#Because acrobats did used to perform without a net

[potatounicoorn]

This one right here⏫

Also just generally the fact that they had him perform WITHOUT A NET. Its stated he started at 5y old to perform without one. A bigger circus tent where acrobats can perform is around 12 meters (40 feet). That is a height where at least 50% of the falls are fatal.

Both of the Graysons were risking their own lives every night (sometimes multiple shows), both risking leaving their child without parents if they fall (which they did) or getting their 8y old child killed if he happens to fall. And if not dying from the impact that the fall gives, it would most likely disable whoever the faller is.

That is NOT great parenting, no matter how skilled acrobats are in question. Safety measures are there for a reason. They just didnt care, because it made the show more interesting for the audience.

Abusive John and Mary Grayson

You know what? In light of both the most recent Batman and Robin year 1 Batman and Robin Year 1 chapter and December's Batman: The Long Halloween - The Last Halloween chapter?

There are some versions of canon!John and Mary Grayson where they are actually, absolutely, abusive and exploitive parents. Where his parents had Dick training for 10 hours a day since he was three, where he's been performing full-time since he was 5, where enough people in the circus knew he was being groomed for the Court of Owls. Where his parents (or at least, John) cared more about either the thrill of the crowd/earning more money than he did the safety of his own son.

And, I know I say this every month or so, but circuses were terribly exploitive already of child acrobats, and I always felt that the Court of Owls was in part a parallel to the child trafficking that went on there.

Interestingly, John and Mary are held up as the gold standard of parents by others, in a similar way that Dick is held up as the gold standard as Robin. And yet, so many of those damaging personality traits that Dick has can be so easily traced back to his relationship with his parents.

What I love about Halloween is that it doesn't just talk about Dick's experiences pre-Bruce, but dares suggest that it actually wasn't healthy for Dick. I would even go so far as to say that there is almost an edge of fear in how Dick talks about his father.

I want so much for the darker side of the Graysons to be explored, even if just via fandom. Give me a John Grayson who is a punishing, unrelenting father who doesn't tolerate less than 100% commitment and perfectionism. A Mary who gets isolated from her own friends and loses herself in the fantasy of the Flying Grayson family at the expense of her son. A Dick who is 8 and has just lost everything, and who sees his parents through rose-colored glasses and the circus as a family instead of the exploitive business it was because he is a child. Give me the perfect Grayson family as a deliberately crafted marketing strategy, rather than an actuality. And. Give me other people in Dick's life who think, actually? His childhood was really fucked up.

There's a really interesting line in Halloween where Dick says that Bruce didn't just save his life, he gave him one. Most versions of Bruce in canon strive (at least initially) to give Dick a childhood, and it is Dick who always tries to push for more - who doesn't feel comfortable doing less. Bruce puts more importance on Dick being a child than some versions of Mary and John ever did.

... I might have to give a particular fic that is currently sitting in my 'too hard' basket another go.

[otakuminami]

I needed Dick and they delivered

Spoilers

OMG They delivered a great start to Dick’s arc. Like I got worried for a second that after Rocket’s plush arc, Dick’s might suffer as well. In a way I’m happy that it started, but like I cared more about what was happening in this episode than I did in Rocket’s arc.

For starters, Flying Dick Grayson (aka Dan Danger) is back. I’m just in love with the idea that Dick goes back to being a Flying Grayson every now and then. I live for more acrobat acrobat Dick Grayson, even though we see him as an acrobat Nightwing. I just need more performances from Dick is that too much to ask?

Also I was screaming for a net. I know he doesn’t need one, but you know

Trauma

Anyways, I love the whole enforcing not only the acrobat part of Dick’s character but also the detective. I feel like we don’t really get to see enough of him being a detective anymore (from any of the bats really) so I’m glad to see it here.

I love how they sat next to Clark and was like “Superman” without looking at him. Like they could have just been like “hey Clark got a minute?” But they had to be dramatic I love it!

Clark is not giving into peer pressure

Good for him!

This reminds me he’s kinda like Bart now.

I love how that’s how they got the entire group back together again. It worked seamlessly.

Kaldur took a needed month off (I think he should have taken more but sometimes having too much time off is bad too).

“Wyynde loves the look” made me laugh so hard

Also is Admistad wearing a Red Robin outfit or is it just me? Did Tim become Red Robin?

When I was watching them all get together, I was thinking don’t get Miss Martian involved please, and I’m glad they didn’t. Do you know how much trauma she would be in if she heard there might be a chance her husband is alive? Like I know he is alive but like she’s still mourning him and I feel like that’s something you tell someone when your absolutely sure.

Barbara mentioned as an amazing hacker! Love it!

Also the Bart Allen is missing alert. I’m like amazed that they do that. I’ve never thought about it but do you know how useful that could be. I wonder what other times that has been used.

I’m also crying because Jay had to call in to find his speedster teen

I’m crying think about when he decided to say he was missing. How long did he wait? Did he think he was with the outsiders for a bit? Did he have yo call the outsiders to find out he wasn’t with them?

But back to Bart’s time traveling adventures

His thought to go run and grab a collar and put it around Lor Zod’s neck with a determined look on his face like this isn’t the jokester he pretends to be. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this but Bart is almost like a completely different person than the one he acts. I’ve noticed this back in season 2 and I’m kinda glad that they remembered it because I don’t really see this type of character a lot.

When Lor Zod put a collar around Bart’s neck, I screamed. The trauma he faced when he was younger and all the effort he did to change the future only to then be placed back into the same position he was in made me want to yell at the unfairness of it.

I really hope we get to see some memories/backstory/trauma of Bart’s future. Like I know it’s probably not important but I would like to see more of him.

Also Lor Zod is basically abusing Bio ship. He needs to just get his ass kicked by someone already.

Maybe Miss Martian

The fight between the OG team and Klarion was pretty cool.

Also baby Teekl is so cute!!!

Klarion’s opening speech about contacting him only to stop when he realized who it was got me laughing hard. Does he do that every time? How many times does Teekl interrupt him when he does it? Are people intimidated by it? When I saw it I was like yeah ok Klarion you think you’re scary.

Magic School bus? I wonder who’s going to be Miss Frizzle and who’s going to be Arnold?

Phantom girl finally wakes up. I wonder how she is going to get them out without getting caught.

Also I’m getting the vibe that Ursa is going to be more of a threat to them than Dru and I don’t know how to explain it.

Also Conner thinks he killed Clark? Poor Conner. He’s suffering and he doesn’t remember everything.

Does he remember who M’gann is?!?

Also House of Luther,

I almost died.

But they mentioned Kara!

Indirectly but still! She’s in the universe!

At the end when they found signs of life in Kaizer Thrall, at first I thought it was Kara because she was mentioned and also they’re doing Kryptonians.

But then they said human and male and 11 and I was like who could that possibly be? We were all hoping for Wally to return this season but that can’t be him unless he de-aged but that’s highly unlikely even with the powers of a speedster because it’s kinda odd to do that.

I absolutely have no idea who this could be.

[coepiteamare]

nine thousand, seven hundred nineteen kilometers

pairing: yoongi x female!oc  genre: mild angst, it’s not fluff but it’s not angst, thieves oc & yoongi  warnings: mild angst, oc and yoongi are thieves (think ocean’s 8/11-13, pickpockets in this drabble), lapslock word count: 1.4k

summary: you find love somewhere in between los angeles and new york and lose your heart in between paris and tokyo. (alt. maybe he’s the compulsion you can’t seem to shake, the ache that doesn’t fade even nine thousand, seven hundred and nineteen kilometers away)

paris is much quieter than the places you’re used to, but it’s not a bad thing.

you like having coffees in cafes, settling in nooks, and drinking in the scenery spread outside the window. there’s a slight soreness in your arms from the aerial act last night that you remedy with macarons and the cafe cat that comes to sit in your lap, nuzzling its nose in your turtleneck. but the itch in your fingertips refuses to subside: a dull craving that refuses to be muffled no matter how many hobbies you pick up, how many characters you adapt and abandon, how many miles you put between yourself and los angeles. 

maybe you should move to amsterdam, you think as you thank the cafe owner. you contemplate luxembourg as you give the cat one last pet and leave behind a half eaten croissant. dubai is also pretty, you tell yourself as you bump into a youngman in a peacoat. hand into his pocket. you fall over, gripping on to his sleeve, as he reaches out to stabilize you. his prada wallet in your bag. you flash him a shy smile that could make the eiffel tower crumble. his watch on your wrist. you giggle an apology--i’m so sorry, i was distracted, i should have been paying more attention--and vanish into the crowd in a haze of vanilla and rose with his gucci tie clip in the pocket of your trench coat.

old habits die hard. 

maybe it’s not a habit you’re trying to get rid of, something whispers in the back of your head, or maybe you’re not trying at all. shut up, you whisper back.

you close the door quickly when you enter your flat, letting the fall chill know it’s an unwelcome guest before it can settle in. 

the apartment you live in is small, a little out of the way from central paris, but you like the trimmings on the cabinets and the colours of the wall. it feels lived in, less sterile than white walls, and it feels like what a home should feel like. there’s scratches on the countertop and smudges of the lives of tenants before you, and, really, you could do a lot better with the money from tokyo, but it was the first place that didn’t hiss at your insecurities in the sound of his voice. all the other ones you had seen had reminded you of him--walls painted with his laughter, banisters lined with the snap of his gloves, floors tiled in his stupid, ostentatious spending habits--and you had almost given up on paris, almost decided to live in the cheap motel with shitty coffee and questionable door locks because the first hotel you checked into had him written all over it (as did the next one and the next one and the next) until you found this apartment, cozy and in need of upkeep. i’m yours, it seemed to say; better yet, it said nothing at all. yours (whatever that meant). 

“you should get better locks,” his voice rings, and you drop your purse, items clattering to the floor. 

he looks just as you remember him: soft, wispy bangs against pale skin, dark eyes taking in more information than you could ever know, jaw and mouth sharp like he’d bite if you made the wrong move. the way the sun gently brushes him with a soft golden glow makes you wonder if he’s somehow conned the sun into working for him. (he’s always had a flair for dramatics, even if he claims there’s no room for theatrics in his plans.) you wrench your gaze away from him, your ribcage suddenly two sizes too tight for the thudding contraption it holds inside.

“have you ever thought locks were meant to keep people out, yoongi? that maybe people have locks to try and keep whatever’s inside them safe?” you pick up the items off the floor, carefully placing them back into your purse, trying to keep your voice steadier than your hands. 

“i have a proposition for you,” he says, without missing a beat, like nothing happened in tokyo. 

“would you have sought me out if you didn’t?” you mutter under your breath. you don’t like the bitterness that spreads through your mouth, the hurt that lingers like a bad aftertaste. “i’m retired,” you lean against the wall. you wonder if the scuff marks on the floor have been there a while. you try to look everywhere but him, but your training kicks in and you’re hypersensitive to everything he does: the way his shoulders are loose but his eyes are constantly moving, the way he still holds the tea cup like he did the first time he took you to a cafe 3 minutes after he met you, the way his left hand is still, unnatural, like he wants to drum them against the table or pick a lock, have something to do. 

he hums and sips the tea in front of him. “i would have been a little quicker with the wallet,” your head turns to him in shock, “but other than that, it was a pretty solid job.” of course he was watching. there was nothing yoongi missed, from the stutter in your heartbeat to the thrum of your fingers against the wall. he drops his smile and his gaze bores into yours, but you feel the smug satisfaction smothering you like his cologne that still permeates your dreams, six months later and six thousand miles away.  

“awareness of surroundings has gotten sloppy though.”

“fuck you.” 

his shoulders shake as he laughs, breath catching with every inhale. it takes him a minute to collect himself, but the smile doesn’t fall. “the crew misses you.”

“more like you couldn’t find another acrobat,” you scoff. everything about this is painfully familiar: the sharp rapport, the sparks, him. it’s too easy to settle back into habit, even if you’ve been burnt before. it feels like diving back under the covers, body aching to crawl back to what it knows. the words slide out of your mouth before you have a chance to think about them, bitter and acrid. “were you even trying?” 

“were you even trying? it’s like you wanted to get caught” he had scoffed, mouth acidic even at your tear stained face. “this isn’t a fucking performance you get to put on night after night. there is no safety net waiting to catch you. that-” he gestures at the wind, at the depository miles away from you, “whatever that was almost cost us this job.”

“i’ve missed you.” he smiles, and just like that, you hear the faint click, his words cracking the pin code on your ribcage and unlocking the heart you’ve tried so desperately to cage. you should have known better: there’s never been a lock yoongi couldn’t pick, a safe he couldn’t find his way into. nothing has been able to keep him out: not the gallery treasury in newport beach with its earthquake proof alarm system, not the cartier vault in new york city with its impressive randomized laser grid, and certainly not the flimsy, fickle alarm system of your heartbeat. 

“how did you find me?” your voice is too soft, muddled under memories buried six feet under.

“have you ever seen me fail to get what i want?” he makes his way to you and doesn’t stop until you’re pressed against the wall, the tips of his shoes against yours. sandalwood tickles your throat as you take a breath. his nose brushes against yours, pink lips mere centimeters away. 

“i meant what i said, your awareness of your surroundings needs work.” his breath fogs your clarity. “besides, if they wanted to keep things safe, maybe they should try a bit harder. i’m just here to prove that all things can be found.” he taps a finger against your nose lightly, mouth stretching into a smile before he makes his way towards the door with his hands in his pocket. he doesn’t turn back to look at you. “you know how to find me.”

you stand there, dazed, until the faint tap, tap, tap of the rain against your windowpane breaks the fog, sun submerged in velvet darkness. 

maybe he’s just as potent as a habit, just as hard to kill. 

you find a plane ticket to los angeles in your backpocket, a burner phone in your coat pocket. your safe door is wide open, contents untouched, with a post it note on top. 

it’s like you’re not even trying. p.s. did you miss me?

A/N:  a BIG thank you to hana @taestybae​ for reading this and telling me she loved it. i absolutely adore you. 

i’m going to work to expand on the universe (hopefully) and introduce the rest of the crew because words cannot describe how much i love this universe and these characters. 

[engekihaikyuu]

View from the Top 2 - Review

Check out the Read More if you’d like to hear about this show!  Askbox is open as well if you’d like me to elaborate on anything out of this.

Before I begin my review of the final show, I do want to start with some caveats:

So as I mentioned previously, the production once again went with PIA for their live streaming platform, which means that live streaming this show is very inaccessible for anyone living outside of Japan.

PIA is a ticketing platform that requires a working Japanese phone number in order to finish activating/registering a new account because you must call the number provided to finish account verification. So without a Japanese contact or a Japanese phone number, this platform is basically impossible.

I have a generous friend in Japan who was willing to share her account information with me, which is how I was able to pay for a show and use her log-in to watch the stream. I did not see this show in-person; I do not live in Japan and obviously travel is off-limits. Even if I did live in Japan, I would have qualms about going to the theater.

There are some logistical issues with this show because of the current pandemic, with the most visually obvious one being the small face shields the actors wear on-stage. They basically serve as protection against direct spittle, but obviously they do nothing to guard against aerosol spread; putting on the play is still an incredible risk to the performers and staff. Another difficulty they face is the fact that Tokyo is still continuing to maintain a nightly curfew. Every evening Tokyo performance needed to be bumped earlier so that spectators can leave the theater in time to make it home for that curfew. Keeping that in mind, the show is a surprisingly condensed 2.5 hours long, where I would have expected 3 hours given the amount of content it covered. This does affect the pacing in Act 2 noticeably, and I get the feeling that were it not for covid and the current curfew restrictions, it would feel a little less rushed at the end.

So, with all that said, here are my thoughts on Engeki Haikyuu’s final play, The View from the Top 2!!!  This is absolutely not spoiler-free, for both the play’s content and everything that happened in the manga finale, so if you have not finished the series, this is your last chance to turn back.

Now that I think about it, I haven’t written a full review on a show since Fly High, so I’m a bit rusty at this, and I’ll probably leave out a lot so as always, my askbox is open for people’s additional questions!

The absolute main theme of this play (and really of the entire Haikyuu story) is the friendship and rivalry between Hinata and Kageyama, and the theme: I’m not alone. Engeki really did right by our dual protagonists by framing the final show as showing both of their journeys from beginning to end. Act 1 begins with that familiar sequence from the very first show: Hinata seeing the little giant on TV, being inspired to start playing volleyball, his struggle to find a team in middle school, losing to Kageyama in his one and only middle school tournament, and finding him again at Karasuno. They repeated the scene almost exactly as it was in the first show, and I think it was very smart of them to show us Daigo’s version of it, so to speak. That way we have a more cohesive vision of Hinata from the beginning of his journey to the end. Then they absolutely FLOOD the stage with a montage of projections with footage from all of the shows from the past five-and-a-half years. So already it’s pretty emotional for me, seeing how far the play had come as well as how far Hinata had come in the story.

To parallel this, the beginning of Act 2 actually begins with baby Kageyama. Yes, the baby Kageyama flashback with his sister and grandfather and how he started volleyball. We see Kageyama’s volleyball journey from childhood (for this they used a small doll similar to the dolls they used for young Kuroo and Kenma from Revival) to playing at Kitagawa Daiichi, to losing his grandfather, to being labeled the King of the Court, to defeating Hinata, and then having Hinata find him at Karasuno. And then they once again, they flood the stage with projections with past show footage, but this time they are more Kageyama-centric in the way that the previous ones were often Hinata-centric. And it just really highlights how much these two are meant to share the stage as the two main characters.

To see this framework and to know what’s going to come at the end, with the two of them reuniting in the pro-volleyball arena… just the beginning of Act 2 alone had me in tears. Another way they paralleled their respective journeys was to show us who have influenced them. In Act 1, there’s a dance with Hinata, Hoshiumi, and Udai (all little giants… well, Tsukishima’s in there too because he’s feeling a particular competitiveness with Hinata in this part of the match). In Act 2, there’s a dance with Kageyama, Atsumu, and Oikawa, because Atsumu and Oikawa are the setters who have had the most influence on Kageyama, and he’s drawing on what he’s learned from them for this match. They are not alone in their journeys, they have had people inspire them and be inspired by them in addition to having the support of their teammates.

The Karasuno vs Kamomedai match is interspersed with bits of action from the Fukurodani vs Mujinazaka match, so the stage was pretty busy for basically the entire time. The wires are back for some sequences so that both Hinata and Hoshiumi have a chance to fly, and there are plenty of acrobatics and lifts, and the same incredible soundtrack we love. Ryuu’s Hoshiumi is the obvious standout on Kamomedai for how many lifts he had, and they definitely tried to have him running around on the stage about as much as Hinata. It was notable how much they drew on past techniques and music for various parts of this match, since this is meant to be Karasuno at their peak. When Asahi was feeling particularly stuck/trapped against Kamomedai’s defense, they incorporated the tying-up visual they had previously used in Winners and Losers, with Kamomedai basically tying up and holding Asahi in place with ribbon. There was Summer of Evolution music when Karasuno does a great synchro attack, and the extras-wearing-Hinata-masks reappeared to show us Hinata’s “afterimage” as he flashes around the stage. If you’ve seen all the plays, you can’t miss these call-backs.

The flow of the match was fast. They hit the highlight plays and the highlight emotional moments, but we are clearly past the point where they need to narrate the actual volleyball to us. There was more dancing/acrobatics than attempting to place the two teams on either sides of a physical net with more overt volleyball moves. Everything was more intertwined and fluid than that. And actually now that I think about it, they have been sparse with their usage of a physical net in the past few shows, because everything has been a little more fast-paced overall.

They definitely wanted to highlight Karasuno’s rise throughout the game, to show that they were absolutely a formidable team, that they deserved to be at Nationals, and to show us all the ways that Hinata and Kageyama had grown. For most of Act 2 leading up to Hinata’s collapse, it really feels like they could win this. And I think it makes it that much harder for Hinata to accept being benched, because the team is riding this high and doing so well, and even Kageyama’s more visibly having fun. I think Takeda-sensei easily has a third of the best lines in the series. His speech to Hinata during the Kamomedai match is one that was really gut-wrenching to read when those chapters came out, and it was great to hear it said aloud.

And here is something I’ve never been able to point out because I didn’t do reviews for the past two tours, but I think Daigo’s voice is one of the strongest aspects of his Hinata. I’m sure a lot of that has to do with the work he’s done as a voice actor, but when he cries or whimpers, it is genuinely the most pitiful noise. A lot of Kenta’s portrayal of Hinata’s frustrations throughout the story had an undercurrent of anger and frustration. He’s upset, but there’s always something behind it that says, “well next time, it’ll be different.” And I think Daigo replaces most of that with pure sadness, especially for this scene. After Takeda-sensei lectures him good and proper, and he accepts that he needs to leave, he just sounds so broken. It doesn’t have that anger and drive underneath, he’s just in despair. And why wouldn’t he be? A part of him understands this is the last match he’ll ever play with this team, his first real team.

We then see Hinata bundled up in a coat and scarf, watching the rest of the match from the tablet that Kenma gives him. Snow begins to fall on the stage as he slowly wanders through it, with Karasuno and Kamomedai finishing out the rest of the match around him. Engeki Haikyuu has always allowed for the losing team in a match to line up at the edge of the stage, say thank you to the audience, bow, and take their leave. It’s so symbolic, and it’s so emotional for the actors and for the audience who are in the theater. It’s a moment that just barely breaks the fourth wall, when they turn to us, the spectators, to say, “Thank you for your support.” And they mean it both in and out of character. And I was so so so sad when I realized that Karasuno would take their final bow as a team without Hinata in the lineup. He’s in the back of the stage, separated from his team, and he does take a bow, but it’s very lonely.

Now, I’m sure people are very curious about the timeskip material, and mostly I just have to preface with: it’s fast. It does not take up as much of Act 2 as you might think. It’s boom, boom, boom, cameo here, pre-recorded projections there, patissier Tendou interview, Kuroo in a suit doing a promotional commercial for the V-League, Kageyama’s curry commercial, a projected Osamu selling his rice balls, get the old team together, fateful encounters in front of the bathroom, GO! The only thing we see of the Brazil arc is Hinata having a brief flashback to tell Kageyama that he met Oikawa while he was in Brazil. It’s very short, and that’s all we get for his time in Brazil. Basically, the play is not the place to see Hinata’s journey and growth from those chapters because he goes through so much of it alone, and there’s just no time. The Brazil arc also brings back a lot of technical details about volleyball itself, especially as Hinata is learning the beach version, and that’s an area where the manga is the best medium to examine the finer details of the sport. I can see why a play version would gloss over the technical details to focus on the emotional arc, which is in this case, Hinata and Kageyama.

Because of how fast the ending is, it definitely feels made for the people who already read the manga; Previous Engeki Haikyuu shows have always presented the story in a way that was very friendly to those who may not have read the manga or watched the anime. You could watch just Engeki Haikyuu and not feel like you were missing out on references/jokes for the most part, but this ending would be way harder to follow for those not familiar with what’s already happened.  

It’s difficult because I do feel like Act 2 was overly condensed to wrap up this story, but I also don’t think the timeskip material is enough for a whole play on its own. If we had stopped at the end of the Kamomedai match, and had a whole separate play to cover Brazil and the Jackals vs Adlers match… the pacing would’ve been slow and low energy especially in the first half, and it would be an odd choice for the final show of a series like this. My preference would have been for this play to have been three acts, three hours, so that we could linger on some of those timeskip moments a little more, slow it down, and let them land emotionally. But clearly the covid situation prevents that in this case. That being said, I don’t think any of those timeskip moments could really hit as hard as when I first read them in the manga. Narratively, that Haikyuu timeskip was so unexpected and so outside the normal sports anime formula, that the initial shock is extremely hard to top. It was fun to see how they presented everyone in the future (seeing Noya on that boat catching a giant swordfish, or seeing Ennoshita almost break a patient’s back) in stage form, but it’s unreasonable to expect them to give us the same feeling of ?!?!?!? when we first read that Noya was in Italy of all places after waiting weeks and weeks for him to show up.

I still cried in several places, it’s still a great ending to one of the best 2.5D franchises in existence, and it still feels like the culmination of their legacy. I don’t know how it would be possible for anyone to watch that ending sequence with all of the team flags and the chanting of their names, and NOT cry.

There are no more live streams until they complete the rest of their tour and then there will be a live-stream of the very last show, which I will be watching with a towel in hand for my tears. Feel free to send in any questions if you’d like, and if you would like some Strongest Challengers or Trash Heap merch, I have a sales post that I recently made.

[grailfinders]

Fate and Phantasms #155

Today on Fate and Phantasms we're going back to the Servant Universe to preserve the Saber Empire, thanks to Mysterious Heroine X Alter! This mysterious heroine is a Psi Warrior Fighter for her legally-not-a-lightsaber skills and some legally-not-the-force, and a Bladesinger Wizard for more saber skills and legally-not-the-force lightning.

Check out her build breakdown below the cut, or her character sheet over here!

Next up: Once again, we came so close to making a build at an appropriate time. Oh well, he’s not one for the spotlight anyway.

Race and Background

You might come from another dimension, but you're still Human (er, servant), giving you +1 Dexterity, +1 Constitution, Acrobatics proficiency to help with the impractical swordfighting style you specialize in, and the Mage Slayer feat to ruin the original MHX's day. If a creature within 5 feet of you casts a spell, you can use your reaction to attack them. Your damage also causes concentration checks at a disadvantage, and you get advantage on saves against spells cast within 5 feet of you. MHX is pretty far from a mage, but this will interrupt her saber-tracking efforts.

That being said, you're still about as Far a Traveler as you can get, giving you proficiency with Insight and Perception.

Ability Scores

You are renowned for your ability to knock back sweets, and it's really hard to poison someone who literally has a reactor for a stomach, so we're gonna make your Constitution number one here. After that is going to be Intelligence, you did come from a science fiction world after all, I'm sure you know more than the average bear. Following that up is Dexterity, your armor is at most light, and no matter what form your sword takes it's still a light saber. Your Charisma isn't too bad, you've gotta be able to talk people into buying you mochi after all. Staying under that kotatsu all the time means your Strength isn't great, but we're dumping Wisdom. You want more saber faces in the world, if anything an 8's too much.

Class Levels

1. Fighter 1: First level fighters get proficiency in every weapon, and considering your sword can turn into a chainsaw I'd say that'll come in handy. You also get proficiency with Strength and Constitution saves, as well as two fighter skills. Intimidation matches your dark knight schtick, and Survival will help you cook up some sweets when you're left on your own.

You also get a Fighting Style. Your light saber comes in a variety of packages, but most of them are one handed. That means Dueling will be the most useful for you, giving you +2 on damage rolls while using only one one-handed weapon.

You also get the bonus action Second Wind, letting you stuff yourself with sweets to heal a bit once per short rest.

2. Fighter 2: Second level fighters get an Action Surge, letting you add an action to your turn once per short rest. You spent so much time lazing around, you were just... saving up for when it counted. Yeah.

3. Fighter 3: If you want to be a sith knockoff, you can't go wrong with being a Psi Warrior. When you take the subclass you gain Psionic Powers, powered by psionic dice. They're d6s (that grow when you level up) equal to twice your proficiency bonus that recharge on short rests. Currently, you can use them in three ways.

Your Protective Field lets you spend a reaction and a die to reduce the incoming damage a creature near you is taking by the die roll plus your intelligence modifier.

A Psionic Strike adds the roll + int mod in force damage to a weapon attack to light up your saber once per turn.

You can also use Telekinetic Movement to move a large or smaller object/willing creature up to 30 feet. You can do this once per short rest for free, or by using up a psionic die.

4. Fighter 4: Use this ASI to bring up your Dexterity so your sword skills aren't as bad. You're a saber after all, you've gotta be on your A game! You are a saber, right?

5. Fighter 5: Fifth level fighters get an Extra Attack. It isn't exactly rocket science, but it is very useful.

6. Wizard 1: Moving over to wizard now nets you an Arcane Recovery, helping you recover a couple spell slots on a short rest once per long rest.

Speaking of, you also learn Spells. So many spells. They use your Intelligence for casting and preparation. You get stuff like Shocking Grasp for a cheap force lightning, Mage Hand for some telekinesis that doesn't use resources, your standard gish setup, Mage Armor to make your hoodie worth something, and Absorb Elements to put that magic reactor in your chest to good use.

And that's only some of the spells you could use! Check the character sheet for more.

7. Wizard 2: If you want to blur the line between nerd and sith lord like we do, Bladesinger is a pretty good choice. You get Training in War and Song, which gives you a bunch of proficiencies you already have from fighter as well as Performance. Foreshadowing!

You can also perform a Bladesong proficiency times per long rest if you aren't using heavy armor or two-handed weapons. The song lasts a minute and uses a bonus action to start. While active, you add your Intelligence modifier to your AC and concentration saves, your walking speed goes up by 10, you have advantage on acrobatics checks.

You can also Cause Fear as part of your membership with the Dark R.O.U.N.D.S., and you also get some sci-fi gadgets to Detect Magic.

8. Wizard 3: Third level wizards get second level spells, with Magic Weapon making your light saber a bit fancier and Dragon's Breath for a more dramatic (and consistent!) use of your lightning powers.

9. Fighter 6: Bouncing back to fighter for a bit nets you another ASI to bump up your Intelligence for stronger spells and telekinesis. Again, not flashy but very useful.

10. Fighter 7: Seventh level psi knights gain two new ways to use their psionic dice thanks to being Telekinetic Adepts.

You can use a Psi-Powered Leap once per short rest or by using a psionic die to gain a flying speed equal to 2x your walking speed for the turn for big anime jumps. Dramatically launching yourself at your foes for air combat framed by the moonlight has never been easier.

Alternatively, your Telekinetic Thrust empowers your Psionic Strike, forcing a strength save (dc 8+proficiency+intelligence mod). If they fail the save, you can either knock the target prone or push them 10 feet in any horizontal direction.

11. Wizard 4: Back in wizard for a bit. This level gives you another ASI, so grab the Telekinetic feat, which increases your Intelligence by 1, lets you cast Mage Hand without making it obvious and with an increased range, and you can make telekinetic shoves as a bonus action, pushing a creature 5 feet away or towards you if they fail a strength save.

You also learn the cantrip Green-Flame Blade which makes your saber give off a bit more light and the spells Enhance Ability to activate your true power that's been sealed away for millennia. You also also get Levitate to force choke some people. They don't take damage from the spell, but it opens them up for you walloping them, so same difference.

12. Wizard 5: Fifth level wizards get third level spells, Haste lets you run anime fast for up to a minute- you also get advantage on dex saves and +2 to your AC, but after the spell ends you have to take a nap. You also get the big guns- Lightning Bolt. 100 feet of range, dealing 8d6 lightning damage to creatures that fail a dexterity save. An elegant lightning spell from a more civilized age.

13. Wizard 6: Sixth level bladesingers get something very special: an Extra Attack! It still doesn't stack with your fighter one, but now you can use a cantrip in place of one of your attacks! Roast them with lightning then hit 'em with a sword!

You can also use Fear to be an intimidating presence to multiple people at once, and Catnap to pull out the kotatsu.

14. Fighter 8: Use this ASI to bump up your Dexterity once more for even better weapon attacks and AC.

15. Fighter 9: Ninth level fighters get Indomitable, letting you re-roll a failed save once per long rest. Don't even bother with the wisdom saves, it's not going to happen.

16. Fighter 10: Tenth level Psi Knights have a Guarded Mind, letting you resist psychic damage and burn psi dice to end effects that are charming or frightening you at the start of a turn. See? Told you you didn't have to worry about wisdom saves!

17. Fighter 11: Congratulations on yet another Extra Attack! To be honest, I'm not entirely sure how that stacks with your bladesinger attacks, but that's a headache for your DM to figure out!

18. Fighter 12: Another ASI, bump up your Int again for more AC, Spells, and telekinesis.

19. Fighter 13: Thirteenth level fighters get a second use of Indomitable per long rest, and it's totally not because WotC was running out of ideas, no sir!

20. Fighter 14: Your capstone level is another ASI, which we'll use to get your bond CE thanks to Servo Crafting! You use Find Familiar as a ritual to create a little robot buddy who acts mostly like a normal familiar. Aside from that, you can see and speak through the servo as long as it's on the same plane, and you can ignore one of your own attacks to let the little buddy attack instead. Honestly this probably would have been more useful way earlier, but it's a bond CE, what did you expect?

Pros:

Your various forms of telekinesis give you a great deal of battlefield control, helping you manipulate the positions of enemies and allies to your advantage.

You also have great saves with two of the big three: dexterity and Constitution. Add on the fact that you can shut down the biggest problems caused by failed wisdom saves practically at will, and you're a big threat for magic users.

While your physically aren't great at burst damage like assassins or paladins, you make up for that with gobs of consistency and longevity in melee combat. You've got almost 200 HP, and an AC of 13 + your dexterity mod (4) and your intelligence mod (4). 21 AC in a hoodie is not bad at all!

Cons:

While you can shut off the worst of it, your Wisdom saves are atrocious, and will still cause you problems against illusions.

While it doesn't come into effect until very late into the build, the weirdness surrounding how your extra attacks mesh will have to be addressed eventually

Servo Crafting really doesn't do anything for your build. Not only is it not useful, if you were willing to get rid of it you could invest more into wizard levels and get Bigby's Hand for a real force choke.

[allsassnoclass]

19 & 57 for the 100 ways to say i love you prompt list? whichever pairing you vibe with for it 😊 -💙

okay roll with me here blue heart but let me give you some context for this. michael and luke are part of a youth circus. michael is an acrobat. luke is an aerialist. this is part of a larger universe that has not been written yet but this prompt said muke and i've been thinking too much about youth circuses lately.  there is not a festival for world circus day yet but if there was. whoo boy. it sure would be something.

muke: “Can I hold your hand?” and " There is enough room for both of us.”

The circus festival is huge.

Logically Michael knew that it would be, since it's the first World Circus Day festival and over 100 circus groups signed up, but it's still shocking to get to the festival space and see all of the people and tents.  They've been here for three days already and performed five times, but it's still boggling his mind.

Luke seems equally mystified but a lot more excited, so when he invites Michael to go exploring with him after their morning hand balance routine he accepts eagerly.  They've changed out of costume but haven't wiped off their makeup yet, but Luke is bouncing on his toes and already chattering excitedly about all of the other performances and booths they could hit, so Michael decides to forgo the makeup wipes.  Besides, Luke looks good in glitter, even if circus makeup is ridiculous and big.  Everyone else here is wearing it, so they're not going to stick out or anything.

At least, Michael won't.  Luke draws eyes naturally, especially when he's in the air.  He's the only aerialist that makes Michael want to stop being so scared of heights.

There are dozens of other performances happening simultaneously around the grounds, but Luke bypasses the offers of maps and a program and dives into the crowd instead.  Michael almost loses him immediately in the press of other people, and when he pushes through the bodies and finds Luke again Michael immediately snatches for his hand.  Luke startles, but doesn't pull his hand away, and Michael's stomach swoops like it did the first time he truly gained height on the Russian swing.

"Can I hold your hand?" he asks.  "It's too crowded.  I don't want to get separated."

"Oh," Luke says, face still flushed like it was right after they finished performing.  "Yeah, good idea."

He readjusts their grip, threading their fingers together, then tugs Michael forward again.

They find another performance soon enough, some contortionists from Sweden on a platform twisting around each other.  They watch for a few minutes, but Luke is still bitter that he's not flexible enough to be a contortionist so they move on quickly.  A sword swallower is next, which they watch for longer and with equal parts fascination and disgust.  Danger acts like that aren't taught at their school, and Michael wants to look away but can't find it in himself to.

"How does he do that?" he asks.  He's not sure if he wants to know.

Luke shrugs.  His face is doing something weird, a grimace mixed with curiosity, and they clap enthusiastically when the performer finishes but don't stick around to see what he does next.

Luke takes his hand before they move on.  Michael doesn't let himself read into it, because it's still crowded and Michael really doesn't want to get separated.

There's a Capezio tent, so Luke makes them stop because his are wearing out and he wants to see how much variety is here rather than at their local dance store.  Michael actually should see about ordering another pair before the fall session starts, but his don't have any holes in them yet so it should be fine.  His teeterboard shoes still work and that's all that really matters to him, anyway.

Luke is delighted by the fact that they have more colors than tan, white, and black, but there's not much to see when they're not going to buy anything and they quickly move on.

There's a booth selling cotton candy.  Michael immediately buys some and offers Luke a bite.  He takes some of the fluff and pops it in his mouth, then complains about how his fingers are sticky from just one touch.  For a split second Michael considers doing something ridiculous and gross like offer to lick the sugar off his fingers, but he catches himself and tries not to turn a noticeable shade of red.  Thankfully, Luke is already scouting out their next stop.

The next stop happens to be one of the larger tents on the grounds.  Luke grabs Michael's hand again and beelines for it, stopping short outside and checking his phone for the time, then the schedule for when the next act will be.

"Come on, we're just in time!" he says, pulling Michael into the tent.  He wants to ask what they're just in time for, but the two straps hanging from the ceiling give him a pretty good idea.  At least it's not high wire.  Michael's heart still hasn't recovered from watching Ashton do that without a net, even though he knows that he had a harness.

"I think I see some spots over there," Luke says, pulling him along again.  They pass by other audience members to get to one of the benches near the middle.  The woman near the end scoots over a little when she sees them coming and Luke beams.

"Come on, there's enough room for both of us," he says, plopping down.  He may be right, but barely.  If Michael wants to fully fit on the bench, he has to sit pressed fully against Luke from shoulder to knee.

Luke also hasn't let go of his hand yet, which Michael definitely is still not reading into.  Nope.  No reading happening here.  In fact, Michael is illiterate.

Luke squeezes his hand excitedly when the audience lights dim and the stage lights come up, a voice announcing the performers and country of origin in French, English, and what's probably Russian, given that that's where the performers are from.  Luke watches with rapt attention as two men enter the ring, then the music begins and they start their routine, full of lifts, tricks, and impressive displays of strength.  If Harry and Louis had been a bit stronger, Michael thinks that the duo straps routine from last year's summer show probably would've looked a little like this.  It's impressive, but what's more impressive is the way the stage slight still shimmer off of Luke's makeup and the delighted laugh he gives when the performers do something he hadn't predicted.  He's completely reeled in, smile wide and eyes lighting up like fireworks with each trick.  Watching his reaction is almost better than watching the performance itself, although Michael would never tell him that.  Luke gets offended every time Michael reminds him that aerial acts aren't for everyone.

"Did you see that?" Luke asks excitedly, leaning closer with his eyes fixed on the arena.  He glances at Michael and stops when their faces are about an inch away.

"What?" Michael asks.

Luke's smile shifts into something softer.

"I think they're getting to the finale," he says instead of actually replying.  "You should pay attention."

He turns his gaze back to the performers, hand flexing in Michael's grip.  Michael looks back at the ring where the performers are holding each other up in the air.  He still finds himself in tune with Luke's reactions more than the performance, noticing every sharp intake of breath and relaxed exhale when a trick lands.

When the performance ends, Luke finally detaches their hands to clap.  Michael tries not to mourn the loss.

"Do you want to keep watching these guys?" Luke asks, leaning close to be heard over the cheering.  "I think they have a few more routines, but acrobats from the Chinese State Circus are going to perform at the East Tent soon.  I only really wanted to see the straps routine, anyway."

"Do you have the whole festival memorized?" Michael asks.

"Just the things I thought you'd want to see," Luke says.  "Also, Lena is here, so Ashton wants all of us to see her German wheel routine and say hi, so we're going to do that in the afternoon."

"Oh," Michael says, still stuck on the fact that Luke specifically looked up the things he thought Michael would like.

"Come on," Luke says, nudging him towards the entrance.  "Let's go see the Chinese State Circus."

Once they get outside, Luke takes his hand again.

They pass by a trapeze set up on the way to the East Tent, and Michael's stomach swoops when he looks up and sees the performers so high above them.  Luke just continues pulling them forward, though, and Michael thinks that his feelings about heights are no match for the acrobatics his stomach does when Luke glances back and smiles at him.

[ghafaith]

inej   +    confidence / pride.

a collection of excerpts  taken from the duology,    and some original headcanons.  ( mostly from soc but will be added later on when I get the time to reread ck )

first off,   we know that a person like kaz,   who doesn’t trust anyone,    trusts inej  (or her skills,  as he would say).   for instance,    he sent her to send off the guard patrolling the exchange with no forewarning,    almost as though he  knew  that she would find him in time (and she did).    so when inej was eavesdropping on his and pekka’s conversation,   she was thrown off because in his absence he wasn’t going to put inej in-charge.   

it is the first thought that comes to her mind  when in this deep introspection as to why she feels shocked that kaz wasn’t choosing inej to be in command,   which is so amusing to me.   she knows that she is capable,    she’s smart enough to run the gang when he’s not there,    and she knows that kaz trusts her.    inej didn’t feel dejected,   she was just confused because,  with all the times she has proved her to be more than capable,   how could he not appoint her  in his stead.     

appointing pim,    when inej knows she is better than pim,    acted as an indirect blow to her pride.

“irreplaceable.”    that is the extent of her confidence.    she knows how proficient she is at her job as the wraith.    she knows she’s the best spider in the barrel.    so when kaz says that he can give the job to someone else,    she knows he’s full of shit  because this job that he’d brought was a big risk and he needed the best of the best.    it’s the way she was  so sure  that he  wouldn’t be able to pull off the job  with anyone else  but her.

when she’s contemplating why she stayed in ketterdam when she could easily leave,   her first thought is kaz    (  more on that later  ),    but more importantly,    she believes  she’d be leaving him vulnerable  because  no one else  would be able to do the job of gathering secrets  as well as she did.    

inej fully believed that, while kaz dealt in shame because “it held more value than coin”,   it was  only because  she  gathered the secrets for him.   and once she was gone,   he wouldn’t have that advantage anymore because  no one else  could gather the secrets she could   —   not inane superficial ones about financial dealings or legal information,   pieces of papers that could be altered any time   —   but the  personal ones that actually mattered when trying to get an upper hand on someone,    the ones that would be of use to him.  

inej was confident  that she was the only one who could catch people in their homes or  at places where they felt safe enough   to bring out the skeletons from the closet. 

favourite moment,   favourite moment !    when kaz told her that she’s essentially replaceable to him,   she was  angry  and her solution was to  settle for an apology.    just this minute.    to tell her that she could be easily replaced while she was going around thinking that if she left ketterdam,   kaz would be left vulnerable,    really smarted her pride.   

she could have ignored it and let it go,    but instead she thought that he  had to   apologise for saying that she was  just another spider  to him.   he had essentially  insulted her  and all the quiet support she had offered him   (  as a friend and an ally  )   along with the skills that she had honed over the years,   so she wasn’t going to let it go so easily.     

also,  it’s the way she was ready to settle for an apology that would probably be  insincere,   because even that would be enough to  soothe her wounded ego.   it wasn’t so much about the  apology,    than to make  kaz  say the words.    what is that,   if not one’s pride ?    as we later on see,    it was the last thought that came to her    —    even in the face of death.   (  say you’re sorry.  just say it.  )   the apology was  that  important.

this guy tells her that she will have to climb a  six stories high incinerator shaft  that would have been run in the early morning,    and she  did not hesitate  even once,   just said   “you know I can do it.”    

inej is confident in her skills,   anything related to that is like a second nature to her and she never doubts herself when it comes to doing something dangerous.  

climbing a six stories high incinerator was  cake-walk  to her,   and she  knows  it’s an essential part of the plan.    personally,    I feel like she was almost  looking for that apology  she was so insistent on when she was essentially dying.  or at least,   looking for  an admittance  from him that she was indeed,   an irreplaceable piece of the plan.    anything to soothe that wounded ego.

inej said indignantly.   she was standing her ground on not needing a net,   because she’s  that  confident  she’d be able to   walk a high-wire that’s 20 stories above a cobblestone path.   to add a net  felt like it was being insinuated that she  might fall,   that too while walking on a  high wire,  which was something we later on find that she was  particularly good at  even as a child.

the wraith never falls,   a ghafa never falls    —    ergo,   a ghafa doesn’t perform with a net,  ever.    to add a net was an insult,   not only to  her skills as the wraith  who has scaled the tallest walls and crawled the rooftops of the highest buildings,   but also to  her skills as an acrobat,   the legacy of her family.    

once again,  it was her pride that  insisted  that she would do the high wire walk without a net because she was  so sure  of herself that  even the possibility  of falling  just didn’t occur  to her.

[darbydoo22]

My fic for @grishaversebigbang mini bang!

Materialki: @queenofchaosandwords

Art: https://www.instagram.com/p/COk2plwsYm1/?igshid=pysvoxjyugz4

Summary: Kaz and Jesper attend a masquerade ball to get the layout of a place they plan to rob. When Jesper gets distracted by a cute boy, Kaz is left to find the information on his own. When Kaz finally manages to get to the room with the safe, he finds a distraction of his own, in the form of one of the acrobats performing at the ball.

One thing that never ceased to amaze Kaz was the stupidity of the rich. It seemed that the more money they had, the less they cared about protecting it. Case it point, he and Jesper were attending a ball at one of Ketterdamn’s richest estates, as part of their recon for a heist. A masked ball.

Kaz shook his head. he understood the need to show off, that was something he was no stranger to. But as they walked straight up to the mansion’s front gates, the kind woman at the door happily waved the two of them through. She hadn’t asked for a name, for them to take of their masks, nothing. Gods people were dumb, he thought, not for the first time.

Once inside, Kaz took a look around. The layout was as he’d expected, based on the limited information they had already managed to gather. One big room, filled with masked guests. At the very back of the room, stood a stage, where it looked like the night’s entertainment was just beginning. But most important, off to Kaz’s right, was a staircase that led to a balcony overlooking the room.

 Guests were allowed up there, by the look of it, which was even more stupid on the mercher’s part. Any of them could slip away and poke around the rest of the floor unnoticed. A fancy outfit and a mask were not mutually exclusive of being a thief.

He and Jesper were in their finest suits, all black except for the blood red neckties. The masks they were wearing were solid black as well, the fabric covered in black feathers that tickled Kaz’s nose in what was starting to be an annoying way. Jesper had, jokingly suggested the two of them wear crows’ inspired masks, as one extra ‘screw you’ to the host. Kaz had simply grinned and gone along with the idea. But he was already starting to regret the decision, and the night had only just begun.

“How are people seriously this lax with security?” Jesper asked, shaking Kaz out of his thoughts. Kaz just smiled at him and shook his head. He had been asking himself that since he had heard about this ball. Especially since the night’s entertainment, some Suli acrobats he’d never heard of, would be masked.

“Try to mingle a bit. It won’t do to have the two of us be seen poking around upstairs as soon as we get here” Kaz reminded him. Jesper may have been wearing a mask, but Kaz still saw him roll his eyes. Jesper mumbled a ‘yes mom’, and Kaz had to stop himself from doing something he would regret.

 Instead, he watched as Jesper grinned and seamlessly blended into the crowd. He could see Jesper talking to a girl in what had to be the biggest dress in the room. She laughed at something Jesper had said, and Kaz just rolled his eyes. Kaz, himself, made his way to the back of the room, to where the acrobats were performing. The a few of the acrobats were in the center of the stage, wearing plain black outfits and plain black masks. The rest of the crowd didn’t seem to notice, but one of the performers off to the far right of the stage slipped into the crowd. She moved almost as silently as a ghost, her long braid almost trailing behind her. Kaz wanted to follow where she was going, but the crowd was clapping and cheering as one of the other acrobats did a flip.

The three at the center of the stage continued to tumble around for a bit longer. Eventually, the three of them stood and took a bow. Kaz clapped politely along with the rest of the party goers, but his eyes were scanning the crowd for the girl that had seemingly disappeared. Only a bit disappointed, he turned his attention back to the performers, who were gesturing to some point above them and a bit to the right. Kaz looked up with the rest of the crowd and almost gasped at what he saw.

The acrobat that had disappeared into the crowd was standing on the ledge of the balcony, above the stage. In front of her, was a wire, that ran above the stage, from one end of the room to the other. She smiled, bowed well over the balcony, and set her right foot on the wire. Kaz looked away for a split second and saw that none of the performers on the stage had put up a net. Gods, Kaz thought as he looked back up at her, if she fell, it would be to her death.
Kaz held his breath as she walked, no, danced, across the wire. It was a beautiful sight to see, as she moved with such graceful purpose. She would have made a great spider, he thought, only briefly.

The closer she got to the end, the louder the applause became. The crowd completely lost it when she stepped onto the balcony on the other side of the room and bowed again. Kaz let out a breath of relief. Why was he relieved? He didn’t know the girl. If she was stupid enough to fall to her death because she didn’t think she needed a net, it wouldn’t impact him. Well, it would have stopped the party, he supposed. It was a relief that he could continue on his recon without the interruption of the stadwatch showing up because of a dead acrobat.

Kaz shook his head. The crowd were all still looking up at her in aw, and Kaz used it as his chance to slip away unnoticed. He found Jesper in the middle of the dance floor. He was dancing and laughing with a mercher, which was no surprise. The fact that his dance partner was male only surprised Kaz because the merchers tended to frown upon that. But, he supposed, the mask was giving the young mercher confidence that made Kaz roll his eyes. Even with a mask, he was the only one at the party with hair so bright red and unkept. Kaz had recognized Wylan Van Eck instantly, he was sure the others had too.

Whatever happened to the mercher was not Kaz’s problem, but Jesper, who was distracted by him, was. Kaz tried to wave to get Jesper’s attention, but he seemed far too enthralled with his dance partner to notice, or care about the actual reason they were there. Kaz sighed and made the decision to go upstairs without him. If Jesper did remember that they were here to find a safe and not to dance, he could find Kaz there.

He made his way up the stairs without any issue. Guests were allowed to be up there, and not for the first time, Kaz shook his head at how stupid the rich could be. He pretended to look down at the dancers and spend a bit of time just waiting around before slowly slipping into another hallway. He tried a few different doors along the hall, but when he got to the locked door, he grinned. Too easy, he though, as he slipped his lockpick out of the cuff of his sleeve. He made quick work of the lock and pushed the door open.

One look inside made Kaz freeze. Because sitting on the desk, going through what was presumable the owner of the estate’s papers, was the acrobat that had crossed the wire. She seemed to be weary of him too, as she watched him step into the room and close the door behind him.

“How did you get in here? The door was locked.” He asked her, he held up his lockpick, as if it were proof. She shrugged and hoped off the desk.

“The door was locked. The window was not” she answered as she put the papers back in place. Kaz smiled at her words. She was a spider after all.
She walked over towards him, and Kaz became aware of how much shorter she was than him. It was almost a foot of difference, but she squared her shoulders and didn’t back down.

“Find anything interesting?” he asked. He had no idea why she was going through some mercher’s papers. Again, she shrugged. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, the door opened behind them again. Kaz got a better grip on his cane in case he needed to use it as a weapon. The acrobat must have noticed because she shook her head. They turned to face whoever had interrupted them. When Kaz saw his face, masked or not, he almost swore. It was the owner of the estate, stringing along some woman that was definitely not his wife.

“This room is off limits” the man said. Even under the mask Kaz saw his face scrunch up in annoyance.

“In fact, the door should have been locked. How did you get in?” he asked. Hundreds of ideas and excuses came to Kaz’s mind instantly, but before he could use any of them, the acrobat next to him spoke.

“The door was not locked. This kind gentleman was checking to see if I was okay after the performance” she said. “He was very worried, so we found a room to have a… private conversation” she said. Kaz noticed the connotation behind her words, and if the blush on the mercher’s face was anything to go by, so did he. He ushered the two of them out before closing and locking the door behind them. Kaz let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

“Thank you for the save” He said, then frowned as he considered something else.

“What, exactly will it cost me to keep you quiet about me being there?” he asked her. She smiled and reached out to him. Kaz flinched away from the contact, and she withdrew her hand right away.

“It will cost you a dance” she told him. He looked at her, assessing how serious she was. Despite the brilliant smile on her face, he could tell that she was completely serious. Kaz only sighed and held his arm out for her. She grabbed it, and let him lead her down the stairs, all the way to the dance floor.

She led him to the middle, her hands still clutching his arm. They passed by Jesper, who was still dancing with Wylan Van Eck, and Kaz wasn’t sure what to make of that. He’d definitely though Jesper would get bored of the mercher quickly, but the two of them were still holding each other close.

His attention was immediately drawn back to his own dance partner when her hands shifted from his arm to his shoulders. This was getting dangerously close to skin-on-skin contact, and Kaz was getting antsy about it. As he placed his gloved hands on her waist, she started moving along with the music. He let her set the pace, and they soon fell into a rhythm that was easy enough.

They danced silently for what felt like hours but couldn’t have been more than minutes. The acrobat giggled when Kaz spun her around, and Kaz had to stop himself from smiling at her. And gods, her laugh was beautiful. Don’t get attached, he kept repeating in his mind. But he was already enthralled by the Suli acrobat whose name he still didn’t know.

When the music slowly faded, and the song ended, the acrobat smiled and thanked him.

“I’m Inej, by the way. Inej Ghafa” she told him.

“Kaz…Kaz Rietveld” he answered. He had no idea why he had given her his actual name, he thought, as she disappeared into the crowd. But it had felt right. Like it was a secret only he, and Inej Ghafa, the acrobat and spider, would ever know.

[worryinglyinnocent]

Fic: Tightrope

AU-gust Day Twenty-Five: Circus AU Fandom: Once Upon A Time Pairing: Golden Lace

Rated: T

Summary: High wire walker Lacey and ringmaster Gold share a flirtatious relationship that sometimes hides just how deep the feelings go.

Tightrope

No matter how many times he saw the sight, no matter how much he tried to reassure himself that there was a safety net below her, Gold could never get used to watching Lacey practising new moves on the high wire just below the big top’s roof.

Every time he saw her up there, his heart would start beating at least twice its usual pace, and it would not calm down until she was safely back on solid ground. Or at least at one end of the wire on a nice sturdy platform, rather than performing complicated acrobatics several feet in the air with strong but comparatively thin cable as her only support.

She was up there again now, and Gold couldn’t really say that he was all that surprised. She was constantly coming up with new ideas for her act and she would try them out at all hours of the day or night when the big top was not being used for performances. If she’d had an idea then it simply couldn’t wait, and off she would skip to her domain of choice, rigging up her safety net and gliding across her wire as if she was flying on the trapeze. 

Gold had never been able to decide whether he preferred to go and watch her when she was practicing or whether ignorance was bliss, but he had gradually come to the conclusion that he would rather know what she was doing instead of staying away and his overactive imagination coming up with all kinds of terrible scenarios in which she managed to fall to her death or horrific injury in several different ways. At least if he was there with her, he would be on hand should something horrific occur. 

It never did, though, and seeing it with his own eyes helped to reassure him that Lacey really did know what she was doing. Her sense of balance was absolutely uncanny; Gold wondered if she had been a cat in a previous life, always landing perfectly on her feet, without the slightest wobble.

He had not been surprised when Lacey had gone back to the tent as soon as the show had finished, and the last customers had filed out. She’d been antsy and abstracted all day, performing cartwheels and handsprings all over the shop with a focus that was clearly anywhere except on the ground with her. It would have been fun to watch had she not been getting in everyone else’s way all the time. In a way Gold was glad that she was finally back on the wire as it meant she was off the ground and would not be walking on her hands throughout their camp whilst other people were trying to get from A to B. Usually in stilts.

He made his way up to the top tier of seating, leaning back and gazing up towards the roof and the slim figure in spangled turquoise there, performing a perfect arabesque in the centre of the wire. She seemed to stay there on one leg for what seemed like an age, and as much as Gold could never get used to the fear that accompanied seeing her up there, he would also never fail to marvel at the sheer strength and flexibility of her body. It had certainly made for some interesting times in the bedroom which he could only be grateful for. 

Presently, Lacey came out of the arabesque, both feet now firmly on the wire, but only for a split second before she was into a handstand, walking backwards and forwards on the wire with nimble fingers. For a moment she looked unsteady, her legs flailing a little, and Gold started out of his seat - although what he could do from so far down he had no idea. Then she was still and steady again, and Gold eventually sat back down, watching her with increased blood pressure until she had reached the platform at the end of the wire and stepped onto it gracefully, her body arching as she righted herself. 

“Don’t say it,” she called down to him. “One of these days I’m going to give you a heart attack.”

Gold laughed. “You know me so well.”

She set out across the wire again, this time just walking it on her two feet, for which Gold was very grateful. She had done it so many times that she could walk it blindfold - and had indeed done so on a couple of memorable occasions. She was fast and confident, and she continued back and forth for a couple of minutes before stopping in the centre again. 

“You might want to close your eyes for this next bit,” she said. 

“What weird and wonderful idea have you come up with this time?”

“Oh, you’ll see. Well, you won’t if you close your eyes, but I know you. You never listen to me.”

“The feeling’s mutual.”

“I never listen to you because you’re normally telling me that I’m going to send you into an early grave. If you’re that worried about your heart you should have picked a girlfriend with a much more sedate act.”

Although he couldn’t really see her face clearly from this distance, Gold could tell that there was a smile in her voice, and she didn’t really mean it. She had a point though - her role wasn’t exactly the least dangerous even when she did have a safety net underneath her. Still, in a choice between being with Lacey and constantly fearing for his blood pressure, or not being with Lacey and living a quiet life, Lacey won every time. 

Despite his firm decision, however, he still gasped with alarm as she sprung off the wire, turning a somersault in mid-air and landing back on her feet, crouching so low her nose almost touched the wire before straightening back up again and giving a little curtsy. Gold dutifully kept his mouth shut. There had been several times before when he’d been convinced that Lacey did in fact have sticky feet. 

“All right,” Lacey called as she made her way back towards the platform and began to climb down to the ground. “I think that’s probably enough for tonight. We don’t want our ringmaster dying of fright before the Saturday evening crowd comes tomorrow.” She crossed the ring towards him and hopped nimbly up the steps, flinging herself down onto the bench beside him and leaning in with a butter wouldn’t melt expression. Gold knew that she was not contrite at all, but he was glad that she’d got her new ideas out of her system; hopefully, she would be a bit calmer now. 

“With some of the stunts you pull, I’m not sure that we don’t get the audience dying of fright.”

“Ah, yes, but what do you come to the circus for if not to be entertained? And sometimes, that entertainment takes the form of being scared out of your wits. It’s the adrenaline rush. You can bet that none of the audience sitting out here would be able to do what I do. They’re living vicariously. And come on.” She prodded him in the ribs. “You love watching me really.”

He couldn’t deny it. There was definitely something mesmerising about watching her dance along the wire as easily as if it was the solid ground beneath his own feet. She was almost more at home in the air than she was on the ground, she moved so unnaturally well up there that it was natural in its own way. 

“Why do you watch me?” Lacey asked presently. “You grouse about it all the time, but you’re still always in here when I’m experimenting.”

“I…” Gold had never really talked about the extent of his feelings for Lacey before. They had been together for a little while, and they had both been treating it as a pleasant little affair, a nice flirtation with added perks. The L-word had not been mentioned, or even really mooted as a possibility, and it was only now that he was really being forced to confront it that Gold realised that was where his feelings were going. 

“I don’t want you to get hurt,” he admitted. “Seeing you fall would probably stop my heart, but I know that I’d feel even worse if you fell and I wasn’t here to help you.”

Lacey laughed, which wasn’t the reaction he’d been expecting to his declaration, but it was soft and light, nothing mocking in it. She leaned in to kiss him. 

“Thank you,” she said. “It’s nice to know that there’s someone out there who worries about me so much. It makes me feel… wanted.”

Gold had never pried into Lacey’s reasons for running away from whatever life she’d had before in order to join the circus, just as she had never really asked about his. They were both searching for love and belonging in their own way, and it was a thousand to one against that they’d find it with each other, but here they were. 

There was a moment of heavy silence, both of them looking at each other. The confession was at the tip of his tongue, and he thought that perhaps Lacey knew that and was not yet ready to hear it, as she jumped up and grabbed his hand, dragging him down the seating to the ground. 

“Come on, time’s getting on and Granny’s going to kill us if we’re late for dinner.”

Gold laughed, following her down willingly. His confession could wait. For now, he was content to keep walking the exhilarating tightrope that was life with Lacey.

[hanniiesuckle17]

Bend Over Backwards

A/n: not requested but I recently was watching old cirque videos and thought of a cute idea so here ya go my lovelies.

Member: Seo Changbin ft. StrayKids

WARNINGS: Partial nudity, swearing, uwuing Binnie

Summary: You started dating Changbin six months ago and he recently started staying over at your place. You haven't been exactly open about your job with him as it can be a little intimidating. All he knows is that you are a performer as well and are always home later than him........which says a whole fucking lot and that you come home with glitter in your hair sometimes. What happens when he starts to ask questions?

GENRE: Acrobat! au Reader, Cirque de Soleil!reader

I could tell I made Changbin nervous. But nervous in a good way. (OMG SHE IS SO PRECIOUS AND HOT AND UWU LITERALLY ALL THE FREAKING TIME MATROSHYKA WHAT?)

But, lately he was anxious for another reason. It was the eighth night in a row you saw his shoes by your front door. At this point he was probably only dating me because my apartment was closer to the studio than the dorms. My watch read 3 AM. All the lights were off so I knew he was in bed already. I knew he would abuse it if I gave him a key. (Though I didn't think it would be this way.)

I took off my shoes and changed into one of Bin's big fluffy shirts. I climbed into bed with him and started to fall asleep until he instinctively pulled me into his chest. "Five." He mumbled. I hummed back in question.

"This is the fifth time you've come home late and with glitter in your hair and on your face." He stroked a piece off my cheek sleepily and held it up for me. "Is there something I need to know, Y/n?"

When I stayed quiet he sat up in bed and turned on the light on the bedside table. "I'm not dating a stripper right....I mean not that I would mind- I mean I would mind-but that's not the point." I sat up tiredly holding his face in my hands. "No. I'm not a stripper." Laying back down, I tried to go back to sleep.

"So, what do you do?" I gave Changbin a look and he just shrugged his shoulders cutely. "Bin we talked about this! I'm a performer that's all you need to know." He didn't look satisfied.

"What I WANT to know more? Why don't you want to tell me?" Frustrated, I sat up looking tiredly into his eyes. "It's intimidating, okay! The work hours are long and rigorous and my shows are a little intimidating to someone seeing it the first time."

He started playing with my fingers, which he knew calmed me down a little, before looking back up at me.

"Yeah, but what do you do?"

"You are impossible."

"Thanks."

"Not a compliment, Bin."

"Y/n! Just tell me what you do already!"

"Fine! You can come to my show this weekend. I have a couple extra tickets. Now can we please go to sleep?" I pleaded pulling on his sleeve. With a big smile he nodded pulled me back down into his chest. There was a moment of silence as he stroked my hair lulling me back to sleep.

"You being a stripper would make sex make so much more sense." There was silence after I slapped his shoulder, quite hard I might add.

I didn't hear a word about my job from Changbin for the rest of the week. Which was surprising. He didn't even say anything when I climbed into bed at 4 AM. He just kissed my forehead and went back to sleep.

Saturday had finally rolled around and Changbin and the rest of the boys had taken the day off. He insisted I get more tickets for them the day before. What he didn't realize is that we technically sold out tickets three weeks ago. I managed to scramble together seven other tickets and gave them to him before I left that morning.

Placing a soft kiss on my lips he ushered me out the door. "Go! Go! I want you to do you best today!" Changbin said essentially shoving me down the hall to the elevator. Laughing, I waved goodbye to him and then headed off to the stadium my show was performing in. Cast members greeted me with smiles and kisses on the cheek and I dropped my stuff on backstage before going out and stretching thoroughly.

Lifts and rigging were being hauled up into the ceiling for safety check and in a couple hours our large cast would go into costume and makeup.

House lights had been down for at least an hour and the show was about half way done. I stood backstage in the wings prepping for my act which came on shortly. I stood in my flesh colored bodysuit which sparkled at certain angles in the light. The harsh lines of the makeup accentuated my facial structure in the show's desired aesthetic. I climbed the stairs quietly up to the cat walk where my friend held my silks for me. Briefly stretching my head, ankles, and neck before he helped me into the starting position wrapped in the bright red fabrics.

He counted me down before moving the silks away from the catwalk so that I was hanging above the stage itself almost completely upside down. This was my favorite part. No one in the audience could see me yet, but I could see everything from up here. I loved the feeling of my muscles working to hold my body up with the help of the soft fabric.

Soon my cue came on and I was slowly lowered on stage. I was ready to perform.

START CLIP AT 3:52

The feeling of only my body being in control was thrilling and the fact that millions of eye were watching only added to the rush. This was what I lived for. To perform. Slowly my feet lowered to the ground and my heartbeat began to climb down from its high. The applause was deafening as I left the stage.

Once in the wings, I was handed water and rushed to change into my next costume for the aerial bar act. The shoe proceeded as normal and soon it was finished. The cast came out and did curtain call and then I could go and remove all of the harsh makeup. Looking down at my phone I saw multiple notifications. One from Dispatch news with a picture of the boys walking into the show. The others were texts from the boys who were completely shocked. It brought a smile to my face and I quickly removed the rest of the stage makeup.

Waving goodbye to my friends as they left I raced back out onstage. I searched for the boys who said they would wait for me and so that they wouldn't get more pictures. The stadium was empty though as I stood center stage. The feeling was weird since I was always up in the air.

Suddenly, I heard applause coming from the aisles. I squinted to see the familiar form of my boyfriend walking towards me. Laughing, I climbed off the stage and ran to him. His embrace felt better than any rush from the stage ever could. Changbin spun me around telling me how proud he was.

"You aren't intimidated?" He shook his head with a laugh, pulling away from me. "What? No! This is so cool!" He swung out hands back and forth a huge smile on his cute face. "Your everyday office is fifty feet in the air! That's so cool!" "Sixty actually but whose counting." He wrapped me in another hug planting kisses all around my face.

"So.....you want to try it?" I said motioning my head to the stage. Before crew left they had set up for the first act which was multi trapeze. "Is it safe? I thought everybody left?" I nodded pulling him to the stage. "It's safe as long as you're with me, babe."

He looked up warily at the high bars. "First, while you look very handsome in your blazer, that has to come off. Loose fabric could get caught in the rigging." I started playfully unbuttoning his shirt. "Y/n, if you wanted me to strip just ask." He retorted with a smirk.

"Come on then. Hurry up." I called over my shoulder as I climbed the ladder up to the highest platform. Soon, I heard him coming up behind me. I turned to see him clutching the small railing we had on the pole. "You afraid of heights, Bin?" I stroked his cheek which calmed him down a little bit. "Not usually." He looked down and his eyes went wide.

"Isn't there supposed to be a net!" I laughed seeing him panic. "This is Cirque. We live without nets to catch us." I jumped off the platform grabbing a farther out bar at the last moment before swinging to the other platform and landing gracefully. "Y/N I'M GOING TO DIE!"

Changbin now clung to the pole like a koala bear. "It's fine! You see down there? Those are trampolines embedded in the floor! It's how we do most of our stunts! If you fall they'll catch you!"

Pointing the the lighter black strips on the floor that were strategically placed on the stage. "MY GIRLFRIEND IS TRYING TO KILL ME!" Bursting out laughing I tried to catch my breath. I swung back out and positioned myself so I was hanging from the bar by my legs.

"Just grip the bar and don't let go. Push off from the platform!" Motioning with my hands, I tried to slowly usher Bin to the trapeze. Hesistantly he gripped the bar until his knuckles went white. "One." I counted. "Two." He said with an inhale. "Three!"

Screaming he pushed off from the platform and swung through the air. "Look at you! You're doing it.....sort of!" His legs were flailing in the air like a cartoon character. "You wanna try something else?" Hesistantly he nodded. Moving my torso I made it so out swings matched up. "On the count of three I want you to let go okay!"

"Y/N YOU ARE THE MOST INSANE BITCH EVER!" I laughed and kept the motion going. "You love me though."

"Yes."

"You trust me?"

"NOT AT THE MOMENT!"

"Trust me, Binnie. I won't let you fall."

He nodded and took a deep breath. On the count of three he let go and shut his eyes screaming in the process. He stopped when he felt my hands latch onto his wrists holding him up. He looked up at me and smiled. I talked him through how to reach the bar and I pushed myself up to balance on the small thing. Changbin sat on the trapeze gripping the rope for dear life while I stood next to him.

Moving to sit one leg on either side of the trapeze I looked over at him. "Thank you for coming." The motion of the bar blew his hair out of his face slightly. He seemed less scared and had a smile on his face now. "I wouldn't have missed it for the world." He gave me the largest smile I had ever seen. True happiness and love could be seen in his eyes. My hand came to his cheek and brought him into a kiss.

To be honest, kissing Changbin had always been my favorite thing. But, I would always remember this one, when he shared something I loved with me. I couldn't have been happier. We both smiled into the kiss and it felt even more that we were the only ones in the entire space.

He pulled away with a smile and the looked around the stadium. "I love you." He turned his head at my voice. We had said it jokingly before, but something about this time made it different. "I love you. More than anything in this world. More than anyone had ever loved before." He always had a way with words, but Changbin never failed to make me feel this way. We sat together for a moment, enjoying the sway of the bar and each others company.

"So.....how do we get down?" "We jump."

"Y/N!!! ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS?"

[the-depressed-shiny-buneary]

Friends of the Main Cast: Selene Reid

Selene is the child of Cilan and Aria. She’s a perfect mix of both of their personalities, having Cilan’s passionate nature but also his calm, collected and formal side and Aria’s bright personality as well as her energetic and cheerful nature. Much like Cilan she’s a great cook and will often help out in the restaurant along with her father and her uncles. She’s also great with creating performances like her mother. However, she’s indecisive and doesn’t know if she wants to be a performer like her mom or a connoisseur like her father. She did however pass her connoisseur test and is currently an A-class Connaisseuse. When she’s not cooking with her uncles and father, she’ll evaluate the bond between trainers and Pokemon. That’s how she met Ashley and the others, she evaluated their starter Pokemon and they quickly became friends with each other. 

Her main colors would be yellow and green. Yellow represents her optimism and cheerful nature, as well as her creativity and her academical and logical side she inherited from her father as she also believes fact over fiction, she also has some originality as she tries to create her own phrases when evaluating Pokemon and their trainers. However, the yellow also represents how she can over analyze something. Green represents how she emotionally balanced and calm, as well as how she’s family oriented as she prefers to be with her family than with her friends. She also loves nature, as such she loves spending her time outside than inside, she’s sympathetic and compassionate, as well as kind, generous, nurturing and loyal. She’s also dependable, agreeable and a diplomate as she helps others settle any arguments they may have with another person. Her shade of green would be Jade green as it represents her diplomatic side and her generosity as she does things without thinking about getting something out of it, and will humbly decline any kind of reward for what she does unless someone is insistent, she’d also wear Emerald green as it represents how she’s inspiring and uplifting.

When evaluating a Pokemon and their trainer she’ll use examples from nature, such as ‘Your love or your Pokemon is like the fire you have when you’re camping, comforting and warming with a bit of protection. You two are clearly a perfect match~’ Or ‘Your dream is like the sparkling stars at night and they shine brightly, reach for the stars that shine brightly like you and your partner!’

Her Pokemon:

Braixen- Selene always admired her mother’s Delphox and how she can perform in showcases, so when she was given the choice she got a Fennekin that later evolved into a Braixen. Braixen is much like her trainer, cheerful and energetic, as well as being interested in performing. She loves to dress up with Selene and creating performances in their free time together. She likes being groomed by her trainer and loves to look her best. 

Caught in a Pokeball.

Ability is Blaze.

Moves are Flamethrower, Psychic, Sunny Day, Solar Beam, Fire Spin, Will-O-Wisp, Light Screen, Wish, Shock Wave and Psyshock.

Roserade- Selene was evaluating a trainers Pokemon team but when she got to the trainers Roserade, she saw a kind of rift in their bond. She saw how nervous and upset Roserade looked and she asked the trainer how did he feel about that Roserade, the trainer then said he found her useless as all she does is dance more than battle and he finds it annoying. Selene responded that he could release Roserade and she’ll be in her care while he can go find a different Pokemon to replace her and she recommended a few Pokemon he could choose from. He agreed and let Selene have Roserade. Roserade was a shy Pokemon but she loved to dance and use her moves as she’s dancing, she was unsure if she wanted to be with Selene but she later warmed up to her.

She has an orange scarf around her neck that she values very much as Selene gave it to her to show her their friendship.

Caught in a Friend Ball.

Ability is Technician.

Moves are Poison Jab, Dazzling Gleam, Nature Power, Bullet Seed, Petal Blizzard, Giga Drain, Grass Whistle, Shadow Ball, Petal Dance and Magical Leaf.

Mothim- Selene had caught a Burmy and she wasn’t sure if she got a male or a female. She got her answer when he evolved into a Mothim. As a Burmy, Mothim was a bit of a glutton and only really wanted to eat anything he would find, mostly honey. When he evolved he lost his gluttony and started taking an interest in performing alongside with his trainer. He’s a loyal and playful Pokemon, though he will get distracted by honey or any kind of pollen from flowers or berries. 

Caught in a Net Ball.

Ability is Swarm.

Moves are Quiver Dance, Giga Drain, Hidden Power (Rock), Silver Wind, Acrobatics, Air Slash, Flash, Psychic, Shadow Ball and Tailwind.

Emolga- Selene had found Emolga while it was snowing and saw how cold she was getting, so she picked her up and brought her back home so she can warm up. She had made some soup for Emolga and wrapped her in a blanket to make her comfortable, once she was feeling better and she would let Emolga be on her way once the snow stopped. After a while, Selene and Emolga went back to where she was found and Emolga flew back to her tree. Soon after, Emolga would visit Selene and play with her until she had to fly back to her tree. One day Emolga came to Selene injured and ready to faint, she used the medical knowledge she learned from her father and healed her and learned that Emolga’s tree was taken over by a group of Pokemon she couldn’t beat, so she had nowhere else to go. Selene then offered her to be her Pokemon, Emolga agreed in a heartbeat. Emolga is a sweet Pokemon that enjoys flying around, however she hates touching the ground and would always land on a tree, a tree stump or a rock than land on the ground. She also likes to be helpful, so she’ll use her ability to fly to grab anything high on a shelf.

Caught in a Quick Ball.

Ability is Static.

Moves are Quick Attack, Charge, Spark, Nuzzle, Acrobatics, Discharge, Iron Tail, Air Slash, Attract and Charge Beam.

Slurpuff- Selene was working in the kitchen one day and just saw a Slurpuff drooling while looking at the food, so Selene went out to give him some food. This became a rinse and repeat routine until Selene caught Slurpuff, he didn’t really mind being caught. Slurpuff loves to eat, but he’s very picky and will only eat food given to him by Selene, Cilan, Chili and Cress. Because of his sense of smell, he goes with Cilan, Chili, Cress or Aria to pick the freshest ingredients for cooking and baking.

Caught in a Heal Ball.

Ability is Sweet Veil

Moves are Fairy Wind, Sweet Scent, Cotton Spore, Cotton Guard, Play Rough, Wish, Psychic, Light Screen, Aromatherapy and Play Nice.

Ambipom- Selene met Ambipom while she was looking for berries for a recipe, Ambipom helped her out by showing her where the berries are and even helped her gather them. Selene thanked the Ambipom and went on her way. Selene soon met up with Ambipom again to give her a sample of what she made with the help of the berries she had helped her gather, she loved in and soon they had developed a friendship and Ambipom was caught. Ambipom knows a lot about fruits, berries and herbs so she’ll always be with the family to show them which one is the best for any recipe they want to try. Because of her tails she also helps with carrying the groceries, mostly the heavy ones. She loves Selene and will very often wraps both of her tails around her and squeezes her, thankfully not too tightly.

Caught in a Friend Ball.

Ability is Technician.

Her held item is a Silk Scarf, which powers her Normal type moves.

Moves are Dual Chop, Swift, Double Hit, Return, Focus Punch, Thunder Punch, Fire Punch, Ice Punch, Aerial Ace and Double Team.

[piperholmes]

Fitting Together Our Broken Parts

By: piperholmes

Thank you so much for the kind reception for Costumed.

I started a multi-chapter story that can be read on AO3

Or you can read the first part under the cut!

Phillip asks Anne to marry him…a few times. Phillip has to learn it isn’t as easy as he thinks it is and Anne has to be willing to believe that hope can be powerful when built on love. This will be in a few parts.

I wasn’t sure of the timeline but I am going with 1888 since that is the year Zac Efron used in an interview. I have researched marriage laws for New York in 1888 so I am trying to make this as accurate as my amateur research can make it. This isn’t beta’d either so I apologize for any mistakes.

Part 1: The Release

The first time he asked her to marry him it had been a bitterly cold, quiet night.

The snow had fallen heavily on New York, creating a glimmering, soft, silver wonderland that would be a sludge of brown by mid-morning as the busting city came to life. But for now, as the moonlight fought for prominence against the street lamps, there was a stillness and beauty that defied the biting chill.

The circus sat silent for once.

No crowd pushed for entrance, no one willing to ford the flakey powder that buried the city. It was easier to stay at home, warm by the fire, and pretend. Pretend to believe that the ephemeral world around them offered a sense of contentment. No one was fooled by the soft, delicate nature of the icy, deadly blanket they were all settled beneath, however, and so there was no audience to entertain.

It wasn’t often the performers got a night off so many had gathered together in small groups, around fires, playing cards, drinking, singing, laughing, anything to help stay warm.

W.D., however, sat silently, ignoring the glare from Lettie.

“Let it go,” the older woman advised. “There’s nothing that’s going to stop the boy from loving her.”

He scowled, but said nothing.

W.D. had, in the beginning, argued with his sister, warned her against spending more time with the young man. A young man who knew more privilege and freedom than either of the acrobats had ever dreamed of enjoying. He feared for his sister. He feared what such an association might do to her. What the world might do to her. What the dissidence of two different understandings might do to her. But in the end, he gave up. He’d seen the look in her eyes. The same look when she let go of the safety of the bar and flew with courage and skill above the danger below.  She was used to life without a net.

None of the other performers spoke about it to him. They left him stewing when his sister would disappear into Carlyle’s office, or when the ringmaster would take her to places that professed to beauty. To W.D. such beauty was counterfeit, hiding the ugliness behind diamonds, because beauty, true beauty should be available to all, not to those of a certain skin color and wealth. Anne would never see such beauty but on the arm of an affluent white man, and W.D. struggled with the happiness he felt for his sister to experience such a world and the heartbreak at knowing the price she paid.

His forced his gaze away from the office above them, finally giving into Lettie’s attempts to engage him in a game of Cinch.

He just hoped his sister knew what she was doing.

Phillip sat at his desk in his office, reviewing accounts, grateful for the fire roaring in his small cast-iron stove, the smoky scent of the burning wood covering the oft pungent aroma of elephants and zebras. He’d wondered at the idea of expanding his space, but knowing how hard it was to fight against the cold had always deterred him. For now, especially as Anne sat so near him, her legs crossed beneath her on the cot he’d set up in his office for those nights when he wouldn’t make it home, he knew he’d never give up this tiny space for anything bigger.

Phillip leaned away from the account logs, tired of adding and subtracting and feeling like it always came up short, and just watched her. Sometimes that was all they could do. The nightly performances were exhausting, and it was enough to just be together, silent. Anne would often fall asleep on his cot as he worked into the wee hours. Her body aching from exertion. He’d eventually slid up alongside her, pulling her tightly against him so he’d have enough room, then fall into a dead sleep. Other nights they would sit and talk, legs pressed against each other, fingers entwined. They listened and shared. Exploring worlds neither could imagine; her wonder and amazement at the places he’d been, the people he’d met, the life he’d lived, his awe and adoration at the cruelty she’d endured, the fights she’d survived, the family she had created.

It seemed impossible, like two stars forever trapped in one orbit, destined never to touch. Yet, somehow, they’d broken free and fallen together.

He watched her now, as she sat with her eye close, her arms moving to music only she could hear, dreaming up some new routine.  Her face free of any paint, hair lose about her shoulders, looking younger than either of them felt.

He felt happy, and warm, at home.

Without much thought he simply said, “Marry me.”

His voice sounded rough and gravely from disuse, the deep tones almost difficult to hear but he saw her arms freeze before lowering as her eyes opened to meet his.

She looked at him.

He pushed away from his desk, moving to kneel in front of her, his hand coming to rest against her knee.

“Marry me,” he repeated.

Her brow lowered as her lips pressed together.

“Anne,” he whispered, his eyes unwavering from hers.

They sat like that, wordlessly looking at each other, before she leaned forward, her hand cupping his face, pulling him gently towards her until her lips met his. Again, and again, her lips pressed, welcoming him, deepening the kiss. One hand slip to the back of his neck, her fingers burying themselves into his hair, the other hand fell to his shoulder, then chest, then beneath the brown jacket he’d yet to shed.

She felt the warmth of his body, and delighted in the way his breath hitched against her lips when her fingers pulled his white-button up from the waist of his pants before slipping beneath his undershirt, her chilled fingers connecting with the heat of his skin.

They had kissed like this before, engaging in the prelude of a deeper connection, but Phillip always stopped them before too many clothes had been removed.

“I won’t ruin you,” he’d swore. “You are more to me than one night.”

Her love and fear of him had grown with that promise. She’d loved him for how he loved her, but she knew that there was no true hope in the world allowing them to be together the way Phillip dreamed.

She used her weight to leverage him up, forcing him to fall forward onto her and the cot, her lips never leaving his.

“Anne,” Phillip warned, his hands pressing against the cot, surrounding her, pushing his face away, his breath panting against her face.

“Shh,” she soothed, beginning to pepper his face with small kisses before slowly moving to his jaw, then just below his ear, until she was gently sucking at the skin of his neck.

She felt a low moan begin in his chest, and knew he’d fight harder to pull away.

Her leg came up, wrapping around the back of his thigh, pulling him more fully on top of her.

“Don’t,” she pleaded when she felt him stiffen. “Don’t pull away from me.”

She had whispered the words into his ear, her cheek now pressed tightly against his. She could feel him against her where she cradled him between her legs.

“Make me your wife.”

Phillip’s head snapped back, blue eyes colliding with dark brown, both searching, both pleading, both hopeful.

With a groan, he allowed his weight to settle more fully against her, his lips meeting hers with a fervor neither had been willing to express before this moment.

They had worked to remove clothes, moments of laughter merging with the passion. It was awkward and tender, learning and exploring, embarrassment and pleasure delicately interwoven.

He’d been gentle and careful, and she’d teased him.

Both did a poor job hiding their nervousness, and an even worse job at keeping quiet.

Phillip laughingly shushed her, claiming his fear of W.D., until Anne scolded him for mentioning her brother to her at such a time, then promptly rolled her hips in such a way that Phillip could only swear loudly.

And nothing could be done about the squeaking protest of the bed bearing their weight.

Afterword, after they had shyly helped each other clean up, as they lay tightly wrapped together beneath the old blanket Anne had brought to him long ago, claiming if she was going to fall asleep in the office the least he could do was have a soft blanket, both breathing hard, hearts pounding against each other, finding a perfect rhythm, Phillip kissed her brow.

“You are going to marry me, right?”

She lifted her head, her chin resting against his chest, a small, sad smile on her lips. She leaned up to kiss the corner of his mouth before resting her head back against his heart.

“We already are.”

He wanted more. Wanted her to give him a clear answer, but he knew that was all she would say tonight. He knew because he knew her, body and soul.

Because he loved her.

Yes, they were married, their vow to each other sealed tonight, two becoming one.

But Phillip was determined to tell the world.

He would marry his wife one day.

[thewidowstanton]

Alexandra Royer, Russian bar flyer and aerial hoop specialist: Barcode Circus Company

Alexandra Royer, who comes from Quebec City, was inspired to take up circus after watching companies such as Cirque Eloize and Cirque du Soleil. Later, after living in Morocco, she trained at the Quebec Circus School and was approached by Cirque du Soleil to join its show Quidam on an aerial hoop contract when she was just 16. In 2008, Alex chose instead to further her studies at Montreal’s National Circus School. There she met her two American Russian bar bases, Eric Bates and Tristan Nielsen, and on graduating they began to perform worldwide with leading companies including The 7 Fingers, Cirque Eloize, Cirque du Soleil and La Soirée.

The trio were joined by Eve Bigel of Compagnie XY, and as Barcode Circus Company they have performed in Olympic ceremonies, on TV shows and at corporate events and cabarets, also in street and contemporary dance shows, as well as full-length circus creations. They have also won numerous awards, including silver and bronze medals at 2018’s Cirque de Demain Festival in Paris. Alex is now taking part in Barcode’s first full-length production, Sweat and Ink (De Sueur et d’Encre), which headlines at Hand to Hand: A FringeArts Circus Festival in Philadelphia, USA. The show runs from 31 May – 2 June 2018. She chats to Liz Arratoon.

The Widow Stanton: How old were you when you first became aware of circus? Alexandra Royer: Quite young. In Quebec City we were surrounded by Cirque du Soleil, Cirque Eloize… and I can’t remember exactly when I asked about it but I wanted to go to the circus. I wasn’t doing circus yet but I asked my parents to take me.

Do any shows stand out? I totally remember Nomade by Cirque Eloize. It was wonderful… Anton Carabinier was in it. He was, I think, 18 then and I had a big crush on him… and I wanted to do circus after seeing it. Guillaume Saladin was in it too, and he is so nice, just so nice. And also Cirque Eos, which was a circus from Quebec City. A lot of artists from Eos still do circus even though it was like, 20 years ago. Erika Lemay is like the queen of circus; she has long legs and she’s beautiful; she does handstands. She was with them.

Were you always an active kid? In school my mum registered me for theatre and dance classes but I was actually really, really shy so going onstage was never an option. But when I was seven we found a little class in a circus school. It was only half an hour a week but it was really fun.

Is anyone else in your family in showbusiness? I found out later on that I had some distant cousins – something like my grandparents were cousins of their grandparents – and they were also in Nomade. My cousin, Marie Michèle Faber, is beautiful and she sings and does aerial hoop and silks in Cirque du Soleil. Her brother is Jean-François Faber, and he does acrobatic bike, like, trial bike, manipulations and acrobatics. But they are not why I went into circus; they didn’t influence me.

Who or what did inspire you? After the year of circus I did when I was seven, my family moved to Morocco and I did horseback riding there. Once, the trapeze company Les Arts Sauts brought a huge show, Kayassine, to Marrakech. I was talking about circus then but I don’t remember why it affected me so much because I couldn’t do any acrobatics. My dad had bought a trampoline just to ease the move to another country but actually I was super happy to go. It was really nice to have a trampoline in the backyard but I was only doing simple moves… front drop, back drop… My mum is from France and she knows Danielle Le Pierrès’ sister really well. Danielle is the founder of Le P’tit Cirk, and when Les Arts Sauts came my mum’s friend was there to babysit Danielle’s young children.

My mum, of course, saw her friend, so we had a private visit to the tent. We climbed into the safety net, we saw the show, it was gorgeous – one of the best memories of a show I have. I think I was about nine. Then a lot of the cast came to our backyard for a barbecue. We had some wild boar in the freezer – a hunter had given us so much meat – so my mum was like: “Oh perfect, bring the whole cast.” Everybody was there and the trampoline was there, so some of the porters made people do backflips and I was thinking, ‘Wow, this is really fun. I want to join in with them’.

I think it was the first time I realised that I really wanted to do circus, not because of the show so much, but more because of the feeling backstage. It was really great; a great afternoon where we had fun and talked to the artists. After they left I carried on with my life in Morocco without circus but when we came back to Canada I went to the school in Quebec.

Why did you then choose aerial? Um… good question. To get into the school in Quebec I did a trapeze act. Jade Dussault, who is in FlipFabriQue, was my coach. I think she was 12 years old and I was ten. [Laughs] It’s really funny; I wasn’t ready to enter the programme so much but they were looking for people because it was a rather new programme. They said: “Oh, she’s super small and kind of strong and flexible,” so I did trapeze. I can still remember how stressed I was before doing my act. I couldn’t remember the music; I only had a CD and the guy said: “What is your music?” And I said, ‘I don’t know. My teacher is not here…’, or, ‘My teacher is 12 years old…’. but finally I did something and I was accepted. I was alone at home when they told me and I asked, ‘Is this person and this person also coming? I’ll come if they’re coming’. I had also been thinking of going to horseback riding school but I decided to do circus because I had so much fun in the audition and met lots of people.

How difficult a decision was it to turn down Cirque du Soleil’s offer? What’s interesting in Quebec you learn to do everything, and we were training quite hard. I saw The 7 Fingers’ show Traces, and we were all so pumped up when we came back, we wanted the school to open up, but it was the middle of the night; everybody was on a high. I was doing trampoline at the time… swinging trapeze, aerials, hand to hand, everything, and my aerial hoop coach was Marie-Eve Bisson from the hoop trio in Quidam. She was 27 and I was 16. I had about ten classes with her and she really showed me everything on hoop. She could spin so fast. She was the one I’d watched on the Quidam video.

But when I got the offer, I didn’t have many options. My mum just said: “No.” I did the audition at the National Circus School in Montreal and was accepted. The crew and vibe of our year was amazing. I also wanted to learn something else; I didn’t want to have just one act. I had the feeling that if I went to Quidam, I’d go to Montreal for six months, go on tour and then never be talked about again. It’s a bit like that in Cirque du Soleil; you just become a number. They take good care of you but at that age it was nice to keep learning stuff. My trampoline coach said: “Do you wanna be really good, or like, medium good?” I said, ‘I want to be really good’. So he said: “Go to the school.” They’d accepted me for aerial and acrobatics, so that was interesting. In Quebec I could change my schedule; I could ask for Cyr wheel or whatever but in Montreal, once you get your schedule it’s quite hard to change it. 

What made you add Russian bar to your skills? There was a Russian bar trio in Quebec City, and they made me try it. They were so chilled, like: “You really should do it.” They put the idea into my head and it’s something not so many people do. That was the idea behind it.

How much trust is needed between you and your bases? I was a bit unaware of how important the relationship with the porters is. I didn’t consider myself a flyer at all; I was doing aerial hoop as a specialist. But when I started to work with Eric and Tristan, we were really laughing a lot. They had their own specialties as well, so it was a good match because none of us were putting all our eggs in one basket. From the beginning, and it’s still the deal we have, that whenever it stops being fun, or one of us gets hurt, or we don’t believe in it, we won’t do it any more, because it’s quite dangerous.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of taking it up? A good level in trampoline is a good thing, even though I haven’t done it for years now because it’s really hard. The partners you work with are really important, because that’s how you could get hurt. You can learn on Russian bar quite fast but the relationship of trust afterwards becomes a bit complicated. You do the trick once and that’s great, but you have to keep doing it. We stopped for a while after Cirque de Demain because we had so many things to do but I needed to take myself in hand and say, ‘OK, let’s go; we’re doing it again’. For myself, I would not do it at all, but because we have this trio energy, we have to do it. It’s easier as well because we go through it together and have fun, and then we can travel so much with the Russian bar, because it’s such a rare discipline. If I’d only done aerial hoop, I would probably have done some flying thing but the Russian bar is special enough to make you a bit privileged with the contracts you have. So, that’s quite fun.

How wide is the bar and does it hurt your feet when you land? It’s maybe 15cm, but your body knows at some point… and the guys are so precise. That’s why it’s so important to choose your bases carefully. We pad it with a little bit of camping mat. Tristan is our Russian-bar maker, so he takes care of it.

You’ve brought some innovative moves to the discipline; how did that come about? We were watching other Russian bar acts when we started to make our acts, thinking: “Oh, we don’t like it when she has the moments of preparation; it’s too much, too long, too stiff and it’s only about the trick.” Also Eric and Tristan can handle being alone onstage; they don’t need the bar. Often the Russian bar porters only do Russian bar, so when we made one of our first acts the goal was, ‘What can we do that is not Russian bar-like?’. I think the act we did at Cirque de Demain was, ‘What can do that we’d like to see on Russian bar?’.  

So that was maybe the difference. And the fact that I’m not a crazy acrobat. I’m more like a mover in general; we use that. Especially when we were with The 7 Fingers, Shana Carroll was the instigator of the way I moved on the bar because before we did their show Sequence 8, we had never done a real Russian bar act; it was our minor discipline. I remember she put the music on and said: “Let yourself go.” We were working on that base of movement and then transferred it to the bar. It was really natural. It’s a strange movement that it gives you and I’m lucky to have boys who are good enough to catch me during that strange bit.

It’s almost like a rag doll; it’s lovely. I love your costumes as well. Who designed them? Camille Thibaud. We met her through The 7 Fingers. She really helped us a lot with the style. We didn’t really know what we wanted because we were creating the act at the same time. She was very open and at some point I realised that we needed movement in the costumes. I wanted something that flowed, but it was super challenging for a costume maker because there are so many technical requirements in making a Russian-bar costume that isn’t going to be dangerous. We worked with her last summer. I wanted rich fabrics, so it’s all silk, pure cotton or linen. She really understood what I was looking for, but you can’t just take linen and bend you legs so much, or take silk that will have to stretch, so she made it look like it’s good fabric but there are also stretchy parts that she made invisible. The costumes are really intelligently made. Camille Thibaud is a name to remember, I think.

What can you tell us about Sweat and Ink? Basically it has all the disciplines we do: aerial hoop, Russian bar, cigar-box juggling, hand to hand, and Eve is also a specialist in small teeterboard, when you land in columns and hand-to-hand positions. So the three of us are learning that right now. It’s quite fun for the four of us to do something acrobatically, and I catch in a three high; like, I’m a porter also [laughs]. It’s really good.

How long have you been working on the show? We started to work seriously on it last summer. We did a show together and it was really for Eve and Tristan to make sure they wanted to keep working together because their association was rather new. They didn’t want to rush anything so we did a summer contract to see, if they both liked it, then we’d do a quartet and make a show. But we were talking about it before that. Eve just arrived in Montreal in April last year and we pitched her the idea. Basically we wanted to talk about books, we wanted to talk about writing and that led to the topic of memory and oblivion. There were some readings I’d done that were addressing the questions, ‘What’s the duty of memory and what right do we have to forget things?’. It touched me a lot so I told the idea to the others and it brought up a lot of conversation, so we decided it could be a starting point of the creation.

It has been quite long and, I don’t want to say painful, but we’re not administrators; we want to be onstage, so for us it’s harder. Also we were preparing for Cirque de Demain. And in Canada if you’re not working, there’s no intermittance, you’re just spending money, so you need to work whenever you have free time. But I like that life. It’s quite hectic and crazy but that’s how it is right now… and we travel a lot so it’s really exciting.

You were very successful in Paris, did it bring you lots of opportunities? Yes, so many emails. Oh, my god! The goal in going to Paris was to have something that the four of us had done together. And because it went well for all of us at the same time, that has helped us a lot. With all the press we got we can ask for visas, that’s really helpful and so is having established something with the four of us, because we’d only done corpos or the show last summer with The 7 Fingers.

It wasn’t that stressful in the end and it was a small victory because I was always thinking, ‘If I go to a festival and do the Russian bar, I’m gonna do something wrong, for sure’. So most important was that we didn’t hurt ourselves. We were more stressed than usual so the first performance was a bit shaky. Russian bar needs to be super settled down and calm, so for me that was my medal. We did it and technically I was good. My coach, André St-Jean, was there too, and he’s somebody very important in our lives, so to see him happy was really nice. He’s the master of acrobatics in Montreal and teaches all the guys from teeterboard.

Can you pick out a few highlights from your career so far? The first time I left Montreal by myself and I went to do a circus festival, SOLyCirco in Germany, in 2011. I was doing my hoop act. There was a bunch of friends and it was all new for us. There were some well-known names taking part and I was like, ‘This is so awesome’. Finally I won the gold medal. There’s a picture of me when they said my name and I’m like… I still don’t realise it. I won because there was a storm at the same time as I was doing my act.

The act was about the Sisyphus myth. The music was by the Kronos Quartet and the composer was Peter Sculthorpe; it was super-contemporary. We’d felt the storm coming the whole day, the energy of the sky was super low and it was warm and had this windy thing. I started my act and the storm starts, but for real. The tent was shaking and the wind was everywhere, people had the shivers and I was just doing my act in the middle like a crazy horse; the movement was inspired a lot by horses. So, I was performing but honestly I had special effects doing my act. [Laughs] That was a great moment. I remember before I started I was, like, ‘Oh, my god, I’ve forgotten the act, I’ve forgotten the act’. [Laughs] It’s one of the best moments onstage I’ve had. It’s such a shame that festival doesn’t exist any more.

Afterwards I did Russian bar with Eric and Tristan at Flic Flac Circus, and that was also a great highlight because we had to do everything ourselves. It was traditional circus; nobody’s gonna check to see if I’ve rigged my hoop well, nobody’s gonna tell you: “Stand by.” There’s a clock so you should be on time. We learned a lot over there and that’s where we met the guys from XY. But whenever I work with friends it’s the best. After we did Sequence 8 with our best friends for three years – that was just a blast – we keep choosing projects on whatever they bring us artistically and who’s in the cast.

Alex appears in Barcode’s first full-length production, Sweat and Ink (De Sueur et d’Encre), which headlines at Hand to Hand: A FringeArts Circus Festival in Philadelphia, USA. The show runs from 31 May – 2 June 2018.

Picture credits: Caroline Dostie; Meredith Mullins; Sebastien Lozé

Barcode’s website and Facebook

Twitter: @FringeArts

Follow @TheWidowStanton on Twitter

Read our interviews with Barcode’s Eric Bates, when he was guesting with Silver Lining in 2015, and another Russian bar flyer, Tain Molendijk, when she was with15ft6 the same year.

[grailfinders]

Fate and Phantasms #99: Queen Medb

Today on Fate and Phantasms we’re making the queen of Connacht and queen bitch of Chaldea, Queen Medb! (Pronounced Mae-ve) Medb is plenty charming in her own right, but unlike other charm-heavy servants like Stheno and Mata Hari you’re skilled with a riding crop and come packing some goodies from your various lovers as well.

Check out Medb’s build breakdown below the cut, or her character sheet over here!

Up next: The big 100!

Race and Background

Some people think you’re the incarnation of a god, but we’re going to keep things simple and canon compliant and make you a Human instead for +1 to all ability scores. Like many other servants, you’re also a Noble, gaining proficiency in History and Persuasion. This also makes it a lot easier for you to hobnob with other nobles at social gatherings. There is no party like a Medb party, because a party without you in it isn’t really a party at all.

Ability Scores

Make your Charisma as high as possible- it’s your spellcasting modifier and also you’re just good at it anyway. Second is Constitution to help you keep up with Fergus. Dexterity comes after that, the closest thing to a riding crop in D&D is a whip, and that’s a finesse weapon. You’re a clever girl, so keep that Intelligence on the positive side. Your Strength isn’t that high, but you have other people to do that for you. Finally, dump Wisdom. You built your perfect husband, but forgot to include a sex drive. No, I will not let you live that down.

Class Levels

1. Fighter 1: Don’t worry, the obvious class is coming. This just gives you more health, and the starting proficiencies work for you anyway. Speaking of, starting as a fighter gives you proficiency in Strength and Constitution saves, as well as two fighter skills, like Acrobatics and Insight. You’re very flexible, and you can read the room. You don’t care about the room, but you can still read it. You also get the Dueling fighting style to make your whip a slightly less bad idea, and you can use your Second Wind as a bonus action to heal yourself once per short rest. You’ve got to be able to get your beauty sleep in, no matter what you’re doing at the time.

2. Bard 1: Despite the lack of a musical instrument, I don’t think this is coming too far out of left field. Multiclassing gives you and additional skill proficiency; grab Performance for roughly the same reasons as Fergus. You can also give Bardic Inspiration to your adoring braves as a bonus action, adding 1d6 to an attack roll, check, or save of their choice within the next 10 minutes. You’re a giver, what can we say? You have a number of them per long rest equal to your charisma modifier.

You can also cast Spells, using Charisma as your casting ability. Grab Friends and Vicious Mockery to have the full range of social encounters available as cantrips. You also get leveled spells though, we’ll have to go over those as well. Grab Heroism and Charm Person to empower your braves and add new ones to the fold. You also get Earth Tremor thanks to Fergus letting you borrow his sword for a bit and Cure Wounds to protect your Golden Rule.

3. Fighter 2: Second level fighters get an Action Surge, letting you add an extra action to your turn once per short rest. Your time is valuable, so treat it like it is.

4. Fighter 3: Third level fighters get a martial specialty, like the Echo Knight. This lets you Manifest Echo as a bonus action to create an Echo near you that you can switch places with as a bonus action, attack from their position whenever you would attack, or make attacks of opportunity from their position by spending your reaction as usual. The echos only have one HP, but you always have reserves. Yes, technically they’re all copies of you, not your braves, but I’m sure a bit of reflavoring is fine.

While your echo is out, you can also Unleash Incarnation when you make an attack action to make an additional attack from your echo. You can use this a number of times per long rest equal to your constitution modifier.

5. Fighter 4: For your first Ability Score Improvement, pick up the Defensive Duelist feat to add your proficiency bonus to your AC as a reaction when attacked. Your armor may be light, but you’re really good with that riding crop.

6. Fighter 5: As a reward to making it to fighter level five, you can now make an Extra Attack each time you attack as an action. You can still only Unleash Incarnation once per action, but that still means you’re up to three attacks per turn until they run out.

7. Bard 2: Popping back over to bard for a bit makes you a Jack of All Trades, adding half your proficiency bonus to checks you aren’t proficient in. Rocking people aren’t bad at stuff, and you definitely rock, Queen Medb. You can also perform a Song of Rest over short rests, adding 1d6 to healing done during them. Your inspiration also becomes Magical Inspiration. Inspired creatures can now add their inspiration die to magical damage and healing, boosting a spell’s effect on a single creature.

Speaking of spells, you also pick up Identify as a gift from King Conchobar. I’m not entirely sure how one gives people their clairvoyance, but I guess he’s figured that out well enough.

8. Bard 3: Third level bards graduate from college, and like the charmers before you you’ll also graduate from the College of Glamour. This gives you a Mantle of Inspiration that you can make as a bonus action by spending a use of Bardic Inspiration. When you do so, a number of creatures up to your charisma modifier gain temporary HP and can react to move without causing attacks of opportunity. Some people are so pretty it hurts, but you’re so pretty it prevents damage. 

Your Expertise doubles your proficiency bonus for Performance and Persuasion checks, making you very persuasive, as well as very “persuasive”.

You can also make an Enthralling Performance, charming a number of creatures that fail a wisdom save after making a performance of at least 1 minute. This charms lasts up to an hour, and creatures that succeed on their saving throw can’t tell you tried to charm them. You can use this once per short rest.

Speaking of Enthralling, did you know Enthrall was a spell? It is! Any charmable creatures within hearing distance that you choose must make a wisdom save, and on a failure, they have disadvantage on perception checks to notice any creature other than you. The spell lasts up to a minute if you can keep talking for that long. You always thought you were the center of the universe, but now a lot of people will agree with you.

9. Bard 4: Use this ASI for the Slasher feat! Dealing slashing damage causes a target creature to lose 10′ of speed on their next turn, and critical slashes force the target to make their next turn’s attacks at a disadvantage. Like I said, you’re really good with that riding crop.

You also get the Dancing Lights cantrip for a bit of a lightshow, and the Shatter spell as another gift from Fergus.

10. Bard 5: Fifth level bards see their Bardic Inspiration increase to d8s, and they become a Font of Inspiration, meaning your inspiration replenishes on short rests rather than long ones. The amount of temporary HP given by your Mantle increases at this level too.

One last gift from King Conchobar nets you the Clairvoyance spell, letting you see or hear a location of your choosing that is either familiar to you or obvious (such as behind a door you can see). 

11. Fighter 6: I think you should be charming enough for a while. Back in fighter, you get another ASI, and it’s one we’ll finally use to improve the score of an ability. Bump up your Charisma for better spells, tougher saves, and more Inspiration.

12. Fighter 7: Seventh level Echo Knights can make an Echo Avatar, using your action to see and hear through your echo. You can do this for 10 minutes at a time, and while this is happening they can move up to 1,000 feet away from you. You’re typically a bit too in the limelight for spy shenanigans, but it never hurts to have some flexibility.

13. Fighter 8: Use this ASI to round up your Dexterity and Constitution for more health, more incarnation unleashing, a higher AC, and a stronger whip. A good level all around for you!

14. Fighter 9: You’re now Indomitable, meaning you can re-roll a failed saving throw once per long rest. Now your wisdom score is slightly less of an issue! ...Congrats?

15. Fighter 10: Thanks to Shadow Martyr your braves are now as expendable as they should be. When a creature you can see would be attacked, you can use your reaction to teleport your echo within 5′ of them and have them take the attack instead. You can use this feature once per short rest. Darn unions.

16. Bard 6: Our braves are nice, but I think we should take a couple “me” levels. Sixth level bards get Countercharm, eating your action to give nearby creatures advantage against being charmed or frightened. You also get a new mantle, the Mantle of Majesty. When activated and each turn afterwards as a bonus action you can cast Command without spending a spell slot. Creatures charmed by you automatically fail the save to be commanded. You can use this once per long rest, and you have to use your concentration to keep it up, but you can literally turn a gaggle of men into your slaves while this is active. Or women, we won’t judge here.

You also learn how to cast Leomund’s Tiny Hut for some “private time” with up to nine other medium or smaller creatures. It’s not quite your chariot, but it’ll do in a pinch.

17. Bard 7: At seventh level of bard you get fourth level spells, like Compulsion, which can force creatures you see in range of the spell to move to your tune if they fail a wisdom save. I’m pretty sure “towards me” can technically count as a direction for this spell. Check with your DM about that.

18. Bard 8: Use your last ASI to maximize your Charisma for the most inspiration and strongest charms. Speaking of, you also get Charm Monster this level. I know we just made a humanoid build for Cu Alter, but there’s a pretty good chance he’d be a monstrosity if he showed up as an NPC, so we should take that into account.

19. Bard 9: Ninth level bards have a stronger song of rest, as well as fifth level spells. Your Geas forces a creature to make a wisdom save, and on a fail they’re forced to obey a command for 30 days. Once per day, disobeying your geas deals 5d10 psychic damage for a bit of encouragement. Remember when I said you were so pretty you prevented damage? I lied. You’re definitely so pretty it hurts.

20. Bard 10: Your capstone level gives you an even stronger Inspiration, a round of Magical Secrets, and another round of Expertise. Double up on Insight and Acrobatics for a little more flexibility, both socially and physically.

You get two spells this level, from any spell list you want. (You also get another cantrip, grab Prestidigitation for the hell of it.) Dominate Person gives you a much more fine-tuned control over your braves than your other spells, and Conjure Woodland Beings grants you a way to summon even more braves to the battlefield, as long as you’re okay with your braves being fey creatures. 

Pros:

You’re very charming, and I mean that in every sense of the word. A maxed out charisma stat, expertise in persuasion, and plenty of charming spells means that you stand a pretty good chance of defeating a lot of your problems without ever throwing a punch.

Unlike other charm-heavy builds, you’re also pretty good when the punches start flying! Echos are great at covering the battlefield, and when you add your whip’s range to that, plus your conjured braves, and it’s going to be really hard to avoid your influence in a fight. You can also affect the flow of battle, slowing down creatures with your whip and keeping them at arm’s length the entire fight.

Not only are you good at charming, but your spells specialize in affecting large groups. Enthrall and Compulsion don’t have an upper limit of creatures you can target, so you’ll be even stronger against larger armies. Just as long as a lone, dashing spearman doesn’t show up, your victory is assured.

Cons:

Whips are good for covering ground, but not so much for dealing damage. Sorry, 1d4 just isn’t very powerful.

You have one use of Indomitable later into the build, but your low Wisdom means you’ll probably be using it to avoid someone else’s charms. Building your own army is fun, but turning it on the rest of the party after one bad roll is probably going to cause some problems.

Most of these builds end up with too much to do in their bonus action, but you have to deal with crowded reactions instead. You can make attacks of opportunity, defend yourself with your whip, or defend your allies with your braves. You’ll also always have to weigh the current situation to every later turn between now and your next turn. Nobody ever said it was easy being queen.

[thiesleslie]

Extended highlights: Brighton 3, Newcastle 0 | NBC Sports

Newcastle v brighton highlights - Football Games, Results, Scores, Transfers, News | Sky Sports

Maupay The American Express Community Stadium. Brought to you by. Key Events 89'. Newcastle v brighton highlights On Target 6 1. Total Passes Hithlights Touch Map.

Live table. Commentary That's all for now though, goodbye! The result means that Brighton move six points clear of 18th place Fulham, while Newcastle remain just two points ahead of the relegation zone. Brighton dominate Newcastle to claim a precious win in the relegation battle. Briguton to this game, both teams were sitting precariously newcastle v brighton highlights the relegation zone - and you expected a tight game.

But Brighton blew a listless Newcastle away. Trossard opened the scoring with a wonderful curling finish from 20 yards on the stroke of half time.

Newcastle struggled to create anything, but did have an opportunity to equalise when Fraser hit the post from 20 yards. However, Welbeck doubled their lead with an identical strike to the first early in the second half after a neat pass from Trossard, and Maupay completed the victory with an acrobatic volley to help Brighton move closer to safety.

Brighton almost get a fourth as Welbeck cuts it back from the byline into Gross, brihton newcastle v brighton highlights a low, highlighs shot blocked away by Clark! Brighton are continuing to pour forward and you wouldn't be surprised if they added to their lead in the final 20 hihhlights. Maupay wraps it up by directing Gross' more info cross into the bottom corner with an acrobatic volley from eight yards!

They've found it difficult to score all newcastle v brighton highlights and now they need at least two to prevent themselves from falling further into newcastle v brighton highlights relegation battle. The attacker played a simple pass out brightno Welbeck, and he did the rest with a brilliant curling finish from distance!

Trossard switches it out towards Welbeck on the left wing, and the attacker cuts inside and belts a curling effort across Dubravka and into the bottom corner from 25 yards! Newcastle sweep forward with a fluent move that ends with Almiron slipping Fraser in behind at an angle, and the winger hits a first-time, curling shot newcastle v brighton highlights 18 yards newcastle v brighton highlights clips the post before bouncing away!

They've picked up just one victory in their last 18 Premier League matches at home, beating Spurs in January. Newcastle failed to create any chances in that newcastle v brighton highlights and they'll need to show more intent going forward if nwwcastle to recover in this one.

Trossard's stoppage-time goal gives Brighton a lead at the break. The hosts started this one brightly, with Moder spurning two clear chances. However, Newcastle managed to regain their composure and tighten up at highlight back, leading to a cagey half of football. Just as it looked like the match would be goalless at the break though, Trossard cut inside from the left flank and curled in a brilliant low finish to give the hosts a vital lead going into the interval. Trossard latches onto Veltman's long pass upfield and he takes it down, before darting inside and whipping a low, right-footed finish across Dubravka and into the hhighlights corner from 20 yards!

Brighton elegantly move it into Trossard, who cuts it back from the byline and into Maupay who see page a shot blocked from close range by Clark! Both teams seem afraid of conceding a crucial opening goal. Meanwhile, victory makes the table better reading for Brighton, who move six points clear of the drop zone. Brighton started brightly and Jakub Moder forced Martin Dubravka into a low highljghts at his near post inside the opening five minutes.

Brlghton 30 minutes, the hosts were dominating possession and had had five shots, including two on target, with Newcastle yet to test Robert Sanchez in the home goal. Newcastle had to wait newcastlf the 37th minute brightom their first opportunity when Isaac Hayden headed wide at hivhlights far post. Man of the match: Danny Welbeck. Moments later, Maupay had a good opportunity at the other end after being picked out by Trossard's cut back, but his shot was blocked by Ciaran Clark. Matters got go to website for Newcastle brifhton before the half-time break, when Hayden was hurt in an accidental collision with Yves Bissouma, and he had to be carried off on a stretcher.

Moments later, Brighton took the lead, having dominated throughout highlighhts first half, with Trossard picking up the ball on the edge of the box before turning and curling it into the bottom-right corner. Newcastle created their first meaningful opportunity at the start of the second half when Miguel About his released Fraser in space on the left, and the Scotland international curled the ball towards the far corner, nswcastle for it to strike the upright.

However, Potter's men responded immediately, with Welbeck doubling newcastle v brighton highlights advantage. The forward cut inside onto his right foot before curling the ball beyond the dive of Dubravka and into the back newcastle v brighton highlights the net from 20 yards. In the 68th minute, Brighton made sure of the points when Pascal Gross crossed for Maupay, who volleyed the ball into the net to end a brightin of nine games without a goal.

For me, they were passive throughout, they looked like a team accepting their lot. A bit of aggression, not accepting people scoring easy goals against you, not accepting that going behind means it's over. Speaking on Soccer Saturday earlier in the day, Sky Sports ' Paul Merson here Newcastle fans may need to newcastle v brighton highlights their expectations and accept the current limitations at the club. Brighton boss Graham Potter : "Really pleased, the performance was fantastic.

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The players were newcastle v brighton highlights from the start and were smart. Overall, we played well, we showed a really good attitude, good courage, and I'm delighted newcastle v brighton highlights the players.

Newcastle brighgon Steve Bruce : "Certainly was tough, we were simply beaten by a far better team on the night. It was a very difficult evening for us, we have to accept it, and brighotn responsibility for it, because at times it was a little bit too easy for Brighton. Take nothing away from our opponents, they were better in every department.

[evolutionsvoid]

There are very few throughout all the kingdoms who don't know who Arnie Brachnum is. Most would know him more by the name Sir Brachnum, but that doesn't really matter. What matters is that they know who he is. Even if they have never met him. The fact that there are a few people out there in the world that don't know his name pains him. That is because if they haven't heard his name, then they clearly have never heard of Sir Brachnum's Magnificent Traveling Circus! If that's the case then the advertising department clearly screwed up somewhere! As one can tell by the title, Sir Brachnum is the boss and ringleader of Sir Brachnum's Magnificent Traveling Circus (never try to shorten the name in front of him. He hates that). His circus is one of the largest around, and it is his pride and joy. He originally joined the circus long ago, but has since gained ownership when the original ringleader passed away. Both for the sake of his memory and profits, Arnie has never stopped building up his circus and doing his best to make it the best show around. Even when it seems that his circus is jam packed full of games, entertainment, shows, food stands, family activities and festivities, Arnie is still on the hunt for something new and big to add. He knows that customers always love to see something new, and that letting things grow stale is detrimental to the bottom line. Money is the grease that keeps the wheels turning, and Arnie wants all that he can get. No act is too daring, no exhibit is too dangerous, and no petty crime is too problematic to stop him from adding things to his circus. People want a good show, and if that means smuggling a cackle of Savanna Devils across several international borders, then so be it.   

    Attitude - Arnie Brachnum is a circus ringleader, even when he isn't playing the role of a circus ringleader. He seems to always be packed full of energy, and never slows down for a second. He speaks loudly and rapidly, always adding hyperboles and jokes into his conversation. His speech is filled with circus talk and references, and many agree that it seems like he is trying to make everything he says the greatest thing ever heard. He talks so fast and rapidly, that most of the time he is two paragraphs ahead of the conversation and has already decided what the other person has said or agreed to. No matter the topic discussed or the tone of the subject, Arnie is constantly talking as if he is in front of a cheering audience. Not only does he speak in a lightening fast manner, but he never stops moving and performing while he does it. Some people may speak with their hands, but Arnie speaks with every bit of his body. You would be surprised the amount of cartwheels one can interject into a simple conversation, but Sir Brachnum can sure find a way. It is hard enough keeping track of his words, but it is even harder to keep an eye on him as he zips and dances about. Even when he is supposed to be standing still, he can be seen bobbing up and down on his legs to some unheard music. Through this, it is obvious that Sir Brachnum cares about one thing only in this world, which is Sir Brachnum's Magnificent Traveling Circus (and don't you dare try to shorten that name). He is so passionate about it that one could probably describe it as an obsession, or just plain lunacy. Everything has to be perfect, everything has to be extravagant. From the lights and tents, to the nonstop shows and attractions. Sir Brachnum won't settle for less. If his circus isn't the best in all the world, then people won't come, which means people won't pay. Money is most important thing when it comes to running a business, and Sir Brachnum knows all about that. His love for his circus is only matched by his love for money (though he would argue it is one in the same). Everything comes down to the bottom line, the budget and the ticket sales. Everything hinges on those ticket sales. Those who work for him know that Arnie will totally call a circus-wide emergency meeting if it turns out they sold ten less tickets than they did the previous day. At night, when all has slightly calmed down, Sir Brachnum can be found in his chambers feverishly counting all the ticket stubs and furiously working a set of abaci to calculate the day's haul and budget. With his desire to pull in more and more customers, Sir Brachnum does everything in his power to get more acts and more shows to fill his tents with. Even if it calls for breaking a few laws and employing people against their will. It is all for the sake of his circus and bottom line, and as long as those two things are doing fine, he can sleep easy. Assuming that he sleeps. No one is really sure about that.       Relations - As ringleader, Arnie Brachnum has his best connections with all of those who work for his circus. He knows everyone by name and is always sure to ask how they're are doing when he sees them. Though he pushes his circus to work as long and hard as it can, he cares for each of his employees and is concerned whenever they have problems. This attitude even goes for those who were dragged into his circus and forcefully put to work. He is sure to check in and ask how the day is going, even when they clearly don't want to be there. Even though he is head honcho for the whole operation, he has a council of fellow workers whom he consults and communicates with. Some have compared these council meetings to war rooms, as Sir Brachnum fires off tactics and strategies for pulling in more customers and making more money. Outside of his circus, Sir Brachnum's pockets have netted him a network of friends and associates who he calls upon for aid. These connections vary from professional to black market dealings, as he pulls strings and pushes coins to obtain new things for his circus. One of these associates is the slime witch known as Agatha. The reclusive slime hag is a master of potion brewing, which Sir Brachnum likes to call on to get his hands on strange brews to enhance his shows. Due to his large network, he can get his hands on plenty of exotic ingredients, which he trades with Agatha. Every time he deals with her, he goes to meet her and her husband, Cyclos, personally. Though Arnie doesn't interact with Cyclos that much, he has taken the creature's manuscripts and delivered them to publishing houses to help pay for the potions he wants. Though the slimy couple are polite to the spidery ringleader, it is obvious that his energetic ways and nonstop performing wears them out after a while. This is probably why the two groups meet once every few months, as Agatha needs time to recoup after dealing with Arnie, and probably needs that time to get his hand prints off her ceiling. Even outside of his well known connections, Arnie Brachnum has recently run into a group that has caught his interest. One day, his messengers told him about this crazy band of creatures and monsters that had taken up residence not too far away. This bizarre order had plenty of interesting beings in it, many who would be a welcome addition to his circus. Talk came up about a somewhat tamed dragon, a living suit of armor, a weird flying goblin thing and so much more! Sir Brachnum nearly ran down the front gates to rush to their doorstep. Without any sort of invitation or warning, Sir Brachnum came before the Knights of the Wrong Table and cheerfully offered them a job. This is an understatement to what actually happened, but needless to say, it was quite the song and dance he put on in order to employ this strange group. Even though he had never met them before or ever interacted with them, Arnie was 100% convinced that they would happily join his circus and work for his shows. He even forged their signatures ahead of time so that they could start as soon as possible! Eventually the order was able to slow him down and inform him that they were not interested. At first Arnie thought it was a joke, but when it became clear that they would not be coming with him, he threw a fit. The fit lasted about one horrifying second, before Sir Brachnum cheerily vowed to get the order to work for his circus and departed without another word. Ever since that day, he has had mixed run ins with the Knights of the Wrong Table. At times, he tries woo them to his side, or straight up tries to kidnap one of them. Other times, he has hired them to help him out in other matters (mainly because he knows they are cheap to hire), or allies with them to sneakily obtain something for his circus. The order has had to deal with Sir Brachnum in times when he has stolen things that he shouldn't have. From dragon hatchlings to religious artifacts, the Knights of the Wrong Table have had to pry his fingers off many things that don't belong to him. Even when they succeed reclaiming the stolen object from him, they have to watch out in case he decides to nab one of their own members in "compensation."     Subordinates - Since Sir Brachnum runs a circus, the list of people who work under him is endless. He employs acrobats, clowns, tamers, trainers, hypnotists, magicians (the kind that don't actually use magic, because that other stuff is cheating), barkers, jugglers, sideshow "freaks" (that is a name to draw the public, he doesn't actually refer to his workers as that) and much more. His right hand man is Niles the Crocodile Man, whom he often uses for delegating tasks or running ship when he isn't around. Outside of his circus is a large network of merchants, traders, hunters, trappers, bandits and dealers that he calls upon for work. He even has an order of weird monster creatures he can hire to help him take care of unwanted matters for cheap! Annoying and stubborn as they may be, at least they get the job done when he needs it. Needless to say, if Sir Brachnum needs something done, he has just the guy to do it. Abilities - Arnie's greatest abilities come from the fact that he is a giant spider. His many limbs allow him to do a number of tricks at once, and allow him to move in practically any manner. He can produce large quantities of strong silk from his abdomen, which he uses for a variety of things. He can use his webbing to make tightropes, lashings, nets, whips, cocoons, restraints and many other things. His skills at weaving and spinning have allowed him to make a food product known as Sweet Silk, a weird treat of bizarre texture, which is wildly popular with the crowds. To top it all of, Sir Brachnum has years of experience tricking, deceiving, presenting and acting. His ability to pull props out of nowhere allow him to arm himself in seconds and have tools for any scenario. Though the props are all circus related, they are quite useful in his hands. The cunning ways of a circus show that uses illusions and trickery to entertain and bewilder has followed him onto the battlefield. He can seemingly achieve impossible feats or do switcheroos that throw enemies off. His many arms and silk help him achieve many things at once, and take on multiple foes. And even when he is fighting, his announcing and extravagant ways are still present.   Also his fangs can inject digestive enzymes. Many people forget that tidbit. Tools - With his quick reflexes and love for props, Sir Brachnum seems to have an endless supply of tools and tidbits on his person. Many come from the top of his bizarre hat, but some just seem to be pulled out of nowhere. These props can be practically anything, as he whips out swords, squeaky toys, flaming batons, rolling balls, painted targets, musical instruments, juggling pins, whips, chairs and many other things. He never divulges where he gets these things or where he even stores them. He just says it is a trade secret. Weaknesses - While wildly talented and capable of incredible feats, Sir Brachnum is still a spider in love with money. His greed for coin and profits can make him predictable at times, and force him to cheap out on things even if it means that he will lose because of it. A good way to distract him or make him abandon his plans is to find an expensive object and try to break it. Especially if said object is the thing he wants in his circus. If all else fails, a good bribe is always an option. For enough money, Arnie will abandon practically anything he has his sights on. Deals and bargains are a good way to get his attention. His many arms can be a great benefit on the battlefield, but when things get crazy and chaotic, he can easily tangle himself up in his own mess of limbs. His desire to have new shows and content for his circus can make him a prime target for deception and trickery. The order and other forces have infiltrated his circus on a few occasions by literally asking if they could join. He is often so overjoyed that he doesn't stop to think if there are other motives at play. This hunt of his also causes him to get his hands on things he cannot control. Often he tries to pull in dangerous beasts and creatures he doesn't know how to handle or contain, causing them to inevitably break out and wreck havoc.   And the fact that he never shuts up pretty much means that subtly and ambush are out of the question. If you want to find out where Sir Brachnum is, follow the confetti and boisterous sounds of someone proudly yelling out puns.