#I love you Frank but that vest kills me to color | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

abyssmalice · 1 year

Text

Profile - re. mobile / the 11th ;

Name: “Tartaglia”

Real Name: Tonia Agafonova

Age: 14 (15-16)

Species: Human / Iriminsul-Human Hybrid

Vision: None / Cryo / Dendro / ???????

Delusion: Electro

Weapon: Polearm

Constellation: Dormitator (The Somnolent)

Affiliation: The Fatui / The Irminsul

Titles: The 11th Fatui Harbinger / The Noble Daughter / Listener of the Leylines

FC: Anissa de Lagrange (temp.), Aisha de Elmir (temp.)

Appearance

A young girl with plain looks. Dull blue eyes complement dull brown hair that tends to be tied into twin braids, while her face is adorned with a prominent splash of dark freckles.

Her typical wardrobe features a white dress with a vested corset matching in color with her dark boots. This tends to be accompanied with a capelet dyed and branded in the blue-gold colors of the Fatui. Accessory-wise, she is hardly to never seen without a pair of dark gloves, a red mask on her head, and a (fake) Cryo Vision pinned to her clothes.

When utilizing her Delusion for a long period of time, her hair will become undone and turn white.

Personality

If you were to take a volatile fourteen year old girl on a years-long road trip without asking her whether she even wants to be on this trip - that would be Tartaglia.

A young girl by every means of the word, who just wants what most teenagers would want in this period of their life - love and freedom and a contentedness that is normally hard to put in words, but Tartaglia knows what it looks like and it is not the stifling chains of the Tsaritsa’s command nor the grand responsibilities of being a Harbinger.

Really. She just wants to go home, care for her loved ones, and be happy living an utterly peaceful, simple life. None of this god-killing, scheme-pulling nonsense!

—Well, not that taking down Celestia is a bad thing - just not at the expense of herself and her time!

Regardless, no one really agrees with her thoughts, even if some do nod sympathetically to her rants. And only just nod. If that’s how it is, then fine - she’ll just make such a nuisance of things that they will have to do more than just smile and frown and nod and say pitiful and indifferent things to her.

(And if the whining and the yelling is just a defensive coping mechanism for how she really feels, deep down? Well, that’s just going to have remain an eternal secret between her and Ajax.)

Profile

“Huh? You wanna know more about Tartaglia? What would I know that you don’t? No, seriously - tell me, what do you know about her, because I’m pretty sure I’d give the same answer if anyone asked.

”…haaah? Battle-hungry? Fearsome? A young man? Did you hit your head on the stairs this morning? For starters, Tartaglia’s a young girl, sheesh!

“Fine, seeing as you seem to have legit lost your marbles right now - Tartaglia is the 11th Fatui Harbinger, the most recent and most youngest of them to date. Honestly, no one knows where she came from, she just popped out of nowhere and was appointed by Her Imperial Majesty with the title and everything it entails. Whoever knows the truth won’t fess a thing, and anyway, who would question the Tsaritsa’s decisions?

“Okay, okay, fine, a lot of us question it, but again, who would question their Archon about this? No one, right? Yeah, I thought so. That being said, doesn’t stop the whispers and the rumors that go around the place every so often. Some people say she must be the Tsaritsa’s secret daughter or something, for a mere child to be given the position of a Harbinger - but there’s plenty of people who think that’s the stupidest theory on Teyvat, considering Tartaglia looks nothing like Her Majesty. Hells, I’d say she looks more like my aunt’s cousin’s brother’s sister-in-law’s niece from Morepesok or somewhere just as backwater.

“—Kinda infuriates me, to be frank. I mean, if it weren’t for her title, she would probably just be some random kid. But because she has rank and authority second only to Her Imperial Majesty, we have to listen to her and bow to her every whim. To a kid! Don’t be fooled by her face - she’s a brat and a troublemaker and her title is probably the only reason she hasn’t been executed for mutiny yet.

”…You think I’m being too harsh on her? Because she’s just a kid? Oh sheeeeesh.

“Look, you’re new, so it’s only natural you would think that. But I know you’re not that new either - you must have heard those rumors that Tartaglia regularly tries to commit regicide, right? You haven’t? Well now you do!

“And by the way, they’re a bit exaggerated, that’s true, but fundamentally, no. The 11th Fatui Harbinger is a moody child who likes to cause chaos when no one expects it, who makes everyone question why Her Majesty would keep someone so unfaithful by her side, and honestly, if some people didn’t say she was good with her Vision, I would be questioning that too. She has a hellish habit for picking fights, but most of her fights just sound like childish tantrums from what I’ve heard.

“I think we’d all think differently about her if she were, how did you describe her at first? Some bloodthirsty war hound? Then again, no one can be a Harbinger without having some form of merit or power to their name… and if she can use a Vision blessed with the power of our own Archon, then, I guess… Ah, whatever.

“Point is, ultimately, just keep your head down and do your work. And try your damn best to stay out of her way. You really don’t want that girl’s attention on you, seriously.”

#mobile;

2 notes · View notes

plaid-shirtsandvibranium-arms · 3 years

Text

Nemesis: Retribution (3)

Summary: 10 years after the Avengers had left you for dead during a mission gone wrong, you unexpectedly re-enter their lives. Wholly unrecognizable from the person they used to know and now with a new team behind you, they ask for your help to stop a chain of syndicates who were manufacturing and peddling the super soldier serum. You were determined to say no until the chance at the vengeance you had been chasing for years was added to the offer.

Fandoms: Avengers, Marvel, MCU, The Punisher, Daredevil

Pairings: Female Reader x (Frank Castle, Billy Russo, Matt Murdock, Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes, Pietro Maximoff)

Warnings: EVENTUAL SMUT. SHAMELESS SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS. (18+ ONLY), polyamorous relationships, reverse harem, blatant disregard for canon timelines and events, lots of angst, Punisher canon level of violence and gore, strong language, mentions of trauma, character death, fluff if you squint

A/N: We’re playing fast and loose with canon here people. Also thank you for the interactions. I love reading what you think and it helps me write the next chapters better. Also, I enjoy having someone to freak out with. Highlight of my life I swear to god. Enjoy!

No permission is granted to repost, steal, or translate my work. Not even a credit makes it okay. Tumblr is the only place I post my writing. If you see it anywhere else please report it.

Series Masterlist | Full Masterlist

1:3 Hard Candy

Natasha stormed off the jet and into the conference room where she knew the rest of the team were waiting for them, fury radiating from her small frame. Catching sight of her target only made her grow angrier. She immediately ran up to Steve and growled up in his face causing him to immediately take a step back. Sam and Bucky were immediately alarmed, standing up to intervene and the latter's black vibranium arm whirring in preparation but Steve held up a hand to stop them.

"What the hell, Rogers? You send me on a mission with zero intel and this is what I find? Did you know?"

Steve's eyes narrowed down at her, the thick beard and longer hair adding even more to his already commanding presence. He knew exactly what Natasha was talking about and he did expect her to react this way.

"I wasn't sure, Nat. And I didn't want to get anyone's hopes up if I was wrong."

"And if you were right?" she scoffed.

Steve swallowed hard before he answered, the blue in his eyes calming considerably. "I thought the three of you deserved to be the first to know."

"What the hell is going on?" Bucky asked, arms crossed on his chest and brows deeply furrowed. They didn't even know about any mission.

Natasha chuckled humorlessly and backed off from Steve. She ran a hand through her hair, the red bleeding into the old blonde color, and gestured toward the door at the approaching people.

"Well you weren't wrong, Steve."

Shock.

That was the overall theme of the day it seemed. None of them could hardly believe that you were actually standing at the doorway. It's been ten long years and you were like the ghost haunting their dreams during that time, a pure and kind soul taken far too soon. Hell, they told stories about your selfless sacrifice to the new recruits. You had unknowingly become a legend.

A legend turned ghost story.

Now you looked more like a nightmare; dried blood caked your clothes and skin, a cold smirk lifting the corner of your lips, and a dangerous unhinged glint in your eyes.

"Well, I'll be damned," Sam breathed. "Y/N?"

"Hey, Sam," you said, the almost flirtatious lilt in your voice sending a shiver down their spines. "I go by Nemesis now."

"Nemesis?" Bucky snapped out of his daze, brows raised high and his jaw clenched, features seen clearer now with his shorter hair. "The notorious mercenary Nemesis?"

"I prefer private contractor."

While they had been honoring your memory, you had been building a ruthless reputation of your own that was widely considered on par in violence with The Punisher but with the added disturbing fact that you could be hired. Of course, no one but a select few knew who you actually were.

Until today.

Nemesis. The Greek goddess of divine retribution and revenge. A name that suited the dark avenging persona you had adapted and the only purpose you now lived for. In a twisted kind of way, you were doing the same work they were only with far less finesse and none of the righteous for the good of mankind purpose they usually had.

You shrugged, sitting yourself casually down on the nearest chair on the other end of the long table from where they stood. You have had a long night, your feet were tired and they were still looking at you with absolute confusion and disbelief. This looked like it would take a while.

You rolled your eyes as you unbuckled your stained bulletproof vest, throwing it haphazardly on the table. You hazarded a glance at each one of them as you made yourself comfortable, noting the changes in them too. The years had given way to a solemn maturity to each one, it seems things had changed for them too.

"Now that I'm here, you have 12 minutes."

"12 minutes? Until what?" Steve stammered.

He couldn't keep his eyes off you, couldn't for the life of him reconcile the person he was seeing in front of him with the person he knew. From your expressions to your movements and even to the tone of your voice, you were just so different and yet it just seemed to make you a more magnetic presence. Fresh guilt washed over him, knowing that he had failed you as your Captain. They should have kept looking for you.

"You'll see. 11 minutes now. Either ask your questions or tell me what you want."

"We all thought you were dead," Steve muttered, taken back by your hostility.

"Well that obviously didn't stick. How did you find me, Cap?"

It was Steve who found you. At first he couldn't believe it was really you, but the split second glimpse he got of your eyes from the body cam on one of the field agents weeks ago drove him to obsessively dig further. It was a shot in the dark when he sent Natasha and the twins on the mission tonight.

"By chance," he admitted. "We've been chasing a group of people suspected to be manufacturing and selling the super soldier serum. Our agents have had a few close encounters with you. I think we're going after the same people."

"So you're asking for intel?" you snorted, absentmindedly picking at the bloodstains on your sleeves.

"No," he said cautiously, wary at how relaxed yet tightly coiled you looked. "I'm offering you your spot back with the team."

You almost choked on the laugh that just escaped your lips. You couldn't help the short bark of laughter at the ridiculous proposition. Looking at their faces though it seemed that the offer was serious, although the reluctant look in their eyes at your transformation showed their inner conflict. You straightened your features and shook your head, the amused smile still on your lips.

"Look, I'm not exactly on brand for you guys anymore." You leaned forward with your arms on the table and landed your eyes squarely on Bucky's, the venom unmistakable. "Besides, I seem to recall I was deemed not cut out for this team."

Bucky felt like his soul left him at your words. There was a Molotov cocktail of emotions raging inside him; surprise, shame, relief, anger, guilt, and longing. It was killing him knowing that he had a hand in how drastically you had changed. He was deathly afraid of finding out your full story. He wanted to talk to you, wanted to beg for your forgiveness and make things right. How many chances would anyone get to redeem oneself with a ghost? He couldn't find the words though, his throat going dry and his tongue heavy in his mouth.

"Y/N, you know that's not the truth," Steve tried to insist.

"I'm not Y/N anymore and I already have a team." You waved a hand dismissively. "Also your 12 minutes are up."

All at once the power cut out in the Compound, drenching the room into darkness punctuated by the flashing emergency lights. You felt yourself get lifted off your seat and the next moment you were standing behind a formation of Avengers in the arms of the resident speedster, your arms on his chest to steady yourself from the daze of the sudden movement. His muscles were tense beneath your hands but his expression was gentle as he looked down at you.

He had wanted to rush over to you the moment you revealed your face. He wanted to hold you, jump for joy, speed around the entire city with you in his embrace. How you were alive didn't matter to him.

Only that you were.

It was only at Wanda's warning for him to stay back that he did. She showed him that you weren't the same person anymore and that they weren't sure whether you would still be friend or foe. To Pietro though, you weren't different.

You were just angry.

To him you were still his little star despite the others thinking you were closer to a supernova now. His little star was just hurting and he decided that he would do everything in his power to help you heal. He held your head tighter to his chest, intending to protect you from the anticipated danger and ready to get you to safety at a moment's notice.

"What the damn hell is going on?" Sam yelled, readying his guns.

A figure silently jumped through the window and rolled on the floor to stop right in front of the group, jolting the Avengers to defend. He stood to full height and took a fighting stance; clad in head to toe red, billy clubs at the ready, and horns glinting in the sparse light atop his head.

The Devil of Hell's Kitchen.

"Let Nemesis go," he growled.

Natasha stepped forward, snapping her own batons in place. The crackling of the electricity from it sent lights to dance on the menacing expression on her face. The rest of the team watched closely the other entry points, expecting more to come in and if the first was any indication then they were in for a real fight.

Footsteps could be heard coming down the hallway, loud and not at all trying to be concealed. Walking straight through the front door, were two towering men in heavy military gear each holding an assault rifle aimed at the group. The sneer on one lent a dangerous taunting aura to his surprisingly handsome features as if to say just fucking try me. While the other had a burning steely focus that instinctively made anyone back off, the emblem on his black vest told them exactly who he was.

The Punisher.

The Avengers snapped to attention, each one drawing their weapons and aiming back. The air was crackling with animosity and fingers that itched to pull their respective triggers. Everyone held their breath, waiting for the first to break the standoff in the enclosed space. Willing for someone to break it.

You laughed.

The disorientation at your reaction was palpable across the room. You patted Pietro's chest, grinning up at him in reassurance that everything was fine. He released you from his hold reluctantly and let you step out of the protective cluster they had inadvertently formed around you. The three newcomers visibly relaxed the slightest bit at the sight of you.

"Weapons down," you said calmly, eyeing each one in the room. No one budged. "All of you. Now."

Steve being the first one to lower his shield was the catalyst in diffusing what could have been the fight of the century. As outnumbered as the newcomers were, they lacked nothing in skill and precise brutality. Frank followed in lowering his weapon and soon everyone did the same. There was still tension but at least it was now reduced to intense glaring.

You tutted and shook your head as you strutted your way to your three rescuers. "What I needed was a ride home, Frankie. Not a goddamn full extraction op."

"Sorry, sweetheart," he said, not sounding at all apologetic and knowing you weren't really angry if the tired amusement on your face was anything to go by.

He smiled at you, that small open quirk at the corner of his mouth that was always accompanied by a roll of his tongue. He reached for you when you got close enough, drawing you close with a burly arm around the back of your shoulders. He kissed you on the forehead, a lingering gesture that clearly showed an intimacy between the two of you. The soft look on his face was reserved only for you and when he raised his face to the Avengers it was back to the cold threatening glare.

"Can you blame us though?" His voice came out gravelly, a favorite sound of yours. "The last time you were with these guys you were captured and tortured."

Tortured.

The word hung heavy in the air and though your back was turned, you could imagine the look on the faces of your former team. They didn't know about that yet. How could they when they had believed all this time that you died in the explosion?

"You forgot to mention blown up," Matt added, grabbing your hand and pressing it to his lips.

He removed his helmet, floppy brown hair instantly softening his persona. He peppered kisses on your palm and the inside of your wrist as he breathed in your scent to calm his own anxiety. He almost lost it when Billy had called saying that you had been taken. He was usually the last one to jump to immediate violence in your group, but the thought of you gone filled him with irrational fear. The possibility that history could repeat itself was unacceptable to him.

"I should have come with you."

"I could handle it and Billy was with me."

"Lot of good that did," he scoffed, switching to lightly biting your wrist. This wasn't unusual. Being blind, he relied on a more intense physical reassurance that everything was still as it should be.

"They weren't gonna hurt me, Matty," you argued, but it was more to help settle his nerves.

"All right, leave the foreplay for later," the last of the trio said, pulling you by your other hand closer to him.

He held you tightly by the waist and pressed you close, molding your body to his in a practiced motion. The smile on his face was scandalous and the mischief in his eyes was one that spelled trouble. The cheeky bastard winked at you before dipping his head to lay open mouthed kisses on your neck up to your ear right along your old scars. Shivers went down your spine and you couldn't help the low hum as your body reacted instinctively to him, stepping closer still until you could feel the heat of his body through his gear.

You knew exactly what he was doing. He was always the quickest to show affection in front of company, but this was a particularly golden opportunity for him to stake his claim in front of people he believed did not value you enough. Billy wouldn't be Billy if he didn't take it.

"Hey, pretty girl."

Across the room, the Avengers watched on with blatant curiosity at the apparent intimately familiar exchanges. It wasn't as much the fact that three men were bathing you with affection, but more that this cemented how far removed you were from their memory of you. They knew you as a starry-eyed recruit who stuttered at light teasing and preening at the slightest validation.

"Y/N," Steve called for you, forcing you to step away from Billy for the moment. You turned around to face them but Billy didn't let you go far, slinging his arm over your chest and this time contorting his body to yours.

"I told you, Steve. I'm not Y/N anymore," you said, a fleeting sadness flashed in your eyes before it was replaced with a firm pride. "And this is my team."

"We're taking our girl home," Frank declared, the threat underneath didn't need to be verbalized. If they took you again, it wouldn't end well for anyone.

"Wait!" Steve said urgently, halting your exit. "We'll hire you."

It was a last ditch effort. He was grasping at straws to keep you from disappearing from their lives again. He knew that if you walked out that door now there was no chance of ever getting you back. He just could not let that happen. This would only be temporary at best, but at least it would buy him time to convince you of a more permanent arrangement.

"Not interested."

"Nem." Matt as usual cautioned you from being too hasty. "Is this about the syndicates?"

You sighed. Matt was like a dog with a bone now. There was no choice but to let him chew on it. This was particularly important to him because the syndicates had been running amok in Hell's Kitchen and he was starting to find it difficult to keep his backyard clean.

"Yeah, apparently the stuff we found in the shipment yard was for making super soldier serums. The Avengers have been following the trail too."

"Why not just join forces then? We can get this done and over with a lot faster with their help," he reasoned.

"We're doing fine on our own, Matty."

"Matt has a point, sweetheart," Frank cut in. "We've been chasing this for years. I know a part of you is just itching to end all of this."

"It might help us find him faster. Do you really want to spend another ten years pulling at threads?" Matt added.

You closed your eyes, hands clenching at your sides to control your anger. It grated at you when they ganged up on you like this, but your anger was more because they were right and you knew it. You hated it, but they were right.

It was Billy who intervened, pulling you again to hug you from behind. His hold was firmer than before, aimed more to calm your shaking body. His voice came out calm, but resolute. His first priority was always making sure you were okay and you obviously weren't okay with this.

"You heard the lady. It's a no."

Frank and Matt sighed and shook their heads, but backed off. They weren't about to push you about this no matter how much they knew this would help you. They'll try again to convince you later, but they weren't optimistic. It was fortunate for them that there was more than just one stubborn person in the room.

"Please," Steve interrupted. You had almost forgotten that there were other people in the room. Almost. "We need your help. They have someone who keeps getting in our way and every time we get close he either fights us long enough for the trail to grow cold or leads us on wild goose chases. We can't let that serum be available to whoever can pay for it."

He didn't know what it was that he said that made all of your heads snap in his direction. Your eyes in particular were suddenly wild with barely restrained fury. He would take it. At least he had your attention.

"We can't let that happen, Nemesis," he finished, making sure to use your preferred name. Anything to possibly get himself into your good graces.

"Do you have a name?" you ground out.

"What?"

"A name, Steve. Do you know who this guy is?"

"By the way he fights he seems to be a merc too. Looks like military background though from where I'm not sure," he said slowly, carefully choosing his words in the hopes of you changing your mind. "He goes by Salvacion."

"We're in."

Earth's Mightiest was stunned at the sudden reversal of your decision. As firm as you had rejected the offer, you were jumping at it now with the addition of your own team.

"Let's get one thing straight though, Cap," you began, the rage still burning in your eyes like wildfire. "My team and I will work with you. It's all of us or none of us. We'll help you lock up the syndicates and destroy the serum. We'll play nice, but Salvacion is mine."

Steve took a deep breath, relieved that you had agreed but also deeply concerned at your visceral reaction to a name. He had to ask.

"Why?"

"Because that's the motherfucker who killed my sister."

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

A/N: I feel like you guys have more questions now. Come freak out with me through the comments and reblogs! I write faster when people freak out with me. It’s the truth. Now that you’ve seen our girl with ALL our strapping men, what do you think? Who are you most curious about now?

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

Series Tag List (Open - Can’t Tag Crossed Out):

@anythingwriter @kamalymaly @lazyloki @marvelfansworld @blackbirddaredevil23 @purechaosss @iloveangstposts @onesmokinbabe @jojodojo02 @spookyparadisesheep @strawb3rrydr3ss @studentdoctorstark @siriushxney @hopplessdreamer @paryl @its-my-little-dumpster-fire @writingmi @thatguppienamedbae @hxpelessxcean @waywardwifey @hotleaf-juice

Permanent Tag List (Open):

@alwaysclassyeagle @closetbtstrash @fanofalltheficsx @unlikelygalaxygiver @alyispunk @fckdeusername @milkyway-writes @dumb-ass-writer

Series Masterlist | Full Masterlist

713 notes · View notes

marisandini-chu-blog · 3 years

Text

How Shadow and Bones Differentiate Villain and Anti-Hero

Alright, first I need to claim the fact that I love dark, edgy, but misunderstood bad boy in stories with the potential of epic redemption. Loki from Marvel. Jason Todd from DC. Captain Hook from Once Upon a Time. Zuko from AtLA. You name them, I simp them.

So when I watched this new show on Netflix and shown a tall, handsome man in dark clothing, both respected and feared for his power. I feel... nothing.

WHICH IS WEIRD! Like... he’s obviously my type. Complete with the sad backstory and vicious streak. So I kept wondering why I wasn’t enamored by the Darkling, Alexander Kirigan. I wasn’t surprised he was the main villain, I even expected it. But I usually at least have a bit of sympathy for them. This OOC behavior of mine made me introspect myself and the show, trying to find out which part gave me the red flags before Mother Darkling decides to pop the chosen one out halfway in the season.

That’s when it hit me; there were red flags! The show had been subtly trying to tell us Kirigan is a manipulative boyfriend not just by great acting and good directing, but by comparing him with the actual anti-hero of the story who I actually love; Kaz Brekker.

Here’s the list of signs you might not notice of why Kirigan is meant to be a Villain instead of an Anti-Hero.

1. The Eyes

"The eyes are the window to the soul" is a common saying and and the key to good acting for any good show. Eyes tell us a lot about what a person’s character is like and SaB showed us the difference of a sincere man and a man with a hidden agenda.

Look at him! Look at that little smirk. Look at the gaze. That's the look you find when someone's evil little plan is finally coming together. Not one awed by the power or by Alina. A blatant sus move is what I'm saying. Congrat, first flag planted.

Sure he could still fall in love with Alina, but that doesn't stop his agenda either. All it does is potentially create conflict for him to pick either his plan for revenge or life with Alina.

In comparison, look at Kaz when he said this to Inej; "She isn't like you, no one is." Straightforward eyes. Serious grim. No nonsense tone. Inej is one of the most talented and terrifying rogue-assassin and Kaz just blatantly said that he kept her from 'slavery' because of who she is, not what she's capable of. Like... the man has no shame being known to love her while still trying to be professional (or as professional a thief can be). I can respect that.

This is the eye of a man who would abandon everything to make sure she comes out alright in the end. Do not argue with me on this!

2. Leverage and Status

The moment Alina steps into the Little Palace she was treated like a princess. A palace, by the way, that’s managed by the Darkling. She gets favorable treatment; from the food, Zoya displaced when she fought Alina, a horseback ride just the two of them, asking her to call by his name to make them familiar, a black uniform that might as well be claiming???

Dude is desperate is what I’m saying.

Sure, this could all be romantic gestures. There’s the problem that Kirigan is superior in status and name, powerful Grisha, and has a vested interest in her power. Pursuing romance while Kirigan has the ability to make her life heaven or hell with a snap of his finger made every single decision be seen with wariness.

"Beware of powerful men," Genya couldn't put it any better.

Had they pursued romance after they destroy the fold, cementing Alina’s position as a saint more. Then I might have let go of that wariness.

I’m only proven correct when the moment Alina turned away from him, Kirigan made another leverage by (spoiler!) putting an antler to her collarbone... eeeewwww much?!

That’s how desperate the Darkling is to be in control of a person and a situation.

And when no letter came for Alina? That a big red flag because who else in this castle can control the coming of going of letter with the Savior. HMMMMMMMMMMM.....

Then there’s Kaz. My man. There’s no competition. This guy held no leverage on my dear Inej. When she almost decided to leave, Kaz didn't force or convince her to stay but he ask her. Doesn't remind her of her debt whether monetary or life debt to him. In fact, this guy needs money for revenge but instead mortgage his main source of income for her freedom.

HE POSTPONED HIS LIFE GOAL TO FREE HER FROM DEBT ASJHAKFSDJGLDFJ!!!

What more do I need to say?

3. Sympathy Card

This is the type of point you want to watch out from your partners, ladies, gents, and others. The sympathy card is the way to go when anyone wants to reach out to you so you can take care of them before they abuse or gaslight you.

While it’s good to share trauma and eased the burden, sometimes it's healthy to ask yourself whether the person can take advantage of you and to verify whether they lie to you or not.

When Kirigan shared about his past as a sympathetic boy with his secluded fountain and coin. Everything about that scene rang warning bells for me... the part he had requested her to use his color... requesting to horse ride with just them two... sharing sob story that may encourage Alina to help him...

Kudos to Alina to see through the fact she's seen as a means to an end.

It was only when Kirigan showed righteous anger and frustration of a war that's killing his people did Alina finally opened her heart to him.

Kaz however doesn't use the sympathy card. Heck, the man likes to believe he shed away any weakness and threw it in the harbor where it belongs. Kaz hates weaknesses. And garnering sympathy is an admission of weakness for him.

We still know there's a tragic backstory as any decent anti-hero would have... but by not sharing that, this implies that Inej and Jesper stayed because of who he is, and not because of who he was or how he came to be. They don't need a sob story to stay together and that showed a stronger bond between them.

4. Friends

To be frank, I find this the most hilarious because this point is the one that convinced me that Kirigan was secretly an evil bastard.

He doesn’t have any friends!!!

Like... dude had a literal witch army, a wife once, a fuck buddy, and a girlfriend but there wasn’t a single moment in the show where someone, outside of Alina and superior, to speak casually to him.

You’re telling me this person... the most powerful and influential Grisha in the East Ravka, charming as hell, handsome as fuck, and yet he doesn’t have friends?!

“I’ve buried good soldiers... friends...” Get the fuck out of here! WHAT FRIENDS?!?! Maybe if you get off your little power trip from your self-made pedestal, you can actually be less of an asshole and make one.

Sure he excused himself by blaming his ‘ancestor’ for being a shadow summoner. I can see how the fear makes it hard for him to get close to anybody. But all the other characters who are part of his army only ever shown to speak with him respectfully, and the royalty even commend him. No one disrespected him even openly and you’re telling me he doesn’t have one friend amidst all these people?!

In comparison, look at Kaz. He’s brash, crude, and unapologetic. He held true to his moniker ‘Bastard of the Barrel’ and yet this ass has friends. They show Jesper joking with Kaz, and Kaz has shown to banter with him back as well as tolerating his gambling addiction when it could have jeopardized the Job. Inej was shown to actually argue and have disagreement with Kaz when he’s technically her boss. Can you imagine the Darkling doing that? CAN YOU?!

No. Because he's a pretentious ass. That's why.

This is a great example of the use “show not tell” of how Kaz despite his obvious edges has a soft spot shown through his relationship with Inej and Jesper, who have a friendly dynamic. I can attest that while Kaz didn’t create a good first impression, I love Jesper and Inej (they are precious!) so much that I project it to Kaz in extension.

On the other hand, Kirigan’s goodwill had only ever been told by outsiders or himself. None from his inner circle (which he doesn’t have!) other than his mother, who ended up outing him instead.

So I applaud the writers and showrunners of SaB to actually have subtext signs of a manipulative bastard. The Duckling is a good villain character that's complex but unredeemable. Sometimes, you just have a good ol' charming villain you can't redeem and that's okay.

117 notes · View notes

chibivesicle · 3 years

Text

Golden Kamuy chapter 262 - an early version of a car chase . . .

I’m definitely slow with my meta for this chapter. The end of the year exhaustion has caught up to me and I still have some things to do for work, but I’m waiting to discuss them with my supervisor so - yay, I guess?

The chapter 262 cover is a very horse-missing-brain-bits-buddies something in color. Sadly a waste of a color chapter of you ask me, but I’m not Noda.

The chapter starts out with Hijikata’s group playing it safe, creating a way to hide Jack’s body and Kirawus is assisting a rough looking Kadokura.

Since Hijikata is no idiot, he quickly hops on a horse to pursue the beer car with Sugimoto, Shiraishi and Boutarou.

Interestingly, Sugimoto is the one who demands to slow down to talk to him. Could it be that Sugimoto has developed a soft spot in his heart for Hijikata? Pfffttt. Likely not, but he recognizes he’s a competent individual and to rescue Asirpa he’s a worthwhile ally.

This shows since the first thing Hijikata asks is where Asirpa is, which allows the rest of them to clarify that Tsurumi’s group is hiding as firemen.

This gives us a nice view from the back of the fire engine, and also a concerned look back from Tsukishima. It really tells us a lot about how aware Tsukishima is, he did travel to Karafuto and back with Sugimoto and Shiraishi, so he’s got a good idea who these men think and act.

Now, we don’t know where Asirpa and Usami’s body are placed. When I saw this panel I saw two possible places and have pointed them out with the purple arrows. The beer car pursues them and as Shiraishi encourages Boutarou, we finally get an update on his overall status. He’s feeling tired and Shiraishi asks him if he’s okay.

He’s bleeding a lot - he did get stabbed and shot at. I’d like to point out he also regrew his cut off ear! Perhaps, he’s part axolotl! I think Noda was just tired when drew this or it got lost in the action.

I’m glad to see Shiraishi concerned about him, but we have hints these two men are friends. Of course Boutarou proudly declares that he’s a man who is going to be a king and Shiraishi needs to witness this historic event. The 27th has been spotted and it is Koito who notices the car in pursuit of them. Can we take a moment to appreciate how great this is for Koito? Sure, he’s still working for Tsurumi, but he’s levelheaded and comes up with a quick solution.

Tsukishima then tells Tsurumi he can go ahead and they will stay behind to block the pursers. They do their best to try to stop the car, but Boutarou has other plans and drives through some random guy’s house to avoid the gunfire.

Due to Boutarou’s creative driving (he would not pass his driver’s test at all!) his gamble allows them to catch up to the fire engine. This gives a clearer view of the two tied bags of mystery on the engine.

Poor Shiraishi gets tossed all around and is half hanging out of the car and on Boutarou’s lap. Tsurumi then gives the simple order of ‘Go!’ And with that order things become more complicated since the two men on horseback are also carrying more tied up bags!

Shiraishi, Boutarou and Sugimoto then shout at each other what is going on and who to pursue. Sugimoto of course things Asirpa must be on the engine, but Hijikata makes the decision for them - he goes after the men on horseback so by default they have to pursue the fire engine. . .

Sugimoto is trying to shoot the driver, and he tells Boutarou to pull up closer. Wow, Sugimoto and shooting . . .

Once almost even with them, Tsurumi ducks down and swings back to make a single shot with his pistol, hitting Boutarou in the right side of his torso. Shiraishi takes control of driving and asks him if he is okay again.

Boutarou gets the comment of just ‘well, damn. . .’ as they drop back and we can see a figure on the back of the engine stand up.

Of course it is the very sexy, Kikuta. He takes aim at Shiraishi with his double revolvers and Shiraishi has the look of complete terror.

This then leads to one of the best pages of GK for some time, Boutarou, pushing Shiraishi out of the way leaving him at the mercy of Kikuta’s aim. Three shots land in this panel hitting him in the chest.

The action continues with more shots fired by Kikuta into Boutarou. Shiraishi cries out in great concern after watching him be shot! Not all of the shots hit him as some instead hit the car.

The car then slams into the engine and Kikuta holds on by ducking down.

With Boutarou seriously injured and Shiraishi concerned, the car crashes and it seems the threat has been dealt with. Kikuta tells Tsurumi that the car can’t follow them any more and we get to see that the second cloth bag is now gone. It was Kikuta curled up under a cloth so that he could emerge undetected. We can still see the other bag shoved under the seat on the engine under Tsurumi.

Of course, Sugimoto, somehow was able to grab onto the engine after the collision. Well damn, this was one hell of a chapter! First off, I want to yell, “Hang in there Boutarou!!!!” It has not been a good day for him. Since I’m a fan of Boutarou, I have to have a little faith that he’ll pull though. I have several reasons to believe he’s still got a role to play.

1.) Boutarou is a good friend to Shiraishi. He saved his life and he’s brought up the point that Sugimoto, may be his friend, but he doesn’t treat him like an equal. Having another one of Shiraishi’s friends killed by the 27th just makes me feel sad.

2.) Boutarou is like Sugimoto. He’s an incredibly tough guy, who is physically able to handle a lot. The more he’s around Sugimoto, the more uncomfortable he makes Sugimoto. Both survived while their families died, and they are able to continue to survive by almost ‘willing’ themselves to keep going. The only difference between them is one is a legal criminal while the other committed terrible acts as a member of the military and working for the government/law.

3.) Boutarou is working with Kikuta. This is my crazy theory. We know that Kikuta told Ariko he is a spy. Therefore, they are working together on something . . . Ariko and Boutarou have spent a fair amount of time together and when Kikuta grabbed Asirpa and talked to her, Boutarou was hanging back. This is a long shot, but I love to think about it . . . . come on Noda, give me the flashback I want to see with Kikuta, Ariko and Boutarou. . . .

The bullet proof vest was invented in 1893 and I recently watched the movie ‘The Sting’ so a good con is tickling my mind. I want to see an excellent plot twist surrounding Boutarou . . . sure, Tsurumi shot him for sure, but if Kikuta was in a con with him to make it look like he got shot a lot - damn, I’d love that. It would also be an excellent spy reference - I’m thinking of the James Bond movie ‘You only live twice’ which certainly has not aged well from a politically correct viewpoint, but is a great example of how to fake a death.

Where is Asirpa? Seriously, someone is going to be disappointed when this all ends. With Kikuta revealing that he was the second cloth bag on the fire engine, it still leaves the bag under Tsurumi to be Asirpa or she could be on either of the horses. Hijikata is pursuing them, but he can only go after one at a time unless he’s able to shoot one of the men and catch the other. With the two horsemen, we also have the possibility of Ogata sniping them. Or is he still tied up in his battle with Vasily? We currently lack enough information to determine this. TOO MANY VARIABLES NODA! Damn you! Tsurumi is the type of person to keep Asirpa close to him, but at the same time he is next level when it comes to his planning and what he expects from others. Plot wise, having Tsurumi successfully kidnap Asirpa makes a lot of sense to me at this point. It would force everyone else to ‘regroup’ and have some frank conversations about what they want. It would tie back nicely into the conversation about what they’d do with the gold from the boys’ night sleepover situation.

‘Cause I’m a ‘terrible person’ I really want to see the Sugimoto fight with Kikuta and Tsurumi end with him grabbing the bag somehow and to end up with Usami’s body instead. I want Sugimoto to be disappointed and realize that Asirpa isn’t someone he has priority with. He can care about her as a younger kid sister but she isn’t his and his alone. Honestly, despite the extreme excitement of this chapter, not a whole lot actually happened that allows for crazy in depth meta. Well that is all for now and I’m waiting to see what happens next. Hang in there Boutarou! I sense you have much more to do in the plot.

#golden kamuy #golden kamuy meta #chapter 262

11 notes · View notes

tomboyjessie13-artblog · 4 years

Text

Meeting the Fourth Shadow (KH: Remembrance of Days)

~The following story takes place during the events of 358/2 Days, and at the end of the first arc of my story~

Neashi Tamiki, a streetwise individual who lives in Sunset Hill, Twilight Town, in truth she once lived on the Destiny Islands before the Heartless attacked, because of that experience she lost her memories of her past life as a human. That's right, she's a humanoid Nobody who lost her heart and her memories of her friends, she can't remember their faces nor their names...but, it's slowly started to come back to her. and since her heart and will was strong, she can live on as a Nobody, why she knew that? You'd know when you spent sometime in Twilight Town.

During the time she had no memories, she was nursed back to health by the two old women who lived across town, she was also nicknamed "Midori" due to her green hair, even after she got most of her memories back, she still allowed them to call her by that name out of respect for her caretakers. But it didn't last long, her caretakers soon notified her of her "relative" and that they want her to return home. In reality, however, it was just a trap that she couldn't escape from, to lure her into a scheme, a Project lead by the mysterious and cryptic [Mr. Pere Noel].

All of that was three months ago.

She had just returned from her job at the garage, where she had to push cargo to it or fix vehicles. She lived in a two bedroom apartment picked out by the so-called "relative", though she uses the second bedroom for her paintings and drawings. Needless to say, this arrangement was done to prevent bystanders from getting involved. She kicks off her shoes by the door and walked into the living room where she can just lie on the couch, she fell on it faced down on a pillow...But just as she was about to drift off to sleep...

"...Beep beep beep, beep beep beep...beep beep beep, beep beep beep..."

She looked and saw that her laptop was beeping like crazy, to be frank, it didn't surprise her one bit, mainly because it was no ordinary laptop, it's used to make contact with her and vise-versa, and now she has to work with that person; [Mr. Pere Noel].

"Ugh, what now?" she groaned as she sat up to grab the laptop, she leaned back and opened it to find that it's has been on for hours, the screen was just a picture of a red circle in the center.

"Hello, [Fifth Pierrot]. Did I catch you in a bad time?" The voice in her laptop said using her code-name as a light red line in the center of the circle moves when he speaks, it was all distorted to hide his/her identity, but a name like [Mr. Pere Noel], Neashi can tell that he's a man.

"What do you think?" She said with irritation in her voice, "I just got back from my job at the garage, I'm tired, I smell, and my back is killing me and you had to pick this exact moment to bother me in a time like this? What more could you want with me?!"

The man with a distorted voice chuckled, "My apologies, friend, it's just that I'm calling to tell you I'm not going to be bothering you like this anymore." Hearing this, her face turned from irritation to confusion, asking:

"What?"

"I'm saying that your no longer under my thumb anymore."

From hearing that, Neashi let out a sigh of relief. "Well, it's about time." Finally, after all the dirty work she went through, from stealing from rich people's homes to killing rare Heartless to trying to interrogating Powerful Nobodies residing in downtown Twilight Town, she was free, "After everything you have done to me, I can finally take a break." She laid on her couch in a relaxing position.

"Indeed... however."

She perked her head up. "However what?"

"That doesn't mean your off the hook."

She jumped up, "What!? I done everything that almost got me arrested because of you!"

"That was just Phase One of our deal, but I have other businesses to attended to so I couldn't be bothered with you, luckily I have another "Intern" who is VERY eager to meet you."

"Another Intern?"

"Yes, the one you'll be meeting is named [Fourth Shadow], you are to go to Sunset Station and wait for the Dusks, they will take you to the Nobody Territory of "Long Shi City" in Land of the Dragons, you are to meet with him in at 6:40 on the dot."

Land of the Dragons, she had heard of that world multiple times from the Dusks, but she was too angry to think about it. "Are you kidding? I'm still doing this shady business? And now you're gonna get one of your interns to boss me around? You're a pathetic coward and a tyrant!" She yelled before punching the laptop screen with her fist, causing injury to her hand. Neashi winced in pain from the cuts and busted knuckles. "Ngh...Dammit...Curaga." Neashi called out, green colored vines and yellow flowers started to swirl around her hand, healing her injury.

"...I must say...you have a lot of brute strength, Pierrot." [Mr. Pere Noel] said suddenly, Neashi was baffled on how the chat can still operate despite having a busted screen. "So long, [Fifth Pierrot]...we'll meet again another time...Until...hen...play nice...with...[Fou...ha..do..." The laptop shorted out, never to be used again. Neashi sighed irritably, she took the busted laptop and threw it in the garbage in the kitchen in a rage. As she was cooling down, she looked up at the clock on the wall and saw that she only has an hour and thirty-five minutes left, knowing that she too is a Nobody, talking to other Nobodies wouldn't be much trouble.

"Well...if I gonna meet this [Fourth Shadow] dude, I might as well start cleaning up.". She said as she dug through her closet to find clothes for the said world, most of it, however, is just clothing from Twilight Town. "Ahh, these will do." She grabbed out a pair of black thick high-heeled boots that reach her ankles, a pair dark grey leggings, a dark green turtleneck dress that goes down to above her knees, and a black leather coat with buttons.

Later-

She got to Sunset Station as planned, just 15 minutes till 6:40, the sun has already gone down but the sky was colored in a lovely shade of cerulean blue. She sat on the bench and waited for them to arrive, she checked herself in her flip phone's camera to see if she looked alright, finding that she's wearing brown eyeshadow and her trademark lip piercing in the form of rings. Just then a corridor opened up and a white slim hand beaconed her to come with it, Neashi knew who's hand it belongs to, she got up and and stopped by the corridor. As expected, the one that beaconed was the Dusk that [Mr. Pere Noel] mentioned, how was he able to tame Nobodies? Never mind that, her thoughts were interrupted when it threw a black cloak at her.

"Hm?" She looked at the cloak with curiosity, "What's this for, I'm already wearing a coat?" She asked, the Dusk started hissing. To people, Dusks sounds like they're hissing, but in reality, they're actually talking, mainly to other Nobodies. "To protect me from Darkness?" The Dusk nodded, she looked at the cloak again, she just shrugged and threw it on her shoulders as they continued on through the corridor, they kept on walking for a few minutes until she saw a pale red light at the end. Upon entering through it, she became stunned, mouthed agape. There were buildings built alongside a mountain, covered in bright electrical lights and paper lanterns, and is populated with both Lesser and Humanoid Nobodies, this is one of the Nobodies' Territories [Mr. Pere Noel] talked about; "Long Shi City".

"Whoooooa." Neashi said in amazement, aside from Traverse Town that she went to sometime ago with one of her awful clients, she's practically in another world outside of that and Twilight Town; Land of the Dragons, she had heard this world is really ancient, though this spot is both a mixture of ancient and modern culture due to the Nobodies coming from outside of this world, surprising that no human had found this area. Everywhere she looked filled her with delight, the buildings, lights, clothes, and the delicious smell of food in the air, she can also see that the Humanoid Nobodies having a good time...or at least they're acting like it due to having no hearts.

"My goodness, this place is beautiful!" She said in a bright tone, Neashi is quite a sucker for art of any kind, including architecture. "OOF!" She bumped into the Dusk she was following, the Dusk had stopped in front of her for some reason, "Sorry, what's wrong?" The Dusk then turned itself to the left and pointed at a nearby ally. In the ally was a red gate-like door with letters she couldn't understand, is that an entrance to a garden or a brothel? There's only one way to find out, she started walking to the door. The more she got close, the stronger the scent becomes, and scent that filled her with two feelings: delight and hunger, she sniffed the air as she got closer, "...Mmmm, something smells really good.". As she would have thought, the Dusk led her to a traditional Chinese restaurant, but why here?

There was a young woman, wearing an orange short-sleeved Cheongsam with red lining, was waiting at the gates, she looked at Neashi, "Your name, young lady?"

"Huh? oh, Neashi Tamiki."

The woman looked at the list in her hand, "Ah yes, his Lordship reserved a booth for both of you, he's waiting for you right now, please follow me." She gestured inside, what does she mean by "Lordship"? Was she talking about [Fourth Shadow]? Oh well, at least she'll have something to eat, she did as the woman told her to and followed her into the place, the whole restaurant is crowded with more Humanoid Nobodies, there also seems to be a bar ran by another Dusk, only this time it's wearing a velvet red vest with a black bowtie. The decor of the place was as breathtaking as her walk through town...though the only thing that stood out was the Nobodies' symbol hanging on the wall near the kitchen, colored in gold.

She kept on following the woman until they got an empty private booth in the other room. "Was someone supposed to be here?" Neashi asked.

"Oh yes, he must be in the restroom or something, but I'm sure his Lordship will turn up soon." She answered, "In the meantime, you can take your seat, your food will arrive soon."

"Oh goody." She said with some enthusiasm in her voice as she took her seat, as mentioned before she enjoys art of any kind, not only in architecture but in culinary as well. A few minutes had past and nothing seems to had happened yet, didn't [Mr. Pere Noel] mention that his intern was supposed to be here? Neashi then put her phone away as it was gonna die soon, so she's left with no distraction, but was quickly taken out of it by the waitresses carrying food around, erasing her troubles.

"Looks good, huh [Fifth Pierrot]?" Neashi jumped when someone said that. Neashi turned and saw a man across the table from where she was sitting, the most notable features of his appearance is the fact that he's wearing a black cloak with a hood over his head, covering his face.

"How'd you know my name, Nobody!?" She asked in shock, she couldn't believe that she's sitting with a member of Organization XIII, a group of the most powerful yet dangerous Nobodies in existence, the very rulers of all Nothingness.

"Should be no surprise to you considering that you're a Nobody yourself." He said changing the subject. There was awkward silence between, Neashi didn't know how to respond to that.

She gulped, "Alright, listen... as much as I like to talk to one of the rulers of all Nobody-kind, I was actually waiting for someone important." She said while trying not to look nervous.

"Let me guess, is it: [Fourth Shadow]?" The cloaked man answered.

"Yeah!..wait, how'd you know that?" She tilted her head to the side. "And how did you know my name?"

"Heh heh heh." He let out a dark chuckle as he leaned forward on the table, before answering: "Guess."

Neashi looked at him with confusion in her eyes, though his face is hidden, she could've sworn that he smiled at her under his hood, after moments of thinking, her jaw instantly dropped upon realization of who he is.

"You're [Fourth Shadow]?!"

"Bingo!" He said pointing at her nose.

"All this time I've been working with Organization XIII?!"

"Mayyyyybe." He replied in a voice that makes him sound childish, "However, what's going right now is just between us and the Organization so try to keep it down, will ya? We don't want any bystanders listening for us." Neashi, though shocked at first, quickly calmed down and nodded quietly, she shifted herself on her seat to got conformable and asked:

"What does [Mr. Pere Noel] want with me?"

"Why, to take part in the [Project: Pere Noel] of course." He replied with a laid-back smile, his arms were also raised up to his head. "It's a project financed by our leader, Lord Xemnas, The Superior of the In-Between."

"[Project: Pere Noel]?" She asked, she lowering her head as if ashamed, she then let out a soft chuckle before raising her head with a look of disappointment. "Having a title like that makes it feel like I'm a lab rat to the Organization." She said with a half-hearted smile.

"Ok ok." he said waving his left hand, "Maybe that have came out the wrong wa-."

"Oh no, I like the name, but from what [Mr. Pere Noel] put me through, I can't show respect for him nor the project." The man sitting across from her frowned for a bit, it's as if what Neashi said offended him, but then he grinned and laughed it off. "I'd be pretty mad too if I was used as a tool, but the sad part that we don't have any Hearts to feel that way."

"Figures." She rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, are you aware of the roles that the Project does?"

"Well..., there are others as I heard, and I had performed some decent missions that almost got me arrested, and I learned about tons of Heartless I thought that never existed, that's all I know."

"Good Good."

"But isn't that job for the Organization? I mean I heard they only allow thirteen in the group."

"Hehehe, I thought so too, however.." He leaned forward on the table resting on his elbows. "A while back we'd received a 14th member, that and we lost 5 of our members during their stay at Castle Oblivion...some in which are said to be traitors, it kinda stopped our project for a bit but [Mr. Pere Noel] thought it would be wise to secretly train new recruits into the Organization to see if they're more worthy than our late comrades."

"Is that so?" She asked.

"Absolutely." Just then a waitress, wearing a green Cheongsam with yellow lining, came with a big plate asking:

"Who ordered the Stir Fry Chicken, Pork Dumplings, fried rice, and a side of Baijiu and Green Tea?"

"That's us!" [Fourth Shadow] called out to the waitress, she placed the food and drinks on the table.

"Here you go, your Lordship, enjoy."

"Thanks." After the waitress left, he noticed Neashi setting her sight on the pork buns with eagerness in her eyes, mouthwatering and all. "Dig in, Pierrot, I ordered it for both of us."

"Well don't mind if I do." She complied as she grabbed one of the buns and started eating it.

"So as I was saying, he's secretly recruiting Outsider Nobodies, which is what you are, into [Project: Pere Noel] in hopes that one of the few recruits are the most suitable comrades to join our fold." He said sipping on Baijiu. "Or at the very least replace the ones we lost." While setting up her plate for the rice and stir fry, she raised an eyebrow and asked:

"And your point is?"

"My point is that its sort of like a contest except for more beneficial reasons, some of the Members, myself included, are tasked to observe you guys." Neashi was quite interested in what the hooded man was talking about.

"You're friends are on board as well?"

"That's right, but right now its just the two of us." He explained as he made himself a plate as well. "Me, who goes by the name of [Fourth Shadow] as you already know, and Saix, the Superior’s right hand man, is [First Santa Clause]."

"Going for a Twisted Christmas theme huh?" She joked, but then her grin faltered when something came into her mind. "...Who is [Mr. Pere Noel] anyways...is it your Boss?"

"I'm not telling ya, we're keeping his identity confidential." He responded in a more serious tone. "If I did tell you, both of us would be dead by now." Neashi then formed a very mischievous smirk as she leaned back on her seat, lifting her left hand to her chin and gesturing it like if she was about to let out a laugh.

"Hm hm hm." She laughed through her nose, the hooded man was quite surprised by her change in attitude, it's as if she has mood swings, she then spoke again: "I never knew you were scared of your own bosses to not spill it."

"...As if." He rebuffed, he looked like he was forming a sneer underneath his hood. "You're not planning to stick around with the project just so you can get [Mr. Pere Noel]'s identity, are you?" He said tilting his head to the side, Neashi then lowered her hand and continued talking, this time in a more serious tone.

"...Stupid and reckless, yes, but he abducted me from the two old ladies who nursed me back to health, made me look and act like a complete fool, not to mention that I almost got arrested because of all the heists I had to do for him, that in turn caused several criminals to get their hands on me just to do more heists... even as a Nobody, I felt my first emotion from all of this...rage...therefore I plan to get close to him, and to have my revenge on him, he deserves punishment for what he did to me..." She was silent for a moment, but then looked at him in the eyes with another smirk, saying: "...and besides..." She leaned forward to his hooded face, she had just noticed that he has a very jagged scar across his left cheek. "...I can tell that you may be the type of guy who enjoys a game or two."

She leaned back on her seat, still giving him that smirk. From hearing all of that, the hooded man formed a Cheshire cat-like grin towards the green-headed tomboy and began to laugh loudly, "Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! I like your attitude, Princess, you have what it takes to be a formidable comrade and foe...however." He said as he removed his hood, revealing that he not only possesses the aforementioned scar but also an eyepatch over his right eye, his other eye was colored in a golden yellow, he also has prominent cheekbones, upturn eyebrows, and long black hair with grey streaks tied into a ponytail, judging by his appearance alone, its possible that he could be old. "...Don't think I'm gonna go easy on you, as the their Freeshooter, I promise you that I'll won't hesitate to rain hell on you if you even try to get close to the Project's founder...buuuuut I am willing to give you the benefit of the doubt in tracking him down."

"So that's gonna be your game?...trying to prevent me from knowing too much?"

"Yep." He said, still grinning. Neashi thought about this for a moment, she then looked at him with determination in her eyes.

"Very well, Let the games begin, [Fourth Shadow]." She stuck her hand towards him, "Shake on it?" He took her hand and started to shake it vigorously. "Y'know I never actually got your name." She said after they stopped.

"I go by many names from enemies and friends alike, I'm mostly called Xigbar." He answered. "And yours?"

"Neashi Tamiki." She answered back, immediately she noticed that he frowned. "Does my name offend you?"

"No...its just...I felt like I heard it somewhere before...". His answer left her confused, have they met before? Later in the evening, once they're done with the food they ordered, Neashi looked over at the check and asked:

"Do you have any munny to pay for all this?"

He looked to her with a mischievous grin and answered: "As if." And as a result: Neashi was left to pay for the food, losing the munny she needed for a new art book she had her eyes on. Indicating that he's already giving her a hard time on the very first hour.

END

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

*Long Shi City is a fictional city I created, it's based on the real-life cities of Dali, China and Jiufen, Taiwan. It also translates to Dragon in Chinese. **Baijiu is Chinese white wine ***Pere Noel is french for "Father Christmas" or "Santa Clause", the project and code names are deprived from the criminal organization under the same name from the Vocaloid song series: The Evillious Chronicles.

#fanfiction #short story #kingdom hearts #kingdom hearts oc #oc #xigbar

4 notes · View notes

flutteringphalanges · 4 years

Photo

A Sun In The Night Sky

Summary: A collection of one-shots based off of my story, Mirabile Visu, in which Agatha and Dracula face the challenges and glory of becoming parents. You don’t need to have read the story to understand. To simply put it, this collection of works explores Agatha’s pregnancy, her blooming romance with Dracula, and raising their child.

Pairing: Dracula/Agatha

Read on FFN and AO3

A/N: A bit of a different prompt. I wrote this as a gift for mitsukatsu because they are amazing! I'm going to do an alternate, canon version of an informal sort of ceremony with little Sorina, but I thought I'd share this one. Hope you guys like it! -Jen

Prompt: AU where Dracula and Agatha are formally married. Takes place in current time with adult Sorina and adult Ivan.

The Wedding

Of course she'd chosen the castle in Transylvania as the wedding venue. It was where it had all started, after all. Planning it alone had been a daunting task, but Sorina was pleased with what she pulled off in the amount of time she was given. The stone walls she had once called home were affixed with tiny twinkling lights that were a step up from strings of Christmas incandescent bulbs. Vines blossomed with crimson flowers crept upwards, their fragrance sweet and welcoming. Sorina took a step back and sighed, nodding in approval of her hard work.

"You are too sentimental," her brother commented, smirking from where he leaned against the door frame. "England not good enough for you?"

"Says the guy wearing a red and black tuxedo," she snorted. "Honestly, you literally dressed like the vampires in science fiction books." Sorina paused, her mouth curling into a grin. "Or a romance novel."

"Oi!" Ivan exclaimed, jabbing a finger towards his sister. "You take that back right now!"

"Make me," she teased, sticking out her tongue. She shook her head, brushing her hair back. "I have to go help Mum get ready and dress myself. Make sure dad is okay and, oh," she looked over her shoulder. "Make sure Frank doesn't do something stupid and get himself killed. We need him to officiate the wedding. Last time I saw him he was closely examining the fireplace."

"Wouldn't want a fried human on our hands on Mum's and Dad's wedding night," Ivan chuckled. "Fine, I guess I can do that no problem."

Sorina watched as her brother disappeared from her sight before making her way up the long staircase. It was like a distant memory, a dream being her once more. She followed the long hallway and her gaze fell upon an open room. Heels clicking against the stone floors, she slipped inside. Agatha turned around, her dark brown hair falling in curls past her shoulders. She wore a wedding dress, modest and white, long sleeves of lace touching her wrists. It was elegant in a simple sense, much like the former nun wanted. The woman smiled, beaming as her daughter approached.

"I was wondering when you'd reappear," she commented. "How do I look?"

"Beautiful," Sorina exclaimed, taking a moment to push back a lock of her mother's hair. "Dad's going to lose it."

"Well, I would hope he'd find me appealing," she smirked. "Though I didn't just do this for him. I must admit, I am feeling quite pretty. Perhaps I should let you dress me up like a doll more often."

"You'll regret saying that," the young woman chuckled. "But now that the day has arrived, I want you to finally see my dress."

Agatha watched curiously as Sorina retrieved an object clocked in a bag. As she undid the zipper, a lump caught in the former nun's throat. Like her's, the design was simple, but it was the color that got her. Dusty blue.

"The color," she whispered. "Why, that looks like…"

"Yeah," Sorina smiled. "Your old nun habit. You'd be surprised what historical information you can dig up online these days." She paused, peering down at the dress. "So...do you approve?"

Immediately, Sorina felt her mother's arms wrap around her tightly. "You could dress in rags and still be the most lovely girl in the world," Agatha whispered. "Thank you for this. For all of this." They continued to embrace for a long moment before Sorina pulled away.

"How about we get you two properly married?" She grinned. "I think well over a century is enough time to wait."

XXX

"I wanted to wear a cape," Ivan said, looking at his father. "But Sorina threatened to stake me on the spot if I did."

Dracula eyed his son in amusement from where they stood in front of the wedding arch Sorina had designed. Much like the walls, it too was interwoven with ivy. Frank stood in the middle, awkwardly shifting his body, clearly unsure how to present himself in a room with four vampires. Not the most desirable of places for a human to be.

"She's her mother's daughter," the vampire grinned. "The apple didn't fall far from the tree."

"You try telling her that," he scoffed. "She'll elbow you in the gut. For someone so short, she's strong."

The count was about to reply, when he heard someone clear their throat. The three men turned and Sorina looked at them expectantly. Then, with a nod, she made her way down the steps soon followed by her mother. For a good minute, Dracula felt as if he were alive once more. Like his heart was beating, the pound rushing through the arteries. His mouth went dry when he caught Agatha's gaze, her smile gentle as she joined him at the altar.

"You look as magnificent as the day I met you," he whispered, taking her hand.

"You don't look so bad yourself," she smirked.

"They are totally gonna go at it tonight," Ivan mumbled to his sister.

"Ivan! You're so disgusting," she hissed under her breath. "Why do I have to be related to you?"

"Just think," he snickered. "You're stuck with me for eternity."

Sorina didn't have a chance to reply before Frank began to read from an odd little notebook. Clearly he had formulated a speech that didn't involve any reference to religion. The young woman trusted Frank, he knew not to pull some sort of stunt. Not like Ivan. He'd been banned from wedding planning from the get go.

"Now," Frank said, straightening up. "The exchanging of vows."

Agatha turned, taking both of the vampire's hands. "I, Agatha Van Helsing, former nun of St. Mary's Convent in Budapest, honorary Countess of Transylvania, take you, Count Dracula, to be my lawfully wedded husband. In daylight and nighttime. Through the eons to come. Forever I wed to you."

"Mum really went out there with the titles," Ivan whispered, Sorina stamping hard on his foot in response. "Ouch!"

"I, Count Dracula, Lord of Darkness, honorary King of the Vampires, take you, Agatha Van Helsing, to be my lawfully wedded wife. Through daylight and nighttime. Through the eons to come. Forever I wed to you."

"Now for the rings," Frank said, all eyes turning to Ivan expectantly.

"Um…" The young man said, digging through his pockets.

"Ivan, I swear…" Sorina began to growl before Ivan smugly pulled out both rings.

"Ye who has little faith," he said smugly, grinning at Sorina. "Here, Frank!" He tossed the rings towards the man who, nearly tumbling over in the process, managed to catch them.

"As I was saying," the man cleared his throat. "The exchanging of rings."

The two siblings watched as their parents slipped on each others' wedding bands. When both had finished, they held hands, gazing deeply into one another's eyes. If this had been any other scenario, Sorina might've been uncomfortable at the romance of it all. But this was different. This was their official marriage.

"By the power vested in me," Frank smiled. "I now pronounce you husband and wife."

As the two leaned in, sharing a deep kiss, Sorina and Ivan side eyed each other. Her brother smiled, holding out a fist. She hesitated for a second, before her lips curled into a grin as she returned the fist bump. It was, after all, quite the occasion for it.

#Dracula #Dracula 2020 #Dracula on Netflix #Agatha Van Helsing #Dragatha #Dracula x Agatha #A Sun In The Night Sky

5 notes · View notes

mobius-prime · 4 years

Text

118. Sonic Super Special #8

Zone Wars: Prelude

Writer: Dan Slott Pencils: James Fry Colors: Josh D. Ray

So this story is kind of infamously hilarious, but it also introduces a rather important concept. Sonic is racing around the hills, avoiding blasts of magic from a bizarre being that basically just looks like someone put boobs, pigtails and fishnets on Robotnik and who is apparently known as Ivana Robotina. A figure that appears to be standing sideways, called Zonic, gets a report of this happening from another zone and heads out to investigate. Before Zonic can get there, however, a few more people arrive on the scene - Sally Moon and Chibi Rose, who look like exactly what their names imply, that is to say Sailor Moon characters. Then Robotina is knocked out by a rather flimsy blow from a rose, and another unexpected figure makes his entrance - Tuxedo Knux!

Don't worry, Sonic, we're all just as baffled as you are.

At this point Zonic arrives through a portal and ushers everyone back through it, back to their home zone called the Luna Zone. He explains to Sonic that he's a Zone Cop, coming from a parallel dimension that runs 90 degrees through all other dimensions, allowing them to effectively police any attempts to travel to alternate zones. Sonic challenges him, saying he's been to plenty of other zones, but Zonic informs him that he deliberately sent Sonic there from his home zone, Mobius Prime (eyy, blog title drop!) to help restore order.

Oh c'mon Sonic, we're only like a third of the way into this comic. You have plenty of time to win Sally Prime over! (Well, technically, he already has, but don't tell him that!)

Running on Empty

Writers: Roger Brown and Nelson Rebeiro Pencils: Nelson Ribeiro Colors: Frank Gagliardo

Sonic and Amy are hanging out on a hill overlooking Knothole, admiring the view, and when Amy gets cold, Sonic races down to the buildings and back in a fraction of a second to retrieve her coat. When she compliments his speed, he decides to tell her about a time it almost got him killed. One day a few months ago (at least that's what I'm assuming, since Sally wears her trademark blue vest throughout it, and she didn't always have that near the beginning of the comic) Sonic thought he heard Sally calling for help, so he rushed to the gazebo where she appeared to be standing. However, his hand went right through her like she was a hologram, and then Snively, hiding behind the structure, activated his trap, zapping Sonic.

Ooh, dramatic. Sonic rushed back towards Knothole and encountered Rosie roaming the woods looking for an apple grove. Sonic rushed to lead her to it, trying to catch one of the apples before it fell from the tree, but suddenly found himself unable to stop running and smashed into the tree, dropping a whole heap of apples onto his head. At least this helped Rosie collect the apples she wanted, but on the way back Sonic noticed a Robotnik surveillance drone above the trees and decided to run back to Knothole to warn his friends. However, again, he was unable to stop running in time, and what's more, his sheer speed created some kind of vacuum behind him, sucking up tons of junk and depositing it directly on top of his hapless friends.

Rotor offered to run some tests to figure out what was causing Sonic to suddenly be able to run so fast that it was causing him problems, and had him run on a treadmill, which of course quickly overloaded and exploded. The data Rotor collected before it was ruined informed him that whatever had zapped Sonic had given him super-super speed, but along with it, every time he used it he aged further, causing him to quickly turn into a feeble old man. Everyone (except a fearful Antoine) teamed up to infiltrate Robotropolis and find the machine Snively used to cause this effect, hoping to get it to run in reverse and turn Sonic back into his former fifteen-year-old self. Once they got inside the city, Rotor discovered that although he was able to alter the machine to run in reverse, they needed a security code to actually activate it. However, as you might expect, at this point Robotnik and Snively, along with a host of swatbots, entered and sprung an ambush. Sonic was determined to save the lives of his friends, so despite his decrepit state, he used his speed one last time to destroy all the bots and kick Robotnik out of the room.

Exhausted from his feat, he collapsed, and his friends still didn't have the code needed to save his life. Sally, thinking fast, grabbed the gloating Snively and put her acting skills to use.

And just like that, the aging process was reversed, and no one ever thought to try to reverse-engineer that to help anyone else suffering from age-related problems ever again! Back in the present, Amy is pleased with the story, and asks for more, which Sonic happily obliges. It's nice to see that despite her obvious crush on him, Sonic is quite friendly with her in this universe, considering that in other canons he's often been shown to be somewhat callous toward her feelings.

Den of Thieves

Writer/Pencils: Frank Strom Colors: Barry Grossman

It's time to see what ol' Monkey Khan has been up to lately. He's been residing in a village called either Lau Kar or Leung Kar (it's called both over the course of the story, for whatever reason), along with two Mobians who… well, I can't tell what animal they're supposed to be by sight, but the wiki tells me they're rabbits, and they're brother and sister, named Liu Fang and Liu Chi Mei respectively. One morning they're distraught to find the Temple of the Golden Lotus being robbed by some bat ninjas of the Yagyu Clan, and call for help, which comes in the form of, you guessed it, Monkey Khan. He beats on the ninjas for a moment, but then they pull the smoke bomb trick and vanish, to his surprise.

Khan, Fang, and Chi Mei head up to the lake, where they're predictably ambushed by several more Yagyu ninjas. They try to get to higher ground, perhaps hoping to imitate their favorite Jedi Master, but find themselves dropped through a trapdoor into an underground room.

Okay, first of all, that does not look like a dragon, that looks like Godzilla with stegosaurus legs. Second of all, it's obviously a robot and not a mythical terror, something which Khan focuses in on right away. The "dragon" attacks him, hoping to steal his headband to become another piece of the Yagyu's stolen treasure collection, but Khan beats it back and then attacks its circuitry, confusing it and causing it to turn on the Yagyu ninjas instead. As it chases the Yagyu away, Khan, Fang and Chi Mei collect all the stolen treasure - fifty years worth of it, in fact - and take it back to their town, triumphant. Good to see Khan's found himself a place in the world, huh?

Ghost Busted

Writer/Pencils: Jay Oliveras Colors: Frank Gagliardo

This story is actually a retelling of an episode by the same name from the SatAM TV show, told from the point of view of Tails. Sometime in the past, he had gone out into the wilderness with Sonic and Antoine for some good old fashioned roughin' it in the wilderness, when Antoine, supposed to be hiding so Tails could practice tracking him, fell screaming down a muddy slope into the water below. He claimed that he had seen a ghost, but Sonic and Tails brushed him off, saying there's no such thing. That night, Sonic kept Tails and Antoine up late by telling ghost stories, including one about the "Headless Gopher" who was cursed by a stolen gold medallion. Antoine irritably (and somewhat nervously) demanded Sonic stop talking so he could sleep, and feeling tired, Sonic and Tails joined him. However, in the middle of the night, Tails found himself awakened from creepy dreams to something even creepier…

Tails was certain that he'd seen the Headless Gopher, and what's more, Antoine was now missing. Sonic decided to humor him and they split up to search the immediate area. However, Tails hadn't gone far when he circled back around and to his horror, saw Sonic standing right next to the fiery ghost, appearing to be working together with it to find him! He tried to fly away to find Sally and get her help, but ran smack into the ghost…

I don't know about you, but I'd love to find a bush like that, 'cause a bush that perpetually glows like it's on fire sounds awesome. The next morning, Tails, emboldened by his scary nighttime experience, asked Sonic for some more ghost stories as they packed up to leave. Sonic offered to tell some more later, but just then, Tails noticed a shimmering gold medallion on the ground near their camp… and thus, the three brave souls ran away screaming their heads off, certain that they really had gotten a visit from the Headless Gopher in the night. And ever since, it's been their little secret that they've never admitted to anyone else. Great job, guys! Truly a tale worthy of the legendary Freedom Fighters!

#nala reads archie sonic preboot #archie sonic #archie sonic preboot #sonic the hedgehog #sonic super special 8 #writer: dan slott #writer: roger brown #writer: nelson ribeiro #writer: frank strom #writer: jay oliveras #pencils: james fry #pencils: nelson ribeiro #pencils: frank strom #pencils: jay oliveras #colors: joshua d ray #colors: frank gagliardo #colors: barry grossman

2 notes · View notes

shutterbug-12 · 5 years

Text

Succession S2E3 Thoughts

I...am sickened. And that made me hurt. Lots more under the cut.

Overall:

Well. That was terrible and horrifying and heart-wrenching. Obviously, Boar on the Floor was...just...the most awful thing that’s ever happened in this show. In a lot of shows, actually. It was humiliation porn, and it was sickening. It was in no way funny. And I wish Tom and Greg would run far, far away from this terrible family, but...I can’t realistically see that happening. The only redeeming thing about this episode was (aside from Connor’s continued absurdity) Tom’s decision to protect Greg, showing that, despite wanting some prestige and status for himself, he doesn’t want it that badly and that he is still different from...this fucked up family. That he has a god damn heart in there. The two of them at breakfast the next day, guh. *hugs them* I really think this bonded them more than they already were. And I kind of do want them to just...run away and open a California Pizza Kitchen. And be loved and safe.

And, after Shiv’s continued horrible behavior towards Tom (the world, really, but especially Tom), I wish Tom would leave her, but...he won’t. It goes without saying that Logan acted in a disgusting way--beyond disgusting--but so did Shiv, as she always has; we’re just seeing it more out in the open now, more obvious. Everything she does is calculated and deliberate. And everything she does is selfish. What she pushed Tom to do was both of those things--she wanted to insulate herself from having to tell Logan what she thought of the acquisition and position herself advantageously in his mind, and she didn’t give a shit about what it might do to Tom. I can’t even get into how I feel about all this open marriage bullshit. Look, I know polyamorous relationships can and do work, but this is in no way working and in no way healthy, for them, especially for Tom. And my heart just...broke for him at the end. Just...into a million little pieces. I realize that Tom has never fully come out and told Shiv that he is absolutely not okay with this, but if she didn’t see it in his face and hear it in his voice, then she...is either more callous than I even thought or positively oblivious. But, as Shiv has said herself, the essence of a person can’t and won’t change, so I don’t see her somehow experiencing some grand revelation and changing her behavior in this relationship. I am totally mystified at how Sarah Snook (who is great, absolutely) insists that Shiv loves Tom. Completely baffled, because I continue to see...no love there, from her. I see that he loves her. I do not see that she loves him. So...color me interested to see how she changes, I guess? But right now, at this moment, I’d like to push Shiv off the top of the Empire State Building.

And I want to surround Tom with as much love and affection as possible. Oh, speaking of Tom--I’m not sure how much more shit he can take, really. I’m worried about him. I wouldn’t be surprised if next episode includes the water bottle throwing, because, even though I think he and Greg are more bonded than ever, I think Tom has quite a bit of misplaced anger to get rid of, and I think he might hurl it in Greg’s direction.

Kendall: I am disappointed in him. He is still a lifeless zombie, and I need awesome Kendall back. The savvy businessman with a heart. I want him back.

Roman: I admit that I felt a tiny bit of sympathy when we really got to see the little insecure child that he really is.

Connor: please keep being stupid, I love you.

As I watched:

I'm a time-pressed executive. Oh, Greg. Trying to speak so clearly, and use big words. And yet...you're failing to mention any of this is off the record. You said all the words but the most important ones. Oh, there they are. Said 'em too late.

Who's dying? Well, Logan doesn't care, whoever it is.

This Logan sidekick adviser guy was a Nazi in a movie, wasn't he? I swear, he was. I just can’t think of which one.

Wow, a real meeting to executives.

"French kissing an armadillo." A+ for that, dude.

No, Gerri does not like this. And she's a smart lady. I'd listen to her.

I love how Tom is trying to absorb all this Logan-and-business-related information, but...is clearly struggling to keep up. I also like that he's clearly not comfortable there. He even sat himself at the far corner of the giant table, next to no one. At least you're pretty, Tom.

A morale booster. Uh huh.

Oh my dear God, Connor. The ideas primary. He is nutso. So nutso. And I think Roman is serious about 1% of the time, but I totally believe him when he says Connor only knows about jail from Monopoly.

Ha, Tabitha! You've just fucked all of NY's elite, haven't you? And Tom. Sort of.

A big angry puffer fish bristling with dick. Bwhahaha. No, Tom, you're right, I would stay far away from whatever that is.

You know what, Shiv? I know you're really pissed off because you weren't invited to the corporate retreat when you're...you know, not yet part of the family business, which was...your own damn choice, but don't ask Tom to do that. You know what's going to happen.

Tom, come on. Hold your ground, maybe?

Your meat puppet? Wow. Oh, don't try to walk it back. You're not joking. You know how I know? Because it was mean. Not funny. Okay, well, at least you can admit you weren't joking, Shiv.

Greg, bless you. A very white, very wealthy band. U2! Ahahaha!

Historically speaking, when I'm betrayed, it's usually you. Okay, that was kind of funny.

No, no, no, bad time Tom. Don't talk to him now. Don't talk to him at all. Don't do it.

WONDER WOMAN! IT WAS WONDER WOMAN. That sidekick dude was the Nazi dude or whatever evil power he represented in Wonder Woman. Ha. I remembered.

Sam looks like a douche. Cool hair, bro.

Was Greg in the front craning for a look around? OMG, he was. Eheheh. He's taking pictures, I love him.

Tom in a sporty down vest. Love.

It IS good to see Frank, actually!

Connor's scenes have seriously become some of the most hilarious ones of the show. He is so incredibly absurd. Hyper-decanting, ahahahahahaha. I'm dying.

I can't get over how Shiv can speak truths about other people, but be so, so hypocritical at the same time.

Aww, Tom doesn't want to lose his buddy. A girl can start to wonder. Aw. On the friend level. Awwww!

Ratfucker Sam! Yeah, he looks like a ratfucker. Is he nice? You're asking about the moral character of a man named Ratfucker Sam? That...is the funniest line in the show so far, OMG.

Aw, that was a great scene, too. With Greg and Tom. Tom knows how vulnerable Greg just made himself. He knows the kind of damage he can do to Greg with this information.

Kendall's hat! Can we talk about Kendall's hat?!

Oh, man. Everyone is putting Tom up to be the sacrificial lamb. Oh, yikes. Poor Tom. Practically getting pushed now. Ugh, of course Gerri and Karl know Shiv asked Tom. *hugs Tom*

Aw, Greg and Tom really are cut from the same cloth, aren't they? Tom's bizarre preamble "heads up" is almost exactly like Greg's "pre-meeting" with the author. Gaaaaah. I'm already cringing. Oh, poor, precious Tom.

........ Just a guy who works for me? Shiv. ......fuck right the fuck off, you fuck. Also, did you take your rings off? Or is that guy just a blind moron? Don't let me down, soldier. Ugh.

Logan, you trying to get us drunk? Taking a page out of Roman's playbook? Oh, damn. That hurt my heart. "Why don't you pipe down until you tell me I've got a grandson coming? Or are you shooting blanks?" That...man, that was even more painful for Tom than Logan intended, probably.

This is...excruciating.

Oooh, but what a great shot of Logan and Kendall.

This is some nightmarish shit. This is so fucked up. I just...this is like...psychological torture. Way, way beyond bullying. This is humiliation porn, and I am a little bit sick over it, to be honest.

Ugh, and now we get to see Shiv fuck another dude. Cool. Ah, she did take off her rings. And it is NOT simple, Shiv. It really isn't.

Can I just...Tom needs to get all the hugs and love and ice cream ever. Just...all the cuddles.

I think this is the strongest Tom has ever been...just...showing up to breakfast in the morning. I would have tried to become one with my bed and pretended to be dead until everyone else left. Someone please hug him.

They need to hug Greg while they're at it. Just bear hug those two at their sad little humiliated breakfast table. At least Greg is saved. For now.

Awwww, Greg saying thanks. Tom touching him, aww. That was...nice. The only two decent hearts in the room, I swear. (For the record, Kendall, I still believe in you, but you've become a lifeless puppet, and I want you to come back, please.) A little cute, though, that Gerri is taking pity on man-child Roman.

NOBODY KNOWS THE PRICE OF A GALLON OF MILK. I'm with Roman on this one.

Tom, baby, just walk back out of the house and never come back. He doesn't even try to hide how he felt about that terrible...ness. Oh, god, and he's trying to stick up for himself just a little bit. SHIV, GET OFF YOUR FUCKING PHONE WHILE HE'S TALKING, JUST ONCE, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD. Okay, okay. Good.

Also, Tom, it's not at all being a dick to want to have an equal say in a relationship. But, I hate to break it to you, I don't think Shiv is going to change any time soon. I just can’t see that happening. She even said so herself, that the essence of a person can’t change.

Aaaaaand my heart just broke. Tom's little..."Oh. Maybe later." And he's so desperate for some kind of affection that he needs to hug her anyway. Guh. Just. Kill me now. That was agonizing.

Yeah, that whole thing was agonizing.

#succession hbo #succession #tom wambgans #greg hirsch #kendall roy #logan roy #roman roy #connor roy #shiv roy #ratfucker sam #i'm sorry but i had to give him his own tag

2 notes · View notes

salamanderergfanfictions · 5 years

Text

Les Mis, plague, snippets, (major char death)

A new plague swept through France and claimed the lives of many people. A handful of the Les Amis survived, though Enjolras still harbors resentment towards Grantaire over a moment of inattentiveness that claimed the life of Courfeyrac.

Per his luck, Bossuet was the first to be struck. He had been pale the last few days, citing a lingering cold from spring, smiling as he reassured everyone it would pass soon. They had laughed and bemoaned his bad luck to be stuck with a summer cold, continuing as usual.

The next night he was on the floor coughing, hacking, and then vomiting blood in the middle of Marius’ declaration of love to a woman he had never met. They had crowded around him, but could offer no relief, could do no more for him but look on in terror. He was choking, then gurgling, then still. It was sudden, an anomaly that was hard to come to terms with. Joly had sat in his room with blood on his hands for days until forced to wash.

Perhaps that is why he was the next to go, found in his bed, pale and cold, with a vibrant red stain on his pillow. Feuilly had come into direct blood contact with the sickness a couple of days after, the result of bending down to help a young girl who had fallen. She had coughed right in his chest, speckling it with droplets and stunning Feuilly. He had walked into the Musain in a daze, not even thinking to clean himself up. His friends had said tearful, thoughtful goodbyes even as he sat at the table and talked with them, saying his own farewells. They had waited two days before observing no change in Feuilly, waited two more just in case it was slow. Feuilly gave them hope, that it was dying out, that it could be fought.

This was not the case.

By then, the public had known there was a new plague to be reckoned with, on top of the cholera, one that killed fast and violent. Those who had not died in the first week or two and had the means, left. They fled to the country, to other cities, and in doing so, had spread the plague further than it would have gotten on its own. Marius among them. He seemed to have disappeared overnight, no sign of his death, but all his belongings had either been packed up or pilfered.

Those who had not left clung tightly to a desperate hope that this would pass and their city would be theirs again. By the summer’s end, Paris seemed like a ghost town with periods of brief, fierce activity in the streets that soon gave way to silence and another corpse lying in the street.

Enjolras traversed these streets with his head held high, as if walking fast with his nose in the air would prevent death from catching him. He was fearless in this, not many dared being out on the streets except the scum of society that had already been there before. Determination alone was warding off the sickness and the only worry he had now was being mugged by those barely hanging on. He made his way down the road, stepping over puddles of blood and feces, swerving around people who were dead and those who were not quite, who were still wheezing through bloody handkerchiefs. He walked past the Musain, now just an abandoned building since all who worked there had perished, to a small apartment not so far away.

He knocked on the door briefly to be let in, becoming slightly worried at the stumbling noises behind it. The door opened creakily, slowly, and Enjolras knew Grantaire was drunk again when it was forced open by a much more steady hand. He had to force the snarl off his face as Jehan, instead of the other one, the drunken one, came into view.

“Enjolras,” Jehan greeted him with a terse smile, glancing nervously to Grantaire who had slinked off behind the door without a word. “Was there trouble getting here? As you walked the infected streets of Paris with only your red vest to protect you, like the bright color will be a warning? I wish you would not do so, there will be one day when you do not come and we will know the worst has happened. Please reconsider staying here with us.”

“I have been perfectly frank on that matter, Jehan,” Enjolras said acutely, ignoring the other’s look of unhappiness. “The streets are dead, quite literally, and I take care in watching where I step. It has been nothing worse than usual. And here?”

Jehan sighed heavily and suddenly looking very tired and beaten, “It has been quiet the past few days. We are only waiting on Feuilly now, come join us in the sitting room.”

Enjolras walked in, giving his own disapproving glance at Grantaire, who had slipped down along the wall to the floor, before joining Jehan. Grantaire flicked his gaze up to him for barely a second, not giving any word of acknowledgment nor expecting one.

“He has been like that the past two days,” Jehan whispered only a few feet from the door and man in question, “Despondent in every action and word, if he decides to move or speak.”

Enjolras raised his eyebrow and did not bother lowering his voice, “And what is novel about Grantaire being drunk and indolent?”

“He is not, though. He has not touched his wine, nor food or other drinks. He will not speak to me and only stares at nothing, figments in the air only visible to him. The most movement I have seen him attempt was when you knocked on the door.” Jehan paused and laid a pale hand on Enjolras’ wrist beseechingly, “I was hoping you would speak to him, you hold sway over him more than I. It is a grand victory for him to even blink in my direction, but you are able to summon him from his stupor without even being in the room.”

Enjolras stared at Jehan’s pleading expression for a long moment then took a deep breath, “It is not my business how he chooses to atone for his sins, or punish himself for them. I owe him no words, nor do I wish to give them.”

Jehan’s eyes filled with tears, tears that he had made a vow not to shed anymore when Courfeyrac had passed, when Bahorel had gone swiftly after him, “I do not begrudge you your scorn, Enjolras, but our friends are so few now.”

We cannot lose another, went unsaid. Enjolras heard it all the same.

“You understand that he is the reason we have so few friends now, yes?” He said harshly, his own mourning in mind. Jehan’s pain allowed him to cry and grieve, Enjolras’ only turned his eyes and heart to stone.

“It is not all on his head, Enjolras, the sickness takes who it wants, and leaves who it does not. You cannot blame him,” Jehan said, as he had said many times, and then hurried to finish before Enjolras could interrupt, “Not more than he blames himself.”

“I will blame him, Jehan, he is the reason one of my closest friends is dead. The only way I would not have blamed him is if the sickness had taken him too.” Enjolras turned to Grantaire with a vicious glare and spat out, “I wish that it had, better you than Courfeyrac. A great burden would have been lifted with one less drunk, incompetent thing in the world.”

Jehan gasped in shock, but Enjolras had left the hallway before he could say anything.

“Good morning, Jehan, Grantaire,” Feuilly greeted politely, despite having been present for the harsh words. He was standing in the doorway, hat in hand. “Am I late?”

Jehan swallowed hard, blinking several times before realizing his eyes were not going to clear and so smiled brightly through the tears, “Good morning, Feuilly. Your travel was safe?”

The two exchanged tepid greetings before Jehan led Feuilly into the sitting room, leaving Grantaire to his spot by the door, only to interrupt a tender moment between Enjolras and Combeferre. The two averted their eyes politely as the other men brought their lips together for a soft kiss before completing their embrace.

“Feuilly,” Enjolras greeted him as Combeferre nodded to the man as well. “I’m glad to see you.”

“And you, Enjolras. It is good to see everyone,” Feuilly stumbled over the last word and hoped that no one would comment. He cleared his throat harshly, and then several times more after that. The rest of the company ignored this and continued when he was done.

“I hear there is discussion of leaving France,” Feuilly said, only a touch more hoarse than previously.

“It’s your fault! You killed them!”

“If that is what will help, then blame me,” Grantaire said desperately, pleading for Enjolras’ absolution.

“I-It,” Enjolras stuttered out, his lips not wanting to form words anymore, they only seemed to want to shake and frown. “It w-will not,” He tried again before noticing the way Grantaire was looking at him. Enjolras’ eyes were stinging, his jaw was trembling and he couldn’t bear to see the sympathetic expression on Grantaire’s face. The way the other man’s eyes were kind as he stepped forward on a soft inhale, as if Enjolras were a child in need of consolation. He was not a child. He had not cried since he was one and would not be reduced to tears because of…because of…

“All our friends are dead,” He whispered, horrified, as if this was the first time he had realized it.

To Enjolras’ disgust the tears did not end and with every attempt he made to stop, they flowed faster, till he was openly sobbing. Ugly, loud sobs that made his nose run and his face turn red, and even then, Grantaire reached for him automatically, cradling Enjolras’ head and bringing it to his chest.

“I am so sorry,” Grantaire whispered desperately as Enjolras cried, “I cannot, words cannot express how utterly, completely sorry I am. I do not know what I can do to repent for this, if there is something to be done for it. Just tell me, please tell me. Were there a way to trade my life for your friends’, you must know I would do it, I would not hesitate. I will do anything, I will do anything for you.”

“I cannot,” Enjolras sobbed into Grantaire’s vest, the other trying to soothe him as one would a newborn. He let out huge, broken gasps that only came out louder the more he tried to hold them in. “I cannot stop—”

He couldn’t stop crying, not even with Combeferre after Courfeyrac’s death did he begin to cry. There was a dam inside him, it had always been there since he was a child and it had finally broken today, in the arms of the man who had caused it to rupture. Enjolras did not want to be held by Grantaire, but he could not bring himself to move. He buried his face deeper in the vest, his forehead and nose catching on buttons painfully, his tears and spit and snot combining to make a sickening mess on the fabric. But Enjolras did not move, and Grantaire would not allow him to.

“Then do not stop,” Grantaire whispered, “Do not stop, and please let me be enough for you.”

End

#les miserables #les mis #grantaire #enjolras #jehan #combeferre #feuilly #sickness #plague #major character death #couldn't take it further #tragedy #fanfic #salamandererg #title: Outbreak

1 note · View note

shop5 · 5 years

Text

Ok so I got like 2 hours of sleep because I had a really bad nightmare and I need something to occupy my mind ATM -- So I’m just gonna live blog Punisher under cut obviously spoilers

I love how genuine the look on his face is

And holy shit the shoot out in the woods in episode 3 when Frank shoots the Molotov cocktail in that dudes hand???

then this exchange:

Oh and I really like small town sheriff guy

This shot right here:

Frank castle summed up in one picture:

EP4 ------------------------------

What do you have there Billy? A knife. NO.

Also Billy has the kind of scars I draw on characters where you want them to look bad but they just kinda make the character hotter

Curtis puts up with so much and I love him

!!!!!!!!! Frank and Billy flashback! also some of franks childhood backstory

Billy killing the pedophile was pretty fucking sweet

Also Dad Frank is my favorite

EP5-----------------------------------------------

Frank mid lecture getting excited about pizza is adorable

Also Madani going to Curtis’ group

“It wasn’t the war that twisted Billy, it was greed” -Curtis

This exchange:

EP6---------------------------------------------------------

Frank listening to Amy and not killing the guy but burning down the studio instead but come on he 100% should have murdered that dude and made him suffer

Curtis having a girlfriend and I’m scared for her -- JUST LET CURTIS BE HAPPY

Curtis getting this guy glasses and helping out homeless vets I love him and he deserves to be happy

Billy is such a creepy dick but god damn Ben Barnes is hot

oh my god Frank opening up to opening up to Amy about Lisa and crying and now I’m crying and fuck this show I love it

“Dad:Are you crying about the murder show? Me: I MIGHT BE”

Supportive dad Frank teaching amy how to take a gun off someone and shoot all while being equal parts proud and really bothered that he has to teach her that shit

DONT HURT CURTIS YOU ASS HOLE

oh thank god he didn’t hurt Curtis

Billy’s got a new weird murder gang, he’s got friends now

Madani Frank and Curtis team find billy and end it

EP7-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Frank, Madani and Curtis hashing it out

Noping right out of the therapist fucking Billy nope

Ok it wasn’t that long of a scene and Billy is awful but he’s still a fucking interesting character

awe billys gang has a club house

not gonna lie Billy training his gang is great

Curtis saying Franks just “looking for an excuse to keep moving”

Lillian is a fucking BAMF

HOLY SHIT FRANK IN THE VEST TO SCARE BILLY IS AMAZING the colors in this scene are perfect -- The legit actual pain on Billy’s face when he realizes it’s Frank

EP8---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bad ass Curtis to the rescue!

Holy shit Billy is an evil mother fucker but but god damn he’s a great villain

Frank had the shot and he froze he still couldn’t kill Billy and it’s heart breaking

Ben Banes is really good my dudes

LIKE he’s evil but him being so confused about Frank still hurts

Curtis finally being done with Frank’s shit good for him

Jon Bernthal is so fucking good like just so good

Oh no Frank went to the grave yard here’s the feels again

I love urban westerns so much

Frank crying my heart

EP9---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Everyone in the trailer like the most awkward family reunion ever

“No one really likes making their friday night the punisher pity party” I feel called out

“Maria knew what I was and she loved me anyway” ouch

More awkward Billy therapist sex scenes again luckily not that long still uncomfortable

god frank killing those dudes in the ally should be as great as it is but it is

The Billy and Madani face off is so tense and intimidating

And then Billy’s like:

Poor worried dad Frank with his flip phone

why is this therapist Lady Macbething Billy

YES AMY TAKING THE GUN AND SHOOTING THE FUCKER and frank taking the last shot so he killed him

Franks “I’m gonna do all I can to make that different for you” to Amy after she says is that all there is “Alive or dead?”

EP10-------------------------------------------------------

oh no more Billy Frank flashbacks

Frank and Curtis hug!

Dude the fight scene with Billy’s men tho

oh shit Billy setting up frank to make him think he killed those women

That’s just...damn man

EP11----------------------------------------------------------------

Oh man the Kastle episode here we go

Poor Curtis he puts up with so much

KARENNN I love her

this whole episode is a bunch of women telling frank to stop being a dumb ass and I love it

More Frank and Karen crying and I can’t

Karen Madani and Amy working together!

Can we just appreciate Frank in the policeman’s uniform

EP12-----------------------------------------------------------------

Don’t. Hurt. Curtis.

Oh good Curtis is ok.

oh shit goodbye terrible therapist

EP13----------------------------------------------------------

This is it folks the home stretch

Oh good Madani’s alive

AMY AND FRANK on the job!

ELEVATOR FIGHT SCENE

don’t jump on moving cars Frank

Billy passing out getting the bullets taken out Me: Suffer bitch.

BILLY LITERALLY IN THE TRASH WHERE HE BELONGS

A+ Alice in Chains

You’re the whirlwind

God damn I hate billy but hes so charismatic and sad it hurts

OH MY GOD FRANK KILLING BILLY WAS SO SATISFYING

Franks monologue fucking chills and their revenge with amy is so perfect

good dad frank is good

MY HEART

#Punisher spoilers #TPS2 spoilers

2 notes · View notes

edourado · 7 years

Text

Lists

My humble entry for #kastleradio week. I plan on writting a big, steamier piece, but this has been sitting around in my brain for a while, I thought this was a good week to write it down and post it.

I cannot resist the “Frank takes care of Karen” trope. Won’t even try.

This was inspired by the song “Gravity”, by Sarah Bareilles.

I hope you enjoy.

Much love.

An explosion. A fucking explosion.

He knew Karen was careless - despite her many claims otherwise - but to be caught in an explosion was a little too much.

Still, she kept insisting she was fine.

He climbed through her window not twenty minutes after finding out what happened - and not really thinking about how quickly he would drop everything at the mention of her name - and found her in bed.

Frank masked the sigh of relief that left him with an irritated scoff.

“You're something else, did you know that?” he told her, closing her window and walking towards her. At least she had the decency of looking sheepish. “Let me see”, he asked, sitting by the edge of her bed after shedding his coat and his vest.

She had bruises and cuts and scrapes on her face, her neck, her shoulder, her arms, her legs. When he pressed, she told him a heavy chunk of metal flew right at her ribs, and she was having some trouble standing straight. Nothing was broken, though.

“Have you been to a doctor?”

“Yes, Frank, of course I have.”

“And you're taking time off work.”

She nodded.

“I'm gonna kill Red”, he said, suddenly incredibly irritated, shocked, even, that he wasn't informed about her, he spent almost 24 hours not knowing, not even imagining she was caught up in the explosion that almost made Max bark out of his skin.

“I asked him not to tell you”, she confessed.

“Why in the name of fuck-”

“Because I knew you were gonna fuss!”

He fixed her with a hard look, and he was impressed. Most soldiers under him couldn’t sustain that. Karen Page did.

“I don't fuss, ma’am. And that was a stupid ass thing to do.”

She looked at him.

“Which thing?”

“The list is long”, he said, covering her back up. “Do you need anything?”

“Frank, I told you, I'm-”

“Just tell me if you need anything, you stubborn woman”, he breathed out, getting up from her bed. He felt too dirty and her linens looked too clean.

“Well”, she said after a second. “Now that you asked, I could eat.”

He put his cap on and left, her dinner order memorized. When he came back, this time entering through the front door, he had a duffle bag on his shoulder.

“Are you moving in?” She asked, trying to sit up.

“For a while, yes I am.”

They were passed the stage where he refused to occupy her space. Her old couch had the imprint of his back on it, until she got rid of it and got a new one, more comfortable. He didn't sleep there as often as he liked (also another thing he was past doing: telling himself he didn't like crashing at her place), but it had happened.

“I already have a nurse, you know”, she said and he looked her way while dropping the bag on the chair by the window. She was mostly teasing, that small smile that could tear down walls appearing.

He liked to think that that was his smile. A strange unpleasant feeling surged inside him when he imagined her smiling like that at someone else.

“Where’s Max?” she asked.

“Red has him.”

She laughed weakly.

“I’d like to see Matt taking care of a dog.”

Frank shed his coat again, and placed the bag with her food on her bedside table, walking to the kitchen to get a tray.

When he came back, she was moving about the bed a bit, and he rushed to help.

"I can do it, I can do it, it's OK”, she said when he reached for her.

With the skeptical look, Frank let her try and sit up by herself, but she hissed and screwed her eyes shut.

“Ow, ow, ow, shit”, she exclaimed under her breath and took the hand he offered.

“Cracked ribs, ma’am. They're a bitch.”

When he was done placing pillows behind her back and under her elbows and making sure she was not feeling pain, he placed the tray and the food in front of her.

They ate together, she in bed and him sitting on the floor with his back against the wall, listening as she told him about being caught in the explosion of the office of a gangster.

“And why the hell were you interviewing a gangster?” He asked after swallowing his forkful of food.

“He was looking to take the place vacated by Cornell Stokes. Someone has to expose his true colors. It was a good story.”

He clicked his tongue disapprovingly and ate another bite, watching as she took the fork to her mouth slowly.

“Well, now he’s dead.”

When they were done eating, he asked if she wanted coffee, and she shook her head.

"Tea.”

"Ok”, he whispered, taking the tray and the dishes to the kitchen. “Ok if I take a shower?” He asked when he came back with the steaming mug, placing it on her bedside table.

She smiled.

“If you're going to live here, I hope showers are a regular thing", she said, teasing again. "Do you mind if I brush my teeth first?"

Frank helped her up, mindful of her scrapes and her bruises, a hand supporting her ribs while she took slow, measured steps towards the bathroom, her right hand tight around his.

She was wearing a big shirt and small pajama shorts, and a small part of his brain registered that he liked that she was so comfortable around him, not even feeling the need to wrap a robe around herself.

Frank took his shower after she took her painkillers and was sipping on tea, assuring him she would be able to lie back down by herself.

When he exited the bathroom, he felt refreshed, wearing sweatpants and a clean shirt. Karen was lying down, but he still adjusted the pillows against her.

"Hey", she called when he moved to go to the living room and settle for the night. "You don't have to take the couch… If you don't want to", she said, voice soft.

He looked at her for a second, considering, trying to convince himself not to.

"I promise I won't kick you”, she said in a whisper, blinking slowly.

There were several reasons for him to take the vacant spot by her side. She might need to get up during the night, he might need to get her a glass of water, she might feel some pain, he should keep an eye on her ribs, her mattress would be better for his back than the couch, she might feel safer with him there, they were both adults in the 21st century.

All those things were true. The one thing that made him say “Ok” and settle by her, watching as she turned on her side, facing him, and watch her face until she fell asleep was not on that list.

#kastleradio #kastleradioweek #kastle #kastle fluff #kastle fic #kastle ff #Frank and Karen #writing #Hell's Kitchen Chronicles

62 notes · View notes

hellofanimagination · 7 years

Note

Punk!Gerard headcanons??💕💕💕

1) Gerard has a different hair color almost every week. He’s the kind of punk that has a closet full of hair dyes (all vegan and cruelty free) and bleach, and towels stained with colors. You’ve known him for so long that sometimes you don’t even notice the new color

2) He goes to concerts and protests alike, screaming lyrics he loves and marching for the things he believes in. He goes all out for both, makeup and signs and combat boots, he screams for trans rights just as much as he screams in shitty bar venues back home.

3) Gerard is terrified of needles but he doesn’t let it stop him from getting stick n poke tats in his frank’s basement or that lip piercing Mikey got wide eyed watching. he gets older and goes from shitty basement tattoos to ones he has to pay for in studios but he never covers up the old ones, loves to tell the stories behind them (”frank almost killed me with this one”, “I should have listened to Ray about that one”, “Okay this one still makes me laugh...”)

4) Gerard loves introducing people to punk culture, he recs ppl music and bands and gives tips for building up your vest/jacket. He reminds people that dressing punk doesn’t make you punk and that being aware of the injustice and the marginalized groups everywhere in the world is punk as well, that fighting for rights for everyone is punk and being nice is punk and good vibes and respect and love are punk. Just as much as the music is.

#headcannon #punk!gerard #Anonymous #dude look who got mail

97 notes · View notes

indirispeaks · 7 years

Text

Titanic Fail Part the Second

!Presented in convo form! Apologies for the length

Me: Okay remember that glorious shipwreck of epic proportions that was the animated titanic movie I told you about with the magic anime girls moonbeam tears?

Him: .....yeah...

Me: I love your suble uneasiness in that 'yeah'. Because THERE IS A SEQUEL.

Him: .....I want to get off this planet now.

Me: "Titanic: Elizabeth And Mullet-Face Go To The Lost City Of Atlantis And There Is A Battle With Sharks And Creepy Clown Toys And Mentally Challenged Racist Caricatures Mice, And Also The Dog Has A Gun For Some Reason."

Him: fuck my life

Me: Also called "In Search of Titanic" But my version is more accurate. So Elizabeth and Glove Sniffer, (fuck if I remember the guy's name he made zero impression on me the first time)along with the dog -who can talk now- and the reeeeally awkward mice are riding around in a submarine looking for the wreck of the Titanic. Which is stupid, since the giant pinkie thing put the goddamn ship back together and lugged it to the new york harbor previously. Whales saved all the people! It was happily ever after all around.

Him: WHAT IS CONTINUITY?

Me: No one on the production team knows what that word means. It is unclear why the talking mice are qualified to make submersible dives. Maybe it happened between movies while the dog was learning to talk. Actually come to think of it, every animal in the first movie could talk except the dog and the whales and yet everyone seemed to understand them just fine even without the glitter spooge and it wasn’tt a big deal to ANY of them. I'm not sure why I'm searching for meaning and logic in a film written and produced by alcoholic lemurs but it still bugs me.

Him: Alcoholic lemurs could have written a better story. meth addicted squirrel monkeys though.

Me: No the squirrel monkeys wrote the sequel. In the snow. With their own pee. But yeah the dog can talk now and I think his name is Lucky. Or Fritz. Or Frank. Steven? He doesn't like being down there because there are sharks. Water is blue, Stevie-boy. But speaking of sharks, the criminal shark gulag is back, again with the whaler asshole, still after the whales. There are no whales in this movie. The giant pink thingie is apparently called Tentaclino, but no one even calls him that and he's not really in the movie either. For that matter, neither is the Titanic. I don't know what they were actually calling it, because 80 percent of the dialogue in garbled to high hell in some way or another.

Which I guess is what happens when three different countries work on the same movie in a fourth language none of them actually speak. They gave up 20 minutes in anyway and just started trying to out-stupid each other.

The new head shark (also with names changing every other scene) gets da boyz to attack the sub and cut it loose because it's yellow. All submarines are yellow. Also sharks are colorblind IRL but that's the least of this movie's issues.

Him: Of course it's yellow.

Me: Everyone in the sub is understandably shocked and upset at this development, except for Glove Sniffer who says that everyone should remain calm while the sharks chew through their tether and oxygen tube. The breach causes implosive decompression and kills them all instantly. The End.

Him: That's not what happened is it.

Me: Nupe.

Him: Joy.

Me: What actually happens is Da Boss shark and his dudebros chew the Technodrome loose to the complete and utter indifference of everyone inside it because the animation budget did not have enough money to pay for more frames when the dudebros start playing tether ball with it. They ask Da Boss shark if they should finish destroying it but he says no, first he has to stop and brush his teeth. Dental hygiene is important, yo! This calls for a rap number!

OH YEEEEEEEEEEAH THIS ONE'S A MUSICAL! YAAAAAY!!!

Him: This is a hell dimension. We are in a hell dimension.

Me: It sets the precedent for the whooole circus though, because NONE of the "songs" in this technicolor nightmare make any sense to anyone who doesn't just happen to be an acid-tripping squirrel monkey. The most I got out of this one was the opening line of "YO! YO! YO! LOOK AT MY TEETH! HOOGA HOOGA HOOGA SO WHITE AND NEAT!" and the rest of it was sung by a chorus of small clams who'd come back from the dentist with mouths full of Novocaine. It SOUNDED like they were singing "Oh, you, you! There's no white meat out of you! Oh, you, you! There's wuh walla, walla WOOOO!!" You can look it up on youtube, the comments are full of people taking guesses at the actual lyrics.

Him: ....

Me: After that incomprehensible nonsense, it cuts back to where Elizabeth, Glove Sniffer and co. have been hanging out awaiting their cues for the last five minutes that you just spent listening to cartoon prison-shark rapping. Literally. Upside down and motionless. Elizabeth's long flowing hair is unaffected by gravity. They come back to life just in time to realize they're probably going to drown and are understandably panicked....except for Glove Sniffer, natch, who tells them to stay calm again but then they go unconscious again and merpeople on multicolored My Little Pony steeds (WHY) come to the rescue and save everybody by spraying air bubbles on their heads....

hang on sec

I missed the part where it became possible for the merpeople to open the top hatch without turning the people into ground sausage. I.

Magic glitter spooge.

I guess.

They're unconscious again in any case. They're also wearing life vests like that's going to help you 7 miles down. I couldn't tell if they were dead or not as they were not sausage, but if they were it would have saved the audience 70 more minutes of this shit. Actually I think the dogs name was Pete.

Him: I'd suggest rewatching it as a drinking game but I don't think anyone would survive the alcohol poisoning.

Me: Yeeeeeah. The mersquad lugs their unconscious asses back to the Lost City of Atlantis, populated by more merpeople who are really just different colored normal people walking around in frog feet with artistically placed fish scales. Pete wakes up halfway there, catches sight of a merwoman and is utterly convinced he's dead and she's taking him to doggy hell. Doggy. Hell. Full throttle Don Bluth. She tells him to stay calm, they're safe now. He doesn't buy it but WHO THE FUCK WOULD.

You might be able to make a drinking game of how many times they actually say some version of "stay calm." They are met at the door by a blue guy whose name we never find out, who tells them that in order to visit the city they have to drink this incredibly suspicious green potion. Elizabeth questions the wisdom of accepting drinks from people wearing sexy-nurse costumes complete with white cowboy hat emblazoned with a red cross. Blue guy tells her to stay calm...and then says "GET EVERYTHING READY!!" to the sexy nurse in a tone that is in no way menacing and foreshadowy.

And from this point on, Elizabeth "I can talk to dolphins with my magiccy-farts" becomes the SOLE VOICE OF REASON. To which the blue guy tells her to shut up and drink it already.. Total dick move. Glove-Sniffer has lost what few brain cells he had (probably from sniffing other things, like wet paint and cat piss), and says that he understands. Just stay calm, and isn't this potion a pretty color? Can't possibly be a bad thing! CHUGGALUGGALUGALUG. I'm not kidding he actually says that. Elizabeth questions her own sanity.

Him: .........she's just now questioning that?

Me: Yeah, well. Elizabeth has seen some fucked up shit in her day. Then the blue guy takes them on a tour! They go and meet this jack in the box clown...fish...pokemon thing with a cape and a pimp cane because why the hell not, who says he's the ambassador or something and oh by the way everything in the city can breathe underwater, never go to sleep, everything can talk, and live forever. Scary Toy sounds like a cross between Marilyn Manson and Fozzie Bear which is creepy as fuck. I can totally see Jeff Dunham using that voice in his stand up. Then it gets bizarre.

Him: again, just now?

Me: More bizarre.

Him: I didn't know it was possible to go downhill from the deepest pit of hell.

Me: They have a backhoe for digging, and Buffy missed this particular hellmouth. There's a bunch of toys that live in the ballroom and Creepy Toy goes into this...this...song and dance number...about how all this works..I must have blanked it out after he made this horrifying demon giggle. He doesn't exactly sing, either, just spouts more Manson-esque lyrics until all hell breaks loose in a sort of what I can only describe as "Techno Rave Fusion Dance Party Music". The lights go out and colored spotlights start flying around the raving toy mosh pit (there's a mosh pit) and every single word of whatever the serial killer fish clown is trying to say is completely obscured by WUB WUB WUB, WUBBA WUB WUB WUB!! WUB WUB WUB, WUBBA WUB WUB WUB!! Elizabeth's voice actor can be heard over the soundtrack saying "THIS IS SCARY!!" and she is so right.

Him: ....

Me: He finishes his routine by abruptly telling them surprise! they're not allowed to leave the city and go home for the rest of their immortal, sleepless lives. Elizabeth is upset. Guess what Glove Sniffer tells her?

And then they go meet the king, who is a fushia man I think. He's wearing a long green robe with attached hoodie cowl from which a black hole exudes so you can't see his face. Could have been tentacles under there for all I know. He's sitting on a throne which I admit was kinda cool, made out of water with fish and seaweed floating/swimming around in it. Or at least it was cool until it gets up and starts following the king around and there's a fucking face on it that the king proceeds to sit on and then it blows bubbles right up his ass. It's a sentient bidet.

Him: sec, finding the vodka.

Me: He asks how they are adjusting to the "news" that they are now under house arrest til the end of time, and Glove Sniffer says he's glad they were told right away and in such an amusing manner. Whoever was responsible for writing his dialogue has been huffing rubber cement between sentences. Elizabeth looks irritated. I don't really blame her.

Then the movie remembers oh yeah, talking animals! The dog's name might have been Happy. Still no clue about the mice. Happy finds a lady dog that lives in Atlantis because why not, and they frolic a bit She has no speaking lines and it's love at first sight. She has no name. Meanwhile the mice are taken to meet all the other mice and why are there fucking mice in Atlantis? There, uh. There's a chinese one. You can tell this movie was made somewhere other than here because that one would have never got past the MPAA.

Anyway the mice/rats have this plan to overthrow the king and steal the elixir of life and then go Pinky and the Brain. It is not explained why they the elixir will help them take over the world. They also for some reason have laser guns. The two sailor mice run and tell the king. He doesn't question their story and neither did I. Elizabeth did.

Him: ....

Me: The king decides to let the mice try to take over the world because they're just a bunch of heat-packing mice and he has a bazillion army merpeople and toys and the elixir of life. He replaces it with water so the mice steal a fake. They test it out by tying another mouse to a rock and tossing him down a well to drown. I mean if you're going to put Don Bluth-level incredibly dark topics in a kid's movie, you may as well go all in. The Creepy Toy is afraid of the mice taking him apart with a screwdriver because then he'll be dead, (for kids!) but a red dolphin reassures him that screwdrivers are banned in Atlantis. (Apparently they built the city without screws. I dunno just go with it okay?)

The evil mice are in cahoots with the sharks who are in cahoots with the whaling asshole because there needs to be at least six different plotlines at the same time. They want to feed the pink thingie to Da Boss shark. Why? Supposedly he ruins stuff....mainly any sort of continuity when someone tries to inject some sanity into this. stupid. stupid. Stupid. stupid. stupid stupidstupidstupid there's a toy army that goes up against the mice who have their own submarines and how the hell are ANY of them supposed to take over the world when your shark shock troops are stuck underwater and you don't have a tornado handy?

I need a break

Their subs also have lasers but they are outgunned via Glove Sniffer's rampaging stupidity. There's a brief fight montage, the dog sets up a sniper point and starts picking off mice even though he lacks opposable thumbs and he's scared of sharks. And water. I'm not sure why he's on this vacation. Maybe they needed to sell tie in plushies?

Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew-pew! WHOOOOMPA! Pew! Pew!

There's also a boy doll who looks like a girl doll because he's got a wig on and it's a curse a little girl put on him to look like a girl and blah blah blah blah it's not important. None of this is important. He sounds like a pirate even though he's dressed in scottish kit. He off a single cannon shot and ta da! he's a boy again and promptly fucks off the movie never to be seen or mentioned again. Yay, misogyny on top of pointless! Thankfully he does not sing or rap about it.

Him: Small mercies.

Me: The war is over! The mice have slunk back to Atlantis and decide to test their elixir of life anyway even though...their entire battle strategy imploded. Elizabeth's voice actor has given up entirely and she just sort of stands there, lost in her own little hell. There's a grand total of 4 seconds where the pink thingie shows up and then leaves so the animators have an excuse to plaster him/her/it on the dvd case. The king decides to reward the useless tourists, half of whom keep asking nosy questions, and puts the Titanic back together again (I mean this IS a Titanic movie, the ship has to be in the film for at least 12 seconds) There is now a sentient screwdriver in the mix whose supposedly the Creepy Toy Fish's best friend. They'.....but he's scare...I thought they were ban...the fuck.

Him: Well yeah.

Me: They get the ship cleaned up and put back together (what's continuity again?) and then use it to drop Elizabeth and Glove Sniffer on a deserted tropical island to live the rest of their lives going quietly insane up THERE instead of underwater. Which is an improvement over hostages, because now they're marooned with the Titanic parked on the beach as their own private yacht. Thank god they don't have relatives that will miss them or go looking for them. I kinda wonder that since they have issues with continuity if there were dead bodies on the ship. I assume there probably were but there sure aren't any now. I won't speculate as to what happened to them but you never see anybody eating fish down there, if you know what I mean. That's basically the end, everyone lives happily ever after if you don't count mind never seeing your families and friends ever again.

Him: .....you know I hate you, right?

........the dogs name was fucking “Smile” by the way.

#titanic movie #titanic #titanic cartoon #lasers #wtf

2 notes · View notes

dawittiest · 6 years

Text

Initial thoughts after watching The Punisher:

(major spoilers under the cut)

first things first: Dinah Madani is the love of my life and probably most likely the best character in the enitre Marvel Cinematic Universe. i think we should take a moment to appreciate how blessed we were. i could wax poetics about her for paragraphs on but let me just say, the show is worth watching for her alone

okay, now for a general opinion on the show: the pacing was weird at times, and i was bored a little at the beginning but otherwise i liked it. it wasn’t like, a masterpiece, or my next favorite show, but the characters were great and the soundtrack. it was Very frank

that being said, i’m not the biggest fan of the major plot. i mean it was well executed and engaging and all, it’s just. i didn’t really like the executive choice to make frank’s family’s death not random. it takes away from that sensless tragedy, of how unfair it was, and that doesn’t quite sit with me. and honestly i wanted us to move past frank’s quest for answers about his family’s death and branch out beyond that

on that note: frank barely did any punishing?? i mean, he tied up some loose ends at the beginning and then just hung his vest?? and then, at the end of the show, seemingly hung his vest again??? come on, guys, you know we’re not here for that. give us the punisher we deserve

now, what’s probably my biggest issue with the show: they really dropped the ball on Maria Castle and the kids. i was really hoping they would do them justice and, well, i just feel like we learned more about them in Daredevil than we did in the actual Punisher show which honestly sucks, especially considering the amount of dramatic flashbacks of Maria smiling and not really saying much that we got. which tell us absolutely shit about her as a character, btw. i want to care about her, and the kids, but we just didn’t get anything and its frustrating. i was more invested in frank’s relationship with sarah lieberman, which. (btw, it was great. they had amazing chemistry, she was basically everything i hoped maria would be. i kindof cheered when they kissed)

KAREN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! there was not nearly enough of karen, lbr. but what little there was, was GREAT. just, Karen, my beautiful fierce daughter, doing her thing there. i loved her so much. i was kind of dissapointed that they never touched on the fact that the last time they saw each other, karen shouted at frank he’s dead to her, and then just? forgave him without saying anything? which made no sense. but their relationship was amazing, and that last elevator scene they had, it was everything i ever wanted (although i wouldn’t mind if they kissed. js). and karen’s FRANK’S FAMILY. god, i have a lot of kastle feelings rn

(this is sort of self-indulgent but i was hoping they would at least allude to Matt’s death. i would’ve really loved seeing frank’s reaction, also maybe a hint how karen’s dealing with it)

frank spray-painting a skull on his vest still cracks me up. dude makes fun of matt’s costume but his own is literally arts and crafts project. i love it

i still thoroughly enjoy watching frank murder people. still unapologetic about it. the way he murders people is poetry, bite me.

i sort of hate micro, which is a damn shame because his relationship with frank was flawless. their dynamic was amazing and i enjoyed their banter, and under different circumstances i’d be all over that shit but honestly, micro was annoying and i didn’t really care whether he lived or died, so that kind of put a damper on that

BILLY RUSSO WAS GREAT. i loved loved how they did him in the show. i have a secret soft spot for jigsaw so it was a treat watching him so lovingly translated into the screen and given so much emotional weight. his relationship with frank was beautiful and heartbreaking and i expect to see many amazing fics exploring that *wink wink*. i gotta admit though, i kept screaming at frank “PUT HIS PRETTY FACE THROUGH GLASS ALREADY” every time they were on a screen together. i am a woman of simple pleasures

CURTIS !!!!!! MY MAN !!!!!!!! he was the best and god i was so scared they’d kill him off but they didn’t, and instead they sort of gave frank as-happy-as-can-be-considering ending with him??? im emotion

frank is still the saddest man and i wanna wrap him in a bundle of blankets (probably before i set him loose to murder some bad guys and watch him do it because damn). but god, jon bernthal’s acting never ceases to amaze me. he’s so expressive and so damn complex, like here’s this guy, blood-curdling, gravelly voice and all, covered in blood only some of which is his, and he’s genuinely terrifying, and at the same time his eyes are welling with tears, and he wears his hurt on a sleeve and he’s vulnerable, and he just feels so fucking human, you know? i really can see how deeply he feels everything and how much he cares, against all odds (there was a good line about this in the show but im too lazy to google it). i just. it’s really easy to emphatize with this frank castle, just saying. (im so grateful they let him actually cry on screen. it twisted my heart in the best way.)

special mention for the gnucci family easter egg and WELCOME BACK, FRANK. i’m so easy, i swear

i can’t believe i almost forgot that but hipster frank. it was amazing. ‘been flirting with the idea of going full man-bun’ hOW DARE THEY TEASE US LIKE THAT (fan artists, i’m begging you. please deliver on it)

oh and couldn’t give less shit about that lewis wilson kid. he’s boring, his self-justifications are boring and im over that

ALSO: i really enjoyed all the women that appeared in the show. all of them were complex, and different, and felt human, and they all felt like characters in their own right, not just props or plot devices (well, maybe with exception of maria - still salty abt that, btw - but i already talked about that) and i really fucking appreciated that. and there were older women!!!! morally complicated women!!!!! women of color whose narrative didn’t evolve around frank!!!!! they spoke farsi on screen!!!!! it was pretty amazing. i mean, it’s babies steps, but steps in the right direction nonetheless.

conclusion: watch the punisher and come scream at me about it!!!!!

#the punisher #punisher spoilers #mcu #archives

0 notes

rayj-drash · 4 years

Text

Berlin Sketches pt. 2

By T. Frank

On week three, I looked up two friends I know from Berkeley, Heidi and Asa, who’ve lived for six months in Berlin. They proposed a trip to Cologne to join the protests at Hambacher Forest, where coal companies were threatening to level the trees and mine for coal. We would take the six-hour train ride overnight, then head to Hambacher for a Sunday forest walk.

Green flags printed with the iconic Hambacher tree waved in the air over a dry dirt field. “Hambie Bleibt”--the Hambacher forest stays! Polizei allowed us to enter one area of the forest, but they blocked off the main path. We saw broken glass, ropes tied to beech trees. These woods were sparsely populated, so we re-entered Hambacher around the cops, and greeted the site anew. There was a central tree-sit atop a very tall tree and protesters everywhere hauled logs for a barricade. Heidi jumped right in, Asa went to rest, and I gathered a few branches before deciding, I'll paint instead. Several pairs of feet stopped to watch, and someone asked in German, "Can I take a photo of your palette?" With my head down, focused on my watercolors, I heard a brass band playing, "The Saints Go Marching In". The rest of the day was a mix of sun, shade, apples and communal efforts.

My two companions and I reached Hambacher's edge to emerge into a scene we dreaded. We climbed a mound of sand before the vast swath of barren land, the 'digger' machines looming like an invasive species. Security forces trotted in on horseback; a neon-vested journalist snapped dozens of shots. Soon, we heard an amplified voice, emphasizing that no one was to leave the limits of Hambacher. Asa remarked, that's just a display of power. And we are each reminded by the 'harsh' intonations of German, what a set of negative-sounding instructions can become.

~~~~~

Each week, the residency screened a film. The first was Tarnation (2003), featuring the documentarian who highlighted his mother's struggles with mental illness. The second was called A Film Unfinished (2010), a riveting, intense documentary in multiple languages, which we watched with malfunctioning subtitles. The Israeli director took found footage from Nazi propaganda stored underground for fifty years. When the footage was restored, it's shown to Jewish Holocaust survivors, who are filmed watching the horrific storylines, primarily depicting the wealthy at extreme odds with the hordes dying in controlled poverty, then corralled and dumped into open graves.

When the lights went up, my studiomates shared their reactions. One of the ladies expressed sympathy towards me as the only Jew in the room. Without thinking, I shrugged it off, refraining from the spotlight. After, I ran outside over a bridge and looked down at the river below. I ran until I felt my heart beating, and then I walked back in order to shake off the shock. Here I was, in Germany, a Jewish descendant of Eastern Europeans who immigrated to America thirty years before the unforgivable Holocaust. I saw the people of Berlin as similar to Americans, immigrants and settlers alike. I did not wish to blame a country's people for it's government's atrocities. Instead, I wanted to process. That would take time.

~~~~~~

About halfway through the residency, my hostess Amelia set me up with her friend Ivan, an American graduate student. Amelia meant well, but sometimes I felt like I gave her the wrong impression. She assumed that I was a traveling psychologist with a dark and troubled Jewish past, and she lamented her religious Christian upbringing often. She was overly hospitable, leaving money for groceries and even gave me her room for the majority of my visit; but the times that she came home, we talked from our mattresses about romance.

At dusk, Ivan and I started our tour at the iconic Brandenberg Gate, which divided West and East Germany through the Cold War. We then went inside three public memorials in the Tiergarten. First, a testament to the Roma Gypsies targeted during Hitler's regime. The space contained a shallow reflecting pool. Haunting string music played from secret speakers in the secluded square. Next, we viewed the Queer memorial, a pyramid with a small window through which we saw a looped video. Footage of gays and lesbians embraced, kissed, and held hands, spliced with shots of police tormenting lovers.

Finally, we went through the Holocaust Memorial, where tall, symmetrical granite planks rose higher and higher the farther in you walked, until you're completely enveloped in darkness and solid walls. I grew afraid in the middle of the labyrinth. Ivan’s solid grasp was there. We discussed the importance of history in this very place, where a few blocks away was a parking lot, the former bunker where Hitler spent his last moments with family and comrades before they all consumed poison. Ivan and I said goodbye, and boarded different trains as I reflect on the solemnity of the memorials.

~~~~~~

For the residency project, I wished to experiment with one of my favorite pastimes, origami or the art of Japanese paper folding. I asked Daniel, who displays his origami creations hung from tree branches by the Canal, for a quick tutorial. At the studio, I made a mockup of two round paper forms connected by a strip of felt rope. The forms hung next to each other, supported only by a strand of invisible plastic wire threaded through the base. With a stiff piece of construction paper, the result was about the size of a grapefruit. I tied four knots in the rope to represent the tumors found in Annika’s breast.

Concurrently, I play around with paper cutouts of words. I've had a vision inspired by a window display: a thick hardcover book, folded and carved as to resemble a woman. When I brought my drafts to my mentor, he latched onto the origami prototype, but discouraged my cut-outs. The work felt exciting, but without my mentor's approval, I grew dejected. We had one week left to finish our projects before the exhibition.

On Monday morning, I took a walk to Tempelhof Field, sitting in one of the community gardens to stress-out to my journal. I still felt stuck, but I walked to a new path amongst a grove of yellow-leafed trees. It was here, suddenly, that I recognized I had something. When I arrived in the studio, I constructed two remaining pairs of inflated paper-orbs. The first, with the knots, will represent the cancer invading; the second, at a larger size, will represent the breast implants; and the third, shown with red silk paper, will represent the final stage when the foreign breasts become aligned with her body.

~~~~~

Three pairs of paper orbs hung from the ceiling. In this room, Jasmine has pulled all-nighters to construct her powerful body of work with poetry, mirror fragments, and dance captured on video. Gwen’s paintings were layered with transcriptions of reflections on grief, and Linda sewed fabric in Victorian mourning colors over paving stones, emblematic of feeling like a stranger in a strange land. Sara’s installation covered the room with hospital visitor passes, recreating an experience she faced as a teenager when she lost her best friend. Sarah has a collection of satirical, solemn ruminations. At ten to six, we were still installing the show, and Aleksandar locked out potential guests. I ran over to the cafè for a bundle of sandwiches to save us. When I return, I’m able to take in the show as if I was a guest to the process. Are we processing a collective grief, or are we still locked in our own worlds?

~~~~~~

The residents and I go our separate ways shortly after the exhibition. I tried to hawk my bicycle by Hermannplatz station, but at the Canal I met Tash, who sold polymer-clay jewelry depicting vulvas. She was delightful to be around, taking pride and joy in her work with a loud belly laugh. Presently, her friends Jen and Ezra arrived. Ezra shares his sack of unshelled walnuts from the Turkish farmer’s market. Try as I might, I only crack one or two by the next morning. Jen realizes she needs a bike, and we arrange to meet at the gallery that weekend for the trade-off. I'm relieved, inspired, and happy to meet these lovely people.

I took the S-bahn to see Annika one last time. Over tea and cappuccino, I shared photos from the exhibition, which she missed because her friends threw her an end-of-radiation party. This is wonderful news, and Annika was as radiant as ever. She left me a good deal of wisdom for the subject matter I chose to study: “Grief is a thing inside of you. It doesn’t leave, but you find a place for it until you heal”.

When I walked back to Neukölln, I ran into the origami master by the Canal. He gave me a warm hug and mentioned he's flying to Mexico for the winter--migrating like the colorful parrots he folds. Presently, Ezra arrives for an origami lesson. While the master was called away, I sat down on the bench and taught Ezra what Daniel taught me. I made him a tiny blue crane, and he gave me his tiny red dragon in thanks.

"We're good friends already," Ezra remarked.

"It's called kinship,” I respond. “Relating to people who you feel warm about, like your family, your ‘kin’. Will I find people like you guys when I return home?"

"Wherever there are similar vibrations that you feel initially, you'll find them again."

~~~~~~

As I prepared my suitcase that night, I saw some horrifying news reach my inbox. Back in the States, a mass murder has just been committed at a Pittsburg synagogue. The shooter killed eleven senior citizens and wounded six Jewish congregants. I lowered myself onto the kitchen couch, and called everyone I knew from Pennsylvania; no one answered, but I called my brother in San Francisco. He heard the news, but sounds calm. Reaching my “kin” was reasurring in that heartbreaking time.

The next morning, I awoke early to make the connecting flight to France. I took in the boulevards of Paris from a chilly city park, with an endless parade of joggers in tight sportswear. I felt very different here, and I don’t speak the language--but I did know the language of bus transfers, and I rode a crowded shuttle back to the airport. When I reached San Francisco thirteen hours later, my father and brother were there to take me home. Looking out the window at the night, everything seemed familiar, yet I have already changed so much. My roots are strong, and the wanderlust has begun.

Talia Frank lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. She contributes to the Donut Club, an East Bay writer’s group. Visiting Berlin in 2018 inspired a love of community gardens and allowed her to re-examine Judiasm within a global context.

Reach the author: [email protected]

Visual art: www.cargocollective.com/taliafrank

Blog: https://wanderlustblumen.wordpress.com

0 notes