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setzappersto-pew · 3 years

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StarKid and Musical Score #2

Pop culture parodies tread fine lines to avoid copyright violations, especially when it comes to music. Some go for a certain mood or genre to evoke the source. Holy Musical B@man! is a great example. Nick Gage and Scott Lamps used strictly synthesizer and an electronic drum kit. They made great use of the standard synthesizer sound, calling to mind ‘80s new wave electronic music; a darker electric guitar sound to capture the gritty Batman from The Dark Knight or The Killing Joke; and light and playful bell tones, representing the innocence of Robin or perhaps the campy silliness of the ‘60s Batman TV show.

When it’s a parody musical of a musical, the challenge is even greater. Enter Twisted: The Untold Story of a Royal Vizier.

There’s not a lot of interstitial music to set the scenes, but what little there is excels with capturing the mood, like the eerie strings and woodwinds coupled with sporadic percussion during Aladdin’s breakdown near the end. Instead, Twisted features a large number of songs to fill its 2.25 hour runtime, so I’m going to focus on the instrumentals of those for this post. The instrumentation for this show includes keyboard, drums, guitar/bass, violin, cello, flute, clarinet, and alto/tenor saxophone. It’s a much bigger and more varied band than any StarKid show had before or since.

The endeavor that composer A.J. Holmes, accompanied by incredible lyricist Kaley McMahon, set out on was to evoke not only the source material, Disney’s Aladdin, but also other Disney movies of the same era and the Broadway musical Wicked. The Disney references are all over the place, including the Disney-fied StarKid logo. The latter was accomplished via the title (Twisted: The Untold Story of a Royal Vizier vs. Wicked: The Untold Story of a Wicked Witch), the album cover, the method of role reversal (a villain posed as the hero of their own story), and even a direct reference to the book. But A.J., along with orchestrator Andrew Fox and music director Justin Fischer, took it a step further with several songs to give the audience a truly immersive and magical experience.

To keep it simple, I’m going to link each song--or most, as some I can’t quite figure out--to another Disney or Wicked song that A.J. was likely, or even obviously, taking influence from. The similarities are often in the instrumentation and tempo; chord progressions and adjacent melodies; or lyrics and character situations.

Not a song, but the opening music evokes the haunting strings and bells in the opening of Beauty and the Beast to a tee. Like...it’s a dead ringer, obviously in purpose.

“Dream a Little Harder”: An opening ensemble number like “Belle” from Beauty and The Beast. Introduces the protagonist and the surrounding characters with a sweet and tremulous flute at the beginning and bouncy strings throughout. Lyrics mirror each other, i.e. “Fuck you” = “Bonjour”...Nick’s favorite line, “Marie! The baguettes! Hurry up!”...they all hate Ja’far vs. they all think Belle is weird. Belle is even part of the ensemble, telling Ja’far to keep his “fat face out of the mother fucking book”! It’s a pretty obvious comparison.

“I Steal Everything”: “One Jump Ahead” from Aladdin is the obvious parallel in orchestration, melody, tempo, lyrics, character situation...everything.

“Everything and More”: Again, an obvious parody of “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid. Same gentle yet sweeping melody, same lilting tempo paired with vocals timid one moment and powerful the next, lyrics exploring desire for more.

“A Thousand and One Nights”: This one was a little harder, as really none of the Disney princesses have duets with their princes. But I think it pairs well with “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from The Lion King, at least after Timon and Pumbaa have their moment! The back and forth between lovers talking to themselves about the other has a similar feel. Honestly, this song is pretty original and yet manages to evoke Disney love song perfectly without copying any. The gentle melody, sweeping yet sweet orchestration, and the dialogue really sell it. They knew it was the love song because they went ahead and parodied the cheesy pop covers that ‘90s Disney movies are known for with a true bop performed by Britney Coleman and Carlos Valdes.

“Orphaned at 33″: Perhaps the reprise of “One Jump Ahead”? It’s slower and more melancholy and has similar chord progression and crooning vocals. Maybe “Go the Distance” from Hercules? Both are songs of sadness and longing, but StarKid’s Aladdin is far more pathetic and creepy than Hercules. EDIT: “Proud of Your Boy”, which was cut from Aladdin and put in the stage show, is absolutely the reference here! Again, a song of sadness and longing and self-pity and lamentation of a bad childhood...and StarKid’s Aladdin is still more pathetic. Musical parallels: similar chord progressions, embellishments, instrumentation, time signature, tempo, etc.; starts with delicate notes and Aladdin just talking (this starts at 46 seconds in “Orphaned at 33″, after a prelude); lilting and tiptoeing melody in the middle (1:56 for “Orphaned”, 1:08 for “Proud”); powerful sustained vocals and sweeping winds and strings to finish. I know this song was in the back of my mind, but it just wasn’t coming to me. Thank you @hatchetfieldtheories and @melchron for helping me out!

“Happy Ending”: The last half, at 1:50, really reminds me of “Defying Gravity” from Wicked, specifically at 5:15. The quiet and tense music make way for powerful vocals and are just waiting to burst forth for a showstopping ending. Both songs are also Act 1 closers. I can’t really place the rest of “Happy Ending”, but it all reminds me of Wicked with the powerful rock guitar and drums paired with cinematic strings. Plus, I always love when multiple melodies come together as reprises, most often as Act 1 closers!

“No One Remembers Achmed”: A sillier version of “Gaston” from Beauty and The Beast. The spurned villain’s cohorts are pumping him up and singing his praises! Both melodies are jaunty, though with different instrumentation...Twisted’s featuring sillier sound effects and goofy xylophone.

“Take Off Your Clothes”: A sexier version of “A Whole New World” from Aladdin. Slightly modified melody, and obviously the lyrics, but it’s exactly the same.

“The Power in Me”: A solemn and sweet farewell duet between friends like “For Good” from Wicked. The delicate woodwinds and strings sound similar to the gentle synth in “For Good”. Vocal performances are cautious and tender at first but quickly become strong and confident. “You are the power in me” and “I have been changed for good” follow almost the exact same rhythm.

The titular song has many facets, so I’ll detail them here:

Opening to 1:03 and 5:55 to the end = “No Good Deed” from Wicked, with the same intense strings and percussion. The whole situation and lyrics match, with both Ja’far and Elphaba deciding to just be antiheroes because no one sees them as heroes anyway. “I’ll be twisted, it’s my turn” matches “No good deed will I do ever again” and “I’m wicked through and through”.

1:10-2:06 = “Poor Unfortunate Souls” from The Little Mermaid...it’s Ursula, so of course...but also, the woodwinds and keyboard mimicking brass evoke the same bouncy yet menacing rhythm, akin to an evil polka.

2:07-2:50 = “Be Prepared” from The Lion King. Obviously, it’s Scar’s moment...but also, they have similar deep and primitive drums and woodwinds.

The rest of the songs (”Sands of Time”, “Golden Rule”, and “If I Believed”) I couldn’t really place, but they still evoke the source materials. “Golden Rule” has a classic musical theatre ensemble number feel, with fun strings and woodwinds and delightful choruses; the reprise turns it on its head with menacing piano and bass. “If I Believed” is another take on an “I want” song; the flute and cello pair very nicely together to support Dylan’s soulful voice.

My next post in this series will likely be about the Hatchetfield series: The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals, Black Friday, and Nightmare Time. There’s a lot in between, like the AVP Trilogy, ANI, and Starship, but the music for those stands out less to me. They’re great, don’t get me wrong, but I think that the score is not what makes them special. The Hatchetfield stuff, however...is intense.

Thanks for reading!

#starkid #rewatchers1000 #twisted: the untold story of a royal vizier #holy musical b@man #disney #wicked #sk musical score

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kneamet · 3 years

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Delusion (1/5)

Trigger Warning: references to alcohol

Summary: she was the only girl in his band whose singing he loved so much. She was the person he truly respected. Andy Miles was someone Hank Williams had an unrelenting obsession with.

Chapter one: Delays

POV Hank

His head was pounding. A haunting rhythm beat against the light pounding in his head. It hurt, and Hank just didn't understand how he'd ever woken up. He had never been so drunk before, not even counting the fact that he was a huge alcoholic drinker.

Yet last night he had exceeded even his own expectations. A slight dryness in his mouth was present even after he had drunk the whole glass of water that his mother had placed in front of him.

Closing his eyes tightly, straining his lids, Williams suddenly opened them, trying to blink before entering the studio where he had to play early in the morning for a small pittance.

Not that he complained much about it. No, he certainly did not want to get up from the cozy bed that kept warm and free himself from the embrace of his "beloved" wife, but his youthful heart still warmed the dream that one day he would step over the threshold of an ordinary musician and be able to achieve something worthwhile. Perhaps he wanted a confession?

It was lucky, at least, that the nausea did not reach him, since he was sure that the alcohol in his stomach would definitely be able to get out, only in an unusual way. And he didn't want to be crouching by the toilet, trying to control himself, and hearing his mother talk about how irresponsible he and Audrey, his wife, were that she didn't even have simple pills.

Pushing the brown door open with the shoulder of his free hand, Hank had already guessed how loud Mr. Pill's voice would be when he complained about being late. It doesn't matter, though. Will these few minutes play anything for airtime?

"Hi," Hank says hoarsely, feeling very tired. Yesterday he came back so late that he just couldn't do anything anymore. How long had he been asleep? A couple of hours?

Williams looked from the black-and-white tiled floor to the boys, his mouth slightly open. They looked a little rumpled, as did Hank himself. It was obvious that they were hungover, too, especially since some of them were smoking. He breathed in the smell. Marlboro? Or Chesterfield? His mind was still too foggy to accurately detect the smell of cigarettes.

The guy blinked a couple of times, as if trying to make sense of what was happening. It seemed that something was missing for an ordinary morning. It was always the same and repeated day after day. The audience apparently liked his program too much.

"Good morning, boss," came the soft voice of Sammy, who was sitting on a dark brown sofa propped up against the wall, his feet propped up on a small table. A young guy who was a guitarist in his band. He was very young, but Hank immediately considered him a good addition to the group.

"Hi, Hank," Don said, looking at the guy standing there, lighting a cigarette and rubbing his light red hair; parallel to that, the hand holding the cigarette, adjusting the glasses that were sticking up on his nose.

Williams grabs a small white mug and takes a sip of coffee. His eyes narrowed slightly. Cold coffee. Although, it is worth noting, it was refreshing, but so disgusting. Who can drink coffee cold?

Setting the cup down on the dark piano that didn't seem to have been used for a long time, Hank set the guitar case on a small, flimsy chair, taking out the instrument.

"Where's Andy?" the man asked as he took the guitar out of the hard gray case that barely fit in his car.

Andy Miles was the only girl who played in his band. She was the only one who comforted him after another quarrel with his wife. She was the only one who understood him. She was the one he had fallen in love with.

Hank didn't know if his feelings for Audrey were real, or if it was all just a multi-second infatuation. A joke that later turned into endless quarrels that always ended in nothing. However, meeting Andy definitely changed a lot in his life.

Hank could have been lyrical, but why? What is the point of expressing yourself in beautiful speeches, if you can convey it in light, superficial words? Although, if it were up to him, he would definitely dedicate the odes and all the songs that he allegedly composed for his wife to the girl of his dreams.

Clearly lost in thought, Hank was completely distracted, not even noticing that the guys were already tuning their instruments, preparing for the mat to fall on them.

"She's not here," he always had to bring his wife into the studio, pestering him about what she wanted to sing on his show. As if she could sing. As if she could do anything at all.

Hank sighed, lifting the guitar to the top and running his long fingers along the strings, wanting to adjust the rhythm and hear the sound he wanted to achieve.

I wish Andy would come soon.

"Williams," comes the loud voice of Howard Pill, heading toward the fearful Hank. He knew that his boss would speak loudly, but he did not foresee that his steely voice would be a headache. Why can't he keep his voice down? "You decided to spend 12 minutes of airtime? This shit won't go away, and you smell like a beer barrel; you all stink," Williams saw how angry the man was. Not that he would care about his anger. No, he would definitely take into account everything Howard was saying and try not to be late, but who knew this would happen today?

Do people have the right to choose what condition they wake up with in the morning? Anyway, at least let Mr. Pill take into account that he came at all. Otherwise, Hank could just drop the case and stay home.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Pill," the empty words coming out of Hank's mouth were just a defensive reaction. No, he was by no means sorry that he was late. Although listening to loud voices was a problem.

Still, it was a good thing that his mother had woken him up so early and made sure that he didn't disturb his wife's sleep. He certainly didn't want to have an increased headache when Audrey was hitting the high notes in the pen. The man blinked, looking up, trying to meet Mr. Pill's steady gaze.

"To me, these are empty words," his gaze was stern and he was clearly trying not to lose his temper. "We're working here, you idiot. And where is Miles?"

Williams pursed his lips, unable to find an answer. He knew about her love of being late, but even so, Andy was always on time. Maybe five minutes late, but Hank had the songs that could be played without another extra guitar. Although the sound of the girl's instrument has always been excellent.

"I'll throw her out of the show, I swear to God," Mr. Pill muttered softly, shaking his head and sighing. Did he dislike them that much? Or was he just jealous of the show's success? If that success ever existed.

Hank's attentive gaze followed his boss as he made his way to the recording department, a certain booth where audio tuning and recording takes place.

Right now, Hank wished Andy was here. Because I would have covered for him, going against Mr. Pill and his rules. Sometimes it seemed to Hank that she didn't care if she was on time or not. Hank was slightly weaker.

He could listen to all those menacing words being uttered against him, endure all this unthinkable humiliation, knowing that his boss would not remove this show. He knew how many listeners he had. But still, he rarely dared to say anything against his boss.

He was definitely attracted to Andy. And for the most part it was in the moral sense, because Williams himself rarely thought about the girl he loves physically. He wanted her, yes, but not in terms of sex. He didn't want a simple one-night stand. He wanted something unthinkable. He wanted pure and pure love. The kind of love his mother had told him about.

"Start the countdown," Howard Pill says, nodding his head in Hank's direction, and he just lifts his lip.

"Three, two, one," comes the clear voice of the DJ, who is already wearing headphones and completely immersed in his work, unlike the musicians, who are still hungover and intoxicated. Hank continued to feel sick.

With a deft step, Hank walked over to the microphone, smiling slightly, as if he didn't want the audience to know about the quarrels that were going on at the place they loved so much.

"Friends and listeners, I wish you a good early morning. This is Hank Williams and the Drifting Cowboys. We are very sorry that we started a little later. But yesterday we were picked up by the cops on Route 31..."

There was a slight chuckle. Hank turned his head in the direction of the sound, grinning slightly, already guessing who it was.

***

POV Andy

Feeling her legs begin to ache from running so fast, trying to get to the studio, Andy had never felt so anxious and overworked in her life.

The hangover after alcohol, she always endured steadfastly and her mind almost did not react to it, apparently already so accustomed to the dose received. No, of course, her head still ached, and her hands were constantly shaking from the alcohol, but she never felt an immediate nausea.

Her hangover was accompanied only by a headache and shaking hands, which would soon have to caress the strings of her favorite guitar, wanting to please the boss and the audience.

Pursing her lips, Miles took a quick, brisk step toward the necessary door. Unfortunately, the distance from her home to the studio was huge and so she had to wake up very early in the morning to at least have time to get there, which certainly did not please her.

She had never been flattered by the prospect of having to sleep through the early hours of the morning. And wake up for what? For the little money she lived on? Although, most likely, only the desire for the love of the public did not stop her.

She always wanted to be loved by people. She had always wanted to feel this need for human attention, for human adoration.

Blinking a couple of times, she paused at the dark door, knowing that she would probably hear Mr. Pill swear at her and threaten her when he told her that he would fire her from the show. Although these moments didn't really bother Andy.

She didn't give a damn about his opinion, which was completely out of line with hers. She would have taken it into account, but she would have continued to do things her own way. Besides, isn't that the beauty of life? Do whatever you want and not listen to people who write you some rules?

Andy chuckled, shaking her head and feeling her hands begin to shake. Again this period, if only to endure. She wished long ago that she had bought a cigarette, though she could have used one now.

"...But yesterday we were picked up by the cops on Highway 31... " came Hank's tired voice, and the girl chuckled, letting out a light and slightly hoarse chuckle. She immediately felt her friend's gaze on her and his reflected grin.

His band, which has so graciously accepted another under-performing musician into its already overstuffed line-up, dreaming that he could become famous. And this feeling in her never disappeared.

No, she often began to have feelings that it was worth putting a bolt on all this and stop, but what kept Miles from doing was believing in herself. Confidence had to be nurtured, but Andy had never felt humiliated in her life. The main credo in her life was that it was not worth giving up. Otherwise, it can turn into a disaster and bad consequences. Just like when I was a kid.

Quickly shaking her head in different directions, the girl mentally gave herself a slap on the head, feeling the burning gaze of Mr. Pill directed at her. Pulling out her guitar, the case that was currently laid on the bed, Andy looked at her boss, smiling a tight smile and walking with easy grace to the second free microphone.

"With my alcohol resistance," Andy suddenly chimed in, pulling her guitar over her neck and taking off her hat, exposing her short dark hair and running a hand through it, " I also apologize for starting so late. To be honest, my head is splitting."

Miles looked at Hank, as if telling him to continue. He nodded.

"I don't think you knew this, but yesterday we were performing in a small bar on the outskirts of town and, fortunately or unfortunately, we couldn't refuse the free alcohol offered," Hank chuckled, and there was a light laugh from the guys.

Andy grinned as she began to wrap the gauze around her fingers, not wanting them to hurt any more. It wasn't for her at all. Wrapping and protecting your fingers was an extremely important decision.

What would she do if her right hand wasn't protected? Her fingers would have been damaged.

The girl wrapped her arms around the guitar, leaning even closer to the low microphone.

"And now, anticipating your wishes, we will perform the song “Honky Tonkin'' for you. Hank wrote it not so long ago and we are sure that you will definitely like it."

Hank was a genius, and if Miles heard that, she would definitely say it was true. He was the man who continued to inspire her. The man who kept her on the case. The one who replaces her older brother.

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ae0nx · 3 years

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FRUITS BASKET S2 EPISODE 19 + 20 RECAP

Hello!! Decided to pair my recap of episode 19 and 20 together since they both kinda flow into each other and explore the same message in different ways through Yuki and Rin. It’s a really nice and interesting flow of story!

Let’s get into it!

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- Ok, let me get my Shigure hatred out of the way cos I really like some of the stuff he says later. But the fact that he even ATTEMPTED to try and joke about him and Rin having a relationship after we just had that really dodgy scene earlier in the season with him and Rin in his office makes me wanna kick him in the teeth. Anyways...

all the scenes that take place on these stairs are always stunning and i just wanted to show some appreciation of that first. ✨

I love this scene between Hatori and Shigure (I love most scenes between them tbh). I’m beginning to understand that Shigure is for sure the type who believes in ‘using the lesser evils to kill the greater evil’. And, I guess my view of Shigure gets a lot more complicated when I see him through that lens...

But, I do secretly love very deep down in my soul when Shigure says stuff like this and kinda acts like a trickster God. I have a weakness for trickster Gods.

- Rin feeling both intensely protective about the kind people in her life vs wanting to push them away is actually very reminiscent of our favourite cat, Kyo! Gave me a lot of reminders of this scene:

That uncomfortableness with vulnerability and kindness runs strong with these zodiac kids. It’s sad.

Everyone eventually folds in to Tohru. God tier? (I’m still working on my Tohru is an empathetic God essay)

Aii-ya...

But again, I appreciate how this thought follows through to a resolution and message of ‘needing people’ at the end of episode 20. I’ll get to that later.

- Every time. I love how these moments of Tohru supporting the zodiac are always highlighted by being in the darkness of the night (or rain) to the brightness of the dawn (or clear skies). Poetic. Tohru is a god.

Shigure’s so on point in this episode. I know he’s essentially ‘seed planting’ but... I... might just give him the title of Best Boi for this episode? Yeah... why not 😅

I. LOVE. KIMI. SOOO MUCH. 😂 Her love for chaos is amazing and I love her! Again! Trickster Gods!!! <3

I CAN’T. Kakeru bickering with Yuki like a scorned lover. Haru essentially being happy for Yuki and playing along (or maybe he was being fully serious, he would). Kakeru being ridiculous and dramatic. It’s alllll gooood!

- The whole scene with Shigure, Kyo, Yuki and Tohru at dinner with the dessert felt all so normal and domestic! It was great, we haven’t had many ‘regular’ scenes since season 1 and it brought me back a little (Also, Tohru noticing how Kyo has been paying more attention to her in the most Tohru of ways was cute as well 👀)

She did look really cute!!! Of course, Rin’s getting Outfit Appreciation cos of course. That’s it. 4 stars.

I love how this is worded and it’s the perfect description for a toxic family setting, in all situations (like... even without the whole cursed to turn into animals thing). Furuba gets so uncomfortably personal sometimes! And again, mixing this with Yuki’s lesson at the end of episode 20 leads to an interesting conclusion... which I wonder if people would be offended by it... but I’ll get to that later.

Lol, as much as I really appreciated that someone had finally asked Tohru the ‘real question’ of why she’s working so hard to break the curse anyway. Rin’s emotional intelligence and empathy to back down from pressing her about it was really lovely.

In general, I really love that none of the characters are just archetypes. Rin could’ve been written like the bad-ass one with an attitude and an awful past but she also ends up being so emotionally intelligent and caring and loving! SO much!

Also, showing that love can have many unexpected ways of being displayed and expressed. Something which is an ongoing conversation throughout this series...

- The whole scene of Tohru being in bed but dreaming that she was back in her old apartment with her Mum was painfully amazing and definitely relatable. It’s always so haunting when dreams like that happen in general and the look on Tohru’s face at the end when she opens the door just added to it:

Chilling!

Especially if you find a parallel between Tohru’s desperation to be together with her mother to Akito’s desperation to be together with the zodiac...

Tohru is a god

EPISODE 20!!

- Tohru continuing to be a worried mother about Yuki is sweet but also... it’s like... ‘he’ll be okayyyy, Tohru!’ Haha but it’s okay, I think that it’s shown towards the end of this episode that this is kinda the nature of their relationship and Tohru was reassured that Yuki will be ok

Ah, Yuki! How cool of you!!! <3

(Although the original sub version of this was hilarious with the sudden drop in his voice 😂)

- Goddamn it, Kakeru! Between him throwing the papers and him knocking the plants over the other episode, I’m beginning to think this is an impulse for him as well... 🤨

Haha, turns out I was right!

It’s really great how much Kakeru and Yuki’s relationship has grown to where they can trust each other with secrets or private stuff while they’re both separately dealing with their own lives. It’s just really nice :)

Said so well. Yuki gets Best Boi of this episode, of course.

But seriously, this is a really great display of having to accept trauma to therefore move on. Of course, what Yuki, Kakeru and Rin’s parents do is cruel and wrong in so many ways, but you can’t rely on the option that they’ll eventually get better because so many times that’s not the case.

Yuki specifically has come to a result of him accepting his fate of having these shitty people in his life through family ties but is also adapting the way he can move on personally and grow up despite his shitty circumstances. I said this might be controversial to say as it’s not on the victim who should have to change and be better, it’s the abuser. And there’s a chance someone could read this scene and feel like the show is saying otherwise but I also think there’s a realness to having difficult family members that you may have to be tied to through circumstances.

In conclusion, I’m not saying it’s on the victim of a situation to have to adapt to their situation, that shouldn’t be so. But, at this point, if any of these characters want to grow and develop and just live, they unfortunately need to fight for it. They can’t rely on their abusers somehow becoming better.

- Yuki’s growth is highlighted so much throughout this whole episode but I think I love the scene with his mother the most and showing that while Yuki has grown and no longer even acknowledges his mother as a threat anymore that his mother as well is growing and trying (again, in her own way). Also, Yuki’s awkward face remembering that moment was adorable :3

Aha! <3

- Lol I low-key wanna see Tohru as an evil step-sister as much as I wanna see Hana and Kyo pairing up to be Cinderella and the Prince just to see how chaotic it’d be

- The closet scene with the black paint really could’ve gone worse if Yuki was still the same as he was in season 1! While Yuki still had an anxious reaction to the situation which was more than understandable (as Kakeru said <3), I love that he’s in a place now where he can almost pick himself up now, be honest about his feelings and he has other people around to go to now for help! In different friendship circles! Wow.

- Machi knocking down the door for him in a silent mutual acknowledgement is so weirdly... gentle.

A MOTHER!!!

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I really like how the message interwove over two episodes in different contexts. And I hope I was clear in explaining how I saw how the messages came through in different perspectives.

Fruits Basket, coming through with the painful reality! 🥲

(Sorry for the weird ending) See you sooon!!

#fruits basket #furuba #fruits basket 2020 #fruits basket season 2

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quazartranslates · 3 years

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Welcome to the Nightmare Game - CH74

**This is an edited machine translation. For more information, please [click here]**

[<<< Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter >>>]

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Chapter 74: Castle Cry (I)

[Player Qi Leren has started the task: Castle Cry]

[Task background: In the middle of the night, three couples have come to the mountains in the outskirts of town to watch the stars during a once-in-a-century meteor shower. In the mountains, there was a European-style castle built during the Republic of China. It was said that it was built by a German couple who came to China to do business, and then it was abandoned because of a fire. The locals repeatedly tried to repair the castle, but each time there was an accident, and no one has set foot inside since. At midnight that night, the clear night sky suddenly began to rain with dark clouds. Six people were trapped on the top of the mountain, and the rain gradually worsened. One of them proposed to seek shelter from the rain under the castle’s eaves…]

[Task requirements: Leave the castle before dawn with a task completion degree above 30% to receive the reward of 20 survival days, with the chance for additional survival day rewards. If the completion degree is above 90%, you will receive a lucky draw once.]

[Data synchronization countdown: ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. Synchronization complete.]

　　&&&

Qi Leren was awakened by the rain. It was raining all around him. Two couples were crowded under a tree. One of the girls with long hair complained coily: "Why did it suddenly rain?" The weather forecast clearly said it was clear."

Her boyfriend wrapped an arm around her shoulder to comfort her, but he couldn't smooth her unwillingness. She complained endlessly: "I wouldn’t have come for the once-in-a-century meteor shower if I’d known! My clothes are all wet. What can I do if I catch a cold? People who aren’t in good health can’t get wet”

"Luo Xueyi, you said you were coming. Now it’s raining and there’s no way. Let's leave and go home," another girl with short hair said impatiently, holding her boyfriend's arm and going down the mountain.

The long-haired girl named Luo Xueyi pouted and said, "You can't blame me for this. I didn't know it would rain. Besides, you and Xiao Hong also promised to come. It's so romantic to watch a meteor shower. Who knew it would rain..."

"The rain is getting harder and harder, and the mountain road is slippery and not safe. Let's find somewhere nearby and wait for it to let up." Xiao Hong, the short-haired girl's boyfriend, held her back.

"What if it just gets worse? Besides, there’s no place to hide from the rain here. After a while, even this tree won’t be able stop the rain!" the short-haired girl said testily.

"Oh, Nan Lu is impatient. I think the rain will stop in a moment. As for the place to shelter from the rain, look, it’s dry under the eaves of that old castle." Luo Xueyi pointed to the castle not far away, which was surrounded by trees.

There was no doubt that the several NPCs in front of them were going to die. Qi Leren decided to persuade them with the idea of saving one's life. It was inevitable that he and Dr. Lu would go to the castle, but these NPCs didn't have to stick out their necks: "I don't know if it’s safe to go there after years of disrepair. Let me go and have a look."

Dr. Lu sighed softly and said in a voice that only he could hear: "According to the rules of horror films, you can't stop an idiot from dying."

Sure enough, Luo Xueyi said with a delicate voice: "It's not safe, don't say that you believe that rumor. It's just an old castle, can't a ghost suddenly jump out?" She giggled and seemed amused by her own words.

"Obviously, this Luo Xueyi plays the role of the classic horror film character with a big chest and no brain. It’s very vivid," Dr. Lu spoke up.

Unexpectedly, she also added: "I know that you and Lu-xuedi are inseparable, but today we’ll be the third wheels, hehe."

At this moment, Qi Leren and Dr. Lu’s mood is: WTF?!

"Now I know why there are three couples in the background of this mission," Dr. Lu said in a cold sweat, "It turns out that this copy is still politically correct and there’s a pair of gays, but I have to firmly refuse this kind of pretending to be a gay couple."

Qi Leren gave him an oblique look: "You, Schrodinger's straight man, have nothing to refuse. You’d only protest when my pen is straight."

"No, I can accept playing gay, but I don't want to be gay with you," Dr. Lu said seriously.

"Why?" Qi Leren felt as if he’d been rejected.

"Because you’re taller than me, I feel like ‘that’ with you..." Dr. Lu looked dignified.

"Which one?" Qi Leren asked.

"The one who needs to be checked frequently to see the health status of somewhere."

"...You know a lot." Qi Leren was embarrassed.

"Stop whispering and keep up." While the two people talked in a low voice, Luo Xueyi had called them to rush forward, and they’d to keep up with it and come to the nearby eaves of the castle against the heavy rain.

The castle was very old indeed, and it didn't look particularly tall. It exuded the breath of old history in the night.

The two couples were still whispering to each other, and Qi Leren looked at these four NPCs quietly.

The task of "Castle Cry" was a copy task. He and Dr. Lu started the task and came to the copy world after preparation. Each copy world was almost a parallel world with large and small areas. Qi Leren suspected that the area of this copy was as big as this mountain. If he tried to go down the mountain now, he would likely be forcibly repatriated by the system.

The NPCs came with this copy, and there were different opinions about NPC players in this copy task. Some people treated them as real human beings, others completely ignored this group of NPCs, and there were even players who maliciously slaughtered the NPCs. Generally speaking, the NPCs did not affect the player's basic ending. Even if he killed all the four NPCs now, there would be no problem to achieve the simplest ending. However, there were some clues. If you wanted to dig out the so-called true ending, you might also need the help of NPC.

Qi Leren naturally has no abnormal hobby of killing NPCs. He was observing these four NPCs.

Luo Xueyi and Miao Bo were a couple, and Miao Bo was a model of the loyal dog boyfriend. Nan Lu, the girl with short hair, seemed to have no warmth towards Luo Xueyi, and her boyfriend Xiao Hong seemed to be completely ignorant of the subtle aura between the girls.

Shouldn’t be an important role, Qi Leren thought. He glanced at the time. It was 0:55 in the morning, and it was almost one o'clock. There was not much time left for them in the task. If it was bright at six o'clock, they only had five hours.

"This door doesn't seem to be locked. Is it locked inside?" Luo Xueyi said, while pushing the strong-looking door.

With a creak, the wooden door was pushed open halfway, revealing a dark space.

Luo Xueyi's scream almost broke the eardrums of several people. Nan Lu slammed her ears and said angrily: "What is it? It's scary!"

Luo Xueyi shrank into Miao Bo's arms and cried with tears: "The door is open, the door is open!"

"If you open it, we won’t go in." MiaoBo patted her on the back to comfort her.

Xiao Hong peeked at Luo Xueyi and echoed: "Yes, we’ll leave when the rain lets up, and we won’t go in."

Dr. Lu pouted and whispered to Qi Leren: "Believe it or not, there will be an accident soon."

"...To the letter."

Sure enough, there was a wolf howling in the dark mountain forest. The horrible howling pierced the rainy night and pierced the psychological defenses of the group. Luo Xueyi screamed again: "Ah, ah, there are wolves!"

"Don't yell, won’t you attract the wolves?!” Nan Lu also panicked, holding Xiao Hong's trembling arm. Xiao Hong was frightened by her and tried to pull away, but failed.

"How can there be a wolf here? This is impossible," Miao Bo questioned in awe as he was held by Luo Xueyi. “This area isn’t too far away from the city, and I’ve never heard of anyone seeing wolves.”

However, the howling sound that was getting closer and closer made the several young people panic. Compared to the rumors of being haunted, the wolves that were close at hand were more dangerous - Qi Leren, who had killed wolves, has reservations about this - the group chose to enter the castle to avoid it without struggling for long.

Sure enough, I still have to go in, Qi Leren sighed in his heart and dragged a reluctant Dr. Lu into the castle.

The stale smell came over him, and the wooden door was closed. Miao Bo proposed to find something like a table to block the door so as not to let the wolf in, and the rest didn’t object. The range that the flashlight could illuminate was very limited, and it was still dark all around. There were traces of smoke on the wall, which really looked like a fire had happened.

"How did this castle burn down?" Qi Leren took advantage of this time before the dangerous part of the task began, and took the time to inquire about it.

Nan Lu took Xiao Hong's arm and said somberly, "I heard that the lady who lived in this castle discovered her husband's infidelity, and in a rage, she killed all the people in the castle and set it on fire. You see, there are burn marks everywhere now."

Luo Xueyi, who had calmed down, said with a smile: "It's just a legend. I think it was just a fire at night that burned down the castle. It's been rumored about for a long time."

"Yes, Xiao-Lu, don't listen to this rumor," Nan Lu's boyfriend Xiao Hong also said.

Nan Lu didn't say anything.

Qi Leren's flashlight shone around nearby. The hall the the door entered into had hundreds of square feet, and its height was far higher than that of a normal building’s. The overhead lights hanging above were still gorgeous even after decades, but unfortunately they could no longer light up. Going further, he found two curved staircases leading to the second floor. A picture frame was faintly visible on the wall beside the stairs, but unfortunately the paintings in it had been burned.

"Qi Leren, where are you going? The floor of the stairs may be burned out. You'd better not walk around." Nan Lu saw Qi Leren walking up the stairs and called him back.

Qi Leren then went back and followed them to the side corridor, ready to find something like tables and chairs to block the door.

Suddenly there was a dazzling light in front of him, and Qi Leren walking at the end of the group suddenly saw the fire coming head-on from the depths of the corridor, coming towards them like waves!

What was happening? Why was there a sudden fire?!

The people in front screamed, running in the direction of the door, and Qi Leren turned and ran after a slow beat. Fortunately, the fire wasn’t fast, but it was too bright and dazzling, which almost made it hard to open their eyes.

"The door is gone!" Luo Xueyi's cry was full of panic, and several people were anxiously flapping at the wall that should have been the door. The fear of unnatural things suddenly washed away human reason, and the fire was getting closer and closer, which drove the young people crazy.

"When-"

A distant bell came from the direction of the curved staircase: it was one o'clock in the morning.

The flame disappeared with the bell, everything illuminated by the firelight returned to darkness, and only a few people's flashlights lit up a small piece of darkness.

But even so, the group soon discovered the abnormality.

Nan Lu's voice trembled, and she murmured as if in a dream: "The traces of being burned are gone..."

With the bell, the whole castle seemed to have returned to the past.

-----

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#Welcome to the Nightmare Game #欢迎来到噩梦游戏 #danmei

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the-trashy-phoenix · 3 years

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Supernatural season 8 review (part 2)

Link to part 1:

Season 8 is far way better than season 7, and overall one of the best seasons of Supernatural, because in my opinion it brings a lot of new and positive elements to the show, even if it has some flaws (like episode 08x04, I'm sorry but what was that?).

We left Dean and Castiel in purgatory, which from, one year after they got in, Dean escapes with a vampire called Benny (08x01), and reunites with Sam who has retired from hunting and started living a life with a woman, Amelia, who he has already broken up with. The relationship between the brothers is already strained because of Sam (who didn't look for him or for Kevin, who was captured by Crowley), and will eventually have its ups and downs throughout the season. Although I would understand why Sam wanted to live a normal life at this point (especially since everyone he knew died or disappeared), I don't think he should have left Dean in purgatory without looking for him (or for Kevin). They eventually find him and discover that there's also a demon's tablet that could send the demons to hell and close its gates forever, so that becomes their primary mission in season 8. Kevin then has to hide throughout the season to translate the tablet and to avoid being caught again by Crowley, the main enemy of the season. We discover many new aspects of his personality and life (such as his relationship with his mom, who appears in episode 08x02 and is a total badass), but also an evolution, from the terrified student to a prophet who no longer fears even Crowley. The first time I watched Supernatural Kevin was one of my favorite characters, perhaps also due to the fact that he was younger than everyone else and that he was vaguely almost my age, and even today I am fond of him, mainly because I love his character and because I am sorry that he had to live this life against his will.

The first episodes of the season contain a series of flashbacks showing the time the brothers were separated, Sam living a new life with Amelia and Dean in purgatory with Benny and Castiel. While I loved Dean's flashbacks, I admit that those who showed Sam's life with Amelia didn't excite me that much. I never really liked the relationship between the two, perhaps because I never liked Amelia as a character herself (she didn't pass on much to me), plus it allowed Sam to ignore all the problems that I think he should have dealt with in this case. The only thing I liked was being able to see Sam living a normal life, without the need to worry about saving more lives. I also think Sam's behavior throughout his time with Amelia was correct, especially when his husband came back, while I think Amelia should have been more determined and not have left Sam without knowing precisely what she wanted.

The period in purgatory, on the other hand, fascinates me particularly: the fact that it's focused on Dean, my favorite character, or that the dynamics between Dean, Benny and Castiel were much more intriguing made me probably wish there were more flashbacks like that. I forgot how much I appreciated Benny's character: it initially seems that he doesn't care about Dean and that he just wants it to get back to earth, but in latest episodes, especially in the period on earth, we notice how much he cares about him, so that he sacrifices himself to save Sam. We also learn more about him and how, even though he's a vampire, he doesn't want to hurt any human (and the thing I appreciated the most is the fact that he didn't let himself be corrupted by returning to life on earth, proving to be really good). Especially because of Sam and Dean's conflicts over having a vampire as a friend (which actually goes against Dean's usual ideals) Benny and Dean have no way of seeing each other that much on earth and Benny realizes that there's nothing left to stick him to that place (and that's why he decides to stay in purgatory once he saves Sam). Although I don't consider their relationship as strictly romantic as many do (though the basics were there), I've always enjoyed Benny’s relationship with Dean and I was sorry not to see it grow and develop (maybe even in something more, also because the parallels with the relationship between Sam and Amelia are quite present and the breaking up phase was very evident even for Dean, besides Sam, as Charlie makes us notice in episode 08x11, one of the two episodes in which she appears, along with the episode 08x20, and in which the relationship with the brothers, and especially with Dean, progresses to such an extent that she becomes a sister to both of them).

Another evolution of relationships is found between Dean and Castiel. The two end up in purgatory together, but Castiel escapes Dean immediately and he spends a lot of time that year (also with Benny) looking for the angel. Once found, we discover that he had avoided Dean to keep him away from the Leviathans and that Dean had prayed to Castiel every night to try to find him. There are several elements that make the dynamics between the two even more special: the fact that Dean desperately looked for him because he didn't want to leave without him, the joy of finding him again, the terror of finding out that Castiel had avoided and ignored him, and the relief of understanding that he had done so only to protect him add layers of depth to the relationship. When Dean can't save Cas, the guilt haunts him until Castiel shows up in front of him. We find out that Castiel wanted to stay in purgatory as punishment for doing all that damage in the past and that Dean thought he hadn't done enough to help him get out. At this point in the series I think there are at least some scenes that involve a possible outlet in a relationship that goes beyond just friendship. The most obvious moment is certainly in episode 08x17, a scene at the height of a series of events that strictly concern Castiel and his relationship with heaven. He returns from purgatory thanks to the angel Naomi, who puts him under her control, without him knowing it, to spy on the Winchesters especially to find the angel tablet, who could send the angels to heaven forever. Dean, suspicious from the first moment Castiel returns without knowing how, realizes that the angel is not okay and when the two find the tablet he tries in every way to prevent Castiel from taking it. The most shocking element is the fact that Naomi trained him in heaven to kill copies of Dean in such a way that, if necessary, he would also do so in reality. In fact, it looks like Castiel, who is totally controlled by Naomi, has no mercy on Dean and is willing to kill him, but, after an open-hearted speech and the famous "I need you" Dean utters, Castiel frees himself from Naomi's control, spares Dean and cures him. Now, it's indisputable that at "What broke the connection?" we would all answer "Castiel's love for you, Dean", but probably the most appropriate question would be "What kind of love?". From the point of view of a person who loves Destiel, I think Castiel still doesn't really realize the emotions he feels, but that certainly the form of love he feels for Dean comes close to being romantic, more than anyone else. The most obvious thing that makes me notice it is the fact that Naomi chose Dean for Castiel's training, and I think she did because if Castiel was able to kill Dean he would easily kill anyone else. I remember when I was fifteen years old, watching this scene for the first time and not shipping Destiel that much, this moment got me thinking. Castiel, however, once back in himself still takes the tablet and hides it from Dean, not trusting what he could do. Dean, when the two meet again, shows all his disappointment at knowing that Cas doesn't trust him, once again showing how much he cares about the angel. Luckily, the two manage to make peace and collaborate until the last episode, 08x23.

Also in episode 08x17 we meet Meg and, thanks to a conversation with Sam, in which he talks about the love he feels for Amelia, we understand that she feels something for Castiel. Probably if Destiel didn't exist I wouldn't mind seeing more of their relationship, but unfortunately Meg is killed a few minutes after that confession.

Castiel's main purpose during the course of season 8 is to redeem himself from the damage caused previously, and especially to help heaven return as it once was. That's why he lets himself be controlled by Naomi more easily and tricked by Metatron, who appears towards the end of the season and plans to bring all the angels out of heaven, making Castiel believe that they are closing the gates of heaven once and for all. Metatron makes him complete three trials, the last of which is to become a man. Castiel then, at the end of the last episode, finds himself both human and aware that he has caused all angels to fall from heaven, shown as a meteor shower in one of Supernatural's most magical scenes.

In the same episode Dean and especially Sam are busy closing the gates of hell forever. With Kevin's help, they discover that to do so they have to complete three tests, tests that also put a strain on their already rather complicated relationship. Given the danger and possible effects of the trials, Dean is the one who wants to deal with them without further discussion, trying to protect Sam at all costs, but his brother disagrees. And right now we see how Dean is now lacking that hope of lifting up and being happy that he once had. He is convinced that for him there is nothing but hunting for evil and knows that one day he will die doing just that. Hearing these words, especially after seeing the last episode of season 15, completely broke my heart. Because here it is understood that Dean, at least, does not think he is valuable enough to live a happy life outside of hunting, unlike Sam. Several times over the seasons Dean proves to be always the most pessimistic, who doesn't believe that he can win and above all that he is able to move on, and this side of it gets worse and worse, to the point of suicidal thoughts. For a character like Dean, who should have grown and realized that he was valuable enough to be happy, dying without a hint of struggle and survival instinct just when he could have been happy is really a terrible end (but I would say I can vent better about it in last season's review). As much as Dean wanted to be the one who would complete the trials, Sam accidentally passes the first one: to kill a hellhound and bathe in its blood (08x14). Sam, unlike Dean, wants to pass the tests because he wants to live on, optimistic, and so he will try to do it in every way. Dean isn't convinced Sam is the one who has to pass the trials and Sam thinks Dean wants to be the only one doing it because he doesn't trust anyone else, not even his brother. I think the problem isn't that Dean doesn't trust anyone else, but rather that Dean is only willing to hurt (and possibly kill) himself to close the gates of hell, and definitely not the person he cares about the most.

Unlike the first test, I was not completely satisfied with how the second was dealt with (08x19), freeing an innocent soul from hell (who turns out to be Bobby), because I think it was too easy to go to hell and above all find Bobby.

The last trial, on the other hand, is the most complex, the one that has been dealt with in the most interesting way and overall the best one: curing a demon and turning them into a human (08x23). The two brothers document themselves and spend quite some time searching for the magic formula (which is meant to be human blood), but the best thing is the demon on which they test this formula, Crowley, who is the enemy of the season and who proves to be Supernatural's best villain, both for his personality, for his own evolution and especially for his relationship with the Winchesters. A decisive aspect of this evolution is in fact precisely this transformation thanks to Sam's blood, which makes him incredibly more sensitive and empathetic (and in fact, although Sam does not complete the third trial and completely transform it, in the following season Crowley shows aspects of himself never seen before). In fact, Dean, once he learns that Sam, completing the trial, would die, convinces Sam to stop the trials and let go of the plan to close the gates of hell. This scene from the last episode is one of my Supernatural favorites, because it shows how much the two brothers care about each other, although they both made many mistakes, and how hurt Sam is that Dean does not trust him enough and prefers to collaborate with Benny or Castiel. Dean assures him that he is the person he would put in front of everyone else and helps him stop the pain he feels for trying to pass the third trial. While I love Castiel's relationship with Dean, I'm convinced Dean’s priorities are focused on Sam, because Dean not only played the role of older brother, but also father and mother, having been the only one to raise Sam, and the idea of seeing Sam die would completely destroy him (as we have already seen in the second season).

The two brothers, who have always lived alone in motels and cars, for the first time since the beginning of Supernatural find a "home". In episode 08x12, they meet their grandfather Henry, John's father, who has gone into the future to escape a Knight of Hell, Abaddon (who joins him and stays there), and they find out that he's part of an association called Men of Letters, the collectors of information on the supernatural who collaborate with a few hunters to handle the monsters, located in a bunker in Kansas. They then discover that they are also their legacy and decide to use that bunker, full of information that they were not aware of, as a base and home for research against the monsters they have to hunt.

The fact that the Winchesters finally have a place to live and create memories, the focus on the trials and the relationship between the two brothers, purgatory, Dean's relationship with Benny and Castiel and the fall of the angels are some of the elements that make season eight one of my favorites.

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heathers-wig · 4 years

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last kiss oneshot aka a sad heathers-wig making a duncney oneshot at 1AM and getting emotional over the duncney parallels because i’m THAT bitch

listen,,,,, i know. i have no shame. making duncney content in 2020? to old taylor swift songs? my pride has evaporated, so please td tumblr, have mercy.

also @ my few non-td mutuals and non-writer mutuals: do not judge me more than you already have please i’m begging.

available on ao3 here

I still remember the look on your face

Lit through the darkness at 1:58

The words that you whispered

For just us to know

You told me you loved me

So why did you go away?

A somber reflection of her own face stared back at Courtney as the brown eyed girl stared, saddened, outside one of the jet’s windows. The Jumbo-Jet had been flying for hours, to wherever the show’s next location was, and the rest of her team was fast asleep; even Cody, who was terrified of Sierra rubbing his feet at the dead of the night. Sierra herself had been worn out after hours of cutting out perfectly shaped pieces of paper of a Gwen silhouette and then destroying it — she had taken so much joy out of it, and had done it so flawlessly, that Courtney was sure it had become a routine over the few years Total Drama had been airing on TV. After today, Courtney would gladly join Sierra, if she wasn’t so busy making a list on how much of a back-stabbing, helio-phobic goth-loving liar that Gwen was.

God, Gwen; just the name made Courtney want to let out one of the most pathetic sobs that had ever been seen on television. She knew it was stupid, she honestly did, that she trusted Gwen — it wasn’t anything she said, or really anything that she did, that deemed Gwen as untrustworthy, it was more like the feeling of being unsettled that came after every time Duncan’s name would worm its way into the conversation, and the way Gwen had tensed and how the goth’s cheeks would become slightly pinker, yet her skin somehow paler; in hindsight, it was so dreadfully and painfully obvious that this would happen, and how inevitable it was that this sad, beautifully breathtaking destruction would crumble down on the fragments of happiness in Courtney’s life, but maybe that’s why Courtney and Gwen were drawn together in the first place. To prove the paparazzi wrong, or maybe because Courtney really believed that Gwen wouldn’t stoop as low and confirm the public’s suspicions. However, time had slowly gone by and Courtney learned the hard, cruel way that they were absolutely right.

Chef, who had never taken any sort of liking or pity on Courtney — except when she had sued Chris, he had begrudgingly admitted that he was impressed — had been nice (or cruel, Courtney couldn’t decide which one was more accurate,) enough to show the brunette the clip herself. Herself hugging Duncan (who she now nicknamed Dumbcan in her own mind — ugh, the jerk!) so lovingly after being separated for what felt like ages, and feeling her heart soar when he said he thought of her while he was gone —

— But that was all a lie. A lie that made Courtney feel secure in her deteriorating relationship, a lie that allowed Duncan an easy way out, a lie that filled Gwen’s stomach to the brim with fluttering butterflies. Courtney had to watch, with something that felt all too familiar to horror, as Duncan and Gwen embraced and slowly leaned towards each other, all while knowing and ignoring the brunette outside who was just so happy that she had her boyfriend back and someone she could call the closest to a best friend was still in the game with her. It was almost ironic how that ended. Almost.

Now, staring out the window, Courtney couldn’t help but wander how this could have possibly happened. Of course, she knew the actual answer; Gwen falling for Duncan after her public and awful breakup with Trent, and Duncan losing interest in her as Courtney thought more and more of their relationship as long-term versus until one of them had gotten a sudden sweep of common sense and dumped the other. Whenever Courtney had tried to construct the words in her head of what she would say to Duncan when she eventually had to actually face him, the thoughts that were so carefully balanced on the tip of her tongue would come tumbling back down to the pit of her stomach. Throwing a pity party and tantrum when breaking up with Duncan would be inevitable — she knew it, as much as she didn’t want to acknowledge it — but the feeling of dread she felt when looking back on their initial relationship was too much to bear.

It was ironic, wasn’t it, how she was the first to lean in, while Duncan had took the final lean out? And how he didn’t even have enough guts to breakup with her to begin with? Sure, it would definitely hurt, but she was almost positive that it would be nowhere near the amount of heartache she felt while watching that clip.

What killed her the most was that she could still remember the electric blue eyes of his that seemed to illuminate the darkness of night that day she rebelled, the very day she would now do anything to erase from history. The look of initial shock on his face when Courtney grabbed his face and smashed their lips together in one electrifying kiss... it was painful to remember such a time. If Courtney tried hard enough, she was sure she could hear the slight chatter of their friends behind them and the crickets around them and maybe even the humming of porch lights next to them. Possibly even pick up on the slight smell of cigarettes that followed Duncan everywhere (like his criminal record, as Courtney would snidely berate him, though those days were left to wither in the past), or unfortunately the resting puddle of vomit next to the porch.

“Enjoy a peanut butter-less life,” he had remarked, the words still ringing in Courtney’s head almost two years later.

“Thanks,” Courtney herself had quipped, leaning up against him. “Enjoy prison,”

“I will,” the juvenile smirked. It all felt like such a long time ago. Had it all meant nothing? Maybe it had been broadcasted around the world, but it was such a private and intimate moment between them that felt like it was for them and them alone — and yet he cheated? He turned around and kissed up her best friend with little to no remorse? Did it mean anything to him? She wasn’t sure she wanted the answer.

If it did, wouldn’t he had stayed? Wouldn’t he had wanted to talk things out, instead of hurting her in the worst way possible? Wouldn’t he have meant every ‘I love you,’ he said while they were still dating with no second thought? Did he even mean every ‘I love you’? Or were they just lies that tasted as sweet as honey on his tongue, that he spoon-fed to Courtney every now and then to keep her from leaving him.

She wasn’t sure what haunted her more; knowing that Duncan felt no regret for what he did or having a last kiss with no knowledge of its significance.

I do recall now

The smell of the rain

Fresh on the pavement

I ran off the plane

That July ninth

The beat of your heart

It jumps through your skin

I can still feel your arms

As odd as it felt, a few weeks have gone by since her nasty breakup with Duncan. She finally got to shove Gwen (who was swelling up from her allergic reaction at a concerning rate, but Courtney had no pity left for Gwen in her heart that the goth and Duncan were responsible for breaking) off of Chris’s jet, but to her disappointment it wasn’t nearly as satisfying as she hoped it would be. Sure, seeing Gwen’s falling figure struggle to open the parachute brought a smile to her face and earned a chuckle from Heather (and a maniacal laugh from Sierra), but it wasn’t enough. She wanted to personally shove Duncan off the plane herself, but she wouldn’t be as kind to him as she was with Gwen; she’d be taking the parachute right before she shoved the fatal push.

The feeling that came after Gwen’s elimination was hard to describe — of course, sheer joy immediately after, but after the cameras stopped rolling and Chris instructed them all to head to bed, panic took its place. Courtney knew she was a target from her fellow teammates — Heather probably wanted to chop all her hair off for flirting with her dear Alejandro; Courtney almost wished the two would get together and save Courtney the heartbreak she’d have to face that there was no one left for her. Duncan would of course crave Courtney’s elimination, and Alejandro and Sierra would probably agree to anything so as long as it wasn’t them, or Cody, in Sierra’s case. Just about everything seemed to be going her way, wasn’t it?

Courtney wasn’t even sure if she cared at this point. Should she? Of course, winning would be a great payment for everything she’s had to put up with on Total Drama, this season in particular, but at the same time, with Gwen officially out of the running, following her and going back home would feel even better.

Home. Courtney hadn’t been there in ages, and at this point she wasn’t sure what she considered home to be. There was the pristine mansion she was raised in by her lawyer parents, and while that place might have looked like the front of a magazine cover, it felt like an empty ghost of a home. Not a single thing was out of place — not a throw pillow or piece of silverware. Her parents were either always at work, travelling for a case, or holed up in their respective offices; there was rarely “family time”. Courtney was fine with this, though; that’s just how things were for the Castillo family.

There was Camp Wawanakwa, as evil and ironic as it was. For a few weeks, she lived with teenagers, not the reality stars they were now. When her friends from debate club sometimes dragged her to a rewatch of the first season, it was odd to see how different they were all back then, but at the same time, they really hadn’t changed at all. Though Courtney was unsure if she would ever step foot on that island ever again, it would always hold a place in her heart — good or bad? She hadn’t decided yet — for the beginning of whatever her life was now.

Her apartment was an option, as well. It wasn’t as much home as just the place she so happened to live in. No emotional attachment whatsoever; some boxes were still stacked in a spare coat closet, all neatly labeled in a thick Sharpie. It wasn’t that Courtney was disorganized or lazy, more like there was no use in unpacking all of her belongings in a temporary home. She moved out of her parents’ mansion as college crept closer and closer, and she hadn’t lived with her parents since last summer.

That summer felt alien at this point, looking at old photographs that were neatly organized on her cellphone. She remembered her family went on a month-long vacation in Europe, and Duncan had come to pick her up from the airport, much to her parents’ displeasure. The Castillos and Duncan did not get along, but tried to be civil for Courtney’s sake — they knew how much it could upset her when they were constantly at odds. Being civil was nowhere easy for either parties, but seeing Courtney’s happiness and hope that there was just maybe a hope that she and Duncan would be able to have a future together made it worth it.

However, seeing his arm around her waist with easy smiles on both of their lips made Courtney’s stomach lurch, just knowing what he would do a little more than a year later. It brought back too many memories that were painful to recall, and came all at once with no warning, much like a band-aid being harshly torn off the surface of a child’s knee.

That day it had been raining all afternoon, and there was still a slight drizzle and mist in the air when Courtney’s family had landed. Duncan was there, at the pickup area, with brunch for herself and her entire family from some local cafe — as much as he would deny it, deep down she just knew he was a sweetheart — and as soon as he could, he wrapped his arms around Courtney, which Courtney had gladly returned.

The smell of rose and cigarettes, a smell that had become the twisted combination of the aromas surrounding Courtney and Duncan, filled Courtney’s nose, and she couldn’t help but bask in how glorious it felt, to simply be embraced by Duncan. No bickering, no making out, just a simple sign of affection was all it took for Courtney to feel at peace. They were so close, she could’ve swore she could feel the faint beat of his heart underneath his t-shirt.

It was such a quick, and rather insignificant moment, of their relationship, that Courtney couldn’t figure out, for the life of her, why it stuck with her. Maybe because it was insignificant in the long run it was so cherishable to her — a quick, stolen moment of sweet nothings that was caught in the middle of the timeline of her rather messy and confusing relationship with Duncan.

Did Duncan still remember that July ninth? Probably not. Realistically, not. In fact, he was probably busy daydreaming making out with his new girlfriend in another all new spot on Gwen’s neck that made them feel something new that they never felt with Trent or Courtney. Not at all reminiscing on Courtney unwillingly falling in love with Duncan that July ninth in front of her parents, not at all remembering the imprint he left on her heart (though it did give her a sense of satisfaction that all Duncan could do was wish, as Courtney could gladly say she heard Gwen’s shrieks of terror as she plummeted towards the Earth at a rapid pace with a broken parachute).

Feeling a sudden chill in the air, Courtney runs her hands up and down her upper arms. As much as she hated him for it, she could still feel Duncan’s arms wrapping themselves around her, and she felt less colder.

She doubted Duncan remembered the smell of lingering rain on the pavement that July ninth, or the hand squeeze and smile she gave him, or her parents finally warming up to him when he remembered their favorite brunch meal.

She doubted he would even want to remember any of it.

But now I’ll go sit on the floor

Wearing your clothes

All that I know is

I don’t know how to be something you missed

Never thought we’d have a last kiss

Never imagined we’d end like this

Your name, forever the name on my lips

Courtney wasn’t sure what to feel; upset? Angered? Humiliated? Robbed of winning, yet again? Maybe even a little relieved? They were all emotions she had felt before on the previous times she had been eliminated from Total Drama, but considering the circumstances... Courtney decided a combination of all would be the most appropriate.

She was upset she allowed herself to cheat for Alejandro, who she was only really using to spite Duncan (not like Duncan had even batted an eye, which admittedly really stung), and she was fully aware Alejandro didn’t return her feelings, but God, she hadn’t felt any joy in what felt like ages, maybe she felt Alejandro would, what, reward her? All she got was a kiss after she freshened up, and it wasn’t even that good to begin with — too much tongue for her liking.

Duncan knew how to kiss me just right. Crossed her mind, but as soon as it surfaces, she shoves it far, far down.

And she was angry, so angry that she had allowed herself to be used and manipulated, on International TV no less! She looked like exactly what she was, and she did not like it in any way, whatsoever — weak. And with that, humiliation; being cheated on, blanked, used and then sent packing with that trashy, gossip-craving Blaineley of all people was such a huge hit to her pride, Courtney was unsure if her pride would ever be able to recover, even five years from now. God, that was pathetic, the thought of still being sensitive to her Total Drama World Tour experience as a full-on adult. Definition of embarrassing. Her ego was massively bruised, and had taken such a fall that Courtney was sure she would never allow herself to get close to anyone ever again. Was it selfish? Maybe. But a businesswoman has to do what she has to do to be successful and strong, and if that meant ghosting everyone and plunging herself into her work — so be it.

However... a small, incredibly fragile fraction of herself was so relieved. Of course, she wanted to win, to show to her ex-friend and boyfriend she was more than capable of destroying them, but she had already endured so much humiliation during that season that she felt her shoulders relax a little rather than tense up before she jumped off the plane. Though the cameras didn’t show it, Courtney found herself smiling like a lunatic — like Izzy, as she had now come to realize, not that she enjoyed acknowledging it one bit — as she dived off the jet, finally free from Chris, the cameras and most of all, Duncan.

But now that she was back at her bleak apartment, she realized that cruelly ironically enough that he was more present in her own dorm even when he was across the world, with no thought or emotion to spare in her direction. The couch reeked of him, where he had spent New Years’ Eve and where they ended up falling asleep at 4 in the morning; the coffee table underneath her bare fingers felt like him, where an engraving of D+C was proudly displayed on the corner; the fridge seemed to still have him traced all over it, where she and Duncan had a huge argument in front of before he had slipped out the words “I love you” for the first time, and even the coat racket was imprinted with Duncan, where one of his jackets still hung, firm from months of not being used. Though a part of her wanted to reach out for it and wrap it around herself for some source of comfort, Courtney knew she shouldn’t — she couldn’t. But...

It was ridiculous. A stupid, humiliating and reckless idea that would take the mere shreds left of her ego, dignity and pride and bury them six feet under. But right now, nobody would know... there was no paparazzi or roommate around to expose her, and she did feel awfully cold....

Grabbing the collar of the jacket, Courtney wrapped it around her shoulders and (shamefully, she couldn’t believe she was allowing her pride to stoop even lower than it already had) dashed in her pristine bedroom and immediately opened one of her drawers; Duncan’s drawer, which was filled with even more memories, both good and bad. To be fair, they were once all good, but now they left a sour sting on Courtney’s tongue. She tore through the drawer, before fixating on one item and pulling it out — one of Duncan’s many copies of his infamous skull t-shirt.

Without even meaning to, Courtney found herself crumbling like a piece of wet gingerbread. How pathetic are you? She mentally scolded herself, but at that moment she found herself realizing she simply didn’t care. After a lifetime of being as cold and emotionless as she could be, a boy of all things is what broke her down. After being rid of Total Drama — for now, Courtney had to remind herself — and the travel, the cameras and the clothes, and now just in her pajamas and dreadfully Duncan’s jacket, Courtney couldn’t help but unleash the full power of the sobs that had been building up in Courtney since the breakup.

How was she going to get past this? Would she always be remembered as the bitch that a criminal cheated on on TV? What about her future? Would this all affect her chances in office? How could her ego possibly come back from this? Most of all, how would she cope knowing that Duncan, the nuisance criminal she’s despised for around two or three years, was gone for good and was never, ever coming back, no matter how much Courtney craved for it?

Would Duncan even miss her? Would he ever, someday in the future, when things with Gwen were rocky? Would he remember Courtney, and think of her as something he missed? Was that even a title Courtney had the chance of claiming?

Courtney craved Duncan. She wanted his presence in her apartment, she wanted his arms around her, his lips pressed on her own; she hadn’t, didn’t and probably would never have wanted a last kiss, and knowing that they were as good as done with no chance of having another stolen kiss — it was too much. How could she have let them end like this?

“D... Duncan,” The name forces itself out of Courtney’s throat and through her lips, crumpling his shirt in her hands and bringing her knees to the ground, where she continues to sob. Tossing one more item from the drawer — the wooden skull, with D+C engraved on it, looking as new as it did years ago — she hurls it at the mirror in the corner of her room, its impact cracking the glass.

Maybe in the morning Courtney would care, but at that moment, all she wanted was to be comforted by the one person who couldn’t, wouldn’t and would never comfort her ever again. All she knew was that she would never stop craving Duncan, no matter who was by her side or made her smile and laugh and shower her with kisses — the whole time she would be wishing it was Duncan instead, sharing a kiss that would be far from their last.

I do remember

The swing in your step

The life of the party, you’re showing off again

And I roll my eyes and then

You pull me in

I’m not much for dancing

But for you I did

Because I love your handshake

Meetin’ my father

I love how you walk with your hands in your pockets

How you kissed me when I was in the middle of saying something

There’s not a day that I don’t miss those rude interruptions

Courtney despised the nights that followed post-World Tour elimination; they were filled with nightmares of happier times that mocked Courtney, nightmares that were dressed like perfect, safe and welcoming dreams. Nightmares that felt like incredible dreams at first, until Courtney woke up and remembered how alone she truly was.

That night it was a random, and rather insignificant, memory of a wild party that Duncan had dragged her to. It was hosted by the cousin of a friend of Geoff’s friend, and of course Geoff and Duncan insisted that Bridgette, Courtney and DJ to come with, as much as Courtney was opposed to the idea. Duncan always made impacts, for lack of better word, on the guests, that would usually result in him adding a hundred followers to his Instagram, starting a riot and Courtney having to bail him out of jail or being kicked out by the host; it was a gamble each time.

That night, Duncan had chosen to boast in front of a group of guests on all the laws he had broken and tattoos he had gotten — just Duncan’s usual load of shit.

Courtney had rolled her eyes and sneered in disgust — just Courtney’s typical reaction to said load of shit. “God, Duncan, those tattoos are disgusting, I don’t see how you put up with them,” She had scowled. Duncan shrugged and wrapped his arm around her, leaning into Courtney, intently watching her incredibly dark and hypnotizing (at least, they were to him) eyes widen in surprise.

“You’re just no fun,” Duncan lamely insulted, poking his tongue out at her and showcasing his tongue piercing that made Courtney’s nose scrunch up.

“I am plenty of fun!” Courtney snapped.

“Really? Prove it,” Duncan challenged, jerking his head toward the dance floor. Courtney gave him a withering glare that would have turned anyone else to a mere pile of dust, before gripping his wrist and dragging her with him, determined to prove him wrong. Unbeknownst to her, he was grinning like an enamored puppy behind her.

As a slow song came on, Courtney wrapped her arms around Duncan’s neck while her wrapped his around her waist as they slowly swayed around to the beat of the song. Just as Duncan dipped her down, and Courtney felt a glamorous sensation as they both leaned toward each other and —

— suddenly, Duncan impaled a hook through Courtney (that looked all too familiar to the one he had spooked her with a long time ago) that Courtney hadn’t even noticed he had, before dropping her on the dance floor, her white dress staining with red blood like wine, as everyone else continued dancing to the romantic melody, paying no glance to Courtney.

She felt light headed while her eyelids felt like three tons, and as she fell on her knees, hunched over from the wound, she couldn’t help but notice as her eyes began to flutter shut no one spared a glance at her way; not even Duncan, who was back with his friends, showcasing the book like it was a trophy. As Courtney knew she was breathing her last breath, Duncan glanced her way and gave a crooked smirk, his eyes flashing hot with satisfaction at her pain. The ocean blue in his eyes had become a ferocious storm.

Courtney had jarred awake, hot, sweaty, emotional and desperate with the time of 2:34 staring back at her from her alarm clock. Courtney sighed with relief upon the realization it was just another nightmare about her ex-boyfriend, one that was rather cheesy anyway — what she would give to not be haunted by him as she still was. Unfortunately, as much as she hated the fact, she knew he still roamed her consciousness, subconsciousness and unconsciousness because of the fact she still loved him, even after everything, and a fraction of that love would probably live on for years to come until Courtney was on her deathbed.

With that comforting thought, Courtney groaned and turned away from her clock and towards the wall, studying the plaster like her life depended on it; anything to get her away from the angry electric blue that followed her even when her eyes were sealed shut.

It was plain annoying how she knew that she still loved Duncan, no matter how many times she was forced to re-live the brutal truth that he no longer loved her whenever she came face-to-face with a tabloid at the checkout line when she would occasionally get groceries, or search his name on the Internet to see how he was coping; maybe Courtney couldn’t face the truth, couldn’t face that maybe she was no longer in love with Duncan but instead with the memories of him that were scattered about her life.

It felt odd going to her parents’ and not having to deal with her father staring Duncan down, and for Duncan to stare right back, passive-aggressively. Not to watch both men clench each other’s hands firmly while looking at the other dead in the eye when Courtney introduced them. Now whenever she went to her parents’, all she felt was the sore reminder that in the end, the Castillos were right — Duncan was nothing but trouble and pain in the end.

It was painful going to the mall without Duncan to lean on, or his hand to clutch as they would lazily walk around the shops. Or how Courtney no longer had to unfold each of Duncan’s clothes from being inside-out in the laundry or hand a mountain of objects found in Duncan’s pockets to him before stuffing his pants in the washer. Duncan used to (or maybe he still did, Courtney would have no idea,) stuff anything and everything he possibly could into his pockets — keys, empty wrappers of gum, cigarettes or small things he’d pick pocketed, even spare change (though Courtney used to mock him for still carrying pennies around — who does that? She’d tease).

“That’s what you get for always walking with your hands in your pockets,” Courtney used to barate. “Someday, you’re going to end up washing your wallet if it isn’t for me,”

“Yeah, well, you’ll always be here, so that’s not a concern,” Duncan had winked back.

All Courtney could do now was scowl at how that had aged.

Hell, Courtney found herself missing their arguments — mostly over the small and rather unimportant things, they were ironically some of her fondest memories. Half the time their arguments would end up with the two making out after Duncan had silenced her with a kiss, and Courtney was now well-aware no one would ever interrupt her in such a way ever again.

Duncan was the only person who Courtney would allow to interrupt her, though now he wouldn’t want to even listen to her, let alone care enough to plant a kiss on her lips when she was in the middle of talking. Courtney had never wanted someone to interrupt her more than she wanted Duncan to.

And I'll go sit on the floor

Wearing your clothes

All that I know is that

I don't know how to be something you miss

Never thought we'd have a last kiss

Never imagined we'd end like this

Your name, forever the name on my lips

So I'll watch your life in pictures like I used to watch you sleep

And I feel you forget me like I used to feel you breathe

And I'll keep up with our old friends just to ask them how you are

Hope it's nice where you are

( TIME JUMP: 4 Months after TDAS )

Two months after coming home, Courtney found herself slowly healing from the damage that Duncan had caused on her heart. Two more months after that, Courtney found herself genuinely able to smile after that without the desire for Duncan and Gwen to be by her side; a year after that, Total Drama All Stars has been done for four months and Courtney lived day-to-day life without thinking of either Duncan or Gwen.

Courtney had been laying low for that time; obnoxious, gossip-hungry tabloids had asked for a “statement” from her whenever Gwen or Duncan or one of her ex-contestants found themselves on a headline, but Courtney shot them down every time — her ego might have taken a huge hit from World Tour and that episode from All Stars, but she wasn’t desperate enough to willingly make an appearance and be interviewed by Celebrity Manhunt.

The questions for “statements” seemed to blur over time; do you have any words of advice for Heather, who suspects Alejandro of cheating? Have you heard Trent’s new single? Rumor has it it’s about Gwen and Duncan! Speaking of Gwen and Duncan, if they were reading this, what would you say to them?

It was an endless and rather tiring cycle of the paparazzi trying to lure a reaction out of her, which Courtney refused to give into.

However, one day as Courtney was loading her groceries on a conveyor belt at the local grocery store, a headline from a tabloid caught her eye. All Courtney read were the words Totally Dramatic, and Courtney knew she should look away — they were the same magazine that publicly called Courtney a bitch a few months ago, which she would never forget. Though she had self-control in public, she found that at 11PM on a Friday night she had little to no self-control and found herself pulling open her laptop and typing Totally Dramatic in the search bar on Safari.

Almost immediately, the faces of her ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend take over her screen, with the text underneath that’s all too hard to miss — Gwuncan Engagement Rumors Confirmed!?

Courtney could feel her the pit of her stomach drop and her heart shatter as it crashed to the ground below her.

It wasn’t that she missed Duncan — she didn’t! It was just that she so good at her job of avoiding Gwen and Duncan’s names like the plague she was blissfully unaware that they had gotten back together.

She would be lying if Courtney said she hadn’t thought of reaching out to Gwen — and shamefully, it would be a lie if Courtney swore she never considered sending a drunk text to Duncan (thankfully, she never had; it was a nightmare just thinking of the embarrassment that would cause) — but always decided against it because of three reasonings; there was no way either would want to hear from her, they hated her guts and Courtney would never allow her dignity to stoop as low as it had during the third season ever again.

But now — now Courtney was sure she would never reach out. Not even a quick Congratulations! text, not a gift basket, not even show up to Gwen’s bachelorette party if she felt bold enough. Courtney was positive that she was reduced to the stalking ex, browsing through both of their Instagrams, watching them mature and fall back in love through their own photographs. It was... strange, to say the least.

What was this feeling that was erupting inside her? It wasn’t jealousy, she had gotten over Duncan months ago, but it wasn’t sadness, resentment or anger, either. It was like the feeling of realizing that, as ironically and unbelievable as it was, the two had grown up without Courtney, and all she could do was watch from a distance. Watch them slowly move on from their memories of Courtney — both bad and good — until the mention of her left both indifferent; Courtney was almost positive that being hated by the two would be less painful than knowing that at one point, they were the closest and best people in her life and now they couldn’t care less on how Courtney was.

Courtney used to watch Gwen paint and draw with such concentration that she was sure she would be held accountable for messing her art up if she just so much as breathed too loudly. The furrow between her brows would deepen and the stormy gray of her eyes would be clouded over with concentration and care, and Courtney found herself wishing that she was as passionate about something as Gwen was of her art. Sure, she had her studies in law, but Gwen’s skills — they were truly beautiful. She used to watch Gwen’s head very thrown back a little when she laughed a little too hard, and how tears would leak from the corner of her eyes from laughter so easily. Or how whenever Gwen dyed her hair again, she would unintentionally run her fingers through it all of the time, leaving Courtney wandering just how soft her hair could possibly be with her double-conditioning. But now she would witness all of Gwen’s happiness through her phone’s screen when she would look up her name on Instagram.

Courtney also used to watch Duncan do so many miscellaneous things that it would be impossible to list them all; like how his eyes would glint with joy whenever he would successfully break a law, a small shot of success and pride to keep him going. Or how, as much as he stated he hated them, always showing great amounts of concern when his friends or family were stressed and immediately began brainstorming how to make them feel better. Or how no matter how tough he pretended to be, when he slept, he just looked so peaceful that it was impossible to find yourself able to avoid falling for him. But now all she’d be seeing of him was his face plastered on a tabloid, probably with his arms around Gwen’s waist.

Maybe she was being overdramatic, but it really was ironic how at one point, she had held them both so close she could feel them breathe but now all she felt was herself slowly becoming more and more insignificant to the two of them, until she was nothing more than just a blurry memory and a face that was hard to recall among others.

Someday in the future, she could already picture herself casually asking Bridgette how Duncan was, since he was still friends with Geoff and DJ, afterall — what would she be expecting? For him to be struggling to make a living and pay rent? For Duncan to be unhappy with his life and relationship? For Gwen and Duncan to experience as much pain as they inflicted on her?

Deep down, she knew the real answer; no matter how many times they’d backstab the other, Courtney just wanted Gwen and Duncan to have the best, even if it killed her to admit it.

A small part of her couldn’t help but wonder if they felt the same about her, too.

And I hope the sun shines

And it's a beautiful day

And something reminds you

You wish you had stayed

You can plan for a change in weather and time

But I never planned on you changing your mind

Maybe one day Duncan would look back on their relationship like Courtney had been doing for months — or maybe, a small part of her hoped, he had been.

All Courtney could hope for was that someday in the future, when Courtney had found peace and Gwen and Duncan were happily moving on to whatever chapter of their lives lied ahead of them, something small would catch Duncan’s eye — a picture of her on the news, a box that reeked of memories of her, even the mere mention of her name — would send him back in time to when they were sixteen and still in love and clueless to the cruel world around them, and maybe a small part of him that he thought died when he was a teenager would blossom again with the wish that he had stayed; they would always be their own biggest what-ifs.

Courtney had planned anything and everything in her life ahead of time; one thing she hadn’t ever expected? Duncan to give up on her and leave her with a last kiss while she still craved for more. And while he had moved on, Courtney was stuck in the past, but that was okay — if he could move on, so could she, and her while that may take time, she was fully prepared to wait it out; she may have been painted as the villain of the story, but she also deserved her happily ever after.

So I'll go sit on the floor

Wearing your clothes

All that I know is that

I don’t know how to be something you miss

Never thought we'd have a last kiss

Never imagined we'd end like this

Your name, forever the name on my lips

Just like our last kiss

Forever the name on my lips

Just like our last

#duncney #writing angsty and sad duncney in 2020?#couldn’t be me #total drama #td courtney #td duncan #gwuncan #td gwen #total drama world tour #total drama all stars #pls td tumblr forgive me #WHY DID I WRITE SM #song fic #song fic oneshots are my jam #please forgive me for writing all of this #enjoy angsty courtney is it obvious i love her with my entire heart

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mediaeval-muse · 4 years

Text

Book Review

Wicked Intentions. By Elizabeth Hoyt. New York: Forever Publishing, 2010.

Rating: 2/5 stars

Genre: historical romance

Part of a Series? Yes, Maiden Lane Series #1

Summary: A man controlled by his desires . . . Infamous for his wild, sensual needs, Lazarus Huntington, Lord Caire, is searching for a savage killer in St. Giles, London's most notorious slum. Widowed Temperance Dews knows St. Giles like the back of her hand-she's spent a lifetime caring for its inhabitants at the foundling home her family established. Now that home is at risk . . . A woman haunted by her past . . . Caire makes a simple offer-in return for Temperance's help navigating the perilous alleys of St. Giles, he will introduce her to London's high society so that she can find a benefactor for the home. But Temperance may not be the innocent she seems, and what begins as cold calculation soon falls prey to a passion that neither can control-one that may well destroy them both. A bargain neither could refuse.

***Full review under the cut.***

Trigger Warnings: violence; blood; dubious consent; sexual content; references to childhood neglect

Overview: I initially picked up this book because I adored the sex worker-positive themes in The Raven Prince, and I was hoping for some similar attitudes in this book (even if it wasn’t about sex work). Unfortunately, I didn’t find Wicked Intentions nearly as captivating as The Raven Prince. It’s not that the idea for this book is bad - I think there were some interesting themes thrown around, and the class difference between the two protagonists could have been an interesting angle to the development of their relationship. However, I personally found the hero to be insufferable, and the writing detracted from the overall sentiments of the novel.

Writing: This book primarily suffers from what I think is poor craft. Hoyt seems to not know when a scene is warranted versus when it can be skipped over or abbreviated, often inserting moments that are just conversations between characters which summarize a scene we’ve just read. For example, there’s a point when Temperance spends the night at Lazarus’ mansion to take care of his infected wound. When she returns home, she finds herself confronted by her brothers who are concerned for her well-being and reputation. Hoyt gives us a conversation between them where Temperance explains her relationship with Lazarus, what she was doing that night, and why she didn’t go to her brothers for financial help, none of which is new information to the reader, nor does it develop the relationship between Temperance and her siblings in meaningful ways. Her brothers disappear and don’t show up again for some time.

Speaking of conversations, this book also suffers from a disproportionate ratio of dialogue to description. Much of this book is dialogue, which means that information is mostly relayed through character speech - including what characters are doing in the scenes. Moreover, the sparse attention to describing what things look, smell, or feel like means that this book doesn’t have a strong sense of atmosphere. For example, there is a scene in which when Lazarus passingly remarks on the stench of a gin joint but the book doesn’t describe what that smell was like, and another where Temperance is enraptured by a musical number but the book does not describe what the music sounded like or why it provoked such emotions in her. I also didn’t get the sense that the slum was slum because the setting was never treated as a character in its own right, and I think the book as a whole suffered for it.

I also think Hoyt doesn’t quite know how to use intertextuality to great effect. Each chapter of this book (as with The Raven Prince) opens with excerpts from a fictional fairy tale, which, when taken altogether, are supposed to parallel the themes of the novel as a whole. However, not all excerpts line up with the contents of each chapter, so the fairy tale is only connected to the main narrative on a surface level. For me, intertextuality needs to be more consistent to be effective.

Lastly, I don’t think Hoyt quite knew how to create suspense. Not only were there no clues for the reader to try to piece together regarding the main murder plot, but Hoyt withholds a lot of information regarding Temperance’s and Lazarus’ personal secrets. We’re told that Temperance has some dark spot on her past, and allusions to her “sin” crops up every once and a while, but combined with the lack of motivation to solve the main mystery, I was more frustrated than intrigued. I’m a firm believer that too much information withheld is actually counterproductive; suspense involves a careful balance of making just enough information available to make someone want to keep reading without withholding so much that they become disinterested. I don’t think this book achieved that balance.

Plot: The main plot of this novel revolves around two protagonists who need something from one another. Temperance, our heroine, runs a foundling home (something like an orphanage) in a crime-ridden slum of London, and is in need of a patron to keep the doors open. Lazarus, our hero, is an aristocrat who needs help investigating the murder of his mistress, who was found dead in St. Giles. He agrees to help Temperance find a patron among the upper class if she helps him navigate St. Giles. On the surface, it seems like the characters’ business relationship could be productive for exploring themes such as class, charity, etc. However, things got off to a rocky start, only to go downhill (in my opinion) from there.

Not much was done to show that Temperance was very street-smart, so Lazarus’ decision to ask her for help seemed rather random. For all Hoyt’s insistence that Temperance knows St. Giles like the back of her hand, she doesn’t necessarily go anywhere or do anything that Lazarus himself couldn’t do himself (albeit a little slower). She seems to offer no unique knowledge that actually helps with the mystery, and even the formation of their business relationship was so contrived that it stretched the bounds of believability. Lazarus decides to ask Temperance for help simply because he saw her in the street at night, returning to the foundling home after rescuing a new charge, and he does so by following her and breaking into her house. That Temperance accepts so coolly, even considering her financial desperation, seemed so far from what a rational woman would do that I had trouble accepting it.

From there, the plot seemed to mostly revolve around putting Temperance in awkward situations so that Lazarus could swoop in and (try to) save her or make crude sexual remarks. I couldn’t bring myself to feel invested in the murder plot because Lazarus himself didn’t seem to know why he was trying to catch the killer (he explicitly states that he’s not sure if he’s doing it because he’s bored or because he thinks he ought to feel something for his mistress, when he doesn’t). Temperance’s pursuit of a patron was a little more interesting, since I felt like she was actually invested in her foundling home, but even when she’s being an amazing negotiator, finding her way in upper class gatherings that are unfamiliar to her, her agency is undercut by Lazarus, who hovers and seems to dictate where she goes, who she speaks to, etc.

The side plot with Temperance’s sister, Silence, is also somewhat awkwardly inserted. Silence’s story revolves around her trying to save her husband from financial ruin and jail by making a bargain with the most notorious thief in London. While I could admire her initiative, I ultimately thought it was so disconnected from the main plot that it distracted rather than enhanced the narrative as a whole. That Temperance herself didn’t seem to think about it much also made me skeptical of its importance, and Hoyt spends so little time on it that it felt like it didn’t need to be included at all.

Characters: Temperance, our heroine, is admirable as a confident, compassionate mistress of a foundling home in the roughest part of London. I liked that she was so invested in her charges and the running of the home, and that she was willing to risk her life and reputation for her cause. Even when she later reveals that she’s doing all of this out of some misguided sense of penance, I could admire the way she took charge of running such an operation, and the responsibility she accepts. I also liked that she showed kindness to people who least deserved it, partially out of a sense of Christian duty, but also out of what I saw as a desire to see people for who they truly are, not for where they were on a social hierarchy. I wish Hoyt had leaned into this more.

However, my admiration did not extend to Lazarus, our hero. He’s an archetype that I’m frankly sick of seeing: a gruff loner who is overly possessive of his love interest, making constant references to how he feels no emotions and doesn’t thinks he deserves kindness. He was described as a “predator” more than once, which I can only assume was supposed to be darkly alluring in that alpha-male/bad boy kind of way, but personally, I found it tiresome to watch him manipulate Temperance for his own amusement. He would frequently make mean or crude remarks just to provoke anger or embarrassment in Temperance, mostly because he found the prospect of “breaking” her arousing. I would have much preferred to see someone who was a little damaged (as we all are) with actual flaws, but who was compassionate under the facade. For example, maybe Lazarus could have been great with children, thus making him invested in Temperance’s foundling home, or maybe his selfish hedonism could clash with Temperance’s charitable interests in ways that brought out productive methods of dealing with Lazarus’ past. Something more than just “bad boy is an asshole to everyone he meets because his childhood trauma makes him feel nothing.”

The supporting characters had the potential to be more interesting if they had been given more to do. Temperance’s siblings, for example, had compelling personal stories, and I found their relationships to each other to be intriguing, if only they had been explored a little more. Her sister Silence is admirable as an agentive woman who takes matters into her own hands when pushed, and her brother Winter’s sense of duty and genuine concern for his family - even at the cost to his own health - is quite sweet. Even Lazarus had some people around him that I found enjoyable. For example, he has a single “friend” (of you can call him that) named St. John, who calls out Lazarus’ selfishness and challenges him in ways that I think could have been used more effectively to develop Lazarus’ character. Lady Hero, a duke’s daughter who becomes acquainted with Temperance during upper class parties, is remarkably humble and kind, and I found myself wishing that Temperance would dump Lazarus and just go for Hero (they had much more genuine chemistry, borne out of real interest and kindness, than Temperance and Lazarus).

Other: I’ve seen a couple reviews complaining about the lack of historical accuracy in this book, but honestly, that’s not the problem. You can have women be agentive (and respected!) before the advent of feminist thought or have people talk about emotional/mental pain before the advent of formal psychology - formal institutions do not necessarily indicate the beginning of an idea. Because Lazarus was such an unlikable love interest, I did not find the blooming relationship between him and Temperance engaging. Their romance centers around each learning to deal with their pasts - Lazarus learns to care about a woman as opposed to using them to satisfy his sexual urges, and Temperance learns to let go of her past guilt. I don’t like starting from a place of “man views women as objects for his pleasure.” It’s not an attractive flaw. Make him a rake, sure, but have him actually see women as people, for god’s sake. Because Lazarus was so possessive and tormented Temperance for his own amusement for the first half of the book, and for the second, he was learning that he could actually care about a woman as a person, it never felt like he was truly learning to put her well-being first, just that he liked her for what she could do for him. I also disliked how upset he got when he assumed Temperance was using him for sex - like he’s one to get angry about that when he’s done the same thing to countless women.

Their relationship also seemed ill-suited in that Temperance states multiple times that her involvement with Lazarus has caused her to neglect her duties, both to the foundling home and to her family. I think such a realization could have been used productively to explore how selfish desire can be destructive, or, considering what Temperance is really feeling guilty about, there could have been some interesting commentary on how society views female sexuality as inherently sinful. However, it seemed to me that Hoyt wasn’t interested in these larger ideas.

When Lazarus and Temperance do engage in sexual activity, I had mixed feelings. Lazarus has this thing where he can’t bear physical touch unless he’s the one initiating. How convenient. This means that more often than not, sexual activity is on his terms. I’ve read books before with this type of touch-aversion, and I’ve read books that did it well. But in this case, it was uncomfortable because it was accompanied by the desire to “break” or “liberate” his partner. Granted, over time, he does become more receptive to Temperance initiating intimacy, which is great, but I honestly couldn’t see it as much more than an excuse to be a dominant asshole.

Despite Lazarus learning to let Temperance initiate, the issue of consent was frequently blurred. There are scenes when he refuses to stop what he’s doing (out of the misguided sense of helping her “let loose”) and one where he refuses to untie her from the bed unless she discloses what’s bothering her. The timing of their sexual activity is also usually inappropriate. For example, Temperance meets with a would-be patron only to discover he wants to have a sexual relationship with her. The patron kisses her non-consentually and probably would have assaulted her, but Temperance twists his ear to disable him, and Lazarus bursts in and whisks her away at the right moment. Soon after, Temperance kisses Lazarus passionately. Later, Temperance’s sister makes a bargain with a notorious thief to save her husband from financial ruin. He agrees to help her in exchange for her spending the night with him and walking down the street in a disheveled state after, ruining her reputation. Silence insists that the thief didn’t touch her and was only interested in making her appear ruined (why? just to be terrible?), and says that she only went to the thief because she thought Temperance was too busy to care. When Temperance learns of what happened, she goes to Lazarus in tears. He kisses her and she falls asleep at his house. Not soon after, they have sex for the first time. Temperance doesn’t attempt to get in touch with her sister for some time after. It seemed to me, then, that Silence was right, and maybe Temperance does have something to feel guilty for - not her sexuality, pe se, but the way she allows it to run her life.

Speaking of sexuality, I disliked the way kink was handled for the majority of this book. Lazarus is notorious for his “deviant sexuality” - he enjoys blindfolding and tying his sexual partners to the bed, partly because he can’t bear to be touched unless he initiates it, and partly because he can’t bear to have these women look him in the eye and “see him.” With Temperance, of course, it’s different. He doesn’t want to have kinky sex with her until she initiates it, and she only does so in the attempt to punish herself for "sin.” It turns out ok later, but much more time is spent viewing it as shameful than normal.

And lastly, there were some moment which, while not outright offensive, were nevertheless... not great. A bunch of prostitutes are brutally murdered. Lazarus’ manpain is driven by the death of his sister. Temperance decides to attract a patron by having an open house, inviting rich people to come gawk at their poverty because “viewing the unfortunate... was fashionable.” I dunno.

Continuing with the series? Unless there’s a novel that’s fairly highly rated, probably not.

Recommendations: I would recommend this book if you’re interested in 18th century England, historical romance, murder mysteries, differences in social class, and kink.

#book reviews

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tonystarkssnipples · 6 years

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December/January fic recs

In Your Company by mrhd Rating: E Word Count: 64118 Summary: They meet at a party. (MCU College AU)

Open Field in Front of Him Rating: E Word Count: 66405 Summary: Steve Rogers's football season is functionally over after a loss to Rutgers, but he finds a distraction in Tony Stark (yes, THAT Tony Stark). A college AU Stony fic.

ten years too late (just in time) by theappleppielifestyle Rating: Not Rated Word Count: 3,080 Summary: Steve never went out with Tony when they were young despite Tony's attempts at wooing him, mostly because he thought Tony was too much of a flimsy playboy who could never really commit seriously to anything that wasn't partying. Years later he runs into Single Father Tony taking care of his 3 year old. Tony refuses to buy his kid candy before dinner and is overall a pretty decent dad. Tony also thinks Steve could never be interested in him, since he was always rebuffed before, but Tony's in for a surprise.

The Billionaire and the Army Captian by Neverever Rating: T Word Count: 12652 Summary: Facing finanical ruin and needing to care for his sick daughter, Steve Rogers agrees to marry Tony Stark, who needs to get married by his 30th birthday to inherit. It's just a job for Steve until he starts to fall for the enigmatic billionaire Written for the MCU Harlequin Challenge.

(I Want You To See) The Darkest Side of Me by ann2who Rating: E Word Count: 16855 (WIP) Summary: In Monte Carlo, Steve meets the wealthy widower Anthony Stark. It’s love at first sight—at least for Steve—and he can’t believe his luck when Tony asks him to live at Stark Mansion, his large estate in Malibu. Never in his life had Steve thought something like this was possible… never had he been this happy. However, soon Steve realizes that Tony is still deeply troubled by the death of his first wife and haunted by the many ghosts she left behind. The longer Steve lives in her shadow, the more he understands that… He can never be what Tony’s wife had once been for him. And Tony might never truly love him.

i spent twenty lifetimes at your door by goodmorningbeloved Rating: T Word Count: 2636 Summary: The sheets don’t smell like Steve, not anymore. Whatever has him crawling back must be something rooted into the very walls of the room itself. Or in you, his thoughts whisper.- Or: Five times after the split that Tony seeks out Steve in his sleep, and one time he doesn't.

Better Angels/Lesser Demons (series) by sabrecmc Rating: E Word Count: 34,550 Summary: Chris Evans mentioned in an interview (jokingly, unfortunately) that there was a deleted scene from Civil War with him and RDJ showering together. Welp. Headcanon accepted. // Peggy leaves Steve something in her will. Sequel to Better Angels, but can be read alone.

Would You Have Married Me? by 1000mileshigh Rating: M Word Count: 2213 Summary: The band was smooth, a rose gold studded with rubies around one half. It was gorgeous, everything Tony didn't know he wanted. It fit perfectly, so perfectly, as if it was meant to be right where it was, on Tony's left ring finger. Tony fell in love and then loudly, so forcefully it came out as a scream of agony, he fell apart.

Why We Should Date by sariane Rating: G Word Count: 2217 Summary: Steve doesn't understand modern dating customs. That's how he ends up making a PowerPoint presentation for Tony.

The Tony Stark Relationship Primer (series) by uraneia Rating: E Word Count: 14,622 Summary: Steve needs to make some quick cash to cover his mom's TB treatment and hospital stay. Bucky convinces him to try porn. Steve's not sure he'll be able to go through with it... until he meets Tony, the guy he's supposed to do his screen test with. // "Pepper, I need a million dollars to suppress a sex tape."Tony Stark has a date. But first he has to explain to his CEO that he picked up a guy at a porn shoot.

The A-Z of Tony and Steve (series) by snarkstark Rating: G Word Count: 2,360 Summary: Maybe when the blonde haired dreamer had packed up his shit and told his Ma he was leaving Brooklyn to make his fame in Hollywood, he hadn't exactly pictured himself fetching coffee and embarrassing himself, but he was on the set of the most highly anticipated film of the entire year, and personal assistant to one of the biggest names in Hollywood. Tony Stark. // Tony took a deep breath, trying to summon up all of his courage. For fuck's sake, he'd flew into a wormhole, fought countless villains and made a suit of armour that made other engineer's intentions look like a Goddamn potato radio. He could ask Steve Rogers on a date. Or Tony is extra and Steve liked baseball.

My New Year’s Resolutions Is You by izazov Rating: G Word Count: 1,114 Summary: Steve, Tony, and New Year's Eve in Venice.

Tony’s Big Gay Freak-Out by imafriendlydalek Rating: T Word Count: 1004 Summary: Tony's having a Moment. It's a good thing Rhodey is there to talk some sense into him.

The Stark Scenic Retreat by McG Rating: G Word: Count: 22403 Summary: Steve Rogers is the newest member of the Visitor Reception Team at the Stark Scenic Retreat (or SSR for short): a ten square mile woodland estate built by Howard Stark, in upstate New York: a playground for invention. The site is now in the care of the Society for the preservation of Historic Industrial and Engineering Landmarks and Domains (S.H.I.E.L.D.) As Steve gets to grips with life after the army, being reunited with his friend Bucky, and working at a busy tourist attraction, the SSR faces its own challenges. Justin Hammer wants to convert it to a spa hotel and resort, and Tony Stark, main benefactor and SSR shareholder, is caught up in his own issues and seems unwilling to help save Steve's new home and family. Or a story of team bonding, team building, pride and prejudice, and the daily trials of working in the customer-facing environment of tourism.

Double-Blind (Get Me Back In This World) by navaan Rating: E Word Count: 31924 Summary: Shortly after being defrosted, Steve meets a handsome stranger at a party and has the certain epiphany that sex is a good way to reconnect with the world that is now so strange to him. Because one thing that hasn’t changed is that sex is simple. That the man seems to hate the very thought of Captain America makes it even easier for some reason. Or the one in which Steve sleeps with someone called Henry Hellrung. Although - not really.

just the way you look tonight by goodmorningbeloved Rating: E Word Count: 3164 Summary: Tony's sweater shrinks. Steve's okay with it.

Good For You by orbingarrow Rating: T Word Count: 42131 Summary: Steve doesn't understand why Tony dates people who abuse him. Tony doesn't understand why Steve cares. The rest is bad choices, good choices, rehab, milkshakes, paintball, YouTube videos, couples therapy and learning to put the past in the past. Or: How Tony finds his happy ending.

Place Your Bets by RurouniHime Rating: M Word Count: 35999 Summary: Steve Rogers may or may not have just picked up a prostitute. This may or may not be Tony Stark’s fault.

Double or Nothing by RurouniHime Rating: E Word Count: 5757 Summary: One of these days, they're actually going to get that sleepover. Steve's patient, Tony's determined, and Bucky is... wait, what's the opposite of helping? (otherwise known as the sex-filled sequel to Place Your Bets)

Driven to Distraction by Morningandnight13 Rating: M Word Count: 3046 Summary: Steph Rogers is an exhausted college student just trying to blow off some steam when she meets the mysterious (and drop-dead gorgeous) Toni. One-night stands are great and all, but it's possible they didn't completely think this one through. (Steve Rogers/Tony Stark genderbent AU. dl;dr)

Choosing by indigorose50 Rating: T Word Count: 1761 Summary: The "first words your soulmate says to you are tattooed on your body" Soulmate AU. Except Steve isn't Tony's soulmate. But who cares. This one was a gift for me and obsessed.

One of Us Cannot Be Wrong by shetlandowl Rating: E Words: 4225 Summary: Steve Rogers is a hard-working book editor without equal, who has cultivated a career and lifestyle precisely as he likes it. When the US Immigration office threatens to take all of it away from him just because he happens to have been born on the wrong side of an imaginary line, his only hope is to find an American spouse within two weeks.

Observations by smol_bird Rating: G Word Count: 4578 Summary: There is a running gag in the Academy, started, as many of them are, by Clint, that in one of the certainly-existing parallel universes Natasha is a spy ———— Or: In which Tony renames his computer files, Steve draws, Clint questions, and Natasha is left the observer role, not that she minds at all.

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phantombandit-films · 4 years

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L'homme qui rit (2012), The Grinning Man (2016), The Man Who Laughs Musical 웃는남자 (2018 - 2019/20)

I first heard about ‘The Man Who Laughs’ because of the South Korean musical version of the Novel.

From there I learned about Victor Hugo’s novel that was published in 1869 under the french title L'homme qui rit.

The story is set in 1680s -1700s England, during the reign of James II and Queen Ann. It depicts royalty, how aristocracy was so cruel and power-hungry at that time. Hugo’s intention was to show the parallels between England and the French reign of Louis-Philippe and the Régence.

‘The novel follows the life of a young nobleman called Gwynplaine who was disfigured by a perpetual grin as a child and left homeless. He stumbles upon a dead women who has frozen to death outside in the snow, but the baby girl in her arms was still alive Gwynplaine saves the baby and carries on until he meets a man called Ursus who owns a travelling theatre and invites the child to stay with him. 15 years later, Gwynplaine has turned into a brave young man by is still haunted by his disfigurement. The baby now named Dae grew into a beautiful women but was blinded by the cold. Between the two a romance has started to blossom, the two help Ursus put on shows where they tell the tale of Gwynplaine and end with him revealing his face so the crowds can laugh at his grotesque face.

One night a spoilt Duchess by the name of Josiana, who is also the illegitimate daughter of King James II decides she’s bored of the normal routine of court. Telling her fiancé, David Dirry-Moir who she has been engaged to since birth he tells her that the only cure for her boredom is Gwynplaine. So after this she decides to attend one of his performances, and is somewhat aroused by the combination of hid virile grace and his facial disfigurement. Later a agent of the court who wishes to destroy Josiana by getting her to marry the ‘clown’ meaning Gwynplaine, shows up at the caravan and some how gets Gwynplaine to follow him.

He is tricked into going in a London dungeon where he meets a physician named Hardquannone who is being tortured and killed, Hardquannone recognises Gwynplaine as the boy who he had arranged to be abducted and disfigured 23 years earlier. It’s revealed that during the reign of King James II in 165-1688, one of the king’s biggest enemies was a Lord Linnaeus Clancharlie, Marquis of Corleone, who had fled to Switzerland. When the Lord died the King had arranged an abduction of the lords then 2 year old son and heir, Fermain. The King then sold Fermain to a band of wanderers called ‘Comprachicos’ who were criminals that would disfigure and mutilate children, and then use this to force them to beg for alms, or to bring in money being exhibited as carnival freaks. This story is confirmed by a message in a bottle that Queen Anne received a short time before, the message was a last confession by the ‘Comprachicos’ before they perished in a storm. The message explains that they renamed the boy Gwynplaine and abandoned him in a heavy snowstorm before they set sail to sea. This letter also detailed that David Dirry-Moir is the illegitimate son of the Lord Linnaeus. Now that Gwynplaine is known to actually be Fermain and is alive and well, the inheritance that was promised to David on the condition that he marry Josiana will now instead go to Fermain. Gwynplaine is the arrested and Baekilphedro goes back and lies to Ursus and Dea telling them that Gwynplaine is dead.

Upon hearing the news Dea becomes ill with grief that her love is gone, to make matters worse the authorities exile them for using a wolf in their shows which is illegal. Meanwhile Josiana has Gwynplaine brought to him so that she can seduce him, but is interrupted by a pronouncement from the Queen. It informed her that David had been disinherited and that the Duchess must now marry Gwynplaine. Josiana however rejects him as a lover but agrees to marry him. Gwynplaine gets his title of Lord Farmain Clancharlie, Marquis of Corleone back and is permitted to sit in the house of lords. But when he addresses the peerage with a fiery speech against the inequality between the rich and the poor, the other Lords just laugh at Gwynplaine’s clownish grin. David comes to his defence and challenges a dozen Lords to duels however he also challenges Gwynplaine who’s speech had inadvertently condemned David’s mother, who had abandoned David’s father to become the mistress of Charles II.

Gwynplaine realising that this isn’t the life he wants renounces his peerage and sets out to find Ursus and Dea, but is unable to find them which nearly drives him to take his own life. He then learns of the deportation and swiftly finds the ship and reunites with them, the fragile Dea is ecstatic to have her love back but unfortunately dies abruptly. Ursus fainting at the sight. Gwynplaine in a trace, obviously devastated by the Death of his love walks along the deck while speaking to a dead Dea. He then throws himself into the sea and doesn’t resurface. When Ursus finally comes to, he’s met with the sight of Homo the wolf sitting by the ships rail howling at the sea.’

There has been many film adaptations of this Novel: - The Man Who Laughs (1909) Made in France by the Pathé film company, no copies of this film have known to survive. - Das grinsende Gesicht (The Grinning Face) 1921 silent film produced by Olympic Films. - The Man Who Laughs (1928) American silent film directed by Paul Leni, It stared Conrad Veidt who played Gwynplaine and this performance was a key influence on the character design for the comic book villain The Joker. - Clair de Lune (1932) French film that was based on the 1921 play, directed by Henri Diamant-Berger. - The Man Who Laughs (1966) (L'uomo che ride) Italian-French film, it also comes in a English dubbed version that’s titled ‘He Who Laughs’ which was made in Italy and directed by Sergio Corbucci. This story is inspired by the novel but takes a different path, almost making it into it’s own story. - L'homme qui rit (1971) TV movie directed by Jean Kerchbron, this was made into three episodes. - The Man Who Laughs (2012) French movie.

There has also been many Theatre adaptations: - Claire De Lune (1921) was a stage play written by Blanche Oelrichs but under her male persona Michael Strange. It ran for 64 performances from April to June. - The Man Who Laughs (2005) The Stolen Chair Theatre Company developed a ‘silent movie for stage.’ that drew inspiration from the Novel and the 1927 silent film. - The Man Who Laughs (2006) the story was adapted into a musical made by Alexandr Tyumencev who is a composer, and Tatyana Ziryanova who is a Russian lyrics. - The Man Who Laughs (2013) a musical version that featured a blend of Jewish, Gypsy and Russian style songs. - The Grinning Man (2016) is another musical adaptation that opened at the Bristol Old Vic, this versions does have some slight changes from the original story such as Gwynplaine is changed to Grinplaine. There is also use of Puppets. - The Man Who Laughs (2018) Musical adaptation written by Frank Wildhorn, this musical debuted in South Korea and stared Idol’s who played Gwynplaine such as Kim Junmyeon also known as Suho from Exo, Kyuhyun from Super Junior, Park Hyo Shin and Park Kang Hyun. This musical won three awards that included the Best Musical Award in the 2019 Korean Musical Awards.

There has also been a series of comic books made about The Man Who Laughs from 1950 up until 2013. I’m going to only talk about the 2018 musical, the 2012 film L'homme qui rit and 2016 The Grinning man because these are the ones that I’m familiar with. I’ll be starting out with the 2018 musical because this is the one that introduced me to The Man Who Laughs.

Source

I’ll be talking about: * The Man Who Laughs (웃는남자) Korean Musical (2018 - 2019/20)

* The Man Who Laughs (L'homme qui rit) French Movie (2012)

* The Grinning Man Bristol Old Vic Musical (2016)

#l’homme qui rit #the man who laughs #2012 #the man who laughs 2012 #the man who laughs musical #the man who laughs korean #웃는남자 #the man who laughs 2018 #the grinning man #the grinning man 2016 #Gwynplaine #Suho #kim junmyeon #Dea #victor hugo #the man who laughs victor hugo #myeonplaine

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startrekreviews · 6 years

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TNG Novel #40: Possession

TNG #40: Possession by J.M. Dillard and Kathleen O’Malley Book Jacket’s Summary: “Eighty years ago, bodiless entities brought a plague of violence and bloodshed to the planet Vulcan. The nightmare only ended when the entities were trapped inside special containers. Now, on the eve of a galaxy-scale scientific exposition, the containers have been opened, freeing the malevolent entities to possess the minds and bodies of all they encounter, including the crew of the Starship Enterprise. Friends turn into foes, and no one can be trusted, as Captain Picard faces a deadly and insidious threat. Unless the entities can be stopped once more, they will spread their madness throughout the entire Federation.” Yeaka’s Notes: This is the TNG successor to TOS: Demons, but you don’t need to read that first, as this book never mentions it. Like Demons, Possession is a dark story of infection, but unlike its prequel, it isn’t completely violent chaos—the possessing demons have since learned to better control their hosts and mask their infection. The vast majority is just different crewmembers slowly infecting one another and laying low in the hopes of universal control. Throughout this, they never go for Deanna, whose empathic torment they feed off of instead. Deanna tries to warn Picard, but, unfortunately, she’s brushed off. This is a problem—there are several instances where characters make poor decisions in regards to caution and safety. At times, it’s frustrating to read about characters being clueless for so long when the reader knows every awful thing the villains are thinking. At least once enough people are aware of what’s going down, it becomes unpredictable and interesting. The entire cast is around with various things to do, most notably Deanna, who can sense the trouble from the start. She’s also haunted by the image of Lwaxana trying to protect her. Worf is also in the thick of things, whilst looking out for Alexander and starting up a romance with a complex human scientist. Geordi’s VISOR becomes important, and Data’s artificial immunity is a saving grace. Beverly tries to keep on top of things. Riker guards the ship and goes out of his way to protect Deanna. Picard has a few intriguing parallels to his experience with the Borg that mix up the usual infection’s repetition. Guinan, luckily for her, is off at a ‘religious retreat’—aka a bartender’s convention. There’s also a healthy dose of Vulcans and two Ferengi at the beginning. There aren’t many answers about the entities involved in both this and Demons, but after all the trouble they’ve caused, it seems acceptable just to be done with them. In the end, this is a decent read for anyone that wants a tense, low-key horror show aboard the starship Enterprise. Noteworthy moments:

Ch1/p15 Deanna mediates a fight between Beverly and Picard

p21 Data asks Geordi if memorial services actually help, the fact that Data always seeks his opinion reassures Geordi of their friendship; Guinan’s off at a bartender’s convention on Andoria

p27 Escorted to an event by Riker, Worf, and Alexander, Deana teases, “It’s not often I have three handsome men escort me to a fair”; Worf’s touched when Alexander enjoys himself at the science fair, Worf flirts with a scientist

p33 Riker comforts Deanna and offers a movie and a backrub

p37 Geordi meets the inventor of his VISOR

Ch3/p89 Worf tenderly tucks Alexander in, remembering his father doing so for him when he would seem asleep, and thinks of how much he loves Alexander; a woman invites herself into his quarters, clearly interested, and it makes him feel slightly guilty for “cheating” on K’Ehleyr’s memory

p100 Riker comes to Deanna’s quarters at night, unwittingly saving her from a bad situation, he sleeps on her couch for emotional support

Ch4/p112 Riker wakes Deanna from a nightmare and comforts her

Epi/p276 Guinan at a science fair, she asks Deanna for the gossip from when she was gone

#tos #novels #yeakas #vulcans #ferengi #jean-luc picard #william riker #deanna troi #beverly troi #worf #alexander rozhenko #geordi la forge #data #possession #j.m. dillard #kathleen o'malley

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hellostarlight20 · 7 years

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I will… 2/10

Ten x Rose Rated T Telepathy (telepathic marriage bond) Angst Fluffy laughter Not exactly a rewrite Dimension Hopping Rose JE fixit Happy ending! Beta’d by the ever fabulous MrsBertucci AO3 and TSP and on Tumblr Chapter 1 Part of the The Adventures of Bad Wolf and the TARDIS…and their Doctor series

…promise you forever

“Oh, Doctor,” Rose sighed. She looked down at him, dressed only in his trousers, and lying, rumpled, in their bed, and didn’t know whether to be exasperated—or hit him. Again.

He eyed her, tired and strained, his hand grasping hers as if afraid to let go; his dimples dug into his cheeks and his freckles stood out starkly on his pale face. He looked haunted, and Rose, wearing only his dress shirt, resettled herself on their bed and stroked her fingertips over his face, along his forehead, down his cheeks, over and over.

“I didn’t mean to, Rose,” he promised. “It wasn’t like that, I swear! It was a genetic transfer, that’s all!”

“I know.” Rose sighed and cupped his cheek, pressing her lips to his as if to erase the other woman’s touch. “But does Martha?”

“I told her,” he insisted.

“What about your ring?” She lifted his left hand where he wore the ring she’d given him when they exchanged Earth vows in front of the judge and her mum. (And the TARDIS, sitting innocuously in the registrar’s office.)

“When I was in hospital, they asked if I was married.” His voice hollowed and his fingers tightened around hers. “Wanted to call my wife. I said I was—that I was—” his voice smashed into shards around them.

“Oh.” Widowed.

He said he was widowed. Martha thought she, Rose, was dead. Her chest felt like it was going to cave into itself, but Rose tried to understand. Really, she did. Martha only knew what the Doctor told her, she didn’t know he lied.

No doubt she thought he kissed her either on the rebound or—well, it didn’t matter did it.

“I miss you, Rose. My hearts. So much.”

“I miss you, too.” Rose settled back on his chest, letting his double heartbeat calm her.

Even if her physical head wasn’t physically on his chest, they’d shared a telepathic link for long enough that her body believed it real. That was enough. For now. It had to be.

“You have to tell Martha, though. If not about us, then at least that you’re not interested. You have to make it clear, no more mixed signals.”

The Doctor sighed again and wrapped his arms around her, holding her to his chest as if his life depended on it. “I will.”

“But she’s good, yeah?” Rose asked, fishing for more about this Martha and maybe—just maybe—trying not to compare herself with the newbie. The newbie who was going to be a doctor.

“She is.” His smile came clear through. “Very observant, she’s a star.”

Rose laughed and raised her head to kiss him. “Where are you now?”

“Hmm? Oh, we’re in bed.”

“Doctor!” She jerked out of his arms and sat up.

“What? I didn’t mean it like that!”

Rose laughed again and poked his chest. “You’re lying in bed with a woman you kissed not 24 hours ago and you don’t think she’ll get the wrong impression?”

“Ah. Well…” He tugged his ear and looked sheepish. “I never thought about it.” He sobered and looked at her. “I only ever really think about you.”

Well that certainly melted her.

“You’re all I think about, too.” She kissed him, soft and gentle and pushed all her love for her amazing husband through their link. Sitting up, she smirked and added mischievously, “Well, not all the time. Sometimes I think about Mickey’s theory on the rift.”

The Doctor laughed, as he was meant to. “Yeah, but that’s to find your way back here.” He smirked and preened. “To me.”

“Course it’s not,” Rose scoffed. “It’s really to be with the TARDIS again.” Even in their telepathic bedroom, the TARDIS hummed delightedly. Rose grinned up at the ship and sent a wave of love to Her. “See? She knows, too.”

He grabbed her around the waist and tugged her back onto bed, wrapping his body around hers. Nuzzling her hair, he cupped her breast through his shirt and sighed contentedly against her neck, a cool puff of air. “What are you doing?”

“I’m in the lab office,” she admitted. Rose covered his hands with hers, nestling closer to him. It was never close enough. “Trying to study for tomorrow’s test.”

“I could help with that.”

“Help?” She giggled and turned her head to look at him. “Or distract?”

“Hmm.” His hands glided down her sides then up again, beneath the shirt. “Both?”

“How long has it been for you?” Rose whispered.

“Too long.”

“Doctor—how long?”

“Since we last—since Norway?” He didn’t pull back but pulled her closer. “177 days and 15 hours.”

“It’s been longer for me,” Rose admitted but then he probably already knew that. “How is it we keep in sync when our universes aren’t?”

“Oh, well, that’s because we’re bonded, a telepathic bond doesn’t really—oops, gotta go! Screaming in the middle of the night is never a good sign.”

Rose opened her eyes and stared at the lab. She really did have studying to do, but with the Doctor’s phantom touch still tinging through her, hadn’t the focus to do much of anything. Still, she did have a test tomorrow and she did plan to pass it. Spectacularly.

Unfortunately, later when the Doctor shut out all telepathic contact, her head throbbed too hard to concentrate.

“Oh, big mistake. Because that name keeps me fighting!”

He’d screamed those words to the Carrionites, his hearts pounding wildly as he tried to keep Rose safe. The Doctor had no idea if it were possible for the other species to tap into his mind and follow the telepathic thread to Rose, but he sure as hell wasn’t taking any chances.

Now, as he and Martha walked back to the TARDIS, he slowly opened himself back to Rose and offered an apology to her for hurting her so badly. Her mind slept, but, as always, accepted his presence. Grinning slightly, he kissed her goodnight and promised to be there when she woke.

Forever.

The Doctor brought Martha to New New York. He had a vague plan to tell her about Rose. To be fair, the constant ache between his hearts for missing his wife might’ve influenced his choice of locales, he was feeling nostalgic, and frankly didn’t want to tell Martha on the TARDIS where everything reminded him of Rose.

The Old Girl missed Rose, too. And it wasn’t that the TARDIS didn’t like Martha, far as the Doctor could tell She did, but talking about Rose while in their home didn’t sit well. As if he talked of a (dead) wife and not one very much alive and still with him. Just not physically.

Of course that was before kidnappers and choking smog and the Face of Boe.

“I lied.” He tried to tell Martha about Gallifrey, did his best, and wondered how his home world might segue into Rose. Because he’d lied to Martha about so much in such a short time. And Rose was right, he had to tell Martha the truth about his wife, at least.

“I’m sorry,” Martha said and sounded sad for him. Not angry he lied, but…understanding, the Doctor supposed. “Was your wife from Gallifrey?”

“Rose?” He shook his head and looked at his ring, turning the band round and round. “No. She’s Human.” He took a deep breath, though technically speaking he didn’t need to, and met Martha’s gaze. “Rose isn’t dead, Martha. She’s…lost.”

He paused and felt Rose telepathically take his hand, kiss the back of it, and hold tight between hers. She was involved in other things, he could tell by the slight distance in her presence. It didn’t matter, her touch helped, soothed, gave him strength.

Always had.

“The—Canary Wharf. She—we were there, and we tried—we tried to close the void, she—her lever was—anyway.” He swallowed and sat up, dragging his hands down his face. “She’s not dead. But she is in a parallel world. Trapped there. I can’t—I can’t reach her.”

“I’m sorry, Doctor.” It started to rain again, but neither moved from their impromptu circle. “Why did you—” she shook her head. “I’m sorry.”

“Yeah.” He cleared his throat but before he could even begin to think of how to tell Martha about their telepathic connection—or if he should—she continued.

“Is that why you sometimes stare into space? You’re—you’re…searching for her?”

The Doctor opened his mouth. Snapped it closed. Martha Jones, hadn’t he told Rose she was observant? He grinned slightly and pushed back his anger and loss. He hadn’t lost everything. He still had his beloved ship and he still had Rose, despite her current physical distance.

“We—we’re connected, Martha. Telepathically.” The word cut his hearts and scraped his throat, but he admitted the truth to his new friend. “And even though the walls between universes have sealed tight, there are still pinpricks. Little spaces that allow our bond to slip through. We can still communicate with each other.”

She looked shocked, and he couldn’t blame her. Telepathy for Humans was one of those things seen on telly or read about in stories. A great idea, fun to speculate about, maybe even wish for, but no one could ever truly comprehend the scope of it.

The intimacy.

Until they shared their minds, their thoughts, their essence with another.

“You can still talk to her?”

“Yes.”

Martha opened and closed her mouth a few times then nodded. “That explains so much,” she muttered. “Well. I’m glad.” She offered a smile, a faint curl of her lips. “I’m glad she’s alive and I’m very happy to hear you can still communicate with her.”

“Me, too, Martha.” He stood and turned for the TARDIS. “Me, too.”

“What do you think he meant?” Rose asked him later when Martha was showering from her smoggy adventure. “You are not alone. They will return.”

“I don’t know.”

She snorted and he craned his neck to look down at her, but didn’t—couldn’t—release her. “Let’s presume—or hope—one of the ‘they’ at least means me, yeah? We both know one way or another I’m coming back to you.”

He pulled her tighter and kissed the top of her head. “Yes. You are.”

“Do you think he—is the Face of Boe male?” Rose turned her head to kiss the underside of his jaw, fingers toying with his. “Do you think he meant the Time Lords?”

The Doctor shuddered. “I hope not,” he fervently whispered.

“Yeah.” Rose turned in his arms and as much as he didn’t want her to see him just now—or to ever discuss the return of the Time Lords—she left him no choice. She never had, not even at the beginning of their relationship.

Then again, their first date had been the end of the world and him telling her he was alone. She hadn’t been confident in her questioning, and of course he’d ignored her at first, but she’d asked over chips and soda. In the end, as they walked back to the TARDIS hand-in-hand, the Doctor had admitted his search for his people.

How, after the Time War, he’d looked for anyone. Even his—Susan. Even Susan hadn’t been spared; she’d fought for the life of the universe alongside Romana in the end. But they’d both, Susan and Romana, had given their blessing to end that damnable war.

It hadn’t been until they meet the Dalek in Utah that he admitted his role in the war. As she had when he first told her about his people and the war, Rose held him when he admitted he—ended it.

Now, wrapped tight in Rose’s arms, he sniffed back choking, oppressive grief and tears. No, he didn’t want Rose to know about his past or about his actions.

The again, he knew what he was getting into when they bonded. Sharing every part of himself hadn’t terrified the Doctor as he always expected it to.

“I’ll be here, Doctor,” Rose promised. “I promised you forever and I mean it.”

#Ten x Rose #ficandchips #telepathy #post-doomsday #Doomsday fix it #JE fix it #angst #romance #happy ending

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mnm-inc-miles · 6 years

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DANTE - 05/29/2018

"I told you if you didn't play along I'd take you back, didn't I?"

The musician looked around him, he was no longer involved in the game of cowboys versus indians and he thought hard as to what he remembered last. He had made the mistake, he signed up for this. He had a chance to kill someone and he didn't take it. He wasn't entirely mad at himself, because he knew taking a life would destroy him quicker than anything Miles could do to him.

He fell to his knees and cried up at Miles, "You can't keep torturing me man...you'll break me. What good will I be to you then? If you want me around why would you try to destroy me?"

"Hmm," Miles clicked his tongue. "You do have a point. You don't seem to be very strong willed, you're actually much weaker than you put on. You act tough, you liter your body with tattoos, but you're really just a scared deer." Miles looked down at the musician and laughed. He spit on him and laughed more, "Yeah alright, I'll take pity on you, but don't say I never did anything nice for you." He paused a moment as he watched the musician sighing in relief. "I don't know what I want to do with you right now, so...I'm going to put you in a little world all by yourself."

"What?"

"You heard me Dante, just you alone and no none else. You've got your memories, I'll leave you some instruments and some pens and paper, you can write and play music, but as far as I'm concerned you barely exist until I know what I want to do with you."

"But..." he began to object and Miles snapped his fingers.

Dante looked around as the landscape began to change. He tried to move but found himself frozen. He closed his eyes and let his head hang for a while until he could feel the world around him shift into place. Finally when everything seemed calm he opened his eyes and stood up. He was on the top of some mountain in the middle of what seemed like the Grand Canyon. As he continued to turn and absorb his surroundings he changed his minds, he was somewhere in the desert of California. He relaxed slightly; at least it felt somewhat like home. Not only that but it was better than the alternative.

Before the cowboys versus indians game Dante had been kept prisoner by Miles, tortured. He had been allowed at one point to send messages to Blake but only in the form of his song lyrics. It had backfired because despite knowing his songs well Dante couldn't seem to portray a message well enough to get Blake to help. He had retaliated, defensively, refusing to believe that who he spoke to was in fact his friend. Miles laughed at him telling him not even Blake was willing to help, but Dante knew that he would have had he knew the truth of the situation. He dropped it, knowing that Blake was convinced, whether for his own peace of mind or simply Dante's lack of proper communication, that this was not really his friend and instead it was Miles just fucking with him.

So here he was now, on top of a rustic hollywood hill, with a piano, guitar, harmonica, pens and paper, just as Miles had said. There was also a couch and a car. Dante walked over to the car and looked for keys to no avail. He tried to jump start the car but it didn't work. He decided he would just walk, surely he had to find a person somewhere, or he'd at least die trying. However, as he got toward the edge and began to climb down he was shocked. Like there was some electric fence in his path. He thought maybe he could run though it, but that only backfired.

He lay on his back, his body trembling slightly from the shock. Suddenly the rain began to fall and he gathered up the few belongings he had and tossed them into the backseat of the car to keep them dry. The rain began to fall harder, as if it were a tsunami, and as he looked out the window his eyes bore into his own reflection. Just above right eye was the scar Miles had given him, the one that caused him to break and give in to his demands. He looked down at his arms, also baring some scars, and continued to glace down toward his hands where his fingernails were still pulled from their beds and his pinky had been removed. Tears cascaded down his cheeks as his head leaned forward into the steering wheel. He cried like he'd never cried before until he'd fallen asleep.

Bird's crying in the sky woke him and his body felt stiff. He got out of the car and walked around, trying to determine where his boundaries were. After what felt like an hour he finally marked out with some rocks and sticks where he was allowed to walk. Within his bubble of confinement he had one cacti which would barely produce enough food or water for him to live off of, and he hoped Miles would provide him with more nourishment. However, as the weeks turned into months he realized that Miles had completely abandoned him and while he wasn't being physically tortured like some captive prisoner, he was still suffering.

He noticed one day that other animals could freely move in and about where he was confined and despite his desires to avoid animal cruelty, his stomach and even merely his instincts told him to hunt. He thought hard on any lessons Blake might have taught him but he came up pretty short. Dante was mostly a vegetarian, and as a prominent animal rights activist the idea of trapping and killing an animal haunted him, but dying a slow and agonizing death via starvation seemed worse. Vowing that once this predicament was over he would probably go vegan for a while just to make up for his killings.

The thoughts however were quite optimistic, because he actually was able to catch very few animals for food. He couldn't be sure how long it had been at this point, but it felt like forever. His beard had grown long, his hair was disheveled, it was like being stranded on an island, only without a Wilson. He quickly corrected that thought because he had one better than a bloody volleyball. Three better in fact, with the instruments he'd been left with he was able to occupy his time with music, his biggest passion.

"Times up," a voice boomed one day. "Talk to me Dante, how do you feel?"

"I...I don't know how to respond to that?"

"Have you recovered from when I tortured you? Have you moved passed what happened during my fine game of capture the flag?"

"I barely played that game..." Dante growled.

"Oh well I see you need some more time here to get over that bitterness you're feeling towards me."

"No, wait..." Dante stood up and looked at the sky, spinning as if he hoped to see Miles float down toward him. "I'm sorry, I am...I feel very fortunate that you've spared me any more torture. I know I could have been in a worse place...please, how long has it been, I'm ready to go back."

"I don't think so Dante, you don't just speak to me that way without punishment." Dante crumbled to the floor, wishing he'd been able to stave off the anger. "I will tell you this though, you've been here now for a year, maybe I'll come back in another six months."

"A year!" Dante's eyes filled with tears, that would mean it was October 2017. Six more months would put him at sometime in April of 2018. He closed his eyes and hoped he could survive that much longer. He'd seen his reflection, he was gaunt, sure he had good color from the sun but he was not well.

That night when he fell asleep something new had happened. Miles put a twist on his situation and while he was asleep he found himself awake in the alternate universe where he was married to Behati with one child who was only about six months old. He remembered learning that she was pregnant when he'd first lost them and now he was able to see his daughter for the first time. For the first couple months this change was a positive one, because he was able to interact with people and what was more he was able to at least partly resume his normal life. When he awoke back in the desert he noticed even physical changes. His hair was short, his scaring was gone and even his pinky had come back. But as time passed his body still deteriorated and he grew weaker.

This gift was a blessing and a curse because although it was saving his sanity by fulfilling his heart, it was taking a toll on his body. He spent too much time sleeping and not enough trying to survive and even when he slept his body in the abandoned hills of California was not truly resting because he actually spent that time awake in what he called the real world. However, now he was able to keep track of the months with greater ease since he knew the time paralleled.

Finally April was here and he hoped that some sort of change would occur. He mostly desired that Miles would bore of him and toss him back into the real world where he'd forget any of this ever happened, but he figured that likely wouldn't be the case, not that it stopped him from hoping. Unfortunately April passed and he hadn't gotten word from Miles in the slightest. He began to develop insomnia as his body fought starvation. He felt sick most days, vomiting a lot and unable to actually keep down even the fruit of the cacti. What had once been nearly half of his time spent in the real world was becoming less than even a forth of the time. He was grateful to have seen the birth of his second daughter but now after only two months of knowing her she was slowly disappearing from his life just like his wife and first daughter.

"I forgot about you sorry," a voice finally boomed. I've been meaning to get back into your show, to inspire my interest but it hasn't happened yet. I'm not a big Kelly Clarkson fan you see, so I might wait until next season, hopefully you have a better guest judge."

"I understand," Dante spoke, his voice hoarse.

"Do you, now?"

"Yes, does that mean you'll be leaving me here until then?"

"Maybe, what's it too you?"

"I just...I have a request if you do. I'd like...I'd like to go back to not seeing the other world, I can't sleep right, and I think...I feel like I'm dying, and I get it, I know you're in charge and if you don't want me back yet then that's your call, but I just wanted to let you know I can feel I'm at my limit, I might not make it another six months..."

"Alright," Miles stated simply.

"Alright, what?" Dante asked, not even looking around as he figured he'd never see Miles, just hear him. "What does that mean?"

"I think we've had enough of this. I wouldn't want to forget about you again. So, I'll call a truce and bring you back."

"Okay, thank you," he sighed as he shut his eyes, looking forward to whatever change was about to come, wondering who it was he would see after nearly 20 months, who was still there and who was gone. He hoped he would have at least some one he could depend on to take care of him, he was in desperate need of some TLC. He felt the energy shift around him and knew that one of the portals was opening up for him. He rolled over and was barely able to crawl his way toward the hole, his body beginning to shut down as his mind and spirit grew very tired.

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hiverforesteevee · 6 years

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FNAF Fridge Highlights

My favorite entries from Five Nights at Freddy’s Fridge pages on TV Tropes

Some of these entries may be edited/abridged/modified, but for the most part, these are copy/pasted directly from the pages. I didn’t write any of these, I just compiled them here for my own amusement. Go to the site for even more intelligence and insight on these scary games!

SPOILERS

· Why does Foxy’s eyepatch spring up after he barges in? Because Real Life pirates used their eyepatch during raids to get the eye covered accustomed to the dark quickly if they have to go fight in a darker part of the ship, not necessarily to cover a lost eye.

· Several of the characters introduced in 4 had artwork that asked the question "Was it me?", referring to the Bite of '87, a mystery that has haunted the series since the first installment. But the biggest clue was there ever since the first entry, in a certain character's catchphrase. Hint: The one that keeps saying "it's me".

· Why did the kids hate Mangle so much? Presumably, because parents thought Foxy was too scary for children, but Phone Guy noted that Foxy was his favorite, so maybe the kids were pissed their favorite animatronic got replaced by a Lighter and Softer Toy Foxy.

· Why do Foxy (and Mangle) NOT fall for the Freddy mask? Well, foxes are always thought of as smart and cunning — besides, Foxy already proved his wits in the first game when he was the only one who tried to catch you off guard by approaching quickly enough that only the fastest reflexes would save you, and didn't just leave when he couldn't get in but actually banged on the door, signaling "I know you are in there, open up!"

· This troper always found the Purple Guy's behavior leading up to his death strange. If the ghosts of the children he killed are now after him, how does jumping into the Springtrap suit save him? However, look at the Purple Guy's expressions. He starts out terrified of the ghosts, then dashes angrily (or determinedly) towards the Springtrap suit, laughing once he puts it on. Purple Guy possibly didn't jump into the suit to save himself. It could be that he jumped into it to deliberately set off the springlocks and kill himself. That night, he found out that ghosts are real, and that they are all tied to the suits they were stuffed inside of. That laugh could be him signifying that he has gained a victory over the children by giving them exactly what they wanted: his death. Now, he has effectively given himself a form of immortality. No wonder the children can't find peace!

· Why is the new animatronic called Springtrap? Because when the purple guy got into the suit, the SPRINGS holding the animatronic devices in the suit collapsed, TRAPPING the purple guy in the suit. It's also brilliant in a meta way considering that the game was released in March without a specific date attached to it. You could say that the game itself was a literal spring trap!

· Why is Freddy the first animatronic you control in the post-level minigames? Because they take place after Freddy Fazbear's Pizza has closed down and been left to rot, and Freddy becomes more active in the dark.

· Although several of the confirmations/revelations in this game might seem hard to swallow — probably the biggest one being that the Puppet was the Murderer's first victim and bound the souls of the later victims to the animatronics in an overzealous and rather misguided attempt to bring the Murderer to justice — they're easier to accept when you remember that the Missing Children are, you know, children. Children are not known for their ability to think in the long-term or to thoroughly and seriously consider their actions; their brains are still undergoing a lot of development, and they tend to be very impulsive and only consider things in the short-term. So the Puppet still can be considered a "good guy" (certainly better than the Murderer at least) or even the Big Good of the Five Nights at Freddy's series in a sense because, even though it's responsible for the madness that the animatronics wrought, it genuinely was trying to help the other children in the only way it knew how. Likewise, even though the animatronics slaughtered an unknown number of innocent security guards, you could argue that they genuinely were trying to bring their murderer to justice; again, poor impulse control means that they're unlikely to stop and really try to assess whether the security guard is innocent or not. This is also a hint of Springtrap's true identity. It acts much, much differently than the other animatronics, generally being content to wait the player out and is much sneakier and more intelligent, being able to infiltrate the office in different ways. As Springtrap contains the spirit of an adult — and a Serial Killer, one who was smart enough to evade the authorities, at that — its methods are much more sophisticated and well thought-out.

· The Arc Words "IT'S ME" are suspiciously absent from FNAF3, even though they appeared in the previous two games and maybe also in the fourth ("Was it me?" on the Nightmare Bonnie image), why? Well in this game, we're only dealing with the ghost of the Purple Man - and "IT'S ME" might've been just connected with the Children. A message from them to (who they assumed was) the Purple Man. As in "Hi there! Remember that innocent child you killed and then stuffed in an animatronic? Well, guess what, motherfucker? IT'S ME"

· A clever one on Scott's part here - watch the scene where Purple Guy dies. When he's freaking out, he avoids the water on the floor... but when he runs to the suit? He runs THROUGH the water. Moisture is said to set off the suits! Moisture on his feet set off the suit and killed him. It wasn't the laughing, not even getting in the suit - he'd gotten in the suit before to kill the children originally and had probably laughed, so he knew that doing those things was safe. It was trying to survive by running through the water (which was the quickest way to the suit) that killed him.

· Though "exotic butters" being a gift basket for the main character appears to be part of the glitchy keypad's Running Gag, the technician may have been attempting to request it on purpose, considering how much popcorn he eats.

· There are some parallels with the vampire soap opera and with the story of Circus Baby and Mr. Afton: 1) Vlad refuses to admit that he fathered a child, even though the baby has his skin color and habits. Mr. Afton created Circus Baby based on his daughter, but now he's left her to rot in the Circus Baby basement, to be shocked and forced to perform for no audience. 2) Vlad's son wreaks havoc in his mother's house and at the daycare. Circus Baby killed a girl by accident and at night manipulates the security guard into helping her and the other animatronics escape. 3) In the Fake Ending, Vlad and Clara reconcile, but they don't address their bigger problems like the child support, or her cat getting traumatized. Eggs escapes in the Fake Ending and is fired with a severance package that included exotic butters, but Mr. Afton is still on the loose, Ennard is in Eggs's house, and the two technicians will remain vanished from the lore.

· "Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria Simulator", is a Double-Meaning Title. Besides describing the "Pizzeria Tycoon" portions of the game, it also describes the location in which the game takes place — it's a "simulation" of a Fazbear's Pizzeria meant to lure Springtrap, Baby, etc., to a location where they believe they can once again continue to murder innocent children, only for them to be trapped and destroyed within.

· It's possible to receive a lawsuit accusing one of your animatronics of having hurt someone... even if you have yet to purchase and/or salvage a single animatronic. These might simply be comically pathetic money grabs by parents trying to con you, but perhaps there's more to them than that. The story of the game eventually makes it clear that Cassette Guy has been deliberately trying to lure all the possessed animatronics into your restaurant throughout the entire game. Even if you refuse to salvage any of them, they're probably still hanging around in the alley directly outside of the pizzeria, hoping to find a way inside. It's completely plausible that they might maul anyone unfortunate enough to wander into that back alley, or even briefly break into the restaurant just to cause trouble. This is supported by the fact that you will sometimes have to fight off animatronics in your office even though you never salvaged them as a result of them hiding in larger objects you buy. This proves that at least some of them are capable of breaking in without your permission.

· The Puppet's origins are alluded to as early as the second game, when the Phone Guy briefly discusses his uneasiness around it. "It can go anywhere" because it was designed to go anywhere, even outside the perimeters of the restaurant, to help a child in need. "It's always thinking" alludes to the fact that THIS puppet is different from the mindless drones that Phone Guy would be used to, having worked with the company since early on.

· You would have expected going back to Freddy Fazbear's would have brought back the old camera-watching mechanic that's been missing for the last few games, but nope, all you get is a motion sensor. Why? Because if you had cameras, you could see that the animatronics aren't wandering the pizzeria you're building — they're wandering Cassette Guy's death maze. It'd completely spoil the Wham Line of what this location's true purpose is.

· The Racing Minigame. Taking the proper turn in Lap 4 takes you to a sort of 8-bit adventure game where you control Orange Man as he drives around between a couple of locations, including his home and (apparently) a bar. Neat Easter Egg, right? ....No. Go back to the racing game and watch the bottom half of the screen: that's oncoming traffic. You're not racing anybody, you're just a drunk driver. Specifically, a drunk driver who thinks you're in a car racing.

#fnaf #tv tropes #fridge highlights

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hellostarlight20 · 7 years

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I will...3/10

Ten x Rose Rated T Telepathy (telepathic marriage bond) Angst Fluffy laughter Not exactly a rewrite Dimension Hopping Rose JE fixit Happy ending! Beta’d by the ever fabulous MrsBertucci AO3 and TSP and on Tumblr Chapter 1 and (the corrected!) 2 Part of the The Adventures of Bad Wolf and the TARDIS…and their Doctor series

**This is the correct chapter 3...I accidently posted chapter 3 last week (tells you the sort of week I had!) instead of 2. It's all fixed now! So if you want to read chapter 2, which is the Bad Wolf Bay scene, it’s properly linked now!**

…promise you forever

“Oh, Doctor,” Rose sighed. She looked down at him, dressed only in his trousers, and lying, rumpled, in their bed, and didn’t know whether to be exasperated—or hit him. Again.

“I didn’t mean to, Rose,” he promised. “It wasn’t like that, I swear! It was a genetic transfer, that’s all!”

“I know.” Rose sighed and cupped his cheek, pressing her lips to his as if to erase the other woman’s touch. “But does Martha?”

“I told her,” he insisted.

“Oh.” Widowed.

No doubt she thought he kissed her either on the rebound or—well, it didn’t matter did it.

“I miss you, Rose. My hearts. So much.”

“I miss you, too.” Rose settled back on his chest, letting his double heartbeat calm her.

Even if her physical head wasn’t physically on his chest, they’d shared a telepathic link for long enough that her body believed it real. That was enough. For now. It had to be.

“You have to tell Martha, though. If not about us, then at least that you’re not interested. You have to make it clear, no more mixed signals.”

The Doctor sighed again and wrapped his arms around her, holding her to his chest as if his life depended on it. “I will.”

“But she’s good, yeah?” Rose asked, fishing for more about this Martha and maybe—just maybe—trying not to compare herself with the newbie. The newbie who was going to be a doctor.

“She is.” His smile came clear through. “Very observant, she’s a star.”

Rose laughed and raised her head to kiss him. “Where are you now?”

“Hmm? Oh, we’re in bed.”

“Doctor!” She jerked out of his arms and sat up.

“What? I didn’t mean it like that!”

Rose laughed again and poked his chest. “You’re lying in bed with a woman you kissed not 24 hours ago and you don’t think she’ll get the wrong impression?”

“Ah. Well…” He tugged his ear and looked sheepish. “I never thought about it.” He sobered and looked at her. “I only ever really think about you.”

Well that certainly melted her.

The Doctor laughed, as he was meant to. “Yeah, but that’s to find your way back here.” He smirked and preened. “To me.”

“I’m in the lab office,” she admitted. Rose covered his hands with hers, nestling closer to him. It was never close enough. “Trying to study for tomorrow’s test.”

“I could help with that.”

“Help?” She giggled and turned her head to look at him. “Or distract?”

“Hmm.” His hands glided down her sides then up again, beneath the shirt. “Both?”

“How long has it been for you?” Rose whispered.

“Too long.”

“Doctor—how long?”

“Since we last—since Norway?” He didn’t pull back but pulled her closer. “177 days and 15 hours.”

“It’s been longer for me,” Rose admitted but then he probably already knew that. “How is it we keep in sync when our universes aren’t?”

“Oh, well, that’s because we’re bonded, a telepathic bond doesn’t really—oops, gotta go! Screaming in the middle of the night is never a good sign.”

Unfortunately, later when the Doctor shut out all telepathic contact, her head throbbed too hard to concentrate.

“Oh, big mistake. Because that name keeps me fighting!”

Forever.

Of course that was before kidnappers and choking smog and the Face of Boe.

“I’m sorry,” Martha said and sounded sad for him. Not angry he lied, but…understanding, the Doctor supposed. “Was your wife from Gallifrey?”

Always had.

“I’m sorry, Doctor.” It started to rain again, but neither moved from their impromptu circle. “Why did you—” she shook her head. “I’m sorry.”

“Yeah.” He cleared his throat but before he could even begin to think of how to tell Martha about their telepathic connection—or if he should—she continued.

“Is that why you sometimes stare into space? You’re—you’re…searching for her?”

The intimacy.

Until they shared their minds, their thoughts, their essence with another.

“You can still talk to her?”

“Yes.”

“Me, too, Martha.” He stood and turned for the TARDIS. “Me, too.”

“What do you think he meant?” Rose asked him later when Martha was showering from her smoggy adventure. “You are not alone. They will return.”

“I don’t know.”

He pulled her tighter and kissed the top of her head. “Yes. You are.”

“Do you think he—is the Face of Boe male?” Rose turned her head to kiss the underside of his jaw, fingers toying with his. “Do you think he meant the Time Lords?”

The Doctor shuddered. “I hope not,” he fervently whispered.

It hadn’t been until they meet the Dalek in Utah that he admitted his role in the war. As she had when he first told her about his people and the war, Rose held him when he admitted he—ended it.

Now, wrapped tight in Rose’s arms, he sniffed back choking, oppressive grief and tears. No, he didn’t want Rose to know about his past or about his actions.

The again, he knew what he was getting into when they bonded. Sharing every part of himself hadn’t terrified the Doctor as he always expected it to.

“I’ll be here, Doctor,” Rose promised. “I promised you forever and I mean it.”

#ficandchips #Ten x Rose #telepathy #Doomsday fix-it #JE fix it #romance #angst

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