamped into more of a noble, morally grey character, and his past abuse of Toad was mostly forgotten.  I don’t think the writers are necessarily doing this on purpose, but it kind feels like Toad remaining a pathetic bad guy was partially a way to excuse Magneto’s poor treatment of him, since Magneto was being reinvented as a more likable character.  And not just Magneto, but just about everyone who finds Toad disgusting or cracks jokes about how gross he is – it’s okay, Toad is awful so it’s totally fine to have the physically attractive good guys mock him and treat him like garbage.  (Hell, the artists can’t even decide what Toad’s physical appearance should be.  Is he skinny?  Fat?  Does he have green skin?  Is his nose ridiculously long or closer to normal?  Who knows what we’ll get in each issue.  And God forbid he be drawn without his tongue lolling out of his mouth.)

Also, I think that a lot of Toad’s worst personality flaws are at least partially due to the abuse he suffered.  To be clear, I’m not justifying the things that Toad has done. He set up death traps for people who wronged him, murdered Sauron’s girlfriend, and stalked and attacked Wanda multiple times.  That’s pretty shitty of him!  But I also think the abuse had a huge effect on Toad and how he interacts with people. Like, his tendency to obsessively latch onto people, and act like a sniveling lackey – the dude has had pretty much no love his entire life, and he’s always been treated like garbage.  Of course he has no self-esteem, of course he’ll fawn over anyone that shows him affection.  He’s been raised to believe that he is garbage.  Even his tendency to gloat over others being punished, and his whole “I’ll tell Magneto, and you’ll get in trouble!” thing is an understandable survival mechanism – other people getting in trouble means that he’s not the target, for once.  Obviously I can’t condone Toad trying to murder people that wronged him, but his anger and resentment is also understandable after the poor treatment he’s suffered.  In fact, I think it’s actually healthier for him to be angry than to think that he deserves it.  And a lot of the shitty things he did as Brotherhood leader also felt like him desperately wanting to be taken seriously, to be respected – also not a bad thing to want, even if his actions were terrible.  Basically, Toad has a lot of personality flaws, and he’s also had a lot of experiences that created or exacerbated those personality flaws.  The guy needs serious, long-term therapy, and I think he could become a better (or at least more competent) person if he got the help that he so obviously needs.

TL, DR: Basically, Toad deserves better.

Avalanche:

I have to admit, a lot of my love for Avalanche is all about his relationship with Pyro, be it friendship or something more.  (It’s something more in my headcanons, I will forever ship them.)  But he’s also a character that we don’t know much about, in part because he tends to talk a lot less than a certain chatty Australian.  He seems, more than anything, to be a practical-minded punch-clock villain, who is mostly in it for the money.  He doesn’t seem to enjoy putting on a show and reveling in his powers like Pyro, and he doesn’t seem to have the same mean streak that can be seen in Blob (and Pyro, to be fair).  I’m sure there are probably instances of Avalanche being dickish and cruel, but in a lot of his appearances that I’ve read, he seems very practical.  Do the job, get paid.  He also seems fairly content to be a follower or a lackey – happy to take orders from Mystique, or even follow Pyro’s lead when Mystique isn’t around.  That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have his own ideas or opinions, but he doesn’t particularly feel the need to be a leader.  Like Pyro, we also don’t know much about his past before the Brotherhood, except that he was married at some point.  Where’s his wife now?  Why didn’t it work out?  Was it because of him being a mutant, or was it his activities with the Brotherhood that drove them apart?  Does he still love her?  Why did he join the Brotherhood in the first place?  

Avalanche also seems to care somewhat about his team-mates, although he’s not as openly friendly as Pyro.  During Freedom Force’s disastrous last mission, he made the difficult call to abandon Pyro and Blob to save Commando, something that he was clearly broken up about.  And of course, he was willing to go on a mission in the Savage Land with Pyro to get a Legacy Virus cure (that unfortunately didn’t actual exist).  Avalanche is selective about who he cares about, but he still shows that he cares through his actions.  I don’t want to make this all about Pyro, but I really love their relationship.  The stoic, quiet guy/chatty energetic guy dynamic is great.  They just love being bros and committing crimes together, and they are quick to work together and back each other up, even in their earliest appearances.  I would totally read a min-series focusing on the early days of Mystique’s brotherhood, especially if it gave us some good Avalanche, Pyro and Blob development, and didn’t just center around Rogue and Mystique (both fantastic characters, but they’ve both got a lot of attention directed at them already.)

Also, Avalanche likes to garden, which is nice. And at one point he just got fed-up with everything and tried to retire and become a bartender, which is very relatable.  Unfortunately Red Skull murdered him after that.  Sorry, Avalanche.  I hope you are resurrected on Krakoa, living your best life.

Blob:

Another character who is often not taken seriously. Blob is mean-spirited, crass, and often self-interested, much like the rest of the Brotherhood members.  He also was extremely close to Unus, and clearly devastated when Unus’s powers went out of control and killed him.  Blob is one of those characters where I think his physical appearance has led to him being designated as a bad guy by the writers – he’s big and gross, so, just like Toad, he’ll be portrayed as a bad person in order to justify the good guys being terrible to him.  (Yes, I know there are “ugly” good guys, but let’s face it, they are rare.  Most of the good guys look like models.)  Blob also, like Toad, gets a lot of crap for his physical appearance, something that is literally part of his mutation.  I think some of Blob’s nastiness is definitely a defense mechanism, lashing out at others because he is used to being attacked.  It also seems like Blob is really lacking in close friendships, like what Mystique and Destiny or Pyro and Avalanche have (“friendship”).  He was really the odd man out in Mystique’s brotherhood.  He’s willing to pal around with various Brotherhood members, including Avalanche and Pyro when they’re not picking fights with each other, but he doesn’t seem to have a best buddy after Unus’s death.  I kind of admire Blob’s toughness.  It would be easy for him to completely lose his self-esteem, like Toad, but he stands up for himself and never grovels to others.  He is frequently insulted for his mutation, but he also seems comfortable in his own skin, which is good.  He shouldn’t have to feel bad about his own body.    

There was an AU story that showed a softer, more thoughtful Blob who wound up in a relationship with Psylocke, so we know he’s capable of showing a better side of himself.  To some extent, I like Blob’s crass, take-no-shit personatliy, but I’d also like to see writers give him more depth.  I’d especially like to see him reunite with Unus on Krakoa, and the two of them hanging out enjoying each other’s company.  I’m also enjoying the cameos we get of bartender Blob on Krakoa, I hope he is also living his best life.  

Phantazia:

Honestly, I mostly just want to know more about her. All we really know is that she has a PhD (in some kind of scientific field, I think….she is reading a book on astrophysics in one comic), and she was willing to join Toad’s Brotherhood (and she was also the only Brotherhood member that received an invitation from Exodus to Asteroid M). Why?  What was her life before that?  Who knows? Most of the time, she seems rather cold, and a bit distant from her team-mates (but I can’t entirely blame her, the Brotherhood is a rough crowd.  It’s hard to be the new team-mate, and probably especially hard to be the only woman.)  She did seem concerned about Pyro when he was suffering from the Legacy Virus, but she kind of dropped out of sight when the Brotherhood disbanded.   She seems like she was mostly in it for personal gain, especially since Toad’s Brotherhood was more about petty crime than mutant rights.  Apparently she was deeply affected by Wanda’s reality alterations, which took a toll on her mental health, and was last seen in a SHIELD holding cell.  I hope she pops up again on Krakoa.  

Rogue:

The only reason Rogue is so low on the list is that I sometimes forget she was ever a Brotherhood member, and because I like to focus more on lesser known characters.  But I really like Rogue!  She’s tough but sweet, and an incredible badass.  Leaving the Brotherhood for the X-Men meant walking away from her team and foster-mother(s), but she still did it, and became one of the X-Men’s most dependable and valued members.  I love Rogue’s past, her relationship with Mystique, her relationship with Gambit.  I love how she doesn’t take shit, but she also doesn’t go around acting like a jerk, like some of the “tough” characters.  (Wolverine, basically.)  I like the complexity of her struggles with her powers, and her knowing that her strongest abilities, like strength and flight, were basically “stolen” from someone else. I feel like I should say more, but Rogue is very popular and has had loads written about her already.  Rogue is cool, and she deserves the best!  

Mystique:

A truly fascinating character.  She’s also lower on the list because she is fairly well-known and popular, and also because she can absolutely be a manipulative piece of shit, willing to throw everyone except Destiny under the bus.  Yet, at the same time, we see her appear to genuinely care about people, like Rogue, Nightcrawler (after the unfortunate “toss baby off a cliff” incident), Destiny, even Pyro occasionally (she has a nice moment with him on Muir Island, and also calls him “friend” in X-Factor).  She’s a character who can never be entirely trusted, which is a large part of what makes her interesting.  I think she truly does care about a few, select people.  Hell, there’s an early issue in which Mystique fights a bunch of robots programmed to look and act like the X-Men (courtesy of Arcade), and she completely breaks down after having to “kill” the Rogue robot, then hesitates to attack the Nightcrawler bot.  I think Mystique can also be extremely callous, cold and manipulative, but I don’t think she is completely evil, just very self-interested, like a lot of villains. Also, she’s probably seen and experienced a lot of shit over her long life that contributed to that callousness (I figure if I’m gonna cut Toad and Blob some slack, I should do the same for Mystique.)  I do wish she would stop committing rape by deception in stories (meaning sleeping with someone while disguised as someone else).  It’s something that gets glossed over, even though fandom generally despises rapist male villains (and rightfully so), but Mystique pretending to be Blink and sleeping with Mimic is barely a story blip.  

Mystique is also interesting just because she’s such a badass.  She’s cunning, a good leader, a good strategist, excellent spy, good at hand-to-hand combat (she only loses to Arcade’s X-Men robots because she hesitates). She is damn formidable!  She’s also lived a varied and interesting life. There’s a reason she’s gotten so much exposure in comics.  I can also understand her being short-tempered while leading the Brotherhood, as she has to deal with the three stooges of Pyro, Avalanche and Blob.  Then things get even more complicated during the Freedom Force days.  Mystique has a lot of shit to deal with keeping those idiots in line.  Her relationship with Destiny is probably my favorite thing about Mystique, they are beautiful wives, and I hope she gets Destiny resurrected so the two of them can live happily together on Krakoa.  (Unlikely.)  

Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch:

I don’t have much to say about these two, even though I like them. I’m starting to run out of steam in terms of character analysis, and I tend to think of them more as Avengers than Brotherhood members.  They both deserve better.  Also, they are mutants and Magneto is their dad. Retcon?  What retcon?

Destiny:

I don’t have much to say about Destiny because she is very mysterious – always working according to some plan that only she knows. So it’s hard to really know her as a character.  She seems like a very intelligent and calm woman.  She’s always chilling while the Brotherhood guys are freaking out or picking fights with each other.  She also faced her own death bravely and willingly.  She seems to have a good sense of humor.  One of my favorite stories is Mystique disposing of Destiny’s ashes after her death.  She is throwing them off a boat at a specific time and place, according to Destiny’s instructions – and the wind blows them back into her face.  Obviously Destiny planned it as a last prank, and I have to like a character who sets that up.  Also, one time she let a rock wall collapse on Avalanche and Spiral because she knew they wouldn’t be seriously hurt, and she hated Spiral and wanted to enjoy her humiliation.  That’s some impressive pettiness.  Destiny is cool, and I hope she comes back.

Sauron:

I don’t really care about him at all.  

Mastermind:

Seems like a real creep, especially with his manipulation of Jean Grey/Phoenix in the Dark Phoenix saga.  At least he apologized to her at his death.  Also, he’s got three daughters, the dude gets around. Regan, Martinique, and Pixie (WTF?! I just read that in his bio.)  I am really confused by there being two Mastermind daughters with the same powers, but apparently it was actually a mix-up between two writers.  Oops!  

That’s all.  I know there have been later Brotherhood iterations with other members, including one or both Lady Masterminds, but that was during a time when I wasn’t reading much X-Men, so I’m not familiar with most of those characters. I might have more to say if I eventually read some of the later Brotherhood stories.  

[scribblesnblues]

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        “Do you know why you are here?”

        Francine had heard that question so many times, she was certain she could think up any answer and it could be correct. I let a flock of wild chickens loose inside the Kinder again. I stole Uncle Nikos’s hat and threw it into a gryphon's nest. I shoved Myron into the den of an owlbear. Okay, that last one might have actually happened. Her cousin had been acting strangely the past few days and Francine had no idea why. Maybe she did almost get him torn to shreds and didn’t remember it?

        But the look on Father's face wasn’t its usual sternness. His thick, black brows weren’t furrowed together like a pair of upset caterpillars. His lips weren’t turned down inside of a deep frown, as if someone (probably her) had put salt instead of sugar inside of his lemonade again.

        Not even the setting was as it normally would have been. Rather than meeting inside of his private study, where Francine could listen to his rants and raves behind the protection of his walls, they were outside and surrounded by her entire family. Her disgruntled Elders sat with their canes across their laps under the shade of the forest’s towering trees. Her uncles, suspended in disbelief, surrounded her in a giant circle on the green. Her cousins, both young and old, watched with wide eyes and eager attention at the feet of their fathers.

        Then there was Father himself. Francine had to give him props, he did look spiffy. His hair was at least combed this time, styled back to show more of his pale, bare face and even paler blue eyes. But that was where the familiarities ended. Outside of the fact that she knew it was him, the man that stood in front of her could have been a complete and total stranger. There was no light behind his eyes. His lips were a thin, white line stretched across a blank face. What stared back at her was a man void of expression, with his hands clasped tightly behind his back and his shoulders resting squarely across his bare chest. He didn’t move and hardly blinked, save to glance down at the large burlap sack that lied at his feet.

        Father tilted his head, awaiting her response. “Well?”

        Francine rocked on the balls of her feet. She didn’t want to say that she was hesitant to speak, but could anyone blame her? It was as if she was on trial, with dozens of eyes eagerly waiting to see what she did next. Never in her life had that happened before. Excuse her if she was a little bit reluctant to give them something to witness.

        Finally, after what felt like forever, Francine spoke, but she didn’t look at Father. Those eyes of his were freaking her out. Instead, she nodded toward the sack, where everyone else's line of sight immediately followed.

        “I caught a mortal,” she replied.

        A wave of gasps swept up from the crowd. Elders clutched their chests, children leaned closer. But Father stood steadfast, a boulder in the middle of a turbulent river.

        “That is against our rules, daughter,” he said.

        “I know,” Francine said.

        “Yet you did it anyway?” Father asked, quirking his brow.

        Francine shrugged. “He was sleeping in one of the Forbidden Zones. I had to teach him a lesson.”

        “So you brought it into our camp?” someone shouted.

        Francine looked toward the speaker and wasn’t really surprised to see that it was Elder Vasilis. With a small, bent body, wide-set eyes, and a face covered with bumps and wrinkles, he resembled more of an angry toad crossed with a salamander. Of course, someone like him was going to be a stick in the mud.

        “He had crossed our border,” she argued. “I didn’t want him going back to wherever he came from, thinking that what he had done was okay. So, yes, I brought him here. What would you have liked for me to do instead? Invited him over for tea?”

        Like ravens to carrion, a chorus of outrage attacked her from all sides.

        “Blasphemy!”

        “Heresy!”

        “Throw them both out!”

        Only Father could quell the rising bloodlust. With a simple raise of his hand, the audience fell into silence. “Enough with these games,” he said. “Reveal the mortal.”

        Francine obliged eagerly. She had been itching to show them her prize like a cat returning after a successful hunt and wasted no time in grabbing the sack, flipping it over, and shaking her catch free. The boy, still dazed from the whole endeavor, tumbled out of the sack in a sputtering heap. His clothes, a wrinkly plaid shirt underneath a pair of mud-stained overalls, were disheveled, and his flat cap, now crushed, was stuck under his arm. His face was redder than a tomato, his nose twisted like a pretzel, and a sizeable welt had left a large part down the middle of his messy, clay-brown hair. Francine would have considered him cute if he wasn’t a smelly mortal.

        Father’s grip tightened around his hands, but he kept himself cool. He circled the boy’s quivering body, inspecting him as a snake would study its prey. “And where did you find him?”

        Francine turned to face the open clearing’s only entrance. A large hedge archway parted through the dense treeline, and down a path of smooth stones and yellowed leaves, the faint outline of a steady stream cut through the forest. “Just a little way past Gray Run,” she replied.

        There were a few places where mortals were prohibited from entering, even for a quick rest. Many of them were banned because of their sacred hold to the Forestkind, both those that made up Francine’s family and a few other clans that weren’t. But others were simply because of the danger that they posed to those not familiar with it. Gray Run, the Wild Woods’ main river, was one such place. To those unfamiliar with it, it might have appeared as just a river that climbed down the forest’s mountain range and snaked its way south. But to the people who called the forest their home, it was a treacherous entity, capable of dragging down experienced swimmers and easily overpowering anyone that came too close. Not even Francine dared to go near its banks, but only because she didn’t want to get wet. She found it silly to fear a place of freshwater but wasn’t too much of a fool to say it out loud. Out of respect, or whatever.

        For this, she felt a sense of pride when Father’s eyes softened in understanding. Even he had to acknowledge that what she had done was warranted. For all he or anyone else knew, Francine very well saved the mortal’s life. That was enough to make her chest swell and her lips peel back in a triumphant grin.

        Father turned to address the crowd. “It appears that Francine did us a favor. The mortal’s life was threatened, so her moving him saved it. For that, her actions are pardoned.”

        Groans and curse-filled grumbles passed through the crowd. Francine soaked them up with a twinkle in her eye, especially toward Elder Vasilis. His cheeks were so round and full of air, he looked as if he was on the verge of turning into a toad.

        But Father wasn’t done yet. He stepped forward, taking Francine by her shoulder and leaning down low enough for her to hear.

        “Do not think that I will forget this, daughter,” he hissed. “When you return, the two of us will have a nice, long talk about your recent behavior. Understand?”

        His grip tightened. His thumb dug into her collar, taking away her breath for a split second and making her choke. Catching her breath, Francine faced his cold gaze with the heat of her own, but under the threat of suffocation, her defiance was weak and petty. Eventually, her need for air outweighed her show of pride, and she tore away from him, rubbing her sore throat.

        Father stepped back. “Good. Now, take the mortal away. You know where to find me.”

        With that, the court broke away. Children, now bored from the whole endeavor, leaped from their seats to go find another form of entertainment. The Elders, as usual, took to each other like a flock of squawking birds. Any stragglers parted Francine with either a scornful laugh or a sorrowful head shake. But Francine didn’t want their pity. She didn’t want to hear their consoles or listen to how Father meant well with his discipline. She didn’t take the mortal as a way to shame her father. He was always talking about how little the mortals respected their land and all she wanted was to show him that she agreed. The boy was supposed to be a prize for the two of them to revel in. Yet she was still punished and made a fool of for no reason.

        There’s a reason, Francine thought as she watched Father disappear among the other departing satyrs. And for that reason alone, she took up her catch, slinking away with a fire stirring in her belly and a plan of redemption forming in her mind.

#ttc #chapter one #part one #web fiction #web serial #original fiction #writeblr #greek mythology #poc #lgbtq+

[tennyo-elf]

Thoughts on Cullen, both negative and positive:

Okay, so life crap aside (’cause if you think my hiatus isn’t life BS, you’d be wrong), I am slowly making my way back to Dragon Age. I started a new play through of DAI and I’m rerolling my Ellana (ofc, I love her too much - AND I have to get back to my last ME3 pt too, ‘cause I want to do a video series with ME after that). So generally, getting back into DA and ME makes me happier.

I’ve always liked Cullen! Ellana romances and marries him! This blogs has reblogged tons of gifs and images of him. But, sadly, I can finally see the haters POV, and pretty clearly too. Yet it all comes from Haven/Pre-Skyhold/that one convo after his Lyrium decision.

First, the way he speaks of Kirkwall, like he mentions only the bad things the mages did, like the templars didn’t have a hand in that chaos, and normally I’d say Cullen is blindsided but he knows better here (I’m thinking/hoping it’s just a knee jerk reaction). Then he speaks about how the mages watch the Templars just as much as the Templars watch the mages and states it pretty cluelessly, as if he doesn’t know why - which he honestly may not (the mages are scared and see you guys a jailers/executioners/oppressors/etc  !!***!!). Then later he states he fears for Redcliffe because the rebel mages are there - I know he worries about bad things happening (and bad things did happen, but not because of the mages, because of Alexius) but that means he doesn’t trust mages or think them capable of restraint.. It’s not in your face mage discrimination, but you can clearly see how he still thinks lowly about mages. He is still very much a Templar in thought and action at this time, despite how he wants to get away from the Order. I can see how and why people who don’t like Cullen, would go “ugh” with Cullen and never give him another chance. I’m yelling at Cullen on my screen, because he is too narrow minded during this time (just like I yell at Solas, whom I also love, lol).

I’m so conflicted right now, because I know Cullen gets better, even subtly, later on, but we don’t get the solid details on it. All we get are hints and only if you romance him as a mage. When talking about Maddox and how Meredith wielded the Tranquil brand for far lesser offences, Cullen does seem mad or finds the memory distasteful, but he never tells us what he thinks about it. Unless you count the whole “Meredith’s methods were harsh but they kept people safe” spiel. I don’t like his solution because he ends it with the words “neither freedom nor prison” (dude, your mage gf is right there, you don’t want her free?????). That hints he now realises that it’s a prison for mages or that mages see it that way. That’s something, a start, and it’s a different mindset than at Haven. After that I don’t remember if there is much from Cullen about mages anymore. (His silly worries about the Eluvian is actually pretty funny, because, one, if you joke with him he realizes he shouldn’t worry, and two, he verbally pouts when he states that “he not unreasonable” - it makes me wonder how much contemplation he gives to his opinions or thoughts, because sometimes it seems like he doesnt, while other times he does).

I’ve noticed how he finds it difficult to be or think in someone else’s shoes, not until they knock him over the head with their own experiences. He wrongly thinks about how Tranquillity was created by mages too (the truth is he is very much a parrot to Chantry indoctrination, until otherwise informed but even informed it takes him time to turn around and face the truth). And he is very set in his ways but seems to want to change himself or just not be who he was in DA2. I know he wants to be a good man and wants to protect people (that’s the core of his character and why I like him). He has seen the dangers of magic and I don’t disagree that protections against magical misuse should be in place, but the subject seems to cloud his judgement (and of course it does after what he went through in the Circle of Ferelden). But he doesn’t take nonsense from the Chantry, even though he is very devout, which makes him paradoxical at times too. He is also very unforgiving of those who do wrong, even if it was just an honest mistake, so his mercy bar is low. And yet he needs mercy too, says it himself at the end of the base game (he if it was him, he wouldn’t have given himself another chance).

It’s just, Cullen’s character is layered, and he has done good things (among his bad). And besides Leliana, and besides his botched and ridiculous suggestions for the Clan Lavellan War Tables mission, he actually has some of the best options for a lot of the elvhen centred war table missions. I mean, can someone who wants to change, to be a better person, makes friends with mages, dwarves, qunari, and is around an Inquisitor who makes Leliana Divine, still be stuck in that pre-Skyhold mentality?

I don’t know where I’m going with this. I’m just angry we don’t have a really proper redemption arc for Cullen (and yes, I agree a lot with the idea of DAI only having a recovery arc for him, but that means Cullen still needs a redemption arc and if you don’t want him DA4, how is he going to get that????). We really don’t see him change more from the beginning of the game. Like we get hints, to a subtle shift in his character, and it’s not apparent and can be easily missed or overlooked or even dismissed as Cullen not having changed a bit. It’s so easy to make your own version of Cullen. I choose to see him as changed and that having a Dalish mage lover than later wife, really opens his eyes to a different world he hadn’t seen before due to his insular life as a Templar within a very awful Chantry.

And like, I get the feeling that Cullen can’t shift too fast either because if he acknowledges that “what good he did” as a Templar was just bad/evil like murder evil in general he’d falter or come completely undone, and that can’t happen during DAI because he needs to command the army. Like, hey, that mage that failed her harrowing? If you just dampened her magic for a bit, you could have removed the demon and saved her life (admittingly that risks other lives) but there were options to give mages more chances at life, a better life, within in the Circle. Harrowings are evil, and I want Cullen to get that. Cullen needed more tbh, for him to be more generally likeable. His opinion  about mages, in the beginning of DAI, is annoying and infuriating.

Slowly he stops talking about mages and seems slightly more reasonable near the end, but it’s almost too subtle, or just plain unclear just how much he has changed. I understand he won’t be 100% pro-mage because of what happened in the Circle of Ferelden, but like being around mages, free mages no less, who don’t go spewing blood magic or summon demons willy nilly, etc, should have made a dent in his thick skull! I headcanon that it does, because knowing what I know of Cullen, it seems natural to me that he would learn and be better, slowly but surely. His stubborn, very stubborn, but to me his shift from DA2 to DAI means that he is capable of re-evaluating previously held beliefs. So what’s stopping someone like that from learning even more though proper guidance and exposure?  He’d always have certain traits, he’d always be devout to the Maker, but wouldn't evidence during DAI show him that mages can be free to govern themselves? We never find out though just how much his opinions can change though. We don’t hear his opinions or thoughts on the matter at all in the end (what does he think about Adamant or Mythal or Solas, on the College of Mages and the allianced mages who successful ran themselves?). That is what frustrates me so much!!! I just want a clear answer, if Cullen is around a pro-mage Inquisitor, who allies with the mages, and then has Leliana Divine, does that help him grow out of all that up there that has me yelling at him? I want it to be so, but that fact is it’s unclear, that DA4 might not mention it, or that if Cullen is in DA4 we won’t get to see how much he changed because he’ll be a quick guest appearance or..?

And throwing this out there, I like how he says to a Dalish LI, “I want your promise to be true” in such a serious tone, when they mention needing Dalish vows. But does that mean he cares about her faith or respects it (which seems like he would do, by this time, he’d need time to respect another faith besides his own at first)? Or he doesn’t care if she like recites some demonic passage to some daedric princes, so long as she marries him....(because he can be a stubborn, ignorant toad sometimes that needs to be taught)? We don’t know because we never get a chance for a Dalish LI to speak with Cullen about faith...

!!***!!Just came to me, Cullen is not very observant/is pretty ignorant about things. I don’t think he lies about things (that would be OOC for him), he just talks erroneously about things he doesn’t know anything about. (Thus, again, he needs better guidance...so would a pro-mage, pro-elf, merciful leader like my Ellana, truly help him change for the better?)

I still love Cullen, but my boy is problematic AF.  And I honestly believe bioware didn’t do him right (on point, to my liking, which I know others will disagree). Bioware either brushed off what he did or what he believes since they don’t think it’s a big deal, or because of time and budget, maybe they just couldn’t give him more of an arc. Or maybe Cullen is too much of a side character to get more story. Companions did have more than Advisors, so knowing that, I want Cullen as a companion is DA4 so he can get that arc I want him to have? Wishful thinking, I know. But tin foil hat on, maybe that’s why it’s only a recovery arc now, so later on, they can delve into more of his story? (Doubt it, wishful thinking AGAIN. But if what your Inquisitor did in DAI can vastly change him in DA4 and he has to go through that process of change. I mean, it shows just how much influence the Inquisitor had on her inner-circle and the world of Thedas?)

#dragon age #dragon age inquisition #cullen rutherford #commander cullen #dai #things that frustrate me #I don't like having to headcanon too much #it makes me feel like it's too invalid #regarding characters mostly #Please if you have some more insight #on Cullen or his arc #send it my way #but not hate please #I love Cullen's character #he can be paradoxical #or even contradict himself #is that on purpose #??

[dreamingbrownie]

Tagging games part 4

Stole this from @potter-at-the-disco and as sure as heck nobody will ask me all of this bunch but I wanted to answer them all the same, I’m doing them in their entirety now. Tagging @fandom-glazed and @luckymoony (I can’t properly tag you for some reason, http://luckymoony.tumblr.com/) if you guys want to do this. 1. Which Hogwarts house are you? Ravenclaw, proudly so. 2. Who is your favourite professor at Hogwarts? Remus. By far. He’s the kind of teacher that we would need a hundred times over and more in our schools. 3. Would you have an owl, cat, or toad? ohmygod give me an owl to pet and send my letters, I still want to have my much loved black cat Nonny at home back tho 4. Favourite character and why? Ufff, tough one. Albus Dumbledore is turning more and more into my favourite at the time because Fantastic Beasts gives him even more depths, aspects of the Harry Potter books make more sense now and I’ve developed a good many headcanons about him and his feelings over the decades by now. On the other hand, I still adore Luna to pieces because she’s so loving and the special kind of person that I tend to gravitate to in reality. Also, I sure as heck relate to being bullied all your damned school career. Can’t really decide, honestly. 5. Pro or anti Marauders? Okay, this is a direct contradiction to having been bullied for 7 years: I’m a bit conflicted about them. I love the Marauders as a concept of very strong male friendship, coming of age, growing up in war times... Still, I’m well aware how shitty a person James and Sirius had been towards Severus, and man, I was so sorry to see him dangle upside down in 7.2, but it’s that friendship aspect that fascinates me. (And Wolfstar, Remus and Sirius, will forever be my OTP that I consider very much in tune with the canon and you can pry it from my cold dead hands.) Even if I never got the whole enemies to lovers between Lily and James. Until somebody explains to me how that happened, I’ll be a bit sceptic about that. I mean, a guy pestering you for a date who just won’t get the hint to leave you bloody alone already? Meh. 6. Avada Kedavra, Crucio, or Imperio? Man, this is a cruel one. Imperio, I’d say, cause it’s the most “““harmless”““ one. Take this with a huge grain of salt. 7. Favourite book and why? At the moment, Jane Eyre. Read it just before Christmas last year for uni and adored it from start to finish for all its directness, unmasked honesty of the conditions of early victorian times, Jane being the most self-respecting person I have ever encountered in a book and the tender love story between her and Mister Rochester. 8. Who do you think was the best father figure towards Harry? Remus. I still wish he could have grown up under his tender care. 9. Favourite movie and why? Interstellar. No unnecessary love story despite the fact that the setting very much would have allowed one between the main character Cooper and the female young Doctor Brand, for once, secondly, I’ve been in love with realistic space movies for ages and this one is by far the best in my opinion. The relationship between Cooper and his daughter Murphy is so heartbreakingly loving from start to finish, I always, ALWAYS cry during the last half hour and frankly, the director Christopher Nolan is a genius. To finish it all perfectly, the score comes from Hans Zimmer. And if Nolan and Zimmer in combination aren’t reason enough to watch a movie, I don’t know what. ... Ah, wait, you asked about my favourite Harry Potter movie, right? That would be 7.1 for the terrors of war displayed realistically for the first time and the Shell Cottage scenes with Dobby that moved me to tears. Also, riding a majestic dragon will get me every time. 10. Which character do you relate to most, and why? A mixture of Luna and Hermione. People say I’m like the latter one all the time due to my perfectionism in History and Literature (that honestly only developed when I started uni last semester, I was a mixture of okay and shit at school) and, as I said, being bullied makes you like the bullied characters more. But she’s unbroken. I admire that a lot in her. It sure as hell didn’t leave me as untouched... 11. Who was the most evil character? Umbridge. Discussion over. No, seriously, I’m well aware that Voldemort was a fascist, killing people, using Black Magic, yada yada, and Bellatrix was mad and cruel, the Dursleys abused and neglected Harry... but who didn’t hate Umbridge the most? Let’s be entirely honest there. :D 12. Thoughts on Severus Snape? Misunderstood arsehole. His character is fascinating and I loved his redemption ark, but I’d never in a lifetime want him anywhere near children to teach because he was the picture example of How Not To Be A Teacher At All. Being amused by scaring students, a fucking cynic (which stems from his character, yes, but keep that out of the class room please), favouring and mistreating certain students due to their House (or parents, for that matter)... Nope. I’ve had enough of that type in my school time, thank you very much. But as a character, he’s very interesting indeed. If you want to read a Snape that’s just as grumpy, magically capable, dark and dangerous but very much lovable in the end, read Naomi Novik’s Uprooted. Trust me. The wizard the Dragon is Snape 1:1 and it’s just so hilarious how blatant the adaption was done, I loved it. 13. Who was the bravest character in Harry Potter and why? Harry himself, I think. To sacrifice yourself so that others can live is the greatest act of bravery in my opinion. He stood up for others time and time again, somehow survived years of neglect and difficult years in school at the best of times, he would have had every right to throw it all to hell at one point, turn his back on everybody and leave. But he didn’t. 14. Best subject at Hogwarts? Transfiguration and Charms would fascinate me the most, I think, because essentially it’s the core of everyday magic. It fascinates me infinitely what one could do with Magic in Harry Potter. 15. Worst subject at Hogwarts? Potions, by far. I can’t cook, I’d be shite at Potions. xD 16. Who would be your enemy or enemies at Hogwarts? I absolutely agree with Harry that Draco was the worst, although I ship the two to death in a fanon sense and in the movies. I hate bullies and Draco was precisely that. Yes, he was scared, forced to do horrible things and under a lot of pressure by his parents, but he was arrogant and said horrible things from the very beginning until he finally grew up in book 7. You asked for my enemy, not for the worst character, because he’s absolutely not. 17. Who would be your best friend at Hogwarts? I’d probably gravitate towards Luna, Seamus, Hermione... Those are the people I’d like to have as friends. 18. If available, would you use a love potion on someone? Nope. 19. Favourite Weasley? The twins. By far. I love them so much. :D 20. Favourite Death Eater? O.o Uhm, ehrm, Snape? If he counts? Because he’s not murderous and mad and all, you know? 21. What would your boggart be? Either a very big spider, Aragog would make me scream like a child, or my math teacher from 10th grade. Yeah, no. The giant spider. Definetely the spider. 22. What is your patronus? An applemare horse according to Pottermore, personally I’m fine with that, but it wouldn’t be the first animal to come to my mind as a patronus. It’s supposed to represent me as a person, isn’t it? That would be a cat without any doubt. :D 23. Fuck, marry, kill *Insert 3 characters* Fuck Gellert Grindelwald (don’t ask me, honestly), marry Luna, kill Dolores Umbridge a dozen times over. Torturing children is Not Cool. 24. How do you feel about Cursed Child? Meeeeeeh. 25. How do you feel about Fantastic Beasts? Fucking loved it from the start, still hyping it and very much looking forward to the next movies.

#tagging games #tagging games part four #Harry Potter asks

[swanqueeneverafter]

41. Queens of Darkness, Pt.4

Enchanted Forest. Past. (Snow White and Prince Charming are riding towards their castle.) Charming: “Should I be worried you're this excited for our honeymoon to be over?” Snow White: “Look, the summer palace was wonderful, but it's time to face reality. The Queen is still out there. We have to figure out a way to deal with it.” Charming: “And we will. Whatever she throws at us, we'll find a way to overcome it.” (They dismount their horses and approach on foot.) Snow White: (Notices the sleeping guard:) “I thought I told the dwarves not to put Sleepy on guard duty.” Charming: “Snow, it's not just Sleepy.” Snow White: “A sleeping curse.” Charming: (Draws his sword:) “Regina.” (They enter in the castle to find everyone asleep.) Snow White: “Regina!” Charming: “Show yourself!” Maleficent: (Appearing behind them:) “No one's hiding.” Charming: “Maleficent.” Maleficent: “I was afraid you wouldn't recognize me. Have you met my associates, Cruella and Ursula?” Charming: “What do you want with us?” Maleficent: “Relax, dear prince. We're not here to fight. We're here to make a deal.” Storybrooke. Present. Granny's Diner. (David and Mary Margaret sit at a booth keeping a close eye on Storybrooke’s newest residents.) Cruella: (To Granny, who is rudely ignoring them:) “Uh, darling, how much longer for those drinks?” (Will enters.) Will: “Hello, mum. Usual, please.” Granny: “Ah. You betcha.” (Quickly hands Will his order.) Will: “Cheers.” Cruella: (To Ursula:) “You know, if that old bag still wolfed out, I'd turn her into a coat for my collection.” (Regina and Henry enter the diner.) Ursula: “Regina! We could use a heart rip over here. Granny needs a little encouragement in taking our order.” Cruella: “Yes, a very effective tactic. (Regina reaches for Henry’s hand and holds it:) Didn't you once rip out the heart of every villager in the north woods?” Ursula: “Or was it the south?” Regina: (Turns to her son:) “Uh, why don't you head to my office, get started on the book?” Henry: “Sure. Make sure to get chocolate frosted doughnuts, not chocolate doughnuts, okay?” Regina: “Mm-hmm. (Henry leaves:) Let me be clear, ladies. If you bring up my former sins around my son again, you'll find yourselves across that town line faster than you can say ‘costume jewellery.’” Cruella: “These are blood diamonds, I'll have you know.” Ursula: “Come on, let's take our business elsewhere.” (Cruella and Ursula leave the restaurant.)

(The Charmings walk over to talk with Regina.) David: “So what's the plan here?” Mary Margaret: “To deal with our... Latest crisis.” Regina: “Those two might be tactless morons, but... They couldn't magic their way out of a paper bag. I wouldn't worry. And they're here to seek redemption.” Mary Margaret: “You don't actually believe that?” Regina: “If I didn't think it was a distinct possibility, I wouldn't have let them in town in the first place.” David: “Now that they're here, we have to be certain, which means keeping eyes on them 24/7.” Regina: “Which sounds like a job for the sheriff's department. I have bigger things to worry about.” Outside Granny’s. (Emma is about to enter the diner when David exits.) David: “Emma. I'm glad you're here. We have to go.” Emma: “What? Now? I've been dying for a grilled cheese all day.” David: “It'll have to wait. You're aware we have two new friends in town. They're up to something. If we hurry, we can pick up the trail.” Mr. Gold’s Shop. (Cruella and Ursula enter the shop and Belle is not pleased to see them.) Belle: “Try anything, (Holds up a potion bottle:) and both of you will hop out of here as toads.” Cruella: “Well, hello to you, too, darling.” Ursula: “Nice place you got here. Sure beats sweeping the castle.” Belle: “Why are you here? Have you come to kidnap me again?” Cruella: “Oh, did we do that? Oh, they all blur together. No, we've come to offer you our congratulations in defeating the Dark One. (As Cruella talks, Ursula uses one of her tentacles to covertly reach into the back room:) I mean, who would've thought it? A simple chambermaid takes down the most powerful sorcerer in the land. You did... Quite a number on him, darling.” Belle: “So you've... Seen him?” Cruella: “Yes, he's a mess, darling. A bum. Reduced to his old cowardly self.” Ursula: (As she retrieves a box from the back room:) “It makes sense, really, why he was so terrified of losing his magic.” Cruella: “Tell me, is there not a part of you revelling in all of this?” Belle: “No! I would never take comfort in his suffering. (Ursula retracts her tentacle without Belle noticing a thing:) Now do you intend to buy something? Or did you just come here to be cruel?” Cruella: (At Ursula’s nod, she turns and texts Mr. Gold:) “Well, as a matter of fact, I was hoping you'd have a... Hood ornament for my vehicle. Something with a little glitz.” Belle: “I'll check the inventory.” 

Beneath The Library. (In the cave under the library, Mr. Gold receives Cruella’s message.) Mr. Gold: “Won't be long now, Maleficent, my dear. (Using his powers, he draws Maleficent’s ashes into a pile. Running his fingers through them:) Your slumber is nearly over.” The Mayor’s Office. (Henry reads through the storybook as Regina places a box of doughnuts on the desk.) Regina: “Chocolate frosted doughnuts. How are we doing? You find anything?” Henry: “Not yet. But if the Author left clues in the book like Mother Superior said, we'll find them. How about you, Mom? How are you doing?” Regina: “I'm fine, Henry.” Henry: “You didn't seem fine when we ran into Ursula and Cruella.” Regina: “Well... I suppose that's because they remind me of a time in my life I'd rather forget. A time when I was a true villain. It makes me doubt if I’m worthy even to have my happy ending.” Henry: “You can't think like that.” Regina: “I know, but sometimes I wonder.” Henry: “Emma loves you and I love you. And I’m pretty sure we’re not under any kind of spell. Or are we?” Regina: (Mock scowls at him:) “Very funny.” Henry: “You’ve earned this, Mom. We're gonna find the Author, and when he begins a new book, everything will be the way you want it to be.” (Henry takes a big bite of a doughnut as Regina smiles at him.) Regina: (Grabbing some napkins and moving to stand beside him:) “Careful, Henry. You're getting crumbs all over the book.” Henry: “Mm. Right.” (Brushes the crumbs off.) Regina: (Notices something:) “That's strange. This paper, it's... It's different than the rest.” Henry: “That's because it's Pinocchio's story.” Regina: “Why would that story be any different from the others?” Henry: “Because August added it to the book. He wanted Emma to know he was Pinocchio as a boy. He wanted her to believe.” Regina: “If August took the book apart, he might know something about it that we don't.” Henry: “Too bad he isn't around to ask.” Regina: (Thinks:) “August might not be, but Pinocchio is.” (They share a hopeful smile.) Outside. Stakeout. (David and Emma are waiting for Cruella and Ursula in their car.) Emma: “I get that you're not a fan of Ursula and Cruella, but am I missing something? Did you know them back in the Enchanted Forest?” David: “Your mother and I had some run-ins with them. They weren't pretty.” Emma: “And?” David: “And what?” Emma: “I just feel like you're leaving stuff out. Are you?” (Luckily for David, Cruella and Ursula exit Gold’s shop.) David: “Wait. Here they come. (Cruella and Ursula get in Cruella's car and drive away. David and Emma follow them:) Call Belle. I wanna know exactly what happened in that shop.” 

Enchanted Forest. Snow & Charming’s Castle. Past. (Snow and Charming stand at the round table while the Queens of Darkness stand opposite.) Snow White: “I don't understand. Why did you come to us?” Maleficent: “That threat Regina made at your wedding, about ruining your happiness? It wasn't all bluster. She has a way to make it happen.” Charming: “How do you know?” Maleficent: “Because Regina just stole the darkest of curses from me.” Cruella: “It's the dark curse, and it makes that poison apple thing she did to you look like child's play.” Ursula: “It will punish all of the Enchanted Forest, including us.” Charming: “So what are you suggesting, that we storm the Evil Queen's castle together?” Cruella: “Ohh. If only your wits matched your looks.” Maleficent: “There is a magical tree deep within the forest. The fairies call it the tree of wisdom. It will answer any question asked of it.” Cruella: “Including a query about how to defeat the Queen and her curse.” Snow White: “So why don't you ask it yourselves?” Maleficent: “The tree's knowledge is protected. Its wisdom can only be unlocked by two of the most Valiant heroes.” Charming: “Which is why you need us.” (Maleficent produces a map from thin air.) Maleficent: “The map to its location. We will escort you there, for all of our safety.” (Snow and Charming talk amongst themselves.) Snow White: “This tree... If what they say is true...” Charming: “We'll be able to defeat the Evil Queen once and for all.” Snow White: “But can we trust them? They're almost as bad as Regina.” Charming: “If she really has a curse as dark as they say, the entire kingdom is in danger. What choice do we have?” Storybrooke. Present. (David and Emma follow Ursula and Cruella.) Emma: “Belle said she checked the back. She's pretty sure there's a wooden box missing.” David: “What was inside it?” Emma: “She doesn't know.” David: “Well, let's find out.” (David turns on the siren and pulls Cruella and Ursula over.) Cruella: “Is there a problem, Sheriff chiselled chin?” David: “Step out of the vehicle, please.” (David searches the car for the box as Emma stands with the diabolical duo. Finding the box in a secret compartment, David opens it and stares at its contents.) Emma: “Anything?” David: (Standing up:) “Car's clean.” (Ursula and Cruella exchange knowing looks.) Emma: “Weird. You think Belle just misplaced that box?” David: “Who knows? But we can't arrest them for speculation.” Emma: (Turns back:) “Looks like you guys are off the hook. (Realising what she said:) Sorry.” Ursula: (Walking back to the car:) “It would be nice if at least one of the Charmings lived up to their family name.” (They drive away.) Emma: “Maybe we should go back to the sheriff's station, check out any security footage of Gold's, make sure they didn't take anything.” David: “Why don't you go ahead? I wanna check on your mother. Mind dropping me at the loft on the way back?” Emma: “Dad... Are you sure everything's okay?” David: “Emma, of course. (Forces a smile:) Let's go.” (As Emma heads to the squad car, David looks down at the item from the box and pockets it discreetly.)

Blanchard Loft. (David holds up the item from the box.) Mary Margaret: “You found that in Cruella's car? David, that belonged to Maleficent, you know how much that meant to her.” David: “I do. And I can only think of one reason why those two witches would wanna steal a totem of hers... A spell. A spell to resurrect her.” Mary Margaret: “Is that even possible?” David: “You know, it doesn't matter what their dark magic can or can't do. Now that we have this, it's not even an option.” Mary Margaret: “But what if they discover it's missing? Won't they just find something else?” David: “Then we take the one thing that Cruella and Ursula can't do without... Maleficent's remains.” Mary Margaret: “Under the library.” David: “That's right. We find them, we dump them in the harbour, then she's gone forever. And once Ursula and Cruella realize that, maybe they'll leave town, too.” Mary Margaret: “And hopefully they'll take our secret with them.” Enchanted Forest. Past. (Charming speaks with some guards on a bridge as the others wait.) Maleficent: (As he returns:) “Well, are they going to let us cross or not?” Charming: “Unfortunately not.” Cruella: “You'd think travelling with Snow White and Prince Charming would open some doors. Do they know who you are?” Snow White: “Yes, and they also know who you are, so now we're just going to have to find another route to the tree of wisdom.” Charming: “If we walk south, we can circumvent the ravine.” Ursula: “That will set us back two days.” Cruella: “Perhaps you should show those guards just how skilled you are with your blade.” Snow White: “Now those men are just trying to do their duty. And frankly, I would do exactly the same. Where's Maleficent?” (A dragon flies in.) Charming: “No!” (The dragon swoops in and burns the soldiers alive.) Snow White: “No!” Maleficent: (Returning to her human form:) “I don't believe that detour will be necessary.” Charming: “You should've given us another chance to talk to them.” Maleficent: “Talk, talk, talk. You weren't willing to do what was needed. I was.” Cruella: “Oh, well done, darling.” Maleficent: “I'm sorry. Is there a problem? (Snow and Charming remain silent:) I didn't think so.” 

Storybrooke Sheriff’s Station. Present. (Emma sits at her desk waiting for the surveillance footage to download, when Hook arrives.) Hook: “I hear Storybrooke has two new residents.” Emma: “You hear right. I’m just waiting for A.T.M. Security footage to download. We're trying to figure out if Ursula and Cruella stole something from Gold's shop.” Hook: “Hmm.” Emma: “Did you know them, back in the Enchanted Forest?” Hook: “Cruella? Can’t say I had the pleasure.” Emma: “Ursula then?” Hook: “There can’t be a pirate alive who hasn’t heard of the Sea Goddess.” Emma: “Yes, but did you know her personally?” Hook: (Unconvincingly:) “She's... just one of the many sea monsters who crossed my path in my pirating days.” Emma: “What exactly does that mean?” Hook: “Honestly, I don't recall.” Emma: (Folds her arms and leans back in her chair:) “Uh-huh. Why the interest anyway?” Hook: “Swan, we just managed to rid ourselves of the Dark One and now two more nefarious creatures arrive in town. As a resident of Storybrooke, I feel I have the right to know what’s going on.” Emma: “So that’s it huh. You’re just a concerned citizen? You're holding something back.” Hook: (Shrugs:) “I don't know what else to say.” Emma: (Deciding to let it drop, for now:) “Well, I should get back to it.” Hook: (Nods:) “Enjoy your witch hunt.” (He leaves.) Storybrooke. Main Street. (Mary Margaret brings a flashlight as David loads up his truck.) David: “Good. That'll do. We can get to the cavern through the mines.” Emma: (Approaching:) “Hey! Where you guys headed?” Mary Margaret: “Emma.” David: “What are you doing here?” Emma: “I found something on those women. Look. (Holds out her phone and plays the footage:) Looks like Belle was right. I think that's the box that's missing. It's enough to drag them into the station, at least.” David: “Well, let's not jump the gun. We don't even know what that is.” Emma: “Wait. What? Two hours ago, you guys were so amped up about these divas, you didn't even let me eat lunch, and now you're g...” Mary Margaret: “Going for a hike. We got Ashley to babysit Neal.” Emma: “So... Now the crisis doesn't matter. What the hell is going on today?” David: “Emma, your mother and I realized that we needed to take a step back from our crusade. The truth is, we've been going about this all wrong.” Mary Margaret: “When we knew those women back in the Enchanted Forest, they were villains. And ever since they set foot in this town, that is exactly how we've treated them.” David: “Yeah, we chose to see the worst in them. But, Emma, if they're gonna have a shot at redeeming themselves, we have to choose to see the best.” Emma: “You guys are seriously going for a hike?” David: “I know it might be hard to believe that we've backed off Ursula and Cruella, but your mother and I think it's the right thing to do.” Emma: “Well... If you need me, I will... be at the Mayor’s office.” (Emma walks on and they watch her go.) Mary Margaret: “David, is this really the right thing to do?” David: “It's the only way to make sure Emma doesn't find out the truth.”

The Mayor's Office. (Pinocchio stands looking at the storybook.) Regina: “Is anything coming back to you, Pinocchio? (The boy shakes his head:) Maybe if you look at the pages again. (Emma enters, much to Regina’s relief:) Where have you been?” Emma: “On witch watch. I was on the way here when I had a weird conversation with my parents.” Regina: “Since when is a conversation with those two not weird.” Emma: (Letting this go:) “How's it going here?” Regina: “It's not. He can't remember anything. But since you and August spent so much time together, I thought seeing you would... Jog his memory.” Emma: “Yeah. I guess I could give it a shot. (She walks over to the boy:) Hey. Come here. (They move to sit on the couch:) You remember me, right?” Pinocchio: “You're Emma, the sheriff.” Emma: “But you know that back when you were... O-older... We were friends. You were a really smart grown-up. So smart you knew how to take (Points to the book:) that entire thing apart and add a story to it. And then you put it all back together. Do you remember doing that? Or anything else about the book?” Pinocchio: (Looks to Regina and Marco:) “I know everybody wants me to remember, but... I just don't.” Regina: (Barely controlling her temper:) “You went to Phuket. You rode a motorcycle. (Now shouting:) You wore leather and didn't shave!” Emma: “Regina.” Regina: “No, he's not trying hard enough. All you need to do is concentrate and think! Or is that head of yours still made out of wood?” Marco: “Whoa, stop!” Henry: “Mom.” Marco: “I won't have you speak that way to my boy.” Regina: “Maybe what your boy needs is some motivation.” Emma: “Okay, Regina, that's enough. (Gets up and leads the boy away:) Let's go down to the vending machine and get a snack. Henry, come on.” (They leave.) Marco: “Has it ever occurred to you that maybe this, uh, quest of yours is ill-fated? After ruining everyone else's happy ending, what makes you think you deserve one of your own?” Regina: “Oh, I can ask you the same question, toy maker, considering you lied about the wardrobe so you could send Pinocchio to this world.” Marco: “I wouldn't have needed to if it wasn't for your curse! I had to save him! You stay away from my boy.” (He walks away, leaving Regina to think about his words.)

#sq #swanqueen #swan queen

[splat-dragon]

And what's this holding me? I'm not where I'm supposed to be ~You can't take me, Bryan Adams

She woke to the sound of men talking.

Their voices swam in and out of focus, pain lancing through her head. The ache she’d woken with the first time had gone, replaced with a pain from her temple where she’d been struck. It throbbed, and she feared she would puke, the pooling of saliva in her mouth making it quite clear that it was a distinct possibility. She licked her lips again, trying to swallow it all down, recognizing the man’s voice among those that danced in and out of the ringing in her ears, and getting the feeling he wouldn’t take kindly to her puking all over… wherever it was.

“She’s real scary lookin’, ain’t she,” the man who had kidnapped her said, sounding awful proud of himself.

Someone else chuckled, the voice unfamiliar, and she got the distinct feeling that the person was shaking his head, “Naw, not really. Plenty big, though.” Big? No, not really, she’d never been big in any sense of the word, except that one summer between middle and high school but that had been years ago.

“Should be ‘nuff to scare people off,” a new voice chimed in, reedy and nasal. Brought to mind someone tall and weed-like, stringy hair and a pointy face. Knowing her, though, he was just as likely to be squat and fat—she tended to be wrong a lot, what could she say?

“She’ll warn us if anyone gets close, at least,” said the man that kidnapped her, annoyed.

“Yeah, looks like she’ll be pretty loud. If anythin’, her barkin’ should be ‘nuff to scare ‘em off.” sneered the reedy-sounding man, and she was thrown for a loop. ‘Barking…?’ she wondered, vaguely, if it was some sort of an attempt at insulting her, some round-about way of calling her a bitch, but she got the feeling that if they were calling her a bitch, they would have called her one to her face. So… screaming was her best guess. Screaming at them, maybe? to let her go? It was a terrifying thought, but the only thing she could come up with.

“Hey, tie her up near the road. Don’ want her shittin’ on our doorstep.” all of the men laughed, and she didn’t know whether to scoff or snap or cuss and settled for a growl that rumbled low in her chest and tried to open her eyes. But her eyelids felt as though she’d had weights tied to them, and so she could only raise them to slits. Through them, though, she could just barely make out three men; one of them she instantly recognized as the one who’d grabbed her, the second a tall, scraggy fellow with a matted beard and a shirt that might have been red once that she pegged as the man with the reedy voice, and a short, stocky toad of a man with a nose that was more bump than actual nose, broken far too many times in his lifetime.

The stocky man reached for the lasso that hung at his hip, and she tried to move away, head throbbing, that growl spiking and leaving her stunned—it was a sound unlike any she’d heard before, deep and gravelly and stuttering like a failing engine, taking her off guard long enough that she didn’t see his expression change, a sneer distorting the deep lines of his face, his boot flicking out and striking the side of her head. She cried out in pain, stars dancing in front of her eyes as they laughed, the toad-like man grabbing her by her hair and dragging her through the dirt, not caring to answer as she gasped “What’s wrong with you?!”  

She thrashed and, when that did nothing except make him yank even harder, went limp so he’d have to haul dead weight but that, too, didn’t help, didn’t stop him or make him drop her and, before long, he’d dragged her to a nearly-dead tree not far from a half-rotted fence.

He unrolled the lasso, working it around the tree and bracing his foot against the trunk, tugging to make sure the knot wouldn’t come undone. As he did so, she tried to stand, didn’t even get to her hands before the world was dissolving into a swirl of tans and browns and blues, the calling birds and thudding of the faraway horses going tinny in her ears. She dropped back to the ground with a grunt, and decided to lay there. And yes, it was definitely her decision, she could have gotten up whenever she wanted, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

With the other end in hand, he approached her, and she growled, trying to jerk away, but he simply laughed “Yeah yeah, I’m real scared,” and grabbed her, and so weak was she that she could do nothing but lay there as he settled the noose around her neck, tugging it tight enough that she wouldn’t be able to get it over her head without struggling, and if she struggled it would fasten tight.

The squat man (‘Toad’, she decided to call him, although with the way his face was squashed in she was thinking about calling him ‘Bulldog’ instead, he looked like one and she wouldn’t be surprised to find out he was as inbred as one, too) lumbered off, and she stretched out, panting in the heat, wishing desperately for so much as a sip of water, her mouth painfully dry and she was certain there was something rasping in there when she breathed, whether it was her tongue turning to dust or something making a home only it knew.

A gleam caught the corner of her eye, could have been something or it could have been nothing, but she was really hoping it was something, so she turned her head just a hair and could have cried when she saw a puddle just a stretch away. It wasn’t the cleanest looking puddle, an off-shade of brown, and if it weren’t for the light gleaming off of it she would have missed it entirely. But it was a puddle, and a puddle was water, so she crawled forward, world spinning around her, black dots dancing in her vision enough to coalesce, blocking her vision as she leaned down to drink, finding the puddle only by touch, stopping when she felt something wet against her hand.

“Oh thank god,” she gasped, and flung herself into the puddle to drink, not caring of how filthy it was, not caring of the dirt that floated on top or the germs that surely bred in the still water. She gulped down mouthful after mouthful, the small puddle rapidly draining, and only stopped when something moved, jolting back for fear of a snake or similar lunging out at her,

and she would have preferred if it were, because there was a goddamned dog staring back at her, rippling and distorted in the water.

#rdr2 #rdr #red dead redemption #red dead redemption 2 #i can't quite remember just what guided me this way #silent savior #splat dragon #SplatDragon #splatdragonff #Splat_Dragon #splat-dragon #cw: violence