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wheredidhiseyebrowsgo · 9 months

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Hi! Hopre youre fine and all! Can you give me som military fics like Squared Away? Where no real countries are involve but they are fighting monsters or something? Thanks <3

Sure!

Squared Away by Suaine

(1/1 I 15,809 I Teen I Sterek)

Alpha LT Derek Hale gets a promotion, a pack, and a mission. Stiles is a complication.

***

We Fight Monsters Together by scarlettletterr

(1/1 I 11,555 I Explicit I Sterek)

Derek Hale doesn't trust humans anymore and is determined to pilot his family’s mecha alone. Too bad he doesn't get a choice when he's paired up with the brightest most sarcastic human mind to ever come out of Beacon Hills in the form of Stiles Stilinski.

Second Galaxy to the Right and Straight On Til Morning by spurklie

(1/1 I 16,679 I Explicit I Sterek)

Stiles is reading reports on his tablet and drinking from a bottle of water in the base mess hall when he realises there is someone standing at his table. Dragging his eyes up from the calculations, he chokes on his water and then spits some all over Derek, who barely flinches.

Ultra Violet by ElisAttack

(3/3 I 16,836 I Teen I Sterek)

"There's no way he's a quarian. Least of all the quarian prince we're supposed to be escorting." Erica whines, and Derek wonders why he named her his staff lieutenant, she has no tact whatsoever.

"I'm sorry, but you must be a level 4 friend to unlock my tragic back-story." The prince jokes. "And call me Stiles, even I can't pronounce my actual name."

Or the one where Derek and his crew are assigned to be the glorified babysitter of an alien prince, and everything is not as it seems.

Triton's Folly by Kaye_Fraser, S3anchaidh

(8/8 I 46,185 I Teen I Sterek)

As an officer in the United Earth Alliance, Major Derek Hale understands the order of things and his place in the world. Yet, a decade of war and a lifetime of dedicated service have taken its toll. The only thing that has kept him sane all these years is the video logs of a scientist he’d found years ago, buried in the rubble of a research station on Callisto. He knows that the man in the videos – Stiles – is long gone, lost to the vastness of space, but to Derek, he’s alive. In fact, he thinks he has fallen half in love with the boundless energy and bright-eyed optimism of the image he sees on his screen. Then, everything changes when a fateful mission strands him on the surface of a desolate moon … and brings him face-to-face with a man he had only ever dreamed of meeting.

Relationships That Start Under Intense Circumstances by seraphina_snape

(1/1 I 59,448 I Explicit I Sterek)

In a world where werewolves are a normal part of life and the Argents have turned from being hunters into leading one of the biggest pro-wolf organizations in the US, Stiles is the newly promoted assistant head of the Argent Weapons International R&D department. When he uncovers a conspiracy and finds evidence of an anti-werewolf movement that spreads into the highest positions at AWI, he knows he must do what he can to stop Kate and Gerard Argent from destroying what the rest of the Argents (and the rest of the world) have worked for so hard.

Things get a little complicated when Kate and Gerard turn the tables on Stiles and accuse him of treason and espionage. On the run and with killers on his tail to shut him up, Stiles has to find a way to stop the release of a dangerous product, prove his innocence and find a way to implicate Kate and Gerard in the conspiracy. With his dad, Scott and Allison in danger from Kate and Gerard, Stiles is incredibly grateful when he meets Derek Hale who promptly saves his life. But it soon becomes clear that Derek is hiding something that could be the undoing of Stiles and everything he's trying to do.

Specialized Technical Intelligence and Logistics for Earth and Space (S.T.I.L.E.S) by Yiichi

(10/10 I 73,419 I Not Rated I Sterek)

“What the hell kind of a name is Stiles?” he asked.

“You know, a series of sounds spoken in a particular sequence that represent my identity, primarily, referring to me?“ the AI – Stiles – answered cheekily, crossing his own arms in front of his chest, mirroring Derek’s position.

“Ooh, this one’s feisty,” Peter smirked.

War Crimes by loserchic

(69/69 I 81,840 I Mature I Sterek)

In a fantastical military state, Stiles, an orphaned nobody, street smart omega was rescued as a child by war hero alpha, Commander Derek Hale. Six years later, Stiles still maintains an obsession with taking care of himself and a blatant mistrust of alphas. Stiles becomes the first omega to be accepted into elite training with the Black Wolves, the military's special operations force. Derek has always intended to mate with Stiles and is furious at the idea of him entering training. However, Stiles' guardians only agree to allow Derek to mate with Stiles if he allows Stiles to attempt Black Wolves' training. Derek becomes Stiles' commanding officer and the war between them begins. Also a lot of fraternization.

#teen wolf #sterek #stiles stilinski #derek hale #science fiction #military au #submssion

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hazbingirliexoxo · 2 months

Text

“The Archer” Angel Dust Analysis

A/n: ALRIGHT YALL❣️ it’s been a hot minute (literally a whole month lol rip☠️) but I have FINALLY written this and am ready to share it with everyone!🤩 So I’m a huge Swiftie and I absolutely love Angel😭💕 so listening to this song: “The Archer” instantly made me think of him. I think the lyrics really highlight how his experiences with love have shaped the complexities of his true feelings and while we still have so much more to discover about his and Husk’s developing relationship in the show, I truly think that this song just “screams” them. If you haven’t listened to the song before, I definitely recommend to!😊 Anyway, lez get into it!😎

Note: For reference, I primarily used this article: https://gwtimes.org/1625/music-books-movies/the-archer-taylor-swift-lyric-analysis/ to organize all of my thoughts and opinions on why this song suits Angel so well. I think this author did an excellent job at explaining the real message of the song in regards to Taylor’s life, but this analysis is solely based on my OWN interpretation of how Angel’s character fits this song. Just wanted to clarify. THANK YOU AND ENJOY!!!❤️❤️❤️

Combat, I’m ready for combat

I say I don’t want that, but what if I do?

Cause cruelty wins in the movies

I’ve got a hundred thrown out speeches I almost said to you

Okay so, with these first few lines, we can think about how much Angel has been through, both in life and death. Like anyone else, he’s made mistakes and fought with many people he’s cared about before, whether that be with his birth family (ex: Arackniss, Molly) or his newfound family/friends he’s made at the hotel later on (ex: Charlie, Husk, Niffty, Sir Pentious, etc). But in terms of his actual familial background, Angel was born and raised in the mafia, meaning he’s used to seeing the indescribable horrors and violence associated with that lifestyle. He has no choice but to conjure up this metaphorical shield of “armor” in order to not only protect himself but also, survive. This ultimately makes it very difficult for Angel to form and develop good, healthy relationships, whether that’d be platonic or romantic, because as much as he craves genuine love and affection, isn’t that going against everything he’s known? To not care about what anyone thinks of him because at the end of the day, everyone leaves regardless? Angel Dust is a perfect example of being conditioned to this toxic, negative mindset he’s built for himself every day and we especially see more of this when it comes to his work with Valentino.

Now Angel is a celebrity, the most famous porn star in all of hell. Of course, due to his natural charisma and good looks, all eyes are drawn to him. He’s expected to essentially “put on a show” and show off what he’s “good for” because who could resist the seductive, charming Angel Dust? But that’s the cruel irony behind it all. Angel’s perception of his pornstar persona overshadows the reality of his true self, which makes it easy for him to push people away and not let anyone see the real him. He’s bred to allow people to chase after him, lust after him, because that’s the embodiment of who Angel Dust is, not who Anthony is. Angel Dust doesn’t care if people “leave” him because he knows that one way or another, there’s always someone else who will appreciate him for his “talents”, who will shower him with the desire and attention he so desperately seeks, despite it being superficial. But Anthony? No one knows who that is nor anyone would care to know who Anthony is in Angel’s mind, so rather than reveal his true thoughts, he decides to remain silent and keep them hidden from the public view as a way to protect himself.

Easy they come, easy they go

I jump from the train, I ride off alone

I never grew up, it’s getting so old

Help me hold on to you

Now, these second set of lyrics go a little more in-depth about Angel’s personal life and relationships. The first line expresses how easily he attracts people and yet still drives them away. The second one, however, can be explored through both a platonic and a romantic perspective. In a platonic lens, Angel struggles with making real, genuine friends (other than Cherri) because he’s afraid no one will be interested to get to know him. The same thing can be said in a romantic point of view. Angel loves to flirt, yes, but with his pornstar persona, he over-amplifies it and makes it seem like he’s “on board” in the beginning, but in the slightest sense of any seriousness or vulnerability, he “jumps off”, going his own way because he knows he’s unable to commit. This third line takes a look into how Angel is associated with being the “black sheep” of his family. Despite his somewhat childish nature, Angel’s always causing trouble and has never been the more focused, responsible type like his older brother: Arackniss. But due to these specific family dynamics, this shows how Angel feels like he’s never taken seriously with his true self. And because of that, he doesn’t understand how to grow and mature enough as a person to handle long-term relationships. The last line here can be portrayed as Angel’s inner thoughts and feelings towards his future love interest in the series: Husk. Angel is so used to giving up and running away from the idea of real love because of his own sexual abuse and trauma from Valentino. But throughout his whole afterlife, Husk is the only good man who respects and values Angel for who he truly is and despite how nice yet unfamiliar that feeling is, Angel’s terrified of losing it. Therefore, these lyrics can imply how he’s pleading for Husk to help him stay grounded and focus on exploring and pursuing this new relationship with him.

I’ve been the archer, I’ve been the prey

Who could ever leave me, darling? But who could stay?

In the chorus, we can start to see the lyrics become even more personified towards Angel’s life. He’s been hurt by so many people, yet he’s also his own worst enemy because he’s done the same thing to those who he cares about too, ultimately straining or damaging the relationships as a whole. He wonders why no one would want to stay in his life, but deep down, he knows that he doesn’t make it easy for people to love him either. So in order to change that, he needs to believe in himself and trust that he can make a positive effort towards becoming better.

Dark side, I search for your dark side

But what if I’m all right, right, right, right here?

And I cut off my nose just to spite my face

Then hate my reflection, for years and years

Within the next verse, we can connect back to how Angel’s toxic mindset has made a profound impact on himself and his relationships. There’s a big part of him that’s always subconsciously searching for the negative aspects of letting people into his life, and that in itself, is what overpowers his psyche into not recognizing and acknowledging the positive facets as well. These next few lines can be referenced to how he strives to maintain his pornstar persona. The whole concept of Angel Dust is for him to be as appealing and desirable to everyone no matter what because that’s what the public likes to see. But unfortunately, what Angel doesn’t comprehend is that he doesn’t need to overemphasize this “mask” of his because the real, genuine people in his life (such as Molly, Charlie, Cherri, Husk, etc.) love and accept him for who he is internally rather than externally. This lack of understanding can also drive him to act impulsive with his emotions and lash out towards the people he deeply cares about, thereby causing him to feel hatred towards himself and regret the decisions he’s made later on.

I wake in the night, I pace like a ghost

The room is on fire, invisible smoke

And all of my heroes die all alone

Help me hold on to you

The metaphorical meaning behind these next lyrics can connect to how empty and restless Angel feels when he’s by himself. We know that he suffers intense nightmares and drug hallucinations from Valentino, but in this next line: “The room is on fire, invisible smoke”, this allows us to dive deeper into his inner troubles and the emotional turmoil and chaos he’s experiencing from it. He’s known to “burn bridges” and “start fires” with others because like I stated previously, he believes everyone will leave him eventually, so as a result, he shuts people out as a way to cope with this depression and loneliness, knowing that it’s still his fault.

I’ve been the archer, I’ve been the prey

Screaming, who could ever leave me, darling? But who could stay?

Here we have the main chorus again, but what’s different is that the word “screaming” is used. This allows us to really see and feel the intensity behind Angel’s emotions. It can almost be viewed as if he’s “crying out for help” and begging for someone, ANYONE, to reach out and stay there with him.

Cause they see right through me

They see right through me

They see right through

Can you see right through me?

They see right through me (2x)

I see right through me (2x)

This next sequence of lyrics is pretty self-explanatory, especially regarding Angel’s famous reputation. Based upon his story arc so far, the internal struggles and hardships Angel has faced throughout life and death have definitely taken a toll on him. Even though he aims to portray this glamorous, charming pornstar personality, characters like Husk can see right through Angel pretty easily and have no issue in calling him out for how fake he’s being. This not only makes Angel very hyper-aware of his mask “slipping away”, but also adds on an extra layer of anxiety and panic he’s feeling from losing control of that facade.

All the king’s horses, all the king’s men

Couldn’t put me together again

‘Cause all of my enemies started out friends

Help me hold on to you

The first line here is a clear reference to the nursery rhyme, Humpty Dumpty, but the next few lines are what really emphasize Angel’s character even more. Angel is not an easy guy to get along with. He knows he can be an asshole and because of that, he’s made many enemies who could’ve potentially stayed as friends in his life if he didn’t push them away. But that doesn’t make him feel as if he’s alone right? After all, Angel Dust is fulfilled with receiving “love” from clients, fans, and Valentino all the time, so that has to mean something, right? This particular mindset is what fuels Angel to continue craving that form of infatuation and attention because it’s what he surrounds himself with every day. However, once that “high” dies down, who does he have waiting there for him at home? No one, because in reality, he IS alone and that terrifies him even more due to the fact that he’s the reason behind these self-destructive tendencies.

I’ve been the archer, I’ve been the prey

Who could ever leave me, darling? But who could stay?

(I see right through me, I see right through me)

Who could stay? (4x)

You could stay

Combat, I’m ready for combat

These final lines of the song play a significant role in how Angel’s perspective on love can change for the future. Like I’ve said prior, Angel has never had anyone show real, genuine interest in him before, that is, until he met Husk. Husk has made it very clear in the beginning that he doesn’t like putting up with anyone’s bullshit. While his gruff, no-nonsense exterior may be off-putting to others, Angel is very attracted to how real Husk is in expressing how he feels and that is exactly the kind of person Angel needs in his life right now. Over some time throughout the series so far, we start to see a closer relationship develop between the two as well, how fond and comfortable they are of each other. This scares Angel because like all of his other relationships and his current predicament with Valentino, he’s afraid that Husk will voluntarily leave or be taken away from him forever. So in order to avoid that, Angel is determined to do everything he can to keep Husk a permanent part of his life.

Overall, Angel is well aware that he’s not an easy person to love, but with Husk, he feels as if he could be the one to truly understand and accept him for who he is. That maybe, and hopefully, Husk will be the one to stay for good❤️

A/n: yalll,, this is soo fucking long I’m so sorry😭 but I absolutely love these two with all my heart, literally on my hands and knees like this 🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️ but anywaysss I really hoped you enjoyed it just as much as I loved writing it🥰 PLEASE give me all the feedback you have! I would love to hear everyone’s thoughts and opinions, it would really make my day🥹 Thanks for reading loves!!🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼

#hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel angel dust #hazbin hotel x reader #hazbin hotel husk #hazbin angel dust #hazbin husk #angel dust #angel dust x husk #huskerdust #hazbin valentino #hazbin alastor #hazbin charlie #hazbin vaggie #nifty hazbin hotel #hazbin lucifer #hazbin vox #hazbin sir pentious #hazbin cherri bomb

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piggledy-higgledy · 1 year

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As anyone who’s been looking at my page semi-frequently will have noticed, I am a big Richard Armitage fan. Mostly in love with his portrayal of Gisborne in BBC’s Robin Hood, but I also enjoy most of his other work and consider him a very talented actor (and a very sweet person from what we can tell.)

There has been a lot of furore lately about his latest project, “Obsession” (a series unfortunately promoted as an erotic thriller by Netflix), which is a remake of 1992 film “Damage” (with Jeremy Irons and Juliette Binoche) and based on the book by Josephine Hart. He portrays William Farrow, a married, middle aged, successful surgeon, who has an affair with his son’s fiancé, Anna (Charlie Murphy) -an affair so obsessive that it costs him everything: his career, his family, his son’s life, even his own self (more on that later.) The series features a lot of sex scenes, very light BDSM elements, and a LOT of nudity from RA on a level most fans never thought we’d see (RA being famously private and modest.) The fandom has been divided over this, with some looking forward to it and some being sure it’s not for them at all. From what I can tell (and I might be wrong) most people were put off by either the copious amounts of sex (and the trailer leaned very heavily on that) or the unsavoury morals of the main characters. Which is fair, if it’s not your cup of tea, don’t watch it.

I *did* watch it, and because opinions have been so strong, I wanted to share my thoughts. No disrespect if you prefer to pass. I hope it might be helpful for anyone on the fence and still making up their mind whether to watch or not. Happy to chat more about it if anyone likes! There WILL be spoilers.

Before watching it

I have personally felt very intrigued about this series and I was excited about watching it. Not so much because of the nudity or explicit scenes -or, rather, because of them, but not in the way you might think. Richard Armitage has played very, very few roles where he was primarily the romantic lead, and none later in his career. He tends to be cast in active roles, a lot of dark, violent characters, tense action. When there is romance it’s not the main aspect being explored. And he has NEVER (with the notable exception of Between the Sheets, which was so early in his career I doubt he necessarily had much choice to turn down work) done anything close to this level of sexual screen time. Why now? What made this different? I really wanted to know.

There was another reason I really wanted to watch Obsession. What Richard Armitage does best, in my opinion, is give characters depth (even characters that were clearly not written that way *cough* *Guy* *cough*). He is an incredibly detailed actor and uses his face and eyes to a stunning degree to convey things that go far beyond the dialogue. He has spoken about how he creates complete backstories for all his characters. This project is literally made for his type of acting. There is hardly any action, and leagues of unspoken material. RA called it “one of the most fulfilling pieces of work he’s ever done”. I needed to see why.

After watching it

I binged all 4 episodes in one night. And then again the next morning. And again today. I finished the first episode and thought “Yes, I understand why he wanted to do this.” (He also said in an interview that there was a moment in one scene that he’d never achieved before on film. Having watched this, I believe him.) Is this the kind of series I’d normally gravitate to? No. But I’m glad I watched it. Every single actor was incredible. The filming was beautiful. I just… don’t know where to start.

The story:

In my opinion “Obsession” is not about infidelity or sexual exploration -it’s about William and Anna’s experience with obsession and addiction. Anna isn’t just having an affair. She is addicted to being in control and to using sex as a means of asserting that control. (We learn that she had a brother who sexually abused her for years and committed suicide when she finally put a stop to it. And throughout the series, she reacts to strong emotions by initiating sex. Charlie Murphy described the character as a “dominant submissive” and that’s spot on, not just in the way that she sets the rules and boundaries of their sexual relationship, but in the way that, having been abused, asserts her control on the situation she had to submit to as a young girl by controlling when and how she submitted). William is not just having an affair. He is obsessed and addicted to Anna to the point that it completely deconstructs him as a person. He is the counterpoint to Anna’s character, in that he has no control. He doesn’t initiate, he doesn’t resist, he can’t or won’t control his reactions or his impulses and he completely loses control of his life as a result of his actions. In the final episode Jay, the son, discovers the affair and in shock, falls off a railing to his death. There is a scene where William faces his wife after everything is revealed and watching Richard Armitage convey all those emotions without saying a word is some of the best acting I’ve seen in my life. I don’t know what part of himself RA drew from to act the guilt and grief and absolute devastation in that scene but it was… amazing and heartbreaking. Even then, the obsession wins. When Jay dies, we see Anna walking away while William cradles the body of his son, paying her very little attention. I completely believe that he is broken in the scenes that follow. But after a few days the addiction takes over and he still seeks out Anna, convinced they can now be together (“there’s no version of this with just you,” she’d told him earlier on, but he clearly thinks otherwise). And we get the following:

W: … I let uncertainty in. (NB: What is uncertainty but lack of control?)

A: And look what happened. I don’t think… we can ever separate who we are from what we’ve done.

W: But… we can’t let it all be for nothing either (NB: William’s voice breaks here. He’s lost everything he ever cared about, she’s the only thing left. Does this phrase mean he thinks there was depth in their affair? Or does it mean that he is looking for meaning and depth so that he can cope with the fact that he sacrificed everything for an obsession and an addiction?)

A: Jay died because of us.

W: Still I wouldn’t change it (TNB: THIS! This phrase upset so many viewers! And of course it did, it was supposed to. The acting is, again, amazing. This isn’t said to Anna, this is introspection. William is looking inside himself, realises he wouldn’t change it, realises how much of himself he’s lost.)

A: You don’t regret it?

W: How can I?

A: We caused so much pain

W: But it’s done now.

A: I am so sorry for what happened. But I wish we’d never met. (She walks away, leaving William sobbing. Because there. is. nothing. left.)

The sex:

I hate that this was marketed as a sexy series because it created all sorts of hype and expectations that were misplaced imo. The story was never about the sex. Morgan Lloyd Malcolm said a couple of days ago on Twitter that it’s about “sitting in the discomfort of human behaviours” and that is spot on. Like I said above, this is a story of addiction. Anna is not addicted to the sex -she is addicted to using sex for control. That’s why Anna and William never kiss (she is the one controlling their physical interactions. William leans in to kiss her in many scenes, she never lets him.) That’s why the music is so jarring in all the sex scenes. That’s why there’s no foreplay, that’s why William never lasts long. That’s why they only ever have sex on the floor or in public, never in a safe, comfortable place like a bed. They are not comfortable. This is not a comfortable situation. We, as viewers, are supposed to be uncomfortable. The infamous hotel pillow scene was meant to demonstrate the turning point in William’s addiction, the complete loss of control, I think. It was never supposed to be funny or sexy -it was meant to disturb us because this intelligent, cultured, previously collected man becomes completely animalistic. Which is why he sobs afterwards -I think this is the point when William realises that (as Ingrid puts it later) “he is lost to her”. William’s face after their first sexual encounter is the face of a man under the influence. When she gets up to leave he makes this movement with his fingers like he is trying to hold on to her, but only grabs air. It’s just a twitch -but it’s Richard Armitage and we know how detailed he is in his acting, and I am sure it was a gesture with meaning.

The intimate scenes in Obsession are sometimes sensual, sometimes uncomfortable, sometimes genuinely hard to watch but never gratuitous.

Why a fan of Richard Armitage or anyone writing for his characters should watch it:

Again, you do you, but hear me out: This series is a veritable treasure trove of body language, voice/cadence, facial expressions that you can then apply to your favourite RA character. The longing. The conflict. The loss of control. The vulnerability. The eye contact. The fact that the lover’s name is Anna, which is also my name. Also, I’m being completely serious when I say that this is some of the best acting I’ve seen him do *ever*. If you can only bring yourself to watch parts of it, do that. There were some scenes that genuinely made me tear up. Look after yourself, respect your boundaries, but sample what you can because it’s a veritable banquet.

PS: I am focusing on Richard Armitage for this review because I came to Obsession from that fandom. But every single actor gives an amazing performance. I especially adored Charlie Murphy as Anna, Indira Varma being astounding as Ingrid and the criminally underrated Marion Bailey as Anna’s mother, Elizabeth, who packs SO MUCH into so few scenes.

#obsession #netflix obsession #richard armitage #indira varma #Charlie Murphy #william farrow #mine #my review

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momojedi · 6 months

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— CELL TALK pairing. crosshair x gn! reader

type. oneshot note. continuation to this right here warnings. its the imperial croissant guys idk - once again based on tlou

star wars masterlist

“You’re making this a lot harder for yourself than it needs to be."

I scoff at the sniper’s words. Crosshair watches me and I notice the hint of mockery in his tone, his voice slightly modulated through the helmet.

Having found myself surrounded by what felt like an entire legion of troopers, I had little choice but to submit to the Empire, which, in turn, has led to my swift capture. The cell they've unceremoniously tossed me into is cold and of imperial architecture. For the past three days, I have done little but sit around and deny whatever food or comfort they offered me - for proper intel in return, of course - to spare the last ounce of my dignity.

Throughout my unintended stay, Crosshair has made it his personal mission to torment me. He visits my cell regularly, engaging in a dangerous game of death stares and hurling insults, the latter being primarily his effort to extract information about his brothers and their current whereabouts from me.

Naturally, I haven’t given in. When the Batch and I got separated, I was determined to keep them safe and hidden, no matter who I was to come across. And this sneaky little sniper is no exception.

Crosshair lets out a low, sardonic chuckle as he continues to bear down on me, his cocky demeanor barely contained. Overwhelmed by anger, I can't hold back the anger, spitting on the floor right in front of the energy barrier that keeps us apart. "You're a kriffing animal."

His reply is accompanied by a certain smugness that compliments his arrogance as he removes his helmet, revealing a self-satisfied grin. "Well, that's awfully quick to judgment," he replies in a faked disappointed tone. "Especially considering you and your beloved batch of rogue clones killed... how many troopers was it?"

His words stoke the flames of my anger, but I manage to maintain my composure. "They didn't give us a choice," I hiss, slowly rising from my seated position on the icy floor. "At least we don't target innocent civilians."

Crosshair appears momentarily taken aback before regaining his composure and casually inserting a toothpick between his teeth. "That's a bold statement," he retorts, leaning against the cell's cold, unforgiving wall. "We only do what's necessary to keep the Empire and its citizens safe."

Rolling my eyes in disbelief as he continues, "We do everything we can to protect our own, by any means necessary."

His response ends with a sinister grin, and he maintains eye contact with me through the laser barrier. "So, what's next? You're going to have me executed by a firing squad?" I growl, taking a step as close as the cell would allow me.

He smiles teasingly, a glint of amusement in his eyes. "I'd prefer not to," he replies. I can't help but release a dry chuckle. "You're so full of shit."

Crosshair's demeanour suddenly shifts as he moves away from the wall to stand directly in front of me. "On the contrary," he states, his tone growing serious. "I've been nothing but honest with you. It's your turn now. It's the only way I'll be able to convince Rampart."

"Convince him of what?" I inquire.

"To spare your life," Crosshair says, and for a brief moment, I detect a flicker of something else in his eyes. He quickly shakes it off and continues, "You could be a valuable asset to the Empire. You're loyal, skilled, and..." His gaze roams up and down my body, leaving me to shift uncomfortably as I instinctively cross my arms over my chest, "...special."

Shaking my head quickly, I attempt to clear my thoughts and growl, "I should have killed you when I had the chance. You're nothing but a rat. Keep up the façade, Crosshair, but sooner or later, you'll see the Empire's true nature. I'll never join your cause, and if it means my death, so be it. You're not only a disgrace to your brothers but to yourself as well, and deep down, you know it."

Crosshair listens impassively, his expression inscrutable as he continues chewing on the toothpick in his mouth. A shiver runs down my spine when he finally withdraws the toothpick from his lips.

"I see," he mutters softly. Then, he flicks the toothpick away and pulls his helmet back on, his voice once again modulated through the speakers as he turns to leave. I don't expect any more words from him, but to my surprise, he halts just before exiting.

"How did you put it?" he asks, his back turned to me. "Executed by a firing squad?" I swallow hard as I hear a deep chuckle escape him.

"See you later, [name]."

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omg-im-such-a-masochist · 11 months

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I know it’s not spooky season (I believe you can celebrate all year) but we need more vampire Matt please

As a spooky bitch, yes! We can and should celebrate it all year 😌 And as vampire unhealthy lover more Vamp!Matt has me drooling 🤤

Tag: @theworldofotps , @writtingrose , @letsgivethisonemoreshot , @aerynscrichton , @daddyhausen , @melissahausen , @unoficialy-married-to-ace-austin , @sophiewolfheart-blog , @sultryfandoms , @new-zealand-chic , @crowleysqueenofhell , @thealliasylum , @legit9thlunaticwarrior , @baysexuality , @josiewrites , @seeingstarks , @irish-newzealand-idian-dutch , @whenimakeitshine1234 , @moxkindagirl , @sunshinevirus , @im-just-a-mississippi-girl , @tahiri-veyla

This was going to be the one job that would give you the attention you needed to boost your career even further. As a crime journalist, your career needed a solid base for you to be taken seriously in this predominantly male field.

In college they called you “the steamroller”, the nickname was primarily used as a way to repress you and prevent you from standing out in a mainly male class. But little did they know you were anything but a quitter nor did you back out from a challenge, so now - a few years later- the nickname that once had a pejorative tone to it, became a reason for pride and respect in the investigative journalism field.

Now, with the crime wave involving vampires that was currently taking place all over California, you did the one thing no one had the courage to do, and that is interviewing the man responsible for making California the biggest vampire state in America: Matt Jackson.

Your choice of clothes for this interview was well thought through, this was a man over two thousand years old! If there was a thing he sure had seen plenty in his life was a pair of tits - without mentioning what resides below the female waist - meaning provocative clothes would have no effect on him whatsoever. So you didn’t even bother to be the embodiment of the hot secretary fantasy with your pencil skirts and too many open blouse buttons. You settled for a white dress shirt opened just enough to expose your upper chest area, a pair of black tailored wide-leg pants, black stiletto heels, and a loose Brigitte Bardot style bun to break the too-crisp look.

You had finished rolling your long sleeves back to your elbows when the door opened. His scent floated to your nostrils before you caught a glimpse of him leaning against your office's door.

"I hope you didn't get bored while waiting for me" Matt smirked, sharp fangs gleaming underneath the moonlight that shone from the big windows.

"Good evening to you as well, Mr. Jackson" You offered your hand for a handshake "Thank you for agreeing to this"

He only chuckled back, silently refusing your hand as he stepped closer to you "I don't like handshakes, they're too formal, too impersonal" Matt's chocolate eyes had a sparkle of livid fire that somehow caused your confident self to momentarily lose any urge to resist to him.

"But I do accept a kiss though" His smirk grew wider until it transformed into a malicious grin.

You turned around and headed back to your seat before you gave in and agreed to anything this man proposed to you "I'm afraid that's not very professional, Mr. Jackson"

"I won't tell if you don't" He winked and leaned over your desk until he hovered above you again "How much thrusting do you think these office chairs can take before breaking?"

"I doubt you don't know the answer to that already"

Matt's laugh was low and predatory-like, his warm breath coated your lips as he leaned even closer "It's been a while since I tested that, perhaps they changed the technology and nowadays they last longer"

“Perhaps you should take a seat so we can start our interview, sir” You answered nonchalantly

“Hmmm…sir” Matt tested the word on his tongue and grinned “I like the sound of that word coming out of your mouth, dovey”

“Mr. Jackson-”

“Oh, that sounded even better! And you know what? My bedroom walls would bounce off your pleading voice resulting in a lovely echo. You should come with me and see it for yourself”

“I’m pretty sure your bed is already filled with too many women, sir”

“Jealous?” Matt chuckled, his lips wandering dangerously close to yours, warm breath slowly fanning over your neck as he continued “Very few humans can have such a marking scent, dovey. And even fewer humans can turn me on just by their scent alone. But there’s something about you that’s very palatable. Perhaps it’s your sharp tongue, or self-confidence, or even the fact that you’re incredibly turned on by me but you’re trying your best to not let it show”. Matt knelt on top of the desk, hands gripping your white dress shirt and ripping it apart causing the small buttons to fly across the room.

“Are you fucking insane?!” You covered yourself with your arms, in an attempt to keep his wandering eyes from traveling to your - now-exposed - breasts. The black see-through lace scraped against your forearms and was enough to hide your hardened nipples.

“One of the powers I developed when I was turned was to be able to capture scents in a very unique way. See, every scent is attached to either a memory or a wish, I can smell the ocean on someone’s skin and know if is it because they wish to be or live by the beach or if it’s because they grew up in the seashore” Matt grabbed your face, squeezing your cheeks together and pulling you closer to him before smirking.

“When I got in here I could smell your arousal. It was as strong as a punch in the gut. Then, of course, I saw the image attached to it. You wanted me to fuck you on top of your desk the minute you saw me by the door, in fact, you imagined me fucking you on the desk, on the chair, on the floor, against the walls, and the most fun one: against the large windows. Everything was pictured in your mind in less than 5 seconds, and after you got wet enough to ruin your desk chair, you forced yourself to not think about it…just until you get home to your vibrator that is. But let me tell you something, little dove” Matt’s tongue traced the outline of your red lips “What that sweet, tight pussy is hungry for, a vibrator can’t ease it, only I can. Your need is for my cock, not your battery-operated friend. Because unlike him, I can go for days on end without the need for a charger” He pulled you forward until your body was glued against his, Matt let his hand fall from your cheeks to around your neck and he lightly applied pressure with a grin “And I doubt he can eat pussy like I can”

“You sure talk a big game, Mr. Jackson. But something tells me you can’t live up to your promises. Plus, if I wanted to be one of your unmemorable quick fucks, I would’ve gone to your little club. I called you here because I want an interview with the most well-known vampire in California to get his insight about vampire-related crimes, that’s all”

Matt bit his lower lip to restrain himself from fucking you right there and then. *That fucking smart mouth will haunt me like the worst nightmare. I won’t be able to take this little slut out of my head* He thought to himself and chuckled “Of course that’s the only reason why you called me here because you’re so professional, aren’t you, little dove? Do you want an interview? I’ll give you an interview” Matt pushed you back on your chair, your trembling legs did you the favor of making you fall not so gracefully on the black leather and you stared up at him as he turned on your laptop.

You watched his hands unbuckling his black belt and when the screen before you lit up with your name and space to enter your password, Matt growled:

“Let’s see how well you can type with a cock deep inside you”

#matt jackson x reader #matt jackson imagine #matt jackson #young bucks #the young bucks #masochist writes

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anachrosims · 7 months

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ANACHROSIMS COMMISSIONS

OPEN AS OF 09/30/2023!

ALL COMMISSIONS ARE FOR SIMS 4 ONLY.

Commission prices are based off effort required and, primarily, labor costs per hour. I put a lot of effort and love into what I do and I can understand if that makes these prices prohibitive.

If you would still like to support my work, you are welcome to donate or subscribe to the following places:

Thundersongs @ KoFi

Anachrosims @ Patreon

You can also find me on Pinterest!

Further ways to support me: Reblog here at Tumblr! I also have other blogs, like:

@anachrobuilds which is just me spamming with build project pictures

@anachroccfinds my CC finds blog

@anachroancientfinds a CC-finds blog catering to ancient civ CC

@prydainroyals my story sideblog containing stories about my Sims 4 royal family, as well as other stories within that world.

Thank you all SO MUCH for how kind and wonderful you are!!

Pricing, FAQ, and submission form are under the cut!

IMPORTANT NOTES:

Slots are limited! Filling out the form is not a guarantee. Please keep an eye on my Tumblr for status of whether things are open/closed.

If I am not able to get to you by November, I will keep you on the waitlist and you'll be bumped to the top next time commissions are open.

Patreon subscribers get priority!

All content will be released immediately for the public once you have it and are happy with it.

To request a commission, you MUST fill out the submission form. All other requests sent via Patreon or Tumblr will be ignored.

LOTS & ROOMS (COMMUNITY & RESIDENTIAL)

You can choose to let me include CC or you can choose to have me avoid CC. The price is the same either way since CC is not what is being commissioned in this instance.

I am currently not doing larger/more complicated lots at this time.

Check this image-heavy post for examples of what I can do!

LOTS:

Small lots (max. 20x) are $30

Medium lots (30x - 40x) are $45

ROOMS:

Small rooms (10x10 tiles or less) are $15

Medium rooms (15x15 - 20x20) are $20

SIMS & HOUSEHOLDS

Again, with or without CC.

At the moment, humans ONLY.

2-5 Sims ONLY.

Check out this image-heavy post of examples of Sims!

PRICING:

Single Sim - $6

Sim Household (2-3 Sims) - $8

Sim Household (4-5 Sims) - $10

PORTRAITS

I am not doing large group portraits at this time.

I am not doing portraits of more than 3 sims at this time due to time/energy constraints as I move out of state.

Check out this image-heavy post of examples of portraits!

PRICING:

All portraits will be in 1 (ONE) frame color of your choice included.

Frame can be from any Sims 4 game that I own, OR a custom content frame (you must provide a working link to it).

If you want more frame colors, tack on $2 for each new color. So, if you want gold and wood, you would just add $2 to the original price for the set. (1 sim with two frame colors would cost $9 -- 2 individual sims with three frame colors would cost $16)

1 Sim - 4 portraits on 1 mesh of your choice!

1 Sim - 4 portraits on 2 meshes of your choice!

2 Sims - 2 portraits of each individual sim, totalling 4

$12

For couples, there will be 1 portrait of each sim, and 2 of them as a couple, equalling 4

$13

3 Sims - 2 portraits of each individual sim - $14

For family portraits of 3 sims, there will be one family portrait and 1 portrait each for each family member

$15

OBJECT RECOLORS

For EA meshes and for the CC of creators who allow recolors of their work ONLY.

RUGS:

15 swatches, basegame mesh - $6

25 swatches - $12

30 swatches - $15

FURNITURE/MISC:

$5 per object, you’ll get 8 swatches for each one

$20 for 5-6 objects

$35 for 10 objects

POSES

Currently not doing animal or toddler/infant poses, sorry!

I am also not doing poses with accessories, or animations.

PRICING:

5 CUSTOM POSES - $10

10 CUSTOM POSES - $20

15-20 CUSTOM POSES - $25

Want to commission me? Of course you do!

Head on over to the Google form and fill it out.

Reminder: Requests for commission are not a guarantee of my acceptance.

FILL OUT THIS SECURE GOOGLE FORM TO REQUEST A COMMISSION!

#sims 4 #sims 4 cc #sims 4 custom content #sims 4 commissions

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sp-epari-digitalmedia · 4 months

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Ghost of Tsushima: A Total Work of Art?

BLOG 2: GESAMTKUNSTWERK AS A TOOL IN GAMES

During my 2022 internship at Buffalo Soldiers, a coworker gave me a choice between swords and guns. Because of my historical background, I went with the swords. With its focus on katanas, the game Ghost of Tsushima initially looked enticing, but it soon showed itself to be a masterwork of storytelling and graphics thanks to that decision. I discovered a game in feudal Japan that piqued my interest beyond simple entertainment, so I used Gesamtkunstwerk's theory to explore the game's potential as a cohesive work of art.

About Ghost of Tsushima

Sucker Punch Productions created Ghost of Tsushima, a third-person open-world action-stealth game, only for the PlayStation 4. The story takes place on the Japanese island of Tsushima in 1274. The player controls Jin Sakai, the hero, as he fends off a Mongol invasion. The article was released on July 17, 2020.

Ghost of Tsushima is a narrative-driven action-adventure game featuring combat and stealth elements. Smaller side stories form an anthology around the main plot. It is only loosely based on true historical events and is entirely fictional, intended only for entertainment. It is not an accurate historical retelling.

In the year 1274 AD, on the island of Tsushima, nearly every samurai warrior stationed on the island is vanquished by the monstrous Mongol Empire, who wreaks havoc and conquers Tsushima. Samurai warriors are the mythical guardians of Japan. With the aid of his allies, Jin Sakai, one of the last living samurai, rises from the ashes to fight back, but the noble strategies and samurai code will not be enough to defeat the Mongols. Jin must transcend samurai traditions and forge a new fighting style known as the way of the Ghost as he fights an unconventional war for Japan's freedom.

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Academic Standpoint

Developed by German philosopher Karl Friedrich Trahndorff in 1827 and made popular by composer Richard Wagner in the middle of the 19th century, Gesamtkunstwerk is the term used to describe the idea of a "total work of art." The term, which combines the German words "Gesamt," which means whole or total, and "Kunstwerk," which means artwork, conveys the idea of a cohesive and all-encompassing piece of art that combines different artistic elements to create a pleasing whole. (Wagner, 1993)

Game Elements

Thematic

Storyline

The narrative of Ghost of Tsushima centers on Jin Sakai, a samurai and the last living member of the Sakai clan, during the Mongol invasion of Tsushima Island in 1274. In a last-ditch effort to save his homeland, Jin transforms himself as the "Ghost," disregarding the long followed traditional samurai principles in favor of stealth and guerilla tactics following a devastating defeat at the hands of Khotun Khan's Mongol forces. Players will see Jin's internal conflict between upholding his honor and adjusting to the harsh realities of war as the game progresses. In his mission to fend off the Mongol invaders and uphold the samurai traditions, Jin must negotiate the complex politics of Tsushima, form alliances with other fighters, and confront moral dilemmas.

Cultural Reference

The story primarily is set around Mongol Invasion of 1274 and 1281 in Japan. Kublai Khan the grandson of the great Genghis Khan was primarily responsible for the invasion. Although most of the information in the game is false in order to make it more entertaining for the players. Some of the flaws were as follows: 1. Characters like Jin Sakai, Shimura and Khotun Khan who are the prime figures of the game are not real or based around real people. 2. There was no single person who was responsible for liberating Japan form the clutches of Mongolians. 3. Samurais necessarily didn't wield a sword, instead used bows and spears as they preferred long distance combat. The following were some extra references I came across in the game: 1. Shinto Shrines and Japanese Mythology and Folklore: Shinto Shrines were all across the game map and were more of a collectable than something very important. Upon visiting these shrines, the player received a charm which were named after Japanese gods. 2. Kitsune / Fox-Den: A collectible, however fox or kitsune are considered holy in Japanese folklore. This collectible unlocked charm slots in the player's inventory. 3. Artefacts and Records: There were Mongolian Artefacts and records dispersed all across the map. All the artefacts added facts and historical richness to the game.

Visuals

Art

The game's art style is a multifaceted masterpiece, showcasing various layers that contribute to its overall realism. Ghost of Tsushima skillfully captures the very essence of feudal Japan, a testament to the meticulous efforts of its creators. The commitment to authenticity extends even to the user interface, where Japanese Ink Paintings seamlessly integrate, elevating the visual appeal of the game. This attention to detail not only enhances the overall aesthetic but also immerses players in a visually rich and culturally resonant gaming experience.

Locations

The finely detailed locations in the game are modelled after actual locations on Tsushima Island, Japan. Ghost of Tsushima expertly recreates well-known locations like Tsu-Tsu, Komoda Beach, and Keneda Fortress while maintaining a careful balance between realism and aesthetic appeal. The game makes a deliberate decision to stray from perfect visual accuracy even though it remains faithful to the veracity of these locations. This deliberate decision improves the player experience overall by fostering an environment that is both visually stunning and immersive.

Costumes

In Ghost of Tsushima, the clothes and accessories perfectly capture the spirit of the era, offering moving mirrors of the game's historical backdrop. The Straw Hat Ronin serves as an example of how careful considerations were made during the creation of the character outfits, which were inspired by a real historical organization. The Ronin were skilled fighters who differed from samurais in their devotion to wealth and honor. Their ensembles of Mongols, Samurais, Soldiers, and other supporting cast members all adorably mimic historical costume realism. Every ensemble not only honors the period's authenticity but also gives the characters they portray a deeper level of narrative complexity.

Cinematics

The success of the game can be largely ascribed to its narrative strength, which is skillfully brought to life through cinematic mastery. The attention to visual storytelling is evident in the use of different camera techniques throughout the cutscenes. Using extreme long shots strategically to capture expansive locations with a forward-moving trucking effect is noteworthy. Contrarily, dialogue is skillfully presented through medium shots, with a variety of close-ups—from medium to extreme close-ups—highlighting facial expressions. These cinematic devices go beyond cutscenes; they become moving fillers that show the player's choices' visual consequences after the mission. The visual story is further elevated by the use of compositional principles like the rule of thirds and leading lines in conjunction with camera techniques like depth of field and defocus. The careful use of various lighting techniques gives Ghost of Tsushima a further degree of cinematic elegance.

Audio

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Rich ambient sounds and moody background scores are expertly blended in Ghost of Tsushima to create a cinematic experience. Featuring a variety of indigenous instruments, such as the mesmerizing Koto and the heartfelt bamboo flute, the musical tapestry, led by Sony and directed by Ilan Eshkeri and Shigeru Umebayashi. By reflecting the essence of feudal Japan, this thoughtful decision heightens the game's cultural resonance.

Additionally, the game is available in both English and Japanese, demonstrating the developers' dedication to authenticity in language choices. By keeping the spirit and cultural quirks that make Ghost of Tsushima such a singularly compelling experience, this bilingual approach guarantees that players will be able to fully immerse themselves in the game.

Other Mechanics

Gameplay Mechanics is what gives a plethora choice to the player about how a player wants to play the game. One can be either offensive and fight head on or be stealthy like a ninja. The game offers a wide variety of weapon options and ninja tools to. One can even change the appearance and get different benefits based around the outfits you choose. This variety makes it an even better gaming experience for the player.

There is even poetry in the game. In the form of Haiku one can discover scenic locations and also be able to collect headbands that players can use as their gear.

Conclusion

The game should be considered a piece of art as the media transcends to various means. A very good proof is the awards and nomination the game has got. The game has been nominated for its Art Direction, Narrative, Audio, Performance and many more. This simply justifies how the game can be considered a total work of art.

References

Wagner, R. (1993) The Art-Work of the Future and other works. U of Nebraska Press.

PlayStation (2020) Ghost of Tsushima - Story Trailer | PS4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTNfgIAi3pY.

Full Album (2020) Ghost of Tsushima (Music from the Video Game) | Full Album. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTilIIzSea4.

#game design #game art #game theory #game #video games #gaming #ghost of tsushima #sucker punch #character design #game awards #game of the year #game audio #costume #katana #samurai #ronin #environment #Youtube

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imagitory · 1 year

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So my seventy-year-old mother and I saw Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio in theaters the other day, and it’s official —

We both like this film better than the Disney version.

Admittedly Pinocchio has never been one of our favorite Disney films nor stories in general, but we still do think of the Disney version primarily when we think of the story, just like a lot of people do. I do think Disney’s songs are much better, and of course the animation in the Disney version is gorgeous — but just about everything else, Mum and I like better in Del Toro’s film.

Pinocchio in Disney’s version just sort of naively follows whatever the last person told him to do in the beginning, with few feelings or opinions of his own. When he gets roped into being an actor by Foulfellow and Gideon, he just completely forgets about school or about Geppetto. Jiminy Cricket even explicitly tells him to tell Foulfellow he’s sorry, but he has to go to school, and mere seconds later, that advice has gone in one ear and out the other. Del Toro’s Pinocchio, however, remembers that he wanted to go to school and obey his dad — he instead only intends to go to the carnival and then to school, but gets distracted by how fun it is, which is a very normal thing for a child to do. And when he sees how upset that’s made his father, he joins the carnival in a misguided attempt to make things right. Del Toro’s Pinocchio embodies the essence of a child much more accurately than Disney’s version to me — the hyperactivity, the enthusiasm, the desire to please — and never fails to show that however much Pinocchio learns about the world, he’s still just a kid.

Disney’s Pinocchio never really gets much time to bond with his father, nor do we really learn much about Geppetto or why (if he so desperately wanted a child) he never just adopted one — Del Toro’s Pinocchio and Geppetto’s relationship is so much more heart-wrenching not just because Pinocchio was a drunken, rushed attempt by Geppetto to try to recreate his lost son, but because both of them have to learn a lesson and grow beyond their flaws and mistakes. Del Toro’s Geppetto haphazardly building Pinocchio out of drunken grief perfectly explains both his motivations and fleshes out his character and personality so much, and the conflict regarding suddenly having Pinocchio as a son after having lost Carlo is so believable and heartbreaking.

Disney’s Pinocchio is brought to life by a seemingly omniscient Blue Fairy who decides to only half-grant Geppetto’s odd wish for Pinocchio to be a real boy. Del Toro’s Pinocchio is brought to life by a much more chaotic, mysterious, and mercurial pagan entity, which better explains why Pinocchio isn’t magically made human, as well as the strangeness of the premise itself. Her being less aware of humanity or even the trouble Geppetto and Pinocchio would go through because of her choices also makes her less of a deus ex machina in the story.

Disney’s Pinocchio has a very one-sided relationship with Jiminy Cricket, where Pinocchio is intended to learn lessons largely based on Jiminy’s advice, even though Jiminy honestly is no saint either. He can be incredibly condescending and judgmental, as well as hypocritical — yet he’s treated by the Disney film as the moral center. Del Toro’s Pinocchio both learns from and teaches the similarly self-absorbed Sebastian J. Cricket, and they both grow through their experiences both together and apart. Their relationship comes across as much more heartfelt, to the point that Sebastian literally residing in Pinocchio’s heart upon his death is just…AUGH, it wrecks me!!

Disney’s Pinocchio seemingly forgets about his “friend” Lampwick the moment he leaves Pleasure Island. Del Toro’s comforts Candlewick, teaches him to be brave, and even protects him from his terrible fascist father. And yes, even if it’s not shown in the movie, I steadfastly believe Candlewick survived and he and Pinocchio were best friends for the rest of their lives. :|

Disney’s Pinocchio centers around the idea that when you do good, good things happen to you — but the problem I have with that is that what is considered “good” is largely framed as doing as you’re told and not doing what society dictates is delinquent behavior. Yes, it’s good to get an education, and yes, Stromboli was a bad man and you shouldn’t trust strangers — but there’s nothing wrong with going into show biz instead of chasing academics if that’s really what you want to do, and it seems strangely like victim-blaming, to punish a child for getting tricked and manipulated by ill-meaning adults. The same might apply for Pleasure Island — yes, perhaps it’s not healthy to smoke or drink lots of alcohol, and no, you shouldn’t get into fights or damage people’s property…but does that truly justify these stupid children turning into helpless donkeys for the rest of their lives, with seemingly no chance at rescue or redemption? Pinocchio gets a chance to make amends and do better, so why don’t the other boys?

Del Toro’s Pinocchio, however, is about — in Sebastian’s words — “doing the best you can, because that’s all anyone can do.” Pinocchio wants to be good and do good, but what’s “good” isn’t always so simple to define. It isn’t always doing what you’re told, but it’s also not always doing what you want when you want, either. And ultimately, Pinocchio’s innocence and relative immortality (at least at the beginning) makes it easier for him to break the strings that have been tied around his loved ones — the strings of obedience to a cruel carnival man, an unloving father, or even a fascist dictatorship.

Then of course there’s the ending, where Del Toro’s Pinocchio becomes a “real” boy without having to change himself on the outside — and better yet, lives happily while still never having to change. And yes, the ending states he’ll probably die someday too, but that is also completely okay.

So yeah. Go see this movie in theaters or watch it on Netflix, if you haven’t already. It truly is a wonderful experience and I can’t wait to watch it again! ✨

#guillermo del toro's pinocchio #pinocchio #Disney #review #opinion #analysis #guillermo del toro

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betterbooksandthings · 1 year

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All The Things I love About Shadow and Bone Season 2

I am here today to give you a Tumblr classic list post about my new favorite thing Shadow and Bone Season 2. You might say “but they deviated from the source material so far” and “it was rushed” and “how are they going to move on from everyone being in the wrong place” and to that, I have a series of answers. Naturally, SPOILERS are below.

First, the season was based on books two and three of the shadow and bone series and Crooked Kingdom as well as some new stuff thrown in to make the Crows and the SOB stuff combine. I think they did a good job of exploring specific character backgrounds and trauma for the Crows (with the assumption that the aspects that were missing will be in Season 3). In my opinion, they fixed the problems I had with SOB primarily by making both Alina and Mal reasonable characters that I want to root for. My guess is they are setting up an Alina and Mal reunite plotline that will coincide with Nikolai and Zoya developing their relationship. The ending sets us up for the main plot of Six of Crows and King of Scars and so I think the pirate ship will return, but not before dropping off Inej in the barrel because she is needed for a job with the Crows. Now, I assume Matthias will die at the end of Season 3 so Nina is set up for the rest of the King of Scars plotline so we will have to prepare for that. With the early death of you know who, these things might just happen. I think the show did a great job setting us up for a new season and I support all the changes so, without further ado, here is what I loved.

1. Jesper and Waylan are perfect. I love their new relationship timeline and the actors have such good chemistry. I think the internet agrees that Waylan is perfectly written and cast and is so good at his job. I don’t mind the absence of a slow burn there and was a big fan of the butterfly scene. Also, the costume department knows how to dress them both and to whoever made the skirt choice thank you sincerely.

2. Matthias in prison did a great job extending the angst of being wrongly convicted that we just did not see in the books. Also, those flashbacks to Nina are golden and I cannot wait for him to be freed and meet the rest of the Crows.

3. Kazzle Dazzle is really giving book Kaz and I love him. I really did not think they would cast a child actor to reenact his backstory because that is a lot to ask for a child to do with a level of believability but they got every detail. What a great casting choice there. Then we have a thorough examination of his trauma and vendetta against Rollins. Those fight scenes were perfect and I loved every side-eye in the show.

4. Inej and Kaz moments were all here. We got a lot of their iconic scenes but not all of them and you bet I am waiting for season 3 to see where they develop things. So many times Kaz gave the “well obviously I’m in love with you” body language that accompanied something unhinged like firing her from the Crows to keep her safe. These actors understood the assignment. I love them and need more please and thank you.

5. Nina is my favorite. I can’t wait for her and Matthias to get together but she is still excellent and she at least got to eat waffles in this season so that’s something.

6. I am hoarding all the Nikolai and Zoya scenes but I do love what they got as individuals. Nikolai is a wonderful example of casting gone right. Perfect as both a second son and a chaotic pirate. Just yes.

7. Alina is so much better in the show. It needs to be acknowledged. Also, great scenes with her and Mal. Small amounts of resentment between them because of her power is unfortunately book accurate, but it was more reasonable in the show if I’m honest. I also think her ending was interesting. I know we see her smiling at the end after the murder happens but honestly I don’t think that is an immediate red flag for her being a villain. She did prevent the deaths of everyone around her and they can do whatever they want with her next season. I think they will resolve it halfway through the next season honestly.

8. Last for now, the addition of the sword heist was excellent. It did a lot to flesh out the rest of the world prior to the Six of Crows plot. I was also a big fan of the drug-based character development. Plus, it gave Waylan a chance to save the day. I like how it gave Nina and Zoya a chance to resolve their disagreements about leaving the army. It also gave us a Inej saves Kaz scene that was really important. It never existed in the books and was a great addition to the show. Big fan.

So I loved basically everything and I for sure missed some but here is my current list. I am really banking on the Tumblr gifsets and Tiktok fan edits to see me through (free idea for someone to do an edit of any of the crows but mostly Matthias to hozier’s eat your young please). Now I am waiting for an announcement where hopefully we are given a Season 3. Nothing is guaranteed these days but I love delusionally manifesting more content for the things I am invested in.

#All The Things I love About Shadow and Bone Season 2 #Shadow and Bone Season 2 #SOB #six of crows #leigh bardugo #Shadow and Bone spoilers #Shadow and Bone #please give me a season 3 #I need it

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inukag-archive · 2 years

Note

Is it too much to ask for some InuKag fic that treats Kikyo sympathetically? Not in the sense that she has to be portrayed as an innocent angel or that we can never acknowledge her wrongdoings, but I am getting real sick of seeing her being called an abusive bitch.

I would like my recs to be Sessrin free, please and thank you.

Hello and thank you for your patience, @lazy8blog. As you pointed out, it is a bit difficult to find stories (especially based in canon) that are primarily/endgame InuKag, feature Kikyo as an active character (as opposed to just mentioned in passing), and also treat her sympathetically. But after some digging, we were able to put together a list of fics that do just that! We tried to focus mainly on canon-based or canon-divergent stories, but in order to provide you with more reading material, we also included some (amazing!) AUs. We hope you find something you enjoy on this list!

Graveyard Flowers by Kaononaitsuki (M)

I will make your pain eternal, I will make flowers bury you. I will make flowers your graveyard.

Five Stages of Grief by @kstewdeux (NR)

No summary provided.

If We Fall Anyway by @soliska (T)

What if the shikon jewel didn’t exist and Naraku never came to be? What if Kagome fell down the well anyway and met a gruff, young inu-hanyou. Would they still become friends? What would be their story?

A tale told in snippets.

Everything After You by thegirlwho_returned (T)

The jewel is gone. Kikyo has survived. InuYasha must now choose between the life he has promised and the life that he wants. Everything after you is a story about finding love again, even when you thought you couldn’t have it. InuxKag. Alternate ending.

Fever Dream by @clearwillow (E)

Four months have passed since Inuyasha got his act together. Naraku's gone. The jewel is gone. Things are supposed to be better, right? Maybe once the long list of things to do are crossed off. Inuyasha and Kagome a whole new mess of problems to deal with in the meantime. She wants to graduate. He wants...well, he wants a lot more than he's saying...

Mirror Images by TouchofPixieDust (T)

AU Kagome and Kikyo are two young women unhappy with their lives. One wish turns their lives inside out. Will they ever be able to set things right?

Your Lying Smile by @dawnrider (M)

A beautiful day by the river quickly takes a turn, taking control of her life completely out of Kagome's hands. Her "rescuer" becomes something else entirely before she can get a word in edgewise. Feudal-esue AU

Enchanted by @akitokihojo (T)

"Too bleak?" He asked.

"Not at all." Kagome answered, their eyes meeting. "There's plenty of beauty in embers."

A thud in his chest, a swelling in his diaphragm. He could feel the thin skin of his lips slowly part as he let her statement hang in the air. The stillness between them was comfortable, as was her stare, and he allowed himself a small moment to stop thinking, to stop trying to figure out what was happening and just relish in the peace he'd found. As the sun hid itself behind the distant mountains in the West, shadows filling the woods, Inuyasha pushed himself to stand.

Running to Stand Still by @boflicker (M)

They first met when the world was on fire, or so it felt that summer.

No wait, it was in the jungle; The hitching spot on the side of the train yard. His presence felt so familiar, like she should know his name, could taste the letters like flavors on the tip of her tongue.

Or was it in a time much earlier than that. In another life so different from her own.

Kagome’s Fateful Choice by @neutronstarchild (M)

After she realizes that Inuyasha has chosen Kikyo, Kagome returns the Shikon shards to the Sengoku Jidai in the dead of night, and vows she will remain in her time and never return. But there are some choices capable of setting the world on a different, darker path. When Kagome wakes up to an entirely new future, only she, with the help of Kikyo (who is now a fixture in her soul), can undo the tragedies to which her single choice gave birth.

Catharsis by lucie (T)

Sometimes moving on means letting go of things you never really had.

Inuyasha dreams and learns a few lessons about love along the way.

What is first love anyway?

Monster by @akitokihojo (E)

A murderous demon taints the world with unforgivable crimes, taking out his weakness in secret. Unfortunately for him, it isn't that easy. He thinks he's unstoppable, but his arrogance blinds him to the war blooming before him. Kagome and Inuyasha, both powerful in their own way, and even more so together, step forward to try to put an end to things.

Wish For Me by Vesper_ness (M)

Everyone's aware of Kagome's feelings for Inuyasha. What everyone's not aware of is how emotionally invested she is and that the one thing she longs for is Inuyasha's happiness. That wish will be her biggest test of strength. A one-shot on how Kagome deals with Inuyasha's feelings for Kikyou after he goes to see her.

Tomorrow’s Destiny by @sassybratt9791 (G)

After the battle with Naraku, Kagome counts the loss of life their adventure cost them. Now burdened with protecting the Shikon Jewel, she comes to a decision that would change the course of their history, and their future. Everyone would get their happy ending. Even if she wasn't a part of it.

Picking up the Pieces by @dawnrider and @lemonlushff (E)

Kagome and Inuyasha have both lost their spouses due to different calamities. As the parents of newborns, they now find themselves coming together to raise their children through sheer necessity, and learn to create a new family from the ashes of tragedy.

#inukag archive #inukag fanfic #no kikyo bashing

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angelfoodcake222 · 11 months

Text

MerMay is HERE!!!

What would the Neighbors look like as merfolk? Well, after plenty of research (thank you Wiki, many fishing sites, & relatives irl), here's my take on that in alphabetical order.

🐶🐟Barnaby B. Beagle: Atlantic Spiny Dogfish. Okay, okay, this was an automatic choice just because of the name. Although, two venomous spines, can grow up to 4' (4 feet), often seen hunting prey in dog-like packs (hence the dog-like name), tends to feed primarily on crustaceans, jellyfish, squid, &/or schooling fish. Cod, red hake, goosefish, other spiny dogfish, larger sharks, seals, & killer whales all prey on dogfish. Dogfish also have a habit of getting caught in fishing nets due to their size, often resulting in bycatch (n. the unwanted fish and other marine creatures caught during commercial fishing for a different species). Now, clearly, Barnaby will be the same size as in his bio, same colors to as is the case with everyone else here.

✉️🐟Eddie Dear: Common (freshwater) Carp. These guys are all over the place where I go fishing/crabbing, make for good eating, too. What they do is root around soft sediment They usually feed on aquatic plants, worms, zooplankton, & other small animals found in the deposits. Their rooting upsets the water's bed & degrades their habitats by uprooting vegetation and increasing turbidity (cloudiness in the water due to particles). They're native to freshwater lakes & rivers in Eurasia. They were introduced to the United States in the late 1800s as a new sportfish. Now found in 48 U.S. states & most temperate areas around the globe. They typically prefer slow-moving systems with soft muddy/sandy bottoms. Found in most lakes & rivers in Louisiana. They sort of look like massive goldfish that evolved to be tougher for the wild. Somehow, they're often confused with native small/largemouth buffalo [fish]. Generally, they're a sort of golden brown/brassy green color that wanes to a pale yellow/white belly. The silvery variety can be found too, I've just caught the others. Subterminal mouths with two sets of barbels (AKA: "whiskers") off the upper corners of their mouths, large scales. Like most North American fish, they can grow +50 lbs but are more commonly found between 10-20 lbs.

🦋 🐟Frank Frankly: Florida Pompano. The Florida pompano, part of the jack family, is a species of marine fish with a compressed body, short snout & deeply forked tail. Pompano fish often have a color variation of blue, green & yellow on their dorsal areas with silver &/or yellow on their body & fins. I imagine he/they studies butterfly fish instead of actual butterflies. He'll still pop up to the surface to watch actual butterflies flutter around. Most adults of this breed feed on small surf clams, amphipods (I.e. sand-hoppers/beach-fleas, predaceous ghost shrimp, whale ectoparasites Cyamus, etc.), crabs, shrimp & even mussels. If he finds pearls or precious-looking items, he gives them to Eddie or Julie.

🐛🐟Howdy Pillar: Fimbriated Moray Eel. Get it? Because he's got freckles. Huh, huh? Anyways, these eels (aka Gymnothorax fimbriatus/ dark-spotted moray/spot-face moray), are a moray eel of the family Muraenidae, obviously. They're medium-sized moray that can reach a maximum length of 80 centimeters (31 in), though Howdy would be bigger (+8ft, maybe). Its serpentine-shaped body has a white-cream to light brown background color dotted with numerous dark spots which latter vary in size and shape depending on the individual & maturity. It has a tapered snout, is greenish-yellow with black dots, the corners of the mouth are white, & a very boop-worthy snout tip. He does the same things in his OG counterpart's way but with fish-based needs; worms, fallen crates of goods, fish filets from seemingly nonsentient fish, & so on. Wally is far more slippery, so plucking a chosen item is easier in Mer!form than bing bipedal. Howdy is an eel, so hunting isn't much of a challenge for him.

🌈🐠Julie Joyful: The Lybia Tessellata (commonly named "Pom-pom/Cheerleader/Boxer crab") comes from its symbiotic exercise of brandishing a stinging sea anemone (usually Triactis producta) in each of its claws to fend off predators & possibly to stun prey. Its "boxer crab" title comes from its bellicose reaction to threats. Something about this just fits...

🐔🐳Poppy Partridge: There are a lot of fish in the ocean, like birds in a tree. The chicken could be tuna (chicken of the sea), that much I know. Maybe a little parrot fish for color? Grouper for size? I can't find anything for her.

🌟🐠Sally Starlet: I'll be honest here, I was going to automatically pick a default starfish to go here, but then is kept digging. I'm stuck between a Lion Fish & a Manderinfish. Surprise, surprise, I can't pick. Maybe both with a touch of Flame Angel Fish for color?

😘🐟Wally Darling/Home: Yellowhead Jawfish (AKA; Opistognathus aurifrons) these little darlings [pun intended] are usually seen in undersized colonies around sandy &/or rubble-coated areas near reefs. Their lairs, smallish architectural phenomena, are created by excavating holes and lining them with rocks & shells for support - all done with their mouths. Obviously, Darling is half humanoid so he could use his hands here. Still, it's an interesting idea for him to be the one who builds Home. 🤔

These are just my thoughts on what they'd look like fish-wise. I'll need more time to pick & choose what other traits they'll each keep or lose. Feel free to use this as a sort of prompt or muse material 🤗!

#mermay #merman #Mermaid #Welcome Home #welcome home wally #wally my beloved

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morvantmortuary · 2 years

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Who do you order the plushies from?! I’d love to get a chibi Laszlo for moral support.

Okay!! Thank you for your patience nonny, I had a draft of this the night you sent it in but then tumblr ate it, and I've been running around getting ready to travel for a bit, BUT! I'm somewhere where I'm stationary for a while, so I have plenty of time.

Welcome to Rae's Guide to Having a Plushie Problem ✨

Before we get started, a disclaimer on my part of Yes, I Know; I don't know why plushies are my main vice, I've been like this since I was little and I'm sure it has something to do with my attachment style/being kinda lonely as a Weird KidTM or something etc. etc. I only just got into commissioned plushes during the pandemic, and I tend to save up and order them around my birthday or holidays, bc they definitely tend to be my big splurge purchase for special occasions. :'D

This just means I have a decent amount of experience, though, and can hopefully help you make your choice!

So, primarily I tend to seek out plush artists on Etsy, so most of my links will be through there. You're welcome to search "plush commissions" or some variation of that phrase there to see what you can turn up, but I'm more than happy to walk you through the listings I've used before. For each of them, you'll definitely want to take a look at their initial price range and then contact them directly about what you have in mind for Las - have a couple reference photos for him in the outfit you have in mind to send to whichever one you choose, so that way if the price will go up depending on time needed/materials they can let you know. But also, know that depending on the size of the doll, outfit details might get simplified to some degree, so be ready to decide what traits you definitely want to keep/which ones you'd be willing to minimize.

(I'm so sorry if you already know how this process works, I just tend to overexplain things, both from a teacher and an ADHD standpoint :'D)

Tiny!Maxi and Tiny!Hex are from an artist in the UK called NoizFoxy - she's a sweetheart to work with, and asks lots of great questions about details. For Maxi, I sent her the reference art by my friend Toni that I've shown y'all before, and for Hex I just sent her a photo of Diego from my favorite photoshoot. She has multiple sizes of plush available in her listing at varying price points, so feel free to take a look for yourself; I like having the boys at 8cm bc I appreciate being able to sneak them into a purse or my work bag or whatever when I'm having an anxious day (and it makes it easier to take photos ngl). I maybe carry them around a little more than she'd recommend (Maxi's got a little bit of hair on the side of his head that's starting to come unglued), but he held up through me rotating him in my hand all through my exams and on all sorts of adventures so far, so I just consider it a sign of him being loved Velveteen Rabbit-style. <3

(Here they are close up for detail purposes, from when we first got Hex.)

If you’re looking for something a little bigger, I would recommend flightydollies, who’s based out of Texas! Their plush are made of fleece and felt, and tend to stand just a little taller than chibi!Maxi and Zemo (who I write about down below). They make characters from a dizzying array of fandoms, so definitely check their page to see if there’s anyone else you’d like! I know for a fact though that they’d be a great choice to make Laszlo or Zemo - because I asked them to make both for me a couple birthdays ago:

As you can see, they both came out beautifully, and they hold court on my dresser with my bat collection. <3 I don't tend to take them with me when I travel, bc I don't want to upset any of the details she attached in layers, but she stitches them very sturdily specifically to be loved on, they make wonderful little cheerleaders when I'm working!

If you want to consider less conventional plush types, like the tsum/stackable style plush, bbearpops is a lovely young artist based in Florida who makes those with all sorts of personalization options. They're most active on Insta if you want to look at their work beforehand, and they make tsums in multiple sizes as listed on their etsy (from 3 inches to 12, though IIRC I think you can ask for up to 17" if that's a workable price range for you). She used to work mostly in fleece, but I think for a slight upcharge she's recently started offering to make her plush in minky fabric as well. She's made a huge array of characters, so I think a Las in her style could potentially be really cute! Definitely check out her past creations, she manages to make them really detailed despite the sleeker anatomy!

Their insta can be found here, if you’d like to do some browsing!

If you want something more hugging-sized (11-15 inches), there's also APairAPlushies! She was also a sweetheart to work with, adding in lot of details I wasn't expecting to my commissioned Maxi, and her plushies tend to heftier in size/bulk - they'd go better in an overnight bag/suitcase, maybe not so much in a daily backpack. But if you need something to squish or hug really hard (or bury your face in and scream), this is the model for you! :D

(My photo of this version of Maxi is absolutely refusing to upload for some reason, but if you look at her etsy page, you’ll get a good idea. She surprised me with included bloodstains hidden under his waistcoat and a bloody knife crafted from eva foam, which was super sweet of her!)

If you want something a bit more detailed and articulated, then I would suggest StitchyButton - they have a blog here on tumblr and a twitter where they regularly post their work, and they make a variety of plush types! The version I recommend myself is the Cuddle variety, which is the largest on this list. It tends to have more exaggerated features, and is the perfect size to sit in your lap/on your bed. Their arms are bent at the elbows, which feels a bit like being hugged back at times if that's something you're in the market for :'D And because their legs are somewhat bent at the knees, they sit very well on shelves/ledges/boxes/etc! But Stitchy also makes dolls that are narrower in design that are more for decoration/admiring from afar, and they also-also make smaller bunny/kitten plushies that they'll dress up and add details to so they look like your character of choice (you can even buy them in pairs for your favorite ship, if you have one!). They're a fabulous artist, and while this entry is definitely on the expensive side of this list, they're absolutely worth it for their artistry. Their attention to detail is stunning, and every little touch is expertly made! If you're looking for a Las in a really specific outfit (like his dinner jacket from Delmonico's, or his big fluffy coat), this would be the one I recommend for sure. Please definitely browse their socials, even if you decide you want a different type of plush: their work is so pretty, I legitimately love going through and looking at other dolls they've made just for fun sometimes.

Featured for example purposes: Maxi, whom you've seen before! The light isn’t the best for all the little details, but he has tiny buttons on his waistcoat and little pocket flaps, and his hair is floppy and moveable with the way it’s attached. I didn’t even think she’d take the time to attach his watch, but it’s beautiful!

The most expensive item on this list would be the cotton/Kpop style dolls I've had made for both Maxi and Zemo - they can be made in multiple sizes, but are most usually found in 15 cm and 20 cm. In my experience, they also take a good amount longer than all the other plush on this list (bc you're usually ordering them exclusively from an artist overseas who's either embroidering the face/body details themselves, or has a connection with a factory that can do so). But they're the only ones that have removable clothes, and you can buy premade clothes/outfits/accessories for them on sites like am*z*n and aliexpress, if that's a selling point for you at all. (Though for a character like Las, I don't know that it would have a lot of appeal - most of the clothes that are ready-made tend to be ultra modern and brightly colored, in my experience. So unless you really want to see him in a pink hoodie or a bunny onesie, you probably won't have a lot of alternate options for him). However, this is a kind that's really popular in other countries, so you can find all sorts of interesting things for them if you know where to look. I actually have invested in a couple sort-of cheaper doll ita bags to customize/carry them around in, if I ever wanted to (which I've been meaning to make a separate post about for ages but just haven't got around to it, that being a hobby my adhd brain picked up over this last semester :'D).

Maxi was one I commissioned directly from a company over Twitter, and that was by far my most expensive purchase experience, so I'm not going to rec that info to you unless you ask me specifically bc I don't want to wish that on anybody lmao. (There were a couple moments I thought something was included in what I'd already paid that I then ended up having to pay for separately, I'll put it that way. Everyone was perfectly nice, it was just more than I was expecting based on my initial quote, which happens.)

But for Zemo, I worked with Meizai on Etsy. She's a lovely person, and though her process has definitely started taking longer due to her growing popularity/COVID restrictions coming and going, she's definitely worth the wait and someone I'd order from again. She includes designing your doll from a reference photo in her base price for the doll itself (which is something other artists can charge for separately, depending on where you go), and the doll itself is usually always the same price (though depending on the level of embroidery/face and body detail involved, that could vary). The part where it can get about the same range as Stichy above is the outfit - she counts custom clothes as a separate order (as many places with similar dolls do), and that range can vary also depending on how detailed you'd want the outfit. A minimalist version of Zemo's clothes (which you can see in the photo below) ran me about the basic amount she usually has for clothes, but depending on what you'd want for Las/which outfit you have in mind, it might go up. Bc her process takes more time, you can sometimes go a while without hearing updates, but she tends to respond pretty quickly whenever I sent her a hello/progress inquiry. I think she's got new orders closed rn bc she's trying to keep up with her current batch, but if this is the style of doll you're inclined towards, I'd definitely keep an eye on her for when she opens them again!

(Behold! A smug chibi!Baron, with a funko pop for size/detail comparison.)

Okay, nonny, this is where my expertise runs out. Thanks for letting me babble at you about these artists; they're all a delight to work with and consummate pros in my experience, so no matter which one you pick, you’ll be in good hands! I also just really love plush as an artform as well as my main bad habit lmao. If you have any more questions, I'll be happy to answer them! Just let me know what's up, and thanks for your patience in the meantime <3 I'd love to see photos of your Laszlo, however he turns out (or even just when you get a concept sketch), and I hope he's everything you need in terms of moral support! Sending you lots of love from our neck of the woods! <3

#nice people #nonny!!#the misadventures of tiny!maxi and hex #chibi!maxi #and then rarae says #my time of v specific plush commission knowledge has come!!!

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abbatoirablaze · 2 years

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Hidden Sisters, Chapter 7

Word Count: 1.1k

Warnings: mentions of death, threats of violence/war

“Leave it.”

Nick’s generals looked at him in surprise, none of them quite understanding why their king was calling off the search and retrieval of his sister.

They had spent hours scouring the mountain all the way down to its base after they’d witnessed her jumping into the waters with the selkie. They had all tried to look for her in an attempt to satisfy their king. And none of them could see why now he had chosen to back down.

Kemp’s jaw tensed from the back of the room and Ember’s brow raised as she surveyed the scene. When no one made a move she nudged her mate, and he shot her a look. It was a simple one, but one that Nick had managed to see even from his spot at his throne and behind his table. His own jaw ticked as the trio watched one another for a short moment.

“Do you two have something to say?” He asked. Kemp’s cheeks hollowed, and Nick knew that his general was going to hold his tongue, so he turned his attention towards Ember, “since you’re mate’s tongue seems to be held, maybe you can do him the honor of speaking in his stead, Ember. You’re never one to shy away from public speaking…or at least speaking behind my back. What say you?”

There were a few loose chuckles in the otherwise tense room, but they ceased when her words pierced the stale, warm air, “You’re afraid of him, aren’t you?”

Nick heard a few of his subjects gasp.

He’d heard some of the rumors that she’d been spreading but it was primarily in back channels in deep caverns of the mountain that he knew he’d never have to personally hear. But he never imagined that he’d hear her being so brazen in challenging him outright. His own jaw tensed, and he felt Jennifer taking his hand in an attempt to comfort him.

He squeezed it gently, finding comfort in a mate that was outside of his own realm. And yet, there she stood, like a pillar of confidence, allowing him to cling to her in an otherwise solitary kingdom where he felt alone in his room full of his subjects. His heart raced and he knew that his mate would be able to sense it.

Her hand gently pulsed in his, and he felt a warmth spreading through his chest, their bond already further along than either one of them would ever admit aloud.

“My sister has made her choice,” Nick said firmly, “and she has made it clear that the selkie known as Ari Levinson is her true mate. What kind of brother and king would I be if I did not allow her to be happy?”

Ember spat on the ground, hearing Nick calling Nadia Ari’s true mate.

“Ari is the father of the child that is missing from me. I know he has him too,” she seethed, “it seems you are far too okay with him claiming things within your realm of rule.”

“Actually,” a voice said loudly, as the doors banged open. The court within Nick’s kingdom parted and Nick saw his cousin, the one he was hoping wouldn’t show up after her dive into the water to escape the fire nymphs. But there he stood, the water receding behind him as it dried up in the war room’s cavern, while two of his personal guards stood at the door, “Nadia belongs to me, dear cousin…and I want her back.”

“Nadia is no longer residing here, cousin,” Nick said firmly, “you have shown up far too late to the party…as usual.”

Lance’s jaw tensed, “you are playing a dangerous game, Nicholas.”

“If you are searching for Nadia, you might as well ask Jefferson,” Nick shrugged, playing it as though he hadn’t had a care about his sister’s whereabouts, “I can only assume she’s in the woods, playing with her selkie if you cannot find her in the waters where your powers are the strongest.”

“This is bullshit!” Ember spat, glaring between the fire and water nymph kings, “neither one of you want to do anything about her, but Ari Levinson has now stolen from the fire kingdom twice.”

“Nadia is a water nymph,” Lance said simply, not sparing Ember a look, “I felt it when she dove into the water. The mirage my cousin has been using to hide her faded away. She belongs to me, not him and his domain.”

Kemp looked sad as his eyes met Nick’s. Nick could tell that there was a form of regret in Kemp’s eyes as he thought about his first mate, “she was a water nymph as well?”

“I allowed Nala to stay on the mountain because she claimed you were her mate,” Lance sneered, “Kemp…is it?”

Kemp nodded, “I am Kemp.”

“And yet I see you standing beside another fire nymph.”

“She lost in the battle of the mates,” Ember said proudly, “I challenged her during festival last season, and she lost. I claimed my mate as my prize…and her life.”

“You have caused the loss of life of one of my subjects, cousin. You allowed the loss of her life while she only wanted the safety of being allowed to be with her mate,” Lance said swiftly, looking to Nick, “and the disappearance of another. Now it is I who is calling for justice. I want my nymph. I have no confidence that she will remain safe in your realm, under your leadership, so I am recalling my nymph.”

“Nadia belongs to no one but her mate,” Jennifer growled from beside Nick; her confidence and strength in the tone of her voice giving Nick the same warm feeling in his chest that he’d felt earlier. Her hand never let go of his as she stood, challenging the water nymph, “and even the-“

“I’m sorry…I wasn’t talking to you, daughter of Rogers,” Lance sneered, “I was talking to the king…and you still have yet to become queen…so I do not need to entertain myself with your words, shifter whore!”

“SHE IS MY MATE AND YOU WILL SHOW HER RESPECT!” Nick yelled, slamming his free hand down on his throne while pushing himself against his table. He felt Jennifer lightly pulling him back and Lance smiled.

“I see where the real power is…” he chuckled. Lance eyed up the subjects simply and sighed, “I simply came by to warn you, cousin. If my nymph is not returned to my kingdom by the next festival, there will be a war. I want what belongs to me, and I will not settle any longer. Matter of fact, I’m next headed to the kingdom of Drysdale to claim my bride. These runarounds are done as of now.”

And with that, Lance was swept away in a wave, that disappeared leaving anyone who had been standing near him soaked to the bone.

Chapter 8

Tag List: @lohnes16, @dontbescaredtosingalong, @teambarnes72

#hidden sisters #the hidden sisters #a/b/o #a/b/o fic #a/b/o au #soulmate au #nymph lance tucker #nymph nick fowler #water nymph #fire nymph #lance tucker #the bronze #nick fowler #the 355 #sebastian stan characters

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mrslunasnape · 2 years

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The Prince Fought The Serpent

Potions

Chapter 2 - SFW

A rich, warm, earthy smell swirled around the room, and Luna stirred in her sleep. Severus smiled tenderly as he watched her eyes flicker open; a steaming cup clasped in his hands.

"That smells so good." Luna said in a hoarse morning voice as she stretched.

"I made it with cinnamon. Just the way you like it." Severus said. For a moment a proud smile graced his face. He extended his arm to her, "It's decaf." he assured her.

"Ugh." Luna groaned.

Severus let out a low chuckle and pulled back the sheets. He climbed into bed and nestled his body against hers before wrapping them both in the covers. His hand wandered to her stomach, and he caressed it lovingly. "I know, Darling. But it's better than nothing, is it not?"

Luna glared at him teasingly, struggling to hide a smile.

Severus pulled her in close, allowing her head to rest on his chest. The rhythmic beating of his heart washed a sense of calmness over Luna. She sighed heavily, taking in the smell of him; mahogany and clary sage.

"I'm glad you decided to stay in my new quarters instead of staying in the dungeons." His finger tips gently traced her arm, "I know just how well sound carries on those stone walls, and I've heard that Slughorn snores."

"You know, I've heard that." Luna mocked, "And it was the sole reason I decided to join you here. I had no choice really. All the other rooms were taken."

Severus smirked and leaned down to gingerly kiss her forehead. "Come on darling. It's time to start the day."

Luna groaned and nuzzled her head deeper against his chest, "Do we have to?" She heard his heart flutter at the suggestion.

"I'm afraid so, love."

*********

"Morning Miss Lightfoot!" Horace said cheerfully. He waved in her general direction, but his nose was buried in a scroll on his desk.

"Good morning Professor Slughorn." Luna said professionally, although her face grimaced at the smell of several potions wafting through the air. For a moment she worried that she would have to vomit in the nearest empty cauldron. Morning sickness was never pleasant.

"Oh, please. Call me Horace." Horace insisted.

"Only if you call me Luna." she smiled faintly.

"Deal." Horace said, clearly blind to the green tone that had flushed her skin.

"What did you have planned for today's lesson? You never sent any setup instructions for me." Luna asked.

"Pshh." Horace scoffed and waved his hand in the air, "Never mind all that. The potions for today are ready. I'm much more interested in talking about your background." He pulled out a chair and motioned for Luna to sit. She obliged.

"Now then," Horace continued, "Word around the castle is that you were conducting experiments with the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers?"

"Yes. I studied with them for several years." Luna confirmed.

"Fascinating!" Horace exclaimed, "That's quite the accomplishment for someone so young! It's a shame you weren't here when I was teaching. I would have just had to have you for my Slug Club."

Luna nodded politely, but couldn't but help but think about Minerva's comments regarding Horace's collection of students.

"What were you working on?" Horace leaned in closer, antsy for an answer, "Only if you can share of course. I understand researchers and their confidential tendencies."

"My department worked primarily with unicorn blood." Luna began, "As I'm sure you're well aware, unicorn blood has intense healing qualities. It also has an uncanny ability to strengthen those who drink it. However, it comes at quite the cost. The rumor that you're probably familiar with is that those who drink unicorn blood are cursed. My department worked under the assumption that the side effects of drinking the blood were more like reactions in the body rather than a curse. We were attempting to find a way to lessen the negative effects of consuming tonics with unicorn blood bases. If we succeeded, it would have revolutionize magical medicine. "

"I take it you weren't successful?" Horace asked, clearly intrigued.

Luna shook her head, "I'm afraid not. I know the department was still working on it when I transferred to Hogwarts. While I was there we managed to enhance the healing and strengthening properties of the blood, but we hadn't managed to decrease the negative effects."

"I'd still consider that successful! Unicorn blood was powerful enough on its own, and you managed to enhance it! Who cares about a little curse anyway." Horace said dismissively.

Luna's face furrowed. She was rather unsettled with Horace's definition of success.

The shuffling sound of dozens of feet filled the room as students began to file into class. Gryffindor and Slytherin today. They naturally divided themselves to separate sides of the classroom.

Horace took his place at the front of the classroom, "Now then, scales out, everyone, and potion kits, and don't forget your copies of Advanced Potion-Making."

A hand nervously rose about the heads of students. "Sir?" Harry asked.

"Harry, my boy?" Horace asked.

"I haven't got a book or scales or anything. I didn't realize I'd be able to do the N.E.W.T-" Harry rambled, but Horace cut him short.

"Yes, yes. Professor McGonagall mentioned that. Have Miss Lightfoot unlock the store room for you. There are extra copies there, along with any other supplies you may need for today."

Harry made his way to the back of the room as Luna unlocked the store room. His face was red, clearly embarrassed.

"Take whatever you need." Luna flashed him a reassuring smile.

By the time Luna and Harry reassumed their seats, Professor Slughorn had already quizzed the student on the contents of several cauldrons. Veritaserum and Polyjuice Potion. Unsurprisingly, Miss Granger had correctly identified both.

Severus opened the door slowly and quietly made his way over to Luna, doing his best to not disturb the class. He held a coffee mug in his hand. He leaned in close to Luna and whispered so that only she could hear, "You forgot your coffee when you left this morning. It was stale so I made you a fresh one." He kissed her tenderly on the top of her head as he handed her the mug.

"Now this one here... Yes, my dear?" Horace asked. Hermione's hand was already in the air.

"It's Amortenia!" Hermione exclaimed.

"It is indeed. It seems almost foolish to ask, but I assume you know what it does?" Slughorn questioned.

Hermione didn't hesitate, "It's the most powerful love potion in the world."

Ron leaned over towards Harry, "I'll bet you a galleon that Snape's slipped Lightfoot an Amortenia. How else could anyone love that dungeon bat? I bet he was bringing her her daily dose in that coffee cup."

Ron and Harry both snickered.

Luna couldn't contain the dagger-like stare her eyes shot at Ron. She handed the mug back to Severus and strode to their table.

"Mr. Weasley. Mr Potter." Luna began, "What would I get if I combined wiggentree twigs, castor oil, and extract of gurdyroot?"

The boys turned to look at one another, and then shrugged in unison. Hermione's hand shot into the air.

"Miss Granger?"

"That's how you would make a love potion antidote." Hermione answered quickly.

"Correct." Luna smiled at her, "Now, Miss Granger, do you know how long it takes for the love potion antidote to take effect?"

"It's instantaneous." Hermione once again swiftly responded.

"Correct again. 10 points to Gryffindor." Luna said.

Hermione flashed a rather proud smile.

Luna turned and walked over to a shelf on the side of the classroom. She plucked a vial of a colorless potion off the top shelf. She held it up so that the students could clearly see the love potion antidote, popped off the cork, and drank the whole thing in one sip.

"Now then." Luna said calmly as she walked over to Severus, pulled him in close, and kissed him tenderly in front of everyone.

Severus's cheeks went red, a stark contrast to his pale skin.

Ron and Harry sat on their stools, their mouths hanging open in shock as the sounds of a few Slytherin's hooting and hollering filled the dungeon.

Slughorn let out a hearty laugh, "And I thought I was the theatrical one!"

"I really should go." Severus whispered to Luna, his face still a rose shade of pink. He gingerly clasped Luna's hands and brought it to his lips. He kissed the back of her hand lovingly, shot a glare at Ron, and then exited the classroom.

Horace had already continued the lesson, "Now then, how are you to win my fabulous prize?" He motioned towards the small cauldron on his desk filled with Felix Felicis. "Well, by turning to page ten of Advanced Potion-Making. We have a little over an hour left to us, which should be time for you to make a decent attempt at the Draught of Living Death."

As the students worked diligently, some visibly more stressed than others, Luna wandered from table to table watching them work. She paused for a moment as she passed Harry and curiously watched as he crushed a sopophorus bean with the flat side of his silver dagger instead of cutting it like the rest of the students. She recognized the technique immediately. Severus had taught her that himself her first year working with him at Hogwarts.

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