#Also! The Monte d’Or gang!

[101flavoursofweird]

Head LMJ anime writer: Ok, folks, Layton’s going to disappear on his mystery journey, but we don’t want him to look irresponsible leaving his ten-year-old daughter behind. So, who’s going to babysit Kat for the next ten years?

The one good writer: What about Flora— the other girl Layton agreed to look after? I know her age has never been confirmed but surely she’d be older than Kat! We can keep their relationship vague but she could still be like an older sister to Kat—

That writer who’s a LBMR stan: What about her olde brother, Alfendi? We referenced him in the LMJ game, right? He’s canon—

The writer who’s a Descole stan: What about Kat’s uncle, Desmond? Layton and his brother don’t need to be estranged forever! They could have reunited after Azran Legacy— you don’t even have to reference what happened in Azran Legacy—

The writer who’s an Emmy stan: SAME WITH EMMY! Layton forgave her and surely she has forgiven herself by this point. She would want to search for Layton and help look after his kids!

The logical writer: Why not just use Layton’s parents— Roland and Lucille? Kat’s grandparents! They’re hardly spoiler characters… Layton is still on good terms with them. They really are the most logical choice!

Head LMJ anime writer: …

Head LMJ anime writer: Didn’t Layton have a cleaning lady that was never referenced again after PL4…?

[gilded-7]

man thinking about ranlayclaire has given me a great idea for an UF au:

Clive, whilst researching everything he can about the professor in preparation to play the role of his apprentice, stumbles upon an article about one Randall Ascot, archaeology enthusiast and man of abundant wealth. He decides that Randall is an excellent candidate to kidnap into the future; having him would be a useful bargaining chip should things go wrong with the professor, and if nothing else his riches and status could prove useful to Clive’s plans.

What Clive doesn’t count on is Claire. Conducting her own investigation of Future London’s research facility, she stumbles upon Randall, a man she’s never met but knows all too well. She recognises him from the faded photographs that hung in Hershel’s flat, and from tipsy, late night conversations about the past, regret, and lost friends (read: loves).

Randall, who’d been biding his time whilst he thought up an escape plan, is more than happy to go with her - he may not know her in return but anyone close with Hershel is someone he could trust (it also helps that she seems to have a keen eye for puzzles). With his sharp mind, Randall is already wise to the fact that this Future London is not all that it seems, so the duo form an unlikely partnership to solve its mysteries.

The two form a strong bond, sharing in troubled pasts, even joking about their situations as the ‘undead lovers of Hershel Layton’. Randall’s heart aches for Claire knowing that she won’t get the same second chance at life he’d been given. He promises to do everything he can to help settle things so that she can return to her time knowing that the future is safer.

When the professor and the rest of the gang eventually meet up with the duo they are of course surprised to find that Randall is also in Future London. They don’t reveal everything they know for risk of jeopardising the investigation, cautious that ‘Future Luke’ is still accompanying them. Randall is somewhat surprised when Claire introduces herself as ‘Celeste’ however. He understands her wanting to avoid putting Hershel through any more pain, but encourages her to be honest with him so that they can enjoy their remaining time together. When they find the time to meet with the professor alone they reveal everything to him, and the three begin working on a plan to defeat both Dimitri and Clive, and ensure the safety of both Londons.

For the rest of their adventure together the three grow even closer. For the professor it’s a chance to reconnect with his two favourite people. In the case of Randall it’s the most time they’ve spent together since the events at Monte D’Or, and with the complicated feelings from the Masked Gentleman incident given time to heal they fall seamlessly back into their old friendship. Claire is the perfect addition to their dynamic; Hershel is of course already head over heels for her, and she and Randall get on like they’d been friends for years. He supposes it makes sense given their many similarities, both bold and confident, intelligent and inquisitive, shared terrible sense of humour and no, Hershel Layton does not have a type. He’s not sure what to make of what the three of them have, especially given the strange circumstances, but he knows it puts a warmth in his chest he’d been lacking for a while. If only they had more time to see what could happen.

When Claire’s inevitable departure finally arrives it happens much the same, though this time an additional heart is broken in the fallout. Randall, much like Hershel, had grown to love Claire deeply and had cherished the time they’d all spent together, however brief and unusual it was. She kisses each of them in turn before joining their hands, happy that the future is secure and that her boys will have each other. As she walks away, Hershel cradles his top hat to his chest with a pained smile and tears in his eyes. Randall simply stays there beside him, clinging tightly to the hand still entwined with his.

[beezonia]

Thought of some more stuff for the pl Psychonauts au

It’s mainly Monte D’Or gang stuff but I hope you like!

——

Level Names!

Angela’s Glistening Tears

Henry’s Reunion Inn

Randall’s Carnival Of Chaos

Together I think their joint mind thing if it was possible would be called “The City Of Miracles”

Or maybe that could be their chapter name!

——

Angela’s mind would be a castle or something representing how trapped she feels she is, it’s full of doubts

Definitely a representation of her two main powers (hydrokinesis and pyrokinesis)!

One part would be like a water park type thing, representing her sadness and loss

Then the other side of the castle would be like a training ground representing her anger and knowledge and it would mainly be set on fire as if to show the damage that’s been done

Two Angela’s! Archetype’s btw

Princess Angela in the water area, a sad figure always mumbling about a Randal and the masked gentleman figure

Then Warrior Angela, a fiery spirit with power to uncover your deepest secrets

She’s always talking about how angry she is at both her boys, how hurt and figuring out how she’s going to heal

Yeah!!

—-

All I’ve got for Henry’s is it’s the reunion inn and that the story follows his journey to becoming more independent and learning to stand on his own two feet

Focuses on cryokinesis but also levitation as he’s extremely good at that

Maybe as you go around the inn his mind twists when you find out about Randal and how hurt and how hellbent on looking for him Henry was

Definitely full of doubts and guilt with a panic attack every now and again

—-

Randall’s is the huge carnival of Monte D’Or

A manifestation of the life he lost and left behind but now has in the present

Lots of censors and doubts (these people are anxious as fuck)

Focus on levitation and marksmanship (Randall’s specialty)

Story of his hubris and how he lost himself leaving the people he loved for 18 years and then coming back

Then his anger at them for supposedly moving on without him

One point the carnival gets destroyed because clive digs up a very bad memory and it angers Randall’s inner self

——

I definitely want to make sure these three have a cohesive storyline in the au

Like you can pick and choose who’s mind to enter but I’m gonna write it in an order

Yeah that’s it!!

[anothertastelesstetrahedron]

Descole headcanons maybe 👀

Did someone say Descole? 👀 I’m just gonna put the whole thing under the read more cut, since this ended up being a very long post - and I mean looooooong - like almost 3000 words long. Major spoilers for most of the games - mainly the Descole Trilogy (looking at you AL), but there’s also one UF one.

Des has terrible handwriting. I just think it would be funny if that's the one thing he cannot change about himself while impersonating someone else. He can manage faking signatures, but free writing as someone else? He has to try very, very hard to get that (nearly) right. Tbh for most of his roles that’s also hardly a problem, so he doesn’t bother.

He dehydrated/had a heat stroke at least once while in full costume. There must be a reason why Raymond tries so hard to make sure the AL gang takes water bottles, sunscreen and so on with them. Des has no self-preservation instinct (unless having Raymond around counts as Des taking care of himself?) He also probably almost died in Monte d’Or due to the heat.

Des beat up those guys who hurt Layton in UF. Listen, no one is allowed to hurt his bro except for him.

The first thing Des did after AL was visit Umid - after getting the much needed medical treatment. Because I absolutely love their interactions he promised to do so. It would be funny for him to show up in full costume as well.

Des eventually got used to Kietz (because the cat is now living with Raymond and Des. You cannot change my mind about that) At first he hated Kietz. Des is basically the old cat in the Bostonius that now has to get used to the new one lol

I know it was just the writers having no idea about Des’ backstory in LS but I still can’t stop thinking about how Hershel felt that Descole (in full costume) was familiar. So what if young Hershel Bronev actually liked to dress up in a costume similar to the Descole one? And that had left an impression on young Theo...

I also still cannot get over the fact that Des knows how to make Layton the perfect tea. Well, he had Raymond make it, but still. How does he know what kind Layton likes? Theory one: Layton’s taste hasn't changed from when they were kids. Theory two: He stalked observed Layton’s tea-drinking activities. Maybe he even posed as a waiter sometimes to find Layton’s favourite tea.

Des had kept track of how Layton was doing for a long time. He also was very close to introducing himself a couple of times. Obviously he never did. One reason why he decided against it was certainly to keep Layton away from everything. Des had given him the chance to live a peaceful life, so he obviously didn’t want to risk that. But that’s not all to it. Though Des hated himself for even feeling that, he was a bit jealous. It’s not that he regretted his decision from back then, but he still couldn’t help feeling that way. Plus, Hersh was a reminder of his past life. So while Des had his family that was another reason why he didn't approach - though in the beginning, he had actually thought even more about talking to Layton. However, Des had really tried to let go of his revenge and thus also his past - so Layton couldn't be a part of Sycamore's life. And if that wasn’t bad enough, he also couldn't help but think about their father whenever he looked at Hersh. He knows that’s not fair, but it’s what it is. The same way he thinks about Bronev whenever he sees his own eyes in the mirror. After his family’s death and after he became Descole he stopped approaching Hersh altogether and kept his distance. Not only because, again, he wanted to keep Layton out of all of this - even more so than before, because Des had already lost his family again, so losing Hersh was not an option (I write even though Des tried to kill Hersh himself hjasdjd)-, but also because he was afraid of how disappointed Layton would be were he to find out about all the things Descole had done. Des feared that he’d hate him.

Relating to one point in the previous point, Des absolutely hates mirrors. His reflection is bearable while being dressed as Descole, but he still avoids them like the plague. Even more so as AL Desmond. He also absolutely hates it when someone compliments his eyes - the thing he hates the most about his appearance.

Relating to that, I know Des’ glasses are just for show, but what if they are optical glasses nevertheless? Like, he cannot stand seeing clearly (especially since he ran into Bronev a couple of times and he absolutely doesn’t want to see that guy’s face). Maybe it’s also to help him distance himself even further from the others - especially Layton(?).

Des only possesses one photo of his family. It had been in his wallet when they died. I am just gonna assume Targent blew up his house, leaving Des with almost nothing. As much as he wishes to have the photo with him at all times, it's far too dangerous to do so while being Descole. Maybe Raymond keeps it safe? Or Des just keeps it in Desmond’s office? Maybe that was one of the things he actually liked while being Desmond again, at least he actually could carry the photo around this time.

Des lies a lot (obviously) - also to himself. (This is also me just trying to make his writing make more sense, since it often seemed to me he was written by 4+ people who didn't tell each other what they’ve written). I am thinking of that one bonus scene in MM where Des acts all empathetic towards Randall. “Just the thought of those poor parents, desperately looking for their own child.” That line does sound a lot like something Des himself knows too well… And then, one moment later, after Randall has left, Des just admits to himself that he’s just using Randall. (srsly writers??) I’m not saying that’s not right, because he’s certainly using him - no point in sugar-coating that - but he’s also very much trying to distance himself from Randall and his issues and reminding himself to focus on his goals and to not get distracted. Because Des does care. And I also think that he could have achieved his goal without Randall, but when he had learnt that Layton lost his best friend, Des tried everything in his power to get him back.

What is Des’ “true self”?

That is the one question I’m thinking about the most. It’s probably gonna get a bit complicated now… Let’s see if I can make my own words make sense (I really tried haha). For clarity's sake I’m gonna use three different names now: First, we have Des - the name I’m gonna use for the “true(est)” version of him - whoever that really is. Then we have Desmond - the AL Desmond Des “played” during AL. And, finally, there is Descole which is of course the Descole “role”.

Des has some serious identity issues - because of course he does. Descole started as a role (Des is even literally wearing a non-practical costume) that served a specific purpose. Des initially “created” Descole to have an outlet for all his rage and despair - and to get back at Targent without revealing himself. And I imagine some characteristics of Descole are things Des added, because he wanted Descole to appear a certain way different from how Des presented himself outside the costume. No one was to find who was behind the mask after all, so Descole had to act differently. Descole’s arrogance comes to mind, like that one just strikes me as not (fully) being Des himself. Des pretty much hates himself and blames himself for a lot of things. But Descole is also much more than a simple role. He’s very much a part of Des himself - it’s Des' own anger and his own feelings Descole is based on after all. Over the years, the lines between Des and Descole got more blurry. And now Des pretty much cannot tell the difference anymore between the things that make him him and the things he had just put into the Descole persona. So while Descole was initially based on parts of Des himself, over time Des truly lost himself in Descole who had become its own thing as well. Think method acting gone completely wrong - or right?

In a similar yet also opposite way, (AL) Desmond is also a role Des played during the game. Des said that he had just assumed Desmond’s identity again to get close to Layton and use him (which I don’t believe is 100% true, because I am convinced that a part of Des wanted to be saved. And also longed to see his brother again - and wanted Layton to like him), but it does make me think that Des mostly runs around as Descole. Obviously Des had kept the Desmond persona alive enough for Desmond to be regarded as a world-famous archeologist. But then again, it clearly doesn’t matter in the PL-universe if people don’t do their jobs.

I still do not know how much of Desmond is the “true” Desmond. Even if Des based Desmond on how he used to be with his family, there’s still the question how close Des actually comes to that. Memories can be deceiving and I doubt Des remembers exactly how he used to be. So maybe Desmond’s speaking style, his mannerism could be an act instead of that being Des’ true (past) self. Or which I like better, it’s a confusing mix between “lie” and “truth”. Some things are exaggerated (people tend to romanticize the past, so even with his family Des(mond) might not have been as nice as he presents himself to be as AL Desmond). Some aspects are more or less really Des(mond) and some other things are just stuff Des added to the Desmond role - consciously or not.

Let’s take this thought even further. When Des tried to leave his revenge behind and concentrate on his family, was that Des(mond) really his true(est) self? Or did Des play a role during that time as well (at least partly)? Des cannot let go. That has been shown throughout the games. So while he had tried to put Targent behind him, he might not have been able to do that completely. Thus he buried some things deep inside him and concentrated on “playing” Desmond Sycamore. Who might be the person he wished to be(?).

Long story short, I think that maybe AL Desmond is an idealised version of the Desmond Des used to be. Des acted like how he used to be while his family was still alive - or as much as possible, since he absolutely cannot let go of the pain completely. So his AL Desmond appearance could also be how he had looked like back then. I honestly do not even know if AL Desmond is the “true face” under the mask. Or if Desmond is also kind of like a “costume”. His appearance could be inaccurate as to how present Des really looks like. Descole’s character model also makes no sense. Like the hair that is sometimes visible doesn’t really look like Desmond’s most of the time after all. So is Descole wearing another wig? Is Desmond? I kind of like the idea that Des met Layton with his true appearance, so I’m on the fence here. Maybe he’s not wearing a wig, but extensions?I very much like the idea of Des appearing with his true face though… So I am kind of reluctant to have Desmond look too different from Des. Plus, Layton could have noticed if Desmond was in fact wearing a wig and that might have made Layton suspicious. But maybe Des dyed his hair a bit, and/or is wearing extensions? Maybe he actually already has grey hair, who knows. I certainly don’t.

However, I also believe that Desmond is far less of a role than Des probably thinks/admits. Over the course of the game, he might have lost himself in the Desmond role in a similar way to how he has lost himself in Descole.

Des' time as AL Desmond changed him for sure. And he does act differently as Descole after he changed into the costume than in the previous games. (I’m gonna make a whole separate post about how the German version uses different forms of politeness - and Des does speak rather … strange/different after his revelation than in other games… Again, I know that that’s just the writers being the writers, but where is the fun in that?)

Present day Des has probably no idea who his true self is anymore… Him “playing” Desmond further complicated things. Which parts did he make up, which parts are truly him? I don’t think there’s an easy answer to that… But that also makes Des so fascinating to me. I also really wonder what name he prefers after AL…

As much as I like the idea that Des himself came up with the plan to approach Layton as Desmond, I also very much like the idea that it had been Raymond instead who had suggested it. Raymond probably has to listen to a lot of Des’ angry rants. And after hearing another one about Layton seeing through one of Des’ disguises, Raymond came up with the idea to just go as himself next time. Partly also because Raymond knows Des better than anyone else and he knows how much Des longs to see his brother again - even if Des himself doesn’t admit that.

Des has acquired quite a lot of scars over the years… He does fall down a lot, so it’s bound to happen. He was probably wearing a fair bit of makeup in AL to hide some of them - in addition to his visible lack of sleep. Speaking of, I don’t think Des slept all that much during AL. He probably has nightmares that wake him up screaming. No way he could (or would want to) explain that to the others. Maybe that’s what he has been doing while he was not with the gang. He was taking a much needed nap… Or ...

… or he goes into the one room in the Bostonius that’s completely sound-proof (because that surely exists) and just screams (and cries) for a bit. In full Descole costume. He cannot bear being Desmond and being around the others at all times. He needs to have an outlet for his emotions.

Des really tried to retain his (emotional) distance from everyone in AL. I noticed that in the beginning he hardly ever said anything while I was clicking everything (and I hope believe that I’ve really clicked everything for potential Des dialogue). But he says more over time. It also takes a long time for him to talk about his family. So maybe that’s him slowly warming up to the others. Des was also probably still figuring out how to be Desmond (again). In a way, I think Desmond was one of his easiest yet also his most challenging role he ever had to “play”. No one is more familiar to him and yet also a total stranger. Plus, he had to be extra careful not to reveal too much. Can’t have been easy (which is why he needed to go scream for a bit sometimes).

He feels immensely guilty about caring for Aurora. He was especially reluctant to get closer to her, but he also just couldn't help caring for her. Because she reminded him of his daughter. He just feels very conflicted as he got more and more attached to her, not only because he knew he would eventually betray her, but he felt like in caring for Aurora he was betraying his daughter in a way… This guilt could apply to Flora as well when he eventually meets her.

One day after AL he found the Popoño he had bought for Aurora. He keeps it close ever since.

His revenge is achieved after AL, so there should be no reason for Descole to continue existing. But I don’t think Des will be able to let go of Descole right away. The AL ending shows that anyway. I feel him putting the mask back on in his last scene makes sense for him. He still cannot bring himself to leave Descole behind and he also very much still cannot bear to see his father’s eyes whenever he looks in a mirror. It would have been too sudden for him to just put all the pain behind him. Des’ revenge was basically also the one thing that defined his whole life. And Descole has been a part of his life for a long time as well - the pain and anger that led to Des creating Descole have been inside Des long before his family got killed. I can’t imagine it easy to just let go of all of that. Des is truly lost at the end of AL. He has lost his purpose, the one thing that made him go on. And he needs to figure out who he is himself. Even more so after his whole posing as Desmond again. I like to think that Des will be able to let go of Descole eventually, but that will be a slow process and not something that’s gonna happen overnight. Instead he’ll probably put on the costume fewer and fewer times until, eventually, Descole just disappears. Maybe he’ll stop when he runs out of costumes lol. No matter what, it’s gonna be a long road for Des to be able to heal… (And he should totally go get back to Layton and apologise to Layton and to a loooooot of other people and then they both go to therapy)

[sodiepoppa]

What’s up with the Mont D’Or gang in dimension jumper au?

So very glad you asked! The Monte D’or trio are very happily married and have been since the events of miracle mask!

Henry still runs the city and is more than happy to do it, with both Randall and Angela as his most trusted advisors and co-decision makers- though Angela tends to work more with him. Without the stress and worry of the Masked Gentleman running about causing havoc he’s been able to do more of what he enjoys- namely knitting, reading all sorts of books and going out to experience new things- namely being trying to learn more about archeology, much like his husband, and how to fight using a staff. Randall does tend to assist rather often, though (much to his displeasure) he leaves the teaching to the actual tutors Henry hired. Most of the time anyway.

Angela, when she isn’t helping Henry or Randall, has actually gotten back in touch with her more active and adventurous side from when she was a teenager(which I wish we would’ve seen more from her in the game as an adult) and runs a survival training course in Monte D’or and London! This focuses mostly on teaching people what fauna and flora are save to eat and which ones to avoid, how to build a fire, make a shelter with limited supplies, treat serious injuries with no access to medical care and how to climb cliffs and trees safely! Her teachings are usually centered around survival in the desert as she spends most of her time in Monte D’or, though she knows a thing or two about forests and jungles from her adventures with her beloved Randy.

Free from being the Masked Gentleman and after years of working past the guilt of what he did, Randall Ascot is now a world renowned archeologist that can proudly say he’s been almost all over the world and discovered things that other archeologists couldn’t hope to see in a million years. While he does adore getting to go on his adventures, he also teaches part time at Gressenheller University alongside his best friend, Hershel. His students love him for his energy and enthusiasm and he offers the perfect contrast to Hershel’s calm and collected teaching style. He doesn’t hesitate to share the most ridiculous facts and tales of his daring expeditions across the world- which usually take up more of the class time than the actual lesson. Not that the students mind. Though he sounds like an absurdly busy person, he always ensures he sets time aside to be home with his husband and wife.

I hope this was a good answer for you! Thank you for asking!!

[chicagoindiecritics]

New from Kevin Wozniak on Kevflix: What’s Streaming This Month? – September

Here are my picks for the movies coming to Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, Criterion Channel, and HBOMax in September.  This month offers up many unique choices, from original films to Hollywood classics.

          NETFLIX

Full list of everything coming to Netflix in September can be found here.

  THE BACK TO THE FUTURE TRILOGY (Robert Zemeckis, 1984/1989/1990)

A trilogy that is full of life, fun, and originality.

  THE DEVIL ALL THE TIME (Antonio Campo, 2020)

An all-star cast of Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Riley Keough, Sebastian Stan, Mia Wasikowska, Bill Skarsgård, and Jason Clarke lead Antonio Campos’ thriller about corruption and brutality in a postwar backwoods town.

  GREASE (Randal Kleiser, 1978)

A musical classic.

  I’M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS (Charlie Kaufman, 2020)

The latest directorial effort from the great Charlie Kaufman looks like a haunting mind-bender.

  MAGIC MIKE (Steven Soderbergh, 2012)

One of Steven Soderbergh’s best features a scene-stealing performance from Matthew McConaughey.

  NOT ANOTHER TEEN MOVIE (Joel Gallen, 2001)

This comedy satire of teen romcoms is still hilarious and has aged quite well.

  RATCHED (Evan Romansky, Ryan Murphy, 2020)

I don’t usually post about shows on here, but a prequel series looking at One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest villain Nurse Ratched starring Sarah Paulson in the titular role sounds too good to ignore.

  THE SOCIAL DILEMMA (Jeff Orlowski, 2020)

I heard good buzz about this documentary out of Sundance 2020, as it looks at the power of social media and the effect it can have on the world

  WILDLIFE (Paul Dano, 2018)

Paul Dano’s directorial debut is a quiet and powerful look at a crumbling family in the 1950’s.

    PRIME VIDEO

Full list of everything coming to Prime Video in September can be found here.

    THE BIRDCAGE (Mike Nichols, 1996)

Robin Williams and Nathan Lane are marvelous in this Mike Nichols comedy.

  CASINO ROYALE (Martin Campbell, 2006)

The film that introduced Daniel Craig into the Bond franchise is also the best Bond film ever made.

  GEMINI MAN (Ang Lee, 2019)

Will Smith plays an assassin who is being hunted by a clone of his younger self in Ang Lee’s technical marvel.

  THE GRADUATE (Mike Nichols, 1967)

One of the greatest films ever made.

  JUDY (Rupert Goold, 2019)

Renee Zellweger won her second Oscar for pitch-perfect portrayal of Hollywood icon Judy Garland.

  KRAMER VS KRAMER (Robert Benton, 1979)

This Best Picture family drama features stellar work from Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep.

  PATRIOT’S DAY (Peter Berg, 2016)

Peter Berg’s harrowing account of the Boston Marathon bombing.

  HULU

Full list of everything coming to Hulu in September can be found here.

    ANY GIVEN SUNDAY (Oliver Stone, 1999)

Olive Stone’s aggressive, chaotic look at professional football.

  BABYTEETH (Shannon Murphy, 2020)

An emotional relationship drama with Ben Mendolsohn and Essie Davis giving two of my favorite performances of 2020.

  HAROLD AND KUMAR GO TO WHITE CASTLE/HAROLD AND KUMAR ESCAPE GUANTANAMO BAY (Danny Leiner, 2004/Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg, 2008)

Two-thirds of a classic stoner trilogy.

  HOOSIERS (David Anspaugh, 1986)

One of the greatest sports movies ever made.

  THE LAST BOY SCOUT (Tony Scott, 1991)

It’s directed by Tony Scott, written by Shane Black, and stars Bruce Willis.  We could call this the “90’s Trifecta”.

  PEE WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE (Tim Burton, 1985)

Tim Burton’s debut film is utterly insane, yet absolutely brilliant

  PRISONERS (Denis Villeneuve, 2013)

Denis Villeneuve’s best film to date is a dark, disturbing crime thriller featuring incredible work from Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, and cinematographer Roger Deakins.

  THE TERMINATOR (James Cameron, 1984)

One of the greatest sci-fi movies ever made.

  THE TWILIGHT SAGA (Catherine Hardwicke, 2008/Chris Weitz, 2009/David Slade, 2010/Bill Condon, 2011/Bill Condon, 2012)

I’ve only seen one of these (I think New Moon?), but want to give them a whirl at some point.  Maybe now is the time?

    DISNEY+

Full list of everything coming to Disney+ in September can be found here.

    BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM (Gurinder Chadha, 2003)

A rousing, inspiring indie sports film.

  CHRISTOPHER ROBIN (Marc Forster, 2018)

A somber, sweet look at Winnie the Pooh and the 100 Acre Woods gang.

  D2: THE MIGHT DUCKS/D3 (Sam Weisman, 1994/Robert Lieberman, 1996)

D2 is the best of the trilogy, but D3 is pretty good and bit underrated.

  MULAN (Niki Caro, 2020)

You have to pay $30 to see this one, but I have a feeling Disney’s latest live-action feature is going to be worth is.

  NEVER BEEN KISSED (Raja Gosnell, 1999)

A classic 90’s rom-com featuring a delightful Drew Barrymore.

  THE WOLVERINE (James Mangold, 2013)

One of the best X-Men films and the BEST Wolverine movie (hot take).

    CRITERION CHANNEL

Full list of everything coming to Criterion Channel in September can be found here.

*The Criterion Channel does things a little differently than every other streaming service.  The Criterion Channel, a wonderful streaming service that focuses on independent, foreign, and under-appreciates movies, doesn’t just throw a bunch of random movies to stream.  They get more creative by having categories like “DOUBLE FEATURES” or “FILMS FROM…”, giving us curated lists of films that somehow blend together or feature a specific artist.*

    BOYHOOD (Richard Linklater, 2014)

Richard Linklater’s ambitious twelve-year project is one of the finest film accomplishments of the last decade.

  THE LOVELESS (Kathryn Bigelow, Monty Montgomery, 1981)

Kathryn Bigelow’s debut is one I have been dying to see and one I am going to check out as soon as it is available.

  THE COMPLETE FILMS OF AGNES VARDA

Agnes Varda was a true artist and Criterion has put all of her work into one comprehensive collection which features all of her feature length films as well as her short films.

  SATURDAY MATINEE

DUCK SOUP (Leo McCarey, 1933)

My favorite Marx Brothers film and one of the greatest comedies ever made.

  SATURDAY MATINEE

CHARLOTTE’S WEB (Charles A. Nichols, Iwao Takamoto, 1973)

A beautiful animated film based on the classic book.

    THREE BY ROBERT GREENE

Three provocative films from a master documentarian.

Actress (2014)

Kate Plays Christine (2016)

Bisbee ’17 (2018)

  DIRECTED BY ALBERT BROOKS

Albert Brooks is one of the greatest comedic minds we’ve ever had.  This block of films looks at his genius behind the camera.

Real Life (1979)

Modern Romance (1981)

Lost in America (1985)

Defending Your Life (1991)

Mother (1996)

  DOUBLE FEATURE: TEARS OF THE CLOWN

LENNY (Bob Fosse, 1974)

JO JO DANCER, YOUR LIFE IS CALLING (Richard Pryor, 1986)

Two unflinching films delve into the self-destructive dark sides of a pair of comedy legends. Lenny features Dustin Hoffman in a jagged portrait of Lenny Bruce.  In Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life is Calling, Richard Pryor draws on his own personal demons in the only narrative feature written and directed by the comedy legend.

  BY THE BOOK

A slew of films based on legendary books, from Great Expectations to The Hours and many, many more.

The Count of Monte Cristo (Rowland V. Lee, 1934)

The 39 Steps (Alfred Hitchcock, 1935)

La bête humaine (Jean Renoir, 1938)

Of Mice and Men (Lewis Milestone, 1939)

Great Expectations (David Lean, 1946)

The Killers (Robert Siodmak, 1946)

Anna Karenina (Julien Duvivier, 1948)

Oliver Twist (David Lean, 1948)

The Heiress (William Wyler, 1949)

The Passionate Friends (David Lean, 1949)

The Idiot (Akira Kurosawa, 1951)

The Life of Oharu (Kenji Mizoguchi, 1952)

Robinson Crusoe (Luis Buñuel, 1954)

Senso (Luchino Visconti, 1954)

Pather Panchali (Satyajit Ray, 1955)

Aparajito (Satyajit Ray, 1956)

The Burmese Harp (Kon Ichikawa, 1956)

Apur Sansar (Satyajit Ray, 1959)

The Cloud-Capped Star (Ritwik Ghatak, 1960)

Purple Noon (René Clément, 1960)

Zazie dans le métro (Louis Malle, 1960)

Divorce Italian Style (Pietro Germi, 1961)

Lord of the Flies (Peter Brook, 1963)

Tom Jones (Tony Richardson, 1963)

Charulata (Satyajit Ray, 1964)

Woman in the Dunes (Hiroshi Teshigahara, 1964)

Closely Watched Trains (Jirí Menzel, 1966)

War and Peace (Sergei Bondarchuk, 1966)

Memories of Underdevelopment (Tomás Gutiérrez Alea, 1968)

The Angel Levine (Ján Kadár, 1970)

Dodes’ka-den (Akira Kurosawa, 1970)

The Phantom Tollbooth (Chuck Jones, Abe Levitow, and Dave Monahan, 1970)

The Little Prince (Stanley Donen, 1974)

Picnic at Hanging Rock (Peter Weir, 1975)

The American Friend (Wim Wenders, 1977)

The Ascent (Larisa Shepitko, 1977)

The Getting Of Wisdom (Bruce Beresford, 1977)

Empire of Passion (Nagisa Oshima, 1978)

Watership Down (Martin Rosen, 1978)

My Brilliant Career (Gillian Armstrong, 1979)

Stalker (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1979)

The Tin Drum (Volker Schlöndorff, 1979)

Wise Blood (John Huston, 1979)

You Are Not I (Sara Driver, 1981)

Under the Volcano (John Huston, 1984)

Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (Paul Schrader, 1985)

My Life as a Dog (Lasse Hallström, 1985)

Betty Blue (Jean-Jacques Beineix, 1986)

An Angel at My Table (Jane Campion, 1990)

The Comfort of Strangers (Paul Schrader, 1990)

Europa Europa (Agnieszka Holland, 1990)

The Handmaid’s Tale (Volker Schlöndorff, 1990)

Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights (Peter Kosminsky, 1992)

The Castle (Michael Haneke, 1997)

The Sweet Hereafter (Atom Egoyan, 1997)

The Virgin Suicides (Sofia Coppola, 1999)

The Piano Teacher (Michael Haneke, 2001)

The Hours (Stephen Daldry, 2002)

Gomorrah (Matteo Garrone, 2008)

Almayer’s Folly (Chantal Akerman, 2011)

45 Years (Andrew Haigh, 2015)

Certain Women (Kelly Reichardt, 2016)

Zama (Lucrecia Martel, 2017)

    HBOMAX

Full list of everything coming to HBOMax in August can be found here.

  CLERKS (Kevin Smith, 1994)

Kevin Smith’s indie sensation is a masterclass in microbudget cinema.

  THE CONVERSATION (Francis Ford Coppola, 1974)

In-between The Godfather and The Godfather II, Francis Ford Coppola made this Palme d’Or winning thriller about a surveillance expert (a brilliant Gene Hackman) who has a crisis of conscience when he suspects that the couple he is spying on will be murdered.

  THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (David Fincher, 2008)

David Fincher’s gorgeous film about a man who ages backwards.

  DOG DAY AFTERNOON (Sidney Lumet, 1975)

Sidney Lumet’s best film features masterful work from Al Pacino and John Cazzalle.

  THE INVISIBLE MAN (Leigh Whannel, 2020)

Elisabeth Moss gives one of the best performances of 2020 in Leigh Whannel’s chilling remake of the Universal classic.

  JFK (Oliver Stone, 1991)

Oliver Stone’s brilliant account of the assassination of John F. Kennedy and the conspiracy behind it.

  JUST MERCY (Destin Daniel Cretton, 2019)

An inspiring film with excellent performances from Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx.

  MIDNIGHT RUN (Martin Brest, 1988)

This crime-buddy-road movie is an absolute blast and features one of Robert De Niro’s most underrated performances.

  POINT BREAK (Kathryn Bigelow, 1991)

Kathryn Bigelow’s surfing-cop thriller is one of the best action movies of the 90’s.

  SNAKES ON A PLANE (David R. Ellis, 2006)

An iconic B-movie featuring a truly great Samuel L. Jackson performance.

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[beezonia]

Actually what if Claire had been part of the stansbury gang and ended up in monte d’Or with angela and Henry

Hmm I think she’d still be connected with physics but a part of me thinks she’d dabble in geography to help Henry out at some point making sure it’s safe to build on certain land

Her and angela have tea every Thursday

She also sometimes performs in a small club with her guitar (I headcannon she can play a few instruments)

But yeah Stansbury gang Claire!

And I might even add some ranlayclaire if I write this hmm

[beezonia]

So this is an oc I wanted to introduce since I may or may not be doing another chapter of the Curse of the mask au

For those of you who don’t know what that au is basically it’s Stansbury gang Claire and how her being there effects miracle mask (with added ranlayclaire and angst)

This is Geniveve Shaws, another one from Stansbury who was friends with Dalston

She moved to Monte d’Or with him but separated herself from him and Henry/Angela to make a name for herself there.

Geni is in the band Claire plays with and is the saxophonist

This automatically makes her friends with Pepper who is extremely obnoxious at times.

She’s quite blunt and doesn’t hesitate to call anyone out if they wrong someone she’s close too. But deep down inside she does have a heart of gold but a tendency to lie.

Randall and her were always somewhat at odds but it did lead to something happening between them that no one really knew about.

And they did not label it at all.

(Also maybe has a crush on Henry but absolutely despises falling in love so she doesn’t say shit at all)

[101flavoursofweird]

2021 Fanfic Meme

Tagged by @samcybercat, thanks!

Word count for the year: 85812 words on AO3

Number of stories posted to Ao3: 115

Pairings written for:

Janice Quatlane/Melina Whistler

Perfuma/Scorpia

Randall Ascot/Henry Ledore/Angela Ledore

Lucille Layton/Roland Layton

Luke Triton/Arianna Barde

Luke Triton/Marina Triton

Brenda/Clark Triton

Flora Reinhold/OC

Hershel Layton/Claire Foley

Swift/Rook

Raphael/Marie

Anton Herzen/Sophia

Fandoms I wrote for: Professor Layton, Rhythm Thief, She Ra and the Princesses of Power, Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts.

Most popular story:

By hits and comments, it’s Ready Now— a PL AU where Layton adopts the Barde siblings…

By kudos, it’s Bespectacled— a Kipo oneshot where Hugo needs glasses.

Story I’m most proud of: Again, it’s Ready Now. I’m amazed at how much I’ve written for this fic! I have a bad habit of not updating multi-chaptered fics, but I really enjoyed writing about Arianna and Tony (and Crow) going to live with Layton. I liked writing from Arianna’s perspective in another (unfinished) fic, so at least something good could came from that and the Spectre’s Call gang could get more content.

Funniest: I think that would be Cut Concepts, a Miracle Mask fic based on the concept art of Henry and Randall. Henry gets a moustache and Randall gets an AWFUL haircut when he’s older. And I’m just pleased with the punny title!

Kinkiest: I haven’t written anything like that this year. I even went back and deleted some ‘kink’ fics on my old account because they made me cringe.

Saddest: Probably all the JANICE/MELINA ANGST… Inheritance, Secrets, Of Poodles, Crushes and Holiday Plans, and Drag Me Down.

Irrelevant is also sad for the subject matter…

Least Popular: I’ve been writing short fics based on prompts that are approximately ten lines long, so obviously they won’t get as much attention. Most most recent one, Inheritance has the least amount of kudos, but that’s ok!

Most Cringe-Worthy: You shall not pass for the Lord of the Rings references. But it’s kind of supposed to be cringy with Clark being a LoTR fanboy…

Favorite Opening Line(s):

From What have you got to lose?…

“Dibs on the dog!”

Randall clutched all of the metal tokens as if they were priceless treasures. “You’re always the dog,” Randall argued.

“Duh!” Dalston jabbed a thumb at the blue dog logo on his T-shirt. “I’m the only one who actually owns a dog. So hand him over!”

Favorite Closing Line(s):

From Flowers From A Ghost:

“I need a list of anyone and everyone who would want to harm the professor and Luke,” Flora demands.

Clive sighs, but straightens up in his seat. He smirks. “That would be a terribly long list—“

Flora points her pen at him. “Then you’d better start talking.”

Top Scenes from Anywhere You Would Choose to Have Illustrated: Just anything from Ready Now, but specifically the moment where Arianna hugs Layton for the first time at the end of the first chapter.

Also, Flora comforting little Kat after a nightmare during a short oneshot titled I'm not gonna lose you now

Story I haven’t yet written, but intend to:

I neeeed to finish the next part of Ready Now. They’re nearly at Lost Future… After that, we may get a flash forward to the future, but then again, I’m not sure because I know flash forward futures can be quite divisive!

I also desperately need to finish the second part of a fic I started back IN LAST JANUARY called All For Naught.

There’s at least two more parts of Put Yourself in the Narrative I want to write— the Brenda & Clark fic, and the Monte d’Or fic.

And I’d really like to write more fics for She Ra and Kipo, now that I’ve done short oneshots for each already!

Fic-writing goals for 2022: As I just said, I definitely want to write more for She Ra and Kipo! I also have an idea for a Mirio/Tamaki fic that I’d like to write!

Tagging: @asa-liz, @vermontwrites, @edward-elbowlick, @northelypark, @sixtyfourk and anyone else who sees this and wants to do this!

[101flavoursofweird]

1, 12 and 13 for the fanfic end of the year asks, if you want!

((Thanks!)) 

favorite fic you wrote this year

That would probably be Phantom Flu (https://archiveofourown.org/works/23261380), a Rhythm Thief oneshot where Phantom R catches the flu so Charlie and Marie take care of him. I wrote it back in March when we had our first lockdown and it really cheered me up. I found it fairly easy to write about Raphael being sick and having to stay at home because that’s what EVERYONE was doing at the time. Also, I’ll take any excuse to write about the Rhythm Thief gang interacting! I think it got a surprising amount of attention for a Rhythm Thief fic. Again, maybe it’s just cause everyone could relate to what the characters were going through!

favorite character to write about this year

I wrote like 3/4 Flora Reinhold fics, most of them being part of a series focussing on Flora... so I’m going to say Flora! I really wanted to write a bunch of stories about her dealing with Luke and Layton being gone before the events of Layton’s Mystery Journey. Not just her, but everyone who knows Layton! I feel like this would be such a WORLD SHAKING event for not only Flora, but Desmond, Emmy, Randall, the Tritons, Layton’s parents... etc. Professor Layton— the guy who saved the world, London and so many is lives— is MISSING. I hated how it was brushed off as such a minor thing during LMJ. I know ten/eleven years have passed by the time Kat opened her Detective Agency, but if people can spend EIGHTEEN YEARS looking for some archaeology nerd kid (Randall), do you really think they’d give up looking for Layton after a decade? I mean, I’m sure we’re meant to assume Layton’s loved ones are continuing to search for him in the background of LMJ, but we get to focus on Kat’s daily cases in London instead... which, for as adorable as they can, are nowhere near as dramatic or thrilling.

So, I’m wanted to write a series of fics with Flora at the centre where she practically has to raise her siblings and she reconnects with her family and friends. And she has an OC girlfriend (because Flora deserves all the OC love interests)! I’ve been meaning to finish the next part of the series where Flora and her siblings visit Monte d’Or but I put it on hold for a while. I really need to finish it for Flora!

The series is Put Yourself Back in the Narrative if anyone wants to read it! https://archiveofourown.org/series/1831519

favorite writing song/artist/album of this year

SIX THE MUSICAL. Especially the final song “Six” and “Heart of Stone”. (This one makes me think of Emmy Altava specifically!) I never knew a musical about Henry VII’s six wives could make me so emotional ;_;

[101flavoursofweird]

O, P, and X for the fandom ask memes if you want to!

((Thanks!))

O - Choose a song at random, which ship or character does it remind you of

Someone To You by Banners... reminds me a lot of Randall Ascot, and the Stansbury gang in general. Randall goes from wanting to be someone, to being no one when he loses his memory, to being someone to his friends again. A better someone! Any song with the word “home” in it could automatically be a Miracle Mask song :) It has references to the sun and the moon... like on the Mask of Chaos and Order. There’s also this line— “The kingdom come, the rise, the fall”— which reminds me of the ruins rising above Monte d’Or!

P - Invent a random AU for any fandom (we always need more ideas)

Rhythm Thief AU/Canon Divergence!

Duchess Elizabeth never gives Marie away to the convent. Marie grows up like a princess, but she’s fully aware of her ‘secret’ as the heir of France/Babylonia. She’s still learning the violin and Elizabeth is preparing her to one day overcome Napoleon, Graf and the Chevaliers. Alfred teaches Marie to defend herself.

Isaac still leaves, so World’s Best Dad Jean-François takes in 15-year-old Raphael instead. JF trains Raphael to be his lackey— a junior chevalier, almost. Raphael may or may not have had something to do with Emma Vergier’s disappearance/death. (He didn’t actually hurt her, just provided a distraction while someone else took her out.)

Eventually, Marie and Raphael meet... but they start out as ENEMIES in this world. Raphael tries to kidnap Marie but Marie knocks him out with her martial art skills.

Fondue isn’t adopted by Raphael, but by Charlie Vergier. It appears that there is no Rhythm Thief in this universe... until a masked phantom thief and their dog is seen stealing treasures from the Louvre. Charlie finally gets her father’s attention by becoming a thief.

X - top 5-10 characters who are yoUR PRECIOUS BABIES AND YOU WILL DIE DEFENDING THEM

Henry Ledore — Name a more selfless character, I’ll wait

Marina Triton— Equally as selfless but doesn’t get the respect she deserves

Arianna Barde — Why did no one adopt she and Tony after PL4...

Loosha — WHY

Flora Reinhold — Level 5 does not deserve her

Maria Ross — Sadly wasted in Brotherhood but best mum in FMA 03

Maes Hughes — Best dad, even better in the 03 series. I’ve cried at his death like 3 times

Rosé Thomas — Please let her have a good life now

Scorpia — A PRINCESS

Entrapta — Not a failure AT ALL.

[101flavoursofweird]

Secret injuries would be interesting for some good Flora angst

((Thank you for the suggestion and I’m sorry this is late! I already used the ‘Secret Injuries’ prompt for Rook and Bishop whump... so I decided to add this to my new series about Flora— Put Yourself Back In The Narrative. It still contains Flora whump and angst... Flora secretly misses the professor and Luke, but Kat helps her realise that she’s not alone in that regard! This also contains some criticism of Layton’s decisions during the Relics investigation from Flora’s perspective. I hope that’s ok! 

Spoilers for the anime and most of the series below! It starts with Flora writing a couple of letters...))

- 

Em,

It's a relief to hear that the agency aren't involved... I still can't believe the professor never mentioned them! After everything you and Uncle have told me, I hope we never cross paths with those vultures. Don't worry— I memorised Grosky's phone number and I made sure Fen and Kitty did too.

Though, at the same time, it's disappointing that we've you've exhausted another lead. 

Where will you be investigating next? Is there anyone else who might hold a grudge against the professor? All of the people I can think of are in prison... well, except for one, but he wrote to me insisting he isn't the perpetrator. I'd be more inclined to believe him if he spoke to me in person!

Maybe you could come home and help us track him down? Kitty said she misses her favourite aunt!

And we could make up some better codenames while you're here.

You stay safe too!

Flora

-

To Our Wise Guardian,

Thank you for searching for our reclusive father and looking after our restless uncle.

I trust Miss Altava with my life. If she believes the agency aren’t to blame, then I believe her. I don't care what she did in the past anymore then I care about Uncle's past. She wants to find the professor just as much as he does.

Please remind Uncle of that, and don't let him burn down any trees. Climate change is a real thing.

If you aren't having any joy with the Azran sites, maybe you should take a break. (It sounds like Uncle needs it!) There’s a park just across the road from us where you could land the Bos airship.

Fen would love to talk to Uncle about this device he's been working on. And Kitty has been begging for some new books...

Until next time,

The Layton Clan

-

Dear Brenda & Clark,

We're doing alright here, though we'd be lost without Rosa!

Alfendi has been given some extra time to complete his end-of-year project. At Kat's last parents’ evening, her teachers said she can be quiet in class but other than that, they're pleased with her progress. 

Yes, Grandma Lucille is home now— we went to visit her and Grandpa Roland the other day. I just received Kuri is still with her family in Japan.

I feel awful for Marina's family... Please tell them that they're welcome here in England as well. I'm sure that wherever they are, Luke will protect Marina with his life.

...Arianna mentioned Tony's wedding. We'll all have to go dress shopping together. Kat's already decided she wants a yellow dress. (You might have some competition, Brenda!) Can Clark help Al choose a suit? He's a nightmare to shop for!

We can't wait to see you both. If you need help with the move, just give us a call.

Love,  

Flora, Al & Kat xoxo

-

Dear Arianna,

Don't worry about the late reply! You should see my desk— there are SO many letters I haven't even opened yet! I wish I really wish Luke was here. He’s so much more organised than I am...

I miss him too—

-

The ink was smudged from Flora’s tears. She tried to hide it by scribbling out the last line, but there was no saving the letter now. Sniffing, she crumpled the paper into a tight ball and threw it at her bedroom wall. She didn’t bother aiming for the overflowing plastic bin.

What a waste. If Alfendi or Kat had done that, she would have tutted at them. They couldn’t afford to be wasteful, even with the emergency savings their father had left them… 

Flora squeezed her black fountain pen (a twenty-first birthday gift from the professor), wishing she could snap it in half. 

He had planned for this. He knew he’d be gone for so long and there was a chance he would never return.

Flora hadn’t come to say goodbye to he and Luke the day they set off, but Rosa had. 

“What’s the point in searching for the girl’s father, after all these years? Why take the risk? Don’t you love Kat, Professor!?”

Yes, of course he did, but he wanted to solve the mystery behind her family. Solving a puzzle about a bunch of rocks was more important than raising his daughter, apparently. He had adopted Kat and now he was leaving her behind. 

Flora huffed out a tearful laugh. She, more than anyone, should have seen it coming. But she had believed (assumed) it would be different with Kat. 

The professor had taken Kat in when she was a tiny baby. A baby couldn’t be left home alone or sent to school. Parenting was a full-time job (as Flora was well aware these days). 

Luke had laughed when the professor first announced that he would be Kat’s father. 

Everyone, Flora included, had expected the majority of responsibility would fall on Rosa. Or, in Rosa’s absence, another eager friend or family member. (Grandma and Grandpa Layton, Uncle Desmond, the Monte d’Or gang…) The babysitting offers came flooding in much faster than when Alfendi was little. A newborn baby was far more appealing than a grief-stricken child.  

Flora would have helped look after her siblings even more, had she not been so busy preparing for university. 

But, in the professor’s defence, he had refused to take on any new cases and he had reduced his work hours. When he couldn’t escape his office at Gressenheller, he would bring Kat with him.

He had chosen the name ‘Katrielle’. It was an unusual name, but it went well with ‘Alfendi’. 

You would think eight-year-old Alfendi would be jealous of all the attention his new sister was receiving. It was quite the opposite. By spending more time with Kat, the professor spent more time with Alfendi; trips to the park, the library, the museum… 

Flora would join them whenever she got the chance. Kat was the glue that brought them all together. 

The professor had ‘officially’ adopted Katrielle Layton when she turned three. It seemed he had given up on finding her biological father…

And then Luke (Darn him!) had to stick his nose back in to the Relic Stones business. 

He had married Marina in secret just so they could move to England without the professor’s knowledge. Consequently, Flora had been kept in the dark too.

That hurt. After all these years, Luke still didn’t trust her. 

She could have assisted him with the investigation. She wouldn’t have told the professor… 

Luke had shut her out, along with Marina. (Poor Marina…)

Thankfully, Marina had sought out the professor as soon as Luke went missing. 

The idiot had gotten himself caught by Don Paolo. (Yes, a similar fate had befallen Flora once… when she was fifteen. Luke was twenty-five, trained in karate and he should have known better!)     

After Luke’s rescue, he was dragged back to the Layton household for a family reunion. Flora had given Luke an earful— “YOU DIDN’T INVITE US TO YOUR WEDDING AND THEN YOU ABANDONED YOUR NEW WIFE?!!”—before she hugged him. She had thought that would be the end of the whole Relics fiasco. 

She’d thought wrong.  

The professor had gotten involved after that. Family outings were pushed aside in favour of the Relics Stones. 

At Alfendi’s eighteenth birthday meal, the professor and Luke were trading research notes under the table. 

Flora found a house with her girlfriend, Kuri. The professor never once visited them, despite Flora’s many invitations. 

The day Luke left for his journey with the professor, Marina had called Flora, crying because she and Luke had fallen out. Flora had gone to comfort her. (That was the last time Flora had any contact with Marina.)

Flora didn’t blame Luke as much as the professor. Luke was a young man fresh out of university— reckless, full of heart and loyal to a fault. He had watched Kat’s birth mother die and now he wanted to scour the world for answers. But, as Arianna had said, the world was so vast… 

When Kat was born, Luke had been a student— too young to look after a baby by himself. So, the professor had accepted the role of being Kat’s parent. 

The professor couldn’t just adopt a child (three children) and run off ten years later. 

Kat wasn’t a puzzle that needed to be solved. She was a little girl.

A girl who never stopped eating sweets, but enjoyed going to the dentist if they would give her a sticker.  

A girl who still hoped Santa and the Easter Bunny were real, even if the Tooth Fairy was fiction. 

A girl who practiced her dad’s ‘detective’ poses in the mirror. 

A girl who didn’t like tea, but still insisted on drinking it.

A girl who could hold a heated debate with her older brother (eight years her senior).   

A girl whose family couldn’t afford a dog, so she stopped to pet every stray she met on the street. 

A girl who thought people would only befriend her because of her last name. A girl who feared those friends would leave her when they learned of her father’s absence. 

A girl who dreamed about her dad every night and woke up in tears.

A girl who was always trying to make her big sister smile…

“Hey, Floor…?” Kat knocked on Flora’s bedroom door, but she didn’t wait for Flora to answer. She burst in to see Flora wiping her eyes. Kat wondered, “What’s for dinner?” 

“I, erm… I thought we could have lamb stew,” Flora suggested, standing up from her desk chair. 

“Lamb stew? That’s Uncle Luke’s favourite!”

It was actually roast lamb… Flora could feel her eyes burning again. She turned away from Kat and tidied her desk. “I’ll be down in a minute,” she said distractedly. 

“I can help you clean up!” 

“Don’t worry, Kat—“

“Have you been writing more letters…?”

Flora glanced at Kat. Kat was picking up the ball of paper that had missed the bin— Arianna’s letter. Flora gasped, “Don’t...!”  

Kat, ever curious, smoothed out the letter and read it to herself. She frowned when she reached the end. 

Flora sighed. “No one was meant to read that…”

Kat carefully placed the letter on Flora’s desk. “I miss him,” Kat mumbled. “And Dad…” 

“I know…” Flora touched Kat’s head. “I do, too.” Her words were mainly intended to reassure Kat, but Flora meant it.

She missed them— both of them— so much. No matter how much they had pushed her away, she missed them and she wanted them back. 

“That’s okay,” Kat whispered, reaching up to grab Flora’s hand. She tugged Flora out of her bedroom and downstairs to where Alfendi was impatiently setting the table for dinner.  

Later, Flora would rewrite her letter to Arianna, signing off with: 

 …I miss him too. It’s okay if you ever want talk about it. I’ll be here. 

Sincerely, 

Flora 

[101flavoursofweird]

5, 19 and 25 for the fanfic asks if you want!

((Thank you!))

5. What’s the fic you’re most proud of?

I’ve probably said this a lot but it’s Bonds Left Unbroken, an AU where Hershel and Desmond both get adopted by the Laytons. I think it’s the longest fic I’ve written and I kept a fairly decent update schedule. (Much better than my update schedule now...) It definitely helped that it was an AU following a lot the same plot lines of the original prequel series, just with more brotherly angst and some canon divergence thrown in :)

19. Do you prefer canon-compliant, AUs, or something in-between?

Canon divergence fics, definitely! I’m not a big fan of actual alternate universe fics but I adore scenarios where there’s some change to the original storyline. I’m a sucker for moments where characters almost REFERENCE the alternate circumstances? “Oh, if only things had been different... If only we had been friends... Or that person hadn’t died...” Meanwhile, you know the author is just laughing at the hindsight, the coincidence and the IRONY of these circumstances.

25. Have you ever daydreamed about side adventures/spin-offs from your fic? Tell us about them!

I’ve got an unfinished side story in the Bonds Left Unbroken AU where Desmond joins Layton in Folsense. Desmond keeps seeing the “ghost” of his dead partner and (human) Aurora claims to have seen an Azran golem. It’s been so long but I really should finish it.

There’s also a Monte d’Or gang fanfic idea set in the same universe but only loosely connected. Angela’s thought-to-be-dead brother turns up on their doorstep just as Randall is about to propose to her. It seems Angela’s bother is being pursued by some shady people and there’s been several disappearances in Monte d’Or. That’s all I’ve got.

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Hm, Emmy travels a lot as per her job so it may have been hard to keep Kat around, Al was 18 (and later in college or police school) when all this happened, maybe Flora and Des went to look for Layton or they had a similar reason like Emmy?, Lucille and Roland may not have been able to take care of Kat- at least not until she was an adult, but idk why Clark and Brenda or the Monte D'Or gang didn't rush over when all that happened

That’s true about Emmy, and it’d be more like her to set out to find Layton and Luke... Yep, there’s an 8 year age gap between Kat and Al, so it’d be hard to look after his kid-sister if he’d just started at police school... Des is as disaster uncle. Even though he’d pop in to make sure Kat was looked after, he’d probably go out searching for Hershel like Emmy...

I have this horrible, horrible headcanon that Lucille or Roland develops dementia in the years around when Hershel goes missing, and they’re not even fully aware how long it’s been. One of them has to look after the other and sadly they don’t have time to see Kat as much, and that’s why Kat views Rosa as her grandma too. I may or may not be writing a fic about this because I’m such a horrible person.

Clark and Brenda live on the other side of the world. While they would want to check on Kat, they lost their son as well as Hershel. They’d be heartbroken over Luke’s disappearance and trying to find him.

The Monte d’Or gang are in a similar situation, living so far away, and they do have a city to run. I can also imagine they have some kids of their own to take care of by this point. But of course Uncle Randall would still rush over to London to check in on Kat.

I think Flora is Kat’s best bet, along with Rosa of course. Flora’s always wanted to follow Layton and Luke, but she realises she can’t leave Kat or Alfendi behind. She needs to step it up as a big sister and become head of the Layton family. I think this could be a good bit of character development for her!

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MJ, if you can rewrite the PL series (including MR and LMJ), what will you change?

(Thanks, Anon. I know overall we should just enjoy the series for what it is. If I was writing a series of 6 games I couldn’t do any better, but at the same time there’s nothing wrong with making suggestions, is there…?) 

Curious Village is perfect for the first game. Pandora’s Box is great… Lost Future is amazing, aside from Flora’s part in that game. Either give her a decent role or don’t include her at all. 

On its own, Spectre’s Call is fine. The only reason I can think of why some fans took issue with the plot is that we went from saving London from a giant robot  to saving a small town from a smaller robot. That sense of grandeur is gone. They could’ve included more hints of the Azrans’ importance, more hints to Emmy’s past and maybe even stuck Desmond Sycamore in there as an NPC we meet early on. Maybe he could express concern after Layton’s fight with the spectre robot. You know, the fight where Descole tried to squash his baby brother. 

As it’s a movie, Eternal Diva is already a little detached from the rest of the series. Despite this, I think it has one of the best plot lines overall. The concept of reincarnation would return in Azran Legacy. Again, we’ve got Descole trying to blow up his younger brother… It would’ve been telling if Descole implied he was trying to save Whistler’s daughter as he had lost his own daughter. But NOPE, I guess he just wants Ambrosia for himself. I don’t know where you would’ve included Desmond Sycamore here. Raymond doesn’t even make an appearance. As for Emmy… We do see her getting stuff done on her own, so maybe a shady phone call would’ve piqued our interest? The word Azran isn’t even mentioned in the English version of the movie. 

The Azran are frequently mentioned during Miracle Mask. There’s mention of a shady group who wanted to visit Layton in the past and Roland’s acting a bit suspicious, so props to that. As MM was the penultimate game, it seems like they finally had a direction they wanted to take the overarching plot in. Targent are introduced in this game. We have Layton and Descole working together with the masks. For the first time, Descole’s plans are shown as going much deeper than MWAHAHAHA LET’S DETROY EVERYTHIG. Even Emmy acts out of character when she pokes fun at Grosky with Bloom’s presence in the room. Overall, MM’s plotline is brilliant… I just wish they’d shown Randall getting some form of punishment, even community service! Also, WHY BOTHER BRINGING UP ANGELA’S BROTHER? 

Then we come to the clusterf*ck of plot twists that is Azran Leagcy. The first half of the game, from Froenburg to London, is the stronger half in my opinion. We get Aurora, Targent’s reintroduction, an awesome chase through the sky, suspicions about Professor Sycamore and allusions to the past Azran legacies in Kodh. Oh no, Targent now have control of these legacies! You’d think Luke would be worried for his friends back in Misthallery or Layton would be worried about about Randall and co. But those earlier characters don’t get so much as a passing mention. Way to make the games feel disconnected. People always complain about how the egg hunt portion of the game drags… Why didn’t they spice up this portion by having cameos from old friends in each location? Even as NPCs with no effect on the plot! It would’ve been great to see the Barde siblings in San Grio or the Monte d’Or gang in Mosinnia. And they could refer to forgotten plot threads - like Angela’s brother or Randall’s lack of punishment. 

Or if not old characters, at least they could’ve built up the twists from the ending. Emmy or Desmond acting suspiciously. Emmy wondering about her future. You don’t even find out about Emmy joining the World Times In the game - you get that from a guidebook. And Bronev being everyone’s dad and suddenly sympathetic? That has to feel earned. A scene of him mentoring Emmy would’ve fixed that. 

That’s enough about AL. Mystery Room is its own thing, but could’ve made more references to Layton since the Layton name is in the title. I have a soft spot for it. I wanted to see more of the new characters and the new mechanics with the Reconstruction Device. Either let it be a Layton game or be its own thing. Go all out with the mechanics and even the gore!

I feel the same way about LMJ. Thankfully, we do get a lot more of Kat and the new characters, but fans felt deceived because the marketing built up that LMJ was a continuation of the series with a new protagonist. “Kat’s looking for her missing father!” “Luke has some relation to Kat!” “Kat’s mother is part of the story!” …They could focus on these points more in future instalments, which is fine. But why put some much emphasis on them so early on? If they want Kat to go on fun, comedic adventures, that’s fine! If they want to return to the grand, plot-twist riddled adventure format, that’s fine too. Let LMJ and MR be what they’re meant to be… 

But really, would it have hurt to give Luke a small cameo? Or Flora?