#possible sequel

[brian-in-finance]

Hmmm . . . . interesting. 🧐

First the movie's director says this:

The Amateur stars and director break down that twist ending — and plans for a sequel.

https://ew.com/the-amateur-rami-malek-laurence-fishburne-explain-ending-future-sequel-plans-11711665?taid=67f96833376780000163cfc9&utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+New+Content+%28Feed%29&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

Then Cait says this:

https://www.joe.ie/movies-tv/the-amateur-prequel-spin-off-inquiline-catriona-balfe-interview-best-new-action-movies-840411

Thanks for the message, Anon. 😃 (This is a long one, folks.)

The Amateur stars and director break down that twist ending — and plans for a sequel

"There is room for many of these people to come back and for us to see what lies ahead for Charlie Heller," Rami Malek tells EW.

Rami Malek in 'The Amateur'. / Credit: John Wilson/20th Century Studios

Key Points:

The Amateur stars Rami Malek and Laurence Fishburne, along with director James Hawes, break down the movie's twist ending.

The trio reveals that the final scene between Heller and Henderson was not in the original script and was shot later to set up future movies.

The actors and filmmaker confirm they all want to return for sequels.

This article contains spoilers for The Amateur.

The Amateur stars Rami Malek and Laurence Fishburne, along with director James Hawes, are ready to get back in the field and turn their espionage thriller into a franchise. But if Malek's CIA decoder Charlie Heller returns for a sequel, it's going to need a new title.

While the introverted, risk-averse, desk jockey starts off as a true amateur when it comes to spycraft, by the end of the film, he proves he's got what it takes to be a professional secret agent.

Based on the novel by Robert Littell, the movie follows Heller as he embarks on a quest for revenge against the terrorists who killed his wife (played by Rachel Brosnahan). After he discovers the CIA covered up more than 1,000 casualties in illegal operations, Heller uses that information to blackmail Deputy Director Moore (Holt McCallany) into approving his mission. Still, the data analyst knows he needs combat training, so he also demands lessons from Col. Henderson (Fishburne) — known by "Hendo" to his friends (which does not include Heller).

Rami Malek in 'The Amateur'. / John Wilson/20th Century Studios

Against all odds, and to everyone's shock, Heller actually succeeds in getting his revenge. He kills three out of the four terrorists responsible for his wife's murder — accidentally causing Gretchen (Barbara Probst) to get hit by a car, intentionally dropping Blazhic (Marc Rissman) 16 stories by cracking a glass-bottomed pool, and blowing up Ellish (Joseph Millson) with a homemade IED. But when it came to the fourth and final terrorist, their leader, Schiller (Michael Stuhlbarg), Heller threw everyone for a twist.

At first, it seems like he's going to shoot Schiller point-blank, but he ultimately decides he doesn't need to kill him to get his revenge. Instead, Heller outsmarts him by secretly luring Schiller's ship into Finnish waters after tipping off the Finnish Navy and Interpol, who promptly commandeer the vessel and arrest him. This way, Heller kills two birds with one stone, getting his revenge on Schiller while also exposing his illegal dealings with Deputy Director Moore. By the end of the movie, CIA Director O'Brien (Julianne Nicholson) announces in a press conference that Moore has been arrested and that Charlie "is safe and will continue to serve with the agency."

It's the kind of ending that perfectly sets up sequels — and Malek says that's "of course" their ultimate goal. "We would love for people to appreciate this film on its own as a standalone feature — if it resonated with people, that would be enough for me," he tells Entertainment Weekly. "But to take Charlie’s story into further iterations would be an absolute joy."

Laurence Fishburne and Rami Malek in 'The Amateur'. / 20th Century Studios

Malek "would love to continue" working with Hawes "and this extraordinary cast we assembled, so many of which I have been dying to work with," in the future. "There is room for many of these people to come back and for us to see what lies ahead for Charlie Heller," Malek adds. "He is a battered, broken soul with so much vulnerability but an immense amount of strength that we could find avenues to venture into again."

Hawes says that any decisions about future movies lie with 20th Century Studios but adds that he's extremely interested in making sequels. "The best thing for me to come out of this was the fact that, at the end of it, people were going, 'I have to see what happens to Charlie and Hendo next,'" the director says. "And that was almost by accident — that last scene where they re-meet again was additional photography.

That final scene sees Henderson reunite with Heller after nearly dying towards the end of the film. Henderson pops up in the backseat of his former pupil's car to say he's proud of his success. He also seems to tease more adventures together, leaving him with, "See you around, Charlie."

That [scene] was not in the original script, but we felt that there was something so satisfying in that kind of tutor-mentor relationship that we could take that further," Hawes reveals. "And we wanted the rounding off, we wanted the bookends, we wanted the satisfaction of learning that Hendo was still definitely alive, not just a question mark at the end of the movie. The studio will think about it, obviously, and it depends how people respond to it, but it just felt like that connection had much more traveling to do."

Fishburne tells EW that "it was lovely" to have that final moment. "As we were shooting the movie, they realized that there was something really, really special about Rami and I being on screen together and that people would want more of it," he says. "[Henderson's original ending] was left up in the air, and I think that was deliberate. It was not clear one way or the other how it was going to play out."

If a sequel is greenlit, Hawes already has ideas for what it could entail. "The eventual development has got to be, and this is epic and classic, and it's in mythology, and it's in Star Wars, it's the gradual development of the teacher and the pupil, and the point at which the two reverse," the director says. "Some element of that is already happening. But first of all, you'd want to see them as sidekicks — the least likely sidekicks ever. And it would be the strangest kind of buddy spy movie."

Fishburne is absolutely down to return to the character to make that happen. "Of course," he says. "I mean, if the fates allow that to happen, that would be wonderful, wouldn't it? We certainly have the desire [to work together again]."

The Amateur is playing now in theatres.

Entertainment Weekly

• • •

Caitríona Balfe opens up about possible prequel to her new spy film and Irish action heroes

Four-minute 📹 available @ Joe

‘We should have an Irish action hero, shouldn’t we?’

Irish actress Caitríona Balfe (Belfast, Outlander) is among the stars of the new action spy revenge thriller The Amateur, which is in cinemas today (Friday, 11 April).

The movie sees Oscar-winner Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody) play Charlie Heller, a brilliant but deeply introverted techwiz and decoder for the CIA whose life is turned upside down when his wife (Rachel Brosnahan, James Gunn’s Superman) is killed in a London terrorist attack.

When his superiors (led by Holt McCallany, Mindhunter) refuse to take action against the people behind the murder, Charlie uses his access to CIA intelligence to blackmail his bosses into giving him training, cash and a new identity. This is so that he himself can trek across the globe to find and kill those responsible.

Balfe, meanwhile, plays the enigmatic Inquiline – a long-distance acquaintance of Charlie from Russia, who winds up helping him on this quest.

We here at JOE enjoyed The Amateur – writing that it mined plenty of thrills from its tantalising premise, which is basically: “What if Q from the James Bond films went into the field on a vengeance mission?”

Another great aspect of the film is Inquiline, a character that Balfe describes to JOE as both a “hero” and a “champion”.

Without spoiling, over the course of the story, the character reveals herself as being not what people expect of her at first. This is as the audience comes to learn her fascinating backstory about how she came to be involved in hacking and spycraft.

As such, when we spoke to the Irish actress, we had to ask if there could ever be a prequel film or series about Inquiline if The Amateur is a success.

To this, Caitríona Balfe replied:

“I mean, who knows right? You’ve said it now so maybe, we’ll just have to have words in somebody’s ears. But yeah, it would be cool to see her whole backstory.

“It’s somebody who when you meet her, you realise that there’s been a whole life there and it sounds very interesting. So, you never know.”

Also, given Balfe has played a Russian action hero in The Amateur and a British action hero in the hit series Outlander, JOE had to ask if we will ever see her play an Irish action hero someday.

“Oh, I mean, we should have an Irish action hero, shouldn’t we? That would be fun,” she responded. “Yeah, I don’t know, we need to create one, don’t we?”

The actress, who has also been doing more producing and directing in recent years, then added, laughing: “Maybe that’s what I need to do.”

The Amateur is in cinemas now.

Remember… if a sequel is greenlit, (James) Hawes (the film’s director) already has ideas for what it could entail.

[mii-ruby]

The possibility of a sequel for Akayona

It's been mentioned several times in the story that Soowon's ultimate goal is to conquer Kai, the biggest threat to Kouka.

However, from the way the story's going, I feel like the manga will end before that happens. Right now we're in the final arc and the last villains seem to be the dragon gods. It looks like there's no room for a second war with South Kai and even less one with North Kai, which leads me to think about the possibility of a sequel in which Kouka conquers the two Kais.

One might think that in the last chapter we'll get a prologue in which we learn that both North and South Kai were subjugated, but I feel like it'd be too underwhelming. I believe that South Kai isn't doomed yet. While Kouka might've defeated the majority of its armies, Mei-Nyan did mention that they could request reinforcements from North Kai if needed, and that South Kai had 8 great generals.

We've only seen 5 out of the 8, and it seems North Kai's troops weren't requested during the previous battle, which means South Kai still got a few assets up its sleeve. I would find it a shame if all these details were skipped/ forgotten and we only got two panels that said South Kai was conquered.

As for North Kai, only one of its provinces was conquered by Kouka: the Sen province formerly ruled by Lee Hazara. The rest of the country is still vast and could pose a threat, especially since the country seems to be infested with greedy powerful families.

We were also teased about their empror, his name is "Sheng Hong" and apparently he's cousin with Chagol?!Lmao.

In any case, I wouldn't want for all this info to be swept under the rug. It would be nice if we could expand on it properly in a sequel instead of rushing things in the prologue.

All this to say that if we're lucky enough to have a sequel about the conquest of the two Kais, I'd like it to focus on the same cast of main characters we've had 'till now instead of their children. I dislike Boruto types of stories and while I do want to see the children, I believe they're better off as side characters. When the children take the lead the parents oftenly get nerfed or disappear with little to no explanation.

What do you think about all of this? Do you believe in the possibility of a sequel? And what would you like to see in it?

[ramonag-if]

God I'd read the hell out of an interactive where we play as a runaway Blood Guard. Is that something you're actually planning on making?

Maybe 👀😅 I'll wait and see how well-received COE is once it's eventually released and whether I'm in the mood to do another fantasy IF that will probably take another five years to develop 😓🥲

[cult-of-husbandos]

Bro I can just imagine the yanderes that weren’t picked in the hot yandere singles story just…sticking around? Like yanderes don’t give up so it’s expected that…some of them hung around. *wink wink* possible harem

👀

[disneymagickingdom]

Hot take: Possible Sequel

Hey guys, admin here. So yesterday at work I had an idea about a potential Disney sequel had crossed my mind. It’s called: The Aristocats 2. The plot is simple: Edgar returns from Timbuktu and wants to murder the cats. Madame Adelaidesees this and demands to know what the meaning of this is.

Edgar fumes about him coming after the cats in her will. She asks how he knows about such a thing. He explains that he heard every word she said and grouses about how he had served her his entire life and she still put the cats before him. So he confesses to have kidnapped them from the first movie.

While disappointed, Adelaide starts to laugh. Much to Edgar’s bewilderment. It is here that she explains that Edgar was always going to get his fair share in the will. She vividly sing his praises and warmly explains that he would be in charge of the cats’ portion of the inheritance. She also comments that cats wouldn’t be able to spendinheritance money unlike people.

After hearing the whole story, Edgar begins to regret his previous actions. As a result, he willingly turns himself in to face charges for kidnapping and attempted assault. As he’s being led away in chains, Edgar finally admits that he had been stupid to believe that the cats would inherit first. The arresting officer then comments, “stupidity begets criminality.”

It might not be groundbreaking. But it would certainly set stakes for the cats as well as bring Adelaide into the fold. Plus, it would clear the air between her and Edgar regarding the status of her will. This whole thing could be a great fanfic if any Disney fan is willing to take it on.

[mysticalibra1994]

Ideas for Encanto 2

Due to the split of the mountainous border, the village now has visitors from all over the world.

Alma was understandably nervous ever since the loss of her beloved husband.

But, not as nervous as Bruno since it's his first time being out in the open before Mirabel's birth.

Slowly, but surely, he's thankful that everyone is giving him a second chance (they even apologized to the Madrigals for treating them like their Gifts matter).

Suddenly, Bruno meets someone. Someone who's familiar, but they just met.

Bruno knew why; it was in one of his visions.

At first, he wasn't sure why, but there was something about her that grabbed his attention.

After their small talk over coffee, he figured it out; she's spiritual and superstitious (just like him)!

Everyone (including Casita) was supportive of him... except Alma.

"Mi mio, I know that she makes you feel accepted. But, she's from outside; she wouldn't understand our customs, our traditions, our encanto."

"Mama, don't worry. I'm sure that you'll love her when you get to know her... tonight because she'll be here for dinner."

That night, the family notices something about her...

Juliana notices her mentioning the spiritual benefits of the herbs and spices that she used.

Camilo notices some markings (or "spiritual tattoos") on her arms.

Mirabel notices that she comes from a big and dysfunctional family (and sometimes feels like a black sheep).

Antonio notices her sad expression when looking at butterflies and her reasoning behind it.

After their evening, Alma had one thing to say...

"I don't like her. She's too new. Plus, those silly childish drawings on her arms and all of those journals? You know there's one thing I don't like, that is 'keeping secrets'."

I thought it was "being judged for not having a perfect family".

As she leaves to go to her room, Julieta comforts her brother.

"Aye, hermano. I'm sorry that it didn't work out with her."

"I'm not. In fact, I'm gonna marry her. But, don't tell mama."

"I won't, I haven't seen you this happy in years!"

Then, Dolores chimes in with a "Tio, I kept your existence as a secret. I'll keep this." Followed by a squeak.

Eventually, the couple does get married, but it was an elopement so Alma wouldn't barge in (as much as she cares about him...).

[baekhyoris]

sfw version ⇢ here

boyfriend!neji who doesn't exactly have the most experience before getting with you. his face—flushed a pretty shade of red—gives away nothing, though the slight tremour in his hands betray the nervousness that he tries to hide behind confident touches. when he begins to take your clothes off and sees your naked body for the first time, he nearly cums.

boyfriend!neji who is secretly relieved when you begin to direct him, giving him permission to touch you in such an intimate manner. the last thing he wants is to overstep your boundaries or hurt you. your hands take his and trailing them down your body before he takes over. each quick grasp, each fondle, is hesitant. awkward. who's eyes watch you intently, taking note of what makes you arch your back, what makes you call out for him. who grows so flustered when he rubs his growing buldge on your thigh.

boyfriend!neji who quickly grows addicted to the sounds of your moans and gasps when he reaches between your legs. at the fact that it's he who is making you feel good. it gives him confidence, making his touches more sure and deliberate. who is a quick learner and soon learns exactly how to make you beg for him with a well-timed stroke or curl of his fingers. who showers you with kisses throughout, desire shining in the depths of his eyes.

boyfriend!neji who feels almost dizzy when he enters you for the first time. who lets a soft moan escape from how hot and tight you feel around his cock. he takes a deep breath as he waits for you to adjust. who's hand intertwines with yours and the intimacy makes his heart ache. who's gone at the first thrust, who's eyes flutter shut at the feeling of his cock dragging against your walls. the pleasure nearly overwhelms him. who keeps his pace slow because he wants to draw this out for as long as possible. who tries—and fails—to choke down the moans and grunts that threatens to spill from his lips. who, despite his best efforts, finishes rather quickly.

boyfriend!neji who keeps sex pretty simple for the first year of your relationship, taking his time to explore his likes, dislikes and prefences.

boyfriend!neji who's favorite positions are missionary and lotus, anything that allows him to see your face. who sometimes like to set up a mirror so that he can see your face whenever he takes you from behind.

boyfriend!neji who at first thinks he wouldn't like giving oral, but finds that he isn't opposed to it. though he prefers using his fingers, if you ask nicely, he'll give in. he takes it slow. kissing his way down your body, teeth nipping at your neck and chest, occasionally brushing his hand against the juncture between your legs as a means of teasing you. who nips at your inner thighs before he dives in. his eyes never leave yours, his gaze intense as he watches the way your body twitches, the way your head falls back as you moan his name.

boyfriend!neji who gets off embarassingly quickly when you first sucked him off. the way your hot mouth swallows his dick, tongue swirling around the tip and your hand stroking whatever doesn't fit inside only makes the warm ache in his stomach grow. and when your eyes come to meet his, he can barely choke out a warning before he climaxes. who is very apologetic when some of his cum makes it onto your face. who gets embarassed at how sensitive his cock is, at the way it twitches in anticipation whenever you fall to your knees and pulls down his pants.

boyfriend!neji who will never say it outloud, but he loves when you pull his hair. it turns him on more than he'd like to admit. you found this out when you were sitting on his lap, grinding on his buldge one day. lost in the heat of the moment, one of your hands move from his shoulder to the soft, thick strands of his hair and tugging him down into a sloppy kiss.

boyfriend!neji who's hips buck up to meet yours, the wanton moan that's ripped from his lips gets swallowed in the heated kiss. who nearly cums from the flash of pain that quickly melts into white hot pleasure that spreads throughout his body.

boyfriend!neji who believes wholeheartedly that he is the dominant one in bed, which for the most part is true. but in actuality is a switch. who looks so pretty when you ride him. who looks like an angel as whenever you ride him. all splayed out hair, flushed skin and half-lidded eyes looking up at you. who grips your hips as you slowly sink down onto his dick, savouring the way he stretches you out so good. who doesn't bother hiding all the pretty moans and whimpers that escape his kiss-swollen lips as he throws his head back. the self-satisfied glint in your eyes—at the fact that you made him such a mess underneath you—does not go unnoticed.

boyfriend!neji who feels his cock twitch inside of you when you praise him for making you feel so good, how he fills you up so well. who doubles his efforts, wanting to hear more of those sweet words coming out of your mouth. who praises you in return, letting himself to say all of the sappy things that he normally wouldn't allow himself to say. who whispers sweet nothings into your ear.

boyfriend!neji who is normally very gentle when it comes to love making. who's touches are nothing short of loving, who holds your hand as he thrusts into you and giving you long kisses throughout. but there are times in which he can be a little rough, especially when he's stressed and needs an outlet to release it. who's grips on your hips is tight and his thrusts are harsh as he ruts into you, his other hand snaking down between your legs. who lets filthy words mix in with his usual praise and watches, with satisfaction, as he fucks you dumb.

boyfriend!neji who is such a sweetheart when it comes to aftercare because it's a chance to doting on you. who gets you water and snacks if you ask for them. who enjoys holding you close, wrapping his arms around you and reveling in the comfortable silence that envelops in the room, listening to the sound of your breathing and feeling your heartbeat. who positively melts whenever you kiss the center of his forehead, especially after a partically emotional session.

boyfriend!neji who hates sleeping with sweat and cum on his body. who without fail, runs you both a warm bath, gentle hands taking the time to wash your body.

boyfriend!neji who encourages you to talk about anything and everything under the sun. the sound of your voice relaxes him, he says. who absentmindedly draws patterns on your skin to lull you to sleep.

boyfriend!neji who uses intimacy as a means of expressing his love for you, for it says all the things that words fail to convey.

[ranaeley]

The starmaker at work...

Closeups and alternate coloring under the cut.

[illusorybread]

More Sanae x Tsukasa sketches.

[mirensiart]

Anyway I'm still at the doctor and i haven't watch a thing, but I've been informed of wind waker gamecube port at launch with nintendo online subscription, possible path of radiance gamecube port as well and bravely default 1 remaster

AND kirby air ride!!!!!!!

I've won already, like i haven't watched a thing and I've already won

[ramonag-if]

If a sequel does ever come out, I'd love to buy it and play. I love this story and I'm sure I'll love the second one too. If we get the chance to play as a soldier, it would be great if we could be cynical or more mischievous. If we were in the Blood Guard, there must be something bad inside of us. I wish I could play a bad or morally gray character, at least at the beginning of the game. That would be awesome.

Thank you, even though we're far from the first game being complete 😅 The idea is that the sequel MC would be slightly older than the COE MC, jaded from watching their younger brother being executed for serving as a Blood Guard soldier and filled with hatred for the regime they were 'forced' to serve if only to save themselves from certain doom. The MC would be more morally grey and less 'innocent' than the COE MC so it's something to think about.

[muffinsin]

Hello, how are you? I hope everything is fine with you, well I was wondering if you could do a Bela x little s/o cg or the other way round, it would be interesting to see Bela as little, especially if she regressed due to the stress of being the eldest daughter and the heiress

What an adorable prompt! I don’t think I’ve done much more than mention an idea of little Bela before, so I’ll be focusing on that, this time!👀 Thanks for the request, hon :)!

Let’s get into it🙌!

Masterlists

Bela Dimitrescu- headstrong, intelligent, strategic, hard working, independent, polite, the perfect Heiress for House Dimitrescu

A hard worker. A caring sister. A strong person

Bela is known as many things, has to be and live up to many things

Only you get to peak behind the curtains and catch a glimpse of the trouble and fear that she faces each and every day too, however

You see the toll it takes on her to have to constantly keep her sisters in check, to clean up after them and ensure they don't get up to anything stupid- especially when Alcina is out, and you see the toll it takes on her to have to carry and present the image of the perfect sister, daughter and heiress all the time

A prime example. A role model

Yet- she occasionally breaks down in your arms, crying over something so little because it pushed her past her breaking point, yet often still refusing to share her real problems without hours of encouragement and kisses

Bela Dimitrescu- an heiress, a role model, a sister and daughter

Bela Dimitrescu- in desperate need of release, a means to escape it all

You yearn to give her just that

With her constantly busy having to do this and that- business, or her sisters, or the maidens, or the impossible amount of tasks she sets for herself- you find; it's up to you to help her

And you so desperate want to help her and make things easier for her

You begin to research ways to help ease her stress and try to find opportunities or strategies allowing her to let go for once

There's yoga, of course, among other physical exercises, though you aren't quite convinced, knowing that even when she hunts, Bela is expected to be perfect- to look out for her sisters when they are far more experienced at hunting, to keep them out of trouble, to always look out for hunters and traps, to bring them back to the castle when the temperatures drop a little, to ensure they never take it too far, to never get hurt or allow them to get hurt...the list just goes on

You think: she needs release beyond just physical things

She needs something to help her shut down, to let go, to relax

She needs you to take charge instead, you're quite certain

You try helping her out subtly at first, bringing her food at set times to ensure she eats even when she's busy, drawing her a bath and helping her bath to take some of the stress

But when your hands slide over her bare shoulders, you feel the unmistakable tension in her muscles, and when you try massaging them, you feel awful as she groans and cries out in pain, her body so tense every little touch feels bad. She always thanks you after, thanks you for getting the knots out and for helping her by relaxing her muscles again. But it never lasts long, and soon enough every move hurts her again

You try to help her out by taking over some of her tasks, offering to deliver papers personally so she may not have to check up on a maid to confirm it was done properly, to check in on her sisters from time to time

And it helps her, yes

But, you find, you need something to help her. Something aside from taking some of the burden off her shoulders

You want to take it all from her

And when you find out about age regression, you want just that

You read up on it as much as you can before approaching her with the idea. Bela is, naturally, opposed to it

She's unused to being taken care of, even as you do it to her, and is entirely unfamiliar with the idea of being completely vulnerable and dependent in the way your offer suggests. She's nervous, and while she's certainly curious and trusts you enough to consider it, it's impossible for her to get into it

You try to start out slow, to start by cuddling her and hoping you might be able to coax her into what you read referred to as a little space, but Bela's perfectionism runs deep. She's used to holding it all together, not only for herself but others, too. She feels responsible not only for herself, but for her sisters, those working for her, her mother's tasks, and you. She's used to having to meet high expectations. The thought and the mere idea of being vulnerable feels like failure to her at first

She can't relax, not fully, and while she enjoys being held by you, her mind only races with all the things she ought to be doing instead of even considering to accept the comfort you're almost desperate to give her by now

She's nervous, and at first, you're under the impression that age regression just isn't right for her due to her picking up the negative action of picking at her nails and scratching at her fingers from being so nervous and tense

You decide to drop it, believing it does more harm to her than good, and she doesn't reach out to you about it again, feeling as though she could never deserve what you were willing to offer

But, you aren't entirely done with the topic

While you originally feel bad about it, you decide to try a different route with her

You let the topic of age regression rest for a while, try to take care of her as best as you can while giving her full control still. Then, weeks after, when the topic is no longer on her mind and she's back in her unhealthy ways, you make your move

That time, you go for a more natural route. You don't ask her about age regression and you don't bring it up. You don't have long conversations about it and don't tell her about what the two of you could try

Instead, one night when you notice her being particularly on edge- emotionally and physically- after a long day of working and having to clean up after her sisters, you simply pull her to you. You simply help her undress, removing the tight, uncomfortable dress and draping one of your larger shirts over her instead. You pull her close to you and you play with her hair, stroke her back, kiss her face gently over, and over, and over again until she melts against you

When you begin to pat her bottom gently, she doesn't even stir, completely pliant against your chest, her face rested by your throat

It's the one night since months she managed to fall asleep before 3am and the one night she got to sleep for 5 whole hours. It isn't where you want her yet, but it's a start

You continue your subtle caresses, and when you bring her food, you make sure to have her take a break- opting for snacks to convince her to take such 5 minute breaks. And while she at first is surprised when she's pulled in your lap, she melts against you fast, feeling so much more comfortable on your warm lap, with a protective arm around her, rather than the uncomfortable chair

In time, you take it a little farther, stroking her arm gently and tracing shapes on her pale, cool skin to distract her from the fact that you're beginning to feed her the snacks you bring her

And in no time does she begin to look forward to it, swarming off her chair and onto your lap, her lips parting when you feed her, her eyes closing at the comfortable feeling of having you stroke her arm and palm

You begin helping her out of her dress first thing every night, instead, begin to put her into more comfortable clothing. She never objects, usually too tired to care, though in time you find her turning her head or whining quietly- so quiet you just barely hear it- when you pick up an item not previously worn by you

And while she doesn't quite notice it, you always put her in things slightly too large for her, allowing her to hold onto the sleeves or feel the soft cloth drape over her and make her feel just a little smaller than she usually feels

You take it slow with her, never push too much, never try to make it too obvious to ensure she doesn't pull back as she has before, believing she doesn't deserve this or being worried about not "doing it right" as she has before

And- your efforts pay off

While she is stressed still, she eats regularly and never pushes herself past the subtle limit you set her, ensuring she's always in your arms by midnight, held and taken care of, her hair brushed and comfortable in your larger shirt

You take it slow, allowing her to get comfortable with this before you continue on

The first time Bela spots soft blankets, little pillows and a stuffed animal- a light pink, knit cat with black buttons as an eye and a red string as a collar, she's a little taken back. She's drowsy already, bathed and guided to the bed in nothing but your large, comfortable shirt, her golden eyes hazy and a lot softer than they normally are. When she spots the stuffed animal she pulls back a little in surprise, unsure what it means

She hasn't had a stuffed animal in centuries, not since her younger sister stole hers and she told herself she was "too mature" for them now, anyway

But...

But when you cradle her to your chest and hold her gently...and when you wait until she's right about to doze off before slipping the stuffed cat in her hand, she instinctively curls her fingers against its chest and pulls it to her, her flies buzzing quietly- content

You make sure she doesn't wake up with it pressed this close to her chest, not wanting her to freak out and tell herself it's a sign of vulnerability. But it rests by her pillow all day long, and every day just before bed you snake it in her arms, watching with a gentle smile as she buries her head in your neck and cuddles it for the few minutes until she falls asleep

You begin to alter her schedule a little- with her permission- personally picking out highly qualified staff members to take some of the work off her shoulders

She appreciates it, though what really gets her is to spend the time saved with you

You begin to bring her back to the safety of her bedroom during the day, and smile fondly at her when she already turns her head to look for what comfortable clothing you’ll pick out for her

She doesn’t undress herself anymore, instead waits for you to take her dress off for her. It’s something small, but getting to let go of control like this is enough for the look in her eyes to soften a little already

She never reaches for her soft blankets at the start, but she always sighs and melts into them when you wrap them around her. You live for the moment her eyes soften and her posture relaxes a little. Seeing the tension leave her body is heavenly, and builds your anticipation for seeing her enter a headspace properly

On some days, she still thinks she must be strong with you, when she tries to clean up the room or adjusts the pillows, squeaking in surprise when you gently pull her in your arms, pat her bottom and assure her; she works so hard, she deserves to rest

You can always tell when Bela starts to relax more and when she allows herself to slip in a slightly gentler headspace. She’s quieter, humming and speaking gently and quietly. You suspect once you get her into a proper little, young headspace she will be entirely nonverbal

And eventually, you make a few more moves, too

The first time she sees you sitting at the desk in her room, looks over your shoulder and sees a paper full of shapes and many, many pencils of various colours next to it, she only raises her eyebrow

She allows you to guide you on her lap, instinctively melting into your touch even as she still lacks the softness in her eyes that tells you she’s in a softer, gentler headspace

“Help me pick a colour?”, you’d offer, and while she’d chuckle a little and raise her eyebrow, she obeyed

You keep her on your lap like this, stroking her skin gently and kissing at her cheek, praising her for every colour she names

And you feel her sink more into you, her fingers twitching and hovering by the table edge as though wanting to reach out and help you colour the shapes

When offered to do it, she quickly draws back, refusing to do such a thing, but she watches still and drinks in every little praise

You’re always careful not to push her too far, not to do too much at once. You keep it natural, introducing little things here and there

You find- Bela hates fluffy pillows, but more and more reaches out for the soft blankets, and even reaches for the pink, knit cat plushie when she thinks you aren’t looking

The first time you bring her some blood in a cute mug, she frowns at you, refusing to drink from it even when you try convincing her of its practicality, much less allow you to feed her!

Yet, when you one night make use of her exhaustion and already quite soft mood, she drinks gently when you set the rim of a wineglass to her lips, allowing her to drink the blood inside with slow, gentle gulps that you know won’t upset her stomach before bedtime

You work on getting her at least three days off when you can take care of her, appealing to Alcina herself by telling her of the cruel tasks her daughter has set herself. And with Bela being quite literally commanded to take a break at that point, it marks a time you can finally take proper care of her

One night, you’re coloring at the desk in her room again, waiting for her to finish up working at last. When she does, she comes to your side immediately, her flies buzzing quietly

“What are you doing?”, asks, raising a brow at the paper sitting in front of you, showing a roughly drawn cat, looking almost too similar to the stuffed animal sitting on her bed

She allows you to guide her out of her dress and hums when you wrap only a soft blanket around her this time before guiding her onto your lap. You feel her relax against you and smile at the sound of her flies buzzing contentedly when she spots the paper

“Trying to decide if this cat should be green or pink. What do you think?”, you ask, acting nonchalant. With her gaze softening and her focus pulled to the cat, she doesn’t even notice the unusual question. By now, helping you pick colours is nothing new to her

She scoffs softly, laughing a little at the pencil you’re holding. “Green is ridiculous”, she huffs

You decide, now is as good of a time as any

“Then you pick one”, you whisper, sliding the paper towards her and wrapping your arms around her

She hesitates for a second, blinking slowly and parting her lips even as no words come out, but then she grabs a pen. She doesn’t even think about it, and sinks against you when you whisper “Good girl” and “That looks far better, sweetheart”, into her ear

You hold her close, kiss her cheek and speak gentle words of encouragement as she draws

She doesn’t even notice that she not only picked out a colour, but is also drawing for you, now

She’s meticulous, careful not to cross over any of the lines as she colours. You praise her for this, and it’s enough for her cheeks to heat up and for the look in her eyes to soften just a little more

The two of you sit by the table until the cat is fully draped in pink colour, matching the one on the bed. And to your surprise, when you stand and automatically lift her light body up, she doesn’t protest

She only nuzzles close to you, humming sleepily, and melts against you further

Bela always claimed she dislikes being picked up

Now, she is more relaxed than ever before in her life- except perhaps in one of her earliest years- her golden eyes fluttering shut, her fingers gently curling into your shirt, the blanket nice and warm around her

That night she falls asleep in your arms, rocked to sleep, sighing gently before she dozes off

After that, it happens more often, becomes more natural

She stars to wake up and curl closer to you instinctively, clutching the little cat plushie to her chest or, when she's certain you aren't looking, even nibbling at its ear

She doesn't notice how she is regressing, doesn't notice becoming cuddlier and quieter, more comfortable and less "perfect", as she might describe it

She allows herself the comfort of doing what she wants, rather than what she knows she ought to do, cuddling closer to you in the morning, allowing you to brush her hair as she fiddles with the stuffed animal

She starts reaching for your hand without even realizing, whines for your attention and touch without even noticing it

You notice- it's easiest to get her in a soft, littler mood when she's tired, vulnerable, too exhausted to overthink

But when you gently call her "little one" or "baby", she truly melts. She just barely catches the names, the feeling of them utterly natural when it's just the two of you and she's only tired enough

It's a good start

Your favorite way to start out days by now is to have lazy mornings in which you let her cuddle up by your side, dressed in nothing but cute, comfortable panties you picked out for her and an oversized shirt to keep her warm

You smile whenever you look down and see her hugging her cat to her chest, praising her and claiming how adorable the little thing looks

She'll usually only smile softly, but her heart flutters still and her eyes soften

You also find; Bela secretly loves being carried, and being quite literally made of flies, she's easy to pick up

Soon, you're both naturally at the point when she finishes work, swarms into your shared bedroom, and immediately allows herself to slip into a more comfortable, happy mindspace

You always prioritize getting her out of her dress first, especially after one unfortunate day when it caused the poor thing to get quite cranky;

It's been a long day, with Daniela killing a series of maids over a lost book, Cassandra letting her anger out on the staff, Alcina scolding Bela for not finishing an important task prior to its deadline, and the poor blonde getting overstimulated from every little scream and shout in the castle

And when Bela finally manages to return to her room, you can easily tell everything has just gone entirely wrong for the poor thing

She's trembling, her bottom lip quivering, her eyes glassy, but she holds in her tears still- stubborn, as always

You wrap your arms around her and gently coax her inside, trying to get through to her, but with the warm room heating her up and the tight dress and even tighter corset sitting too snug around her, she quickly becomes even more overwhelmed

Like this, it takes but a single spark to create a perfect disaster

She tries to lift her hand, her sharp, claw-like nail cutting into her thigh in the process

Usually, it's nothing. Usually, she doesn't mind the pain

Your eyes widen when this time, she begins crying

Not only crying, too, but sobbing. She presses herself into your arms, her little sobs breaking your heart. She's gasping for air, hiccupping and chocking on her own cries as you work on undoing the corset and dragging down the zipper at the back of her dress

She's crying and crying, more than you have ever seen her cry before, even on bad days

Stripping her of her dress and lifting her into your arms, you feel her immediately wrap her arms and legs around you. She's crying and coughing still, her hair sticking to her wet cheeks, her makeup running and stinging in her eyes, startling the poor thing even more and bringing more tears in return

You've never seen her, but grasp the opportunity to- finally- show her that being vulnerable is okay, with you

"Sssshhh, I'm here, my little one", you whisper, rocking her gently and bouncing her a little in your arms. She's light enough for you to handle her easily, and doesn't fuss or squirm to get out of your grasp in the slightest, making it even less of a challenge to carry her. When you lift her pink cat to her, she immediately holds onto it, her sharp teeth digging into its ears as she bites, sucks, and licks at it for comfort. You don't coo at her, not wanting her to think you're making fun of her, but press a sweet, slow kiss to her wet cheek

You find, she calms faster when you keep moving, opting for walking in large circles in her chambers, your arms around her protectively. She holds her bat close to you, her body clinging to yours, and while you're warm, the skin-to-skin contact where your sleeves end helps her calm down

By the time you sit down on the bed, your little bug in your lap, and you gently wipe at her wet cheeks with your sleeve, her sobs are reduced to little sniffles

You don't give her the chance to pull back when she calms down, already sensing an apology coming from her when the by now incredibly soft look in her eyes hardens just a little

Instead, you take the single bold risk that drives her into the littlest headspace you have yet seen her in;

Bela watches with teary eyes as you reach towards the nightstand drawer, her vision too blurry to make out the object you pull from it. But when her lips part, an apology ready on her tongue that would likely undo a good chunk of progress you made with her, she instead feels something soft slip in her mouth

You hold your breath, your palms sweaty and stomach clenching as you nervously await her reaction. She stares for a moment, caught like the cutest little deer in headlights, before you notice the slightest, smallest, subtlest movement at her lips- she's beginning to suck at the soft, baby pink adult sized pacifier slipped in her mouth

Immediately, you lean forward to kiss her nose, your hands coming up to stroke her soft, damp cheek

"Good job, baby, good girl! I'm so proud of you!", you praise, smiling and kissing at her nose again until her tears are replaced by quiet little giggles and squeals that nearly have her drop the pacifier again, if it wasn't for your index finger gently keeping it in place

She sighs around it when you lay her down, wrapped up in a soft blanket and clutching her pink cat, her fingers curling against its soft belly and playing with the black button eyes

You spend the evening cuddling and reading to her, stroking her hair and praising her for her good behaviour

From this point on, Bela is a lot more open to letting you care for her. She will never outright ask for her pacifier, her pride and the century-long mindset forced on her by her stubborn mind too much to undo this fast, but you don't mind- you always know when she needs it, when her bottom lip trembles and she begins to get fidgety, whining and sometimes even tearing up, desperate for the comfort the little item offers her

On days off, she loves to spend her mornings in bed with you, curled up, sucking at the ear of her cat until you wake up and slip the pacifier in her mouth

And sometimes, you awaken to her whining quietly and tugging at your clothing. Your suspicion that she is the quiet kind when regressed easily proved to be true

Often, this means she wants attention. Sometimes, she will whine and point towards the desk, signaling she's bored

One of little Bela's favorite activities, aside from being lifted, cuddled, and being showered in kisses and praise, is to draw

She loves being sat down on your lap or on the bed, happily sucking at her pacifier if she's feeling little enough, otherwise merely humming and cuddling into you as she draws. She never paints over the lines of the objects you draw for her, and soaks up the praise for this eagerly

In time, you want to encourage her to draw as messy as she likes, to let go of that last bit of perfectionism, but you never push. Instead, you praise her for her work, calling her a good girl and especially praising her for what a pretty job she's doing

In time, regressing becomes a huge stress relief for her. She can cry around you, and nothing calms her down faster than hiding away in your neck, your arms wrapped around her, her pacifier plopped in her mouth, her cat plushie in her arms, and your large shirt on her

She's far more open to trying new things out, and while she won't admit it openly, her flies give away her excitement whenever she sees a new toy or plushie sitting at her bed, rewarding her for her good behaviour

And you, in return, love to shower your precious little one in gifts and affection

[phantastragoria]

I can NOT remember if i already posted this here (it's old) but I didn't see it after a quick skim and I need to start cross-posting things everywhere more consistently so Have These Guys.

(Obviously inspired by that one ○lilalienz4ever image)

[pianokantzart]

At the end of the Mario movie, with Bowser shrunk and locked in a cage, what do you think Peach would do with him? Would she have had him incarcerated forever, or did she have other plans to deal with him? Do you think Kamek and the Koopa army may have tried multiple times to free him before the sequel (let’s be real, there’s definitely gonna be a jailbreak come next movie)?

I don't think even Peach knows at this point. She doesn't even have an official prison on hand, she just put a gilded cage in a random room in her castle and posted some guards.

It's doubtful there's any hope of even entertaining the notion of rehabilitating movie-Bowser given the extent of his crimes. There's a chance Princess Peach might be holding him until she can have some sort of conference with other royals to figure out what should be done... maybe find someone with the resources to contain him without having to rely on a mini mushroom.

As for Bowser's inevitable jailbreak, I think one properly-planned attack from whatever forces he has left would be all it takes. Mario made it pretty far into the castle by simply waltzing through the front doors and booking it at fast as his little legs could carry him...

... so the toads aren't exactly organized to defend against an assault from Bowser's army, even if their recent defeat and the loss of their leader has put them in a weakened state.

[nastyquill]

some random TMA worldbuilding speculation about five years too late, but here it is anyway: I used to wonder what the practical purpose of Artifact Storage was supposed to be. like, I know the in-universe reason for its existence was that the Institute was "researching" the artifacts, but by the end we know the Institute wasn't researching shit; Elias (and presumably the people in charge of the sister organizations) knew exactly what was up with all that crap all along.

then I realized: it's Elias's home garden. hoard a bunch of extremely scary and dangerous artifacts with very specific containment requirements, then put a few stressed-out academics in charge of keeping it all in order so you can passively feed on their fear. people who desperately want to believe that learning and knowing the behaviors of every item will be enough to keep them safe. it's a less effort-intensive version of what Peter does on the Tundra.