#or a poorly sung verse | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

mist1e · 2 years ago

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Sleep was letting go of her gently...

Sleep was letting go of her gently. Something barely perceptible pulled her from the bottomless, velvety oblivion to the surface. A slight sadness ran down her neck and flowed through her back like a heavy wave. After he had turned her, she could always feel him, with an intensity that surpassed even what the tadpoles had provided.

She opened her eyes and raised herself on an elbow. He was leaning against the balcony doorway, staring out into the darkness. The city below had wound down for the night as it prepared to fall asleep. The moonlight embraced his silhouette, reflecting off his pale skin and streaming through his snow-white curls. It was as if the moon itself adored him, enveloping him in its shimmer and filling him with the cold radiance. Only the devilish scars on his back, like a flock of bristling little monsters, were breaking his oneness with the moon, casting jagged shadows. When she looked at the scars, she always felt sorrow and a quiet rage clawing in her chest, but tonight she didn't want to remind him of them. Instead, she covered her eyes, took a slow deep breath, and filled her mind with admiration, delight, and tenderness. For him.

He sensed her and glanced back, half-turned.

“Darling, if only I could blush. Please go on,” he said quietly with a smile and turned away again.

She opened her eyes and continued to watch him in silence. She was awake for a reason and waited patiently. She heard a distant laugh and the sounds of a merry, skilfully-played lute tune.

“You know, I used to get my piece of freedom only at night. I could leave the damned palace without fear, at least a little loosening of the hateful leash. For a vampire, night is the time of life, but never have I felt less alive than at night.”

In his voice, she sensed the very sadness that had awakened her moments ago.

“I used to go to some godforsaken tavern that stank of sweat, sour wine, and hot blood," he continued with growing irritation, "and I would blend into the crowd of those thoughtless little fireflies whose lives were so short and careless. I hated what I was forced to do, but I also hated them for their lives. The way they were reveling in it... how dare they enjoy every minute of it!”

He almost yelled the last words and his voice cut off abruptly.

He quietly continued, “It was a time of anger, contempt, and shame. Now night is just night. Still can't get used to it.”

She called out to him softly, “Astarion, come to me.”

He hesitated for a moment, then slowly walked up to the bed and laid down beside her. He hugged her, nuzzling his face into her cold neck. She snuggled against him, wrapping her legs around his hips, feeling the flowing silk of his pants separating her icy skin from his hot body and then ran her hand through his unruly curls.

“You know, pet," his breath burned against her skin, "When I see myself through you... It feels nice. Thank you.”

The barely audible melody of the lute outside was now changed to the poorly sung, profane tune called 'Once Upon a Time, Red-Haired Dolly'. A song with an endless number of verses about the affairs of a miller's daughter. Apparently, someone had taken away the instrument from the musician. They could hear the drunken singing following along.

Astarion pulled back a little, a wicked smile on his lips, “I say we break into this damned tavern this second! I'll throw on that hideous pelt we found in the green bedroom over my armor, and you'll sit on top of me, completely naked, just like this," he traced a hot line down her side to her thigh with his finger, "Let's make it a scarlet dawn!��

She pushed flat against the bed and mounted him, rocking her hips against his. She opened her mouth and licked the sharp fangs with her tongue, feeling a wave of thrill run through her body as her tail was lashing nervously from side to side. But not tonight. Tonight, all she wanted was him. She leaned down and brushed her lips against his. Astarion responded to her kiss, holding her firmly in place, his palms clenched on her thighs.

“No carnage tonight, love, I understand.”

He wrapped his arms around her and sat up, facing her. They froze for a moment. Astarion stared at her silently from beneath his thick lashes, his head slightly lowered. She peered into his eyes, they always hid a mystery she was unable to unravel. And yet, she melted into them, lost herself in them, as the blood pounded in her temples from being so intoxicated by him.

A hint of a smile graced his lips, his greedy gaze drinking in her face. Astarion brushed the back of his palm across her cheek and then gently pulled her lower lip down with his thumb.

“You are so beautiful… And you will be beautiful forever,” he whispered.

With a gentle hand, Astarion placed his palm on the back of her head, delicately tilting it to the side, and pulled her even closer to him. She sank into his arms, eagerly submitting to his will. His lust, his insatiability, his obsession, thoughts of how gorgeous she was, and how her icy body electrified his fingers began to flow smoothly into her mind. She closed her eyes and smiled at the emotions Astarion couldn't contain. His fangs carefully, almost tenderly penetrated her neck and she uttered a short, sweet moan. Little streams of blood ran down her chest. He took the first sip and she shuddered at his euphoria, growing within her with every second. If she was only experiencing an echo of his senses, then what was he feeling at the fullest? The excitement in her lower abdomen was spilling inside with a sweet exhaustion. His hands pulled her tighter and tighter against him, nails digging into her back and scalp. A small trickle of blood ran down her spine, tingling pleasantly, but she almost didn't feel it. Her tail thumped the silk sheets as waves of bliss overwhelmedher. The second she realized she couldn't hold back a scream any longer, Astarion pulled away with a swift movement, threw his head back, and exhaled loudly. Blood dripped down his chin and neck, his eyes glistening and a wide, almost crazed smile played on his lips. The euphoria in her began to subside, giving way to a warmth that spread pleasantly throughout her body and tingled at her fingertips. Still shaking a bit with pleasure, she reveled in his bliss.

“Oh, my darling, if you only knew how delicious you are! I don't know if it's your new diet, or if it's solely your magnificent nature.” He brought his face so close that she could feel his breath on her lips and whispered, “But I simply can't get enough of you.”

As if she were utterly weightless, Astarion flipped her onto her back and hovered over her, bracing his hands against the bed. A drop of her blood dripped from his chin to her cheek and began sliding down, brushing her ear. She was lying there, huddled like a little mouse while Astarion towered over her like a large, predatory cat. She adored that authority in him, that strength. Tonight, when the full moon was so close, his power was bursting out and their connection was especially sensitive. He was perfect. And she was his.

“I... I love you," her voice barely above a whisper.

He grinned and sank into her, kissing her as if he wanted to own her and strip away the rest of her will through it. She could taste her blood on his lips, leaving a spicy aftertaste.. She wrapped her arms around Astarion and her fingers ran softly down his back, her claws grazing his skin. He moaned through the kiss and pressed himself against her fully. She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him even closer to her. Their bodies and minds intertwined in a bliss that cried out in the back of their heads, exploding beneath their eyelids. They were intertwined. Mind, body, and soul, she wasn't sure where she began and Astarion ended. Snapping out of her oblivion for a moment, she arched her back, teasing him, inviting him in. He gripped her waist so imperiously that she skipped a breath, and then they were entwined again, dissolving into each other completely. With his ears, she could hear herself moaning hoarsely and he could feel the desire in her core as it was about to tear her apart. They shrank to the size of a pinprick, froze for a split second, and exploded with ecstasy like a supernova. Her senses slowly returned to her, and she realized she was on all fours on the bed, her claws digging into the pillows, tearing the fabric. She could feel his wet, hot body on her, his deep breath full with pleasure tickled her ear. She choked on his heat, trying to find her own self again. With a heavy breath, Astarion collapsed on the bed and she sank down beside him, purring with the sweet blissful aftertaste.

They stayed silent for a while. The music and the shouting in the street had long since died down, and the city had finally fallen into a slumber, having drunk the night to its fullest. It was so quiet that she thought the world outside this room had ceased to exist. The curtains floated silently like ghosts, letting in a gentle summer breeze that filled the space with the smell of freshly cut grass and lilacs.

“I am no longer afraid of the night," he swayed the silence with his soft whisper, "I embrace it with my arms wide open. I feel alive now, too. And happy, perhaps? I'm not sure, I don't remember what it feels like."

His words were in harmony with the subtle ringing in her head. She realized that he was completely open with her and had unwittingly voiced his thoughts aloud. She didn't want to disrupt this fragile moment, so she remained silent. The feeling of his prickly regret washed over her and she realised he told her more than he wanted to. Astarion turned to her and put his hand under his head, his usual mischievous smile bloomed on his face.

"And what does my treasure wish to be happy? Ask me anything and it will be yours.”

“I'm happy when you are.”

He laughed silverly.

“Aren’t you a sweetheart! I know that, but I want you to do some real thinking for me.”

She pondered, scrunching up her pretty face. For six months they had been racing against death, and every day she thought that it might be her last. Like a wounded animal caught in a snare, she had fought with all her strength for her life and for the lives of those who had become dear to her. Many had not survived the final battle with the Elder Brain, and it was heart-wrenching to remember. When it was over, she hadn’t even felt any joy. Only emptiness, a gaping hole in her soul that nothing seemed to be able to fill. Something suddenly snapped inside her at that moment and she felt completely drained of energy and numb. Withdrawn, like a bystander to her own life, she had been slipping into an abyss when Astarion picked her up in his arms. He brought her into his Crimson Palace and locked the doors behind them. He had cradled her in his arms as she sobbed hysterically for those who had died in the massacre. He had kissed her wet cheeks and rocked her when she woke at night with nightmares of her friends' bloody, death-masked faces.

As time had passed, she realized that she could feel Astarion through their bond, sense his moods, feel his thoughts. It wasn't telepathy, the images were vague and barely perceptible, but it was as if they were sharing a part of consciousness between them. He realized it too and began to think of her, to feel for her and on her behalf, to fill the void in her soul with himself. In time, the nightmares began to torment her less, and like a child, she had learnt to live again; to enjoy the sunlight on her skin, to listen to birds chirping and to laugh.

He had breathed life into her — twice — and she would never forget it.

Even though the healing phase was over, she still wanted to stretch that enchanting moment a little longer. After so many months of the terrifying race, she felt as if she had cheated fate by getting lost from its sight in Crimson Palace with him. She feared that this incredible magic could be dispersed at any second. All she wanted was to let it linger just a little more, just a tiny bit longer.

“I want to," her voice trembled, and she coughed quietly. “I want to curl up next to you while you read me the 'Legends of Faerun'. I want to watch the sunrise and fantasize about what the day may bring us. To summon a lute player, enchant him, and dance for you until I drop dead, and then drink him dry together. To laugh at the fact that a cuckoo won't be able to keep up with how long we have left to spend together. I want to love you every night, with my whole heart.”

Astarion reached out and caressed her cheek. She closed her eyes, and reached out, holding his hand in hers.

“So be it. Taking over the world can wait. Let the mortals enjoy their miserable lives a little longer.”

“And your idea," she smiled, "The one with the pelt, I’d like that too!”

He laughed, and she laughed along with him.

Suddenly somewhere in the depths of the palace a strange thud could be heard. Astarion's eyes narrowed for a moment, then the concern slowly morphed into a sinister smile.

“It seems we have unwelcome guests, love.”

* * *

“I don't like this place, Hrugar. I don't like it one bit. It stinks with trouble.”

The thieves knew that the palace was empty, but they still felt uncomfortable, trying to sneak as quietly as possible through the empty corridors. Despite the caution, their footsteps rumbled through the place, echoing deafeningly in the grave silence of this crypt of a palace.

No one could ever call Ghalrik a cowardly dwarf. He was always the first to rush into a fight, to knock back a strong drink, and to grab the prettiest lass. And yet, though he loathed to admit it, his knees were shaking. The corridors suffocated him with their grave dampness and the trees cast dancing shadows on the walls through the windows, making him shudder. Why on earth had he gotten mixed up with those lousy duergar? The way they had buttered him up yesterday with round after round of beer and sweet promises of the treasure that lay behind the walls! Kisedor, the greatest 'vompire' had finally bitten the dust, leaving a castle full of goodies just waiting to be grabbed.

“We can be the first”, they had cajoled him, “We can have all the gold he's been saving up for centuries”.

For centuries! It had seemed like a great idea yesterday at Sharess' Caress after a few rounds of drinks. But today, when he sobered up? Ghalrik had realized the shit he'd gotten himself into all too late. Besides, Ghalrik had never retreated, and he certainly wasn't going to run away clutching his breeches now.

They entered a huge parlor decorated with animal heads and numerous paintings. All the furniture was covered in a thick layer of dust, but even that could not hide the former luxury of this house. Gold, silver, velvet, expensive marble. There was indeed much to be reaped in this palace. One of the duergar picked up a book from the shelf, twirled it in his hands, and tossed it to the floor. Ghalrik glanced at the fireplace and noticed a half-burned portrait in a broken gold frame. It struck him as odd for some reason.

“Hey, Hrugar," he called in a whisper. “ What is this?”

Hrugar, the oldest of the duergar came over, pulled the painting out of the fireplace, and straightened what was left of it with the toe of his boot. A man with hawk-like features looked at them surly from the portrait. Black hair came down to his shoulders, and the stranger's eyes burned red. Hrugar bent over the portrait while others kept scouring the parlor for loot.

“Kisedor, the one who owned the castle, it is,” Hrugar said.

“And why the hell is his portrait in the fireplace, if the castle is his?” Ghalrik asked.

“He probably torched it himself!" Hrugar chuckled and his incongruous rumbling laughter made Ghalrik twitch. "I'd do the same thing if I was him, look how butt ugly the thing is!”

Ghalrik said nothing, but frowned even more. Oh, he didn't like this place, no, he didn’t like it one bit.

They found nothing of use in the parlor. The young duergar, whom everyone called Gucky — Ghalrik didn't know why, and he didn't want to know — tried to pick the gold off the folios, but Hrugar slapped him and hissed not to waste time on scrapbooks when the castle was full of loot.

The minutes dragged by like sap oozing down a rotten tree trunk as they wandered through the deserted corridors. Finally, they entered a large dining hall with a high ceiling. A long table that could seat perhaps fifty people, still laden with dishes, was in the middle of the room. Plates, cups, bowls, candlesticks, and saucepans had lost their luster, covered in a thick layer of dust and cobwebs. All the cutlery stood perfectly straight, as if some ghost of the past had set it up with a ruler. It occurred to Ghalrik that the sight was especially eerie in the grave silence of this palace, as if its master were still here, wandering his domain in the night. He glanced at Hrugar, who let out a short chuckle with his eyes gleaming in anticipation. Hrugar walked over to the table, grabbed a plate, wiped off the dust with his sleeve, and brought it closer to his face to examine it.

"Silver!" he thundered, his voice echoing off the stone vaults, "I thought we were gonna grind our feet up to our asses to find the bastard's stash. But there it is, sitting pretty on a tablecloth, just waiting for us."

Another duergar came up to the table and took a goblet with a look of curiosity on his face. Studded gems glistened in the moonlight. The duergar pulled out his dagger and prodded at it, not believing his own eyes.

He held the goblet out to Hrugar, "Look at that, are those emeralds?"

Hrugar glanced at the goblet.

"Surely they are not some kind of trinkets!" He circled the hall with his hands, "Kisedor spared no expense in gold. I'll bet these are real diamonds!"

The findings lifted the duergars' spirits. They began chattering happily and started to grab plates from the table and shove them into the sacks. Ghalrik was in no hurry to join the fun. He was looking around, the nerves made his stomach crawl, while fear squeezed at his throat with its clammy paws. Then he froze. He felt an icy sweat breaking out on the back of his neck and a wave of horror surged through his body. He felt someone's gaze on the back of his head. Ghalrik slowly turned around and looked up. In the corner of the room, two eyes glowed in the darkness above them. The wind swayed the trees outside the window and for a brief moment, the moonlight revealed a figure crouching on a beam stretching across the vaulted ceiling. It caught Ghalrik's gaze and deftly jumped, pushed off the wall, and landed on the dining table in some completely unbelievable silent leap. It was a girl, tiefling. She was completely naked, eyes glowing red like two embers, a predatory grin skewing her beautiful, almost doll-like face. In each hand, she held a dagger, and even in this darkness, Ghalrik recognized the sharp glint of adamantine - dwarven work, dangerous blades.

The duergar rushed sideways in utter surprise.

The girl stilled for only a moment, and then she lunged to the right, towards petrified Gucky, who was the closest to her. The tiefling girl jumped from the table in a quick catlike leap and slashed him across the throat in a swift, precise movement. Gucky clutched at his neck, letting his sack stuffed with silverware clatter to the ground. Blood flowed between his fingers. He swayed, tripping over a cup that had rolled out of the sack, and fell to the floor, gasping and choking on his own blood.

“Kisedor's devil!” Howled Hrugar, “Kill the bitch!”

The duergar began to draw their axes, but they were too clumsy. Too slow. They did not realize that death was already dancing amongst them.

The grey-haired duergar who usually gave out the commands along with Hrugar was more swift than the others. In two leaps he appeared next to the tiefling and swung his short axe at her. Grey was an experienced warrior, his movement precise and sharp, he had performed it hundreds of times in battle. But the girl easily, almost playfully, deflected the blow and used the inertia against him and with a quick spin plunged the dagger into Grey’s eye. Keeping her grip on the hilt, she kicked him in the chest so hard that he flew off obliquely to the other end of the room, swinging over the table and hitting the wall. Silverware clattered over the floor. Ghalrik didn't understand how this delicate figure could have so much strength in her. And then he saw the fangs gleaming in the moonlight. She was a damned vampiress! His hands, clutching the hilt of his short sword, were sweating profusely, and the weapon tried to slip from his unruly fingers.

The girl quickly and weightlessly jumped onto the table and ran a few steps across it without touching a single plate. She kicked off and jumped at Hrugar, who was trying to circle around the table from the other side to get at her back. She landed with a soft thud beside him, spinning in a pirouette. He swung but lost his balance due to her moving against him in theopposite direction. That brief moment was enough time for her to deliver three precise blows; a slice under his knee, a stab in the side and then in his neck. Blood from his carotid artery spurted onto the wall, nearly hitting Ghalrik, as he jumped to the side.

One of the surviving duergar rushed to the other end of the room, leaving his fellows behind. She spotted it, and in one leap caught up with him at the exit of the dining hall. The girl jumped on his back, wrapped her legs around him, and dug into his throat. The duergar shrieked, a long, high-pitched wail that made Ghalrik’s blood run cold. He swung his short arms in a clumsy attempt to throw her off, took a few steps on instinct as she was gnawed at him, and fell. The vampiress stood up nimbly and raised the hand holding the severed duergar's head, as if showing it off like a twisted trophy. Duergar blood dripped from her chin onto her chest. She looked at Ghalrik and the two remaining duergar and laughed so eerily that the dwarf's hair stood up on the back of his neck.

Ghalrik came out of his daze.

“Stay together!” he shouted. “Or she'll take us down one by one!”

The deviless heard his shout and burst into an even more vicious and disgusting laugh. The duergar as a pair were circling her from the other side of the table. Ghalrik began to carefully advance as well, hoping to corner the wretch and finish her off. The girl threw the severed head aside, licked her bloody lips, and lunged at the duergar.

Ghalrik jumped up on the table, hoping to get her with his sword from above as the duergar took turns attacking her. They acted coherently, the only way they could with such an enemy. One duergar made an attack that was supposed to knock her off balance, the other immediately attacked from behind his back, and then they switched places. It was a neat tactic that was hard to counter. But the tiefling girl didn't lose her balance. She spun around like a dancer, evading their blows with athletic vaults, and didn't even try to counterattack as if the beast was having fun. Ghalrik couldn't quite get a chance to hit even though he tried. The vampiress was moving with inhuman speed. He could see that she was toying with the duergar like a cat with its prey, and she had no trouble killing them outright.

Evidently bored with the game, she pirouetted to the right and stabbed the nearest duergar in the temple with her dagger. He collapsed with an unceremonious thud. His companion swung his axe in fury, putting all his strength into the blow, which she easily dodged by slipping under his left arm. The duergar's axe cleaved the air and he lost his balance, falling forward. She shoved him in the back, and the duergar crashed to the ground. The vampiress landed on top of him and with daggers in hand, she delivered several quick blows, piercing his body to the very hilts of her daggers. He screamed and twitched beneath her, before falling silent.

Ghalrik stood on the table in a daze. His legs and arms refused to obey him fully. Forgetting his courage and the fact that he never retreated, Ghalrik lowered his sword and slowly crept away. The tiefling demon stood, covered head to toe in blood with her back to him. She took a deep sniff, savoring the repulsive smell of blood and death that made Ghalrik sick to his stomach. She slowly turned around and looked at him. Her eyes were like two scorching fiery balls, burning a hole in him, and her mouth blurred into a bloody smile.

Ghalrik whimpered and felt something warm run down his leg.

* * *

“Can I take them out, please? Pretty please?”

She hadn’t changed too much since Astarion had turned her, but he did love the bloodlust that becoming a spawn had awakened in her. He loved the way her eyes sparkled when she killed. It had always fascinated him. She was much stronger than he was before the ritual, apparently, his blood was more powerful than Cazador's. No wonder. He was superior to him in every way.

Astarion grasped her chin and pulled her forward. She was looking at him like a child about to be given candy.

He smiled, “My darling, how could I say no?”

She squealed happily, throwing her arms around his neck, With a kiss on the cheek she was on her way, sprinting down the corridors, looking for the unwelcome intruders.

He took his time following her, allowing a leisurely pace that gave her the time she needed to take care of the intruders. He hadn't seen her this happy in a long time. Astarion grimaced, remembering the time three months ago when he had to piece her back together after the battle with the Elder Brain. He knew it was foolish to spend so much time on her, but somehow he couldn't let her go then.

The bond between Astarion and her was not the same as the one between him and Cazador. Cazador. He spat the name onto the floor. He no longer feared it, no longer felt rage, no longer flinched at the sound of it. He felt nothing. Cazador was nothing but the past and now he was simply indifferent. He used their connection to give orders and control his spawn for better and for worse. Especially for worse. Astarion had expected it to be similar with her. And yet, it turned out differently. As it always did with her.

Astarion smirked. After the ritual, he'd gone wild, intoxicated by his new power and authority, and all he wanted was to possess her as soon as possible. Bind her to him so that she would be his forever. Control her if he had to. He had hoped she would be foolish enough to give herself over to his will, and he was damn right. He was so dazzled by her that he completely failed to consider the corruptive role their tadpoles might play in her transformation.

At first, it seemed to Astarion that nothing had changed. He felt her presence, and it seemed very natural to him; after all, she was his spawn and they were connected by blood. The tadpole still allowed them to read each other's thoughts and sense each other's minds. But the moment the parasite was gone, it was as if the dam that held back the dormant, powerful stream in his mind had disappeared. He did not understand his new thoughts, feelings, and sensations that swarmed in his head like white noise, and he attributed his weird condition to the happiness of finally being free of the Illithid parasite and to the power he gained after the ritual. After all, his destiny had changed drastically in a matter of weeks.

But then he had a chance to appreciate its irony.

He vividly remembered the night he had the nightmare. He jumped up in bed and opened his eyes, but the nightmare wasn't going away. His heart was pounding, ready to jump out of his chest, while sweat beads gathered on his back. Out of breath, he couldn't understand what was happening to him, and then he turned his head and saw her. Her lithe face had been contorted in a grimace of pain, her palms clenching and unclenching, gripping the sweat-soaked sheets with small fists. Astarion felt her at his very fingertips and something flared painfully in his head. She was the one having the nightmare and somehow transmitting it to him. He pulled her towards him in a tight hug, cold and wet with sweat. Shivering like a blind kitten, she wrapped her arms around him, cuddling up close. He rocked her in the dark, whispering sweet nothings into her ear. Slowly but surely, her nightmare began to recede from his mind, turning his thoughts into a smooth sea. Even as the dreamless sleep took hold, Astarion continued to rock her back and forth for a long time in the darkness, trying to comprehend what had just happened.

She often had nightmares, often withdrew into herself, and every time he could hear it, feel it in the back of his head. The pain he felt was excruciating in those moments. If he was only experiencing an echo of her senses, then what was she feeling at the fullest? Astarion would have been more willing to accept being buried in a coffin again for a year than to feel her in his mind again. He knew in his mindthat she was a burden, a failure, that he should kill her in her sleep, get rid of her, do anything to avoid feeling this torture again. But instead he kept rocking her after the nightmares and kissing her tear-wet cheeks.

He hated that weakness. He'd gone through a diabolical ritual, became the world's greatest vampire to what? To mess around with some mewling brat? But as soon as he felt the weight of her thoughts, he ran to her like a wolf to its cub.

Sometimes he felt her thinking of him. Her thoughts of him always dazzled him with a pure, warm, tender feeling, the nature of which he couldn't quite comprehend. Even though Astarion could no longer see himself in the mirror, he saw himself reflected in her instead. He still couldn't fully believe that reflection, it was too good, even for him. But damn, it felt nice!

In time he had learned not only to sense her thoughts, but to transmit his own to her. In moments of particular despair, he would compose sweet little nonsense in his head and it seemed to help - she would calm down and sometimes a smile would appear on her lips. He was surprised to find himself smiling too, while stroking her silky hair.

Gradually she recovered and seemed to become more like her old self. He felt warmer and fuller around her. Having someone who could sense him so subtly was… nice. But their connection went both ways: he sensed her subtly, too. His world became filled with unusual colors he'd never noticed before. Her delight, when a butterfly settled on her delicate thigh and fluttered its wings. Her suffocating fear, when she woke up and he wasn't beside her. Her sense of calm, when she rested on his shoulder as he read 'Journey Through the Jungle' to her. Her impatience as she chased her terrified victim through the street in the night. Astarion felt as if a whole new universe had opened up before him and he couldn't wait to explore it.

Astarion walked through the corridors of the palace, following the scent of her lust for murder and the source of the noise, which appeared to be in the main dining hall. Of course, the filthy thieves couldn't resist Cazador’s ugly family silver. He stepped out onto the inner balcony and saw her.

She had already dealt with one duergar, who was wheezing in the corner of the room with his throat cut. The others were so slow and clumsy that he could barely contain his laughter. The moonlight illuminated her as if she were its champion. She stabbed a grey-haired duergar in the face with one strike, knocking him back across the room, and then slashed the next one with three beautiful quick blows.

They didn't stand a chance. She was wonderful.

She was perfect.

Her body was covered in hot blood, and steam was billowing from her skin. Every muscle was highlighted in the silvery light. He squeezed his eyes shut and a wave of murderous pleasure swept over him. He smelled the scent of the prey’s blood, their clammy fear. He felt power surging through his body. She was on fire. The excitement of her hunt was strong and powerful. It was breathtaking.

One of the duergar decided to run away. Ridiculous. Catch up. Destroy!

He opened his eyes and saw her pounce on him, tearing at his throat. Astarion held his breath as he watched her, completely mesmerized.

There were only three mice left. What a pity! The fun was coming to an end. She began playing with the two remaining duergar as if she had read his thoughts. They attacked her awkwardly, slowly, and she whirled around, graceful and elusive. Astarion closed his eyes, the excitement and joy of a close kill lingered sweetly in his mouth. He licked his lips, and saw through her eyes the younger duergar die from a dagger blow to the temple. Her rage overwhelmed him so much it was hard to breathe. He and she, together, plowed the last duergar to the dusty stone floor, stabbing him in the back with their daggers as his pitiful body trembled beneath them. Reveling in their own strength, they rose, inhaling the sweet odor of blood that saturated the dining hall. Astarion opened his eyes abruptly, snapping out of her mind. There was only one little thief left.

The dwarf on the table pivoted, lowering his sword, stumbling clumsily over the remaining serving pieces. His terror further fueled Astarion.

Like a cat she sprang onto the table and was slowly advancing. Her back was straight as an arrow, her hips swaying gracefully with every step. Her chest heaved with excitement.

“Stop," her voice was soft.

The dwarf was petrified, his sword shaking in his hand. He tried to lift it anyway. Who was he trying to impress with this pathetic attempt? She paid no attention and kept walking slowly towards him. He gave up as she approached, the sword clattering to the stone floor. He froze and simply awaited his fate.

She stopped a pace or two before him, tossed the daggers aside, and squatted down. She took a sniff of the air before him. The dwarf reeked of fear and urine.

“Shhhh..." she whispered softly, caressing his rough bearded face with her fingertips. “Everything is going to be okay.”

The dwarf flinched, expecting a bite. Astarion smirked.

While stroking him, she brought her face slightly closer to his, and then with a sharp movement she cracked his neck vertebrae. The dwarf went limp and fell from the table to the floor.

A wave of pure happiness swept over Astarion. He closed his eyes, savoring the moment. Then he looked down.

The room was in utter disarray. Astarion took a deep breath, absorbing every detail. The dishes and cutlery that had been in perfect order were now strewn across the table, scattered on the floor, and spilling from sacks. The stone of the walls, porous from time, had gratefully absorbed the blood spatters, turning them into beautiful, artistic strokes that sparkled in the moonlight. The gnarled, mutilated bodies of the duergar lay on the floor in amusing poses, with the thick black gore puddles spreading beneath them. The one she had stabbed in the back was still gurgling, blood seeping into his lungs as he scratched at the floor with his nails. She stood on the table, the flawless completion of this beautiful picture! - and was looking up at him. Pure glee dripping from her face.

He understood it at last. He understood this strange feeling he had for her.

Love.

The last piece of the puzzle fell into place in his mind. Why she had agreed to become his spawn so quickly and without a shadow of a doubt. Why he, instead of getting rid of her when she was a burden to him, continued to cling to her. The gravest crimes committed in this world are committed for love. But not the way he thought.

In one fluid movement, Astarion jumped off the balcony and walked over to her. He picked her up and spun her around while she wrapped herself around his body. He didn't really like duergar blood, it had unpleasant earthy notes, but mixed with her scent, even that kind of blood turned into sweet nectar.

He ran his tongue from her collarbone to her earlobe, licking the still warm blood from her cold skin. She leaned back, keeping her arms around his neck, exposing her beautiful breasts. With one hand, Astarion swiped his arm across the table, clearing an area of bloody plates and lowered her onto the table. She smiled and looked up at him, so humble, so fragile, so defenseless. He leant over her.

“You're perfect," he whispered, covering her neck and breasts with kisses. ”You're divine. You are ravishing.”

His words echoed in her mind, and the pleasure returned to him with the same pure and incredibly tender feeling that gripped his heart like a vise. Now he knew: it was her love. Her emotions were so strong that Astarion was delightfully physically hurt.

His kisses went lower and lower, sliding over her blood-covered skin as she arched her body impatiently. He knelt down and she threw her legs over his shoulders as he kissed her soft thighs, thick with wet and blood. She trembled as he came closer and closer to her heat. He plunged his face in between her legs. She moaned, her claws digging into the polished tabletop, leaving jagged furrows on the beautiful dark wood. Astarion closed his eyes and allowed his mind fully unfold, letting her in. Her bliss streamed into him like water into a dry hollow, soft and languid at first, but the flow quickly accelerated, swirling and pulsing with pleasure. She pressed her heels against his back, pulling him harder towards herself, her hips bucking as if she wanted to break free. Astarion wrapped his hands firmly around her waist, nailing her to the table. Suddenly something in his head throbbed like a captive bird beating violently against the bars of a cage, and he lost himself. He became one with her again. A fire burned in her lower abdomen, the room blurred and he could see with her eyes was a glittering kaleidoscope of colours. Right now, nothing else in the world existed except for this feeling. And just when it felt like no greater pleasure could be endured, the feeling exploded into a thousand shards, pulsing frantically almost to the point of pain, taking his breath away. He cried out in her voice, clenching his own head in between her thighs. The next instant he came to his senses with a loud gasp. She was breathing deeply, writhing on the table in front of him. He kissed the inside of her thigh as she trembled in his arms. He waited for her to savor the last drops of her subsiding ecstasy.

A moment later, she rose from the table and knelt beside him. She pressed herself against his chest, wrapping her delicate arms around him. He returned the embrace. The duergar finally stopped gurgling. How quiet! And only his heart was beating for the two of them. They sat by each other's side for a while. No words. No movement.

“I am yours.” Her voice broke the silence. “And you're mine.”

“Until the world falls down,” he replied, cradling his newfound Gift even more tightly in his arms.

#ascension #astarion #astarion x tav #baldur's gate 3 #fanfic #tav #bg3 #vampire #bg3 astarion

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gumptioustactition · 1 year ago

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Mean Girls(2024) is a film which is loudly ashamed of itself. It is self referential and cheeky - it cuts itself off to remind you that you're watching a movie MUSICAL, isn't that silly? Aren't movie musicals SILLY? Why are these teens SINGING? Isn't that RANDOM? The backing tracks have been gutted and sound empty, while the actors at some times sound like they would have benefited from a second or third take, such as Cady's verse in Revenge Party, or look completely dubbed, like Regina in Someone Gets Hurt. The choreography in many songs is lacking and nonsensical. I'd Rather Be Me is filmed like a made-for-YouTube music video, not like a scene in a movie. Stupid with love sounds like it was sung by someone who had never heard the song before but was given the lyrics and a generic royalty free backing to sing over, and finishes with choreography which was made to be easily cropped to a vertical format and posted on tiktok. It is generic and boring and BAD. Cady sings the line "I am filled with calcu-lust" like she's serenading a slug she found on the sidewalk. After being shot in the behind with a horse tranquilizer.

The vertical angle worked...somewhat, for Sexy. It was a clever choice to frame the song as something Karen was shooting for her Snapchat, but it again suffers from a gutted backing, poor choreo, and cluttered visuals when the screen is filled with poorly framed, shot, choreographed, and edited clips of other actors performing for their smartphones, which later devolved into, again, something that is visually more like a music video than a scene from a movie. Avantika is a talented vocalist, she did not need to be autotuned!!! Let her sing!!

Damien's solo song Stop was cut, which is the reason I am going with for him being given Cady's wild-themed lines in Apex Predator. You are reading that correctly - the song in which Cady compares highschool to the animal food chain she knows in Kenya was instead given to Damien, who has no reason to be singing lines like "they scatter like mice from a jungle cat". His fling with The Beast from Stop is hinted at earlier, just before Meet The Plastics, but is otherwise dropped.

This is an issue presented throughout the film. In its haste to point and laugh at itself at every juncture while shoving in orignal songs in a desperate attempt at winning Best Original Song, character moments are dropped. Karen does not get to report the weather. Janis is not manipulative. We do not know who Cady Herron is, aside from that she is obsessed with Aaron, and yet her obsession is sedated, so she is not even allowed that. What Ifs replaces It Roars, a song which is better and does more to introduce Cady's character, which is to say, Whats Ifs does anything at all. The hints of jungle bounce from Cautionary Tale, It Roars, Stupid With Love, Apex Predator, and More Is Better have been erased, leaving behind clean pop idol Cady Herron who we know nothing about. If you are going to take out all hints of her childhood, you should at least replace them with something! Her leitmotif is meant to indicate when we are seeing/hearing Cady Herron for who she is, getting a glimpse at her true self before she covers it back up in concealer and glitter. Mean Girls(2024) leaves Cady as glitter all the way down.

(Note: In several areas of the movie, lyrics are changed for reasons I can't discern. A verse of Stupid With Love, which references Cady's first crush on a Kenyan boy, is completely cut, and in Sexy the line "Sexy Elanor Roosevelt or Sexy Rosa Parks" Is changed to "Sexy Elanor Roosevelt or Sexy Joan of Ark". In both cases, the change was jarring. A more understandable change, but one I still dislike, is that from calling Janis a Space Dyke to calling her a Pyro Les.)

Scenes where the chaos of the school hallways are portrayed using animal-like choreography are cute and clever(Meet The Plastics), and the representations of the soul-sucking nature of social media is represented well by filling the screen with vertical facecams and overlaying voiceovers. What's Wrong With Me was exactly what I expected, and that isn't an insult! It is the only moment in the film in which the snarky "LOL what is happening??" angle works for it, as Gretchen Weiners vents her troubles to Cady, who has no idea how to handle it. Revenge Party was a pale imitation of its musical counterpart, but the replacement of the soundtrack with a marching band version paired with whispered vocals was lovely in the context of the scene.

Megan Thee Stallion killed it.

2/10. This movie was 112 minutes long, and a complete waste of nearly two hours. It is the worst of both worlds. If you want to listen to the musical, watch the musical. If you want to watch the movie, watch the 2004 version.

#ic #reviews #Do This Thing was also replaced by a reprise of the disappointing version of Stupid With Love. Sigh.#World Burn was good at least. They let Renee Rap belt.#''That's why her hair is so big. It's full of secrets.'' Gretchen's hair was flat and lifeless. Give her a bump-it at least.#Lindsay Lohan was in this picture! She was in the end as the Mathletes Moderator.#Just a bit of trivia.

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cinema-hallucinations · 1 year ago

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Prompt: Create a movie concept for a musical about living with ADHD and its accompanying cortege of mental health issues. The movie manipulates the medium to reflect the mental feel of ADHD: some songs start mid-verse without any buildup, some are interrupted halfway by or transform suddenly into entirely different songs, in some cases the numbers fail to start entirely due to decision paralysis

Mental Cacophony

Tagline: It seemed like a good idea at the time

Logline: Alex, a charmingly chaotic college student with ADHD, navigates the cacophony of their mind with the help of a supportive therapist and a newfound appreciation for medication. Through a whirlwind of original musical numbers, the film explores the challenges and triumphs of living with ADHD, from impulsive decisions that snowball into hilarious situations to the moments of focus and emotional clarity that medication brings.

Story:

Alex is a force of nature, buzzing with ideas and enthusiasm. Their boundless energy, however, often leads to chaos and frustration. They dream of a career in music, but their ADHD makes it impossible to stay focused long enough to write a song or practice consistently. Feeling overwhelmed and discouraged, Alex finally seeks help from a therapist, Dr. Sharma.

Dr. Sharma introduces Alex to the world of ADHD medication, initially met with resistance from the free-spirited Alex. However, with some trial and error, they find a medication that helps them experience moments of quiet clarity and focus, a stark contrast to the constant mental noise they're used to.

Musical Numbers:

The songs are a blend of often clashing musical genres, reflecting the varied experiences of ADHD.

"It Seemed Like a Good Idea": This upbeat number starts with an infectious melody, detailing an impulsive decision Alex made at 3 am (dyeing their hair blue, anyone?). The song hilariously spirals downwards as the consequences of their impulsive act unfold.

"Hyperfocus Hoedown": The song transforms into the monotonous drone of the neon lights, cutting off halfway through as Alex descends into hyperfocus, oblivious to the world around them.

"Scatterbrained": An upbeat number that launches mid-thought, reflecting Alex's tendency to jump from one idea to the next. The lyrics detail the struggles with focus and organization.

"Decision Paralysis": A series of fast-paced, disjointed melodies (think a Weird AL Yankovic polka medley, but poorly mashed together) overlap as Alex faces a otherwise simple choice They're stuck in a loop of indecision, unable to choose.

"Focus Funk": A slow, funky groove accompanies a moment of clarity brought on by medication. Alex utilizes this newfound focus to write a powerful rap verse about their struggles and triumphs.

"Unfinished": This melancholic ballad starts strong with a catchy tune as Alex works on a song only to abruptly stops halfway through. Alex is overwhelmed by the scale of the task and abandons the song in frustration.

"Medication Meditation": A blend of calming chants and electronic beats depicts Alex trying to meditate (a notoriously difficult task for ADHD brains). The song humorously ends when Alex gets distracted by a butterfly fluttering in the room.

"Unfinished (reprise)": Alex revisits the unfinished ballad from before, but this time, they're able to persevere. The song builds to a powerful climax as Alex completes the song, a testament to their newfound focus.

"My Symphony": Alex performs the song they wrote. A powerful ballad sung in a quiet moment, this song acknowledges the struggles but celebrates the unique way Alex sees the world.

Comedy and Heart:

The humor revolves around Alex's impulsive antics. From dyeing their hair blue to attempting to learn a new language in a day, the film finds laughter in Alex's "good idea at the time" moments. However, the humor is balanced with a sense of growth as Alex learns to harness their impulsive energy and find strategies to manage their ADHD.

The film highlights the importance of therapy and medication in ADHD management. Dr. Sharma becomes a guiding force for Alex, offering support and encouragement throughout their journey.

Ending:

The film culminates in a finale titled "The ADHD Symphony (Finally Conducted)." The song starts with a familiar melody from a previous number, but gradually other melodies from the film intertwine, creating a complex and vibrant musical tapestry. This reflects Alex's ability to manage their ADHD, embracing the unique rhythm of their mind and channeling it into their music. The film ends with Alex performing their completed song on stage, confident and in control, with a final wink to the audience – "Yeah, medication helped, but it's still noisy in my head!"

Note: This one involves the stitching of two different variants with significant editing (the topic is close to my heart).

#ai generated #stupid ideas #shitpost #imaginary movie #google gemini #movie poster #poster #genre: musical #genre: comedy #adhd #mental illness #music #nonbinary #therapy

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yellowspiralbound · 3 years ago

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Okay so for a while after The Lightning Thief musical release I really wanted them to keep making musicals (now I'm glad they didn't) but to this day I want songs based in HoO. Here are my favorite ideas, some with more thought than others:

A Nico reprise of Good Kid sung to Percy where the premise is basically "Hey remember how no one ever wanted you and how if anyone should have understood me it should have been you but instead you pushed me away and dismissed me as a bad kid?" It could be during when he told Percy he had a crush on him too - one of the lines could be something about someone you loved from afar seeing you as just another enemy when you're just a "good kid with a bad run."

A duet between the crew of the Argo II and Nico in the jar would be phenomenal - Nico starts, begging someone to save him and he slowly gets drowned out by the crew wanting to abandon him. Hazel has a cadence part that calls for saving him and she could do like an operatic high note to get them to shut up and listen to her. Just,,, the possibilities for an absolutely heartwrenching song in that scene are basically endless

Hazel could have a song while she dies. It ends in not-quite-silence. Like, horror movie silence where they use a high pitch or a tune specifically designed to inspire fear. There'd be a reprise when she comes back to life but it still ends the same way because she just went from one war to another.

A song that Sammy sings to Hazel about "undying [insert word here: love, devotion, etc.]" that Leo has a reprise of later.

Frank has a song about the Stick called St(ick)yx or something where he compares the Stick to Achilles' heel because it both keeps him alive and is his greatest weakness.

Idk what it would be about but there would definitely be a song called Panda Pillow Pet. Possibly with some sort of chorus like "I don't know who I am but I'll be okay as long as I've got my panda pillow pet"/"It's just me and you, my panda pillow pet"

Leo has a song as he flies Gaia into the explosion. It starts with him talking about how he's burned everything he's loved to the ground. Gaia reveals his mother's death was her doing (I know its not book accurate timing wise but ✨️drama✨️) The song ends with a verse along the lines of "Do I even want this cure to work?" followed by a bang a la Dead Girl Walking Reprise from Heathers. Perhaps even a line about how he's "had two lives already; do I even deserve a third?"

Thalia and Jason have a duet - think The Mother We Share by CVURCHES

A HERA & ANNABETH DUET

A percabeth duet that starts in Arachne's web and ends in hell

Hypothetically, there would have already been a song about Zoe's death in a previous musical and Bob would have a reprise of it ending in "tell the stars I say hello" this is immediately followed by a poorly recorded version of Escape by Rupert Holmes. Not the full thing, but just that and nothing else as the elevator rises.

A Last Day of Summer reprise following the final battle - Dionysus gets Percy's name right this time. He sounds exhausted - borderline sorrowful, not angry.

A duet between Reyna and her father's ghost

I want a solangelo song because I love them. I'm thinking Will has a few lines in a song during the Battle of New York and there's some kind of call back. "I've lost more lives than I've saved - don't make yourself the first blood shed today" Nico has no idea how to react to being cared about and his verses reflect this. [spoken not sung, interrupting Will's verse about keeping Nico alive] "why do you care?" "...why wouldn't I?" "You need a soldier ready for action. Right. Stupid question." "No!"

You can probably tell I'm bad at comedy lol. Anyway feel free to share your song ideas because I LOVE THEM.

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toaverse · 4 years ago

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Okay but now I'm really interested in your idea of an AU where Bruno and Dolores are the protags! (I believe in their supremacy) if you have more to add could you please share it? ^^

Alright!

Dolores's ceremony actually was kinda traumatizing for her. After having received her door, everyone loudly cheered, actually leading to a panic attack, covering her hurting ears.

Thanks to her tío Bruno, she learned how to deal with her gift. though she always had a small desire and wish to have a different one...

Dolores actually overheard most, if not all, incidents with Bruno's prophecies and the townspeople, how they treated her tío poorly after each future vision (even if they asked him to). It slowly made her afraid of being treated the same way by them, especially since she already had a reputation for being nosy in their business.

The last time she saw her tío was when she heard and caught him trying to leave without him knowing.

Dolores instantly realized why he left...

It made her feel like she was walking on eggshells around her family, afraid that if she made one wrong move or said one wrong sentence, they would exile her too...

Dolores would feel like that for the next decade...

No, scratch that, her tío never left, only living inside the walls of Casita like some rat...

the superhearing girl would secretly leave food, or reassuring notes for her tío in that decade, trying to help him out however she could

After she saw Mira not receiving her gift, Dolores would instantly offer her younger prima to share her room, fearing that Mira would grow miserable and out of place like Dolores felt. The 5 year old girl immediately accepted.

That was how the two primas grew close, actually.

"The Family Madrigal" would be sung by Mirabel, with Dolores there just vibing. Until the kids ask what Mira's gift is...

Mirabel: ...and that's who we are in the family Madrigal.

Mirabel: "Adios!" *feels a kid grab her arm* "Oh..."

Kid: "But what's your gift?" :D

Mirabe: 'Ha! Well-"

Dolores, coming to her prima's aid: "Well, Mira is so special that she doesn't need a gift."

"Waiting On a Miracle" would either be a solo for Dolores where she expressed how unhappy she felt with her gift as well as feeling like walking on eggshells all the time, or that but as a duet with her and Bruno :D

"We Don't Talk About Bruno" would be the same, but sung to Mira and our superhearing protag! She would still have her rap verse! But a tiny bit changed, in this AU singing it to her familia.

Hey, Grew to live in fear of Bruno stuttering or stumbling

I can always hear him sort of muttering and mumbling

I associate him with the sound of falling sand

Ch, ch, ch

It's a heavy lift with a gift so humbling

Always left abuela and all of you fumbling

Grappling with prophesies you wouldn't understand

Do you understand?

No one really listened to her in that scene tho (except Mira), since Camilo would interfere with his horror show.

Casita cracking stilled happened on Antonio's ceremony and all that jazz.

Honestly, I can't see Dolores ending up with Mariano in this AU. Maybe in the future, but not in the main storyline.

Luisa and Isabela's roles would be quite minor, since the story is mainly focused on Dolores and Bruno. Besides, it's already focused on struggling with being gifted.

Dolores and Bruno would spend most of the movie trying to save the magic while bonding in the process.

During the adventure, Bruno expressed that he wanted to just blow that candle out so badly. He had clearly suffered so much during those 10 years...

When one particular incident happened on that adventure, Dolores actually wanted that candle out, lost her composure, and eventually broke down in front of her tío...

Like they both wished, the candle went out, with both uncle and niece still in the house...

They did manage to get out in time, but not without a few injuries...

After Casita was rebuild, the town would refer to Bruno and Dolores as; "The seer and the hearer who know everything". :)

#dolores madrigal #bruno madrigal #encanto au #toaverse answers #answered ask

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the-world-is-treating-me-bad · 3 years ago

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Thoughts and First Impressions on the Beatles Discography: Please Please Me

Okay, so i just got into the beatles recently (friend came over and we watched all of Get Back in one sitting and my brain broke), and I was encouraged by said friend to actually properly listen through the whole Beatles discography. Prior to this I'd heard some of their bigger hits, and had some of their songs on my ipod when i was younger, and my family also had beatles rock band, but I've never made a concerted effort to listen to their music prior to this, and now I have (and continue to do so, slowly) and I wanted to share my thoughts!

At time of posting, I've listened to Please Please Me on repeat for the last three(?) days, to give myself good exposure and form some opinions, and I will do so, in track order below!

All versions that I have and will listen to right now will be the 2009 remasters. I'm gonna listen to the Super Deluxe editions at a later point.

(opinions under readmore because this might get long lmao)

I Saw Her Standing There: Fun fact! I'd heard this song before, but I wasn't aware it was a Beatles song until now. I love the "one two three four" leading in and the hand claps. It grooves well and I love the harmonies. Also the screaming prior to the guitar solo makes it very fun.

Misery: SO good! I heard that opening chord and I literally said "oh my god" out loud. I love love love the piano tone, and the little call and response it had with the vocals. Probably my favourite track from the album.

Anna (Go to Him): First cover on the album! I love the guitar noodling in the intro. The backing vocals kind of sound like they're being sung by ghosts and it makes me laugh.

Chains: First time hearing the harmonica! I love the tone on it, and how clear it sounds! Group vocals are very nice too.

Boys: RINGO TIME BAYBEE!!! I love his little "alright George!" before the guitar solo. Also love how much energy Ringo is putting into his vocals. I will consistently be amazed by the ability to sing and play kit at the same time, as someone who plays kit (poorly lmao). Love the screaming in the backing vocals. also love how it just devolves into everyone screaming at the end.

Ask Me Why: I love the drumbeat on this one!! Very groovy. I kinda get do-wop vibes from the backing vocals. Also the lyrical tie back to misery.

Please Please Me: The title track! I LOVE the unison harmonica and guitar in the intro. Also the call and response in the chorus slaps. Love the static harmony in the verse as well. Very cute when someone messes up the verse right before the last chorus and you can hear John laughing into it. Very fun.

Love Me Do: Honestly probably my least favourite? It's just kind of a slog temporally. The harmonica is charming, and I do like the harmonies on the verse, what with the octave+ and they kind of give me the vibes of overtones. They somewhat redeem the absolutely boring drumbeat, but it still plagues me.

P.S. I Love You: Now this drumbeat is more fun! I like the maracas as well. The harmonies on specific words give it a cool vibe. Also like the vocal riffing later on.

Baby It's You: This one is nice. I like the "sha-la-la"s. Lead vocals in general in this one are really nice! Good vibes.

Do You Want To Know A Secret?: I like this one!!!!! the slow strum at the beginning sets up a good impression for the song. Lead vocals are lovely, and I love the "doo-da-dum" as well. The rim knocks on the kit made me smile.

A Taste Of Honey: This one gave me jazzy vibes right from the start! I love the three part harmony on the opening lyrics. Brushes on the drum kit are so cool, I love how they sound. Also love the resolution to a major chord at the end.

There's A Place: My beloved harmonica returns!!!!! I really like the harmonies on this one. I like how there's bit's where the instruments stop and you just hear the vocals. Also the drum hits emphasizing the vocals at certain points.

Twist And Shout: Time for energy!!! I love how John is just belting as loud as he can. Nice song.

And that's the album! in terms of general thoughts, it was a nice listen, and very catchy. It made me kind of giggle how many songs have a fade out. It was really fascinating to listen to just with the perspective that this was their first album and they would just keep on improving. Was cool to hear very simple instrumentation.

I liked this album! feel free to follow me if you want to hear more of my opinions i guess :)

#Beatles #Please Please Me #Album Opinions #Music Opinions #hello beatles fandom #I have been lurking for quite some time but now I finally bit the bullet and made a sideblog #miseryposting

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icefiire · 3 years ago

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º . ♔ ⸻ the capital of king’s landing welcomes EDDARD STARK of HOUSE STARK, the FORMER RULING LORD of THE NORTH. news borne by a raven sends word that she bears a resemblance to VIGGO MORTENSEN. the FORTY SEVEN year old CIS MAN is reputed to be LOYAL and HONEST, but with the eyes of court watching their every move, they might turn out to be COLD and JUDGEMENTAL. when songs are sung, their verses speak of whispers of promises fulfilled, fists clenched and mouth silent, & chapped winter lips turned down into a frown. whispers throughout the seven kingdoms claim that their allegiance lies with HOUSE STARK, where they conspire to DETHRONE THE BASTARD JOFFREY. but in the end fealty means little when you play the game of thrones.

eddard stark cannot remember much of his childhood. he did not think he would have to. he remembers bits and pieces. he remembers his father teaching him how to hold a sword. he remembers his mother placing kisses on his forehead. he remembers sneaking over the walls of winterfell with lyanna and benjen only to get caught by brandon and dragged back kicking and laughing. he had been a child once, not so stoic as he turned out to be. as he grew up, the burden of being a stark began to set in, and he became the stoic stark he was always meant to be. eventually he started discouraging his sister from her wildness, something she never seemed to get over. then again, she was only a girl. and when he was old enough, he went to the eyrie, and he met lord robert baratheon, a man who would become his best friend. though, he never forgot his siblings in the north and often wrote to them, lyanna especially.

at the tourney at harrenhal, he met howland reed and ashara dayne, the latter being the first woman he ever loved. he even told brandon he would marry her one day, which resulted in brandon laughing at him. but then, a year after being crowned the queen of love and beauty, lyanna was “taken”. ned’s father, rickard, and brandon went to demand her return, only to be rewarded with wildfire. their ashes were all that remained. then, the rebellion began, and robert took the helm under jon arryn’s leadership. after the battle of the trident and the death of rhaegar targaryen, ned went in search for his sister. he found her. and he found her dying with a babe swaddled in her arms. promise me… promise me, ned. he took the babe and claimed him as his own, much to his new wife’s ire.

with catelyn, though, he was happy. together, they had robb, sansa, arya, bran, and rickon. he was happy in the north, as happy as a man who’d lost his entire family could be. his father, brother, sister, and mother were all gone, and ned couldn’t even keep benjen, watching him do his duty to the north at the wall. little did ned know, he would be there soon. it all began when robert baratheon traveled north to ask him to be the hand of the king. his wife had convinced him: the cup has passed, and you must drink from it, like it or not. and so ned went south. he went south, and he discovered more than he wanted to. joffrey baratheon was not a baratheon at all but a lannister.

from there, robert dies, and ned thinks there is safety in the law. however, littlefinger and cersei lannister have more in store for him. what would have been an execution for “betrayal” turns into taking the black, and ned feels the weight of the night’s watch on his shoulders. would all of house stark be banished to the freezing north? he wishes he’d never agreed to come south. never agreed to marry sansa to joffrey. starks should never go past the neck. it always seemed to end poorly.

#oath.intro #intro.eddard #mwah

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krispyweiss · 1 year ago

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Holly Bowling is MVP of Phil Lesh’s “Clubhouse Sessions” Episode Two

If she isn’t Phil Lesh’s best Friend, Holly Bowling is undoubtedly the most musically valuable.

The pianist was onboard alongside the former Grateful Dead bassist; guitarists Grahame Lesh and Daniel Donato; singer Nicki Bluhm; and drummer John Molo for episode two of Phil Lesh & Friends’ “Clubhouse Sessions.” And while everyone played an important role - save for Bluhm, who was stuck shaking a tambourine and/or her body, given only a few lines to sing - Bowling, who brings a bit of Keith Godchaux to the music while being her own musician, was the woman of the half-hour.

Donato, too, conjures the Father Band, as he echoes Jerry Garcia’s tone more hauntingly that anyone since a young Steve Kimock came on the scene. In fact, the licks he plays on the Grahame Lesh-sung “Black-Throated Wind” are downright ghostly.

Donato, who has a high, feminine tenor, sung a triple-time reading of “Ship of Fools.” And while his voice - he also sings “Row Jimmy” - is the type Dead Heads will likely love or loathe, the radical change to the music served the dirge-like composition exceedingly well and demonstrated the worthiness of messing with arrangements.

But it just sounds silly and like a cover band when groups pull stunts like trading verses as Grahame Lesh, Bluhm and Donato do on “Tennessee Jed.” In these moments - and during Lesh the younger’s frankly terrible singing on “Me and My Uncle” - it’s Bowling who saves the music, playing colorful, imaginative solos that remind listeners why the Grateful Dead turned to pianists Godchaux and Bruce Hornsby over the course of their long strange trip.

While “Clubhouse Sessions” are expressly for the ears, the eyes will get a smile in seeing how the band members’ clothes miraculously change throughout the video, as if it was a poorly edited movie.

Read Sound Bites’ coverage of episode one here.

5/28/24

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sugaaasweet · 4 years ago

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Audition Day

April 2013

Subin looked around the room in confusion; a singular wall of mirrors with the rest being covered in off beige shade, it wasn’t quite yellow enough to be beige and it wasn’t quite green enough to baby poop. It was a hideous color. Who decided to paint this room? Subin couldn’t help but squint at the autorious color combinations, it was all bright and overwhelming and it hurt his eyes.

“Seo Subin?” Subin heard the voice of a man call out, but he kept on staring at the poorly painted brown color. They were really starting to bother him. “Aren’t you Seo Subin?” The man spoke directly to him this time, startling Subin out of his daydream-like state.

“Oh! Yes! I’m so sorry, I’m not used to being called by my Korean name.” Subin smiled sheepishly as he stood up to follow the man into the audition room. He had only come to this agency after being recruited at the underground rap shows by some man who went by the name of Park Jinyoung. It was a multi day competition and right now his team had made it into the final round, so he wasn’t entirely sure what compelled him to accept the man - who Subin had mistakenly signed up for vocal lessons at Underground Shows Day Two: Explore the World Through Music Free Sessions - who told him to come audition at his company, JYP Entertainment. It was eleven o’clock at night, Subin had been competing all day long, he was struggling with his Korean due to the lack of sleep and many shots of soju, and the only Korean song he could remember all the words to at this late hour in the night was Tears by So Chan Wee and that’s only because he had sung it fifteen times at karaoke with the Busan team last night. (Mind you, he was definitely drunk and definitely pitch-y.) He couldn’t find one good reason for him to be here right now: auditioning to become a trainee at JYP Entertainment company, to maybe debut in a K-Pop group, when his entire life was already being laid out for him.

But right on cue, when the man sat down behind the long pull out table next to two women, Subin bowed and introduced himself as a seventeen year old native Australian boy who currently spent his time divided between Seoul and Adelaide. And when he was told to, he opened his mouth to sing the song that he had somewhat - if belting out the lyrics after four illegally drunken beers with the Busan Hip Hop team counts as preparing - prepared for the judges. Except….Subin is now belatedly realizing in his head that the song he is singing is not, in fact, Tears by So Chan Wee but it is, in fact, Always Be My Baby by Mariah Carey (Which Subin totally did not listen to on repeat on the taxi ride over to the building.). Taking a deep breath between the verse and the chorus, knowing it’s too late to go back now, Subin gives it all he’s got and tries his best to finish off the song strong. Except, now he’s finished and the judges are just staring at him.

“Uhm….How did I do?” Subin asks nervously, ready to let his shaky knees win and collapse to the ground. One of the judges snaps out a daze of some sort, staring at the young boy with what appears to be fondness, and smiles brightly.

“You’ve definitely passed!” The woman grins, “But….Could you perhaps sing another song for us?”

“I told you he was great! Didn’t I tell you guys?” The man suddenly began to boast to the woman sitting next to him, tapping her arm repeatedly. Subin was confused again. What was happening?

“Sure?” Subin said, maybe after another song they’ll tell him what’s happening? This time when Subin opened up his mouth to sing, he made sure he was singing Tears by So Chan Wee.

#got7 oc #got7 addition #got7 additional character #got7 #koc #kpop oc #kpop addition #oc character #sugaaasweet.subin

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misterewrites · 4 years ago

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Secret Agent Bard (Welcome to the Underground!)

Hello everyone! E here with a new chapter of the underground! Woo! I hope you are all doing good and staying safe.

So I actually have more to say today! That's a trip. I’ll have an author’s note under the line.

So that's it for now. Stay safe, take care of you and your loved ones, stay out of trouble, wash your hands, wear your mask, get vaccinated if you can and push to release the vaccine world wide cuz we're all in this together. Have a great week and thanks for reading. I appreciate it and feel free to tell your friends, reblog, drop likes and feedback i love it all. Bye for now and enjoy!

If you want an easier place to read the story cuz tumblr sucks sometimes here’s a link to the chapter https://archiveofourown.org/works/27814297/chapters/79541746

The First Chapter: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27814297/chapters/68094967

and since you made it this far here’s a link to all my stories!

https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrE42/pseuds/MrE42

Byeeeeee!

Author’s note: Today’s work will be a little different as there will be singing. The chapter with the bard is gonna have singing? Go figure haha So if you see a sentence in Italics, that means someone is singing. Bold and italics represents various people singing as a group. The song in question is called twiddles. There's different versions of it but the one I chose is from the misbehavin maidens. Great group but all their work ranges from innuendos to straight up not safe for work so listen at your peril. I have now completed my responsible adult duties haha. here’s a link to the chosen song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS1-_fKF5ug

Summary: Oliver has quite the task ahead of him as the group splits to achieve their goals. Leading Sel and Flora, the young bard will have to think quick on his feet to ensure this mission is a success. Luckily he's an old hand at this. Ironically the one person who could distract him may make a surprise appearance tonight.

-----

Oliver stood quietly, arms crossed and his mind thoughtful as the group prepared to go their separate ways. While ideally nothing would go wrong, that was a childish belief: Every person and robotic being here knew safety was not guaranteed in their line of work.

Even the old man knew the risks.

Oliver hated doing nothing. He thrived when he was busy, focused on whatever task required his attention whether it be being a better bard or upholding the Choir’s values. Too many ghosts and regrets lingered on the edges of his mind and he found the best solution was to simply keep occupied.

But that was his coping mechanism, not everyone else. He knew better than to rush his team: The party would last at least another few hours and beside the goal of getting Sel to the third floor, there was nothing else to do. No information to gather, nothing to review. Let them have their moment, it was good for morale.

Terri and Flora were sickeningly adorable: Hands clasped tightly with Terri tearfully asking her girlfriend to not poison everyone. Flora gave a halfhearted promise while as they shared a tender kiss. Terri noticed her less than enthused tone but refused to press the matter further.

Tyrell stood awkwardly to the side, his face twisted in a strange mixture of sick and excited. He fidgeted with something in his pocket, seeking comfort from whatever lay within. Given the shape of the bulge and size, Oliver guessed it was a knife.

Sel stood nearby, motionless in the shadows of the alley. They hadn’t moved in some time though he suspected the automaton was simply waiting for the next phase of the plan.

“Alright” Oliver spoke up, his voice firm yet gentle “Times up. You have your assignments?”

Uneven murmuring responded.

“Let’s go.”

Oliver, Sel and Flora went down one end of the alley, Terri and Tyrell disappearing in the opposite direction.

-----

It didn’t take long for the trio to find the main streets of the Merchant Ward and make their way towards the Brambleoak banking office. The crowds weren’t as thick as they had been during the day but Oliver knew everyone out and about did so with a purpose.

“Bard.” Flora asked without warning, breaking the awkward silence “Question.”

“Answer.” Oliver cheekily replied.

Flora glared.

Oliver coughed “Yes?”

“You are a First Chair Soprano correct?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Yet you are so young. How did you manage that? I thought First Chair ranks were only reserved for experienced or particularly skilled members. You don’t seem to be very magically powerful.”

Oliver paused for a moment, trying to best answer the question.

In a way Flora was correct in her assessment: He wasn’t particularly powerful as a spellcasting bard. Unlike Flora who clearly committed herself fully to nature and thus druidic magic, Oliver had only recently thrown himself into the magical arts.

Unless you were a wizard who studied the secrets of the universe with a very intimate and well versed knowledge of magic, most spellcasters drew their power from sources of existence: Clerics from their gods, Druids from nature, Warlocks from something beyond mortal existence yet not quite a deity, sorcerers because a family member fucked around with pure incomprehensible concepts. Magic was the fabric of the universe and the more you threw yourself into a source of power, the more the source threw itself into you, guiding your hand and your spells.

Of course each, wizards exempt, were limited in their spellcasting options. Clerics were powerful holy/unholy practitioners but couldn’t command plant life to save their lives. Druids were in tune with nature and the weather and all the lovely flora and fauna but ask them to superimpose an image onto something and they’d give you a dumbfounded look. Warlocks kinda just do whatever their sugar patrons felt like lending.

Magic bards drew their power from the arts: Drawing, singing, poetry, even witty and funny satire. Bards were in tune with life, with existence. Art could heal, could hurt, could make you feel happy and sad. It could make you feel like a whole new person or perhaps take you to a time and place you’d forgotten. Bards sung the song of life and Oliver was no exception.

However, Oliver still wasn’t sure what he could do exactly. His magical muscle was average on a good day and he could only cast a few spells before needing a good night’s rest. The basic healing spells and comprehension language he cast earlier today had taken a good chunk of his energy but he relied more on his wit than raw magical strength. He discovered creative and useful ways to cast his spells like amplifying dissonance noises to distract and disorient foes or temporarily place another person’s image over himself. Magic was as much about creativity as it was skill, pushing the limits of what you can do with your particular brand of spells.

“I’m clever.” Oliver answered honestly “The whole magic of the arts is new to me but I’ve been in the Choir for a long time now. I used to be Tenor like Sel here but more fast talking than breaking and entering. I guess they carried over my old position into my new one.”

Flora nodded, satisfied “That answers much. How long have you been a bard?”

“Few years now.” Oliver checked the street sign to ensure they were on the right path “The magic part is going on 3 years.”

“I see.” Flora scratched her chin “I’ve been a druid my whole life so it is a strange concept to be so new to the spellcasting arts yet hold such a high rank.”

Oliver gave a casual shrug “Not sure what you want me to say. We’re here by the way.”

The bank looked as unkempt as Oliver had remembered: Faded, peeling green paint with gaudy gray stone pillars. Two guards in green uniforms stood in front of the massive reddish brown doors that led into the bank.

“Lea’s mercenaries.” Sel pointed out “They are not letting anyone in.”

“Correction.” Oliver brushed off nonexistent dirt from his washed-out outfit “They’re not letting nobodies in. Luckily tonight we’re somebodies. Follow my lead.”

Oliver let out a tense breathe before strolling forward, his mannerism cocky yet unsteady. He reached the top of the steps when two sharp looking blades reached out to stop him.

“Halt” The elvish woman spoke with a hint of irritation “You lost?”

“Not at all!” Oliver beamed with a smile that was too wide to be natural “I’m here for the party. There is a party inside no?”

“No” The human man spat out.

Oliver gave a forgetful grin “Oh? I could’ve sworn Brambleoak was having some sort of charity event tonight. I’d show you my invite but I think I misplaced it.”

The elvish woman sneered “Right. How convenient for you having lost your special one of a kind invite.”

“Pfft.” Oliver scoffed “Special one of a kind invite? Reiner hands them out like candy. Probably find one in a gutter nearby.”

The guards shared an unspoken understanding with one another.

“Well.” The human began “Let’s pretend that is true.”

“It is but go on.”

The human’s eyes narrowed “Why should we let you in? You dress rather poorly for someone claiming to be in Reiner’s usual circles.”

Oliver let out an exaggerated gasp as he puffed out his chest “Do you know who I am?”

“Umm no.”

Oliver growled unhappily, his fist clenched tightly within his pocket “I am rich! I AM POWERFUL! AND I DEMAND ACCESS!”

As quick as lightning, Oliver flung a handful of gold coins towards the pair. The two reeled back in surprised as the money clanked onto the smooth marble floor. A moment hardly passed before the guards were shoving the loose coins into their tunic pockets like hungry dogs. They straightened up, eyes alive with greed.

“Of course sir” The elvish woman bowed her head in apologize “Deeply sorry for that.”

“Please go ahead.”

Oliver gave a self satisfied nod before moving past the pair only to stop as he heard the sounds of swords scraping each other. He turned backwards to see the guards barring access to Flora and Sel.

Flora looked back and forth between the guards, her eyes calculating and cold. Sel stood still but clearly at the ready for any sort of trouble.

“They’re with me.”

The Elvish woman shook her head “We said we’d let you in. These two? Definitely not Reiner’s usual prey.”

“They aren’t” Oliver admitted “But I need them.”

The human turned to him, suspicion in his eyes “Why?”

“She…” Oliver pointed lazily towards Flora “Is my street doctor.”

“Street doctor? As in….?”

Oliver gave a cheery wink “The fun kind.” And for give measure, he added a weak shiver to his act “Ugggggh I feel cold, are you cold? It’s cold.”

Before anyone could say anything, Oliver began shaking. He rubbed his hands for ‘warmth’ while swaying back and forth.

“Uh oh.” Flora spoke dully, pushing past the guards and holding Oliver steady “He’s crashing. I need to give him his umm medicine.”

“Medicine?” Oliver repeated, his voice soft yet manic “Yes medicine. I need it. I NEED IT!”

Folks began to turn their way, the guards shifting uncomfortably under the sudden attention they were receiving.

“And this one?” The Elvish woman gestured to Sel.

Oliver began to rock back and forth, his voice a harsh whisper. “Guard. Guard. Guard guard guard guard.”

The human threw up his hands in defeat “Bah! Get him in there and fixed! Any trouble and I’ll personally come over to beat your asses.”

“Thank you sir.” Flora murmured through gritted teeth. She guided Oliver and Sel through the doors and into the party within.

Flora sighed as Sel cracked the tension out of their fingers. Oliver straightened up, wiping the sweat from his brow.

True to his expectations, the bank had been altered to be suitable for a charity event: Torches lined the walls, casting the building into a bright light. The desks normally found on the floor were gone as to allow a more spacious setting. Oliver counted a handful of guards scattered about, wandering about for any sign of trouble. All except for the lone guard beyond the empty elevated platform who stood in front of the stairway to the upper floors.

“What now?” Flora asked

“Split up. Sel stay close to the door, Flora and I will figure out a distraction.”

“Sounds good.”

And without another word, Oliver was swallowed whole into the crowd.

-----

It had taken an hour for Oliver to figure out what kind of distraction he would need.

The patrols themselves hadn’t been very difficult to plan for: They would move randomly about, keeping an eye on the party and each other. He counted about 6 of them total and each one of them was easily starstruck. At the sign of any disagreement, they would swarm in groups of three and quickly threaten any troublemakers into compliance. However, upon meeting anyone with even the smallest bit of fame, they would subtly motion to each other and make their way as one to the person in question, hoping for a glance or the chance for an autograph.

So the floor guards were no problem but the one standing watch over the door was much more difficult. Evidently Lea was smart enough to give the most important job to the most responsible of his idiots. The stairway guard or Stairy as Oliver labeled him, would not budge at the sign of any trouble. Loud arguments, agitated party goers, a waiter being tripped (sorry it was for science buddy). None of these would pull him from his post. Celebrities wouldn’t either. Any time his buddies motioned to a famous person, he would shrug his shoulders and stay put.

Oliver was beginning to wonder if Flora needed to poison Stairy until he noticed something about half way into his observations: Stairy was a music lover. Specifically a cute girl music lover.

His gaze would wander every time he caught sight of a pretty girl who happened to be too close to him. Oliver wasn’t sure at first so he decided to test his theory. With his pocket change lessened, Oliver noticed how often a girl would catch Stairy’s eye. His attention didn’t shift when they fell in front of him, obviously in distress, or walked slower allowing him to enjoy the view longer but Oliver caught him smiling and tapping his foot when the odd girl would sing. He even staggered away from his door a few steps at a time before catching himself and returning to his post.

So the best distraction would be a girl who could sing and have some level of fame attached to her name.

Oddly specific and Oliver hadn’t the slightest idea how he was going to mange that. He was attempting to solve this puzzle when something caught his ear.

“Get off me you mulched dirt licker!”

That rather unique set of cursing could only mean one thing: Flora.

Oliver turned to where he last spotted her and found the young druid being hassled by a tall man in an elegant uniform.

Oliver noticed the guards were looking about, not yet spotting the commutation but aware something was going on. He needed to act first if he wanted to stop Flora deciding to kill everyone in the room.

The bard quickly slipped into the crowd, darting and weaving between any and everyone he could. He saw Flora slip a small vial into her hand as the man towered over her.

“I jus wanna dance.” the man’s words slurred out of his mouth “A pretty thing like yo shou wanna dance”

Flora’s eyes narrowed angrily “For the last time you dried poop stain, LEAVE ME ALONE!”

Flora pulled back her hand, prepared to throw the mysterious vial at the drunk’s face.

“Whoa!” Oliver cried out, tightly grasping onto Flora’s wrist “What seems to be the problem?”

“Nothing I can’t solve on my own.” Flora coldly glanced towards the drunken man.

“One sec.”

Oliver eyed the man carefully, absorbing every little detail he could.

He could see the muscles strain against the fabric of his light green tunic so this man worked in something physically laborious. The sheathed sword on his belt weight seemed to throw him off balance with every step. His gaze was unsteady and Oliver could see his pupils dilating wildly.

So this man was physically fit, armed with a sword in a charity event for the rich people and wearing light green tunic while currently drunk.

“You should leave her alone” Oliver said, sarcasm dipping from each word “You are so not her type.”

“So?” The man hiccupped “What’s the big deal?”

“So she’s got a girlfriend you idiot.” Oliver gestured with his hand “Besides you should go before your boss Lea gets here. I’m betting he won’t be happy one of his undercover mercs is currently drunk on the job. Of course I could always tell your captain what’s going on. That’s him over there right?”

Oliver gestured to the closest guard making his way towards the trio. He didn’t look any different than any guards but Oliver noticed his green was a shade darker than the rest. Lea probably used different hues to signify rank in his mercenaries.

The drunk’s face paled as he fidgeted nervously. He rose his hands in surrender, eyes darting between the two “Sorry.”

“Any trouble?” The captain approached, his hand tightly held around the hilt of his blade.

Oliver beaned cheerfully, trying his best to pull attention away from the fuming Flora “Not at all my good sir. This man simply mistook us for someone else, correct?”

The drunk nodded slowly “My bad. Forgive my intrusion.”

The captain gave a cold smirk “Apologizes. Mikey?”

The drunk flinched “Yes sir?”

“A word in private. Now.”

Oliver let out a sigh of relief as the captain dragged Mikey away..

“You should’ve let me poison them.” Flora muttered darkly.

Oliver scratched the back of his neck tiredly “Night’s still young. Still might get your chance if I can’t figure a way past Stairy.”

Flora tilted her head quizzically “Stairy?”

“The asshole at the base of the stairs.” Oliver answered absentmindedly as he spotted a familiar streak of platinum blonde hair among the crowd of strangers “And I just figured it out. Can I trust you not to poison everyone here?”

“You have an hour. I get bored easily” Flora swirled the sickly purple liquid in the vial threateningly.

“You and me both.” Oliver patted her shoulder before chasing down his perfect distraction.

-----

Oliver’s heart began to thunder loudly in his ears, a nervous and uncontrollable energy overtaking his resolve. The mission was important but he would be lying if he said he wasn’t happy to see Maria today.

Maria Thoreau was the daughter of a powerful, influential family. The Thoreau’s were more concerned with their standing in high society than any virtuous endeavors and thus each one of their children was trained from birth to excel in their chosen field. Maria’s older brothers were an aspiring politician and merchant respectively.

Maria’s path was to be a well famous singer and patron of the arts. She wanted nothing more than to sing for the people. Unfortunately, her father only saw a chance to further the family’s good name and tied his desire for power with her passion and dream. It was bittersweet really but nothing much could be done about it.

Yet.

Maria knew Oliver as a musical rival who thwarted her group’s attempts at winning local competitions which in turned derailed her father’s plans. So needless to say she was less than thrilled when she caught him making his way over.

“Ollie” she forced a smile while her hazel eyes narrowed, peeved “I’m surprised to see they let you into this exclusive event.”

Oliver gave a cocky shrug “Well your beauty caught my attention and I couldn’t resist trying to figure out a way in.”

Maria’s cheeks burned a pinkish hue.

Maria was the same age as Oliver with short, tastefully cut dark brown hair. A single streak of platinum blonde hair hung off the side of her face, giving her such a cute look. Her clothes were practical tonight since she wasn’t performing: A simple white blouse with a long flowing dark blue skirt that went all the way down to her feet. Her shoes were sensible dark blue flats designed for comfort over style.

Maria coughed into her hand, willing her blush away.

“So.” She cleared her throat “Is this your sad attempt to throw me off my game? You won’t win the next competition. We’ll be dealing with professional judges this time.”

Oliver’s eyes widen in false surprise “There’s a competition here? Fancy that. I hadn’t been made aware of that but since we’re both in town, why not have a round two?”

“Oliver….”

“I mean” Oliver went on, pretending not have heard “You are a much better singer solo than with those harpies you’re forced to keep around.”

Maria glanced to the side timidly “Don’t be absurd, the Melodic Maidens are a perfect, well oiled machine.”

Oliver scoffed dismissively “I suppose they’re nearby, listening in. Hardly leave you alone, don’t they?”

Maria opened her mouth to respond when a shrilly voice cut in.

“What do you know you two bit hack? How much did you bribe the judges last time?!”

Oliver gave a strained smile as the rest of the ladies forced their way into view.

“Lilly, Filly, Sally. You suck.”

The triplets snarled in unison, openly glaring at the bard.

Lilly, Filly and Sally were Maria’s chains: They were as much there to further her career as they were to report back to daddy to ensure the errant daughter stayed on course.

As triplets, they all shared the same features: Three pairs of dull green eyes and long messy black hair. Even their clothing were the same with each wearing a strapless dress that showed way too much skin and skirts that were way too short. The only reason Oliver could tell them apart was due to their preferred colors: Lilly in a shade of pink that was bright for her skin tone, Filly with a pale ugly yellow and Sally in seas of dark red.

The trio surrounded Maria, their arms embracing her in an uncomfortable hug. Maria bit her lip, trying to hide her uneasy.

“Still wearing that tacky outfit huh Ollie?” Lilly eyed his faded clothing distastefully.

Sally let out an unfriendly laugh “Ollie always looks like trash. Not even prize money could buy an ounce of class.”

“Actually” Oliver brushed his shoulder dismissively “Class is cheap. No amount of money could buy an ounce of character. You can blow hot air at me all you want but nothing in this world could ever change the fact that the three of you are bitches.”

The trio clicked their tongues disappointingly, their normally plain faces twisted into unflattering visages of rage while they screamed as one.

“HOW DARE YOU INSULT US?!”

“YOU ARE SUCH A POOR TACTLESS MAN!”

“YOU FUCKER!”

Oliver casually waved his hand “All bark and no bite. I’m supposed believe you’ve gotten any better in two months? Last time I checked I won the last competition.”

“OH YEAH?!” The triplets yelled, furious.

Maria threw a suspicious glance Oliver’s way “Girls, I don’t think…”

“Come on Maria, we don’t want to have to tell daddy you backed down from a challenge.”

A shiver ran down her spine, the fight draining out of her face. Oliver felt a tinge of guilt but said nothing as the girls took their positions.

Maria paused for a moment, her breathing slow and calm. The murmur of the crowds grew louder and louder upon the recognition that the ladies nearby were the Melodic Maidens.

Maria pivoted on her heels, a bright warm smile gracing her lips. Oliver could feel his heart skip a beat at the sound of her soft, airy voice beginning to sing

“Oh you hear a lot of stories about the sailors and their sport” Maria gave a playful wink his way. His cheeks burned brightly at her playful banter.

“About how every sailor has a girl in every port”

Maria twirled, her steps mischievous and alluring as her dark blue dress chased after her. She gracefully held two fingers aloft for everything to see, her smirk cocky and assured.

“but if you added two and two you’d figure out right quick”

Maria backed up as the triplets step forward to join her, the group made whole and ready for the chorus.

“It’s just because the girls all have a lad on every ship”

Maria turned to throw a sultry look towards her rival bard but instead of finding a dumbstruck Oliver, she found a smiling one. His gaze was gentle and loving as if he was seeing utterly beautiful. A small smile was tugging at his cheeks. Maria could feel her heart thunder in her ears as, without warning, Oliver gave a thumbs up and mouthed an appreciative “Thanks” before ducking into the growing crowd.

“And it’s twiddley idle idle idle, twiddley idle aye.”

What was once a spattering of folks formed into a massive gathering. Most of the party goers and guards had come over to catch the free show the girls inadvertently given and thus all focus shifted onto them. What was an attempt to show up Oliver ended up being a very unnecessary showcase.

“It’s often times a man will leave you broken with dismay”

Boy was Maria feeling that dismay right now.

-----

Oliver’s plan worked: Stairy hadn’t been to resist the siren call of a beautiful woman and her singing. Luckily the harpies hadn’t ruined it with their imperfect pitches. Stairy hadn’t taken more than a few steps when Sel slipped in behind and began working at the door. It took a moment but one blink later and the automaton vanished out of sight.

Oliver let out a sigh when a hand gripped his shoulder tightly.

“Hello sir.” A guff, low voice in a less than friendly voice “Might I have a word? You’ve been acting rather strange all party long.”

Well fuck.

#Welcome to the Underground #My Story #Original Work #original story

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popblank · 3 years ago

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Had to work (booo) and could not liveblog Heat 4 of Melodifestivalen. (Same thing next week unfortunately.) Thoughts:

Anna Bergendahl, “Higher Power” – Is the sole purpose of wearing that giant hat so she can toss it away dramatically? It’s like the country & western version of Tone Sekelius’s trench coat. I like the song but do not understand the horse imagery, which puzzled me enough that it was distracting. I did find this Wikipedia entry on horse worship: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse_worship So maybe that was the idea?

Lillasyster, “Till Our Days Are Over” – I like the weight of the guitars but I can’t help thinking that it sounds like something Måns Zelmerlöw would have sung, with a different arrangement.

Malin Christin, “Synd om dig” – Seems to lose the melody or get a bit rushed in the chorus. Almost wonder if it would have been better if the choruses were less belty. Might look for the studio version here.

Tenori, “La Stella” – I have mixed feelings on pop opera but generally am not a fan of operatic tenor groups in particular, whose voices (to my ears) usually blend very poorly. Verses were not bad but would have liked the chorus to be a little catchier.

Medina, “In i dimman” – Very attention-getting. Can’t quite put my finger on it but it feels musical theater-y (I mean that in a good way and not in the dismissive way in which that term usually gets used).

Angelino, “The End” – Almost seems like the male-singer counterpart to “Hold Me Closer,” though I think not quite as immediate. I wonder what might have happened if they had swapped spots in the heats and this song had more time to percolate. Though in my case I think HMC would still win out, in part because I don’t care for the 9-notes-on-one-syllable thing this song does.

Klara Hammarström, “Run to the Hills” – That costume is quite something, bold in its emphases. Fun song, seems very Melfesty. Needs good backing singers because the song seems to be constructed so that she has to breathe in awkward places. Liked the green dancer - was that meant to be one of her demons? Although the costuming and coloring (and the title) makes me think she’s supposed to be the personification of a forest fire, which puts a more destructive spin on the lyrics.

Actually really liked “Det vackraste” and “Avundsjuk” in Italian. But maybe that is my pro-Nanne bias at work.

Pretty good results, but a tough heat. Hoping for Cazzi Opeia, Anna Bergendahl, Tone Sekelius, and Lisa Miskovsky to get through the next round.

#melodifestivalen #melodifestivalen 2022

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miserablesme · 4 years ago

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The Les Miserables Changelog Part 4: 1987 Australian Tour

Hello, everyone! This is the latest edition in my attempt to chronicle all of the musical and lyrical changes which the show Les Miserables has undergone over the years. Unlike previous parts, this one is not focused on any official libretto changes affecting all productions of the musical. Rather, it looks at a set of changes applied specifically to the 1987-1991 Australian tour. While the tour mostly followed the normal 1987 libretto discussed in the last part of this blog, it did add a few unique touches that are worth discussing here. Many would never make it outside of this particular production; however, a few would in fact be used in later productions of the musical too. Without further ado, let's get started!

The first change I am aware of is in the prologue. Usually the Bishop tells Valjean, "Now God's blessings be with you". In the Australian tour, he instead states "May God's blessings be with you". Not a big edit, but an edit nonetheless.

The next change comes at the beginning of "Lovely Ladies". While originally a sailor sings that "seven days at sea will make you hungry for a poke", the Australian tour switches this to "seven weeks at sea". I suppose this would be a more realistic timeframe for a sailor at the time to be away, and it also makes him come across as slightly less desperate. Having said that, the original sense of desperation fits the mood of the number perfectly.

The very next scene, "Fantine's Arrest", also has a very slight change. While usually Valjean requests "A moment of your time, Javert, I do believe this woman's tale", the word order is swapped so that he instead asks "Javert, a moment of your time, I do believe this woman's tale" in the Australian tour. Not a huge change, nor do I quite know what it was supposed to accomplish, but interesting nonetheless.

In "Who Am I?" Valjean usually asks regarding his workers, "How will they live if I am not free?" The Australian tour changes this slightly to "How will they fare if I am not free?" This slightly changes the mood from a life-or-death situation to a more subtle question of looking out for others' well-being, though it's not a huge difference.

Then, after "Who Am I?" a bit of spoken dialog is added for this tour. Perhaps in acknowledgement of the "You know where to find me!" used in the West End at the time, Valjean shouts "You will find me at the hospital St. John!" after his high note. Similar in spirit to the mostly-scrapped original declaration, though now he doesn't actually trust Javert to figure out his location (which makes more sense to me than the original).

The preamble to "Master of the House" mixes up the genders regarding the bar crowd's lines. First off is the opener, which usually goes as follows:

(FEMALE PATRON)

C'mon you old pest

(MALE PATRON)

Fetch a bottle of your best

(MALE PATRON)

What's the nectar of the day?

In the Australian tour, this is how it goes:

(MALE PATRON)

C'mon you old pest

(MALE PATRON)

Fetch a bottle of your best

(FEMALE PATRON)

What's the nectar of the day?

Usually this was how a later part went:

(MALE PATRON)

One more for the road

One more slug of gin

(FEMALE PATRON)

Just one more

Or my old man is gonna do me in

The Australian tour swapped the sexes of some of those lines, leading to a slightly different final lyric:

(MALE PATRON)

Landlord over here

Where's the bloody man

One more for the road

(FEMALE PATRON)

One more slug of gin

(MALE PATRON)

Just one more

Or her old man is gonna do her in

The ending to the "Waltz of Treachery" has an interesting lyrical edit. Usually Valjean proclaims the following:

Yes, Cosette

Yes it's true

There's a castle just waiting for you

However, the Australian tour gave him this line instead:

Yes, Cosette

Yes it's true

A world of surprises is waiting for you

This gives a much more general promise to Cosette, and is a less direct response to her "Will there be children and castles to see?" question. I'm not sure which I prefer to be honest.

A very small change occurs during "Look Down"; namely, a line originally sung by the ensemble is now sung by just one person. Originally this is how the sequence goes:

(BEGGARS)

See our children fed

Help us in our shame

Something for a crust of bread in Holy Jesus' name

(SOLO BEGGAR)

In the Lord's holy name

(BEGGARS)

In His name, in His name, in His name

However, for the Australian tour, "Something for a crust of bread in Holy Jesus' name" is sung by one single beggar woman (who is distinct from the beggar woman who sings "In the Lord's holy name"). This change would be adapted into the official libretto much later to account for a staging change in which the beggar singing the line walks by Marius and Enjolras to ask them specifically for some extra cash (as opposed to asking for help more rhetorically, as was originally the implication). I'm curious as to whether or not the Australian tour used a similar staging difference earlier on, or if there was some other reason to make the line an individual one.

A few changes are made to "The Robbery". First off, Thenardier tells Valjean "God rewards all the things that you do" as opposed to the normal line, "God rewards all the good that you do". I slightly prefer the original, though it's not a huge difference.

Finally, Eponine's "It's the p'lice, disappear, run for it, it's Javert!" is bizarrely changed to the rather repetitive "It's the p'lice, disappear, it's the p'lice, it's Javert!" I have no clue what this was supposed to accomplish, because it makes the line far messier than it was before. Perhaps this was the intention, in order to highlight Eponine's unrefined self? Though that doesn't seem particularly relevant to the scene... who knows.

Some significant changes occur during "Stars". Not long after the song's start, Javert's declaration is changed from its original:

A fugitive running

Fallen from grace, fallen from grace

Into the less repetitive:

A fugitive running

Fallen from God, fallen from grace

Personally, I have a soft spot for the original repetition, but i do understand why some would prefer the Lord's name being used instead of the vaguer concept of grace.

Soon afterwards, a few conjunctions are removed. Originally Javert declares:

He knows his way in the dark

But mine is the way of the Lord

And those who follow the path of the righteous will have their reward

However, the Australian production (and the London production not long afterwards) simplified the sequence to:

He knows his way in the dark

Mine is the way of the Lord

Those who follow the path of the righteous will have their reward

I suppose the conjunction-free variant is likely to be easier to sing, since the lyrics are a little less rushed. This variant also separates the lines so that they come across as separate sentences, instead of one long run-on one. However, it does slightly bug me that the later line "And each in its season returns..." maintains its conjunction while the opening verse does not. That strikes me as somewhat inconsistent.

By far my favorite change to "Stars" happens towards the end. Originally, Javert sings:

And so it has been

And so it is written

On the doorway to paradise...

However, the Australian production changes the first line in the sequence:

And so it must be

For so it is written

On the doorway to paradise...

The revised line is much more dramatic and forceful, and makes Javert's final promise all the more powerful. It also sounds less passive, which seems more appropriate for Javert's character.

Philip Quast, who originated the role of Javert in Australia and later returned in 1991, changed the line "We'll be ready for these schoolboys" into "I will join these little schoolboys" during "One Day More". This line arguably makes his intentions a bit clearer, though it carries less threatening implications than the original lyric. Interestingly, however, Quast's replacements in the tour revert to the original line.

A very slight change occurs in "Drink with Me". Instead of Grantaire's "Can it be your death means nothing at all?" he asks "Could it be your death means nothing at all?"

Something weird happens during "Dog Eats Dog". For whatever reason, instead of the usual musical interlude that plays as Valjean carries Marius through the sewers, a similar but slightly different (and in my opinion inferior) variant plays instead. It sounds quite messy in my opinion. I wonder whether or not there was some difference in staging to inspire this different version of the music, or if someone inexplicably just thought it sounded better?

Similarly, the usual music that plays as the Thenardiers awkwardly feign sophistication during the wedding scene is given another in my opinion less polished edit. Nothing much to say here that I haven't said in the context of the last change.

One of the more impactful changes in the long run comes in the epilogue. Originally Fantine and Eponine sung the following line together:

Take my hand

And lead me to salvation

However, the Australian tour gave them the following line instead:

Take my hand

I'll lead you to salvation

This makes a lot more sense, since they have been dead for years and only now is Valjean joining them. Some have argued that because Valjean has become the epitome of good, an almost Christ-like figure, it ends up that he continues to save people even after they have passed away, hence the original lyric. I personally don't buy this at all. I think Fantine and Eponine were clearly good people doing the best they could, and if they still need an outside influence to be considered worthy of salvation that speaks quite poorly of whatever God may exist! The revised line is far better in my opinion, and fortunately it would become the standard worldwide in a few years.

And that just about sums this part up! (Man, it feels good to make such a short, easy post after the hours that went into the last one!) If I missed anything feel free to let me know, as my goal is to create a changelog as thorough and complete as possible. I plan on making more parts in the near future covering all the changes that have been made in the show up until this day (discounting concerts). Any feedback and constructive criticism is very much appreciated.

As a side note, both for this project and my own enjoyment, I want as complete a collection of Les Miserables audios as possible. I already have most of what’s commonly circulated, but if you have any audios or videos you know are rare, I’d love it if you DMed me!

Until the turntable puts me at the forefront again, good-bye…

#les mis #the les miserables changelog #les miserables #valjean #javert #changelog #1989 #australian tour #fantine #marius #cosette #eponine #enjolras #thenardier #gavroche #musical

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