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knoepfchen · 3 years

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tulcea, 2018

a/n: the little art heist joe and nicky pull in this story actually happened, and the circumstances of the painting’s recovery are just strange enough to imagine it might have actually been them. for the purposes of this and the general story, this fic is set in 2019, immediately post-movie. a prequel of sorts to notre-dame and goussainville revisited.

After she’d seen Copley’s boards, Andy slept for three days.

On the first morning, Copley asked: “Is Andy up yet?”

He paused clearing away the table from breakfast as Nile stepped into the kitchen. She shook her head and took a slice of toast from him. They both shrugged.

On the second morning, Copley appeared in the doorway to their room.

“Should we wake her?” Nile looked up from the game she’d been playing on her phone. 36 hours was a long time to sleep.

“Is she having a nightmare?” Nicky’s voice drifted across the hallway.

Andy was still curled up on the bed in Copley’s guest bedroom. It looked like she hadn’t moved an inch since she’d gone to sleep two days before.

“Doesn’t look like it,” Nile said.

They let her sleep.

On the third morning, Nile hesitated at Andy’s bedside. It had been a hellish week by everyone’s standards, and on top of the betrayal by one of their closest friends, Andy was also recovering from a gunshot wound. Properly recovering, for the first time in so long. Did her body still know how to do that?

She found Joe and Nicky on the terrace, their hands wrapped around coffee mugs and what was left of one of Copley’s many daily newspapers on the bench between them. Nile had also wanted a coffee, but Copley had been in the kitchen, his questions inevitable.

“Andy’s still asleep,” Nile said as she sat on one of the deckchairs. She didn’t quite succeed in keeping the worry from her voice.

“It’s okay, Nile.” Nicky folded up the current affairs section he’d been reading and wordlessly offered her a sip from his coffee.

“Three days seems like a long time now, but it’s not all that much, once you’ve been alive that long,” Joe said. “You know how Andy told you to get some sleep while you can? ”

“Are you telling me Andy is just having the immortal equivalent of an afternoon nap right now?”

Nile knew she sounded sceptical. She didn’t even say what she really thought, which was that Andy wasn’t immortal anymore, and the days she could sleep away suddenly numbered.

Nicky smiled at her like he understood anyway. “We would wake her, if we had to.”

“She’s still Andy. A little reckless, but at the end of the day, the person who knows what’s best for Andy is usually… Andy,” Joe said.

“She’s still recovering. By the time she wakes up, she’ll be fine.”

And Nicky was right.

On the fourth day, Andy strolled into the kitchen like nothing had happened. With a spring in her step, Nile would have said, but that somehow didn’t feel appropriate for a 6,000-year-old.

“How are you feeling?” Copley asked her as Joe wordlessly pushed a mug into Andy’s hands.

“I'm good, thank you.” Andy lifted her shirt to reveal a bullet wound that was nearly healed. Whatever it was that made them immortal, it wasn’t fully gone from her system yet.

“That’s gonna be a nice scar, boss.” Joe smirked.

“You can start to collect them,” Nicky said. “Put your bronze trinket collection to shame.”

“They’re not trinkets.” Andy gently jostled him and turned to Copley. “What have you got for us?”

Copley cleared his throat. If he was surprised by the sudden turn of events, he knew better than to show it. Nile remembered that learning curve, at least.

“I’ve been doing some security checks on the safe houses you’ve told me about. Once I’ve procured new identity documents for all of you, I believe the best plan of action in the short-term is for you to stay in Europe.”

Andy nodded. “So, refugee crisis in the Mediterranean? Fighting populism?”

Nile held her breath. She was curious to learn what her first ‘real’ job as an immortal would be. But Copley only frowned.

“No, no, when I said you should stay in Europe, I thought that it is the best place for you to lay low while I erase recent traces of you online and establish proper security protocols at all your safe houses.”

“That’s not what I meant when I said ‘let’s get to work,’ Copley.” Andy set her mug down. “We’ve just taken a break, we’re not taking another so soon after.”

“Oh really, a break?” The timbre of Copley’s voice was slipping into sarcasm, but he had turned to Nicky and Joe. “All of you laying low for a year?”

To Nile’s surprise, Joe was looking slightly flustered.

“So the two ‘Dutch nationals’ who arrived at the Netherlands’ embassy in Romania last year to turn in a stolen Picasso, they were just two ordinary citizens who happened upon a painting, yes? They were not, say, two immortal men who’d been tracking the crime syndicate that had stolen the painting to Romania and decided to save what was left of them once the thieves started burning the others?”

Nicky’s ears were a bit redder than before, but he was still returning Copley gaze. “It was the right thing to do.”

Andy groaned. “You did Tulcea without me?”

“Sorry, boss.” Joe smiled sheepishly. “We had a lead while we were in the area, and your phone was off, so—”

“Unbelievable,” Andy muttered.

“Anyway,” Copley steered the conversation back on track. Nile would’ve preferred to hear more about the art heist. “Some of your safehouses have been breached. I will get you some new passports and once I can be reasonably certain that your closest safehouse is secure, I will give you to the go ahead to either clear out of them or establish a new security protocol there. Until you have a safe base, no more sneaky jobs, no more solo missions.”

Andy turned to Nile. Judging by her face, that was the first rule she was going to break.

But she only smiled at Copley. “Sure thing.”

#i promise i will a) write the actual heist i promised and b) shape these parts into the actual fic they're begging to be #there's just a little bit of a lot going on right now #so these little weekend snippets are all my brain allows #nile freeman #andromache the scythian #tog fic #the old guard #my fic #all this time

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birb-tangleblog · 3 years

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Rise of Flynn Rider - THOUGHTS

THE PROMISED LONGER POST ON THE RISE OF FLYNN RIDER- spoiler warning!

Ok so first off, a very brief summary: the book centers on Eugene and Arnie (Lance), childhood best friends. The orphanage they've grown up in is financially struggling, under threat by a crooked tax collector, and they're both aging out of the system; the only clue Eugene has to his parents is a letter from the woman who left him there, which is signed with a ~mysterious symbol~. When a traveling circus run by the Baron (yes, that Baron) passes through town and Eugene learns of a possible lead on his past, the two boys reinvent themselves, join up, and eventually end up entangled in a scheme to steal from the King and Queen of Corona.

I won't lie, I enjoyed this one a lot- it was a fun read, very cozy to curl up with, and even with some contradictions, it felt like a novel that was derivative of the series and set in that world. There are a lot of cameos and references, enough that I think most TTS fans will find something they like to nibble on.

Like I said in my earlier post abt the prologue and first few chapters, I'm so happy that Lance got a role alongside Eugene- he's definitely a secondary character to Eugene’s main, and he does get sidelined somewhat, but it's charming to see his friendship with Eugene and his growing passion for cooking.

'I didn't expect anything, so I'm more delighted and pleasantly surprised than genuinely unhappy with the execution' is a running theme with this book for me and basically the tl;dr of this write-up.

There are soo many cameos and little treats- I get the impression Calonita didn't have the most complete knowledge of the series, but her chats with Chris and interest in the series’ writing definitely show. King Edmund, the Stabbingtons, all of the pub thugs, Weasel, Stalyan, and the Baron all make appearances, and we get cameos from Cap, Maximus, Pascal's mother, and even Cass gets a name drop. Several series-exclusive locations are also mentioned by name- Vardaros, the Spire, and the Forest of No Return.

I'm not immune to the fannish hit of 'hey! I understand that reference!' and I really enjoyed hunting for easter eggs, so even if the presence of the pub thugs in the Baron's crew, or the boys stumbling on Rapunzel's tower in one scene and making nothing of it (yea that happened) is a lil questionable, it made me smile and I can't be mad.

I would just describe this book as 'comfy'.

(That said, I'm a little unsure who all those references are for- I feel like if you hadn't seen the series, you'd lack context and some details would be meaningless, but if you had, I think you might long for more depth and exploration...)

Structure & Progression

Here's the part where I start criticizing the book aimed at middle and elementary schoolers lmao

It's a v short book, but the plot progression still feels a little scattered- it didn’t feel quite like a heist OR a mystery. The subplot that takes up a lot of focus is actually interpersonal conflict between Lance and Eugene- and they reconcile, but not after spending much of the book in a standoff due to a misunderstanding/'liar revealed' trope.

One of Eugene's motivations for joining the circus is spotting a man with a mark on his arm that matches the one from his letter working there, and believing he'll be able to learn more abt his parents from him. He doesn't disclose this to Lance right away, and when it comes out later on, he's upset that Eugene didn't tell him- he feels tricked, and like Eugene's prioritizing his biological family over their bond. I had a hard time with this, b/c I honestly think Eugene could've literally said to Lance, 'hey, joining this circus is a great opportunity to travel, make money, send some back to the orphanage, AND I found something about my parents, will you come with me?' and Lance still would've jumped on it. Later on, there's also another similar miscommunication that deepens the rift.

It feels like manufactured drama, and I would've loved a book of the two of them just being buds, bouncing off each other, and trying to unravel the mysteries of the DK symbol and the Baron's ulterior motives together. Lance's fears of being left behind by his friend absolutely could've surfaced without the misunderstandings, especially the closer they got to the truth. (And I don't think that'd have been dissimilar to the unused 'Trial' episode concept and flashback.)

The pacing itself... meanders. After the boys complete an initiation mission to get a hold of a special key for the Baron, time passes (two weeks in-story) and there's some slice of life as they learn the ropes, get inducted into a lifestyle of thieving (it’s revealed the circus is a front for a crime ring), and get to know the Baron's crew.

I liked these parts and would've kept them in a longer book! But maybe there could've been some fine-tuning here so big events (Eugene stealing for the first time, the heist, the meeting with the mysterious Man with the Mark) weren’t so one-and-done. There are several points where nothing's really happening because the characters can't quite connect with each other, or they're waiting around for an opportunity passively, and that makes for a frustrating exp for me as a reader.

There were also lot of elements I thought were getting set up to come into play later, but not a lot of follow through? The folk hero Lance Archer is mentioned several times and has wanted posters, but we never meet him in the flesh. The Man with the Mark is revealed to be a former member of the Brotherhood(!) named Vedis(!!), but he isn't seen again after Eugene speaks with him... once. (More on this later this post is getting so long omg)

The Baron’s plan is revealed to be stealing a reward offered for the lost princess when it’s on display to the public during a festival. Eugene and Lance balk b/c stealing doesn’t sit well with them, especially when it’s from what are ultimately a family trying to find their lost child- they decide to do the right thing by foiling the scheme/stealing it back and returning it to the royals. It goes a bit pear-shaped and they’re caught, but are forgiven and face no consequences after explaining, other than being ousted from the circus/crime ring and making enemies of the Baron. Eugene hasn’t given up on finding the DK, but he realizes he already has a family in Lance, and that’s the most important thing; the two resolve to travel the world and have adventures together.

I want to make another post on it, but at the least it feels like a foregone conclusion given we know ‘Flynn Rider’ goes on to become a renown thief who steals the crown of the lost princess- that’s literally the plot of the movie, and being a dashing rogue is Flynn’s defining trait- so even aside from questionable ideas about wealth, class, and morality, the novel’s ending doesn’t fit what’s firmly established about his character, and I think big fans of Eugene might have an even harder time with that then me.

(I’m very suspicious that there might’ve been some executive meddling in an attempt to soften young Eugene’s character, and send a more palatable/upstanding message to children- it feels like Disney editing the old SW films to show Han didn’t shoot first.)

It’s def one of those novels where you can take some elements you like and leave others, but overall I’d still rly rec it for series fans! I’ve been buzzing and what-iffing about it for a few days, and I got some tasty tidbits on the characters and nods to the series, which is exactly what I wanted out of it.

And maybe it’s a funky take, but honestly I want to think of this book as the beginning of an alternate timeline where Lance and Eugene got out of crime earlier, Eugene got a clue abt his heritage by chance, and it changed his course. I think embracing the retcons and contradictions to canon makes for an interesting angle, and you’ll enjoy it more if you don’t take it too seriously.

#OKAY PHEW GOD took me way too long to post this #I'd consider this a general reaction/impression and overview #and I have more written that I want to sort out into posts abt Eugene's char AND my thoughts on Vedis as a Brotherhood Stan™#if I included it here it'd have been like... another 1k words lmfao #hopefully I can post those in the next day or so!#I have no idea how to structure proper reviews man I just want to yammer #I'm honestly just having fun reacting to smth new again C:#the rise of flynn rider #text post #my post #eugene #lance

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grrlinthefireplace · 5 years

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Hey so I’ve been seeing you post a lot about La Casa de Papel recently. What exactly is it? It looks kinda interesting.

Thank you so much for asking!

I am delighted beyond reason to have the opportunity to tell you - and by extension the entire world - why this show has cleared my skin, watered my crops, and legitimately healed my soul after this particularly soul-crushing season of Grimdark White Man Television almost broke me as a human being.

I will attempt to keep this as spoiler-free as I possibly can, because this is a show that should be experienced in the moment, but in a nutshell, La Casa de Papel is a heist show set in present-day Madrid which follows both a found family of thieves who rob the Royal Mint of Spain, and the law enforcement officials on the outside who are chasing them.

If that is enough for you, go right to your TV or computer, fire up the ol’ Netflix, and don’t waste any more time.

If, however, you need a little more, here are the top five things I flail about to every single person in my life to convince them they need to start watching this show like immediately and then come back and tell me all about it.

For visual flair, we’ll intersperse them with some gifs of ladies, because I know my audience.

5. character driving plot > plot driving character.

You know that infuriating thing lazy TV writers do where, in order to to hurry up and get to the big explosion or battle scene or dragon attack or whatever, which is the only bit they really care about, they handwave away the whole concept of motivation and make some character do something that any halfway-attentive viewer will immediately clock that they would never actually do?

There is none of that bullshit here.

In its simplest form, the plot of La Casa de Papel is as follows: a brilliant criminal mastermind devises a heist which cannot possibly go wrong, and then we proceed to watch all the ways in which it goes wrong.

This is a fantastic setup for an action story, made even more breathlessly exciting by strategic use of my favorite heist movie plot device (as perfected by Ocean’s Eleven): namely, “scene where it looks like our crime heroes have been outsmarted and are now threatened by a completely unforeseen disaster” immediately followed by “flashback to the team prepping for the heist where we learn that of course they prepared for this exact scenario.”

But from time to time, things do actually go wrong (as they must, or else there would be no story); and, when they do, it is never because you can tell a writer just wanted to write a scene where bullets go flying, and didn’t care how he got there. These characters are so clear, their behavior so consistent, that when gasp-worthy plot twists happen, they happen because of course that character, in this exact scenario, would do that exact thing.

I’m telling you, I came to this show for a ship (more on that in a minute) and I stayed for a swooning, heart-eyes writer crush on the impeccably-designed plot structure and characterization.

4. High stakes, low gore.

Tone-wise, on a sliding scale of Heist Film Intensity where a really fluffy episode of Leverage is a 1, Reservoir Dogs is a 10, and the Ocean’s franchise is somewhere in the 3-4 range, I would place La Casa at a 5 or a 6, which is perfect for me. I love action, suspense, drama and adventure, but I hate gratuitous violence (especially when it’s pointless and masturbatory and doesn’t contribute anything to the plot) and have a very low tolerance for blood and gore. So I kept waiting for the story to eventually take a hard left turn into Tarantino Land, until eventually it was all just one huge pile of dead bodies, and was genuinely surprised when it didn’t.

This is how I learned just how badly my brain has been fucked up by lazy showrunners who think shock deaths are the only way to raise stakes. During the first season of this show, before I had figured out that it was a Flawless Gem of Television Which So Far Has Not Once Disappointed Me, there were probably a dozen moments where I was absolutely convinced that some character was about to be gruesomely killed for shock value … and I was wrong every single time.

Reader, it was fucking wild.

Every single time I was convinced that person A was going to shoot person B in the head because blah blah maximum angst over here in this part of the story and then it will motivate person C to do this other thing, the show did the hard work of finding a smarter, more unexpected direction to take that character’s story. That means that when deaths do come along - and there are a couple - they feel genuinely earned, and they matter deeply to the story and to us.

3. I would die for these women.

This show loves women. Like it truly, authentically, uncompromisingly loves women in all our fucked-up messy glorious complexity. There are no “types” or cliches here; no one is forced to be only one thing. Fuck your one-dimensional Strong Female Characters, lazy writers.

For one thing, on many shows you might be lucky if you get maybe one mom who is given a personality and a story outside of motherhood. Often, on shows written by men, the fact of her motherhood diminishes her strength or her agency. On this show, nearly every one of the central female characters is both a mom and an action hero simultaneously. Seriously. By season 3 there are four different battle moms. They’re all different, they’re not all on the same side, they have different perspectives, and their role as mother impacts the story differently, but that’s the joy of having a whole lot of different kinds of women - no one has to be everything to everyone.

These women are complicated. They laugh, they cry, they crack dirty jokes, they get laid, they have babies, they fight, they make mistakes, they fall in love, they grow. Men pull sexist shit and they shut it the fuck down. Some of them have love stories, some of them don’t, but they are never defined by or triangulated around relationships with men. They get to have relationships with each other. All of them are excellent at their jobs.

Tokyo is the kind of hot mess antihero protagonist we’ve been watching middle-aged white men play for decades.

Allison is such a realistic teenage girl it’s genuinely painful to watch.

Monica has one of the best arcs I’ve ever seen on television, this is not a drill.

Alicia is terrifying. (A pregnant black ops interrogator! ON WHAT OTHER FUCKING SHOW!?!??)

Nairobi is unlike any other character you’ve seen on TV before; she’s got a little bit of Parker from Leverage, a little bit of Raven Reyes from The 100, but she’s entirely her own creature and you will fall in love with her instantly.

And Raquel. Oh, my love, my angel, my hero, Inspector Raquel Murillo. Love of my goddamn life. A fierce, kickass hostage negotiator swimming upstream against a tide of workplace misogyny who sometimes has to make the frustrating little male-appeasing compromises we all have to make to get through the workday. A beautiful, sexy, powerful heroine over 40 whose femininity isn’t diminished based on some bullshit notion that, for example, pairing your tough-bitch suit and gun holster with red toenails and a lacy blouse detracts from your strength. A loving mom and daughter who has to juggle raising a small child and caring for an aging parent with the stress of, you know, trying to stop the biggest robbery in the history of Spain. A domestic violence survivor (TW for those who need it; nothing is ever shown onscreen, but it’s discussed several times) who is given the space to discuss the things that have happened to her and how she has worked through them with such dignity, accuracy and respect that you can tell the writers did their homework.

This is a show where you can tell there are women in the writers’ room.

2. The Professor and Raquel. I don’t want to spoil a single thing for you here except to say that I myself was lured into this show by the promise of electric sexual chemistry between a criminal mastermind and the police inspector hunting him down, and my God I was not disappointed.

1. Love.

This show came into my life at a period where I was so weary of cynicism on television - so fucking furious at showrunners who dangle hope in front of us and then crush it, who only care about building anything if they can tear it down later, who treat love and fun and joy and hope and family and happiness like they’re intellectually lesser than grimdark nihilism with no soul - that I was honestly kind of broken by it. I was just so. fucking. tired. Tired of “the way we show this heroine is strong is to kill off her love interest.” Tired of “sorry but all this rape and murder is NECESSARY because of REALISM” (particularly rich when coming from shows featuring evil A.I.’s or dragons and ice zombies). Tired of getting invested in relationships - whether ships or friends or found families - only to realize that the show I was watching was always going to sacrifice character to force plot mechanics into place, and those relationships were never going to get the kind of care and focus I wanted them to get.

But that is not this show.

The single most revolutionary thing, to me, about La Casa de Papel - the thing that sets it apart from every other rollercoaster action thrill ride on television - is that every single thread of the plot is tied to love.

Every.

Single.

One.

Love of all different shapes and sizes - parents and children, friendships, doomed crushes (straight and queer), toxic exes, blossoming romances, siblings - and over it all, a deep, deep love for humanity.

The thing I said before, about how when things go wrong they go wrong in character-driven ways? It’s this. Love is why everything on this show happens. Love is what makes children want to live up to their parents and what makes parents fight to leave a better world for their children. Love is why deaths have stakes. Love is why we spend so much screentime lingering on small moments another show might ignore, like all the thieves at heist camp sitting down every night to have dinner together and argue about paella techniques. Love is what causes chaos in the middle of the heist; when there’s one person in the room you care about more than the others, you can get distracted and take your eye off the ball. Love is how your enemies can get to you, by leveraging or blackmailing the people who matter most, knowing that you’ll crack if they’re in danger. Love, gone wrong, causes toxic men to develop possessive and controlling behavior towards women. Love is how the Professor gets the idea for the heist in the first place. The plan is flawless on paper, but it doesn’t account for the human variable, and over and over again we see that relationships and connection and sex and family and love cause people to behave in unpredictable ways and throw the whole plan into chaos, which is what makes for a dynamic and compelling story.

How refreshing to see a show simply refuse to grant the oft-repeated premise that a show cannot have both high-octane thrills, and a big soft squishy heart, at the same time.

ANYWAY, I’VE TAKEN UP ENOUGH OF YOUR VALUABLE TV-WATCHING TIME, GO JUMP ON BOARD THIS TRAIN AND COME SCREAM ABOUT IDEALISTIC SPANISH ROBIN HOODS WITH ME, AND LET THE GOOD SHIP SERQUEL INTO YOUR LIFE, YOU WON’T BE SORRY

THANKS FOR COMING TO MY TED TALK

#lannister-slings-and-arrows #la casa de papel #money heist #from the inbox #i have a lot of feelings about this show #is this entire post just one long subtweet of 'the 100'#listen #maybe #i'm still pissed about kabby and will be for awhile #but legit this show was HEALING and CATHARTIC in some unexpected ways #yes virginia you CAN have functional loving stable relationships and high-stakes drama at the same time

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rhotdornn · 6 years

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FFXIV Writing Entry: [11] -- [AU]Mercy versus Justice

Decrepit alleys lay awash with the first, autumnal drizzle. Faint flickers tickle the bulbs within the forsaken lamp posts, once-neatly planted along the pavement. Color-bled rectangles shape the course, width and berth of these alleys... And whatever else took to breeding within these hoods, too.

The pounding of the truck’s exhaust leaves little space for thought. It isn’t like for anyone to stroll through these quarters unattended at night... Or, at the very least, sporting desirable attention.

The clock’s long-since struck past the grand, ol’ midnight hour. Wishful thinking, for the city to be asleep... Yet, despite the slithering, ghastly fog and the spectral clouds clogging the heavens above, it never is. Always watching, ne’er resting.

The tires of my pick-up truck flare up in an abrupt burnout--the brakes are locked into place, hindering further movement. Loyal thing, this black beast--served its debt long past what I took for expected. Doesn’t show signs of givin’ in any time soon, either.

The door is the first to unclasp, and swing open. The soles of my boots are met with the watery rancor, hurrying down the tilted, broken tiles of cement paving the alley. A better life for the citizens, healthcare for all, poverty out-the-win’ow...! All those promises, an’ look the squalor an’ what else these people got from ‘em. I pound the heavy door back, offering a firm pat to the hood of the freshly-sprayed truck.

After the key’s secured the hinges of the door, I stuff my palms within the sanctity of my jacket. The winds were, for a blessing, not as tantalizing tonight--making the choice of a long, ebony leather jacket all the more appealing... Not that I wore much else on the side, anyhow. Black, fingerless gloves promised some succor of warmth to my palms... Not that I intended to stay outside overlong.

The back-end to some shoddy, run-down store was to be my rendezvous point, eh... Rightfully so--for deep it lay nestled within the abandoned hood, and gods would know how many stinkin’ mutts piss their territory ‘round here. The tapestry greets one in no kinder spirits--rotting off the wall, exposing solid, cracked brick from what I can only assume t’ be the nineties... And naught more is there, save for one archaic, wooden door to bar--or permit--passage. Try your luck. Or so it goes.

The back of my knuckles soon kissed the hind end of the doorway. I can feel the dense breathing ‘hind it shortly thereafter... Aye, the anxiety seeps from it like vitriol.

“Brought the milk.” I calmly mutter out, stowing my palm away, back into the confinement of my deep pocket.

“...”

I recollect my breath calmly, closing my lids as I make purchase of a lofty inhale.

“Whi’er than white, organic an’ so forth.”

The door creaks open, and I accept it as an invitation--or a death passage. Guess I’ll be made acquainted with either soon enough.

Darkness spills throughout the windowless abode--and swiftly does the door seal behind me, the moment I accommodated enough space. So much for decency, and one’s respect for privacy bubbles.

“You’ll ne’er get the code right, eh...?” the opposing voice calls out--some might find it surprising, painted just a few decibels and textures above mine own, with a lighter accent to boot.

“You make ‘em too long.” I retort swiftly, pressing on--idly nudging an empty pizza box out of my path with the aid of my boot. “Can’t be arsed t’ remember ‘em.”

“We’ve gotta be on the same page, bro--communication’s e’erythin’ these days!”

Lots of enthusiasm for someone barely leaving the precious comfort bubble of his makeshift basement...

...Or whatever this slump was.

Three computer screens illuminated a far-stranded corner of the solitary room. You’d barely make out the riled, unkempt bed from the scarce light, a pile of littering, wasted ramen cups, fast-food delicacies and god-forfend what-else scattered beside it.

“Wasn’t kiddin’, though. Got you some actual food, kid. Now, to try this ‘gain sans useless passcodes,” As we both emerge before the blinding rays of the monitors, the pictures of blueprints come into eyesight. I shove the paper bag into the resident’s own paws, thinking no better of it. “Yo. Let’s see what you’ve got for me.”

A rather burly, pale hand curls around the helm of the bag nearly suspiciously. I quirk a brow upwards, but again, think no better of the matter.

“Awh, c’mon--won’t let me eat first?”

“First we work, then we eat.”

“Ye’re more of a Sea Donkey than a Wolf...”

“An’ whyssat?”

“It’d gimme an ‘scuse t’ call ye Sea Ass.”

I shake my head near-whimsically, choosing to opt out of the conversation. I really hope the selfsame humor did not run in the family.

I lay the balls of my palms against the desk, leaning onwards to inspect the screen. Lots of print, in blue. Go figure where it got its name from.

“Right’en, partykiller--what I’ve got fer ye t’day is a proper treat, aye. Witness an’ feast upon the greatest find o’ the century, hacked exclusively byyyy~ yours truly~!”

God, the enthusiasm in his narcissistic voice is difficult to weather down. Here’s to hoping that didn’t run in the family, either.

“So... Dhem, I’m lookin’ at...?”

I squint harder, once more, asserting sheer will against floating, glowing pixels on the monitor. They ain’t something you’d encounter in architecture 101, per se.

“The greatest of all finds, Dornn! Sittin’ on yer ears o’ermuch, bro?” He joins the fray, presenting quite... Eagerly to the monitors with his greasy palm. Ask me not whence from that grease came.

Minus the enthusiasm and eyebags-doubling-as-eyeshadow, he ain’t a far fetch from me in appearance. Go figure, having shared the same cradle, as twins no less.

“These are the prints of M’s Onument Tower! An’ funny story there, too.” He began, that acidic pride back within his voice. “I stumbled quite... Peacefully while lookin’ into an operation of “borrowing” cash from one’a their lesser banks... Especially ‘fter last week, when they’ve conquered an’ cashed in from no less than freakin’ 49 whoppin’ percent of the stock market--oddly enough, the competition rose t’ the same amount ‘swell, leavin’ only a measly 2 percent fer the rest’a the workin’ folk.”

“Huh... Guess they did grow big. Yet, you do realize that such a heist might be just a bit o’er our heads, eh? They ain’t one o’ the competin’, biggest Corps’ fer nothin’ these days.” The response came naturally to me--I’m not too eager to go knocking on the vault of M-Corp’s lesser banks, littlealone their main door. Word has it the mayor’s bent to their will... An’ that’s a word I don’t mean to challenge...

...Yet.

“A’ight, but get this--our lil’ un’erground hacker friends--”

“Your.”

“Aye, fine, my lil’ un’erground hacker friends would delight in this lil’ bit of info. Who knows what they could do with this? Per’aps finally expose the lyin’ whoresons fer what they really are?”

“Ye’re not givin’ that t’ them.” I cut in sharply, and a visage befit of crushed dreams dawns on him--irritation swift to follow by the twitching of his brow.

“An’ what’d ye have t’ say we ought’a do then, huh!? Let ‘em puppet-string the cops at their e’ery whim, roll an’ rile up new gangs t’ get the drug flow steady an’ goin’ around the streets, kidnappin’, slavery, human traffickin’--they’re worse than yer common mafia! Consider ‘em forgiven, eh...? Or did’ja forget who put ye in jail in the first place, eh Dornn?”

He’s got this flair in his eyes... The talk of justice often gets him riled up. Always does it manage to ignite his heart, like it once had done to mine own.

I rise my right hand out of my pocket, planting it atop my collar. There, I fiddle with a dogtag slung ‘round me neck, twirling it around me digits. A final exhale follows, as my own heartbeat descends into a chaotic beat.

“Mask yer address, send M-Corps a lil’ worm, a warnin’--posin’ as yer lil’ hacker friends. Keep the tension ‘tween ‘em still hot, can’t ‘ave it grow stale. While they fight it out, we’ll find ‘nother backdoor in their system. Send a copy t’ Big-B, but keep the o’her siblings outta it... ‘Specially Rally.”

“Not like she’d pay attention, or has e’ersince she got that shiny, new job who-knows-where...”

“That’s a matter fer ‘nother time. Get off yer ass, grab yer guns’n’rifle, we’re “goin’ the distance” this time ‘round.” At this, that spark within his crimson hues is embellished with a brilliant glint, as his hand dives underneath the desk, and then behind it--not the most practical spot to store a sniper rifle, but it’d suffice. It kept him alive to this day, so it had to, I’d imagine.

With a few flicks of the wrist, a smack on the Enter button, and an ungodly burp did the tick confirm the message sent. Soon we set out for the door--two guns holstered at the inner flank of mine own trousers, deftly concealed beneath the coat--and one of his own guns following suit on his person, with his rifle strapped across his broad, towering back. Comes with the Roegadyn package.

Within his other palm, a platinum laptop was held hostage--a quirky alien caricature with its tongue out slapped like a sticker across its front.

As the door unlocks, locks and we make for the car, Dhem sets loose a pent-up yawn.

“By the by, how’s the lil’ snake doin’ in ‘er lil’ lair?” He butts in, earning him a upright-bending brow as I climb into the truck.

“By all ‘ccounts, she’s farin’ well. Rivs can ‘andle ‘erself jus’ fine--an’ we’ll pay ‘er a visit to make good on that ourselves. She’ll be... Thrilled t’ hear the next plan, aye.”

“Right, Dornn. Well, plan’s secured, fake-message’s sent an’--” he pauses, a thousand clouds figuratively beginning to pour down on his mood.

“...What now?” I ask, as the engine roars to life--my gaze fixated briefly upon him.

“...I forgot the food.”

The last thing those alleys saw and heard right then and there was the tension of my truck’s tires against the uneven puzzle of a pavement, complimented by their burnout’s smoke--all the while in the meantime, hundreds of laptops and personal device assistants played witness to yet a new scheme of our own make, unfolding at their isolated screens.

[Involves]: @ladyrivienne

#ffxiv #ffxivwrite2017 #Rhotdornn Hyrtfyrsyn #Rhotdhem Hyrtfyrsyn #Roegadyn #Writing #RP #IC-ish #AU #AU GRID #AU IYS #Sea Wolf #Yes WD is still one of my favorite games as of late

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Quibi Is Coming. Here Are the Famous People Making Shows for It.

Quibi, set to launch on April 6, stands for “quick bites,” which refers to the service’s plan to offer short segments (10 minutes or less) designed for small screens (your phone).But little else about this short-form venture is bite-size. In its first year, the company’s partners (the chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg and the C.E.O. Meg Whitman) are spending more than a billion dollars on content acquisition alone. That’s partly because everyone in Hollywood seems to be doing a Quibi show, including heavy-hitters like Steven Spielberg, Guillermo del Toro, Kevin Hart and Jennifer Lopez.The company has been rolling out promotional announcements and previews all over — including on Twitter, in industry trade publications, at the Sundance Film Festival, and on a screen during a keynote presentation at CES in Las Vegas last month.On Friday, Quibi released its launch lineup, a total of 50 shows that includes Liam Hemsworth’s “Most Dangerous Game,” Queen Latifah’s “When the Streetlights Go On” and Chrissy Teigen’s “Chrissy’s Court.”But this is just a fraction of what Quibi says it will release in its first year. During that time, it plans to put out about 8,500 “quick bites of content” and around 175 new shows — 35 of these shows are “movies in chapters”; 120 are unscripted reality shows or documentaries; and the rest are news and lifestyle pieces, or what they call “daily essentials.”Will all of these shows actually end up happening? Will any of them be any good? Will anyone pony up $4.99 a month (or $7.99 without ads) to watch Quibi?Nobody knows! But at least Quibi has an impressive list of boldface names to tout to investors and potential viewers. Here’s who we know about for now, in alphabetical order. (Others involved in Quibi shows are denoted in bold.)Alexandre Aja: The director is developing a live-action adaptation of the horror manga “Tomie.”Stephen and Robbie Amell: The two actors (and cousins) are doing a spinoff of “Code 8,” their crowdsourced sci-fi thriller about oppressed super-people. The original film’s director, Jeff Chan, will be the showrunner.Eric Andre: He’s expanding his Adult Swim talk show sketch, “Rapper Warrior Ninja,” in which rappers must overcome weird obstacles while freestyling.Will Arnett: Arnett is a Quibi triple-threat. He’s hosting a show called “Memory Hole,” which examines so-called underdiscussed subjects (such as Canada); and he’ll be producing the animated series “Your Daily Horoscope” and a daily late-show recapper, “Late Night This Morning.”Ayo & Teo: The duo behind the viral dance challenge “Rolex” will be hosting “The Sauce,” a cross-country dance-competition series. (Usher is judging and executive producing.)Tyra Banks: She’s starring in and executive producing a docuseries called “Beauty,” which examines standards of beauty around the world and the ways in which they’ve developed.Chancelor “Chance the Rapper” Bennett: He’s taking over Ashton Kutcher’s role in yet another “Punk’d” revival, which will continue to be devoted to pranking unsuspecting celebs.Jason Blum: The Blumhouse impresario executive produced “Wolves and Villagers,” a “Fatal Attraction”-like story starring Naomi Watts.Joel Kim Booster: He’s co-hosting (with Keke Palmer) the rebooted “Singled Out,” which has been redesigned for all genders and sexual orientations across 20 episodes. He’s also writing and co-producing the Fire Island rom-com “Trip.”Guy Branum: The comedian is resurrecting the 2003 rom-com “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.” (He’s presumably not the guy they’ll be losing.)Scooter Braun: The manager of Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande is all over Quibi. He’s producing “&Music,” a music docuseries about behind-the-scenes music people like choreographers, video directors and stage designers. He’s also producing and judging an untitled music competition series, executive producing a celebrity tattoo docuseries and executive producing his client Demi Lovato’s talk show, “Pillow Talk with Demi Lovato.”Titus Burgess: The actor and singer is hosting a deconstructed cooking competition called “Dishmantled,” in which a mystery dish is cannon-blasted into the faces of chefs who must identify and recreate it. (Seriously.) Wolfgang Puck, Jane Krakowski and Rachel Dratch are among the judges for this strange ritual.Bill Burr: The comedian is writing, directing, producing and starring in “Immoral Compass,” a show based on Tyler Falbo’s digital shorts about moral dilemmas.Kay Cannon: The “Pitch Perfect” screenwriter is producing an adaptation of the book “Dead Spots,” which is about a supernatural crime-scene cleaner.Kiari “Offset” Cephus: The Migos member is taking celebrities for a ride with “Skrrt with Offset.” Guests include Cardi B, Dapper Dan, Jay Leno, T-Pain and more.Andy Cohen: After writing the books “The Andy Cohen Diaries” and “Superficial: More Adventures from the Andy Cohen Diaries,” the talk show host is writing and executive producing the six-episode animated series “The Andy Cohen Diaries.”James Corden: His Fulwell 73 company is producing the mind-reading show “Gone Mental with Lior,” featuring the Israeli mentalist Lior Suchard, who regularly stuns on Corden’s late-night show. Unsurprisingly, Corden will also be a guest, as will Ben Stiller, Zooey Deschanel, Kate Hudson and more.Darren Criss: He’s the co-creator, songwriter and star of the 10-episode musical comedy “Royalties.” Amy Heckerling is directing all 10 episodes.Tom Cruise: Quibi is developing a series called “Les Grossman,” about Cruise’s immortal “Tropic Thunder” character. While the service hasn’t confirmed Cruise’s involvement yet, do you think they could do it without him, playaaa? “Thunder” vets Ben Stiller and Justin Theroux were announced to be taking part at CES.Steph Curry: He’s executing producing a docuseries about a basketball team in Newark called “Benedict Men.”Cara Delevingne: The model and actress is hosting and executive producing a practical joke series — working title “Pranks” — in which she’s assisted by a squad of female accomplices.Guillermo del Toro: First Quibi announced that the Oscar-winning director was creating a modern vampire film — working title “Aftermath.” Then Quibi said that it was about zombies. Either way, it’s about the undead, del Toro’s specialty.Laura Dern: She’ll be doing the pouring in Nick Hornby’s bartender series “Just One Drink,” which he’s writing and executive producing. Dern is also executive producing.Adam Devine: This comedian is angling for a Darwin Award with “Bad Ideas with Adam Devine,” an adventure/travel show in which he puts himself and some famous companions in precarious positions (like wearing yummy chum in piranha-infested waters).Zac Efron: He reportedly nearly killed himself making “Killing Zac Efron” — requiring a medevac to a hospital in Australia after living off the grid in Papua New Guinea for this adventure/survival series.Idris Elba: He’s facing off against the rally car driver Ken Block in “Elba vs. Block,” an eight-episode series featuring stunt challenges like the Flaming Obstacle Course and the Wall of Death.Peter and Bobby Farrelly: The sibling directors are helming a suicide comedy called “The Now,” starring Dave Franco, Bill Murray, Daryl Hannah and O’Shea Jackson, Jr.Jon Favreau: His company Golem Creations is executive producing “Micro Mayhem,” a series devoted to stop-motion animated toy car chases, along with Seth Green’s company, Stoopid Buddy Stoodios.Dexter Fletcher: The “Rocketman” director’s involvement with an unspecified film was announced at CES.Will Forte: He’s co-starring with Kaitlin Olson as home renovators who luck into a cartel stash house in “Flipped,” one of the first shows available on launch.Ron Funches: The comedian is hosting a game show called “Nice One!,” in which comedians like Chris Hardwick try to toast, not roast, each other.Evan Funke: The celebrity chef is pursuing his obsession in “Shape of Pasta.” (Take a peek at about 18 minutes into this.)Antoine Fuqua: He’s executive producing the $15 million drama “#Freerayshawn,” starring Stephan James as a framed Iraq vet and Laurence Fishburne as a hostage negotiator.Seth Grahame-Smith: The author of “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” is executive-producing “The Last American Vampire,” focusing on a vamp-F.B.I. team-up.Catherine Hardwicke: She’s directing and executive-producing the 14-episode sci-fi thriller “Don’t Look Deeper,” starring Don Cheadle and Emily Mortimer.Mary Harron: The “American Psycho” director is helming “The Expecting,” a horror film about a disturbing pregnancy starring AnnaSophia Robb.Kevin Hart: He’s producing, writing and starring in “Die Hart,” playing a would-be action hero version of himself who takes classes from John Travolta’s action-school coach. (It’s an expansion of the opening scene of his film “Kevin Hart: What Now?”)Liam Hemsworth: The “Hunger Games” star is the hunted prey “Most Dangerous Game,” a retelling of a classic short story with Christoph Waltz playing the mastermind in one of Quibi’s first shows to launch. May the odds be ever in his favor.Michael Hirst: The “Vikings” creator is developing the historical drama “Charlemagne.”Boyd Holbrook: He’s playing a man wrongfully accused of terrorism (and pursued by a detective, Kiefer Sutherland) in a reboot of “The Fugitive.”Rosie Huntington-Whiteley: The model and actress is hosting and executive producing a show about beauty icons with the working title “The Go See.”Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson: He’s executive producing an animated adaptation of the graphic novel “Trill League,” about a team of black superheroes.O’Shea “Ice Cube” Jackson: His involvement with an untitled heist series was announced at CES.LeBron James: He’s producing a docuseries about his Ohio school called “I Promise.”Kendall and Kris Jenner: The model and her mother, Kris, are executive producing a parody series about the impersonator “Kirby Jenner,” who pretends to be Kendall’s fraternal twin on Instagram. (A Twinstagrammer?) Ryan Seacrest is also executive producing.Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson: He’s executive producing a Hawaii-set comedy called “Last Resort,” along with Paul Feig.Joe Jonas: He’s expanding his Instagram travelogue of the cities explored on tour with “Cup of Joe,” along with guests such as Tina Fey and Jack Black.Rashida Jones: The writer-actress and her writing partner Will McCormack are executive producing a flower design series called “Centerpiece,” in which such guests as Ava DuVernay and Maya Rudolph create floral centerpieces with host Maurice Harris of Bloom & Plume.Anna Kendrick: She’s executive producing and starring in the comedy “Dummy,” playing a woman who becomes buddies with her boyfriend’s sex doll. (Get a glimpse of it here.)Liza Koshy: The “Liza on Demand” star is hosting a moving-floor-based dance competition called “Floored.”Kevin Kwan: The “Crazy Rich Asians” author is examining elite brands’ familial dynasties with “Empires of Luxury.”Queen Latifah: She’s starring as a police detective investigating a double murder in “When the Streetlights Go On,” one of the first shows available at launch. Chosen Jacobs and Mark Duplass co-star.Thomas Lennon: Another Quibi M.V.P., he’s starring in and writing both the “Reno 911!” revival and the Napa Valley comedy “Winos.” Wendi McLendon-Covey is also producing and co-starring in “Reno 911!”Doug Liman: The director-producer is adapting a Steven Gould story for “Crazy Talented,” in which psych ward patients discover their mental issues are actually superpowers. His 30 Ninjas company is also producing “Don’t Look Deeper.”Jennifer Lopez: She’s executive producing and participating in “Thanks a Million,” a pay-it-forward-style show that will feature guests such as Nick Jonas, Yara Shahidi, Gabriel Iglesias, Kristen Bell, Tracy Morgan, Karlie Kloss and Aaron Rodgers, who pay back people who’ve helped them out along the way.Demi Lovato: Her talk show, “Pillow Talk With Demi Lovato,” will explore body positivity, gender identity, social media, activism and more.Miles “Lil Yachty” McCollum: The rapper is starring in “Public Figures,” a comedy inspired by events of his youth.Jed Mercurio: The “Bodyguard” creator is developing a sci-fi thriller, “Transmissions,” about a scientist who’s receiving signals from deep space.Cam Newton: The Carolina Panthers quarterback is executive producing and participating in the sports series “Iron Sharpens Iron,” pairing athletes from completely different sports to train together. (For example, Newton with Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young, U.S. Women’s National Team captain Carli Lloyd with U.F.C. champion Amanda Nunes.)Trevor Noah: The “Daily Show” host is executive producing and starring in a comedic travelogue about his interactions on tour — the working title is “Canceled.”Will Packer: He’s executive producing a Donald Sterling documentary called “Blackballed.”Jim Parsons: He’s executive producing the comedy “The Monarchy Is Going To S***.”Travis Pastrana: The motor sports star is hosting the Nitro Circus stunt show “Life-Size Toys.”James Patterson: The author is an executive producer on the adaptation of his book “Toys.”Paula Pell: She’s the co-creator and star of the comedy “Mapleworth Murders,” about a mystery writer who just so happens to have homicides committed in her vicinity on a disturbingly regular basis. Her “Saturday Night Live” colleagues (such as Fred Armisen, Maya Rudolph, Tim Meadows and Tina Fey) pop by as characters to be accused — or killed. Lorne Michaels and Seth Meyers are executive producing.Sam Raimi: He’s executive producing the horror anthology “50 States of Fright,” exploring folklore and urban legends from around the country, starring Karen Allen, Rachel Brosnahan, Asa Butterfield, Rory Culkin, Taissa Farmiga, Travis Fimmel, Ron Livingston, Elizabeth Reaser, Christina Ricci and Ming-Na Wen.Megan Rapinoe: The soccer star is hosting a docuseries about young athletes called “Prodigy.”Ryan Reynolds: His involvement with an unspecified animation project was announced at CES.Nicole Richie: She’s executive producing and starring in the comedy “Nikki Fre$h” as her rapper alter ego. Her husband Joel Madden’s music company is overseeing the music.Adam Rippon: The Olympic figure skater is hosting “This Day in Useless Celebrity History.”Kathleen Robertson: The actress is writing and executing producing the remake of 1995’s “Swimming with Sharks” starring Kiernan Shipka and Diane Kruger.Michelle Rodriguez: Her involvement with a show called “Ten Ton Chum” was announced at CES.Justin Roiland: The “Rick & Morty” co-creator makes “Gloop World,” a clay animation show where two blobs are roommates, with Seth Green’s Stoopid Buddy Stoodios.Anthony and Joe Russo: Inspired by the Reed Tucker’s book “Slugfest: Inside the Epic, 50-Year Battle Between Marvel and DC,” the “Avengers” directors and brothers are exploring comic book rivalries on “Slugfest.” Pow!Andy Samberg: He’s hosting and executive producing a single-bite cooking competition called “Biggest Little Cook-Off.” (In other words, quick bites. Get it?) He also appears on “Mapleworth Murders.”Ridley Scott: He’s executive producing the gaming thriller/horror “CURS_R,” about a computer survival game that tricks players into playing for their lives.Steven Soderbergh: He’s executive producing the thriller “Wireless,” about a crash survivor (played by Tye Sheridan) trying to communicate on his smartphone. (Get a glimpse at about 27 minutes into this.)Steven Spielberg: He’s creating a horror series — working title “After Dark” — that will unlock on phones only after the sun has set in the viewer’s location.Veena Sud: “The Killing” showrunner is the creator, writer and director of the ride-share thriller “The Stranger,” starring Dane DeHaan as a sociopath terrorizing his driver Maika Monroe.Jimmy Tatro: He’s the co-creator and star of “Junior High,” an expansion of his YouTube series, and a co-star on “The Now.”Chrissy Teigen: She’s the judge presiding over small claims cases in “Chrissy’s Court,” where she rules on real-life cases. Teigen’s mother Vilailuck acts as bailiff in the 10-episode series.Sophie Turner: She’s starring as a suicidal plane crash survivor who has to find a will to live in an adaptation of Alex Morel’s “Survive,” one of the first shows available at launch. Corey Hawkins co-stars.Gabrielle Union: She’s executive producing “Black Coffee,” a comedy about a former basketball star who opens up a coffee shop.James Veitch: The comedian known for his spam email Ted Talks hosts the “Q-Talks” comedy special, co-starring Regina Hall, Lisa Kudrow, Niecy Nash and Kristen Schaal.Sasha Velour: This “RuPaul’s Drag Race” champ is hosting and executive producing an eight-episode drag revue called “NightGowns.”Mark Wahlberg: He’s executive producing “Run This City,” a docuseries about Jasiel Correia II, the former mayor of Fall River, Mass., who during his term was charged with fraud, bribery and extortion.Lena Waithe: She’s exploring sneaker culture in the docuseries “You Ain’t Got These,” with guests Carmelo Anthony, Billie Jean King, Hasan Minhaj, Questlove, Nas, Mike Epps and more.Alexander Wang: The fashion designer sets his talk show, “Potty Talk,” in the bathroom.Allen Strickland Williams: He’s the creator of the comedy “Unmatched,” about people who refuse to settle down.Reese Witherspoon: The actress-producer — who is married to Quibi’s head of content acquisition and talent, Jim Toth — is hosting “Fierce Queens,” a docuseries about female animals who lead their packs or pods (hyenas, humpback whales) as well as the femme fatales who dine on their mates (fireflies). Toth, beware!WWE wrestlers: Wrestlers — Sasha Banks, Brie Bella, Nikki Bella, Alexa Bliss, Sonya Deville, Charlotte Flair, Nia Jax, Becky Lynch and Natalya — team up with young women to help them become stronger in “Fight Like a Girl.” Read the full article

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