#its a good show???? its a really well made show?????? check out beast wars song of the summer??????

[istherewifiinhell]

Dinobot lived, proved he did not live in a deterministic universe, destroyed the voyager golden record, INVENTED THE STONE AGE, served cunt, and died.

#some shit #its not called cisformers #i... can and will elaborate... im. im reeling. im in awe..... um. #its a good show???? its a really well made show?????? check out beast wars song of the summer??????

[makeste]

BnHA Chapter 292: You Say Jeans

Previously on BnHA: Horikoshi was all “well anyway here’s that Touya reveal I foreshadowed like a million years ago, viva la 2020.” Dabi was all “hello world, I’ve killed 30 people and today I’m going to explain to you all why” before he proceeded to explain ABSOLUTELY NOTHING but everyone was so distracted by his tale of child abuse and hero conspiracies that they didn’t much seem to notice. Can’t Ya See-Kun’s Shark Friend was all “IS THIS THE END OF HERO SOCIETY AS WE KNOW IT”, and Horikoshi was all “STAY TUNED”, and then Dabi set himself on fire and leaped off of Machia’s back like the chaotic evil, I-just-bleached-all-my-brain-cells weird little fire man he is, ready to burn everyone to crispy bits before they could even react properly to his whole big revenge speech. Fortunately he did not succeed on account of THE RETURN OF THE JING, THE JOAT, BEST FUCKING JEANIST, back from the dead by popular demand in what critics are calling “the best fucking comeback since Jesus himself.”

Today on BnHA: Best Jeanist snatches up Machia and the rest of the League with his fiber steel cables before you can say “more like BEAST JEANIST amirite.” Dabi gets all worked up and lights Hadou on fire which is a real JERK MOVE, and is all “THIS RIGHT HERE IS ALSO ENDEAVOR’S FAULT”, which, NOT SUPER CONVINCED ON THAT, BUT OKAY. Anyway so then he burns up all the cables holding him which is crazeballs btw, and then he and Shouto start fighting, and so basically the whole thing is a literal hot mess and we’ll see how that goes. Meanwhile Tomura wakes up and summons some Noumus, and poor Jeanist has to deal with those on top of the still-attempting-to-rampage Gigantomachia, and everyone else is all “we can’t help you on account of we’re all half dead”, and so it’s looking really bad. And then -- and I can’t stress enough how much I don’t even have the faintest idea how to segue into this next part -- the chapter ends with Mirio!?! just sort of POPPING UP OUT OF THE GROUND all, “SURPRISE, BITCH”, and it literally was so surprising that I am still just kind of speechless. WELL-PLAYED, I GUESS, lol wtf.

lol okay so the first page in the RHA scan is just the “three musketeers” movie promo image that we all already saw a few days ago. but it does confirm that (a) it is indeed a movie, and (b) that it’s set for a summer 2021 release! how exciting

okay so now back to our special Dabi edition of Making a Murderer

“ray of hope” oh hell yes. SAVE US MR. JEANIST

I guess he had a TV in his private hero jet or something?

gotta say, “dammit Dabi” does not even remotely sound like Authentic Best Jeanist Dialogue to me though. gonna need Caleb to see to this. well but what do you guys think? does Best Jeanist curse?? I personally feel like he’s one of those guys who NEVER EVER swears no matter what, except under the most hilariously trifling circumstances. like he’s eating an avocado one day and he accidentally stains the cuffs of his beloved jostume green and he’s all “FUCK”

btw how fucking rich is Best Jeanist though that he has his own fucking plane? the thought just suddenly occurred to me, you know? like even Endeavor, whose agency has its own on-site luxury apartment suites for all of his interns, still drives around in a dinky little car that Bakugou has declared to be too small. which, I guess we know why he felt that way now, seeing as the guy he previously interned with apparently gets around in Jeans Force One

anyway so back to the part where Jeanist shows up to save the day!! YEAH JEANIST WOOOOO

ILU JEANIST YOU REALLY ARE THE BEST!! HUGS AND KISSES!!!

lmao we just saw Gigantomachia take out like a hundred guys not ten chapters ago. and Best Jeanist shows up and takes him down in like two seconds. HOW DO YOU LIKE THEM APPLES LEAGUE OF VILLAINS. BET YOU’RE WISHING YOU’D TAKEN HIS QUIRK NOW, AFO. GET FUCKED YOU OLD SPUD

KACCHAN IS SO HAPPY TO SEE HIM AWW

SIDE NOTE, IIDA, YOU AND I ARE GONNA HAVE WORDS LATER ABOUT YOU ACTUALLY AGREEING TO PUT HIM BACK DOWN. YOU DO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS CHILD IS STILL DRIPPING BLOOD ALL OVER THE PLACE FROM HIS MULTIPLE STAB WOUNDS, RIGHT? WAY TO ASSERT YOUR AUTHORITY THERE. I THOUGHT YOU WERE THE CLASS PRESIDENT NOT THE CLASS CLOWN, COME ON NOW

LMAO DABI IS FRANTICALLY TRYING TO DO THE PLOT MATH

SHOULDA CHECKED MORE CLOSELY MY GOOD MARK. LOOKS LIKE YOU MISSED THE “MADE IN CHINA” STICKER ON THE BOTTOM. YOU HAVE BEEN BAMBOOZLED. OR ACTUALLY, I GUESS THE MORE ACCURATE WORD HERE IS JAMBOOZLED, AHAHAHAHA. JEANS

HOLY SHIT DABI

I legit almost thought that was Tomura for a second. you two look so alike now with the white hair and the crazy eyes

meanwhile, Shouto is still crying and it’s a lot to take, you guys. lotta feels

ffff come on Jeanist you better do something awesome again here, the mood of the chapter is starting to slip now

YES, GOOD, THAT’LL WORK

WELL YOU TELL ME, SPINNER. I GUESS THAT MEANS BEST JEANIST IS OFFICIALLY THE STRONGEST CHARACTER IN THE SERIES NOW. SORRY I DON’T MAKE THE RULES

ffff now Spinner is trying to wake Tomura back up. nah, how’s about we not do that

OH MY GOD HADOU YESSSS

MY GIRL OUT HERE WITH THE “NO THANK YOU” BOUT TO CURBSTOMP THE BIG BAD WITH HER QUIRK KSFHLKLK WHO HERE HAD “HADOU SAVES THE DAY” ON YOUR WAR ARC BINGO CARDS, YOU LOVE TO SEE IT!!

HEY!!!!

fucking son of a... fffkfkff... someone please reassure me that fire isn’t Hadou’s weakness. someone. anyone. also could someone please dial an ambulance and send them to Horikoshi’s house. but not just yet. first I’m gonna need you to wait about fifteen minutes or so while I take care of some things

well all right then, Dabi. so you wanna go on then and explain to us all how this, too, is somehow Endeavor’s fault?

oh I see, you’ve decided that since he’s responsible for “creating” you, everyone you hurt and kill is in truth really being hurt and killed by him! well now, that sure is convenient as fuck I guess

(ETA: that’s a nice effect with the panel sides getting all warped by Dabi’s quirk though, just noticed that.)

amazing how quickly you used up that sympathy card my guy. Shouto please kick his ass, I’m fucking done lol, you can all sort out the rest in therapy later

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE DIAL BACK DEKU’S EMPATHY STATS JUST A LITTLE BIT, HOLY --

“TODOROKI-KUN IS HURT THE MOST”, HE SAYS, WITH HIS ARM BONES SHATTERED INTO LITTLE TOOTHPICK-SIZED PIECES. I MEAN, HE’S PROBABLY TALKING MORE ABOUT MENTAL ANGUISH GIVEN THE CONTEXT HERE, BUT STILL. THAT’S ENOUGH HEROICS FROM YOU ALREADY FOR ONE DAY

NOOO JEANIST

LOTS OF SMOKE IN THE AIR RIGHT ABOUT NOW AND MY BOY’S STILL DOWN A LUNG. GOD DAMMIT

“if the number one suffers a total loss here, this country will fall to pieces” well okay, real talk though, I think the “country falling to pieces” part is pretty much unavoidable at this juncture. you all are just gonna have to try your best to pick up those pieces after the fact and see what you can do with them. if I were you I’d be less worried about the number one’s reputation and more concerned with the half-dozen child soldier interns who are still on the field and very much at risk of being burned to death should you suffer that “total loss.” please try to keep it together here for them

OH FOR FUCK’S

I really thought RockLockRock was gonna come into play here. USE YOUR QUIRK TO LOCK THE ROPES IN PLACE YOU DIP!! if he seriously just sits there and does nothing when his quirk could be the deciding factor I am cancelling his useless ass cute kid or no cute kid shfkjdls

(ETA: is he even there?? did he and Manual just hightail it out of there?? “well good luck, children.”)

also, we’ll put this aside for now to perhaps speculate about later, but what’s with Tomura remembering his dad’s house yet again in that far right panel?? and being itchy again?? I still have yet to fully work out the psychological mechanisms at work as far as his itchiness goes, so I’ll admit this is intriguing to me. it seemed like it was connected to his decay quirk, but then why is it acting up again now. what is this lol

yuh oh

forgot about these guys. looks like these heroes aren’t having such a fun time

oh fucksticks

excuse me ma’am but I don’t like this. you do know that my kids are all there, right. all burnt and impaled and broken-boned and the like. well except for Iida. he’s fine still. BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN I FEEL LIKE WATCHING HIM GET TORN APART BY FOUR HIGH ENDS, WTF

HORIKOSHI YOU MOTHERFUCKER I SWEAR TO GOD

god fucking... okay look. Horikoshi. you win, okay!? congratulations, you win, this is your show and we’re all just sitting here at your mercy. fine. go ahead and just kill off everyone ever, then!! what am I even gonna do about it. stop reading?? fuck

this whole thing really went from zero to fucked before I could even blink huh. I really thought this was gonna be a turning point chapter for the heroes. shows what I know I guess??

meanwhile this motherfucker is just SCREAMING

ngl, if I wasn’t currently terrified on account of things suddenly taking such a drastic turn for the worse, this would be the coolest fucking thing I’ve ever seen. Jeanist my man, I hype you up like it’s my job because you are the greatest fucking meme character in the history of time, but make no mistake, you are also highkey WORTH ALL THE HYPE AND THEN SOME

seriously, though. don’t fucking mind him you guys, he’s just standing here in the coolest pose of all time taking on Gigantomachia all alone with one fucking lung because the substance pumping through his veins is COLD-BLOODED LIQUID DENIM, and DENIM FEELS NO FEAR

Best Jeanist really needs to get his own theme song. -- oh my god I just finally thought of a title for this post. lmao and it’s the dumbest thing. omg

MEANWHILE THE TODOROKI BROS ARE OFF IN THEIR OWN DRAMATIC LITTLE FIRE WORLD

which one do you think is the Mario and which is the Luigi. well, but I mean, Dabi clearly thinks that he’s the Luigi though and that’s why he’s so mad. nobody wants to be Luigi. what a life

THAT’S IT, SHOUTO!! POINT OUT ALL OF HIS HYPOCRITICAL BULLSHIT, I WANT ANSWERS

JUST TO CLARIFY, IT’S THAT NATSU, NOT SOME OTHER NATSU!! SO WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF!!

OH, WELL IN THAT CASE

BUT OF COURSE. THAT WOULD MAKE IT ALL WORTHWHILE, holy shit. okay I’m just gonna go ahead and say it, Dabi is a piece of work. I really thought this arc would make him more sympathetic at long last, but it seems like it’s doing just the opposite?? this is like an anti-redemption arc. I don’t relish the thought of venturing into the fandom tags once I finish reading this lol

(ETA: well folks, I’ve done it. and actually it was pretty interesting because there are apparently like ten different things that people are mad about, and so it’s like. each post is a new adventure lmao.)

so Shouto is all “BRUH HAVE YOU COMPLETELY LOST IT” and Dabi is all “YES”, basically? like, he says he’s completely lost his feeling for anything. omg. but you were so sweet. how does that even happen

“finally I can kill you” okay for real what the heck is your damage bro?? can we not. I like Shouto just the way he is, un-killed

oh shit and now the Noumus are here

cue Bakugou diving in to save his mentor, STAB WOUNDS BE DAMNED!! actually it would make more sense for it to be Iida, but if Kacchan is really fixin’ to go full Shounen Dumbass here then he might as well go all out, y’know

-- unless of course, Deku decides to activate another quirk??

“last I checked, the main character of this series was still me” OH? WELL I SUPPOSE THAT IS TRUE, SO PRAY TELL, WHAT HAVE YOU GOT LEFT UP YOUR SLEEVE YOU SUICIDAL BRUSSELS SPROUT

fucking love how he’s all “HAHAHA WITH MY NEW QUIRKS I CAN STILL DO STUPID SHIT EVEN WITH MY ARMS AND LEGS GROUND TO A FINE POWDER” btw. what can I say. Deku gonna Deku

FMMFHDKUHK W H A T

HOLY SHIT. HOLY FUCKING SHIT. WHAT THE WHAT. QUE THE FUCK

(ETA: okay look, all the love in the world to the brave scanlators who take time out of their lives to translate the leaks every week just so we can read the chapter a couple of days early like the addicts we are. that said, translating Mirio’s signature “POWER!!” -- which was already written in English in the original scan -- to “POG-CHAMP” is just a whole new level of wtfuckery from them lmao. is the Lida person back at it again?? amazing.)

MIRIO!?!?! SHOWS UP TO SAVE THE DAY?!?! POGS HIMSELF UP OUT THE GROUND TO BEAT THE NOUMUS LIKE IT AIN’T NO THING. JUST LIKE WE ALL PREDICTED!? I’M SORRY, DID YOU NOT SEE THAT COMING?? YOU MEAN TO TELL ME YOUR DAILY HOROSCOPE FROM ASTROLOGY DOT COM DIDN’T HAVE THAT ONE IN THE CARDS?? WAS IT NOT OBVIOUS?? TODOROKIS PLUS BEST JEANIST EQUALS MIRIO??

hot damn. Tintin really saw the writing on the wall with the impending Dabi Discourse and was all “NOT SO FAST” lmao. “HERE’S A BRAND NEW THING FOR YOU ALL TO DISCOURSE ABOUT” MIRIO YOU WILD CHILD. YOU GLORIOUS THUG

MEANWHILE LET’S NOT FORGET WHAT MIRIO HAVING HIS POWERS BACK ACTUALLY IMPLIES. HOLY SHIT. SUDDENLY WE CUT BACK TO ALL MIGHT’S OFFICE, ALL THE WAY BACK AT UA. ERI BRANDISHES HER TOKOYAMI-GIFTED BUSTER SWORD, A DETERMINED GLEAM IN HER EYE. “I HEARD YOU WERE TRYING TO HAVE A GIRL POWER ARC WITHOUT ME.” OH. MY. GOD

#bnha 292 #best jeanist #todoroki touya #dabi #todoroki shouto #midoriya izuku #hadou nejire #toogata mirio #bnha #boku no hero academia #bnha spoilers #mha spoilers #bnha manga spoilers #makeste reads bnha

[metalandmagi]

Summer 2019 Anime Worth Watching

Summer is here, and with it brings another new season of anime! In case you’re feeling lost and want to find some new shows to pass the time, here’s some of the anime I think are worth checking out...because some really good shows tend to fly under the radar. I think there’s some genuinely interesting stuff this season, so hopefully you’ll find something you like too. 

I also have a Winter list and a Spring list and a fall list now!

And here’s my master list for 2020

New Shows!

Given: A *cough* BL *cough* romance anime in which tsundere highschool guitarist Ritsuka Uenoyama is on the verge of losing his passion for music when he stumbles upon the sleepy-eyed Mafuyu Sato who constantly carries a guitar around that he doesn’t know how to play. Drama and musical shenanigans ensue. This was by far my most anticipated show of the season, because I happen to have read a few chapters of this manga and liked it a lot. The only reason I stopped was because I wanted to hear the music in this music oriented story...so naturally the anime makes me very happy. Not only is it sweet and cute with great animation, but it’s also hilarious. Sato is also basically a human incarnation of a lost puppy, and you just help but fall in love with him and the other characters! AND NOW WE HAVE TWO GAY MUSIC SHOWS THIS SEASON! 

Dr. STONE: An action adventure anime that takes place 3,700 years in the future after the world is struck with a mysterious phenomenon that turns the entire human race to stone. Our protagonists: the genius, scientific minded Senku Ishigami and the muscle-y comic relief Taiju Oki, must find a way to rebuild civilization and turn humanity back to normal using the POWER OF SCIENCE! It’s fun, good looking, and way more interesting than I thought it would be. I’m not very attached to the main characters yet, although it’s still early. I’m mainly sticking around for the plot, the comedy, and the answers to the crazy amount of questions I have after watching the first episode!

Fire Force: An action/drama where super powered fire fighters must protect Tokyo from people who are spontaneously combusting while our hero Shinra must find out who started the fire that killed his mother. More than anything, I’d say this show is definitely worth watching for the cinematography and action because almost every second has been high flying dynamic animation that really grips you. It reminds me a lot of Soul Eater, the story and characters have a lot of potential, and you know an anime will be good when the girls have muscles too!

If it’s for My Daughter, I’d Even Defeat a Demon Lord: Can you tell it’s based on a light novel? A slice of life set in a fantasy world where an adventurer named Dale stumbles upon an adorable lost little girl in the woods, who happens to be branded as a criminal. So of course Dale basically adopts her and tries to find out how she came to be with him. It’s basically fantasy School Babysitters without the tragic depth to it (but there’s room for potential). Yes, this is definitely the most wholesome show of the season, but it’s to be expected considering it’s basically Japan’s latest attempt to get people to have more babies. Personally, the most interesting aspect of this show is the fact that Dale and his “daughter” can’t speak the same language. Unfortunately, the light novel ends up pulling a Bunny Drop...so I sincerely hope the anime doesn’t try the creepy romance factor. So for now, if you feel like puking up some rainbows, give this one a try. 

To the Abandoned Sacred Beasts: An action drama where, during a civil war, one side used “forbidden technology” to enhance their soldiers and basically turn them into badass monsters. The only problem: the soldiers who were turned start to lose their humanity and end up killing humans for the fun of it. Now our protagonist must hunt down his fellow soldiers and kill them before it’s too late. Honestly, this show has some pacing issues and can be a bit stilted in terms of its character interactions, but what kept me watching was the last 5 minutes of the first episode. I was so not prepared for the roller coaster that was the first episode’s ending, and now I’m extremely intrigued. Besides it’s made by MAPPA so I would at least give it a couple episodes to see if it’s for you.   

Vinland Saga: The story of a young boy named Thorfinn’s journey to become a great warrior and while the adults deal with going to war. IT’S THE ONE WITH THE VIKINGS!!! It basically feels like a darker, grittier viking version of Moana. I’ve heard literally nothing but praise for this manga for so many years that my hopes skyrocketed as soon as I heard Wit was doing the adaption. And it has definitely lived up to the hype so far! It’s a great action historical drama to fill the void after Dororo. The only problem is no one will watch it because it’s on Amazon Prime.

Kochouki: Wakaki Nobunaga: A fun brightly colored historical anime about the famous warlord Nobunaga when he was a young teenager. I honestly don’t know what the tone of this anime is going to be from here on out, because it’s going to go from “fun thieving shenanigans with pretty boys” to leading people into battle, but it got me interested. I know putting Nobunaga in an anime isn’t exactly original, but this one seems like a fun ride...and it looks gay as fuck. 

And I have to shout out some that haven’t premiered yet...just in case...

Try Knights: This one doesn’t come out until the end of July, but you bet your ass I’m going to be watching it because it’s an original anime about PRETTY BOYS PLAYING RUGBY! And I have a feeling it’s going to be very... different from the other resident rugby anime All Out. 

Yokai Ningen BEM (Humanoid Monster BEM): Okay, this one’s not out yet either, but the trailer had a really cool vibe to it, so I’m including it anyway. It’s a remake of the 1968 anime in which a group of yokai who look like humans fight crime in the big city. If nothing else, the music is cool, and it’s made by Production I.G, so why not?

*UPDATE* The first episode finally dropped, and holy crap I’m so into this. It’s basically Durarara mixed with Psycho Pass mixed with Bungo Stray Dogs. The first episode has me completely hooked!

Next seasons and continuations!

As always there are some leftovers from the spring season that are continuing into the summer that I highly suggest!

Carole and Tuesday: The musical sci-fi anime directed by Shinichiro Watanabe wherein a rich runaway named Tuesday meets a streetwise girl named Carole, and the two decide to start a band together. Now Carole and Tuesday must rise to stardom in a world dominated by android created music. It was by far my favorite new show of the spring, and if you can find a way to watch it (because it’s still not available legally anywhere aside from Japanese Netflix apparently) I wholeheartedly recommend it. It’s got the best and most diverse music I’ve seen in an anime in a long time, an interesting setting (apparently it takes place in the Cowboy Bebop universe!?), and very well rounded fun characters. And I'm dying for a soundtrack release with all the songs!!!!

Fruits Basket 2019: Yes, the remake of the classic 2001 anime in which a girl moves in with a family who can turn into animals from the zodiac is getting a full run. And thank God because I just can’t say goodbye to it after only 12 episodes. It is so stunningly beautiful in both animation and story subjects that I don’t know what I would do without it. The characters feel so much more fleshed out, and I feel like I learn a lesson about life each week even though I already know most of what’s going to happen. If you never watched the original because thought you were too “cool” to watch a shoujo anime, give it a chance. Because if you think it’s just a generic love triangle romance show, you couldn’t be more wrong. The reboot is so good at portraying different kinds of love and how the presence of love and family can change lives AND IT’S JUST SO FREAKING GOOD! 

Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba: In case you missed Ufotable’s newest project, this is a shounen anime that follows a young boy named Tanjiro and his sister Nezuko who has been possessed by a demon and their journey to turn Nezuko back to normal while fighting demons along the way. I still feel like this is a pretty basic shounen anime story wise, but I really like the characters, especially the villains. It has some of the coolest fighting/power mechanics I’ve seen in awhile, and the animation is very cool and different!

Ace of Diamond act 2: Our favorite shounen baseball anime is continuing into the summer. And I have very mixed feelings about this season so far. We are getting some fun new characters and some great scenes with the team, but the games are very...choppy and rushed. Apparently this is how it goes down in the manga, and we’re in for some good Sawamura development...but it’s still touch and go for me personally.  

That’s it for now. Most of these are available on Crunchyroll, except Vinland Saga, Carole and Tuesday, and Kochouki: Wakaki Nobunaga. Since Try Knights and Yokai Ningen BEM aren’t out yet, I don’t know where they will be available legally. 

See you next season!

#long post #anime recommendation #summer 2019 anime #ace of diamond #demon slayer #kimetsu no yaiba #fruits basket #carole and tuesday #try knights #yokai ningen bem #kochouki: wakaki nobunaga #vinland saga #to the abandoned sacred beasts #katsute kami datta kemono-tachi e #if it's for my daughter i'd even defeat a demon lord #fire force #dr stone #given #given anime

[aj-anime-blog]

To the Abandoned Sacred Beasts - Review!

First review here we go!!

So, after being completely and utterly obsessed with Jujutsu Kaisen and AOT season 4, I decided to check out MAPPA studios and watch a bunch of stuff from their roster. My so-called "MAPPA binge" included this strange and unknown piece: Katsute Kami Datta Kemono-tachi e, or in English, To the Abandoned Sacred Beasts. An adaption of a manga originally released in Bessatsu Shounen (you might recognize this as the magazine that released Attack on Titan!), it looked pretty promising. I do have to admit that I didn't read a page of this anime's manga, though the art style on it looks gorgeous!!

The concept behind the show: A war has torn two halves of a nation apart, split into the North and the South. The Northerners, who were previously greatly outnumbered in battle, created a half-human, half-beast species known as "Incarnates" because of their God-like abilities. But the Incarnates begin having some issues when their beast forms take over their bodies, turning them into monsters. When the war ends, our protagonist, Hugh Hank, an Incarnate and previous captain of the Incarnate squad, swears to kill all of his mutating Incarnate buddies before they can destroy the world.

This review will not contain spoilers until the labeled "Spoiler" section at the bottom.

In general, what do I think?: 4/10, this show kinda sucked. Ouch! I hate being that blunt! Especially on my first review here! But To the Abandoned Sacred Beasts (let's call it TTASB from here on out!) had glaring flaws that, while it did hold up as a show, made it uninteresting and hard to love. Not only were the characters mediocre and boring, but the show seemed to contradict itself and its own opinion of the Incarnates all the time! Are they bloodthirsty monsters that need to be killed? Are they misunderstood humans who should be given peace? I don't know! Our main characters don't seem to either! Other than the "war bad" motif that gets shoved down your throat from episode one, the show felt stagnant in what it was trying to make the audience feel.

I hate being so cynical about it, though, because it does still earn those 4 points! Even though a lot of it falls flat, as a whole, it's still an ok show! Hank and Schaal have good concepts and their dilemmas are interesting in certain parts when the writers manage to nail pits and pieces of their development! The fight scenes were cool and I think that the concept for the world was neat! And the show does have a pretty cool title. Let's be honest, To the Abandoned Sacred Beasts sounds super metal.

So what about those characters?: 5/10! Hugh Hank and Schaal are our two main protags for the show, and they both have pretty interesting concepts! Hank is an Incarnate, he used to be the leader of the other Incarnates, and he made a vow with them that when they lost their minds, he would kill them himself. Schaal is the daughter of one of these Incarnates that fought under Hank. Interesting, right?! How could these two opposing characters get along with one another?

TTASB tries to give the two of them a sort of grumpy-old-mentor-teaches-a-cheery-youngster relationship (which, admittedly, is one of my favorite tropes) and manages to forget everything good about having this kind of relationship. To start, it feels like Schaal has next to no reason to be tolerating Hank, and vice versa. She follows him around because *insert some excuse about understanding the Incarnates?* and Hank lets her because *insert I really don't know*. It really feels like Schaal doesn't need to be there, and she's just a plot device to move along Hank's character development.

Then, the two of them never really interact in ways that really moved me. It never felt like they made a deeper connection that meant something to the plot. They interacted, sure. They spoke about their issues, yeah. But it never felt like Hank needed Schaal, or that Schaal was emotionally tied to Hank, until the show spoonfed it to you that they were.

In the end, neither of their developments felt compelling or interesting. There were a few scenes that maybe, if you squinted, hinted towards them growing as people, but for a 12 episode anime, it was very menial. It also felt like said scenes were fairly forced, with their development not really leading them to the point that they ended up at. Again, TTASB has a bit of an issue with contradicting itself.

The villain was so meh. He has a motive, yeah. It's pretty lame. He's not compelling at all. Nothing about him is interesting or kept me hooked on him. The show probably could've existed without him, to be entirely honest. I don't really have much else to say about him! I just did not really care about him at all.

The best characters in the show are hands-down the supporting cast of Incarnates. Each one has fairly interesting motivations, and even though they're only given an episode or so to tell their stories, they feel the most genuine. My biggest qualm with them is that the show doesn't build their connection to Hugh Hank at all, so when he gets emotional over them, you're kind of like "uhhh u know this guy??". More about this down in our spoilers section, as I'll go over a scene where this is prominent.

So characters were meh, but what about the story itself?: 4/10, just as meh. Again, very interesting! Lots of potential! But it fell flat where it mattered. To be clear, just before we dig deeper: the 12 episodes of TTASB isn't the entire story. It's clearly intended to be continued, though, as of writing this, I haven't been able to dig up any news about a potential season 2.

I don't really mind if animes aren't completely original, as long as they're fun, but TTASB didn't really do that. A lot of the episodes felt boring and reused like it was a watered-down copy-paste of other material. Some episodes were repetitive and seemed to be trying to hammer in the same themes, only to be later contradicted by other episodes. TTASB will spend a few episodes showing you how misunderstood and sweet the Incarnates are and then have an episode where an Incarnate murders a bunch of people. I would love it if it was, in any way, shape, or form, sarcastic, but it is not. TTASB just thinks it can get away with the blatant disregarding of its own morals. It only ends up feeling disconnecting and frustrating.

It follows an almost monster-of-the-week style format for introducing the Incarnates, which does them a bit of a disservice, in my opinion. I really would have liked it if there was a bit more overlap between the Incarnates and their stories! We know that they're all very close (or, at least, the show tells us that they are without really showing us) so seeing them interact with one another outside of their respective episode would've been fun!

The story tries to be darker and grimier than it actually is. I didn't end up caring much for the nation itself and much of the politics that the show tried to utilize felt boring and, again, watered-down. It felt like the show wanted to make it a political drama about war and human rights and only ended up shying away from what makes those genres impactful. Again, this isn't to say that TTASB's story is bad, it's just not as good as it could've been.

But it's MAPPA, so the art has to be good, right?: Yeah! Art was cool! Nothing golden, like MAPPA's newer stuff, but a solid 7/10! The fight scenes were nice, and even though a lot of them felt redundant to watch, they were still smooth! I have some qualms about a few of the Incarnates' beast forms (especially Hank's) looking like they belong back in 2001, but they still looked cool nonetheless.

I don't really have much to say on this front! Nothing really blew me away, but I never looked at the screen and winced away.

Ok and finally, pacing!: 4/10. 12 episode animes always have tricky pacing to them. I like to think about the show being pretty much only 5 hours long, which isn't that much time to cram in as much story and plot as they might want to. Overall, TTASB actually had pretty decent pacing, with a long enough build-up that led to a final showdown. If you ask me, I do think there was a pacing problem in the second half, as it felt far too stretched out, but that could've just been my perception of it.

My biggest issue with pacing loops back to the characters again. They're never really given time to explore or build up relationships. Especially not Hank and his prior team of Incarnates. I think that there should've been more screen time dedicated to their time in the army, to better explain the emotional distress that he's going through as he's forced to hunt them down. Instead, TTASB relies on a throwaway line or scene to deliver this emotional blow, and it nearly always falls flat.

Music!!!!: 6/10, The soundtrack in this anime really wasn't memorable and I don't remember much from it. Whoops!

I did like the opening a bit! It was done by Mafumafu, who I think has done a Pokemon intro song? Either way, it was energetic and fit the theme of the show well! The ending is also a bop, now that I'm thinking about it! It manages to be nostalgic and sad without being too slow! So good music on both fronts!!

OK, now we're in spoiler territory! Be warned!

I don't have too much to say regarding spoilers. Nothing in the show really feels important enough that I have to mention it under a spoiler tag. A few small notes, I suppose.

The show treats Hank like the more important character but then throws him away in his "death" to focus on Schaal, which was a very frustrating episode. Schaal felt so bland and useless in it, even when she faced her father again. Bringing him back to life felt like a sad excuse to force her into character development. I did like it when she found the courage to shoot him, but I also thought that it wasn't really as emotional as the show wanted it to be.

Hank's connection with Schaal, particularly in the second half, feels completely unnatural and forced. When she gets kidnapped, he has some sort of mental breakdown over her and it, if anything, felt creepy. It was undeserved and was forced down your throat rather than built.

Beatrice was the best character in the show and I think that if they stuck to ideas like hers (misunderstood creatures who just want to go back to their old lives), the story would have been much better. Instead, you switch to characters like the Gargoyle Incarnate, who just goes on a murder spree, and it ruins a lot of the development that Beatrice brought to the table.

& our deep deep look at one part: Forgive me if I get this screwed up a bit, it's been a weekish since I finished the show and my brain dumped out all details of it already.

Hugh Hank goes to the mountains and fights the Garmr Incarnate, Rex (Roy? I'm a bit confused on his name), in an epic show-down. Obviously, at the end of it, Hank wins, killing Rex. Now, if you're like me, you sat there for most of the fight going "who tf is Rex and why is this battle important?" and only at the very END, when he's dying, do you see a clip that you might remember from the very beginning of the anime, with Rex talking about Schaal. You go "oohhh I know who he is!" but you wished that you remembered this ten minutes ago when the fight started because it would've been so much more impactful. The show didn't remind you of this scene. It didn't tell you that Rex was this same person that you already met. It expected you to remember, and I didn't. This scene sums up a lot of the character problems with the show, where even if something does have emotional weight, the show doesn't act on it.

Now we're done!: Sorry if this was harsh, but that's my full review on To the Abandoned Sacred Beasts! I'd love to hear if you agree with me or think that I'm totally wrong! If you've read the manga, tell me if it's better or worth a read! And thanks for reading!

(The crossed-out "Hugh"s are all of the times that I got Hank's name wrong! I'm not super great with character names, but I always take it as a bad sign when I screw up the name. )

#anime #mappa #studio mappa #to the abandoned sacred beasts #to the abandoned sacred beasts anime #review #anime review

[sweetteaanddragons]

Day 3 - Celegorm

@feanorianweek Day 3- Celegorm > Weapons, Survival, Uncle/Nephew relations, Childhood, Hunting, Orome & Huan, Strength & Beauty, Wickedness, Love/Unrequited 

Coincidentally, today is also the third anniversary of this blog! Which is a little exciting. I had no idea I’d been on here so long.

. . . 

Any other time, riding through the forest as fast as he could without fearing for his horse would be a joy.

This time, however, they were running away, and there was little Celegorm found more galling.

But the battle had turned against them, and there’d been little choice but to retreat, and if they were going to keep the pursuing forced of the enemy off their backs, they had to go fast.

What few of them that were left, that was.

About two dozen were riding behind him, no more, and none of them were his brothers. In all the confusion, he’d been separated even from Curufin.

He growled under his breath. There was no use thinking about that. Not now.

The wind shifted and carried with it the sound of battle crashing somewhere to their left in the trees. Celegorm turned his horse towards it immediately and held up a hand to signal his men to do the same.

A good fight was just what he needed, and he saw flashes of red between the trees.

Feanorian red. It was their own people who were in trouble.

He pushed his horse faster.

He caught sight of their banner between the trees. 

Maglor’s people. Maybe Maglor himself. 

But the orcs had found them first.

Celegorm let out a war cry and urged his horse into the fray.

With the fighting spread throughout the trees, he wasn’t sure how many there were or who was winning, but in the moment, it hardly mattered. All that mattered was the swing of his sword through flesh, the spray of blood in the air, and the way his own blood raced to meet it.

One dead, two dead, three dead, and his face split in a fierce grin as here, at last, he got to do what he’d been longing to do since they’d fled -

The orcs swarmed towards him, blood light in their eyes, and he charged forward to meet them. 

Four, five, six - 

And then he was falling from the saddle, ripped from it, claws tearing into his leg even as they threw him down.

From the left. He was always forgetting to look to the left -

His side would be one immense bruise, but he’d fallen on top of the short-sighted beast and knocked them both to the ground. He didn’t have room for his sword, so he lunged forward and bit deep into its neck with his teeth, ripping and tearing and not caring about the black blood that bubbled into his mouth. 

The orc shuddered and went still. 

He spat his mouth clear and stumbled to his feet. HIs sword was still in his hand, he realized belatedly, that was good -

Someone hurtled into him, and he nearly fell to the blood slicked ground again with the force of the collision. He spun, sword ready, but he checked himself just in time. 

Maglor.

He’d come in from his left, pushing Celegorm clear of a blow, and his own sword was already cleaving the head of the orc who had attempted it.

The thing’s head made an audible thud as it fell to the ground. The rest of the skirmish had started to fall into silence.

He checked his surroundings thoroughly this time before concluding they were clear and finally turning to face his brother.

“Well met,” he said cheerfully, but he choked on the words even as he said them.

Maglor hadn’t just pushed Celegorm clear of the blow.

He’d gotten in the way of it.

The orc’s sword had bitten deep into Maglor’s shoulder. Blood didn’t show easily on Maglor’s red tunic, but he could see it even so, spreading far too fast into the cloth.

“Well met,” Maglor said faintly, and he swayed dangerously towards the ground.

Celegorm was there in an instant to lower him down to the grass more gently. He ripped off his own cloak and found a spot on the inside that was still more or less clean to press against the wound. An infection would be bad, but if they couldn’t stop the bleeding, that would be far worse.

“My lord?” someone cried, and he couldn’t be bothered to see if it was one of Maglor’s people or his own.

“Bandages,” he barked out now. “Now. If there’s a proper healer, I want them, and if there’s not, someone grab my horse and get my pack. Go!”

He had herbs in there that would help. He spent too much time hunting in the wilderness not to have learned a few of the basics, just in case.

The blood of Alqualonde might keep his brother from songs of healing, but plants were far less judgmental than songs of power. They’d work for him just fine.

“You weren’t guarding your left,” Maglor said in a voice that would have been far more accusatory had it not been so faint.

Celegorm grimaced. Huan does that, he wanted to say, but of course he didn’t. Not anymore. He should be used to that by now.

“How did you make it through the battle?” Maglor went on, sounding almost scandalized by his flawed swordsmanship, and his tone almost made Celegorm want to laugh.

“Curufin,” he explained, pressing harder on the wound and ignoring Maglor’s flinch. “He guarded it for me.”

Maglor’s eyes darted around hopefully. “He’s here too?”

He shook his head tightly and gave only a bare grunt of acknowledgement to the hands that thrust his leather pack down beside him. “No.” He couldn’t put pressure on the wound and find the supplies he needed. He didn’t dare take the pressure off for even a moment, so he tore his eyes away from Maglor’s whitening face to see just who had brought it to him.

Lariel. Perfect.

“You know what I need,” he said. “Don’t worry about the rest of it, just get it ready as soon as possible.”

She nodded tightly and dumped the pack onto the grass, sorting through its contents with quick, sure movements.

He turned back to Maglor to see that he had gone even paler than blood loss warranted. 

“Curufin. Is he - “

“He’s fine,” Celegorm cut in. “Or he had better be. We got separated in the retreat. Have you - ?”

Maglor shook his head, just a fraction. “You’re the first,” he said, and then he bit his lip to hold back a cry as Celgorm’s weight shifted and sent what must have been a new wave of agony through his arm.

There was far too much blood seeping through the cloak.

“Hey,” Celegorm said roughly, and he had to resist the urge to shake him.. “Hey, look at me. Remember what I told you when Maedhros was . . . gone?”

Maglor took a shaking breath. “That I should stop trying to be him because I couldn’t pull it off half so well?”

“That too,” he admitted. “Drop the stoic act already, you don’t have the face for it like he does.”

Maglor actually laughed, a sound that turned into a choked back scream as the movement rattled his shoulder.

“Yeah, like that.” Lariel finally pressed the paste smeared bandages into his hand, and he shook his head and handed them back to her. On three, he mouthed. “I meant the other thing,” he said, while he counted off the beats in his head.

“What other - “

He moved aside quickly, and Lariel was there in the next instant, pressing the improved bandage down and tying it tight. Once she was done, Celegorm was right back in his old place, pressing on the new bandage.

Maglor’s hand hands were tensed into fists from the pain, but he hadn’t cried out again.

He really had picked up too much of Maedhros’s stoicism. 

“I told you,” Celegorm said as if they had never been interrupted, “that you weren’t allowed to die and leave me as the oldest. And since we haven’t found Maedhros yet, the same rule applies. You’re not allowed to die yet.”

“Not until we find Maedhros,” Maglor agreed faintly. “Then we renegotiate.”

“Sure,” Celegorm said placatingly. “Whatever you want.”

It wouldn’t be changing anything, but as long as Maglor hung on, they could talk about whatever he liked.

#celegorm #maglor #nirnaeth arnoediad #post-nirnaeth arnoediad #fic #silmarillion #really inaccurate medical treatment #hurt/comfort #feanorian week #canon compliant

[talpup]

Lost Song:12

Summary: The war between the Dragons and Griffons ended 233 years ago, and both races right along with it.

Or so it was believed. There are three individuals that will soon change that.

Kai is the last of the Dragons and he seeks to take what he sees as his rightful place and rule over all of Oblvi. Meanwhile, Shouta, the last Sphinx, wants nothing more than to do his job; keep the peace and and teach the young Fourth’s to hopefully avoid the mistakes of their ancestors. And Teris, a Foundling who is just trying to understand and survive in this strange new world that is supposedly her own.

All three have their own wants and desires, but Kai’s plans, Teris’ existence, and Shouta's past mean that none of them may get what they want.

This fic is rated explicit and has warnings of sex, violence, and other possible triggers.  For a full list of story tags please check the fics AO3 (link to that at the top of my tumblrs homepage).

12.1

Kai exited a side door and met up with Hari.  Whiffs of smoke blew from the Dragon’s nostrils at the memory of Teris and Shouta's arms brushing while the two stood side by side, the Sphinx regularly moving to shield Teris from his view.  Teris might be part of Shouta's Ilca.  But she was his.   And yet Shouta had managed to keep her by him the entire gathering.

He had no doubt Shouta had given Teris that dull, disgusting bracelet. The thing wasn’t even worthy of being on some detestable mutt Hybrid like Nedzu.  It certainly didn’t belong on a proud, pure blood Beast like Teris.

Kai swore that if he hadn’t killed the Sphinx by the time he reclaimed his throne.  The first order of his reign would be to end Aizawa, finally do away with all Sphinx kind.

The only thing that had gotten Kai through the trying afternoon was imagining what he would do to Teris this evening after Ryuu left.  He imagined her pretty lips wrapped around his cock.  Making her look at him as he fucked her sweet face.  She had done well in combating Shouta's attempt at keeping her from agreeing to dinner.  But she had stayed by Shouta's side.  Had accepted Aizawa's gift and worn it.  For that she would be punished. And Kai could think of no better punishment than having her choke on his cock.  It wasn’t as if he could punish her more directly.  At least not yet.  Though the thought of spanking her ass raw and fucking her from behind while she screamed his name and cried out in apology was something he looked forward to doing when things progressed.

“Did you find out who was doing the inspection?”  Kai questioned.

Uneasy as he was, Hari bravely met Kai’s eyes.  “We did our best.”

“And was your best good enough?”  Kai asked, knowing if it had been Hari would've answered with a name.

Hari swallowed and shook his head.  “No, Sir.  I’m sorry and take full responsibility for the failure--”

Kai’s hand wrapped around the Arepyiai’s throat cutting off his words and air supply.  “You’re damned right you’ll take full responsibility.  I left it to you to see the Ilca learned who was doing Teris’ inspection. Yet you’re telling me you’ve failed.  That out of my nine Ilca members no one was able to discover a simple name?”

Hari gurgled, but to his credit didn’t attempt to fight off Kai’s choking grip.

The Dragon’s eyes slitted.  Gold scales appeared along the back of his hand.  Nails lengthened into deadly talons that pierced Hari’s skin.  “How am I suppose to threaten or buy a person off if I don’t know who they are?  Do you like the idea of my future mate being subjected to some filthy Fourth's roving gaze?  Maybe you’d prefer Teris undress and walk the grounds of Traverseen Hall for all to see?”

Hari shook his head as best he could.

“What part of mine do you not understand?  Teris is mine. No one should be allowed to look upon her but me.  And yet because of your failure--”  Sensing someones eyes on him, Kai turned.

Hizashi sucked in a breath, emerald eyes widening further. He had been waiting out in the garden for Oboro to return.  The Venti said he had a gift for him.  Hizashi hadn’t meant to listen in.  In fact he hadn’t heard anything.

Teris had said Kai was kind and gentle.  But what Hizashi saw was far gentle and kind.  He stupidly ducked behind a shrub as if he and the Dragon hadn’t already locked eyes.  He had wondered why Shouta didn’t like Kai. The Sphinx always admonishing Teris on what time she was to return from lessons with Kai; as if she were some child with a curfew.  Was this why?  Because Shouta knew Kai was violent and harsh?

Kai’s eyes returned to human.  The scales on his hand disappeared.  Talons shrinking back to nails.

Releasing Hari, Kai took out a handkerchief and he wiped his hand clean. “Return to the dorm.  I’ll deal with you later.”

“Yes, Sir.”  Hari nodded.

“And Hari.”  Kai called.

Hari turned back.

“Set another place for dinner.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Cursing his lack of care, Kai made his way to the distant shrub. “Hizashi.  Isn’t it?”

Hizashi’s eyes squeezed shut.  Where was Oboro?  He sheepishly stepped out from behind the bush. “Yeah.  And you’re Kai, right?  The one tasked with instructing Teris.”

“Teris makes it more of a pleasure than a task.” Kai said, wondering what if anything the Hybrid overheard.

Hizashi's eyes darted about looking for someone to come to his aid.  He was usually great with meeting new people.  But after what he saw...

“About what you heard--”

“I didn’t hear anything.”  Hizashi said.

Relieved, Kai went on.  “Well, I’m sorry you had to see that.  I tend to take sterner measures when the protection of a ladies virtue is at stake.”

Hizashi's lowered ears lifted and twitched.  “A ladies virtue?”

“You don’t think I go around treating my Ilca so cruelly all the time do you?  What has Teris been telling you about me?”

“No, no!” Hizashi shook his head.  He laughed, relieved.  Though still unsettled, it gave reason to what he saw.  “Teris speaks rather highly of you.”

A low hummed sounded in Kai’s throat, such things always nice to hear.  “You wouldn’t happen to know who ‘s doing her inspection.  Would you?”

Hizashi frowned and shook his head.  He didn’t know what Teris’ interview and inspection would entail.  But the words coupled with Shouta's darkening mood as today drew near told him it wouldn’t be pleasant.  “I wish she didn’t have to go through it.  It’s all because they can tell she’s some pure blooded beast from an ancient species.  If she were a Hybrid like me and had some telling marker in her human form.  Like my ears.  Maybe they would have some idea what she was and wouldn’t have to go through it.”

Kai’s lips tightened a fraction.  The thought of the dirty Hybrid feeling sorry for Teris and wishing such a disgusting disgrace of mixed blood on her was an insult. “I’m hosting a dinner for her this evening.  Hopefully it will help take her mind off today's ordeal.”

“That—that sounds really nice.”  Hizashi said, wishing he’d thought of it. Maybe Kai wasn’t so bad.

“I’d like for you to come.  I know Teris thinks you a close friend and having you there would undoubtedly make her happy.”

Hizashi brightened.  “Is Shouta going?”

Kai paused but was able to keep his irritation with Hizashi and hate for Shouta from showing.  “The aim is to lighten Teris’ spirits and make her happy.  Do you think his presence would aid in that?”

Hizashi's smile fell.  It would if the two quit being so stubborn and admitted their feelings for each other, he thought. But as things currently stood, Kai had a point.  “Do you like her?”

“That’s a rather personal question.”  Kai replied.

“She’s my friend.”

“Which is why I would like us to get to know each other.”  Kai said.

“So you do like her.”  Hizashi said.

Kai wasn’t about to belittle his feelings to something as juvenile as like.  Nor was he willing to tell Hizashi his plans to Bond with Teris; fully aware the Hybrid would tell her and Teris wasn’t ready to hear it.  Instead, Kai said.  “I want to see Teris happy and think she deserves the best, same as you.  More than that I can and will give her those things and more.”

Hizashi wasn’t sure how he felt about Kai liking Teris.  Sure he had suspected it.  And with the way Teris talked, he could tell she had a bit of a crush on Kai in return.  But he had seen Teris and Shouta together.  They could be so perfect if only they stopped being so stupid.  Still, it was Teris’ life.  If she chose to be with Kai either for friendly release or as a companion, Hizashi would support her.  So long as Kai was a good guy.  And accepting Kai’s invitation to dinner was just  the chance Hizashi needed to decide if Kai was a good guy.

Thinking a short apology to Shouta, Hizashi smiled. “Thanks for the invite.  I’d love to go.”

“Good. I’ll see you and Teris at six.”  Kai turned away, pleased with the exchange.  Distasteful as it would be having a filthy Hybrid in his Ilca dorm, he was well aware what Hizashi meant to Teris. Winning Hizashi over would only help speed Teris’ sense of ease and comfort which would quicken her acceptance of their eventually mating.

12.2

Shouta glanced at the window gauging the passage of time.  It had been nearly an hour but Teris’ interview felt like it had gone on much longer.  Seated beside her, Shouta hoped the questioning was near its end.  That was until he remembered what awaited her after.  Sharp eyes looked over the five visiting Council Elders seated at the table before them.  He wondered which Elder would be doing Teris’ inspection.  Much as he hoped it would be His Purple Highness, Shouta wasn’t holding his breath.  He was never that lucky.

Along with the five visiting Council members was Elder Yagi.  Also a member of the Council, the Talos was acting more as host for these proceedings than anything else.  At the end of the long table was Director Nedzu and Arbitrator Todoroki Enji, who were there more as witnesses to the interview and hadn’t said a word unless direct questions were asked of them.

Facing the line of Council members felt more like facing a firing squad. Though few questions were asked of him, Shouta couldn’t shake the invading memories of his own interview.  The fear his younger self had felt got the best of him twice already.  Making his heart hammer till the rush of blood drummed in his ears drowning everything else out.

“Tell us, Aizawa.  Has Teris shown any hinting of her true form?  Scales? Feathers?  Fur?”  Destro asked.

“No.” Shouta lied without pause or regret.

“Why don’t you speak plainly and just ask if she’s shown sign of being a Griffon, Dragon, or Sphinx?”  Ryuko asked the Basilisk.

Eyes on Shouta, Destro prodded.  “Well?  Has she?”

“No.” Shouta said.

“Having once served the Dragons and raised one myself.  I can say with certainty that our young Foundling here is not a Dragon.”  Ryuu said.

“Nor is she a Sphinx.”  His Purple Highness put in.

“And what about a Griffon?”  Destro questioned.

Shouta’s fingers twitched, eyes on some distant detail in apparent disinterest.

His Purple Highness looked at Destro. The Basilisk’s might’ve served the Dragons during the Dragon-Griffon war.  But Destro had become leader of the species after the Fall of Crowns.  Whether it was because Destro had been leader for only 233yrs and felt the need to prove himself. Or because the Basilisk truly held such beliefs. Destro had been the most vocal Council member when Shouta and Kai faced the Elders. He vehemently argued the then young Sphinx and Dragon should be put to death for the sake of continued peace.

“The Griffon’s are dead.  A lost species.”  Mera said, wishing for the interview to end so he could go to his rooms and sleep.

“So were the Sphinx's and Dragons until Ryuu and His Purple Highness found and saw different.”  Ryuko said.  The Amphiteres might’ve served the Dragons during the war.  But Ryuko liked to think she and her species had lost their servant mental to the Dragons; while holding no animosity against Kai for his species past deeds.  “What’s to say Elder Yagi hasn’t done the same?”

Yagi coughed.  The Talos’ long ago injury that was slowly killing him making him cough blood into a handkerchief.

“May I remind you, Yagi didn’t find Teris.  She was found in earth and brought to Oblvi by a Derrick.  You can hardly fault Yagi for that.  Or did you young ones forget Traverseen Hall was build near one of the only two physical gateways connecting Oblvi to earth?” His Purple Highness asked.

Ryuko didn’t mind being called a young one. When one had lived as long as His Purple Highness, everyone was young.  Still, she didn’t like her intelligence being called into question.  “I’m aware.”

“So why question if Yagi’s done the same?  Surely you’re aware any Foundlings or issues coming through either gateway are handled by the area Elder.  Yagi just happened be unfortunate Teris was brought through the gateway here. It’s not as if he didn’t inform the rest of us immediately.” His Purple Highness said.

“Unlike some.”  Destro remarked.

“I informed the Council of my finding Shouta as soon as I was able.” The Dryad King said.

“After you unspelled him.”  Destro said.

“I’m flattered you think my physique strong enough to carry a stoned Sphinx through an untamed forest and back home.”  His Purple Highness sarcastically flirted.  “It’s not as if I secretly hatched a Dragon egg and raised the youngling for several years before informing the other Elders.”

Ryuu frowned at the Dryad.  “Your species served the Griffons during the war.”

“And yours served the Dragons.  Save for the Sphinx's, there isn’t a species of Fourth that wasn’t guilty of choosing a side.  And every single one of us here helped hunt the Sphinx's down for it during the war.” His Purple Highness said.

“Is that why you unspelled the Sphinx?  Out of some sense of guilt?” Destro asked.

“This is an interview about the Foundling.  Can we please stay on target and get this over with?”  Mera murmured, tired eyes slipping closed.

Looking at His Purple Highness, Ryuu went on. “You were quite high up the ranks, if I remember. A close and trusted friend of the Griffon King.”

“That was a long time ago.”  His Purple Highness said.

“But surely you remember well enough what the Griffon species smells like. All we’re looking for is some assurance Teris isn’t one.”  Ryuu said.

Shouta's eyes lifted to his mentor.  Air catching in his lungs he force himself to breathe.

Everyone at the long table, seated across from Shouta and Teris, turned to the Dryad King.  Destro and Ryuu leaned forward to get a better look at the Fourth.

His Purple Highness stared at Ryuu.  There was a toying glint in the Tengu’s challenging gaze.  With a blink His Purple Highness realized Ryuu somehow knew Teris was a Griffon.  How?  And why wasn’t he outing her?  Was Ryuu setting him up to deny Teris was Griffon in attempt to claim he was a sympathizer to the fallen crowns and traitor to the Council?

“Well?” Mera pressed, eager to be done.

“Teris’ hereditary scent smells like no Griffon I’ve ever smelled.”  His Purple Highness truthfully said.

Ryuu’s shimmering eyes smiled at the Dryad King.  His Purple Highness expected a follow up question to try and ensnare him.

Instead Ryuu blocked further questions before anyone could ask them. “Well, I’m satisfied.  If no one has anything further?  Good.”

Mera was already standing and gathering his papers.  “In that case. We’re done.  Director Nedzu, thank you for the use of the room. Thank you everyone for your time.”

“And her inspection?”  Destro looked after the already departing Mera.

“Happening in the next room over.”  Mera said with wave and a yawn.

Mera gone, Ryuko looked at the fellow Elders. “So who’s doing it?”

Shouta's shoulders sunk.  There went his hope Teris would be inspected by the sole woman in the group.

Teris was so relieved the interview was over she didn’t hear the name of the Fourth inspecting her.  She felt Shouta tense beside her.

Lips hidden by his capture weapon, Shouta attempted to assure the both of them. “It’ll be alright.”

Teris barely heard Shouta’s murmur.  His deep timber a comforting balm while his words set her back on edge.  What had she missed?  Who was doing the inspection?

Getting to his feet, Shouta turned and held a hand out to her. “Just keep the bracelet on.  Understand?”

Teris nodded.  Her eyes lowered to Shouta's upturned hand.

For a second Shouta thought she wouldn’t take it.  He silently cursed himself for the unthought action.  But then Teris’ warm hand nestled in his. Shouta's nerves ignited in delight. His fingers curled around hers.  He pulled her to her feet and didn’t let go.  Turning around he led her out the room and down the hall to the next door.

Teris rushed to keep up with Shouta's longer stride.  Grateful when he stopped, she faced him, breathing hard.

“Out of breath from a short trek.  We should train more.”  Shouta murmured.

Teris weakling tried to pulled her hand out of his. “I know you’re an ass.  But you’re just saying that to irk and take my mind off things.”

“Is it working?”

“No.”

Shouta stepped to her, hand letting go of hers to wrap around her waist. “How about now?”

Teris’ face heated.  The Sphinx wasn’t playing fair.  “Maybe.”

“Maybe?” Shouta hummed.

Teris shivered, feeling the deep vibration of his chest.

Shouta's other hand slinked up her arm.  “Should I up my game?”

“Are you capable of it?”

Shouta chuckled, lowly. “Oh, Kitten.  I’m getting up right now.”

He held her tighter.  His hardening length prodding her pelvis.  Teris sucked in a breath.  Her legs squeezed together, hips dancing.

Shouta bit back a groan.  There had been something he wanted to tell her. Something important.  But he couldn’t think with her rubbing against him.  The smell and warmth of her overwhelmed in the best of ways, drowning everything else out.  “Keep the bracelet on.”

“You already said that.”  Teris breathed.

Shouta swallowed, trying to remember what he wanted to say.  His head began to dip, eyes focused on her tantalizing lips. Teris’ head lifted, tilting ever so slightly.

The door behind her opened.  Shouta's head jerked up. Teris turned.  Eyes widening, she pressed back into Shouta.

Remembering what he wanted to say Shouta whispered into the back of her head. “Whatever the reason, if it becomes too much.  Leave. I’ll be waiting out here and will deal with whatever may come.”

Teris looked back at him.  She knew Shouta, like Kai, was watched by the Council.  But until today she hadn’t realized the Council's goodwill still determined their continued existence.  If Shouta went against the Council…

“Are you ready?”  A male voice asked.

Shouta looked at the man, fighting a low growl.  How the hell was the Anzu preforming the inspection?  He wasn’t an Elder.  He merely worked for the Council.

Straightening her back, Teris turned and met Hawks’ gold eyes.  Shouta felt a wave a pride at the way she fearlessly faced the Anzu.

Hawks watched Teris step to him. Holding her breath, she passed him and entered the room.  Hawks’ eyes flicked to Shouta.  He smiled at the Sphinx.  Shouta's lip twitched, battling a snarl.  The Anzu cocked his head at Shouta's unaffected stare.

“Feel free to go about your day.  This may take a while. I plan on being exceedingly thorough.” Hawks goaded.

Shouta's hands balled into fists in his pockets.  Claws formed and embedded in his palms.

Hawks’ eyes narrowed a fraction at the non-reaction.  He smiled crookedly and shrugged. “Or stay and use your imagination.”

It took every ounce of restraint Shouta had not to bust down the door as soon as it snapped shut.  The Elders exited the interview room drawing his attention.

While the others filed off in the opposite direction, His Purple Highness made his was to Shouta.

The tension in Shouta's shoulders eased. Annoying as His Purple Highness could be, the Dryad had been something of a parental figure.  Well, more like the embarrassing Uncle that made open innuendos in polite conversation and forgot children were around.  Still, His Purple Highness had done more than unspell him and argue for his life.  He had given Shouta a home.  The beginnings of a new pack to help ease the pain of the one he’d lost.

The Dryad King smiled warmly. “That interview couldn’t have been easy for you.  You did well.”

“It was Teris’ interview.”  Shouta said.

“She did well too.”

“She did.”  Shouta agreed.

“You should tell her.”

“Tell her what?”

“That she did well.”  His Purple Highness said.

Thinking the too proud Griffon likely thought she did well in everything she did, Shouta huffed.  “She already knows.”

As he spoke, the Dryad added, voice mixing with the Sphinx.  “And that you love her.”

Shouta looked at the Fourth and blinked.  “What?”

“What?” His Purple Highness echoed.

Shouta's eyes narrowed at the Dryad’s overly innocent expression.

Certain Shouta had heard him, His Purple Highness went on.  “Still, her interview had to have brought back memories of your own.”

“Maybe a bit.”  Shouta begrudgingly admitted.

“I remember the day I found you hidden in a crevice deep inside that mountain cave.”  His Purple Highness didn’t speak of the cave-ins, rubble, or multiple bones that had once been Shouta's home and pack.  “Curled up and put to stone, you looked so tiny and helpless.  It was clear you had been spelled not just for protection, but out of a great love and sense of hope. Even being put in hibernation during what had surely been a terrifying time, you looked peaceful holding that--”

Shouta's eyebrows furrowed.  He had been holding something?  What?  He didn’t remember holding anything.

His Purple Highness chuckled, trying to cover and divert from the slip. He would tell Shouta about and give him the Griffon feather he’d found him with.  But not now.  It was far too dangerous for both Shouta and Teris.  “You were a dirty mess but still one of the most beautiful and precious things I’ve seen in my life.”

Shouta’s scowled with an embarrassed blush.  He ducked into his capture weapon trying to hide his flushed cheeks. ��Grateful his hair covered his warming ears.

“You’re getting sentimental in your old age.”   Shouta muttered dryly.

“Deciding what to do with you was one of the hardest and easiest things I’ve done in my existence.”  Thinking again of Teris’ feather clutched in Shouta's small hand, His Purple Highness said.  “As soon as I unspelled you I thought I’d regret it.  But I never did.  Not even when faced with the fear and anger of my fellow Council Elders.  Even now, after everything. I don’t regret it.”

“You mean after I’ve grown into a gruff grouch?”  Shouta said with a toothy smile most found creepy.

“Well… Now that you mention it…”

The two chuckled.  Shouta's low and short.  His Purple Highness’ light and long.

“I’m almost sorry you’re leaving tomorrow.”  Shouta said.

“Well, now that you mention it.”  The Dryad grinned.

Shouta's expression darkened. “I said almost.”

“A King has duties to his people, Shouta.  There’s a Harvest Moon tomorrow.”

Shouta cursed.  With everything going on, he’d forgotten.

Oblvi had four Harvest Moons a year.  One for each season.  While most species only celebrated one Harvest Moon.  Many elementals and species carrying a tie to the land celebrated all four.  The fall Harvest Moon would be celebrated with bonfires and dancing.  And of course release.

Many revelers would attend in their true form.  It’s why humans took to wearing masks on the day.  To appear like the ‘evil spirits’ they saw and not be set upon.  But that was a long time ago.  Thankfully travel to earth was now limited and illegal without proper pass. Though their were occasionally those that snuck through.

“You should come.  You could use some fun.”  His Purple Highness said.

“Walking around a forest full of loud, excited Fourth's is hardly what I call fun.”  Shouta remarked.

“Hizashi is half High Elf.”

Shouta cursed again.  High Elf’s were connected to the land.  Of course Hizashi would want to and should participate.  The celebration was more than just a festival. It had a physical effect on the Fourth's linked to nature.

“Teris should attend too.”  His Purple Highness said.

“No.” Shouta's heckles rose at the thought of Teris accepting some revelers invitation to participate in the orgy known as the Sowing.

“I understand that Kai is instructing her.  But as her Ilca leader you should be taking part in her learning.”

Shouta's lip twitched, biting back a snarl.  Mind still on the Sowing, he imagined all the ways Kai was instructing her.  It certainly didn’t help that Teris had returned yesterday smelling of sex and Kai.

“Bring your Ilca and just attend for the tamer beginning festivities.” His Purple Highness said. “Think of it as a lesson for Teris, and way to support Hizashi.”

Though he had denied His Purple Highness in the past, Shouta didn’t like to.  He owed the Dryad.  Even now His Purple Highness looked out for him.  The least he could do was suffer an hour or two at the Harvest Moon Festival.

“Fine.” Shouta growled.

12.3

“Alone again.”  Hawks smiled, seductively.

Trying to hide her unease Teris blustered.  “If you kiss me again I’ll kill you.”

“I’m hurt.  Like that lip you bit when I kissed you.  I’m nothing if not professional, Teris.  Now undress.”

“What!” Teris shrunk back clutching the neck of her tank top.  She wished she’d worn more covering clothes.

“It’s an inspection.  What’d you think I’d be looking over?  Your resume?”

Teris swallowed.  Her show of fear was giving him too much power.  The Anzu’s toying smile and dancing eyes told of his enjoyment at her discomfort.  Lowering her hand she met his shimmering gold eyes.

Hawks’ eyes narrowed.  Anger and distress often caused a small show of a Fourth's true form.  It’s probably why the Council Leader decided he would perform Teris’ inspection.  Because he was good at playing with emotions and getting under peoples skin.  But if Teris was going to bury her unease thus denying the opportunity of some display of her true form, then he had no other choice but to go through with the inspection.  Not that he minded.

Teris looked Hawks over in judging distaste.  “So are the Anzu some newly recognized species?  I thought Hybrid’s were the only ones incapable of perfect human form.”

“Wow! Do you speak to Hizashi with that mouth?”

Teris grimaced.  She really didn’t care.  But given how much Kai made of it, thought it would be a sore spot to needle Hawks with.

“My species is a new old.”  Hawks said, conversationally.

“A what?”

“Not new.  Not old.  And definitely not ancient.  The wings and eye markings a show.”  Hawks said of himself.

“Show of what?”  Teris asked.

“You can put on that robe.”  Hawks nodded to a covering hanging off the back of a chair.

“Show of what?”  Teris pressed.

“Do you really wanna draw this out?  Aizawa’s probably stayed standing outside.  Waiting.  Wondering.”

Teris lifted her chin.  “I just want my question answered.  Show of what?”

Hawks smirked.  Proud.  Stubborn.  Entitled.  He ticked the traits off in his head for later scrutiny.  “Undress.”

“Turn around.”

Hawks’ smile grew.  “I’m nothing if not a gentleman.”

Teris huffed.  Hawks slowly turned away.  She took a tentative step to the chair.  Hawks looked over his shoulder making Teris pause.

“Just don’t go stabbing me in the back.”

“I’ll do more than that if you look back again.”  Teris snarled.

“Ooo. Promise!”  Hawks enthused.  His wings opened and lifted creating a sort of screen between them that put Teris at ease.

Teris pulled off the tank top and hastily put on the robe.  Her skin prickled at the touch of the cool silken fabric.  It was shorter than she would've liked.  Coming to just above her mid-thigh.  But at least she wasn’t left in just her underwear.  Not trusting Hawks, Teris turned away undoing her belt and pants.

Red feathers parted ever so slightly, a single gold eye peeking through. Hawks observed Teris’ movements more than her undressing.  There were moments where she was fluid and graceful; like a cat.  And others that reminded him of himself when agitated; quick and staccato.  Bird like.

Back turned to the Anzu, Teris bent and pulled off her pants. Straightening, she felt a presence behind her and spun around.  When had Hawks moved?

“Shall we begin?”  Before Teris could respond, Hawks dropped into a squat in front of her.

Suddenly Hawks wrapped a hand around the back of her ankle and lifted her leg. Teris squeaked.  Her body jerked, toes curling.  Arms stretched out trying to help balance.  She wobbled for a second but quickly steadied herself.

Hawks noted her reactive timing.  And how she didn’t need the nearby chair.  Though there was still no physical display of her true form.

“What the hell!”  Teris squawked.

Interesting. While most voices took on a higher pitch when startled.  There was a melodic chirp to Teris’ voice.

“Just checking your reflexes.”  Hawks sung, Teris’ chirp bringing out the beastly bird in him.  He set down her leg, hand and eyes running up the smooth flesh.

Teris shivered at the touch.  When he got to her mid-thigh she stepped away.

Hawks met her glare with a smile.  “I guess it would be rude to go any further without first buying you dinner.  Other than Kai have you sought release with anyone else?”

“I’ve already done my interview.”

“So that’s a no.”  Hawks declared.  He got to his feet.  “Since I’m staying on at Traverseen Hall for a while.  Feel free to seek me out if you tire of Kai.  Or just want some variety.”

“That’s never gonna happen.”

“I make it a point to never say never.  Extend your arm.”

Teris did so.  Allowing Hawks to push the sleeve of her robe up.  He rotated her arm, hand and eyes examining the same way he had her leg. His fingers skimmed over the bracelet Shouta had given her.  Teris tensed.

Hawks’ eyes narrowed and lifted taking in every minute expression.  His fingers trailed down her palm, opening up her hand.  Head lowering to the pulse point of her wrist, he breathed deeply.  Her hereditary scent was definitely less distinct than it had been yesterday.  And there was a muddled something to it that hadn’t been there before.

While it didn’t matter to him since he’d been unable to recognize her species scent.  He wondered if any of the Council Elders would've been able to tell what she was if not for the obscuring difference.

His eyes focused on the bracelet she wore.  The bracelet that hadn’t been on her wrist yesterday when her species scent was clear and distinctive.  He wondered who gave it to her.  Aizawa was the obvious choice since she hadn’t had it when she’d come from Kai, smelling of sex and the Dragon.  Why would Kai want to muddle her species scent anyway?  Then again, why would Shouta?

A talon sprung from his nail-bed, pricking the pad of Teris’ finger. Teris’ hand jerked back.  She licked the small puncture.  Hawks marked her treatment of the wound.  The list of possible species she could be narrowed by small degrees.

“Take off the robe.”

Teris bared her teethed.  “No.”

Hawks met her challenging glare with a mask of stern command.

“Why’d you give me the thing if you were gonna make me take it off?” Teris asked.  “Trying to lure me into false comfort?  Or do you just like toying with people?”

Like toying with people?  Hawks thought.  No.  But I’m good at it. Trained at it.  Along with a host of other things.  Hawks’ mask of determination melted into one of mock sympathy.  “What the Council giveth the Council can easily taketh away.”

Teris’ eyes widened thinking of Shouta and Kai’s lives.  At Hawks’ smirk, her expression hardened.  “You’re not the Council.”

“You’re right.  But I am working for them.  We all must obey and dance to the Council's tune if we wish to keep our lives and freedom.  Now take off the robe.”

Teris paused.  Caught between fearful compliance and proud defiance.

Seeing her hesitance, Hawks took pity and cajoled.  “I told you.  I’m nothing if not professional.”

“You’ve been far from professional.”

“It’s just a job, Little Bird.”

“Names like that make it seem more than a job.”  Teris glared.

“Have you never enjoyed a job?”  Hawks questioned.  He both hated and loved this one.  Teris was fun.  The puzzle of figuring out what she was a unique challenge.  Only trouble he had with the task was Teris was new to this world.  She wasn’t like the others he’d spied on and lured into traps in the past.  She was truly innocent and unprepared for the ways Oblvi worked and was run.  And he had to pray on that innocence to get his answers.

It’s just a job, Hawks comforted himself.  If he didn’t do it the Council Leader would send someone else, and he’d be ruined.  Never mind what his Secret Boss who ordered him to watch Teris would do.

Suddenly Hawks was in her face.  Teris pulled her head back only to have Hawks grab under her jaw, fingers pinching in her cheeks.  He pulled her forward.  Their noses almost touching.  Hawks’ eyes darted over her face.  His hair tickled her forehead.

Teris’ breath caught in her throat.  Her eyes widened, unfocusing.  The action was reminiscent of the way the scarred man use to grab and examine her, spitting terrifying words in her face.

Hawks’ wings sagged.  No sign of her true form.  Releasing her, he stepped back.  “Robe off.  Now.”

Heart hammering in her chest Teris untied the fabric belt with trembling hands.  She tried to steady her breathing, telling herself the scarred man wasn’t here.  He and his blue flames couldn’t hurt her.

The robe slipped from her shoulders.  Hawks watched it puddled on the floor at her feet.  Taking a fortifying breath, he schooled his features and lifted his eyes.  Teris’ hips turned to the side.  She crossed her arms shielding her bra covered breasts.  The action squeezed her tits together enhancing her enticing cleavage.

Stay on target, Hawks told himself.  This is a job.  Not a pleasure. Yeah, but with a sight like that it kinda makes it a bit of both, he argued with himself.  She doesn’t want you and there’s a Sphinx waiting outside that’ll tear you apart if you step out of line, he reminded.

Hawks slowly circled her.  Booted feet deafening in the silence.  Teris shivered.  Though she couldn’t say if it was from the chill or Hawks’ roving gaze.  She felt him stop behind her and bit her lip, fighting the urge to look back at him.

Fingers plucked the waistband of her panties.  Teris spun around.

“Just checking for a tail.”  Hawks smiled, crookedly.  His eyes sharpened.  Still no sign of her true form.

“Are we done?”

“Almost. Just wanna try one more thing.”

“Try for what?”  Teris scowled.  She yelped and turned, something tickling the back of her leg.  It was one of Hawks’ feathers.

Hawks stepped to her.  With a practiced snap of the bra strap he had her bra unhooked.

One arm clutched to her chest, Teris spun back around, other hand lifted. Hawks had but a moment to see the mild display.  But a moment was all he needed.  In place of peach fuzz there were tiny quills gracing Teris’ cheeks.

Her hand connected.  The slap sharp and loud.  Hawks’ head wrenched to the side.  He held his throbbing cheek.  The stinging skin hot under the palm of his hand.

Teris bent, free hand grabbing the robe.  She grasped the fabric to her. “Out!  This so called inspection is finished.  We’re done.”

Feather re-attaching to his wing, Hawks turned to the door.  The inspection might be done.  But he was far from finished.

***This fic will have a LOT more world building than my others.  Please feel free to comment or send me an ask if you have any questions.

Thank you to those who have left hearts. And a special thank you to those who have left comments and/or reblogged. They really mean a lot.

Special thank you to @inorganicone2230 who knows of my love for the mythic and encouraged me to start this fic without stressing about the other two I’ve got going.  Your friendship means the world to me.

#aizawa shouta #kai chisaki #yamada hizashi #His Purple Highness #bnha #lost song

[ariainstars]

Star Wars: Fatalism Against the „I Wish” Moment

Here it goes again, the question as to why The Rise of Skywalker sucked. Sigh. It just can’t leave me alone, can it?

After the first two chapters, honestly, I was expecting the sequel trilogy to become as good (or almost) as the original one. But precisely the last chapter set the seal on one of its worst problems: the lack of agenda. 

I love musical theatre. And one of its most beautiful sides is that it teaches you so much about storytelling. Now what makes a story, a character truly compelling? The conflict. Without a conflict, something that has to shift the narrative from A to D going through B and C, nothing makes sense. And in a good story, the conflict is set up right from the start. We meet someone and we are supposed to identify with them due to their agency. 

  Heroes With An Agenda 

To name an example, there is “Into the Woods”, one of my favorite musicals which retells some classic fairy tales with own interpretations and unexpected twists; and it opens with an iconic ensemble number called “I Wish”. (If you’re unfamiliar with it, you might want to check out the 2014 film.) We get to know a bunch of people who all want something, and we follow them through the narrative as some of them get their wish (though not exactly the way they expected it); then are confronted with the backlash, the consequences, the price to pay for the things they wanted. 

With Star Wars now belonging to Disney, it is only legitimate to make a few comparisons with Disney movies.

In The Little Mermaid, Ariel’s song is “Part of That World”, setting up her character as someone who wants for something that fascinates her: the world of humans.

Quasimodo, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, wants to leave his tower and live among other humans, even if only in for a day.

Belle from Beauty and the Beast is introduced to us explaining how she wishes to explore the world outside of the small village she’s living in.

A somewhat disappointing Disney heroine was Merida in Brave: despite the films’ title, the story fails at making its protagonist compelling due to her lack of agenda. Merida knows what she does not want, i.e. becoming like her mother, because she’s a different kind of girl: but she does not know what she actually wants from life. It is quite fitting that in the end she manages to restore and improve the relationship to her mother but does not really change her, or her family’s or her kingdom’s situation. Merida does not grow up. Her story is nice enough, but not really compelling.

Disney “princesses” are often criticized for wanting nothing but a partner from life, and sometimes settling down with a man even if that was not their main goal at the start. But we have e.g. Moana, a girl who wants to help her family and her people and to restore balance in nature. Not surprisingly, her story is interesting and convincing.

Antiheroes With An Agenda 

Perspective is hugely important for a narrative: authors can use it in order to manipulate the audience’s perception of a story in order to make us identify with someone although he is a negative character. Two examples I came across with lately are Joker (Arthur Fleck) and Hannah from the Girls TV series. Both these characters have personal agendas that in the end don’t get their fulfilment. 

We know from the beginning that Arthur will become the Joker, but the film follows him and his social background so closely that we watch everything from his point of view, which makes us sympathize with him despite what he becomes in the end. 

Arthur is poor, mentally ill, in charge of a sick mother, friendless; but he believes he can make a great breakthrough as a comedian. He is at the bottom of the social scale and still believes he can make it to the top; it is only all too clear that he is deluded and that none of the people he admires would move a finger to help him. Though he becomes a criminal, his story is a tragedy; he was born and raised under circumstances that hardly offered him room for a simple, satisfying life. His dreams were all he had. Which is why we feel with him, even if from a moral standpoint we know we shouldn’t. 

Hannah is a toxic personality if I ever saw one onscreen; but she officially is the protagonist, she’s female who wants a career, she has “friends”, she is “sexually independent”, so as female viewers we will automatically identify with her, or at least try. (Personally, after a while I came to the conclusion that about 75 % of the other character’s problems would quickly find an end if they simply shot Hannah and buried her without a funeral, with a few silver crosses to make sure she never comes back.) 

However, Hannah is not from a poor family, she has an education, she has friends. She has things she wants, nothing she desperately needs, like Arthur needs employment or medication. Her whole attitude is subject to her desire to become a famous writer, so her story is about exploring and observing other people’s weaknesses, often even eliciting them for the worse. I find it interesting that when we learn how she first met Adam, he caught her stealing. Apparently, Hannah never understood that you can’t simply take but also have to give something back. Their relationship is so typical for the story because it looks like Adam is using her (mostly sexually), while she is using him in order to make “experiences”, playing with his feelings instead of giving him the chance to grow and mature into a responsible man. Girls always had a bleak undertone; but by manipulating our perspective making her the pivotal character, the authors made us care about Hannah although she is someone who did not deserve it in the first place.

My guess: what makes these two antiheroes in the first place, from a moral perspective, is perhaps the fact that both feel entitled to their dream and won’t settle for less. Disney heroes usually get their wish fulfilment because they go through the moment of openly and innocently admitting their dreams without Arthur’s or Hannah’s latent arrogance.

Now to Star Wars... The Classics

One of the reasons why we so easily identify with Luke Skywalker in A New Hope is because he is introduced to us as someone who dreams. He has a personal wish - leaving his home planet, meeting new people, living adventures and contributing to the future of the galaxy. The “Binary Sunset” scene is not iconic without reason: in a musical, this would have been the moment where he would have broken into song. 😊

Don’t kill me, but Disney’s Hercules reminds me a little of Luke in his first grand scene: he also looks at a sunset, saying that he would go most anywhere to find where he belongs. (Maybe Lucas knew well why he sold the rights to Star Wars to the Disney studios of all places.)

This continues through his other two films: Luke always has a strong agenda. He learns the ways of the Jedi through Obi-Wan (who interestingly never actually questions whether he wants that at all) and Yoda, but his first priority always are his friends. Saving who he loves is what drives him on all of the time, even if this may seem foolish at times - like traveling all alone to Bespine where Han and Leia are kept hostage, or wanting to save his father although he is a dangerous criminal. 

  Star Wars In-Between

Rogue One and Solo are well-made, interesting films, too, because the protagonists know what they want. The Clone Wars is one long story explaining Ahsoka’s development from a Jedi to someone who relinquishes the Jedi’s ways. The Mandalorian wants to follow “The Way”, i.e. his code of honor, in order to help as many war foundlings as he can. This is what you need to do in order to make a story compelling. 

  Star Wars Prequels 

One of the weaknesses which I see to this day in the prequels is that we so rarely witness someone’s personal agenda; the stories are more driven by the plot than by the persons. A few desires are hinted at and never pursued. 

“I’m going to be the first to see all of them” (the stars). - Anakin in The Phantom Menace

“At last we will reveal ourselves to the Jedi. At last we will have revenge.” Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace 

What became of Anakin’s desire to explore the galaxy? And revenge from what, if you please? I can understand that the Sith were a byproduct of the Jedi’s rejection of the Dark Side, their weaknesses all projected unto them: but this also is never explored. 

What did Anakin, Padmé, Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon etc. want, after all? When did they ever say or show clearly what they wanted, and what they would do for the purpose? Qui-Gon wants to train Anakin by will of the Force, Obi-Wan wants to train him because Qui-Gon asked him to. The Jedi want to keep the status quo of the Republic and the Jedi Order. There is no actual heart-felt wish from their side. The only person relentlessly pursuing his aims is Palpatine, the mastermind behind the stage. 

Padmé has her political aims, but they are not a really personal agenda for her. She wants to help people who were enslaved or hungry or otherwise suffering, but she does not know such situations from own experience. Her personal wish is having a family, but in her case it is not as passionate as in Anakin’s, who had lost the only family he had with his mother. Add to this that the scene where she talks with Anakin about this desire of hers was unfortunately cut out from Attack of the Clones. 

The compassionate and protective Anakin wants to keep the ones he cares for safe. Interestingly though, the films rarely show us his perspective, we usually rather see other people reacting to him; and since the Jedi always brainwash him not to “let his personal feelings get in the way”, Anakin comes over more as a whiny brat than as a conflicted human being we can sympathize with.

Revenge of the Sith is, though a terrible story, a very well-made film and emotionally very demanding because Anakin finally takes his destiny into his own hands. But it is also not very satisfying, because he wants to prevent things from happening and doesn’t actually have a definite, positive aim in mind. Still when he speaks to Padmé on Mustafar he tells her that he would overthrow Palpatine for her and rule the galaxy according to their wishes; but even in this moment he sounds insecure and confused, and his ideas are everything but clear. 

  The Sequels

The same procedure all over again. Finn wants to get away from the First Order, but where does he want to go? It is only hinted at that he wants a girlfriend (“Do you have a boyfriend?”), and not thematized again. Poe already is a Resistance fighter from the start, no personal aim there either. Rey wants her family back: she does nothing but waiting. On Takodana, we literally see her running from her fate after her vision with the Skywalker legacy sabre. In The Last Jedi, she says she needs someone to show her her place. She says to Luke that she is afraid. Again, she has no agenda.

Kylo was pursuing Luke, but why? What exactly had happened between uncle and nephew before the fatal night at the Temple, why was Kylo’s resentment so deep? He killed his father because he was coerced; he did not actually want it. Later he wanted Rey, but why, if she was almost always aggressive towards him? 

The Last Jedi finally seemed to make up for all of these lacks. Rose was such a powerful character because while she always did everything in her power for the cause, she never forgot or let go of her personal feelings and desires, like keeping Finn safe, inspiring hope in the Canto Bight children, freeing the fathiers. 

The moment Rey ships herself on the Supremacy, Ben kills Snoke and then both team up against the Praetorian Guards is so powerful because both of them, at last, have an agenda, and they pursue it together. It’s a moment of relief for the audience, what we had been waiting for all along: finding out what all of this was about - the Force working in balance. Naively, many of us then assumed this trilogy would be about Ben and Rey finding balance and a happy ending together.

Then The Rise of Skywalker made our frustration flare up again. Rey wants to become a Jedi because Leia expects her to; she kills Palpatine because he wants her to do it; the voices of all Jedi encourage her… great. No personal agenda all over again. Ben saves her from death because he loves her, very well. Then he dies. Han, Leia and Luke all wanted him to come “home”, i.e. back to the Light Side, and they died for the purpose. It seems wanting something is dangerous in itself in this galaxy. And Rey ends up alone on Tatooine. Again, what does she want there?

So It Was All... Fate?

Han, Leia and Luke were much more compelling characters than Rey - their aims were sometimes misguided, but at least they had them and they were clearly defined. Even Palpatine has an aim: it is veiled (typically for him), but it is there. He knows that his spirit will live on in the person who manages to kill him. So, he is still more powerful than Rey. It looks like Rey defeated him, but the truth is that he used her naïve faith that she could erase him by killing him in order to reach his own aim: living on in a younger, more innocent person who believes that being a “Jedi”, she is doing the right thing. 

We may of course argue that the Force is behind all of this; but as intriguing as the Force is, it is not a person. When we follow a story, we want living persons to think and feel and suffer and be hopeful and joyful for. It is all very well if characters want different things or maybe want the wrong things; but at least, their wishes ought to be understandable, and if they don’t come true, we would like to know why, instead of being left with... “reasons”. It is hard to identify with a character if we never learn what drives them after all. I daresay it would be more satisfying to see them pursue an aim and fail, than never to understand what they’re about, what their heart’s wish is. 

I have argued over and over that the ways of the Jedi, i.e. sacrificing everything to a cause, and individual aims are naturally opposite to one another. If there will ever be Balance, future Force-sensitive creatures must find a way in between. But again, this is not openly said and the audience has to either resign to the fact that the films are badly made, or to scavenge them for months searching for messages. Of course, there is nothing wrong with using ones’ own brains. But I would like to leave a cinema after a Star Wars film feeling satisfied. The Rise of Skywalker did not only leave many questions unanswered; in many instances, it did not even start posing the questions.

“Into the Woods” is not a story with a happy ending. One of its messages is that you need to be careful about what you wish for, but I think that’s all right if the moral implications of getting one’s wish are explored. Which with the Star Wars prequels and sequels was not the case - people suffer and die for decades, and in the end, the story goes nowhere. The events of the prequels took place because “they were meant to”; same with the sequels. Anakin turned evil because it was his fate, his grandson the same because it was fate, Rey took over the Jedi mantle although she is not in the least suited for it, but it was her fate so we have to accept it. No wonder everyone is disappointed. 

Star Wars saga, what do you have in store next? After more than 30 years, I dearly hope, someone who actually has an aim and purses it this time. And doesn’t have to die in the process, thank you very much.

#star wars #the rise of skywalker #the last jedi #the force awakens #kylo x rey #ben solo #kylo ren #star wars sequels #star wars prequels #the phantom menace #attack of the clones #revenge of the sith #darth maul #emperor palpatine #rose tico #han solo #luke skywalker #stephen sondheim #musical theatre #into the woods #narrative #the little mermaid #beauty and the beast #the hunchback of notre dame #anakin skywalker #padme amidala #arthur fleck #joker #girls hbo #hannah horvath

[a-patheticapathetic]

Rishloo - Feathergun: Review

New year, new me. Let’s repeat that until it becomes true. 

There seems to be a pattern with how I discover music. At a very young age, I hear a song in a very specific circumstance. It has a big impact on me, but I make absolutely zero effort to check out any of the artist’s other music and instead meander onto another earworm. Then, years later, I have another chance meeting with the same song/album/artist and fall completely down a rabbithole that foundationally changes my taste in music. It happened with Radiohead (High and Dry as one of the default songs in the original Rocksmith), Queens of the Stone Age (Lost Art of Keeping a Secret in a stick figure animation), and Nine Inch Nails (Hurt (Quiet) on Spotify radio). Then, there was this strange song called “Scissorlips” that I saw on a very small Rock Band 3 drum channel. I showed it to my brother because of how fun the chart looked, and made the mistake of watching his reaction to the video. His disinterest embarrassed me enough that I never chased the music. That is, of course, until many years later, when I was introduced to Tool. The rest is history, and is frankly stalling me from starting the actual review. Let’s get to it.

Scissorlips - 8/10

The strange, dark jungle the album begins with is a nice representation of the album cover, although it won’t rule over the entire runtime. Don’t let the de-tuned guitar under the vocals deter you; the rest of the guitarwork here is beautiful. As we reach the pre-chorus, the percussionists may hear why I was interested in this song as a kid. This is also where the sonic background really opens up, swallowing you for a moment before the intro verse comes back. The lyricism here is also very abstract, yet isn’t impossible to follow. A couple of metallic bites taken out of the mostly psychedelic walls of guitars, then, the first of many beautiful delay effects. The build-up got me pretty good when I heard this so many years ago, and It’s still damn good. For the love. There are so many guitar lines here that just intertwine and enlace you. Then, something a bit heavier (yet oddly hopeful) to round the song out.

Turning Sheep into Goats - 7/10

This intro is more of what can be expected for the rest of the album, sonically speaking. A lone guitar with delay playing a complicated and alluring line in a strange time signature, then built upon. The path you may assume this song will follow is extremely suddenly changed at the chorus, the vocals really driving it home. Then, back into that nice opening riff like nothing happened. The next time that chorus comes thundering around, listen to that low guitar and the way it combines with the drums. Then drop out the ugliness into a floating mesh of palm mutes and synthetic strings. And don’t miss the fl

Systematomatic - 7/10

awless transition into the next song. Immediately, a new riff rises from the pond of reverb. You may not identify it immediately, but don’t worry, you’ll get more chances to. Very fast guitar-work that somehow doesn't sound so frantic, although the chorus definitely has a certain desperation to it. The mood gets heavy again, before quickly sliding into a strange, feverish haze. Some hits of percussion, then a recontexutalized and slower return to the riff at the start of the song. Weave us back into war.

River of Glass - 8/10

Now this is an ear-catching introduction. What seems to be a calm wave of delay is punctuated by war drums and a grimier lead. The mood builds, then crescendos into the song proper. The chorus is hear damn near immediately, and is extremely catchy for prog. This album is really just full of extremely memorable vocals, and the instrumentals complement them perfectly. We get two goes-around before we fall into these twisting and sliding strings. The drummer is also on his A-game here. Then, the guitars push into the clouds before coming back down with another short but heavy low. Then it all cuts out for a second, juts to make the burst into the final chorus that much more effective.

Keyhole in the Sky - 7/10

This one is simpler, but also very filling and peaceful. Unfortunately it does begin to showcase my only problem with this album; the vocals are mixed too loud at times. And while the singer is absolutely incredible, sometimes I’d like the instrumentals to breathe a bit more. The walls of high guitar come back around, this time feeling much more friendly and familiar. One last chorus, closing on a quiet note. Though it’s not over; an alien feedback loop and somber, echoey horn passage lead us into the next track

Downhill - 10/10

This song has two main phases, and is absolutely perfect throughout. An easy start; a relatively simple and serene riff fed through a pleasant delay pedal, with some subtle synth and bass backing. The vocals shine through, as clear as ever. And wave, goodbye. Then, like stepping through a portal into phase one. A very interesting, rhythmic and almost bluesy instrumental accompanies the title-drop. Then, we fall for miles down a well of piano. The bottom greets us with a moonlit key solo, then an incredible Floydian guitar solo. Hanging on the last note, phase two begins with an ominous drone and repeating guitar line. The drums rise, give a false start. then... perfection. I cannot do phase two justice with words. Just close your eyes, listen, and be swept away in what I believe to be one of the greatest vocal performances of all time.

Lost.

Feathergun in the Garden of the Sun - 9/10

Not to be outdone by the previous masterpiece, the title track opens with another wonderful soundscape, before the distortion comes in. The drums pick up the tension, bringing us into the pre-chorus. That riff is going to be impossible to tap your foot to at first, but the next ones should be easier. And here we have perhaps the best chorus on the record; extremely powerful in writing and execution on the parts of every band member. The second time around is just as good as the first, then the brdige begins. Ready, aim... The heaviest riff on the album, and an abrupt switch into the last chorus. Fade out.

Dreamcatcher - 7/10

A nice break from the intensity. This feels like a peaceful tidepool on an alien world, with creatures and colors beyond the world floating around my head. Short but sweet.

Diamond Eyes - 6/10

By no means bad, I do feel like this one may be the weakest track on the album. While it’s certainly beautiful, I feel like it doesn’t do a whole lot that’s new or interesting. Also, when listening at high volume (which is the proper way to listen to this album), the faults in the mixing really rear their ugly heads during the choruses. Still, there are some very pleasant rolling delay loops here during the bridge, and a nice and satisfying buildup towards the end.

Katsushika - 7/10

While the guitar opening this track may be the most straight-forward and least effects-driven riff we’ve heard so far, this song will eventually become the most alien one of the entire lineup. In a good way, of course. I can barely even decipher exactly what’s going on in the instrumentation during that build. The chorus also ends with a nice drop-off into the next verse. You may be noticing a pattern with the songwriting, where the chorus usually leads into the second verse, following the pattern of the first one but with more layering. I like it; it gives the ideas present more time to mature and develop. Anyways, here comes the bridge, where everything changes. Out of everything going on here, I feel like the drums and the background vocals are the most striking thing about this outro. What a fantastic progression and dropout. Beautiful monsters.

Weevil Bride - 8/10

The finale. This riff here is extremely well-done. The tone here is somehow piercingly bright and concerningly dark at the same time. The lyricals themes of the album also come to a head here. This chorus is another incredibly written and performed beast; just wait until it’s modulated. The second verse lays away with the subtleties and strikes at the head. And I just need to know that everything is fine, and everyone’s alright. This bridge also kicks ass, with its heart-pouding combination of guitars and toms. Then, comes the heaviest part of the entire album: Yes, please. Then we are snapped out of the masochism and lifted back to hear the main point of the album, before the intro riff carries us into an uncertain but complete conclusion. After the “true” song ends, there is a long passage of somber horns and a tranquil, almost lullaby-esque keyboard. There’s something extremely nostalgic about this outro to me, but I still can’t put my finger on where it comes from. This section almost feels like the music they play after the end of a play, as the lights come on and you make your way down the dimly-lit theater steps on slightly numb and shaky legs. The story is over; this is your time to reflect.

The main reason I wanted to write about this album in particular is because I feel like it hasn’t gotten the attention it’s deserved. It truly feels like a masterpiece worthy of widespread recognition and praise, but despite being released over a decade ago, few people have even heard of this band. It feels like injustice, not only for Rishloo’s efforts, but for the people who would connect with this album as much as I have. Also, there’s the slightly selfish hope that increased attention would incentivize the band to work on more new stuff, or better yet, remaster their older works.

In any case, It’s very late, my back hurts because my spine hates my nervous system, and I need to actually get to sleep tonight so I can heal the godforsaken nerve that wedged itself in my inner workings yesterday. On a scale from “Your all-time low just lowered again”, to “Want some? Yes, please”, I give Feathergun a “Oh, what beautiful monsters”.

#music #music recommendation #music reccs #album review #track review #rishloo #feathergun

[fraink5-writes]

Blue Ceiling - Tablet III

Anyone else crying in the club about today’s Babylonia episode? Read this chapter to see good things happen to Kingu.

Of course, thanks a whole lot to my fantastic editor, @leio13

Summary: Expecting to become king of the merpeople as son of Tiamat, Kingu is suddenly forced to give up his tail and to go the surface to restore humanity’s disregarded respect for the Goddess of the Sea. However, he severely underestimates the Uruks’ willpower, especially that of their stubborn king, Gilgamesh.

This chapter can also be found on Ao3 here. Without further ado, please enjoy!

Kingu woke up to an unfamiliar ceiling. There was neither the privacy of Gorgon’s home nor the warmth of Shamhat’s. Once again, Kingu was without a home. The room was nearly empty save an overbearing silence.

Kingu’s legs cried out in pain as they did on the first day. They had brought him nothing but suffering. He wanted to cut them off. 

Even then, he could not be a merman again. He was stuck in a useless human body, but even the humans wouldn’t accept him. He had always been an outsider. Maybe he would live as a monster like Gorgon. Gorgon was strange company, but he found himself missing her in his isolation. They had been outcasts together, but now they were just alone.

At least, Kingu thought staring at the apathetic ceiling, he had Tiamat. He hazily recalled her sorrowful song; was she lonely like him? Certainly, she understood him better than anyone else, and that’s why she chose him. Tiamat trusted him with this mission, so he would carry it out for her. Whether he was a merman, a human, or neither, he was Tiamat’s son. That knowledge warmed his cold loneliness.

Kingu watched the shadow cast by the window as it moved across the floor until his meditation was interrupted by footsteps. A woman’s voice appeared in the doorway, “Oh good! He’s awake.”

Two people entered the room: the distraught brunette woman from the other day and Gilgamesh. Kingu closed his eyes and turned away; he had no business with Gilgamesh, but curiosity forced him to peak and see what they were up to.

The intruders had approached Kingu’s bed, and then the woman elbowed the king, an action certainly warranting the death penalty.

But Gilgamesh just grumbled to himself then spoke aloud, “Siduri requested that I apologize for yesterday.” The king seemed to struggle between his lack of desire to apologize and the appearance of his authority. 

“Ahem.” Siduri forced a cough. 

“Yesterday, I invited you to my home, but you were met with hostility instead of hospitality. That was unacceptable.” Gilgamesh’s curt “apology” was accompanied by rolled eyes.

Siduri sighed then turned her attention to Kingu. “I hope you are feeling better today.”

“No,” Kingu mumbled, not in the mood for playing at courtesy.

Gilgamesh opened his mouth, but he was preemptively silenced by a sharp glare from Siduri.

“We’re truly, deeply sorry for what happened yesterday,” Siduri continued, bowing her head. “And, we also are here to inform you that you’ll be living here from now on.”

“Huh?” Kingu snapped out of his fake sleep.

“We’re sorry it’s not much,” Siduri bowed her head again, “but Shamhat is busy with her work, and so it would be more convenient for you to live here. We hope you understand.”

Shamhat’s job… Shamhat had been so generous with Kingu; it never occurred to him that he was inconveniencing her. Shame floated up to his cheeks.

“If there’s anything you need, King Gilgamesh would be more than willing to provide. It’s the least he could do after what happened yesterday.”

If the glower on Gilgamesh’s face was any indicator, he was not ‘more than willing,’ but Siduri seemed to have some influence over him, so maybe it wasn’t out of the question. 

“Let’s see…” Kingu shot Gilgamesh a smug look while running through the possibilities. He wanted to ask for something outrageous.

“Oh yes, one last thing,” Siduri interrupted. “To make up for yesterday, King Gilgamesh has offered to show you around Uruk, since you are still new here.”

Somehow Siduri’s offer was more outrageous than anything Kingu had come up with himself, yet he definitely wasn’t interested. Unfortunately, it did not seem like declining was an option. 

“We will be back in a few days when you are feeling better.” Siduri spared Kingu, if only temporarily.

“Don’t make me wait too long, mongrel.” Gilgamesh muttered and left.

“Please rest well!” Siduri called before chasing Gilgamesh with a look of embarrassment.

***

After a few days, Kingu was capable of walking around his barren home although not without pain. But there was not much else to do besides wander in circles—“pacing,” as the humans would call it. So when an unfamiliar knock sounded against the door, he bounded to answer it. Finally free from his boredom. “Hel—… lo.” 

Gilgamesh stared silently at him.

“Where’s Siduri?” Kingu demanded.

“She’s busy—is that a proper way to greet a king?”

“You didn’t even say ‘hello,’” Kingu grumbled. “Anyway, what do you want?”

“I’m going to give you a tour of Uruk.”

He meant that? Kingu studied the king for any tells. Surely, this was a joke.

“Don’t be ungrateful, mongrel. Who do you think has been providing your food and medicine every day?”

Well, the one who had been checking up on him, bringing food and medicine, was “Sidu… ri?”

“IDIOT! She’s only been delivering them!”

Kingu paled. To think he had fallen so low as to depend on the arrogant, human king!

“What’s wrong? Has your brain finally stopped working entirely?” Gilgamesh wore a surprising grin. “Hurry up. I don’t have that much time to waste.”

Kingu took Gilgamesh’s cue and turned back into the house to match his presentation to the king’s standards, taking the opportunity to regain his scattered composure. 

“Oh? I didn’t think you could do it,” Gilgamesh remarked as Kingu stepped out the door.

“Do what?”

“Put together a look that’s worthy of standing by my side.”

The king continued on, but the rest was lost on Kingu, who was shocked by the double-edged compliment. His face flushed a deep red.

“Anyway, let us begin.” Gilgamesh paid Kingu’s embarrassment no heed as he started his tour. “This house is on the outskirts of town, so we will head inwards, towards the center, and then back out.”

Kingu had not once left his home, so everything was new to him. It did not matter what direction they went in.

“That,” Gilgamesh pointed down the road, “is one of Uruk’s greatest prides.���

A brick wall. But it didn’t suffice to call it simply a wall. The wall was thick enough for tiny people to patrol on top. It was tall enough to cast a shadow over the nearby buildings. And it was long enough to extend indefinitely past Kingu’s field of vision.

“It is the great wall which protects all of Uruk.”

“Protects?” The giant wall was an enigma to Kingu. There was no wall which surrounded Atargata, only the endless sea. To Kingu, the wall was just a cage.

“Yes, protects. From beasts and enemy peoples.”

So the humans weren’t united? This was another shock for Kingu. To think they would fight and kill each other… How savage. Kingu could not hide his displeasure from his face.

“What’s with that face? We haven’t had a war in years. So long as that wall exists, the people of Uruk can live in peace.”

Then the wall was anything but a cage; it really was a shelter.

“Anyway, we’re heading in the other direction. There’s no point in leaving the city so soon. Come on.” Gilgamesh called Kingu and led him towards the center of Uruk.

The city of Uruk was organized very simply. Its residents were sorted into districts by occupation, which surrounded the central districts. Most remarkably, the city was crisscrossed with artificial waterways. Kingu scoffed at the sight; the humans had left the sea only to bring it right to their doorsteps. The other merfolk would have been offended by the canals—“how dare the insolent humans try to control the blessings of Tiamat!”—but Kingu was a bit grateful. He missed the sea.

Kingu would have been content to study at the man-made flow of water throughout the entire tour, but circumstances wouldn’t allow it.

“Oh, is that King Gilgamesh?”

“Your majesty!”

“What an honor!”

As Gilgamesh passed through each district, he created a commotion each time. Laborers stopped working, housewives and children appeared in the doorways of their homes, and people from anywhere and everywhere poured into the streets to greet their king. Kingu expected Gilgamesh to swat them all away, but instead, he turned towards Kingu, grinning, and proclaimed, "Look at all the diligent, loyal citizens of Uruk!" He turned back to the crowd, occasionally calling out to one person or another by name (and not the expected "mongrel")  and asking about business. By the time they reached the central districts, Kingu, as much as he learned about Uruk, was even less certain of the king's character.

While surely big enough to qualify as districts, the central districts would be more aptly called monuments. One was an enormous, terraced pyramid built from clay. At the top of the sky-reaching steps sat a white, stone building. The other was a bigger mystery, for all Kingu could see were the stone walls. The white face of the wall was covered in imagery and statues, suggesting something even grander lay inside. Simple but tall, ostentatious but flat; the two structures balanced each other.

"Are those temples?" Kingu wondered aloud.

"Relics," Gilgamesh snapped. "Relics of when people cowered before mere fantasies.” He inspected them with irritation. “They serve no purpose in my Uruk. They would be more useful torn down and rebuilt as new districts for the working population."

If these temples were really built for Tiamat, it would only advance her rage to tear them down. Then, she would mercilessly re-establish her authority. "I wouldn't do that—"

"Would you shut up about that?” Gilgamesh turned his contemptuous gaze to Kingu. “It's annoying. What were you—a priest?—before you hit your head?"

Why did Kingu even bother? The man next to him epitomized human arrogance, the reason Kingu was sent to the surface in the first place. He doubted humanity could ever get saved. 

Kingu didn’t say anything; he didn’t want to entertain Gilgamesh’s hubris anymore. It was annoying enough that he predicted what Kingu was going to say. He’s aware of the voice of reason, but he willfully chooses to ignore it—how foolish. 

“Stop gawking and come with me. Let me show you something more impressive.” After demanding Kingu to follow him, Gilgamesh headed outwards once again. They marched in silence until they had reached the base of the wall. “We’re going up.”

Although there was no practical value to this part of the tour, so long as Gilgamesh was his guide, Kingu could make no objections, so he followed the king up the stairs. Instead of looking outward, Gilgamesh pointed Kingu to the city which they had spent all day walking through. The sun, still high in the sky, was now shining down from the west. The sprawl of brick buildings radiated under its light. From above, Kingu could make out hundreds of tiny gardens which had been hidden from the street. He identified each district by their unique characteristics. With Gilgamesh out of the way, the people had returned to their work, but there were plenty on the streets: vendors, errand-runners, playing children. Tiny, swift, and graceful, the busy Uruks reminded Kingu of the fish in Atargata. 

Gilgamesh beamed as he watched his city. Without sparing even a glance for Kingu, he declared with exaggerated gestures, as though giving a speech to the people down below, "Look at the great city of Uruk! Its protective walls, its sturdy buildings! Its prosperity and its peace! Did any goddess build that? No, it was the Uruks who built this marvelous city. Look at how the little people work, content and undeterred. They don't need any goddess. They are working towards the future. Don't you see? Trembling in fear of the Goddess is the past; the future is the path upon which humanity walks, and Uruk is at the forefront.”

So that was the nature of the golden king Gilgamesh—a man overflowing with pride. His pride exceeded himself, stretching even beyond the walls of Uruk to its fertile plains, and, from it, his authority as king was born. Kingu had mistaken his remarks for selfish hubris, but it was the pride of his people. 

Kingu stared in awe at the golden king besides him. His radiance seemed to eclipse the sun. 

Finally, Gilgamesh acknowledged Kingu. "To suggest otherwise is an insult to the hardworking citizens, past and present. Don't do it again."

Kingu could only nod.

***

Something about Uruk changed for the remaining duration of the tour; the wall seemed grander, the people working harder, the farms more bountiful. Gilgamesh and Kingu had left the walled city, explored the farmland which surrounded it, and were drifting along the river which gave Uruk its vitality: the Euphrates. The water’s surface was remarkably different than its depths. The small ripples glistened under the sun’s rays. On top of it all floated an image of Kingu’s face. His reflection wore a small grin, which was unfamiliar to even Kingu. How he had missed the water. He reached his hand, stroked the waves, then dipped his fingers into the cool current. His fingers seemed to bend—Kingu recoiled his hand. He was sure he held them straight in the water (which was confirmed when he pulled them out), so why did they appear to bend under the water?

Gilgamesh threw back his head with laughter. “What happened? Afraid of your own reflection?!”

“No-no way!” Unable to directly fight the accusation, Kingu turned away and stared back into the water. Gilgamesh couldn’t call him a coward like this. He plunged his fingers back into the water and watched them bend again. He was determined to figure out the mystery. He repeated this several times, but while the phenomenon continued, there was no suggestion as to why. 

“Now what? Are you fighting?”

“N-no! I’m just studying it.” Kingu did not look up from his “study;” instead, he just leaned closer to the water, trying to ignore Gilgamesh’s ridicule. From such a close distance, maybe he could see the river’s contents. 

Kingu hit the water with a splash before he could realize what had happened. His body had completely submerged, and for a moment, it was tranquil, surrounded by the sea’s nostalgic embrace.

Then Kingu opened his mouth, and the scorching water flooded in. It weighed in his lungs like a bunch of bricks, smothering them.

Why? Why?! Why?! He was a merman. He was the son of Tiamat.

No, he was just a human.

The water, cold and unforgiving, crushed him like a pest to be disposed of.

Kingu needed to be free. On land. He thrashed, again, again, again. 

Then a wave of darkness.

***

Something warm wrapped around Kingu’s wrist, jolting energy into him, and yanked him out of the water. "I didn't permit you to die yet." Kingu knew that voice. Golden hair. Red eyes. ...Gil…?

Before he could fully make sense of his surroundings, Kingu doubled over, retching out the water which sat in the bottomless well of his lungs. Each draw of water was more painful than the last. 

When the coughing fit finally subsided, he fully registered Gilgamesh sitting across from him, a slight scowl on his face.

"… Why did you save me?" Kingu croaked.

"You're too entertaining to let die yet," Gilgamesh responded offhandedly, then muttered. "...besides, now you can't say that you saved my life."

"Huh?” Kingu gaped. “Are you really that petty?!"

"A king can't be in a mongrel's debt."

"But you do admit that I saved you.” Kingu would not live this down. “You know, normal people say 'thank you.'"

"Are you really that petty?” Gilgamesh gibed. “And I haven't heard you say 'thank you' yet either."

Kingu was not going to say that—not until Gilgamesh owned up to his own gratitude. 

Gilgamesh just sighed. “You got a closer look at Euphrates than expected,” he snickered, “But it can’t be helped. We should head back now.”

Kingu nodded. He couldn’t wait to be free. But then a group of men on boats caught his eye. “Wait. Are those fishermen?”

“Oh, we didn’t see them before.” Gilgamesh remarked, uninterested.

“Can I try?”

“What?” Gilgamesh stared at Kingu. “Do you want to go for another ‘swim?’”

“No. I want to try.”

“Fine.” Gilgamesh waved his hands apathetically. “But if you fall in again, you better hope one of those men is going to rescue you.” Despite his griping, Gilgamesh talked to the nearby fisherman and procured a spear for Kingu. “Show me what you can do, mongrel.”

Although incensed, Kingu pretended to ignore Gilgamesh’s provokation. He dipped the spear into the water, and as he expected, it seemed to bend upon entering the water. Nothing he couldn’t work with. He watched a decently sized fish, a barbel, swim towards him, closer, closer, closer, and then, he skewered it. 

“Aha!” Pulling the spear from the water, he beamed (somewhat maliciously) at Gilgamesh. “Hungry?”

For a few seconds, the king’s chin hung agape, and that was enough to transform Kingu’s ordinary feat into a great triumph.

“You got lucky,” Gilgamesh mumbled.

But within minutes, Kingu had pulled another barbel from the river. Then another, and another, and another. 

“Alright, enough!” Gilgamesh groaned. “I get it.”

Content with the king’s surrender, Kingu sat back down. “Here, you can give it back.”

Gilgamesh rolled his eyes. “Keep it.”

“Huh?”

“From now on, you’re going to join them.”

Kingu’s face lit up. Then he smirked. “So, I’m good, right?” Gilgamesh would have no choice but to acknowledge Kingu’s talents.

“As long as you’re living in Uruk, you need to be a productive member of society.”

Gilgamesh’s disregard of Kingu’s showing off was more crushing than Kingu wanted it to be. Not wanting to linger on it, he hastily moved on. “Man, these look good. I could eat one right now.” 

And he would have if Gilgamesh hadn’t raised an eyebrow. “Right now?”

“Why?” Kingu was bewildered.

“You don’t want to smoke them at least?”

“Oh.” So that’s what the humans did. Kingu’s face went red with the realization. “Yes, of course, I do!” He bluffed. “It was just an exaggeration.”

“Well, if you don’t know how to cook them, ask someone.” Gilgamesh muttered. “You should also learn how to swim soon.” Without another word, he began rowing back towards the city. They continued in a peaceful silence all the way to Kingu’s door. 

“Mongrel,” Gilgamesh called out before leaving.

Oh, how Kingu wished he didn’t respond to that. But it was too late. “What?”

“You weren’t half bad today.”

Kingu’s heart stopped for several endless moments.

“If you want to learn how to use that spear, I will teach you.”

Kingu only half-processed the words, but they threw him into a greater panic. 

“Don’t just stand there like an idiot!” Gilgamesh barked. “Or I’ll take the offer back.”

“Yes! I would like to!” Kingu blurted out.

“Excellent. Then I will send for you when I have time.” With that, Gilgamesh left.

...What? Did Gilgamesh just praise Kingu? And did Kingu just agree to meet him again? Kingu was undeniably an idiot—an idiot for making plans with Gilgamesh of all people, and an even bigger one for getting so worked up in the first place. 

No, Kingu tried to reassure himself, he needed to be on the king’s good side to carry out his mission. But before he worried about Gilgamesh, he needed to shape up.

***

Kingu did not find the idea of raw fish to be so objectionable (he ate them all the time in Atargata), but, in an effort to blend in, he tried smoking them as Gilgamesh had suggested. They usually ended up charred. Fortunately for him, Shamhat paid Kingu a visit one evening, volunteering to cook dinner: a one-night reprieve. As expected, Shamhat’s cooking was leagues above Kingu’s. The savory flavor brought back memories of Kingu’s first few days in Uruk, staying in Shamhat’s home. 

“Um, Shamhat,” Kingu began, confidence disappearing by the millisecond. “Thanks for taking care of me.”

“Oh, you’re welcome!” Shamhat smiled. “It was my pleasure.”

“I’ve been an interruption to your job and routine, so… I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be!” Shamhat replied as though the words Kingu had struggled to say were a simple matter. “I can take days off sometimes, you know? Besides, I have something I should be apologizing about.”

“Huh? Why?”

“About the other day…” Shamhat maintained eye contact as she spoke. “While I really appreciate you standing up for me, you were put in danger because of me. I’m sorry to have—”

“Don’t apologize!” Why did she have to apologize for what that pompous egoist did? “Someone had to stand up to that narcissist!”

“I see.” Shamhat laughed. “If you feel that way, I’m glad. Thank you.”

“Besides, I’m better now. Nothing to worry about!”

“You know, I’m glad that you and King Gilgamesh are getting along now.”

Kingu blinked. “We are?”

“Yes, he said good things about you.”

“He did?”

“Let’s see.” Shamhat tilted her head. “That you can’t swim… that you have an absurd fear of fantasies… that you have a serious attitude problem…”

“Which of those are good things?”

“Well, he said them all smiling.” Shamhat conveyed no doubt in her theory. “I think he likes you.”

“Great.”

Shamhat would have certainly known more about Gilgamesh than Kingu, but perhaps, just this once, she was wrong.

“Besides, he invited you to see him again, didn’t he?”

“...Yeah…” Kingu didn’t want to think about that incident again. 

“See? I’m sure he’s fond of you! Oh, come on! Don’t be like that. It’s a rare honor to make acquaintances with the king like this.”

Shamhat had a point. Kingu should have appreciated that the circumstances were now in his favor, but, at the moment, his mind was caught up with other things. “About Tiamat,” Kingu posed the question hesitantly, “Do you believe in the goddess?”

“Tiamat?” Shamhat pondered over the question. “I guess she could exist. It’s possible that a goddess created us people and put us on land. But you see, even if she does exist, she hasn’t done anything for us in a long time. Our ancestors built this city, and we work hard to keep advancing under the guidance of our king. We built our fortunes ourselves. So, it’s hard for me to believe.”

Gilgamesh had said the same thing the other day. The Uruks had long been independent. It was no surprise then that they couldn’t remember anything Tiamat had done for them. More than that, the Uruks were proud. They believed in their capabilities as humans and that they could advance through those abilities and willpower alone. There was no room for a distant entity like Tiamat in their tale of success.

“You’re a believer, right?” Shamhat continued. “I don’t think it’s wrong to believe. But just, maybe don’t mention it in front of Gilgamesh.” She winked.

That was for certain. The king took pride to a whole new level. 

“But King Gilgamesh is right. There’s something weird about you.”

“What do you mean?” Kingu demanded.

“Well, you appeared suddenly without memories and without basic knowledge. You couldn’t even walk. But nevertheless, you have strangely specific beliefs, skills, and knowledge. Just who were you before?”

Kingu frowned. Maybe Shamhat would believe him. No, he couldn’t tell her.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you!” Shamhat rapidly changed tones. “Don’t worry about it, okay? There’s no use in fretting over what you can’t remember. What’s important is that you’re here now and what you do with that. You know, people don’t have a lot of time on this land, so we must make the most of it!”

Kingu had not given a single thought to the human lifespan, but it truly was short—lamentably so. Nevertheless, they were undeterred. The humans must have done more work in their lives than any of the complacent merpeople had done in the past two hundred years. They built Uruk, which must have taken generations to reach its current state (the founders were certainly dead). In fact, they were still working on it, even if they would die so soon. So that was the future they worked for, not only for themselves, but for their offspring too. It all seemed so foreign to Kingu, yet he felt deeply ashamed for not having realized it.

“Kingu?” Shamhat had inched forward to inspect Kingu’s hidden face.

“I’m sorry,” Kingu mumbled.

“Huh? No, no, I am the one who’s sorry. I really didn’t mean to make you upset.”

Kingu curbed his regret before looking up. “No, it’s fine. You’re right, Shamhat. It’s good to keep moving forward.”

#Fate series #Fate/Grand Order #Gilkingu #Kingu #Gilgamesh #Siduri #Shamhat

[thegoldofyourheart]

The Gold Of Your Heart Chapter 63

Word count:

Pairings: Romantic Roceit

Warnings: Minor Character Death, Violence, Language

First | <== Previous | Next ==> | Masterpost

~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~ * ~~

Tony ripped his cape from his shoulders and gripped it in his hands. He eyed the Self-Doubts passing him by as they strode into the Imagination. Apathy, no doubt ahead of them. He scowled darkly. He didn't have much Belief left but he could pull a few more tricks.

 He pushed just enough to hide his presence into his cape and held it to his chest. He slid into the crowd around him and let them carry him into the Imagination. The golden light caressed him as he entered and he allowed himself one moment to bask in the feeling, in the quick surge of energy before the familiar feel of wind brushed against his cheek.

Tony glanced around and noting grimly that they had entered near the swamp. He slipped away from the army and glanced around. He needed to do something about the numbers. Roman's forces would never be able to stand against all of these. The swamp could be something that he could use.

 Maybe.

 Tony eyed them all again once more. Ropes looped around their backs, each one of them. They shuffled forward single-mindedly, just like-

 Just like Patton.

 Tony sucked in a sharp breath. Apathy had influenced them somehow. Tony narrowed his eyes. Apathy had been taking food and ropes from the Mind Palace, the waters from the River. That meant he needed them for something. Tony hung his cape over one shoulder and wadded into the deeper part of the swamp. Muck and water reached his thighs.

 Tony closed his eyes and dipped a hand into the water. The Imagination thrummed around him. For a moment he could feel the curious tug of Remus, familiar as the connection that Tony had made with him. Tony shook his head and bared his teeth.

 He could deal with this himself.

 The feeling of Remus disappeared. The Imagination thrummed with fear and anger. 

 "Use that," Tony whispered. He wanted to Believe. He Believed that the Imagination could hear him. He could remember the way that Roman made it tug Luke away into the depths. "Protect him. Protect yourself. You know you can."

 Creativity thrived when encouraged. Tony knows that intimately from two different Sides. He could feel the energy that both Remus and Roman had sunk into this section of Thomas' mind. He couldn't call it alive, but it could definitely act without direction from either of them.

 Like the Constructs, only so much more vast and so much more simple. 

 Tony simply gave it the push that it needed.

 He bared his teeth triumphantly as the ground rolled underneath him. The feeling of the Imagination brushed around him like a comforting wind before it roared past him. Trees creaked as the ripped themselves from their roots. The water gurgled as it rose, a tentacled monster of its own.

 The very land turned against the Self-Doubt that wanted to tear Roman down. Tony let out a triumphant cackle and turned his sight to the flying Self-Doubts that had already reached the Capital. He didn't know where Roma or Remy were, which meant that Apathy had the advantage over him. Apathy had more forces to look with. But.

 Tony did know where Apathy was. He could do something about that. He tried to straighten and bit down on his lip to keep from crying out in pain from his wound. He pressed his hand against it and let out a slow breath. He didn't have too long, but he had to do this. He closed his eyes and braced himself.

 Then he slogged through the swap and took to the skies.  The form that he twisted into felt strange and weird. The greyscales weighed down on him, but when in Rome, and all that shit. Tony felt dirty taking the form of a Self-Doubt, and he doubted that any true Side wouldn't be able to tell the difference. But it worked for him for now.

 He let out a roar and dove towards the Capital. He slid past the warring defensive and offensive fighting, eyes fixed on Apathy's form standing on the back of the Self-Doubt hovering over the city. More of them circled Apathy, diving down into the City and bringing screams with them. He took a deep breath and took a risk. He shifted forms again, making a note of it in his mind. Four. He had four left.

 His feet landed on the Self-Doubt that Apathy towered over. The beast was large enough that Tony barely felt the way that its wings flapped. He gasped as Apathy's hand snapped out and wrapped around his neck.

 "I thought," Apathy said softly, "I told you to stay put."

 "Yes-" Tony wheezed as Apathy's grip loosened just enough to let him talk, "But you see-" His eyes skittered over the city. The way that smokes started to rise as fires spread. Hecate roared and dove at one of the large Self-Doubts. More dragons rose over the horizon to meet the army. It wouldn't be enough. Or it might be.

 It would be enough for the Self-Doubt but it wouldn't work if Roman died.

 Tony took a deep breath.

 "See, I think," Tony wheezed, "That you know the truth." He took a gamble. "That I never loved Roman." Apathy's head turned to him and tilted to the side. "But see-" He spasmed as Apathy's grip tightened for a moment.

 "God, you have no sense of drama," Tony muttered, "But see, there's a reason I did the whole little lovey-dovey song and dance. That idiot-" Tony swallowed as Apathy faced him fully, "I know where that idiot keeps his core now."

 Apathy's eyes glowed.

 "And I-" Apathy dropped him, and Tony fell to his knees with a cough. He rubbed his hand against his throat and took a shuddering breath. "I know when to jump a sinking ship. Can't beat them, join them. Just-" Tony hesitated. "Just keep Thomas alive."

 "I will help Thomas the way that none of you have," Apathy said softly. Tony bit back a snarl at the implications. Bastard. Fucker would tear Thomas apart. He pressed his hands against the rough scales of the Self-Doubt and bowed his head.

 "You really are a snake," Apathy mused. Tony held himself steady. "Show me."

 Tony felt his mouth twitch into a smile, hidden by his hat and bowed head.

 “Glady," he murmured. "It is to the east." He pointed away from the city. Away from the mountains. Away from where Roman and Remy would feasibly be. He just needed a Construct. Any would do.

 Apathy nodded. He stomped his foot down on the Self-Doubt and it twisted, flying off in the direction that Tony had pointed.

 "Know this," Apathy said softly, "That if you are lying, you will feel pain that you have never imagined."

 "Oh," Tony muttered, "You don't have to worry about that."

 He closed his eyes, feeling the way that the Imagination stretched around them. Longer and longer. They might even stretch into infinity, just the two of them, for the rest of time. Tony would probably get discorporated over and over again until he went insane, but at least Thomas' Passion- at least Roman would survive.

 Then, suddenly- 

 He felt it wrench.

 He glanced down at the sudden road that appeared beneath them. His heart sank as he took in the two Constructs there. He would recognize those sunglasses anywhere.

 "Well, then," Apathy whispered, "It seems for once you were telling the truth." Tony's stomach dropped as they swooped down. The Self-Doubt’s claws dug into the road as they landed. He met Remy's eyes as Seth pushed Remy behind him. Their faces paled and eyes widened.

 Tony clenched his jaw. No turning back now. He oozed off of the Self-Doubt and sauntered forward.

 "Well, well, well," Tony waved a hand at them," Roman's core and his bodyguard.”

 "Tony, what the hell-"

 "I told you," Tony cut Remy off, raising his voice. "Though it seems that Roman's better at keeping his core safe than I thought." He sidled up next to Seth's wary gaze and grinned. He knew that it didn't reach his eyes. Behind his back, he crossed his fingers. He heard Remy breath in sharply.

 "Don't you dare-" Remy muttered.

 "See, I would have thought you'd be in some town," Tony said, looking Seth in the eye. "Roman does like to keep you in places that he can check up on and last I knew, you were in the town down the way there." He waved off into the distance. He had no idea if there was actually a town but, god, he needed Seth to play along.

 He watched Seth’s throat bob. He could feel the way that Seth straightened under his arm. He met his eyes and nodded. Just enough that up close, Tony could see it, but Apathy on his towering Self-Doubt wouldn't.

 "I was visiting Roman after you broke his heart," Seth accused quietly. An answer without being an answer. Tony almost wished that he had more time to get to know the Construct. At least now, he had no guilt throwing him to the wolves.

 "Ah, well you know, things happen," Tony said breezily.

 "Wait!" Remy shouted and Tony felt his face fall blank. Not now. He couldn't let Remy prove just how much he was like Roman right now. "He's not the Core! That's-"

 "Ah ah ah," Tony waggled his finger in Remy's direction. "I can't believe that you're trying to lie to me. Me! Master of lies. I do appreciate that Roman's instilled you all with the greater good. Makes it so much easier to trick you."

 "You won't get away with this," Seth said quietly.

 "Ah, darling," Tony patted his cheek. Half an apology and half an act. "I already have." He stepped away from Seth as Apathy towered over them. He swept his hat off in a bow and backed up as Seth stared Apathy down. He let his feet carry him back to Remy.

 He swept his cape off and threw it over Remy's shoulders.

 "Get ready,” he hissed.

 "You," Apathy said and Tony did his best not to stiffen. Seth straightened his shoulders and met Apathy head-on. Steady and reliable as the month he was named after. "Executing you will lead to my ultimate success."

 "You won't get away with this either," Seth said. Tony grabbed Remy's arm and started to tug him away. Remy struggled against him for a moment. Tony glared at him.

 "Now is not the time," Tony whispered. "If you die, Roman dies. Let Seth do this for both of you."

 Cruel. Tony watched the way that Remy flinched. He would be alright with losing Remy's friendship if it meant that he survived. He glanced over his shoulder and caught sight of Apathy placing a hand on the Self-Doubt’s scales. The Self-Doubt’s claws raised into the air.

 He glanced away as it came down, catching the light as it did. Seth's screams rang through the air. Tony's jaw ached from how hard he clenched it but he didn't turn back. He tightened his grip on Remy's arm and lead Roman's true Core farther and farther away from the danger.

 Apathy would make it hurt. Apathy would make it last. Seth would die screaming and bloody but it would buy them much needed time. Tony took a deep breath and pushed the image of Seth's arm dropping to the ground away. He wanted to forget the white of bone and how blood turned greystone a brilliant red.

 He felt the Imagination shift around them again. He let Remy go as they stood outside the ruins of the Capital’s walls. He turned to face Remy. Remy’s fist collided with his face. Tony let out a wheeze as he stumbled back. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to ride out the pain. Remy shouted something but he couldn’t make it out through the way that his ears rang.

 “Bastard!” He caught and Tony breathed in sharply. “You had- you had no right!”

 “Does it matter?” Tony snapped. Remy trembled in front of him. “You’re alive.”

 “Just because you love Roman-”

 “It’s not just about Roman!” Remy stared at him. Tony closed his eyes again and tried to steady himself.

 “Thomas, then,” Remy said flatly.

 “Oh my god,” Tony said, tilting his head up to the sky. “You’re as moronic about Roman. Do you think I would go out of my way for just anyone? I wouldn’t hurt you for Thomas but I don’t-” He slammed his mouth shut. He pressed his hand against the wall, feeling the rough texture of it. “Excuse me for choosing my best friend over a complete stranger.”

 Tony pushed himself off the wall and looked away from Remy. 

 “Keep the cape on,” he muttered, “It will keep you hidden. Find a safe place to hide. Once you’re in the shadows, no one will be able to find you. I need to-” He turned towards the Capital and the chaos inside. He needed to find Roman. He needed to make sure he was fine. Then he’d figure out how the hell he’d deal with Apathy.

 Remy’s hand caught on his arm. Tony froze. He appreciated the fact that Remy didn’t grip his broken wrist.

 “You don’t get to run away from this,” Remy said, his voice wavering. “You have to come back. You have to come back so I can kick your ass over your choices.”

 Tony looked at him. He carefully pried Remy’s hand from his arm, and he smiled. He wondered what it looked like from Remy’s end, but he hoped that it was convincing. He knew of one way to defeat Apathy now. It might not come to it, but Tony didn’t survive this long on hope. He leaned in and pressed his forehead against Remy’s before pulling away.

 “Of course,” he murmured, the lie sweet against his lips. “I’d never do anything else. Stay safe.”

 He turned and vanished into the smoke before Remy could say anything else.

#Sanders Sides #Roceit #Deceit Sanders #Remy Sanders #Minor character death #Blood #Violence #mild gore

[ikesenlemonadestandstories]

Level 4

How is everyone doing? Are you enjoying the seasonal shorts? I hope so :) I’m getting ready to head out of town for the Holiday’s but never fear! I’ve got everything all cued up for your viewing enjoyment!

Tagging: @loudartanimeeclipse

Master List here or check the tag Ikesen AFK.

Warnings: None

Happy Reading! T~

Level 4

You logged yourself in at 6:35pm. Deciding that it would be a good idea to get all your shopping done before you were supposed to meet up with everyone. You didn’t want to be the only one unprepared. Then Yuki’d really never let you hear the end of it, and you super didn’t want to deal with that. With the flick of your joystick, you headed for the market to grab the lance you’d been eyeing for a week now. Making sure to snack between conversations with the shopkeepers. 

Once your business in town was finished, you headed to your meeting point, arriving with five minutes to spare. After a few moments of fiddling around with your headset, your control began to vibrate.

*Nin-nin0217 has invited you to a group chat.*

With a smile on your face, you happily accepted. 

Braves6Coins → Yo! Where you at? 

Nin-nin0217 → She’s sitting over there. Near that bush.

With a smile on your face you prompted your avatar to wave. Sticking your tongue out at Yuki when he flipped you the bird.

Ur a child. ← WildCyt0m3try

TigerOfKai681 → Oho, she’s got spirit. I like it. The name suits you, Wild.

God_of_War → We’re wasting time. Let’s go

RoseW@terHeals010 → Were you seriously about to leave with out me!? Jeeze, hold your horses wouldya

God_of_War → The only one here with a horse is Brave, and you and I both know he’s got no clue how to ride it.

Braves6Coins → Hey! Wth man!

God_of_War → Are you done? Can we go? 

RoseW@terHeals010 → Oh my gosh. @Brave6Coins did that hurt? Do you need ice?

Braves6Coins → Shove it!

TigerOfKai681 → Now, now. Is that any way to talk to a lady?

Fine_as_art1156 → Technically no, but how can you be so sure Rose is, in fact, a lady? Depending on stat growth, it makes more sense to play as a female character if one wishes to have access to the gremory class later on.

RoseW@terHeals010 → Now that’s just uncalled for. I’m a bonafide female. Both Brave and Nin can vouch for me there. 

Brave6Coins → Who said I wanted too? 

Nin-nin0217 → Rose is indeed a female.

RoseW@aterHeals010 → Thank you Nin! At least someone here wants to be healed today. 

God_of_War → If you don’t plan on doing your job, why did you even bother showing up?

RoseW@terHeals010 → I came specifically to piss you off.

TigerOfKai681 → Ladies, gentlemen, War...we have a guest, we’re being very rude.

You’re being hysterical, is what you’re being. xD You guys are crazy! ← WildCyt0m3try

TigerOfKai681 → Happy we could entertain you, my lady. *bows*

You rolled your eyes at the wall of text that quickly began turning into another argument. At least this wouldn’t be boring. How did they find the time to get anything done bickering like this? You wondered as you followed them out of town and into the swap map. At least you’d get to take out a few good beasties tonight.

The group of you weren’t on the map long before you got the notification to turn your headset on. 

“Is everyone here?” A voice you knew to be Sasuke’s asked over the intercom.

“Yes.” A deep baritone came through your speakers. It came out a low rumble though a bit domineering, instantly commanding your attention. Who the hell was that? 

“Tiger of Kai also present.” The light tone of his voice made you smile, that certainly wasn’t what you had been expecting. At least his response narrowed down your question.

“Fine Art is here.” His voice lower, yet slightly more nasally than Tiger’s, though he spoke slower with a draw on his vowels. 

“Brave checking in. I’m all good to go!” Yuki’s voice played, urgent and familiar as ever. 

“Rose here, reporting for duty.” The soft soprano of your friend’s voice was in stark contrast to the voices she followed. 

“Wild is present.” You spoke into your microphone, choosing to speak after everyone else had gone through the roll call, oddly nervous for them to hear your voice. 

“Oh, see! Wild most certainly is a girl!” Tiger exclaimed in excitement. “No, a woman. With the voice of a goddess!”

“Uh, I think that may be a bit much.” You responded, wondering if this guy was for real. Then again, Rose had warned you at lunch he was a major flirt.

“She’s a boar is what she is,” Yukimura called out over Tiger’s ramblings. 

“So you know Wild as well then?” Art questioned over the ensuing argument. 

“Does it matter?” The man you assumed by now was War asked, the exasperation clear in his voice. “Can we get on with this quest? Or do you all plan to just stand around and blather all day?”

“I’m just trying to get to know my teammates,” Tiger responded defensively. 

“Best not to let him get to know you too well, ladies,” Sasuke responded, sending the whole group into a tizzy. It wasn’t often that anyone got to hear him use that tone of voice. 

You were so busy enjoying the conversation the group had to offer you almost missed the change in music as you pushed forward through the swamp.

“Uh guys, beasties. Twelve o’clock.” You called over the mic. Taking down a low-level monster that had come careening through the forest in your direction. 

The entire group sprung into action, moving around the map to better defend yourselves and the area. It didn’t take long to take care of the surprise attack, and the intercom system came back to life quickly as everyone became less concentrated on using their unit for battle. 

“So, you’re not completely useless.” War commented as you hacked at another enemy. 

“Uh, thanks. I think?” You responded in near confusion as a new mission header popped up across your display. 

*Mission: Defend the base for 12 turns, or defeat all of the enemies. Fail: The base falls, all units defeated.*

It looked easy enough, but that didn’t mean anything. This game was quickly becoming known for its ridiculous curveballs. With its initial success and players becoming more and more adept at defeating the challenges, the creators had become increasingly creative at taking down the higher ranking players. So it was better to watch out. Especially with someone in a Master Class on the team. The last thing you wanted to do was be smacked across the swamp by some weird-ass beast that regenerated every two turns if you couldn’t defeat it fast enough. Not on your to-do list for the evening. 

As each player accepted the mission, positions were distributed, and the map was enlarged in the top left corner of your TV. So you had all been separated. 

“So, what’s the plan? It looks like they divided us to the far corners, with Art being the closest to the base. Are we all bee-lining to take defensive measures, or do we just want to cut down anything we come across?” You asked wondering how your new team wanted to go about this.

“A beautiful voice and brains! Where did you find this woman?” Tiger asked in a sing-song voice.

“In a dungeon. Can we please move on?” Yukimura seethed. Technically he wasn’t wrong. You and Rose did work in the basement of the hospital, it was an apt nickname for the lab. 

“I say we split the jobs.” Sasuke cut in. “Tiger, you’re not going to make it very far, so I say you do what you can and obliterate anything that’s dumb enough to get near you.”

“That I can do.” The smile was evident in Tiger’s voice. 

“Art, are you okay to hold down the fort? Blow things away from a distance? We’ll send Wild in as back-up. Her movement stat is exceptional, and she can cover the most ground the fastest.” Sasuke suggested, and you preened internally at the compliment.

“I would love back-up. Wild, whenever you can get here would be wonderful.” Art spoke through his mic. 

“Rose, you should work your way towards the middle of the field where that forest is. You can hide in the terrane while also healing using your wide faith magic range to your advantage.”

“Roger that,” Rose responded with enthusiasm. 

“Brave, since you’re on the horse do what you can to take out as many beasts as you can before they reach Rose. Once you get there and the forest is secured for her, make your way around the field.” Sasuke suggested.

“So take down as many beasts as possible for Rose. Got it.” Yuki replied, a little too smug.

“War, please feel free to do as you always do,” Sasuke spoke, quick to interject the fight that was bound to start with Yuki and Rose. 

“Of course.” His voice was drawn out, and you could sense the smile. War was going to enjoy this. 

“I’ll wander the map, open up any gates and chest I see before making my way towards the base. Sound like a plan?”

“A very good one.” You replied, excited for the battle to begin. The muddled confirmation of your teammates could be heard in your headset. You couldn’t make much out with everyone talking at once, but that didn’t matter to you. This was still going to be a blast. 

#ikesen #ikemen sengoku #ikesen afk #ikesen modern au #ikesen gamer au #ikesen long fic #ikesen reader insert #my story

[themeatlife]

the Meat Life Stay-At-Home Watchlist

Chronicling what I have watched or rewatched through the pandemic so far

The world has changed around us the last few months, particularly in the United States since March 11.  With the lack of events to hit up, like most Americans I’ve been catching up on some watching through the various streaming services and my own digital copies of movies and shows.

I didn’t really think of keeping up with what I have been watching until just recently, but here is what I can remember hitting up so far since I’ve spent the majority of the time at home.  Some are favorites that I would have watched anyway.  Some were unfinished until I got a chance to get back to them.  And others just became available.

Here’s what I remember of the watchlist:

The Office (Netfilx) This is a favorite of me and the wife.  We watch this on the regular though.  My wife uses The Office as her lullaby of sorts, putting it on in the evening as she gets ready for bed and is in bed to fall asleep.  I did a post on the 15th anniversary, so I won’t really deep-dive.

Gossip Girl (Netflix) Another one that my wife rotates with The Office as her lullaby.  The series is not bad, it’s basically The OC in Manhattan (both are created and developed by Josh Schwartz).  It also takes on a new perspective when you think about star Penn Badgley is the creep in You.  So Dan Humphrey gets this weird creeper Joe Goldberg vibe at times.

Parks and Recreation (Netflix) I never got into Parks and Rec on its original run.  I was encouraged to check it out by some coworkers since I liked The Office.  It is a great show, very funny, and poignant in a way.  It feels like a throwback to when people could disagree politically and still get along.  There is a lot less of that nowadays.  We might need more Parks and Rec in real life.  I started this right before the pandemic and finished around the beginning of things getting locked down.

Frozen II (Disney+) The sequel debuted on Disney+ early on in the quarantine period.  My family enjoyed it.  I thought it was entertaining, but I felt like it was weighted down a bit by the mythology explaining.  It seemed too busy explaining a lot of things.  Still an enjoyable movie, but the first is better.

Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness (Netflix) Intriguing.  The series debuted early in the quarantine period and became a staple of stay-at-home viewing and a runaway hit.  Lots of WTF moments.  It was like the train wreck analogy to the Nth degree.  But you can tell it was made in a way that leans in favor of Joe Exotic, making him look like a victim in the last couple episodes.  Also gave way to memorable memes ever since.

The Rocketeer (Disney+) I haven’t watched this movie since I was a kid.  Looking back, you can see a lot of The Rocketeer in Captain America - The First Avenger.  Easy to see though, since they share the same director Joe Johnston.  Prior to America’s involvement in World War II, a movie star Nazi goes after an experimental rocket pack developed by Howard Hughes.  The rocket pack is retrieved by accident from a down on luck stunt pilot.  Fun movie.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (Disney+) I should have watched the entire Skywalker saga leading up to it, but I figured I have a ton of time to do that later.  This was a May the 4th watch.  I haven’t watched the Skywalker saga finale since it was in theaters.  It’s not a bad movie, I just feel it could have been a lot better with some modifications here and there.  Also, I believe this was going to be the Leia movie.  The Force Awakens was Han’s swan song, as was The Last Jedi for Luke.  I feel like this would have been great for Leia but obviously they were limited due to the untimely death of Carrie Fisher.  The scene where Ren/Ben speaks with Han after battling Rey would have hit harder with Leia instead of Han.

Trolls: World Tour (VOD) Cute kid movie.  Was nice to hear a lot of familiar music.  Sucks that rock was the villain in the first couple acts.  Seeing it once was enough, though.  Like the first Trolls, I am glad my kids enjoyed it but did not participate in excessive multiple viewings.

Onward (Disney+) Didn’t get a chance to catch this at the theater before they closed them down.  Great movie, but gosh.  Why does Pixar always pull at the heart strings like that?  I was quietly crying to myself at the end.  I’m glad we made our living room dark theater-style, otherwise my kids would have seen me all torn up.

Fast and Furious 5-7 (Fast Five - HBO, The Fast and the Furious 6/Furious 7 - Digital) I ended up not watching the entire series.  There is a great trilogy within the series, 5-7 was that trilogy.  Fast Five was the best of the FF franchise and where it perfected their movie formula.  It was like an action Ocean’s Eleven with cars.  6 and 7 expanded on that formula, upping the humor and ridiculousness factor.  6 had the exits of the Han and Gisele characters (they found a way to tie in Tokyo Drift to the rest of the series, Gal Gadot was on her way to becoming Wonder Woman for DC).  And 7 had that great ending with the tribute to Paul Walker to the sounds of Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth.

Toy Story 4 (Disney+) Another Pixar hit.  Didn’t hit me quite as hard as Onward or Toy Story 3 did emotionally, thank goodness.  I thought this story was over the way Toy Story 3 ended.  But Pixar did a good job adapting to prolong these characters stories.  It did feel like it was a bit of two and three combined looking back.  Still very good, Pixar knows what it’s doing.

The Marvel Infinity Saga (Disney+/Netflix/Digital) Leading up to the one-year anniversary of the release of Avengers: Endgame, I went through and rewatched all 23 MCU movies.  This time, I went in chronological story order by starting with Captain America - The First Avenger.  I chronicled the order I watched in my last post.  Even after viewing many of these movies multiple times, I’m still amazed at how much I enjoy them and the scope of what Marvel was able to achieve leading into the climax in Endgame.

Community (Netflix/Hulu) I loved Community on its initial run on NBC but never watched any of the episodes when it was on Yahoo for its sixth season.  It has been great to rewatch the meta-humor and sitcom trope parodies.  And since Ken Jeong and Joel McHale started their own podcast called The Darkest Timeline (half COVID-19, half Community pod), it has been a good companion viewing.

The Back to the Future Trilogy (Netflix) Recent add to Netflix for easy viewing, these movies have been a favorite of the Mitra boys since childhood.  Upon viewing as an adult, there is some humor that I didn’t recognize as a kid that is hilarious to me now.  It is also crazy how well this teen time-travel sci-fi comedy works.  Some of the effects in Part 2 are dated and 2015 didn’t quite end up the way it did in the movies.  But overall very enjoyable on the rewatch!

Extraction (Netflix) High budget action flick funded by Netflix?  Written by the Russo Brothers?  And staring Chris Hemsworth?  I’m in!  Directed by long-time stunt man and Russo Bros go-to stunt coordinator Sam Hargrave (you can tell the Russo influence).  It has an awesome 15ish minute one-shot action/chase sequence that is top notch.  Don’t think much about the plot or the controversy of cultural representation, just enjoy the action.

The Mighty Ducks Trilogy (HBO) Another childhood favorite of mine.  Nevermind that the hockey itself isn’t accurate.  This is about pure fun for an hour and a half at a time.  Come for the hi-jinx, stay for the heart.  Triple-deke, knuckle-puck, taking out the trash.  And leave it out on the ice!

The Harry Potter Series (Blu-Ray/Digital) This was not a go-to for me until Linda made me watch the entire series.  I guess when the first movie came out, it was too much of a kid movie for me (I was a high school senior at the time).  But from the second movie onward, it felt like the storytelling and movie making got better and better.  The Deathly Hallows was an epic ending, even if they did change the ending from the book.  I didn’t watch the newer Fantastic Beasts movies along with this though, my wife did.

Westworld - Season 3 (HBO) Recently got HBO back, so I caught up on Westworld Season 3.  I haven’t rewatched the previous seasons yet, but I may revisit it soon.  Season 1 was spectacular, Season 2 was confusing as hell but still entertaining.  Season 3 is somewhere in between, expanding on the ongoing storyline.  It was more straight-forward because its storyline is in the “real-world.”  For those of you that have watched, didn’t you think it was highly ironic that the Incite ball was basically the AT&T logo? (AT&T is the parent company for WarnerMedia and HBO)

The Last Dance (ESPN/ESPN+) The Michael Jordan docu-series has been a god-sent for sports fans devoid of live American sports for the past couple months.  Is it Jordan-biased?  Sure.  But it is full of drama and intrigue and full of nostalgia.  The NBA had commissioned a camera crew to follow the 1997-1998 Chicago Bulls on their run for their sixth NBA championship.  Jordan owned the controlling rights to the footage and unlocked it after the 2016 NBA Finals.  So this documentary was years in the making and with the pandemic the release date was moved up.  Although it featured a lot of unseen footage, it also chronicled the years leading up to the 1998 Bulls title.  The last 5 Sundays have been awesome.

The Princess Bride (Disney+) I haven’t watched this movie since I was a kid.  It wasn’t one of my recurring watches back then.  So this was actually my second viewing of this movie ever.  I found it quite enjoyable.  It was cheesy, but fun, and a good family watch.  One of the many older titles available on Disney+.

Scoob (VOD) My kids had some of the older Scooby Doo episodes on DVD and watched them when they were younger.  This was a fun revisit for them and for us as parents.  It was actually cool seeing a lot of the Hanna-Barbera characters in one movie.  We watched this shortly after finishing Community, and my kids recognized Ken Jeong’s voice as Dynomutt.  My daughter hilariously shouted “Senor Chang!” when she recognized him.

The Indiana Jones Series (Netflix) I introduced my son to Indiana Jones a few months ago watching Raiders of the Lost Ark.  He loved it.  He lost a little bit of interest during the Temple of Doom, I think the character Short Round lost it for him (character hasn’t aged well).  The Last Crusade reclaimed his interest.  Harrison Ford was at his natural apex playing Indiana Jones.  I did not watch the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.  I didn’t feel the need to revisit that installment, while it was enjoyable the alien ending ruined the lead up to it.

The Dark Knight Trilogy (Batman Begins/The Dark Knight - Hulu, The Dark Knight Rises - Digital) Every few years I try to revisit this series.  It is the best thing DC has ever put out cinematically.  While Begins and Rises is more comic book, TDK is a straight crime drama set in the world of Batman.  My favorite is Rises, but the absolute best comic book movie remains The Dark Knight, even with the advent of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Jurassic Park/Jurassic World Series (Jurassic Park/The Lost World: Jurassic Park - Blu-Ray, Jurassic World - Digital, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom - Cinemax) The original Jurassic Park is such a great movie.  Rewatching, it’s crazy how well the effects for the dinosaurs hold up.  Steven Spielberg, Stan Winston, and ILM did a great job mixing animatronic and CGI dino effects that stand the test of time.  The Lost World was enjoyable but not as good as the original.  I skipped JP III, such a bad movie.  Jurassic World was a good way to reboot the series, basically a remake of the original but incorporating a lot of references to it.  I just finished Fallen Kingdom today.  Although Fallen Kingdom was entertaining, it fails to recapture some of the magic of JP and JW.

I’m not sure what I will hit up next.  I might hit some Keanu Reeves movies like Speed, the Matrix Trilogy, and/or the John Wick Trilogy.  Maybe Top Gun.  Maybe rewatch Friends or How I Met Your Mother.  Maybe something on HBO Max when it comes out like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.  Maybe Terminator.  Possibilities are endless, at least until some American sports return.

[hysterialevi]

When the Devil Cries pt. 9

Author’s note: *excited screaming*

From Arthur’s POV

THE NEXT MORNING

SAINT DENIS

What the hell was I doing? I scolded myself, smoking on a cigarette.

Here I was, standin’ in front of the Râleur like a lost puppy and wasting time thinking about how I was gonna smooth things over with Eddie when I shoulda been helping Dutch formulate a plan for the upcoming gala.

I already told myself I weren’t gonna see that boy no more. Sure, I liked him. And I wanted more than anything to be with him...but it wasn’t safe for Eddie to be around me.

I mean, Jesus-- I had only known the pianist for less than a week, and already he’d witnessed me kill someone.

If that wasn’t a red flag that our relationship was a dangerous one, then I didn’t know what was.

I just...couldn’t bring myself to ignore him. No matter what I did. He was always on my mind; always distracting me from the things I should’ve been attending to. Hell, even Williamson could see that Eddie was clouding my judgement.

As much as I hated to admit it, Bill did have a point about the theater job.

Had that been anyone else holdin’ a gun to my face, I would’ve knocked them out cold before they had a chance to do anything. But with Eddie...

...I just froze. There was even a moment when I forgot I had the option of using my gun.

Even though he didn’t know it was me, every fiber in my being went against the idea of layin’ a single finger on that boy, and I absolutely refused to hurt him despite the risk of botching the entire robbery.

I couldn’t lie. Eddie had a special place in my heart. And that made him dangerous.

I only prayed he would never take advantage of it. And if he did...well, at least I’d go down for the sake of not hurtin’ someone I cared about. For once.

Tossing the cigarette to the ground, I stubbed it out under my boot and squished it into the pavement, bracing myself before entering the theater.

Eddie wasn’t at his house, so he must’ve been here. And on top of that, it also appeared as if he’d taken in Thatcher’s orphaned mount. I spotted the big boy hitched near a streetlamp, and it looked like Eddie had kept Middleton’s weapons for himself. The beauty of inheritance, I supposed.

To be honest, I was surprised the pianist actually managed to tame a war horse like this one. The beast was practically twice my height, and I didn’t even wanna imagine what it felt like to be kicked by him. One of his legs had more strength than my entire body, and I’d seen enough fellers get a hoof to the head to know how much damage it could cause. I guessed Eddie was better with horses than I thought.

Taking a deep breath, I finally decided to go inside while the day was still young and pushed my way through the front doors, suddenly being flooded by a wave of memories as I walked in.

Despite its style being a bit too sumptuous for my liking, the theater had a certain charm to it when it wasn’t being robbed, and I couldn’t deny that I wouldn’t mind seeing a show or two here.

It was no wonder why Eddie enjoyed performing at the Râleur so much. There were ornamental decorations on the walls, fancy lights to spruce the place up, and I even recalled there bein’ a bar somewhere in here. I’d definitely have to check that out.

“Good morning, sir.” The ticket clerk greeted. It was a different guy. Not that I was surprised.

“There are no shows available at the moment,” he apologized. “I’m afraid the theater’s still recovering from that awful robbery. But why don’t you check in some other day? I’d be happy to help you out, then.”

I walked up to him. “Actually, I’m here to visit one of the performers. Is Edward Ryan here?”

“Sure is. Always a pleasure when he comes in to practice. Much more bearable standing here all day when I get to listen to his music.”

“Sounds like it.”

“Well, go on in and see him. He should be just inside those double-doors.”

I nodded, taking my leave. “Thank you.”

Strolling into the main area of the theater, I was greeted by quite a magnificent sight as well as some classical piano music to add to the mood.

All around me, I saw seats everywhere. Probably enough to fit a couple hundred people. And the stage was pretty impressive, too.

There was a row of spotlights shining underneath it, and a tall, red curtain draped elegantly over its surface. It was drawn at the moment, but I was willing to bet that it looked beautiful when let down.

But of course, the thing that caught my attention the most...was Eddie himself.

The boy was currently losing himself in a song, and his body seemed to sway with the gentle rhythm, almost like the notes were carrying him as he played. It reminded me of the first time I met him.

As for the piano, this one was much larger than the one he had at home, and the vast space of the theater only helped to carry its eloquent sounds.

I could definitely see the appeal of watching Eddie perform now, and part of me felt guilty for ruining his show the other night. Perhaps I could make it up to him by helping the pianist prepare another one. I just wish I knew how to.

Sauntering up to the stage, I hesitated for a moment and thought about what I was going to say while Eddie continued to play, completely unaware of my presence.

He always looked so at peace whenever accompanied by a piano. There wasn’t a single hint of concern on his face, or a sign of worry. It was like he had just shut the rest of the world out, and had completely relieved himself of all struggles. I wished I could do that.

Steeling myself, I wandered over to the edge of the stage -- just next to where Eddie was positioned -- and rested my elbow on its surface, leaning casually against it.

“That’s a nice song,” I said, causing the music to come to a pause. “It’s good to see you playin’ again.”

Glancing around for a second, Eddie checked both sides for the source of the voice before looking downwards, his expression immediately glowing with joy the minute his eyes landed on me.

“Arthur!” He exclaimed happily, springing up from his seat as I joined him on the stage. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here. How’d you find me?”

I gestured outside the theater. “Well, when you wasn’t at your house, I figured you’d be here. Only two places in Saint Denis I know to find you.”

He beamed at me. “And you’d be correct.”

I took a few steps towards him, acting like an awkward idiot as I tried to make conversation.

“I, ah...heard about the robbery. I’m real sorry, Eddie. I wish there was somethin’ I could do to help.”

Eddie shook his head. “You have done more than enough to help, Arthur. And besides, it’s not all bad. Did you see I took in Thatcher’s horse?”

“Yeah,” I confirmed. “I saw the beast outside. He’s got a wild look in his eyes. You give him a new name?”

The pianist smiled proudly.

“Bullet.”

“Bullet?” I repeated.

“He’s about as fast as one,” Eddie explained. “And as strong.”

I grinned at that. “...I like it. And I think he will, too.”

He chuckled. “Hopefully. I don’t want to be bucked off by a horse like him.”

I returned the laugh. “No, sir.”

Noticing my sheepish mood, Eddie decided to change the subject and switched to a more comforting tone, cocking his head to the side out of curiosity.

“Is everything alright, Arthur?” He checked. “You said you were looking for me at my house?”

I cleared my throat, stumblin’ over my words like the dolt I was. “Oh, um-- yeah. I was.”

Eddie’s eyes flicked side-to-side. “...And?”

I was quiet for a second, attempting to gather my thoughts.

This was it, I told myself. This was the moment I’d finally end things between us, and somehow tell the boy to stay the hell away from me. It was gonna hurt, and I weren’t ready for it...but it had to be done.

I took a breath. “...I...I wanted to say I’m sorry.”

He raised a brow. “Sorry? For what?”

“For runnin’ off the way I did.”

The memory came back to him. “Yes...you left in quite a hurry yesterday. Are you okay? I hope I didn’t scare you off with everything I told you.”

“No, no,” I hurriedly replied. “It weren’t that. It weren’t...you. I just...”

My voice faltered into silence once again, and I gave him a quick glance before staring at the floor out of embarrassment, chuckling to myself.

“Oh, you know me, Eddie. I ain’t got much of a way with words. I’m-- I think-- goddammit.”

I sighed out of irritation and turned away from the boy, shaking my head.

Why couldn’t I say it? What was so damned hard about expressin’ the way I felt? Why did I always feel like a toddler learning how to talk for the first time around Eddie?

I was such a clumsy fool.

“...Look,” I said, my tone a bit more firm. “I like you, Eddie. I do. Even though I really shouldn’t. But despite all that...I think it’s best if we keep our distance from each other. I ain’t a safe man to be around, and the last thing I want is to put you in harm’s way. I mean -- you was there for the whole Thatcher incident. You saw the things I did. What I’m capable of.”

My sudden change in mood caught him off-guard.

“What are you talking about?” He questioned. “You were defending yourself. Sure, it was chaos, but neither of us really had a choice. It’s not as if you murdered Thatcher in cold blood. Hell, if anyone was going to be murdered, it was me. But I’m still alive. Thanks to you.”

I conceded his point. “That’s...one way to look at it. I just wish you didn’t have to see that. All that violence, and death...it ain’t a pleasant thing to witness. Not to mention you had to help clean up the damned mess.”

Eddie shrugged. “Better to clean Middleton’s blood instead of my own.”

“That’s true.”

Without even giving me a chance to react, Eddie stepped closer to me and grabbed both my hands, holding them softly as he looked me in the eye.

“You have nothing to apologize for, Arthur,” he reassured. “You’ve already helped me so much within these past few days, and I’ll always be thankful. No one has ever treated me like you do. I’m...I’m glad to have you by my side.”

For a minute, I simply stood there and returned his gaze, taking in everything he just said as my rough hands tightened around his. A sense of affection had suddenly taken over me, and despite how much I kept remindin’ myself to just cut ties with him, the words wouldn’t come outta my mouth.

What was wrong with me? Was I seriously ignoring my responsibilities with the gang for some boy I had only known for a few days? And putting his safety at risk in the process? Like some...love-struck kid? I couldn’t believe it.

I wanted Eddie, it was true. I wanted him more than anything right now.

But I was an outlaw. A killer. I had a price on my head, for God’s sake. There was bounty hunters and lawmen hurdling their way over five different states just to catch me, and I was busy playin’ Romeo and Juliet with some boy.

Not to mention there was always the chance Eddie wasn’t really who he claimed to be. It wasn’t that I didn’t believe his story about Theodore Bishop, or that I didn’t trust him, but lookin’ at it from a logical perspective...this pianist could’ve been quite literally anyone.

His whole story about his family being assassinated by Middleton could’ve been a complete lie...and like the moron I was, I coulda been fallin’ for it.

But...against my better judgement, I trusted Eddie. I did. And I’d have to trust him to understand why I couldn’t allow him to be near me. I hated that I had to repay his kindness like this, but it was the reality of the world we lived in. And we both knew reality never wasted any time in wakin’ us up.

The best I could do...was dream while I had the chance.

Finally mustering the courage to do what I came here for, I pulled my hands away and opened my mouth to speak...but as the case always was with Eddie, my words jumbled up in my throat before I could actually say them.

I let out an irritated sigh, cursing myself.

“Jesus, Eddie...” I whispered in a flustered manner.

Eddie smirked playfully, seeming to finally understand what I was feeling.

“Arthur,” he said, unable to hide the grin on his face, “are you...are you infatuated with me?”

I paused, whirling around in confusion. “...In-what?”

The musician laughed. “I’m asking if you’re...you know...attracted to me.”

I scratched the back of my head, avoiding all eye contact as my cheeks began to feel hot.

“I dunno,” I mumbled grumpily. “Maybe.”

That only made him smirk more. “Oh, really? Is that why you’re ‘maybe’ blushing?”

“Shut up.”

Eddie giggled. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of, Arthur. I’m...actually glad to hear it.”

My mood lit up at that. “You are?”

“Yes,” he answered, growing somewhat flustered himself. “And...it might please you to know that...the feeling’s mutual.”

My confusion didn’t disappear at all. “...It is?”

Eddie chuckled at my bewilderment and reached for my hands once again, attempting to ease my nerves.

“Relax, Arthur. ...I swear, I’ve never seen you so embarrassed.”

I took a second to recompose myself before letting out a soft laugh, completely in disbelief at how much of an imbecile I was being.

“I-I’m sorry--”

“--And stop saying ‘sorry.” He added, peering over at the piano as his eyes twinkled with an idea. I instantly picked up on it.

“You’re thinkin’ about something.”

Eddie smiled at me and let go of my hands, taking a seat at the piano’s bench before patting the empty space next to him.

I glanced around in uncertainty and pointed to myself.

“You want me to...?”

He shrugged. “It wouldn’t hurt to try, would it?”

I chuckled out of doubt. “Oh, I dunno ‘bout that. I ain’t much of a musician.”

“It’s only a piano,” he convinced me. “It can’t be more dangerous than a gun.”

I sighed in defeat. “...Fair enough.”

Roaming towards the piano, I awkwardly sat down next to Eddie and tried my best not to slip off due to the limited space, suddenly regretting ever agreeing to this.

I gestured blindly at the instrument. “So, uh...what do I...”

Eddie took one of my hands and positioned it over a specific set of keys, pushing my fingers in place just like I did when teaching him how to shoot a gun.

“Lay your hand out like this,” he instructed. “And make sure it’s flat. I remember when I was first starting to learn, I’d always place coins on the back of my hands.”

A thought struck me. “...Where did you learn how to play the piano?”

Eddie smiled fondly, reminiscing back to when he was just a child.

“My grandfather taught me,” he answered. “When I was a kid, my family would visit my grandparents occasionally...and every time we went to their house, I always took an interest in the piano there. At first, I merely played around with it. Never really made a tune, or a melody. But one day, my grandfather decided to teach me how to play it properly. And...after he passed, my grandmother gifted the piano to me. Didn’t want to let it gather dust, she said.”

The musician’s normally optimistic expression suddenly sank with sorrow at the thought of his family, and for a moment, he reverted to the same Eddie I saw sitting quietly at his piano after Thatcher was killed.

I quickly broke the silence, hoping to bring him out of this mood.

“I’m...I’m sorry, Eddie,” I apologized. “I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

“No, no. It’s alright,” he assured. “It’s just...I wasn’t there, you know. When Thatcher killed my family. I didn’t even have a chance to say goodbye, or a chance to help them. I just ran...like the coward I am.”

I stopped him right there. “Now, hold on -- that ain’t fair. You’re many things, Eddie, but you’re not a coward. Everything I’ve seen of you is evidence to the contrary. You saved my life when you shot Thatcher. Would a coward have done that?”

The pianist let out a breath. “Plenty of cowards with guns out there, Arthur.”

“Yeah,” I agreed. “And you shot one.”

Eddie processed what I just said, his tone lightening up slightly.

“...I suppose I did.”

The strength returned to the musician’s face at the thought and he brought his focus back to the piano, his hand still resting on top of mine as he made a short promise to himself.

“Well, whatever I did in the past,” Eddie began, “I’m never running again. From anything. I promise.”

I looked at the boy in pride, admiring the courage he carried.

“Good. I know better than anyone that runnin’ never solves your problems. Only makes the trip back longer when you finally decide to confront it.”

Eddie nodded in approval. “That it does.” He suddenly cleared his throat, returning his attention to the instrument. “Erm-- anyways, why don’t I show you how to play a little song?”

I laughed. “You can try.”

“It’s not as difficult as it seems,” he said with a grin. “Just follow my lead.”

Pressing my fingers down one-by-one, Eddie began to move my hand in a sequence like a puppet on strings, repeating it enough times for me to memorize it.

“Just do that over and over again. At that pace. Not too hard, yeah?”

I shrugged. “Guess we’ll find out.”

“Have some faith, Arthur.”

I rolled my eyes, letting out a playful groan. “Christ, you sound exactly like someone I know.”

Eddie chuckled. “That so? Who?”

“I...suppose you could call him my father,” I answered. “We ain’t related, but he did raise me after my real daddy died. Ever since I was just a kid.”

“What’s his name?”

I hesitated, quickly coming up with something. “...Tacitus. Tacitus Kilgore.”

“That’s quite a name.” Eddie commented, sounding impressed.

“Well, he’s quite a man.”

“Clearly. He raised you.”

I chortled. “True enough.”

“Anyways,” the pianist placed his own hand on the piano not too far away from mine, “you ready to try this out? You start playing first, and then I’ll join in afterwards. It’ll sound much better when our melodies are entwined.”

“...Alright,” I said. “I’d just like to apologize in advance for what you’re about to hear.”

He scoffed amusingly. “You’ll be fine.”

Starting on Eddie’s queue, I rehearsed the tune he showed me, struggling to keep the same beat as my clumsy fingers recited a melody that was just barely decent.

By itself, my part sounded rather lonely so far. It was just three notes repeatin’ themselves in the same rhythm, again and again and again -- and to make it worse, I was the one playing it. Was I even doin’ this right?

After about four times of repeating the tune, Eddie joined me and began his part, adding a complex, higher-pitched touch to the song.

Now, the main melody of the composition was much more prominent, and as the two of us carried on with the song, the more comfortable I started to feel with the piano.

Eddie was right. It...actually wasn’t as difficult as I was expecting it to be. I mean, yeah, he had given me what was probably the easiest tune to play out there, but the movement wasn’t as awkward as I pictured.

Contrary to what I thought was gonna happen, my hand actually seemed to loosen up over the course of the song and grew more accustomed to the piano every time I repeated my part.

By now, the composition was significantly more fluent, and when Eddie decided to be a showoff and add a third part to it, it truly sounded amazing.

Throughout the entire theater, notes from all different ranges could be heard chiming from the piano, and yet...they all seemed to fit together perfectly.

It was...almost like me and Eddie in a strange way.

Just one week ago, I would’ve never imagined that I’d be falling in love with a man like him. Usually, the artists I encountered were either outta their damned minds, or were fallin’ off cliffs just to get a photograph of a bird.

But Eddie...the only thing I saw in him was passion. He didn’t make music for money, or for the attention. He did his job because he loved it. It was his way of tellin’ a story that everyone could understand, and that just drew me to him even more.

He was an artist just like any other. Only, he didn’t paint on a canvas. He painted in people’s minds.

Coming to a stop, Eddie steadily ended his part as it gradually slowed down while I continued mine just the same, both of us suddenly realizing that we didn’t say a single word to each other during the entire song.

It was as if we just wandered into on our own, little worlds, and completely forgot that this one still existed. As weird as it may’ve sounded...I actually enjoyed that feeling. It was the same feeling I got whenever I drew, and I never expected a piano, out of all things, to deliver it as well.

I guessed that saying was true. Life was full of surprises -- my success in playing that song without messin’ up being the biggest one.

“Not so bad, is it?” Eddie said, noticing the bliss on my face.

“No,” I agreed. “It certainly ain’t. That was...that was fun. Thank you for showin’ me that.”

The boy’s expression glowed with appreciation. “I only wish I could show you more. But...as you know, the theater’s dangerously low on funds, and we can’t host another show without more money.”

“There’s no other way to raise money?” I asked.

“Well, we sent our singer Robin to perform in the streets. And Hortensia’s with her, too. That’s the woman who can bend metal. If they’re lucky, they’ll get a few donations.”

Without even thinking about it, I reached into my satchel and fumbled through the bag, yanking out as much money as I could find.

I handed the cash to Eddie. “Here. Take this. It’s all I got on me.”

He politely refused it. “I-I can’t accept this, Arthur.”

Grabbing one of his hands, I placed the money in his palm regardless of his protests and closed his fist around it, sincerely looking him in the eye.

“Well, you’re gonna have to. ‘Cause you’re takin’ it. You need this much more than I do. And I can always make more, anyway.”

Eddie silently stared at the money sitting in his hand, entirely at a loss for words.

“I...I don’t know what to say, Arthur.”

“Don’t say anything. Just put on a good show for these folks, alright?”

The pianist smiled tenderly at me, his gaze radiating with hope as he finally gave in and stored the money in his pocket, making sure it was secure before turning back to me.

“...Thank you, Arthur.”

Out of nowhere, Eddie suddenly leaned forward and planted a brief but loving kiss on my cheek, causing me to freeze with surprise as my face turned red again.

I knew I should’ve told him to stop, or pushed him away, or rejected the kiss...but I couldn’t. No matter how much I should have.

This was everything I wanted, and the selfish part of me just couldn’t let go.

I couldn’t let go of Eddie.

Letting out a bashful laugh in place of words, I smiled back at the boy and stood up from the bench, starting to make my way out of the theater as he followed me.

“I’m afraid you’re still too smart for me, Eddie.”

The musician didn’t buy it. “You can masquerade as the big, dumb brute all you want, Arthur. I know there’s an artist in there somewhere. I just wish he’d step out more often.”

I sighed in a regretful way, the both of us heading out the double-doors.

“Me too.”

“But he can’t,” Eddie continued, somehow knowing exactly how I was feeling. “I understand. After all, conformity is our only promise of safety in this world. Civilization condemns the very diversity it thrives off of.”

I glanced back at the man before exiting through the front doors. “Sounds like you’ve had personal experience.”

“A lot of people have. More than you think.”

I switched to a more serious tone. “...Now ain’t that the truth. Well...I had fun with you today, Eddie. Thanks again for...all that piano business.”

Eddie walked me out the door. “And thank you for the donation. You truly are a good man, Arthur. I mean it.”

I grinned at the man. “You’d be one of the few. Anyway, goodbye, Eddie. I hope everythin’ works out with the theater.”

“So do I. But if we manage to put on another show, I’d love to see you attend.”

I considered the offer. “Let me know when it happens, and I’ll be there.”

Eddie turned on his heel and started to wander back inside the building, waving a quick goodbye to me as horses and stagecoaches rode along behind me.

“Well, until then...farewell, Arthur. Stay safe. You’re a much better person than you believe...and don’t you dare forget that. Because if you do, I’ll be the first one to remind you.”

I chuckled softly and returned the wave, mounting my horse as I finally forced myself to part ways with the pianist, disappearing into the crowded streets of Saint Denis.

“Oh, I know. After all, you’re the reason I am.”

#red dead redemption #red dead redemption 2 #rdr2 #arthur morgan #eddie ryan #oc #fanfic #story

[britesparc]

Weekend Top Ten #369

Top Ten Favourite Things About Teen Titans Go!

One of the funny things about life is observing elements of circularity. For instance, nearly twenty years ago, my younger brother really got into the original Teen Titans cartoon, and I sort of got into it with him (having a brother ten years younger than yourself is very good for keeping your oar in with kids’ content when you’re supposed to be too old for that sort of thing; as a result, I got to thoroughly enjoy Justice League, Samurai Jack, Harry Potter and lots more stuff that may have otherwise passed me by). I knew who the Titans were but hadn’t read a lot of their comics; the cartoon was my introduction to most of those characters. It was really good, benefited from a tremendous theme tune, and – for its time – quietly revolutionary in how it incorporated anime aesthetics into a western cartoon. Plus it had a cracking voice cast, which – not that I knew it at the time – would become as synonymous with those characters as Peter Cullen, Frank Welker, and Kevin Conroy had done with cartoons I’d watched as a child.

(that’s Optimus, Megatron, and Batman, in case you’re wondering)

Anyway, here we are, eighteen-or-so years later, and Teen Titans is just a beloved long-gone cult classic but bizarre comedic spin-off Teen Titans Go! is a minor phenomenon. The same characters, the same actors, but wilder, weirder, funnier, crazier, way more violent, and – bizarrely – far more integrated into the wider DC Universe. And my kids – especially my eldest daughter – bloody love the show. It is huge in our house. We’ve seen the film, we listen to the songs, they draw their own comics, they roleplay the characters; we have a home-made Raven costume, for god’s sake. I have a six-year-old who knows who Tara Strong is. This is incredible.

As a result, I’ve seen an awful lot (not quite every episode) of Teen Titans Go!. It’s fortunate, then, that it’s fantastic, easily one of the best comic-book cartoon adaptations ever made. It’s not just how funny it is; it’s madcap and self-referential and full of many (many) MANY DC comics references. And great, great songs. And – like I said before – tremendous performances. Teen Titans Go! To the Movies is a great, great movie with great, great songs and many great, great gags, and it’s a mixed blessing that it ended up being released in what may well be Annus Mirabilis for superhero movies: it’s great that it’s mixing it up with Infinity War, Black Panther, and Spider-Verse, but I feel it got overshadowed a bit. Say what you will for the slightly more “serious” original Teen Titans series, but it was the barmy chibi-inspired stepchild that got a movie.

So this week, I’m celebrating what has become my second-favourite superhero cartoon of all time (after Batman: The Animated Series, natch). My ten favourite things about Teen Titans Go!. Enjoy!

The Songs: I tried to pick a song, or some reference or line or scene, but really it’s impossible. The songs are sublime. So great, in fact, that I’ll probably do another Top Ten at some point listing my favourite TTG songs. Really catchy, great lyrics, supremely diverse, and full of references not just to DC but to, well, everything. There’s a song about America that includes the line “Samuel L. Jackson on the stamp”, which makes no sense as far as I can figure, but is just wonderful.

Deep, Deep (DEEP) Cut DC References: it started with the Darkseid doll. A little plush Darkseid doll that’s always leaning against the couch. How cute, how funny; Darkseid, the literal embodiment of evil, but as an adorable snuggly. And then it got deeper, and weirder, and more wild. B’wana Beast. Alternate universe Robins. “That movie where their moms are both called Martha”. The Haunted Tank. The Haunted Tank! What kind of kids’ show references The Haunted Tank?! And then there’s the fact that The Comedian’s blood-stained smiley face badge is on display in the Batcave. Let’s go back over that one: there are Watchmen references in this cartoon for six-year-olds.

Batman and Gordon: the original Teen Titans cartoon pretty much never mentioned any aspect of the universe outside of the five characters, barring one fleeting visual reference to the Batcave and the episode where you meet the Doom Patrol. TTG has no qualms about explaining that, yes, Robin is Batman’s sidekick. So we see the Batcave, and Wayne Manor, and Alfred. But it’s Batman’s relationship with Gordon that’s golden. Not just stoic men’s men who diligently work alongside one another, never questioning, never needing to; no, they’re best mates, giggling schoolkids who want to shirk off all work and just sit in their PJs watching crap on the telly. Like a superheroic version of Beavis and Butt-Head, they’re often there, in the background, goofing off, playing games, undercutting the narrative. It’s such a perfect inversion of Batman’s usual persona and a great way of referencing – in supremely silly terms – the deep bond of affection between the two men in most Batman fiction. I especially like when Superman gives Gordon to Batman as a birthday present.

The Night Begins to Shine: I know I said I wouldn’t single out one song, but we do need to talk about The Night Begins to Shine. More than just a cool song in one episode, it blossomed into a whole weird parallel universe filled with bizarre references to ‘80s heavy metal and, well, Heavy Metal. Almost coming off like a primary school version of Mandy, the multi-part epic about Cyborg fighting a giant dragon in the “Night” universe, complete with cameos from people like CeeLo Green and Fall Out Boy (as Transformers!), is just a thing of absolute beauty. Truly, the level of reference and artistry on display in terms of writing, composition, and animation won’t be understood by the kids watching now until they’re quite a bit older. They’ll come back to this in ten, fifteen, twenty years and think “wow, now I see what they were doing; that’s so, so weird”.

The Holiday Mascots: belligerent Santa is the king (“you garbage kids!”), a fat psychopath trying to take over every other holiday, but let’s spare a thought for the other representations of holidays, too. The creepy Tooth Fairy, who eats teeth. The turkey from Thanksgiving who is horribly mutilated. Uncle Sam. And the Easter Bunny. Oh my god, the Easter Bunny. Genuinely unsettling. Words can’t describe. Seriously, check it out, it’s some Babadook-level freaky shit.

Raven’s Legs: a little bit worrying when you’ve got two kids under seven watching it, but the fact that Raven is not just hiding very, very sexy legs underneath her cloak, but is also capable of becoming an entirely other superhero who uses her legs as weapons, is very, very funny. Watching Beast Boy go full Tex Avery when he sees Raven’s legs is one of those gags that, I guess, works on different levels if you’re a child or an adult. Regardless, turning snarky sourpuss Raven into golden-costumed Lady Legasus is a nice move.

Breaking the Fourth Wall: they only really do this explicitly once or twice, I think, but overall the show is incredibly self-referential. From Control Freak trying to get them rebooted or cancelled, to jokes about the animation or the writing, it’s beautifully self-deprecating. This reaches its apex in the 200th episode specials, when the Titans journey into “our” world. It’s hilarious to see them interact with their own voice actors, but for me it’s the note-perfect representation of directing voice actors that’s really funny, almost as good as Toast of London in its depiction. Plus the gag about everyone who works on the show being ultimately replaceable. A scathing indictment of the animation industry, wrapped up in an animation; like The Simpsons in its heyday.

Genuinely Quite Upsetting Violence: I don’t think I’d ever seen a cartoon for small children before that quite regularly featured its main characters having their bones visibly broken. And by “visibly” I mean “cutting to an X-ray of their limb to show the bone shearing in half or crumpling to dust”. It’s almost rare for an episode to go by without one or more of the Titans experiencing life-altering injuries. I’m honestly not sure how they get away with it. but it is funny. Apex moment? Oh, undoubtedly them beating the shit out of Shia LaBeouf in the movie.

Real-World References: clearly the people who make Teen Titans Go! are in their late thirties or early forties; people who grew up in the ‘80s and absorbed ‘80s culture. People who liked Transformers and Star Wars and Back to the Future, who listened to rock music, who liked toys and videogames. They probably grew into teenagers who were fans of obscure animations, cult movies, sci-fi, fantasy, horror. They are, basically, me. I think I would get on quite well with the creators of TTG, based on the things they reference. But beyond cultural appropriation, it’s the references to daylight saving’s time, “shareconomics”, American politics and history, “The Man”, and more, that is so wild and weird to see in a cartoon for young kids. They handle these topics beautifully (I’m honestly not sure if my kids think the things the Titans are talking about are real or not), but as a grown-up it’s really funny to see these gags in a kids’ cartoon. I mean, the Titans fight the Illuminati in one episode. They reference “lizard men in Congress”. It’s bonkers.

Nicolas Cage: in Teen Titans Go! To the Movies, Nicolas Cage plays Superman. That’s it. I mean, what more do you want? The guy whose whole career almost seems to have hinged on playing Superman finally gets to be Superman. The guy who was nearly – oh so nearly – Superman for Tim Burton is now, at last, Superman. The guy who named his kid Kal-El is now Superman. The guy who was namechecked in The Ultimates about eighteen years ago (“this guy wants to be a superhero almost as much as Nicolas Cage”) is now Superman. It’s such a meta-gag, such a high-level gag. Stunt casting taken to its nth degree. It’s even funnier than Billy Dee Williams playing Two-Face in LEGO Batman. And it got better – this part, I concede, beyond the purview of the TTG creators – because the same year he played Superman, Nicolas Cage also played (an alternate universe version of) Spider-Man in Into the Spider-Verse. And, as I alluded to above, starred in his own version of The Night Begins to Shine when he made Mandy. It all links!  

There we go. my favourite things. This was tough, I had to leave a lot out. I’m particularly saddened by not finding room for Cyborg’s tiny body made up of wires whenever he removes his head. And The Jeff; gutted I missed The Jeff. Or the episode that references all the movie incarnations of Batman, including a dumpster full of Batman Forever and Batman & Robin stuff (I’ll save my argument that TTG serves as an even better comic analysis and deconstruction of the meta-character of Batman, and of Robin, than the much-ballyhooed LEGO incarnations for another day). It’s really a great show. I love it to bits. Go watch it.

#top ten #teen titans #teen titans go #teen titans go to the movies #cartoons #dc #comics #robin #starfire #raven #beast boy #cyborg

[supernaturallied]

What Keeps You Up At Night (Drabble)

Heavy warnings, check tags.

“Are you up?”

It was a rhetorical question. Like an empty gift box it served no purpose but to mock at the lack of anything meaningful within, yet it was loathed even more by the golden bow-knot that rested upon it woven from strands of loose sarcasm the bear still had leftover from a long day of harassing.

With a groan, Wilson rolled over in his bed, showing his back to the painting the bear was sunken into from the waist down. It chuckled at the display, but ultimately, both knew it was fruitless. It was a quiet night, the crickets chirping just outside the window and the waning moon illuminating freshly formed drops of dew that scattered upon the leaves and petals of the flowers in Wilson’s window box. Weary eyes were still cracked open, watching as the glass beads collected, melding together to form even larger drops that trickled down the veiny green surfaces. He wished he could have watched those plants all night, counting drops of water like sheep. He wished he could be alone with his thoughts cuddled up against him in the same manner his late wife used to, an arm of a joyful childhood draped across his chest, head full of hopes and dreams resting on his chest and listening to the soft sound of his heart. His fingers could get lost in a tangle of schoolyard experiences; the races his brother would win, the others nerdy kids he would sit with and do homework ahead of time with during recess, the after school antics of the brothers and their friend Thomas. A warm body of repressed war memories, curves highlighted by the many good times he’d had in the service, clothed in a thin, patchwork gown made from all the letters he and Evelyn would send each other. Legs constructed of various thoughts that would spiral off into varying, disorganized tangents before plunging down into the depths of sleep— perhaps a song he had suck in his head, or one single memory he never even realized he remember, or some stupid little realization, or some small hypothetical that would never actually happen but that he could dream of. A body of thoughts all to himself, laid on him, pressing into him, depressed. Depressed because they knew they were not alone.

“You’re thinking about her again, aren’t you?”

Wilson’s thoughts turned sour, a hard scowl sinking into his aged features as he squeezed his eyes shut as if to try and tune out the voice. It was no use. Boris could see it all, every thought, every memory, every off little idea in his head. From the mundane to the extreme. It felt wrong. It felt awful. It felt that, even now, in his own bed long gone cold from sleeping alone and having only this damned beast to comfort him with icy claws in the moon’s silvery light, still he could not have respite inside his own mind, for the damned creature had all access to pick through that too. He had no privacy, and he felt an odd sensation of violation from such a realization. The beast could feel the mental cringe and snickered.

“Don’t feel bad, Wilson. You didn’t mean to kill her.”

Fingers curled, digging into palms in such a way that the knuckles turned white. The bedsheets furled into his fingertips, stretching under his grip. He wanted to punch this thing. Wanted to kill it for the way it spoke of his beloved. How it blamed him for what had happened to her, as he was miles away while she sat on her deathbed soon to join their newborn son or daughter in heaven. It wasn’t his fault, no. He’d been told so many times that it wasn’t his fault, there was nothing he could do. He couldn’t have done more, he wished he could have been there but he couldn’t.

“That’s what eats you up inside, huh? That you could have been there, you should have been there. But you weren’t, Wilson. You left without saying goodbye when you went off to war, she was only returning the favor for condemning her to this.”

“Shut your mouth!”

He yelled, and a heavy silence followed. He didn’t realized how taxing it was, but Wilson was panting. He laid on his side, clutching the bedsheets as if they were that damned thing’s throat, arms shivering as he clasped tighter, waiting tensely in the silence for the sensation of claws traveling across his throat, his shoulder, his back, his spine. Nothing. With a great hesitance he closed his eyes again, taking a breath to calm himself. Had he scared it off? No, of course not. The thing was sturdier than that with its emotions, or lack there of. But perhaps it would be quiet.

“I wish I had been there.” Came the voice, and Wilson grit his teeth. “I would have loved to see her. Beautifully pale, tall and slim, and wonderfully kind. Her heart was always in the right place, always bouncing in her chest with joy, a skip in her step. And that short wavy brown hair that she always worried was frizzing out in the humid morning air. That soft laugh that sounded like jingling church bells, so sweet and wonderful. It made you laugh too. The way she was so fragile and bruised like a summer peach.”

There was a pause.

“What I wouldn’t give to grab her and throw her around, watch that skin bruise against the walls, hear her cry out for you to come and help her. To call for you, but for you to never be able to reach her because you’re in France or Britain or even in Germany, fighting the war. I wish I could pin her, watch her knees tremble and slowly give out, watch her slide down the wall like the tears would slide down her rosy cheeks. Get to trace my claw right along her jaw down to her neck, right along to her carotid— you remember where that is. Feel her pulse right beneath the tips of my claws. Then watch her mouth open and no sound come out while I shove my claws into her throat, feel them cut through every single layer and bleed her until there’s nothing left.”

Wilson was silent as he listened, horrified as the image entered his mind in stunning detail, in vivid clarity that was enough to make his stomach turn. His mouth hung open slightly, fear panting him a sickly pale shade. He hear Boris chuckle, breath tickling his ear as the bear leaned over him.

“In the end, I didn’t even need to kill her though, Wilson. You did that all by yourself by giving her that baby.”

Frozen as he already was, Wilson felt his veins turn to ice, blood growing could within them as though ceasing its flow from the frigidity and rigidity of his muscles. His eyes darted among the many water droplets on the plant, slowly collecting and falling off the veiny edges of the moonlit leaves’ surface.

Was it true? If Evelyn had never been pregnant would she still be here? If had just waited a bit longer, could this have been prevented? The dam of question so neatly kept, so well held back, broke. The onslaught of thoughts flooded him, consumed him in the blackness of the currents as rushed over one another, the white froth of doubt tipping the edges of their crests. If he had been there, would it have been different? If he’d just taken the penalty of leave and come home to her would it have been different? Would their baby have survived? Would she? Would he not have to be alone, laying in bed cold and lonesome with a replacement made of broken thoughts and memories that, happy or not, he could only look back on with a heart as heavy as he’d casket? Could he have done something? Was this really his fault?

“Yeah, Wilson. You could’ve done something, and you didn’t. You killed your wife. You killed your kid. No one else, just you. Did you really think saving William was going to make up for that?”

The bear laughed, the sound echoing off the walls, reverberating in the room until it sounded like it was coming from all around him even long after Boris had jumped into the painting and disappeared for the night. Finally, Wilson was alone. Completely and utterly alone. There was no teddy bear and no cold figure of memories laying beside him as he silently drowned in his own thoughts. Maybe it was true. Maybe he had done this to himself. Maybe now he was the only reason that, beneath the waves of his own depression, all he could see were those little beads of water collecting on the leaf in the moonlight. And just like the little glass beads formed and melded and fell from the veiny green tips of his plants, the tears welled up on his lashes, clumping together lingering, plump with his own sorrow and self-pity for just a moment, before staining the pillow where his wife once laid her head.

#drabble #'' that's a hell of a story '' | drabble #’’ no time for wandering around ‘’ | wilson #’’ i never liked stuffed animals ‘’ | boris #fanfic #fanfiction #fanart #wilson’s heart #wilsons heart #trigger #tw gore mention #tw blood mention #tw torture #tw abuse mention #tw violence

[sonyasongwriter]

ON FEBRUARY 27,2017 9:44 AM THIS TROUBLED

NUCLEAR WAR IS COMING THIS WAS THE REVELATION ON FEBRUARY 27,2017 9:44 AM THIS TROUBLED ME NUCLEAR WAR IS COMING THIS WAS THE REVELATION THAT BURDENED ME! The Captcha Code image I received when logging into my Sprint Wireless account. Sprint administrations informed me that GOOGLE  does their CAPTCHA CODES.  This is the actual image untouched in any way

 NUCLEAR WAR IS COMING TO AMERICA, THIS IS WHAT WAS REVEALED TO ME AFTER  20 DAYS OF SEEKING AN ANSWER FOR THIS STRANGE CAPTCHA! I HAVE THE ABILITY TO PRAY, RECEIVE ANSWERS AND SEE THE MYSTERIES OF GOD IN THINGS THAT OTHERS MAY NOT SEE IT IS A WARNING, YES TECHNOLOGY GOOGLE DOING TO ALL OF THOSE

Who would send this, Who else has received this, but the Revelation behind it is even more profound. I have something really strange to share with you all today, I have thought about it to myself for three weeks and prayed to God for the revelation of what occurred to me on February 27, 2017, at approximately 9:44 am. On this particular date, I was sitting at my desk at my workstation where I write songs, work on Twitter, Facebook, Emails and whatever I need to do online. I was listening to one of my songs called Everlasting Love so that I could write out scenes to a music video for this particular song. (I guess you could say I was multitasking; I’m quite good at it.) So I went over to the SPRINT WIRLES website website to login and pay my cellular phone bill which was due in 3-4 days. Then Sprint/GOOGLE sent me a captcha code which is normal for them to do for security reasons. If you have Sprint cellular services or any type of service where you log in to do any form of online business banking or things of that nature, then you know the captcha codes are normal.

Holy Christ, what in the world was I looking at! God, Heaven knows the captcha that I received was anything but normal.

In front of my eyes, on my Mac desktop was a captcha code asking me to check the boxes for street signs on it. I work really fast and move quickly around the internet – you can see my mouse the blue check mark in the image. At the moment I saw this strange captcha code, I blinked my eyes and took a double take. Father God, what was this image that I had gotten from sprint.com It was a picture of Jesus Christ hanging on the cross! I gasped and did another double take rubbing my eyes, and it was still there. I don’t know if I expected it to disappear, go away or something, but thank God, I had enough thinking ability to snap several photos of it on my iPhone6 plus. In one of the pictures, I made sure that I captured my last name that is attached to my sprint account.

Now I will have to take a pic of the original picture from iPhone6

So that it will show you the original date and time. I have to be precise like this to let you know that this is authentic. If anyone out there has gotten something like this, please come forward and share your story so I will know that this is not rare and there are others that have experienced this!

I looked around my room, and immediately I loudly said in exclamatory fashion “Who is watching me?” Then I said “God, what is going on here?” I got no answer at that time. I got up and grabbed my keys and drove 5 miles up the road to the local Sprint store. When I got there, I asked them, “Hey, do you guys make and send out your own captcha codes?” They said “We think we do.” Then I requested to speak to the manager. He walked over, and I showed him the image on my phone. I asked him “Why would Sprint sent me such a captcha like this?” I’m a Christian and don’t know what to think of this. “What is going on here at Sprint?” I asked him. He replied to me “I don’t know what to tell you. I have never seen anything like this before either in my whole life.” Then he told me that I needed to contact the CEO of Sprint company.They asked me to verify my account, and I said “Okay.” They usually ask me for my ID, and that is good enough. This day, however, they stated that they had a new technology, and so I needed to thumbprint. Not only that, but they also scanned my driver license. Feeling disappointed, I asked them “When did you, start doing all this type of things?” They said, “Oh, we just started this, for security purposes.” I took a deep sigh, shook my head, and said “You know what? I’m just going to go. Thanks for your help, I will call the CEO of Sprint company.” I WROTE AN EMAIL AND THEY RESPONDED ON APRIL18, 2017 BY EMAIL AND THEN THE COMPANY PHONED ME ON APRIL 19,2017

I came back home very troubled by this image. I said “God, I need a revelation on this matter. Is this some type of sign or is someone just messing with me?” I thought if someone was just messing with me, I have been very violated by it. You would have to be a born again holy-Ghost-filled Christian to understand what I mean by being violated spiritually. I began to pray daily about the image, and I fasted, talking to myself and asking God for revelation. One-week-time passed, I was still in prayer, still keeping this to myself. After two weeks, answers began to come. God led me to my web browser to type in “Zone 30.” That was the number and words circled on the street sign.

I heard the Holy Spirit say to me, “Scroll down the page, remember what you saw. Copy and paste it.” I had gotten nowhere in this search and with this strange captcha image that was troubling my spirit so very much, or so I was feeling. I went to the second page of the search and heard the Holy Spirit say, “Look at that again.” I listened as the voice said “Scroll down.” So I did, and I stopped on the 5th result of the first search 2nd page  opened it more I looked I was so not wanting to have that Captcha Code relate to any of this, but it does very much so. And what gave me final confirmation is the image below with bares an eerie resemblance  point blank.  

Pictures: Chernobyl’s eerie exclusion zone 30 years on

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/23/wildlife-returns-to-radioactive-wasteland-of-chernobyl/

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35824880

DIRECTLY ABOVE SLAUGHTERED LITTLE ONES THE SYRAN   NUCLER CHEMICAL WEAPONS ATTAK. LET US HERE IN AMERICA REALIZE THAT WE TO ARE NOT EXEMPT FROM NUCLEAR ATTACKS OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS 

https://youtu.be/btWBrVVJZck I WILL EXPLAIN THE REVELATION THAT I PERCEIVED FROM THE CAPTCHA IMAGE WHERE IT CAME FROM , THERE WAS SOME SORT OF KNOWLEDGE OF OF THESE ATTACKS . REMEMBER I RECEIVED THE CAPTCHA IMAGE ON FEBRUARY 27,2017 OVER 3 WEEKS AGO. I ONLY NOW PUT IT UP BECAUSE I WRESTLED WITH LOGIC AND MY THOUGHT OF WHAT IN WORLD WAS THIS THAT I HAD IN MY POSSESSION.

THE NUMBER 30 CIRCLED IN THE RED REPRESENTS AROUND THE 30TH OR SO YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF Chernobyl’s Vladimir Ilyich  Lenin Nuclear Power Station in the former Soviet Union.

THE WHITE SIGN ON THE CROSS READS TETELESTAI- WHICH MEANS IT IS FINISHED PAID IN FULL. THE RED CIRCLE AROUND THE NUMBER #30  ZONE  SYMBOLIZES WARNING “ SO WHAT EXACTLY IS THIS SAYING ABOUT THIS IMAGE HERE BELOW.   THIS IS TAHT IMAGE I CAME ACROSS THAT STARTLED ME    SIMILARITIES WHERE STRIKINGLY EERI  TO MUCH ALIKE TO IGNORE TP THAT CAPTCHA CODE THAT I WAS SENT. CHERNOBYL IS NOW KNOW A  EXCLUSION ZONE

THIS IS THE SONG IS THE SONG I WAS LISTENING TO THAT MORNING EXACTLY WHEN THE CAPTCHA CODE WAS SENT . THE LYRICS OF THE SONG ARE  (FAST FORWARD )  THE BRIDGE OF THE SONG @  TO 2MINS AND 54 SECONDS     This is a song that I wrote, arranged and did the vocals I named this particular song (Everlasting Love) sitting there I was writing out the scenes for a music video and how I wanted to portray this song to visuals. That is when this That is when I took a break to pay my spring bill because a notice came in on my phone that the bill was coming up in 3 days. So I logged in to pay and that is when this Captcha popped up on the screen, it was Ironic that I was listening to a song about Christ being Crucified. Could it be that artificial intelligence computers are monitoring us so closely that they are sending us things like this Could  it be that this was a nasty insult and mockery to Christ Jesus and his dying, could this be the beast system doing what it was put here to do Did I just experience  the future downfall of this world and what is to come concerning technology, computers and how they terrorize us there will be nothing that we do that they are not monitored  in real time by satellite and computers and phones. Sprint, NASA, Verizon wireless, the Government all working together as only a part of the Beast System. Well, my friends the answer is yes through Signs and Symbols God is speaking and we are asleep in the Church collection money building more churches and more churches. My God only if we knew what was in store for this world, America, we would do things differently and in a hurry.  

The Beast System is here slowly infiltrating its way into the souls of humanity those of us that are ASLEEP I CALL THEM THE WALKING DEAD, FOR THEY CLAIM TO KNOW AND LOVE CHRIST BUT INDEED THIER HEARTS ARE FAR FROM HIM. THEY SEEK MONEY AND WELATH LUXURY AND THINGS HOMES CARS ALL OF THESE THINGS. BUT THEY CARE NOT FOR THIER SOULS NOR DO THEY CARE FOR THE SOULS OF OTHERS AS CHRIST HAS TOLD US TO WIN SOULS FOR THIS IS A WAR A SPIRITUAL WAR. AND SOON THE MANIFESTATION OF WICKEDNESS IN HIGH PLACES OTHER REALMS WILL SHOW, IT’S SELF TO THOSE WHO ARE BLIND AND ASLEEP AND THEY WILL FAINT OF FEAR AND TERROR.

BLESSING BE UPON ALL OF YOU MY FRIENDS LET US BE AWARE OF THE SIGNS AND SYMBOLS THAT ARE ALL AROUND US SO THAT WE MAY ATTEMPT TO PREPARE OR AT LEAST BE READY AT ALL TIMEES. HAVE OUR SOULS IN THE RIGHT STANDING WITH GOD THE FATHER SO THAT WHEN ALL THESE THINGS COME TO PAST THAT WE BE NOT CAUGHT UNAWARE AND THAT WE KNOW THE DAY AND HOUR SHALL NOT BE LONG BEFORE OUR LORD AND SAVIOR CHRIST JESUS SHALL APPEAR IN HE CLOUDS AND EVERY MAN SHALL SEE HIM. AND KNOW THAT GOD IS INDEED THE CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH WORLDS SEEN AND UNSEEN THE ALPHA AND OMEGA.   MY MESSAGE TO US ALL (BE READY AT ALL TIMES)

 They removed all links to this video so when I shared it it would show a blank page, I’m simply an ordinary person but with the revelation and wisdom 

They are wicked and online they are gang stalking it is called cyber stalking

It is the new way of crime and many of us will be censored and watched

Even put on a list these are big corporations that have 3rd party access to your online profiles . The Analyst at Google did give me a personal call

And Apologize I told them this was demonic and a type of persecution

They agreed did they mean it, No, they did not, but I wanted them to know

That I was not afraid of the mess they had sent to me. Just  a word to the wise when you turn on your computer your camera off and put a piece of tape over the lens, it will give you a little privacy but still you have the 

Television on and through that they are watching from the satellite 

The only thing we can really do in this hour is pray and draw near to GOD

BECAUSE THE WORSE IS YET TO COME.

I’AM PROPHETESS SONYA TOWNSEND AND THIS IS FOR THOSE

WHO WANT TO BE AWAKENED?  I PRAY THAT IT DOES NOT FALL ON DEAF EARS.  TO GOD BE ALL THE GLORY EVERY BIT OF OF IT  4 EVER AND 4 EVER.

LYRICS  ( THE HUNG HIM HIGH, THEY STRETCHED, HE BOWED HIS HEAD AND THEN HE DIED FOR YOU AND I HE WAS CRUCIFIED EVERLASTING LOVE, EVERLASTING LOVE YOU CAN SEARCH A LIFETIME NO GREATER LOVE WILL YOU FIND