#am i succeeding? jury's out

[jasvi-art]

"you twist and turn, beg for relief - adrift in seas with the dying stars..."

i've got a lot of feelings about stringless oki :')

#shaperaverse #paul shapera #stringless oki #the puppetshade chronicles #the black beyond #puppetshades #my art #new albion #okay not TECHNICALLY but i dont think its egregious to use that as a fandom tag. yk #technically new albion is there.......... or. part of it. in a way. sort of. #anyway im really fixated on them as a marionette. 'stringless' yk? #trying to evoke marionette + trickster + space vampire + demon if you squint/are the rhazzis #am i succeeding? jury's out

[gemsofgreece]

OK some things about Greece's Marina Satti results and we're done with this

JK I am not done with Marina I love her but we're done with the circus Marina was in, for another year

So, she is a perfectionist but I hope she will soon understand how much SHE SUCCEEDED. And it will look like a love delirium but no I am not being biased.

Marina Satti got 11th place. Missed Top 10 by one. She was basically killed by the juries.

In the televoting she won 8th place. So she was in the top 10 of all people's votes. She was also 8th in the votes from the Rest of the World, which is a big deal in my opinion.

I won't be mad at the juries because their voting overall made sense in many ways and we were aware that Zari was a not jury-friendly song in any way. It had zurna, it had rap, obviously juries don't go for this stuff. So, it's okay. We knew that.

BUT Marina Satti got 8th - 11th place:

By singing exclusively in the Greek language.

By singing in an entirely Balkan, eastern melody during a year that a lot of the Balkans and East Europe had withdrawn from the contest.

By kinda rapping / reggaetoning, which is generally hated in Eurovision.

By doing exactly her thing, despite knowing how much she would be fought by certain people.

By knowingly choosing the very risky song instead of a ballad and a typical dance song that she also had available as options.

By not trying to be "understood" and get sympathy votes.

By being given a tiny budget from the Greek delegation, much smaller than any previous years including to last year's NQ lame tycoon nephew entry. So GD gave a famous artist like Marina much less money than to those small unknown kids that had gone before her. WTF

By being hated for her song and her (genius) music video and a large percentage of the population writing in English and asking foreigners to not vote for her and blaming her for insulting Greece, Greek culture etc (HINT: No she did not insult it and a blog called gemsofgreece tells you that so relax) and insulting her, her morals, her family, her father's descent and her talent relentlessly for three months

By the unprecedented thing of the freaking SHOWBIZ of the country making openly insulting attacks against her and her song. Like, seriously, there were FAMOUS celebrities going on TV and calling her song "cat vomit", a fashion designer (before her dress choice lol) saying she should go to Eurovision naked because there's no other hope for her to get votes. I am serious. You might say, oh, she must have done something. NO. Guys, no. She has never said or done anything wrong to any celebrity in the country as far as I am aware. She was attacked by musicians, fashion designers, TV shows and honestly nobody knows why. It's a different thing to not like something than to get a polemic position openly as a celebrity against another famous person. This has never happened before, I don't remember anything like this. Celebrities shitting on another artist's effort out of nowhere, especially in advance. To put it simply, now that Marina will have to return to Greece (poor thing), she has good reasons to sue half the country.

By losing her father one month ago.

By getting pretty ill during the semi-final, losing her voice and being administrated medication every three hours.

By suffering chronically from severe anxiety, which is why she refused three prior propositions from the Greek delegation to represent the country.

Well, by receiving a new massive wave of hate from people from or supporting Israel and the Greek government controlled media and press, who all started a fierce campaign against her the last two days before the final. The reason was that she showed intentionally boredom / sleepiness during the time the Israeli contestant was speaking. Make of that what you will, I am only presenting the facts of how her placement was formed here. Many Jewish people wrote they had voted her in the semi but now they wouldn't. I believe because Israel is an eastern country, probably several people of Jewish descent voted for her and then all those votes were lost. It's no matter, I am just explaining that she would probably otherwise be 7th in the televoting, 10th overall. Here we analyze if Marina succeeded her goal, we don't nitpick for Eurovision's sake.

And as you see, she succeeded. With all the odds against her, with a LOT of people hating her and making her life harder and her effort impossible, with the loss of her father, she succeeded in her vision. Bring back Greek language, the eastern sound and having the world dance with it. Shoutout to Armenia who also succeeded in this and made top 10, the song was a little more conventional. Let's be real, Satti achieved all this with a VERY difficult song. The definition of a difficult song and in a little known language. Nothing else, just congratulations to her and I hope she realises all this and does not let her trademark anxiety and perfectionism get the better of her. Also, she really created an international fan community with this and I think there are good things coming for her in the future :)))))

PS1: Odds had her 8th-10th place but they underestimated the juries and the last day's hate she got. In general odds were not very successful this year.

PS2. No worries Greek and Cypriot televoting exchanged the 12 points again :D

PS3: to the ageist haters who wondered why she looks 20 though she is 38, kitties reach her age and you will be crying to look like her

PS4: Marina’s 8th place in televoting was the best placement since 2013, surpassing Amanda and Stefania with the English jury friendly songs 😃😃😃 Greek delegation take a bloody hint

#greece #eurovision #marina satti #good thing this is over #now i am ready for her new lp #and her collaboration with Nemo #wooohoooo #greek culture #greeks #greek people #greek music #greek facts #coals of greece

[tomhardysurinal]

"The disappointment I feel today is beyond words. I’m heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband.

I’m even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. It is a setback. It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated. It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously.

I believe Johnny’s attorneys succeeded in getting the jury to overlook the key issue of Freedom of Speech and ignore evidence that was so conclusive that we won in the UK.

I’m sad I lost this case. But I am sadder still that I seem to have lost a right I thought I had as an American – to speak freely and openly."

- Amber Heard

#justice for amber heard #Amber Heard #I feel awful for her

[leviackermanscleaningbuddy]

Hey, for the skz pack I got a question, I am curious what is our betas positions while sexc time, like, top or bottom or switch, and if it's different with different members or subgenders then what is it,

I feel like Minnie is the only non alpha in the pack that can easily top even an alpha, maybe I'm wrong, who knows

"Wow, you guys are really pressed about this, huh?" Minho asks dryly, with an arch of his brow, and a slight smirk.

"Hey, there's no shame in asking." Jisung admonishes, serious for once, but Minho's smirk only grows, and Hyunjin elbows the beta hard in the side, succeeding in making him yelp loudly.

"You're just saying that because you wanna talk about sex-yours, in particular."

Jisung shrugs, raking a hand through his hair, and offers a rakish heart shaped grin.

"Guilty."

"In that case-" Minho deadpans, looking across the room to Seungmin. "-Seungmin should go first."

"Yah, hyung!" Jisung whines, flopping back on the couch dramatically like it's the end of the world. "You're so cold. Why do you hate me?"

"Jury's still out." Minho replies in a bored tone, already looking down and scrolling through his phone, ignoring his moonmate's dramatic display as easily as a parent disregarding a child's tantrum.

"I mean-" Seungmin shrugs, and the tips of his ears are slightly pink, but no one points it out, even as Hyunjin loops an arm around his waist in silent support, and Changbin's fingers squeeze on his shoulder. "-(Y/N) kinda answered this already, right? I'm pretty much a switch. Through and through."

"He likes to switch things up depending on mood." You shrug easily. "Like a lot of us, I think."

"I think I-" Seungmin clears his throat, rubbing at the back of his neck. "-tend to top more with the omegas? But even then, I'll let Hyunjinnie top me on a good day."

"You mean when I've been good, right, Minnie?" Hyunjin purrs with a teasing smile, arching a brow at the long suffering beta.

"Yes. But those are few and far between, hyung. Because you never know when to behave."

Jisung cackles and Hyunjin puts on a show of pouting.

Seungmin rolls his eyes and goes on, looking more comfortable the longer he talks.

"I think I've topped most of the pack members-like I said, it's all preference and mood-but-" He glances around the room at your pack, keen eyes sharp, hesitating over Chan and Minho. "-I've yet to top Minho or Chan-hyung."

"Not because he's not capable." Chan is quick to rise to his defense, and Seungmin offers him half a grin, dark eyes crinkling. "He's entirely capable. He just prefers-"

"-to be bossed around." Minho finishes wryly, offering the beta sickly sweet smile, his chin pillowed in his hand. "Right, Minnie?"

Once again, Seungmin rolls his eyes, but the blush on his cheeks belies his cool detachment.

"That's not it, hyung. With Chan-hyung, I've never felt the need to be in charge, because my wolf likes giving over control to hyung's alpha, and it feels good, so why change it? And with you-" He levels Minho with a sharp gaze, and the alpha makes a kissy face at him, making him mock gag before continuing. "-it's just nice to turn my brain off for awhile. You have a way of helping me do that. And I like it."

Minho looks slightly caught off guard for the briefest of moments, and then his blank expression is slipping back into place as he scoffs and looks away from Seungmin, his cheekbones dusting a pretty pink.

"Yeah, yeah. Enough of that."

"My turn." Jisung bounces up into a sitting position beside Hyunjin, jostling the omega who reaches out to swat the excited beta, though he easily dodges the clumsy attack.

"Everybody knows you're a bottom." Hyunjin rolls his eyes, voice teasing, lilting, and Jisung's jaw drops in dramatic shock as he levels the omega with a wide eyed, accusing stare.

"You take that back right now."

"No."

"I'll kill you."

"Fine. But you'll still be a bottom."

"Hyung!"

Chan sighs, and when he speaks, his voice has dropped a little into alpha timber territory.

"Hyunjin, stop teasing Jisung. Jisung, stop threatening Hyunjin. Answer the question."

"Yes, hyung." Jisung answers dutifully, but sticks his tongue out at Hyunjin one last time all the same, and then sniffs, turning to address the group once more.

"Yes, I bottom with a lot of the pack-" Jisung shoots Hyunjin a glare, but the omega is pointedly ignoring him now, playing with Seungmin's dark hair, weaving it between his fingers. Jisung seems satisfied, continuing. "-I like to be told what to do. So sue me."

Jeongin snorts. "You've got nothing worth having, hyung."

Jisung points a stern finger in the direction of the youngest packmate.

"You. And Felix. I top."

"That's because I was unpresented for a long time and didn't know what I was doing!" Jeongin protests immediately, voice raising an octave, as he glares in the older beta's direction. "Just wait, hyung. I'll totally take charge someday, and you'll be totally unprepared!"

Jisung smirks. "Bring it on, puppy. Let's see what you got."

"Minho-hyung-" Jeongin grabs onto the alpha's sleeve. "-Hold me back. I'm about to start a fight."

"Go ahead." Minho looks entirely unimpressed, watching the omega beside him glare down Jisung from across the room. "I'd love to watch actually."

"Hyung!"

"Bottom." Hyunjin scoffs beneath his breath.

#skz #stray kids #stay #skz!pack #skz!abo #poly!skz #ot8 #skz x you #skz x reader #ot8 x you #ot8 x reader #ask the pack #askthepack #inbox #anon #anonymous #reply #ask #sweet nonnie #my submissions #submission #bang chan #lee minho #seo changbin #han jisung #hwang hyunjin #lee felix #kim seungmin #yang jeongin #alpha beta omega dynamics

[dirtyoldmanhole]

(rev spoilers)

i am at that point in the royals-only!insane rev run where the Fun starts, aka scarlet is. well.

and ironically i think it's easy to forget that anankos/(gunter) aims first at corrin with the fireball, wounding her -

(this shot)-

-and then again a second time, before scarlet throws herself in between.

like.....

okay, one - corrin's probably got at minimum some burn wounds. what the fuck does he feel about that. he appears immediately next to her after, he definitely sees them.

two - he almost succeeded in straight up killing her. what. the fuck does gunter feel about that (regardless if they're a pair or not). he's gotta know about it. jury's out on whether he's "in control" at the exact moment (considering base gunter has 0 magical ability, so anankos is influencing to some degree there).

here's the thing to the last part: a later possession scene shows that he's still got the ability to talk "as" himself and throw fireballs so fates doesn't even let us have the easy way out of weakly saying "eh anankos was fully in the driver's seat" and pinning the blame on anankos.

ahaha no that was at least some bit of gunter that willfully aimed two killing shots at corrin.

god i love rev for a possession story that goes so fucking hard.

#oh trivia fact about this scene that leigh knows: i 100% based the special art of my recent FEH collab with them off of that first shot. :') #(also can't get over the peak gunterleigh colors there >:3 ) #imo i feel like this lends more credence to my 'there are some MAJOR whack ass dubcon vibes in that wakeup scene' theory #i suppose the absolute best case scenario you could say he was fighting anankos the whole time. but. i feel like you would “see” more hints #of that fighting / attempting to warn corrin if he was strictly speaking. fighting anankos the whole time to that degree. #[bites on nails with the biggest grin] fuuuuck i love this game

[vanillawhiskeyflavoredkisses]

Dear Amber,

The relief and gratitude I feel today is beyond words. I'm thankful that the mountain of evidence was enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of your lies and false claims.

I'm even more relieved with what this verdict means for other women. It is not a setback. What you did is a setback, by falsely stepping up as a spokesperson for #MeToo and abuse & SA survivors everywhere in order to vilify another person and hide behind those who never deserved to be used by you or to be subject to your incessant lies. What you've done sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated. What you've done sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously.

I believe Johnny's attorneys succeeded in getting the jury to overlook the key issue of Freedom of Speech because the statement was defamatory by law and ignore evidence that was not conclusive that you won in the skewed UK trial.

I'm happy you lost this case. But I am in disbelief that you still seem to cling to this claim that you have a lost a right you thought you had as an American -- to speak freely and openly.

Free speech means you can say whatever you want but that doesn't negate any consequences for exactly what you choose to say. That is why we have libel, slander, and defamation. Get to know your country and its legal system.

It was never about the money. Justice was served. Today, the American legal system worked exactly as it should have.

Hoping you get the help you need and never abuse anyone again,

Me

#anti amber heard #amber heard is an abuser #amber heard is a liar #justice for johnny depp #justice was served

[networksupported]

hope you've only heard good and positive things about how nice and sweet i am. anyway, happy birthday! how does it feel to be the way you are now? - felix

TO SPEAK FOR THE BOTH OF US- WELL, THE JURY IS OUT ON WHAT WE'VE HEARD. YOU'RE CERTAINLY IMPORTANT- IS THAT POSTIVE ENOUGH?

AS FOR HOW THIS FEELS, IT'S... ODD. I SHOULD HATE IT. BUT THEN AGAIN, I SHOULD DO A LOT OF THINGS, AND I NEVER- WILL NOT, SORRY- HAVE SUCCEEDED AT ANY OF THEM. AS THAT LIST GROWS, THIS IS NOT THE WORST THING ON IT.

PERHAPS BEING SEPERATE WAS MORE UPSETTING.

THIS WAY, I AT LEAST GET BIRTHDAYS. THANK YOU FOR THAT, BY THE WAY.

#:EXPO: #fun fact it doesnt usually use a lot of 'i' and 'me' #like the closest youd get is in an ending thats now kind of scrapped #lil bits here and there but #point is oooohh it liiiiikes youuu #clickonmedotexe

[sanjeev-thakur]

Johnny Depp wins Defamation case, Amber Heard to pay $15 Million in damages

The verdict capped a bitterly-fought six-week trial riding on lurid claims and counterclaims of between the Hollywood celebrities.

Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard: Popular American actor Johnny Depp won a high-profile defamation case between him and his ex-wife, Amber Heard.

Depp sued Heard for USD 50 million after she wrote an op-ed for 'The Washington Post' in 2018 in which she called herself a "public figure representing domestic abuse." Heard counter sued Depp for USD 100 million in which said she claimed that she has endured domestic violence during their 15-month marriage.

The jury has awarded Johnny Depp USD 15 million in damages. Amber Heard has also won part of her libel case against Johnny Depp over articles in a privately owned newspaper, in which Johnny Depp's former lawyer described her claims of domestic abuse as a hoax.

The jury has awarded Amber Heard USD 2 million in damages.

Johnny Depp after the WIN:

Soon after this verdict came out, Johnny Depp officially released a statement on his Instagram account which read, "Six years ago, my life, the life of my children, the lives of those closest to me, and also, the lives of the people who for many, many years have supported and believed in me were forever changed. All in the blink of an eye."

"False, very serious and criminal allegations were levied at me via the media, which triggered an endless barrage of hateful content, although no charges were ever brought against me. It had already travelled around the world twice within a nanosecond and it had a seismic impact on my life and my career. And six years later, the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled," Depp wrote.

"My decision to pursue this case, knowing very well the height of the legal hurdles that I would be facing and the inevitable worldwide spectacle into my life was only made after considerable thought. From the very beginning, the goal of bringing this case was to reveal the truth, regardless of the outcome. Speaking the truth was something that I owed to my children and to all those who have remained steadfast in their support of me. I feel at peace knowing I have finally accomplished that," Depp said.

Depp mentioned, "I am, and have been, overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and the colossal support and kindness from around the world. I hope that my quest to have the truth be told will have helped others, men or women, who have found themselves in my situation, and that those supporting them never give up. I also hope that the position will now return to innocent until proven guilty, both within the courts and in the media. I wish to acknowledge the noble work of the Judge, the jurors, the court staff and the Sheriffs who have sacrificed their own time to get to this point, and to my diligent and unwavering legal team who did an extraordinary job in helping me to share the truth."

Depp said that the best is yet to come and a new chapter has finally begun. "Veritas numquam perit. Truth never perishes," he said.

Amber Heard after the LOSS:

On the other hand, Heard expressed disappointment over the verdict. She penned out a note on Twitter which read, "The disappointment I feel today is beyond words. I'm heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband. I'm even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. It is a setback. It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated. It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously."

"I believe Johnny's attorneys succeeded in getting the jury to overlook the key issue of Freedom of Speech and ignore evidence that was so conclusive that we won in the UK. I'm sad I lost this case. But I am sadder still that I seem to have lost a right I thought I had as an American -- to speak freely and openly," she said.

#Johnny Depp #Defamation case #Amber Heard #Johnny Depp Verdict #Hollywood Controversy #Johnny Depp Vs Amber Heard #Johnny Depp Case #Hollywood Celebrities #Hollywood News #Hollywood Movies

[crazybigredlove]

13th November 2013 

Dear Pete, 

Loneliness is a helluva drug. I forget who said that, but dude knew what he was talking about. Like all bad habits, it is time to kick the addiction. That's right, you read correctly, I'm kicking the non-serious men out of my life. 

Okay, since you begged, you can stay. Your brother too, but only for as long as he continues to pay rent and walk the dog. 

"Oh, Liv! You're all talk!" I can hear you from all the way over there, right across that ocean and whatever else might be separating us, and I can even appreciate why you might think that. To prove to you how wrong you are and how strong and defiant I am when determined, I present to you, the jury, Exhibit A: A conversation that occurred between The Czech and I today. 

The phone rang while I was at work and there are no words as to how annoyed I was at having to answer it, even if it was him. "Hey, Liv. How's things?" "Fine," I said coolly. 

"Hey, I had fun the other night. How's dinner tonight sound?" "No. Just no." 

And I meant it. I was so done with dancing these crazy, unreliable dances where I didn't know any of the choreography and though the song stayed the same, the moves seemed to change with each new dance partner. 

"Sorry?" "I can't do this anymore." "Do what?" 

"You like me, you don't like me, you get jealous, but it doesn't mean anything, you want sex but you don't turn up. You're single, Lisa's crazy, but you fail to mention that you're actually in a relationship with her so when I bump into her she calls me a 'slut' in a department store because I had dinner with her boyfriend the night before. I'm sick of sitting here on the end of the phone wondering if I'm ever going to hear from you again or if you even like me." 

"What? What're you talking about," he half-laughs his response and my stomach drops at the sound. There's no point continuing the conversation, with that laugh he has already told me everything I need to know. 

"Stop, okay? Please don't give me that bullshit male line about having no idea what I'm talking about. I deserve more than that. I like you. You know that. But you don't like me, not really, and I'm starting to think you take advantage of the way I feel and you exploit it." "Come on, Liv. We have fun together." "That's the thing. We have fun, then you go on your way and I'm left sitting at home, staring at the phone, but knowing all the while that you aren't going to call. I don't want to feel that way anymore. I want something real. I'm sorry, Will. I can't do this. Have dinner with your girlfriend and your kid from you now on." 

Silent for a second, and then as if it were an afterthought, he spoke. 

"Come on, Liv-" but I didn't hear anymore after that because I'd dropped the phone on the couch and was walking towards the kitchen for a glass of water. 

Like that he is gone from my life. Home, relationships, family: the ever-elusive trifecta. Home is good. I'm cleaning out my expired relationships. Being someone's friend when they feel like sex is not for me, especially when they have a girlfriend. The scoreboard this year stands at two men in relationships who have tried to use me for sex. In case you fell asleep, one of which succeeded and one who failed. Amazing. That puts the odds at 50/50. 

No wonder she called me a slut. 

Liv x 

[davidpwilson2564]

Bloglet

Wednesday, August 3, 2022

Note: In a wacky dream I have a new job (!).  The person who is supposed to be mentoring me (?) is vague about it.  Says, even before any kind of job description, that I am already on the clock.  Begins to ask about books and authors I am familiar with when we are interrupted.  Says, “Oh, you’ll have to move to Boston.”  

More Republican primaries taking place.  More of: “If I lose the election was rigged.”  Could be that more Big Lie people will be involved in future vote counting. 

Meet up with Roger and go visit (conductor, arranger) Lee Norris.  Lee is in his late eighties and has taken his lumps. His eyesight is not what it was and he walks with a cane.  (I played for him, years ago, in the Catskills.)  His memory acute.  The three of us tell music stories.  One story: Lee was John Davidson’s conductor.  He was succeeded by a man who burned to death when he ran into a blazing nightclub to rescue Davidson’s music.  

Note: Alex Jones (what Rex F would describe as an ambulating sack of shit) is caught in lies as his trial proceeds.  Jury has gone into deliberation.  I keep thinking of “The Verdict”...in which the jury upped the fine that had been settled upon.  Let’s hope something like that happens here.  Jones and his criminal associates won’t be stopped but having to shell out millions could slow them down. 

The heat wave continues.  

to be continued

[conversationwithus]

AMBER HEARD RELEASES STATEMENT ABOUT JOHNNY DEEP’S DEFAMATION TRIAL

Santiago Ulises Garcia Cedeño

Here’s what she said: The disappointment I feel today is beyond words. I'm heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband.

I'm even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. It is a setback. It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated. It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously.

I believe Johnny's attorneys succeeded in getting the jury to overlook the key issue of Freedom of Speech and ignore evidence that was so conclusive that we won in the UK.

I'm sad I lost this case. But I am sadder still that I seem to have lost a right I thought I had as an American - to speak freely and openly.

[gemsofgreece]

Some complain that we should make a Greek song for Eurovision but we already had one in 2018, but we were disqualified even though it was a pretty song. Maybe because it a soft ballad or something but it was something to send a song in our native language.

But i think we should start first...voting for the candidates who will represent us and second mix both traditional and modern rhythms.

Bre make a Pontiac song and see how much on top we would be, would make the whole crowd dance 😉

Oh my God Anon 😂😂😂 You are young, right? Or started watching Eurovision recently? This is not condescending, I just want to cheer you up. I am asking because Greece retains a honorary title of being a Eurovision powerhouse due to its mostly consistent success throughout 2001- 2013. In all those years, almost all the songs that succeeded had either Greek music or both Greek music and lyrics. The 2014-2019 dry spell had mostly entirely English songs except for two, which had very bad performances. The 2021-2022 successes made people hopeful that Greece was coming back but long time fans complained that Greece should also return to its authentic sounds.

When it comes to the 2018 song, have you watched the stage performance???? I think even Victor two days ago was better than Yanna, and that says a lot! It had nothing to do with the song or the language or it being soft. She sang terribly and supposedly her whole freaking equipment for the staging was stuck at the customs and never arrived at Eurovision (that’s what she said)!!!Have you ever heard of such an occurrence before? 😂 One more suspicious person would say there were barely any ideas for the staging at all and she had no better way of excusing it.

Despite all that, the public did keep her in, albeit barely, and gave her the 10th place. She was murdered by the juries who gave her the 16th place and disqualified her. Here’s the thing though: Yanna accused the juries and the production in general of a sabotage. This might sound crazy but something shitty DID happen. There is a point in the song, during the chorus, where fireworks pop. However, inexplicably during the jury show, the technicians chose to randomly shoot the fireworks during the very calm verse. This was so out of place it was visibly wrong, it wasn’t like a detail you won’t even notice. The Greek team requested that the performance should be repeated, since it was the crucial jury show and it was the technicians’ fault, but the production refused and asked the juries to vote based on what they saw, a decision that was criticised by Greeks and other fans of the song alike.

So as you see here not only the singing is atrocious but as if this was not enough, they really just randomly shot the fireworks to her face. I honestly have no idea what happened but this was the unluckiest song we have sent. It was a gorgeous song that did not deserve either Yanna’s live vocals and her lousy team or the problematic production there. And the fact the audience tried to keep it in was solely the song’s and the language’s achievement as there is not any other redeeming quality in this participation unfortunately.

This is a topic I feel strongly about because I loved this song and I had a lot of faith in it and it still hurts. But also - regarding the language thing - it’s a myth, not only for Greek but for all languages I think. It was true in the past, when only English or French songs would win, but ever since 2010s people want diverse songs and more languages. The juries are worse on that but the public does want the ethnic element.

And to prove it, I once made a very passionate analysis on how Greek entries performed and the conclusion was that on average a song that was either fully Greek or at least in a Greek music style performed better than a totally English song. Again, on average. Here’s the link to the analysis:

And then I saved for last a stab to your heart… We have sent a song in Pontic Greek… and it is the third one that flopped 😅😅😅😅😅😅 The notorious Utopian Land by Argo, fam! But it was a bad song, even though I see on You Tube it has developed something like a cult following.

But in stark contrast, Alcohol is Free was a totally Greek song in everything (with freaking rebetiko) and it finished 6th (and 2nd in its semi) . And the reason it didn’t make it to the top 5 was that some hysteric people were clutching their pearls at the title, whining “how they would allow their kids to watch Eurovision now”. I have some very deep into esc stuff friends from Europe and I know for a fact that this was the case with some people. And yet it ended up sixth and some considered it an injustice, which it was, because it should have won, seriously. Oh yeah, I forgot, it would make it in the top 5 in spite of all that, had it not been for the juries. The public voted it 4th and the juries 14th and it ended up 6th. Similarly, Watch My Dance by Loukas Yorkas was half in Greek and it ended 7th (and notoriously 1st in its semifinal, ahead of the Eurovision winner of the year, Azerbaijan, which does raise questions about the final results - see the link above with the analysis). Interestingly, the only criticism I saw the song ever receiving was by people complaining that the whole song should be like the Greek laiko in the chorus and diss the English rap in the verse. Another example, OPA by Yorghos Alkeos, which was also entirely in Greek and finished 8th.

Now an ethnic Greek entry and a cheerful one at that will certainly be butchered by the juries, like they did with the Ukrainian Shum or the Finnish Cha Cha Cha and our own Alcohol is Free. But who cares? Better be butchered by the juries and be loved by the public, than going with bland and bad English ballads that only the juries might like and nobody else. The people have made clear what songs they want from Greece. And in any case, I would rather suck by sending something from my culture that others may simply not get than suck by sending something that doesn’t even represent me in any way.

I know you agree by the way, you just touched a sensitive chord in my heart and I went full rant mode 😇

#greece #Eurovision #Greece in Eurovision #eurovision song contest #esc #Greek facts #anon #mail

[cabensonsgirly]

👼These Violent Delights Have Violent Ends (Multi-char)[NSFW]👼

Multiple SP characters x fem!reader

Xandra, Billie-Dean, Ally Mayfair, Anne Gillette, Audrey Tindall, Wilhemina Venable, Ellie Staple, Diane Sherman, Mildred Ratched.

👼Slice 1👼

Co-authored with @billiedeannovak even though she’ll deny it.

👼Wordcount: 3111👼

👼Published on AO3: Read Here👼

👼Content (some for later parts):Super AU, Dubious consent, slow-burn, manipulation, face-slapping, drug-use, alcohol, smut, cunnilingus, strap-on, cum, choking, degradation, sex-work, court, mentions of murder-suicide, descriptions of violence, bruises, choking, spit, mommy kink, humiliation, public sex/teasing👼

👼D.A. Novak:      What was the reason for the altercation?

Clark:                There was a customer that had been trying to… Pressure Ms. Gillette into giving him information about how she is able to obtain such wonderful pieces for her gallery. She had asked him numerous times to leave but he didn’t. Instead he had grabbed her wrist and tried- tried taking her to somewhere out of view but she had punched him and broken out of his grasp. The man retaliated by pushing her causing her to fall in which she twisted her ankle and fractured her wrist. She was able to get up with my assistance where she then punched him with her uninjured hand.  👼

    PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

                                     VS

                          ANNE GILLETTE

 Court:             Members of the Jury, Anne Gillette has been charged in two counts with the crime of murder in violation of Penal Code §187. The information alleges that on or about December 17, 2010, in Manhattan, New York, the defendant, Anne Gillette, did kill Bert Gillette and Elaine Gillette, in violation of Penal Code §187. To this charge, Anne Gillette, has entered a plea of not guilty.

Court:             District Attorney Casey Novak you may call your first witness.

D.A. Novak:   Your Honour, the People call Adeline Clark.

CLERK SWEARS IN THE WITNESS

AND HAS WITNESS STATE HER NAME.

D.A. Novak:   How are you employed, Miss Clark?

Clark:              I am employed as an assistant at Ms. Gillette’s Art Gallery.

D.A. Novak:   Back in early April, 2010, did you call the police to the gallery because the defendant, Anne Gillette, had injured and been injured in an altercation?

Clark:             Yes, I did.

D.A. Novak:     Do you remember which officers responded to the call out?

Clark:               No. I wasn’t introduced to them once they arrived. I had been tending to Ms. Gillette’s injuries.

D.A. Novak:     Do you remember what the altercation was about?

Clark:               Yes, I do.

D.A. Novak:       What was the reason for the altercation?

Clark:               There was a customer that had been trying to… Pressure Ms. Gillette into giving him information about how she is able to obtain such wonderful pieces for her gallery. She had asked him numerous times to leave but he didn’t. Instead he had grabbed her wrist and tried- tried taking her to somewhere out of view but she had punched him and broken out of his grasp. The man retaliated by pushing her causing her to fall in which she twisted her ankle and fractured her wrist. She was able to get up with my assistance where she then punched him with her uninjured hand.

D.A. Novak:      How did you manage to call the police so that they would arrive before the perpetrator fled?

Clark:               I was able to call the police with the earpiece we have to take calls while we are away from the phone so that was how I was able to help Ms. Gillette get up. The man had been knocked back and looked like he was a bit surprised by Ms. Gillette’s actions so that’s how the police arrived before he was able to make a run for it.

D.A Novak:       Is this the first time that Ms. Gillette has been involved in some altercation while you were present?

Clark:               No. There have been a lot of people that harass her while we are out and about. I am usually able to stop them from getting to her but sometimes they get too close.

D.A. Novak:      Were you with Ms. Gillette the day of Bert and Elaine Gillette’s murder?      

Clark:               I was.  

D.A. Novak:       Where were you both between the hours of two and five am?

Clark:              We were getting ready to go to Paris to meet connections in the art world so that we could get a wider variety of pieces for the gallery.

D.A. Novak:       Did Gillette leave at any point during those three hours?

Clark:               No.

D.A. Novak:       Do you see Ms. Gillette in court today?

Clark:               I do.

D.A. Novak:       Could you please point her out for the jury?

Clark:               She’s sitting right there. (Pointing to the defendant)

D.A. Novak:      No further questions, Your Honour.

Court:             Defence Counsel Rita Calhoun, you may cross examine.

Defence

Counsel

Calhoun:           So Ms. Gillette is often subject to unwarranted harassment while you both go about your day?  

Clark:              Yes she is. I have tried convincing her to get private security, but she insists that it isn’t necessary.

D.C. Calhoun:   Do you have an opinion as to whether she has done anything to warrant such treatment from the public?

Clark:               She has done nothing but try and run her business. She has me send ten percent of profits to charities at the end of each business month.

D.C. Calhoun:   By the way, Ma’am, who provided Gillette the funds to start her gallery in the first place?

Clark:               Her parents, Bert and Elaine Gillette.

D.C. Calhoun:   She had backing by her parents?

Clark:               Yes she did. They hoped that she succeeded at something for once in her life.

D.C. Calhoun:   Now, when you were at her residence the day of the alleged murder, are you positive that Gillette did not leave the property?

Clark:               Positive!

D.C. Calhoun:   No further questions, Your Honour.

Court:             Miss Clark you may step down. Any additional witnesses on behalf of the People?

D.A. Novak:       Your Honour, the People call Nigel Prestwick.

CLERK SWEARS IN THE WITNESS

AND HAS WITNESS STATE HIS NAME.

D.A. Novak:      How do you know the defendant Ms. Gillette?

Prestwick:       She had been accused of stealing money from the Prestwick Foundation, making donations to recipients which supposedly were her. However, the case was closed due to the money being replaced.

D.A. Novak:      Despite this, recently you decided to press embezzlement charges, correct?

D.C. Calhoun:   Objection! Mr. Prestwick was put under duress and blackmailed to press charges by Detective Olivia Benson and Detective Ashok Ramsey.

Court:             Objection sustained.

D.A. Novak:      Requesting permission to approach the bench, Your Honour.

Court:             Granted.

D.A. NOVAK AND D.C. CALHOUN

APPROACH THE STAND.

Casey runs her lithe fingers through her hair as she lets out a frustrated sigh, glaring at Rita as though the woman herself had committed the murder. Rita simply quirked a brow, an amused smile tugging slightly at her lips, “What is the issue, Novak? We both know that Prestwick was blackmailed into pressing those charges by Benson and Ramsey.” The Judge gives Casey a look of disbelief “Is this true?”

The red head supresses the urge to roll her eyes and cuss Rita out and deny it, but she was under oath and getting caught out in a lie wouldn’t end well for anyone. “It’s hardly blackmail. Benson and Ramsey just took a photo of Prestwick in a compromising position and said that he either go ahead with embezzlement charges or they show the videos of him to his wife. At least it’s not fuc- At least it’s not murder” she hisses out angrily.

Rita shakes her head and looks at the Judge “Can the witness be removed from the stand because of this, Your Honour?” The Judge nods and motions for them to return to their respective places. A thoroughly perturbed Casey makes her way back and scribbles something down on paper, throwing one last glare at Rita; The older woman returns to sit beside the defendant, whispering in her ear “the Judge is going to dismiss the witness. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you are found not-guilty.”

Court:             The witness, Nigel Prestwick is dismissed due to unscrupulous methods being used in order to get charges pressed against the defendant.

Court:             Mr. Prestwick you may step down. Any additional witnesses on behalf of the People?

D.A. Novak:    Your Honour, the People call Detective Ashok Ramsey.

CLERK SWEARS IN THE WITNESS

AND HAS WITNESS STATE HIS NAME.

D.A. Novak:      Detective, how do you know the defendant?

Ramsey:           I have been investigating her for a while now for tax evasion, and embezzlement.

D.C. Calhoun:   Objection! Relevance. We are here because the defendant has been accused of murder, not tax evasion and embezzlement where the charges have already been dropped.

Court:             Objection sustained. Change line of questioning or dismiss the witness.

D.A. Novak:      Fine. The prosecution rests.

Court:             Defence Counsel Calhoun, do you wish to cross-examine?

D.C. Calhoun: No, your Honour.

Court: Detective Ramsey you may step down. Any additional witnesses on behalf of the People?

D.C. Calhoun:   The defence calls the Chief of Detectives, Muldrew.

CLERK SWEARS IN MULDREW AND

ASKS HIM TO STATE HIS NAME.

D.C. Calhoun:   Fancy seeing you here, Chief Muldrew.

Muldrew:         It has been awhile, Ms. Calhoun.

D.C. Calhoun:  You have had previous encounters with my client where you, and a previous witness Mr. Prestwick-

D.A. Novak:     Objection. Relevance, what does this have to do with the current case?

D.C. Calhoun:   There will be a follow up question, your Honour.

Court:             Overruled. Get to the point, Calhoun.

D.C. Calhoun:   As I was saying… Your previous interactions with my client have been in regard to previous charges being dropped, yes?

Muldrew:         Yes, that’s correct.

D.C. Calhoun:   Is it true that with this case, you said to Olivia Benson, Ashok Ramsey, and Elliot Stabler that unless they can prove definitively that my client, Ms. Anne Gillette was the culprit, that they would be on their own?

Muldrew:         Well…

D.C. Calhoun:   Is it true or not, Chief Muldrew?

Muldrew:         Yes it is.

D.C. Calhoun:   Did you think that there was enough evidence that pointed towards Ms. Gillette before the investigation had begun formally?

Muldrew:         It was hard to say at that time-

D.C. Calhoun:   It’s a yes or no question, Chief.

Muldrew:         No, I didn’t.

D.C. Calhoun:   Upon finding out that Ms. Gillette was in the company of Miss Clark, whom I might add has no criminal record, the time Ms. Gillette committed the alleged murder, did you think that your team was desperate to get her behind bars seeing as she has gotten off previous charges?

Muldrew:         …yes.

D.C. Calhoun:   My apologies, Chief Muldrew, I didn’t quite catch that, could you repeat yourself a bit louder into the microphone please?

Muldrew:         Yes I did- do think that the detectives were just wanting to see Ms. Gillette put behind bars because they were unable to get her on prior charges.

D.C. Calhoun:   Were you aware of the methods the detectives used in order to get Mr. Prestwick to go through with pressing charges?

D.A. Novak:       Objection. Relevance.

D.C. Calhoun:   It was during this current investigation that Mr. Prestwick was blackmailed. The question is relevant.

Court:             Overruled. Might do you some good to pay attention, Novak.

D.C. Calhoun:   Chief Muldrew, your answer please.

Muldrew:         No, I was not aware of it until today.

D.C. Calhoun:   Were you also unaware of Ms. Gillette being set-up so that a confession could be coerced out of her in unusual and stressful circumstances?

Muldrew:         No, I wasn’t aware of that. By this point I did not see enough solid evidence to link Ms. Gillette to the crime, so the team were off on their own.

D.C. Calhoun:   Were you aware of what Detectives Benson, Ramsey, and Stabler were up to, would you have let them continue on their warpath?

Muldrew:         No, I wouldn’t have. There is a right way and a wrong way to go about investigating crimes, especially ones as high-profile as this.

D.C. Calhoun:   No further questions, your Honour.

Court:             District Attorney Novak, you may cross-examine.

D.A. Novak:       No thank you, your Honour.

Court:             Chief of Detective Muldrew, you may step down. Defence Counsel Calhoun, does the defence wish to call any witnesses?

D.C. Calhoun:   The defence calls the defendant, Anne Gillette.

CLERK SWEARS IN MS. GILLETTE AND ASKS HER TO STATE HER NAME.

D.C. Calhoun:   Ms. Gillette, prior to the incident, how was your gallery doing?

Gillette:           It was doing well thanks to my assistant.

D.C. Calhoun:   When did you hire Miss Clark for that position?

Gillette:           It seems like so long ago. I think it was roughly around mid-January.

D.C. Calhoun:   Why did you decide to hire Miss Clark as an assistant after unsuccessfully trying to run galleries in the past?

Gillette:           My- My parents they… thought that I deserved one more chance to do something that I was- am passionate about. I didn’t want to disappoint them again because that’s all that I seemed capable of doing. So… I looked around and discovered that most successful gallery owners have assistants to help them.

D.C. Calhoun:   Has Miss Clark met the deceased before?

Gillette:           She has.

D.C. Calhoun:   Was she aware of you being the sole heir to the estate?

Gillette:           She was not until my parents brought it up in conversation one day.

D.C. Calhoun:   Was she, Miss Clark, aware of how strained your relationship with your parents had been?

Gillette:           No. I didn’t think the past would be beneficial towards the future of my business as well as re-building the relationship with my parents. I wanted her to have an unbiased opinion of them.

D.C. Calhoun:   Were your parents still happy together?

D.A. Novak:       Objection! The defendants answer would be hearsay.

Court:             Objection sustained.

D.C. Calhoun:   Did you have concern for your father’s mental well-being before he killed your mother before himself?

Gillette:           Of course, but I- I didn’t- I never thought he was capable of… killing my mother… He was your typical man, didn’t really like discussing mental health but I knew that he would occasionally see someone. I- I don’t know what changed in those twenty-four hours…

D.C. Calhoun:    Why was the trip postponed until the day the deceased were found dead?

Gillette:             I suggested that they wait another day because my mother was still recovering from the flu. I didn’t think travelling at the time would be a pleasant experience due to her still being ill. I know from personal experience that traveling while sick is absolutely miserable, so I only wanted both my parents to enjoy their time.

D.C. Calhoun:    Were you and Miss Clark actually packing at that hour for a flight to Paris?

Gillette:           Yes we were.  We had done an online check-in for the flight so that by the time we made it to the airport we wouldn’t need to stress over running late.

D.C. Calhoun:     No further questions.

Court:               Cross examination, District Attorney Novak?

D.A. Novak:       Ms. Gillette, you have a history of failure and criminal charges, correct?

D.C. Calhoun:    Objection. Relevance to the current case as no charges were successfully pressed.

Court:             Sustained. Change line of questioning.

D.A. Novak:     You spent all the money you were given in your trust fund from your parents, correct?

D.C. Calhoun:   Objection. Relevance.  

D.A. Novak:     There will be a follow-up question, your Honour.

Court:         Overruled. That question better be relevant, Novak.

D.A. Novak:       Thank you, your Honour. Ms. Gillette, your answer please.

Gillette:           I did, yes.

D.A. Novak:      Is it true that you were upset that your mother had been discussing whether or not to remove you from their will?

Gillette:           I was, but-

D.A. Novak:       Did you threaten to kill your mother if she did not keep you on the will?

D.C. Calhoun:   Objection. Leading question.

Court:               Sustained.

D.A. Novak:     Why was your name still on the will if your mother had reason to remove you from it?

Gillette:         How would I know that?    

D.A. Novak:     Miss Clark said that you often find yourself getting involved in altercations, is this true?

Gillette:         Yes. She said it under-oath so why would she lie when the consequences would be more severe than just telling the truth?

D.A. Novak:     I’m surprised you know the consequences, Ms. Gillette, but it’s not entirely surprising seeing as you have had run-ins with the law before-

D.C. Calhoun:   Objection. What is the point?

Court:             Sustained. Hurry up and get to the point, Novak.

D.A. Novak:     Your history of run-ins leads one to believe that you are rather volatile. Have you ever hit or injured one or both of your parents?

D.C. Calhoun:   Objection. Relevance.

Court:             Overruled. Novak, continue.

D.A. Novak:     Thank you. Ms. Gillette?

Gillette:         No. I haven’t.

D.A. Novak:     I find that hard to believe, Ms. Gillette seeing as, if we are to believe what Miss Clark has been saying is true, you often react physically when an altercation arises.

Gillette:         I act in self-defence. I have never gone out of my way to deliberately injure someone! You can’t blame me for my parent’s death when I wasn’t even there!

D.A. Novak:     Yes, Ms. Gillette, I do blame you. No further questions, your Honour.

Court:             Ms. Gillette, you may step down. Defence Counsel Calhoun, any further witnesses?  

D.C. Calhoun:   The defence rests.

Court:             We will now hear closing arguments of counsel. District Attorney Novak you may proceed.

D.A. Novak:     Members of the jury – the evidence is undisputed that the defendant, Ms. Gillette brutally murdered her parents. The evidence shows that Ms. Gillette has a history of run-ins with the law as well as physical altercations. She also is clearly incapable of being smart with her money, and seeing as she is the sole heir to the Gillette Estate she has more than enough motive to commit this atrocious act. Ms. Gillette’s mother had been contemplating removing her from the will which, the defendant admitted, upset her considerably. The detectives investigating this case have reason to believe that this was indeed a homicide committed by Ms. Gillette and not a murder-suicide committed by Mr. Bert Gillette!

Court:         Defence Counsel Calhoun, you may proceed with your closing argument.    

D.C. Calhoun:    Members of the jury. My client, Ms. Gillette, is not guilty of this charge. The investigation was unjust from the start; Ms. Gillette was coerced into her confession under rather dubious circumstances, and Prestwick was blackmailed into pressing charges. The detectives have been gunning for Ms. Gillette to be sent down from the beginning. We have even heard from Chief Muldrew that he thought the detectives were out of order and were behaving inappropriately considering how high profile that this case is. Miss Clark and Ms. Gillette were at Ms. Gillette’s residence preparing for their flight and we have heard in Miss Clark’s testimony that Ms. Gillette did not leave the premises between the hours of two and five am. It is clear that there is an unfair bias towards Ms. Gillette which has narrowed their perspective. Bert Gillette had a history of mental health issues and unfortunately it seems that they got the better of him resulting in the untimely death of Elaine Gillette before he took his own life. Ms. Gillette did not kill her parents. She is not guilty.

Court:       Court is adjourned while the Jury retire to deliberate.

As soon as the Judge has left the room as well as the Jury, the courtroom is filled with the sound of people talking, only just able to be passed off as aggressive whispering. Rita lets out a breath she felt like she had been holding since Anne took the stand but surprisingly, she held her own and didn’t have one of her notorious outbursts. She sorts her papers out and puts them in her folder, a somewhat cocky smirk on her face, “I have a good feeling about this, Ms. Gillette.” Anne laughs lightly and stands up alongside Rita “I would expect nothing less from you, Ms. Calhoun. You are one of the best after all.”

#Anne Gillette x reader #Wilhemina Venable x reader #Ally Mayfair x reader #Billie Dean x reader #Audrey Tindall x reader #Xandra x reader #Rita Calhoun #Casey Novak #Olivia Benson #svu #ahs cult #ahs murder house #ahs roanoke #ahs apocalypse #Ellie staple x reader #Diane Sherman x reader #Mildred Ratched x reader

[shintorikhazumi]

(Diakko Week) There’s no way she- (2): “There’s no way she did that.”

@dianakko-week

A/N: BOY, OH BOY. I DIDN’T THINK THIS STORY WAS GONNA GO THIS WAY, BUT HERE WE ARE, I GUESS? Please do enjoy, I’m not sure about the quality of this chap, but I personally am enjoying this story so far an I hope you all do too!

Again, Enjoy?

~Shintori Khazumi

Day 2: Trust

“There’s no way she did that.”

Diana was seething at her desk, Hannah and Barbara desperately trying to calm down their long-time friend with a cup of tea and some rationality.

She wasn’t having it however. Not even the tea.

“There’s no way. There is just no. Possible. Way. That Akko would so such a thing!” Diana growled, head whipping in the direction of her poor friends-slash-secretaries-and-attendants. “Right?!”

Barbara nodded wordlessly, clearly unnerved by Diana’s foul mood while Hannah sighed, moving the teacup away from the clearly miffed Diana before any mishaps could occur.

“Yes, Diana. We think so too.”

Diana released a heated sigh, nostrils flaring as she slumped against her leather chair. Today just wasn’t her day.

Never mind it being only her second week of being chosen for the grand magical council and being harassed with much work simply because she was the youngest to enter at the tender age of twenty-three. That same council of old pricks were now interfering with her personal life by giving her a case that made her burn deep with rage.

They dared accuse Diana’s girlfriend of magical misconduct when Diana-for a fact- knew that Akko read the terms and conditions of being a traveling magician- yes, ALL the terms and conditions- back-to-back. Back-to-back to back-to-back. Diana had found it both unnecessary and incredibly endearing, and sweet Akko- oh, bless her sweet soul- had wanted nothing more than to be able to share the magic of dreaming to all sorts of people, gain experience as she traveled; and hoped to overall just help people along the way on her cross-country journey.

Sure, she had left her incredibly stable position as one of the council’s security personnel, and the job paid extremely well- especially for people who were relatively fresh from school. It really did. However, Diana knew Akko was far from happy with that job. In a somewhat similar position to Diana, she had been made a lackey by her seniors and superiors, and though she loved helping people through her job, it just wasn’t worth staying. She couldn’t even be assigned to Diana! Thus, Akko had resolved to go independent, under strict supervision and conditions.

That had been five months ago.

Sure, Diana had missed the other woman dearly and hadn’t seen her for all that time, but Diana knew this was what the other woman wanted to do- to make people smile. She loved making smiles blossom from one person to the other. Diana wanted to support her in her endeavor. She believed in Akko and in what she wanted to accomplish.

And anyway, Akko had always made it a habit to send one of her familiars to bring Diana little souvenirs of her travels, accompanied by the sweetest words on paper, reassuring her girlfriend that she was well and good, and living life to the fullest, and that she’d surely be back in a year.

She was coming back sooner than they’d both expected, and for reasons neither had desired.

Diana ran her fingers through her hair in frustration, massaging her scalp to nurse the quickly growing headache.

She hoped Akko would come home safe at the very least.

//

“Miss Diana Cavendish. Could you repeat those words to me one more time? I might have misheard.”

“I said. I refuse to vote against Atsuko Kagari’s innocence. I know her, and I know her well. She would never ever do such horrid things.”

Diana watched the council secretary bristle, eyes burning at her response.

“You can never know someone too well. You don’t know what people are capable of. They can cha-”

“And I trust that Akko only ever changes for the better.” Diana cut off, casting her own glare over the two high council members who held the papers and a sum of money in front of her. “I know nothing of what the inner circle of the council has been up to, but I can’t believe they would try something so terribly scandalous such as bribery and false report! Dare I assume you are hiding something worse-”

“One more word from you, and you will suffer the consequences. Not that you already haven’t.”

Diana would have lashed out had she not needed to remain calm for Akko’s sake as well.

“This is our final offer, Miss Cavendish. Push for her guiltiness, or lose your seat in the council.”

Diana’s eyes widened, fists clenching. These people-

“You have no authority over this matter!”

She shivered in repulsion at the grins that grew on their hideous faces.

“Oh, but we do.”

//

Kagari Atsuko, twenty-three years of age, stood at the podium in the courts of magic with steely eyes and a rigid frame. She dared not glare at the jury nor the judge, but she would like to at least show them her determination in proving her own innocence.

Chancing a glance at Diana who was sending her worried looks from the jury stands, Akko reassured her with a gesture that all was and would continue to be alright. Returning her attention to the presider of the meeting, Akko readied her words, carefully crafted by herself and her lawyer who ironically just so happened to be Amanda O’Neill. Akko tried her best to keep a grin from forming at the hilarity of that fact. She was, after all, still on trial. She had to keep things professional.

“Kagari Atsuko. What do you have to say for yourself?” The judge questioned after all her supposed ‘charges’ had been read out.

‘Magical misuse, abuse of title as a former council official, trafficking endangered species across borders, and exploiting my audience, huh... Honestly, what a bunch of-’

“Bullshit.”

Akko’s eyes widened, and so did everyone else’ at the accidental slip-up.

“I-I mean... I apologize, your honor. I didn’t mean to say that. Ehem. I’d like to plead not guilty of these accusations.”

With brows raised, the judge continued on with the ruling, the tension in the room not once lowering. Akko just hoped this would end smoothly, and end soon.

She didn’t know what the council got out of this, to be honest. To go so far as to forge evidence against her, what had she done against them? Honestly, this new council, with almost all-new members weren’t doing a good job in succeeding their predecessors.

If the whole jury hadn’t been bought out at this point, she really could only hope for the best.

//

“Thanks for driving me home, Amanda.” Akko bowed to her friend, clutching her suitcase.

“Hey, hey! None of that. C’mere.” Amanda pulled her shorter friend into a tight hug, patting her back firmly. “I’m just glad it all worked out in the end.” She sighed, running a hand through her hair after they pulled apart.

“No kidding.” Akko chuckled. “You’re the best, bud. Totally fit for this job.” She giggled, as Amanda rolled her eyes with a shrug.

“I know, right? Obviously knew this is what I wanted to do for a living all along.”

They shared a laugh before Amanda had to leave, having work to do the next day. Waving at the car until it had disappeared far beyond what her eyes could perceive, Akko turned to the porch, taking careful steps to the front of the door.

Facing that familiar wooden barrier, she took a deep breath before allowing her knuckles to meet with the hard material.

No sounds, no response. Not even the slightest shuffling could be heard from within. Akko’s brows furrowed, teeth biting her lower lip nervously. This was their house... This was the Cavendish manor... right? Amanda was above pranks as evil as this, especially after what had just happened, so there was no way that-

“Mrrmmhpphhggh! Mmrhg!”

Akko struggled against the hand covering her mouth, desperately trying to reach for her wand, however her assailant had already figured her out, catching her hand and holding it against her back...

-before releasing her completely.

“A-Akko?! I! I’m sor- wait, no time to explain, come.”

And Akko was dragged into the house by Diana herself who rushed her up the stairs and into their bedroom.

“Akko, do you have all your essentials in that suitcase you hold at the moment?”

“Huh? Diana, what is... why are you home already? Don’t you have a council meeting running until late-”

“Grab anything you’d like to bring with you. Hurry!”

“But Diana!”

Akko felt a duffle bag hit the back of her head, and she whipped her head around only to find her prepared glare fading at the sight of a scowling Hannah.

“Do what she says, idiot. And make it quick.”

Diana seemed as caught off-guard by the presence of Hannah and Barbara as much as Akko was.

“You two! I... You can’t be here. Go back to your home, and from this point forward, don’t come back to the manor. I’m relieving you of your duties as my-”

If Akko and Diana’s eyes could widen any more, they’d surely be the size of Diana’s large serving plates. Hannah had clapped her hands against both sides of Diana’s face, shaking her lightly.

“Are you truly going to just leave us?!” She hissed.

“Diana... we know we were wrong to snoop around, but... couldn’t you confide in us for something this important?” Barbara said, teary-eyed. “I know we can’t ever replace what Anna was to you, and when she... when she left, we didn’t know how else to help you after losing your only family. But we still wanted to be by your side.” She smiled, placing her hands on Hannah’s shoulders to rub them, getting her partner to calm down.

“Did you really think...” Hannah sniffed, wiping her tears off her sleeve. “That we wouldn’t make you take us with you?” She finished with a grin. “You are never getting rid of us, honestly.”

Barbara nodded, reaching forward to ruffle Diana’s hair before she was met with a deep frown because of the gesture.

“Sorry, always wanted to try that.” She said, not sorry at all. “To sum all this up, Diana. You are taking us. There will be no further argument.”

Diana couldn’t help the relieved smile breaking across her face, her two longest companions also sporting their own. Tears slipped from her eyes as she pulled them into a long embrace.

“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.” She sobbed quietly, feeling arms rubbing her back from each side. “Thank you.”

“You better be thankful. We’ll never forgive you if we’re not the maids of honor at the wedding.” Hannah declared, half-joking.

“Wedding?” Diana parroted, pulling away as she wiped her remaining tears away. “Whose?”

Both girls simply rolled their eyes as Hannah walked over to Akko who felt seriously out of the loop. Barbara patted Diana’s shoulder, shaking her head, amused.

“Hannah? Barbara?”

She was promptly ignored from that point onward.

“Come on, idiot. Get packing. I’ll even graciously offer you my superb assistance.” Hannah said with a smirk, opening the closet she knew was designated for Akko’s belongings. “We don’t have all night.”

“I still... I still don’t understand what’s going on.” Akko stated, but began to do as she was instructed anyway. “What are we doing? Where are we going?”

“What part of ‘no time to explain’ don’t you understand?” Barbara quipped, before going over to assist the brunette pair. “I could’ve sworn we informed Amanda about this.”

“Even O’Neill knows?!” Diana continued to be ignored. “Okay, great. So who doesn’t know about this getaway?”

“Calm yourself, Diana. We only told our little circle of friends.” Barbara spoke over her shoulder as they finished closing Akko’s suitcases with a click. “Amanda and Constanze prepared as a cloaked little vehicle until we leave the country. You should be grateful.”

“Jasminka should be here to pick us up any minute now.” Hannah commented.

Diana remained slack-jawed, amazed at the follow-up her attendants had done.

“You didn’t think we’d just let you fly off on a broom in the middle of the night again, did you? Really Diana, we’ve been with you so long, your smarts should have rubbed off on us even the slightest bit.” She grinned. “The magical council really aren’t all that smart, huh? Look at their dullness contaminating our brilliant, Diana.” She shook her head in dismay.

“A shame indeed.” Barbara agreed as they began carrying their luggage out.

“No one’s still told me anything!” Akko announced, scratching the back of her head with her free hand as she followed Hannah and Barbara out with her own possessions.

She turned to Diana at the sound of a lock clicking in place, the former heiress running her hands over the grooves of the wood and the carvings.

Placing her things down momentarily, Akko walked over to wrap Diana in a hug from behind. “I hope we can come back one day. To the place where you began.” She whispered, placing loving kisses against Diana’s shoulders. “I’ll make sure we can.”

Akko’s heart cracked as Diana began to tremble in her arms, a hand going up to cover the sobs that were escaping her lips. All the memories of her family, her mother- they were probably much too painful for Diana to leave behind, but she had to. They had to.

Akko walked the mansion halls one last time with Diana as they locked each door one at a time, Diana embedding every room, every window, every banister into memory.

They finally came to the front door where Hannah and Barbara had awaited patiently, bags already loaded into their vehicle.

“No longer asking where we’re going, love?” Diana questioned Akko who had seemed to accept whatever was happening already.

“Do you trust me, love?” Akko responded with a question of her own, earning her Diana’s smile accompanied with raised brows.

“More than anyone and anything in the world.” Diana replied.

Akko gave her a chaste kiss as they all boarded the vehicle, watching the mansion disappear with an area cloaking spell that would hopefully keep it safe for as long as they were gone.

Squeezing Diana’s hand, Akko spoke. “Then know that I think the same. No matter where we go, how far away we are from here, and what we end up doing, just know... Just like those two dorks there,”

Akko laughed as the two snorted from the seats in front of them, knowing they were rolling their eyes at her.

God, she was thankful for them. For all her friends. For Diana.

Taking Diana’s hand in hers and entwining their fingers together, she placed a soft kiss on the back of her hand, laying all her worries to rest. They would figure things out. They all would- together.

“I trust you with all of my believing heart.”

A/N: WHAT’S GONNA HAPPEN NOW, WHERE ARE OUR BABIES GOING? OOOHHH. SEE YOU ON DAY 3!

~Shintori Khazumi

#dianakko week 2021 #happy dianakko week 2021? #diakko #fanfic #hanbara #diana cavendish #atsuko kagari #hannah england #barbara parker #amanda o'neill

[conradscrime]

Thelma Todd: Suicide or Murder?

March 10, 2021

Thelma Alice Todd also known as the “Ice Cream Blonde” and “Hot Toddy” was one of the most famous actresses in Hollywood in the 1920′s and 1930′s. Some of her most popular comedies were Horse Feathers and Monkey Business. Thelma had appeared in around 120 films between the years 1926 and 1935. She is claimed to have died by suicide at the age of 29 on December 16, 1935. However many believe this is suspicious and that her death was actually a murder...

Thelma was born on July 29, 1906 in Lawrence, Massachusetts to parents John Shaw Todd, an upholsterer and Alice Elizabeth Edwards, who was Canadian. Thelma was a good student who graduated high school in 1923 with the dreams of being a school teacher. Thelma was also very beautiful and began competing in beauty pageants in her late teens, even winning Miss Massachusetts in 1925. She was then spotted by a talent agent in Hollywood and began her film career. 

Thelma acted in multiple silent films to start but then began to act in “talkies” where she could actually show her talent and expand her career. Thelma became extremely popular and was an even a successful business woman, opening her own restaurant called Thelma Todd’s Sidewalk Cafe at 17575 Pacific Coast Highway in August of 1934. 

The last movie role Thelma was cast in was Bohemian Girl, a full length comedy, in 1935. However, the director ended up cutting most of the footage of her out and only left her in one musical number. 

On Monday morning, December 16, 1935 Thelma Todd was found dead inside of her car. She was found slumped over in the front seat with her head to the left. The car was found in Jewel Carmen’s garage. Jewel Carmen was a former actress and was also the ex-wife of Thelma Todd’s occasional lover at the time, Roland West. Super suspicious huh. The house was about a block away from Thelma’s restaurant. 

Thelma’s cause of death was deemed to be carbon monoxide poisoning. It is alleged that Roland West had locked Thelma out of the house the previous night, and due to this Thelma decided to sleep in her car for warmth.  

Thelma had spent the Saturday night (December 14) at a party in a Hollywood restaurant hosted by Stanley Lupino and his daughter Ida. Thelma apparently had a negative exchange with her ex-husband Pat DiCicco, however her friends later stated that she was in a good mood the rest of the nights and there was no indication that she was planning to end her own life. Thelma then left the party and was driven home in the early hours of December 15 by her driver, Ernest O. Peters. 

The police came to the conclusion that Thelma’s death was an accidental suicide, that she simply turned her car on to either stay warm or she had the intention of driving home and was warming up the car. I am assuming that a lot of people probably assumed Thelma was fairly drunk and accidentally fell asleep with her car running, though I am a little suspicious of this. 

An autopsy was done on December 18, 1935 and the coroner found no marks of violence anywhere on or near the body. However, in another source I found it claimed Thelma had a broken nose, bruises around her throat and two cracked ribs. If she was found with these injuries it is obvious that someone was either beating her up frequently and recently, or they had just given her those injuries the night she died. 

 A jury ruled that the death had been accidental though they did agree that authorities should further look into it. A grand jury looked into whether Thelma had been murdered and concluded that there did not appear to be any foul play. 

Authorities found no suicide note and concluded that there was no motive for Thelma to commit suicide. I do not believe that Thelma Todd committed suicide, she had everything going for her in life, she was at the prime of her career. 

Some believed that Roland West and his ex-wife Jewel Carmen are the ones responsible for Thelma’s death. All three lived above Thelma’s restaurant and ran the business together. It is believed that the restaurant began to lose money and Jewel blamed this on Thelma. Is money a possible motive for murder? Or perhaps jealousy? Maybe Jewel was jealous of Thelma hooking up with Roland or wanted to take over her restaurant. 

Pat, Thelma’s ex-husband is also a suspicious person and I’m sure he’d have a reason to want to kill Thelma, considering she was his ex-wife. 

Another potential theory is connected to Lucky Luciano, a well known mobster who knew Thelma. Not only did Lucky allegedly beat Thelma, he also got her addicted to amphetamines. There were reports that Lucky wanted to open a gambling casino within Thelma’s restaurant but she refused, saying that would only happen “over her dead body.” 

Thelma’s mother Alice was also acting pretty suspicious and was Thelma’s only heir, meaning money could have been a potential motive. Alice supposedly made plans to build a mansion right before Thelma died, though no one knew where she would get the money to do so. 

It seems as though we will never know if Thelma Todd was murdered or took her own life but based off of the evidence I have found through my research there is no doubt in my mind that someone had it out for Thelma Todd and they unfortunately succeeded. 

#old hollywood #murder #mystery #truecrime #true crime #unsolved #unsolved true crime #1920s #1930s #actress

[xiyao-feels]

Part Four: My thoughts on the effects of these changes on our interpretations of the characters, and some miscellaneous final notes

Intro - Pt 1 - Pt 2 - Pt 3 - Pt 4

Okay, so. That's a list of changes. What kind of effect does it actually have on our interpretation of the characters?

For JGY, it's perhaps more subtle than you'd think. The complaint from JGY stans about FJ I heard most often, prior to watching it, was that JGY involves NHS in his brother's killing—whereas in MDZS, as shown, if anything he functions as NHS' protector. This is definitely obnoxious, but to my eye the worst changes are the perhaps more subtle ones. The JGY of FJ is significantly different from the JGY of MDZS and CQL in two ways: first, he has more options available, and second, without ever making an explicit claim, the text nevertheless sends the strong message that he is /not actually in danger from NMJ/.

What do I mean about more options? To begin with, he teaches NHS the corrupted SoC. This carries some risk of LXC finding out, and a much greater risk of NHS finding out—as, indeed, he does. I don't see how this could plausibly be a risk worth taking for JGY; the narrative's insistence suggests either that he has some way to mitigate that risk, or that he's secure enough he can afford to be so careless. His ability to achieve such strong, immediate affects via musical cultivation, despite his weak cultivation level, adds to the general sense that FJ JGY is much less constrained than MDZS or CQL JGY, as does JGS' complete absence from the narrative; it would be easy to forget that JGY is under any social/political pressure at all, even though this is a constant theme in NMJ and JGY's confrontations in MDZS and CQL, and the pressure and danger from JGS specifically is central to their confrontation at the stairs. The lack of any hint of or history of disrespect to LFZ from the Nie men, given what we see of their interaction in CQL, is yet another example of FJ ignoring the constraints JGY actually has to work with.

And, of course, FJ suggests that he has the option to actually cure NMJ, when the fact that he doesn't is in my opinion central to the morality of the decision, to understanding JGY's character, and indeed to many of the themes of the text. (In fact as a friend pointed out to me it suggests that NHS or indeed anyone could learn the music to cure him, although FJ does not seem to realize the implications of this itself.)

This ties in with point two: that JGY is not actually in danger from NMJ. We never see NMJ attack him—NMJ's violence is reserved for other people. Furthermore, we see him (and later NHS) stop NMJ's violence by the quick application of the uncorrupted SoC; this includes, as I've mentioned in previous sections, a scene where JGY protects NHS from NMJ's anger via cultivation, while in the nearest MDZS scene JGY protects NHS from NMJ's anger very explicitly by being a more appealing target. Watching FJ, it would be very difficult to understand how much danger JGY was actually in, and how much he was a target of NMJ's violence.

Even in CQL, NMJ tries to kill JGY at the stairs, drawing his sabre on him after the stairs kick—and even that first attempted blow, before they exchange words outside, could have caused JGY serious damage. In MDZS, after the stairs—where NMJ would very likely have succeeded in killing JGY if LXC hadn't intervened—though WWX admires JGY's skill in finding the right words to convince NMJ to "give him another chance," JGY is only able to do this by promising he'll do something that would probably get him killed, and then promising NMJ that he can kill JGY if he doesn't do it. Moreover, NMJ ends his own life by kicking down a door to kill JGY on the spot, because he did not like the way he was talking about NMJ to LXC. This is a very, very far cry from anything presented in FJ.

The idea that JGY could actually cure NMJ goes to this as well. NMJ is as violent to JGY as he is because of the sabre curse; JGY's choices are endure this, and hope to survive, or...kill him quicker, and hope to survive. He doesn't actually have a choice that involves not being subject to NMJ's violence. Ignoring this fundamentally changes JGY's character, who is so defined by the constraints under which he suffers, and indeed by the lack of physical security he has until he becomes Jin-zongzhu.

What then about NMJ's character? Honestly I don't even have the words for this; it's a profound insult to his original character. The thing is, it's not just that NMJ doesn't doubt the righteousness of Nie cultivation practices, although he very much does not. It's that NMJ would never do something he secretly thought was unrighteous, never mind /shape his life around it/. If he believed something wasn't righteous, he simply wouldn't do it. This is literally the heart of his conflict with JGY, and it repeats throughout the text again and again.

Further, and less flattering to NMJ: NMJ is absolutely convinced of the righteousness of his own judgement. It's not just that he wouldn't do something he thought in his heart wasn't righteous; he's never the kind of torn he is shown to be in FJ, and he never doubts his own judgement. When NHS challenges him here on whether he's qualified to decide the fate of evildoers, who are after all still evil, part of him clearly thinks NHS has a point. But NMJ absolutely, one hundred percent believes in his right to play—if you'll pardon the phrase—judge, jury, and executioner. It's not just JGY, although it very much is, also, JGY; at no point does he seem to believe anything but that he has the absolute right to kill JGY if he decides to. Indeed, some of his worst violence to JGY is a result of JGY challenging his assertions of righteousness, at the stairs. We see it with XY, both in MDZS and arguably even more clearly in CQL as well: in episode 10 he instantly decides that XY should be executed, and is about to carry out that execution when WWX intervenes—and then he's offended about WWX's intervention! The only reason he doesn't carry out the execution on the spot is MY's argument that keeping XY alive can be used to harm the Wen. And, of course, we see it with his attitude to WQ and WN, although people are so often determined to ignore this. Please note that he argues /against/ JC and LXC's defense of them, both in MDZS and in CQL; if ever there was a single incident that could have changed at all how things came out, it would be the very respected sect leader Nie, whose sect is after the Jin the strongest surviving sect post-Sunshot, speaking out in their defense at the conference convened to determine what to do about the fact that WWX just made off with them.

Now, thematically, I think part of the point of his character is that his inflexibility is...well, inflexible; his condemnation of people who are in bad positions does more harm than good. Returning to JGY for a moment, I also think it's telling that NMJ doesn't take effective action to accomplish his goals re: XY. This isn't even just because JGY killed him—if he had actually killed JGY instead, then he would have found quite suddenly that he'd killed Lianfang-zun, the war hero who killed WRH, his own sworn brother, JGS' beloved son, etc etc etc. It would not have gone well for him. Part of the point is that—in a corrupt system, acting as though the system isn't corrupt will itself lead to injustice. Making NMJ himself knowingly complicit in the corruption of that system rather defeats that point.

I am also, I admit, /extremely/ annoyed that /he/ is offered the understanding that he had no choice because of his position, while JGY's difficulties are ignored, and when a) although from what we see in MDZS it would certainly have been quite difficult, he did actually have a choice b) the movie strongly suggests (with the ready willingness of the Nie men to follow him when he rejects the ancestral method of balancing, their respect for sabre-weak NHS, and the lack of opposition from any other area) that it would not, actually, have been that difficult, socially speaking.

I think in terms of the effects this has on people's interpretations of JGY, probably this makes them think that NMJ at the stairs rejects the specifics of JGY's argument, and contributes to a general lack of engagement with the substance of what JGY is actually saying (and the lack of substance of NMJ's reply). People mostly ignore NMJ's similar stance towards WQ, so I suspect this doesn't have much effect there; I have on occasion seen the claim that he was right to condemn her as well, but I mostly don't think it was coming from an FJ-inspired place.

When it comes to NHS…mmm. As I said, CQL makes him less amoral at the beginning, although it doesn't prevent his total—I'm not even sure you can say 'carelessness towards collateral damage' in the current timeline when from his perspective collateral damage would be a good thing, since it would be blamed on JGY. Not to mention the way he treats QS, what he's implied to do with MS' body... I suspect that FJ!NHS is where you get man-of-the-people NHS, who would /totally/ have built those watchtowers instead of that awful JGY if that awful JGY hadn't cruelly murdered his brother because a) he's Evil and/or b) he's ambitious (and also evil), and what other considerations could there possibly be?

To which I can only say: fucking spare me. I suspect the characterization here of NHS and of the Nie men contributes generally to fandom's idea of a much more gentle and progressive cultivation world than either MDZS or CQL supports.

In summation: FJ is, considered as providing any kind of interpretive light on CQL and/or MDZS characters, a terrible movie. If you are not fully familiar with the relevant portions of MDZS, I don't see how you could come away from this without absorbing significant falsehoods. Although I certainly can't and indeed don't wish to tell anyone what they should or should not consider canon, I do think it's important to know that incorporating FJ into your personal canon is going to result in an extremely different characters than not doing so, and if you want to argue with CQL or MDZS fans about characters' characterizations based on FJ, it's not going to be a very productive discussion for anyone involved.

A few miscellaneous notes:

-The change in the narrative of NMJ's violence extends beyond the replacement of his primary target. In fact, there are three things in particular I want to pull out.

First, and despite his near assault of NHS, FJ!NMJ is portrayed as much less...well, scary, than MDZS NMJ, and even to some extent CQL NMJ. NMJ habitually takes out his anger in undirected violence towards objects—the boulder when he hears his men talking about MY, the boulder(/pillar in CQL) after MY kills WRH, the door he kicks open to kill JGY before he qi-deviates, the table he cracks in his anger around NHS delighting in fans rather than knowing where he sabre is; even, though here at least it is a clear deliberate choice, his burning of NHS' things. In FJ—well, I don't want to say there's none of that, he does at least break NHS' paintbrush and I could be misremembering other things, but it certainly seems a lot less prevalent. And more than that, people simply don't react to him as terrifying! In FJ, NHS after NMJ /nearly hits him/ is still a lot less scared of NMJ's anger than NHS is in this parallel scene in MDZS, where he does not (ch 49):

One day, the moment he returned to the main hall of the Unclean Realm, he saw about a dozen folding fans, all lined in gold, flattened out one next to the other in front of Nie HuaiSang, who was touching them tenderly, mumbling as he compared the inscriptions written on each one. Immediately, veins protruded from Nie MingJue’s forehead, “Nie HuaiSang!”

Nie HuaiSang fell at once.

He really did fall to his knees from the terror. He only staggered up after he finished kneeling, “B-b-b-brother.”

Nie MingJue, “Where is your saber?”

Nie HuaiSang cowered, “In… in my room. No, in the school grounds. No, let me… think…”

Wei WuXian could feel that Nie MingJue almost wanted to hack him dead right there, “You bring a dozen fans with you wherever you go, yet you don’t even know where your own saber is?!”

Nie HuaiSang hurried, “I’ll go find it right now!”

Nie MingJue, “There’s no need! Even if you find it you won’t get anything out of it. Go burn all of these!”

All of the color drained out of Nie HuaiSang’s face. He rushed to pull all of the fans into his arms, pleading, “No, Brother! All of these were given to me!”

Nie MingJue slammed his palm onto a table, causing it to crack, “Who did? Tell them to scurry out here right now!”

Even though he nearly hits NHS, even though he actually kills many of his own men, he is simply not presented as nearly as scary.

Second, and not unrelatedly, in FJ the narrative focus of the consequence of NMJ's violence is on his own pain at his men's death, and NHS' pain at seeing him kill them. In MDZS, this is more complicated. We see, of course, his violence to JGY, and the consequences to JGY of that violence; at the stairs, for example, kicking JGY down the stairs he gives him another head wound to add to the one Madam Jin gave him. Moreover, his increasing rage actually /damages/ his relationship with NHS. We see this notably in NHS' reaction to NMJ burning his things (ch 49):

Nie HuaiSang’s eyes brimmed red. He didn’t even make a sound. Jin GuangYao added, “It’s alright even if the things are gone. Next time I can find you more…”

Nie MingJue interrupted, his words like ice, “I’ll burn them each time he brings them back into this sect.”

Anger and hatred suddenly flashed across Nie HuaiSang’s face. He threw his saber onto the ground and yelled, “Then burn them!!!”

Jin GuangYao quickly stopped him, “HuaiSang! Your brother is still angry. Don’t…”

Nie HuaiSang roared at Nie MingJue, “Saber, saber, saber! Who the fuck wants to practice the damn thing?! So what if I want to be a good-for-nothing?! Whoever that wants to can be the sect leader! I can’t learn it means I can’t learn it and I don’t like it means I don’t like it! What’s the use of forcing me?!”

He then runs off the field and locks himself in his rooms, not even letting anyone in to bring him medicine. The next we hear about NHS is in the next scene, not two months later, when LXC describes NMJ's recent troubles (ch 50): "These past few days, he has been deeply troubled by the saber spirit, and HuaiSang has argued with him again." Now, they clearly continue to love each other, and NHS is clearly devastated by NMJ's death; but in the months leading up to NMJ's death, their relationship was unusually strained, not closer than ever.

Thirdly, I think the narrative ends up distorting the way NMJ's sabre rages work. Not completely—the example where he almost punches NHS is actually a pretty good example—but consider his final violence to his men. He kills them, /not/ because in his rage he feels that killing them would be righteous punishment for whatever they have done, but because he hallucinates that they are WRH's puppets. But I don't believe we see NMJ hallucinate anything until he actually qi-deviates—at which point he hallucinates that they are /JGY/, and while in CQL at least JGY has confessed to the corrupted music before he starts hallucinating JGYs, in MDZS his anger is, again, about how JGY was talking about him to LXC. When NMJ is violent to people under the effects of the sabre curse, it is because he is angry, and in his anger that violence feels reasonable. There is not as far as I can tell anything that suggests that his sabre-affected rages feel differently from the inside than his more regular rages—nor do we ever see him apologize for the harm he does in his rages, precisely because, to him, his rage and hence his subsequent violence feel like entirely appropriate responses to the situation. I think this goes to point two, above; it would be harder to induce sympathy for NMJ if, say, he killed his men because they were challenging him, and at no point acknowledged he has been wrong to do so.

-You could probably do something interesting here with considering this movie as splitting JGY's character between NMJ (the man who makes difficult decisions due to his political position), NHS (the weak but skilled cultivator), and NZH (the loyal and extremely competent subordinate), even as it ignores the much greater difficulty of JGY's position, that his weakness is because he lacked NHS' opportunities and his skill obtained despite lacking them, that unlike FJ NMJ he actually does need to make those difficult decisions to achieve his goals and does indeed achieve them, etc. This is left as an exercise to the reader.

-I greatly resent the clear and extensive visual parallels between NHS' bow to JGY, at the end of the film, and MY's bow to JGS after JGS kicks him down the Jinlintai stairs, and the way the similarity is taken as indicating parallels beyond the visual. This is, first, because their positions are not at all the same. I am certainly not saying NHS' position was in any way comfortable or good; nevertheless, he is at that moment a clan leader who is surrounded by men who, from the film, would not hesitate to die at his command. There is not really anything about the presentation of the Nie men in FJ that suggests that if NHS went outside that room with JGY and announced to them that JGY had killed NMJ and they should attack him now, his men would do anything other than try to kill JGY immediately at his command. This was, needless to say, very much not the position of the young teenager MY, far from home, injured, humiliated, and made a public joke; perhaps more subtle is that NHS' position at NMJ's death, though he is politically weak and though he has just suffered a devastating loss, is still more secure than /JGY's/ at the same, as JGY—far from being a clan leader with the absolute obedience of his men—is not even JGS' acknowledged heir. Indeed, in many ways the focus of NHS' enmity on /JGY/, rather than JGS who commands him, is an extension of NMJ's focus on JGY rather than JGS when it comes to achieving XY's execution, and in both cases extremely advantageous to JGS. Certainly NMJ would not have been able to get away with harassing Zixuan as he does JGY on the matter of XY; likewise, JGS would never have risked Zixuan in an attempt to kill NMJ as he does JGY. The advantage of JGY as assassin is that if he kills NMJ, JGS wins; if NMJ kills him, JGS also wins (an incalculable political advantage); and if he is caught, his background makes him both easily severable and an ideal scapegoat. Also returning to framing of the bow—and while this is much more trivial it is a recurring petty imitation—I have seen matched gifsets suggesting that JGY was also swearing revenge on JGS at this moment.

-The last words JGY says to NHS are "Restrain your grief;" in English of course this comes across as extremely insensitive, but see drwcn's post for some cultural context; it's actually a common expression of condolences.

-I believe this is whence the idea that MY's headpiece in CQL used to be NHS', because we see kid NHS wearing it in the flashbacks; let us say, if you don't feel the need to accept FJ as canon, I don't think you need to accept that, either.

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#fj negativity #long meta #more than one tag could contain #anger burned in his heart #we can't change places