#Ming on the other hand still owns my soul

[becauseimanicequeen]

You know where my loyalties lie when I would rather have a whole bouquet of red flag Mings than one asshole that is Tong.

[two-white-butterflies]

parallel lines | d. targaryen | part five

Description: An ordinary middle school teacher moves to a desolate town with her fiancee. After suffering episodes of vivid nightmares, she realizes that his uncle looks exactly like the man in her dreams.

Pairings: daemon targaryen/reader, aemond targaryen/reader

Trope: Reincarnation

series masterlist |

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Man who makes a beast out of himself got nothing to lose Sold my soul long ago, nothing left to choose I'm tired, tired of singing the blues - Tired of Singing the Blues, Lana Del Rey.

"There's nothing rich people love more than free things," Jacaerys mused watching his relatives fight over freebies, some were exquisite works of art like that little Monet that his uncle brought or the jade mirror from the Ming Dynasty. "You're not going to join them," you raised an eyebrow - taking a sip of your champagne.

The younger boy stared.

"I still love my life, unfortunately." he chuckles. "We've got a very eccentric family, I hope that this isn't too new for you." Jacaerys apologized, walking you into the other room. "I don't think I know what normal is. I'm an orphan, my mother died pretty young." you admit, biting your lower lip. "Father?"

"Couldn't be more bothered to acknowledge my existence." you shrug, feeling a familiar presence behind you. "Aemond," Jacaerys greeted with hidden rigidity - the atmosphere between the both of them was tense. You were a good judge of character, and you could see that neither of them liked each other.

"Jace," your boyfriend smiled falsely.

Aemond was a shadow in his younger nephew's presence, Jacaerys the golden boy - could do no wrong. While Aemond struggled with being accepted in the school of his dreams, Jacaerys was welcomed - and he still had the nerve to decline the invitation, instead choosing to study in some stupid university in the countryside.

"It's been a while," Jace added, attempting to keep the conversation civil. "Five years? Is that how long it takes to study college?" Aemond undermined his rival. "I took a gap year," Jace turned his head in your direction, trying to put a finger on why you looked familiar.

"- toured the world, I even saw the Arc de Triomphe." the younger man smiles. Aemond says nothing in return - as if sensing the awkwardness, Jace chuckles.

"Well, I think this is my cue to say goodbye." he raised his glass, retreating into the foyer.

(Harrenhal. The Past.)

"I don't know why you keep me here. To prolong my agony?" you rasped at your older sister. Harrenhal had big rooms and soft mattresses that you could just sleep in for thousands of years. You laid in the beds in the morning, feeling tired and sucked dry of life, but in the night - you couldn't sleep.

Memories of what happened months ago came flooding back. Haunting you awake. It felt like you were standing on a pile of bodies. You turned to look at your older sister again, her eyes were once filled with warmth at the thought of you - now they were dim.

"I'll keep the windows open, if you hate your life - then jump - like that niece of yours, Helaena." she announced in a tone that wasn't sad nor happy. Your eyebrows merged into each other. Princess Helaena was dead? But you weren't bothered - you didn't know her.

A bitter chuckle escapes your mouth.

"You took my life into your own hands, to play with as you please. Now that you're tired, you want me to pretend that it was my own agency that led me here?" you argued.

"Perhaps you and I are the same." Alys responded.

"I had a dream before you were born that Aemond would come and free us, save us from our father's abuse. I know better now than to believe my visions." she turned away, slamming the door shut - leaving you alone.

Dreams were portals of the world - you could see the past, present and future in them. Alys Rivers could vividly remember the man in her dreams, his warm purple eye and long silver hair.

The Prince would come and his song will be that of Ice and Fire. From his blood would come the prince that was promised, opposite of him in temperance and demeanor - you almost wouldn't believe that they came from the same tree, but they were and the prince's breath would save them against ice.

"And when will you return, this time?" Alys leaned on the doorframe, staring at your frame that was frantically packing her bags. "Princess Rhaenyra tells that she needs my help, I can't deny her." you smiled.

"She's Queen now - and she's asking you because she needs you to fight in a war." Alys' lips turned thin at the thought of losing you. "Rumors have swirled around, they believe that she killed Harwin." she proceeded, trying to persuade you to stay.

"You told me that Larys killed our brother." you froze slightly. "I don't want you to leave, stay please - I've been dreaming about salvation. If you stay here, we'll be safe." your older sister pleaded.

"I'm never in your dreams, almost like I'm not supposed to be here. I need to save the Queen's soldiers, to ensure that she wins in this war. You tell me that her heirs are fathered by Harwin, shouldn't we protect our blood?" you inquired and your sister takes a deep breath. There was no stopping you.

"Promise me that you'll stay safe," she pleaded, handing you a small necklace that she enchanted. "I will," you promised - squeezing her shoulders as a way to show that you weren't kidding.

Like a ghost, you didn't even realize that you were sitting on the dinner table. "Columbia University is pretty hard, what did you major in again?" Rhaenyra inquires, taking a bite of her steak.

"Mathematics, it was supposed to be my pre-law course but life happened and I had to change a few things." you smiled, eyebrows merging with each other in confusion. What the hell happened? Why couldn't you remember anything before this?

"Ooh being a lawyer is the coolest. It's uncommon to see someone with Math as a pre-law, you must be really smart." Helaena adjusted her glasses and the people around you agreed. "Never in a million years did we expect that Aemond will end up with someone like you." Harwin articulated and Aemond rolls his eye.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he chuckled, trying to make it seem like a joke. "I always saw you with someone weird, like that Claire girl that does music now." Harwin quickly rebutted.

Alicent knocks on wood three times. Rhaenyra giggles, "Put some respect on that girl's name, isn't she engaged to a billionaire?" she inquired and Aemond shook his head. "They broke up." he confirmed.

"Three kids and he just throws her away like nothing."

"It is not nice to gossip," Alicent interrupts their conversation. "Gossiping is done by small-minded people." she insisted and Rhaenyra looks away. They used to be close friends, Alicent was her former-babysitter - then somehow she had an affair with her father.

"So are affairs, but none of us complain." Rhaenyra grumbled and the other woman pretended not to hear. "You're the one to talk, didn't you cheat on your ex-husband with mister hunk here?" Aegon pointed at Harwin and Daemon's eyes widened.

You know what they say - a shot of whiskey for luck, and a bottle of whiskey for disaster. "Oh my god I can't believe we're talking about this again. I didn't ruin a family and as far as anyone is concerned, Laenor was totally fine with it. Weren't you, Laenor?" Rhaenyra turned her head at Laenor's direction.

"I liked it, actually." he hummed watching the drama unfold. "Yeah cuz when you have a mistress it's alright, but when it's my father - suddenly, my mother's the fucking devil." Aegon insulted.

You took a deep breath, what were you to make of this situation.

"So you do agree, that your mother was a mistress?" Rhaenyra said smugly, Daemon bit back a chuckle. "Can we all calm down?" Harwin placed his hand in front of the siblings. "This is supposed to be my son's birthday, and we have a guest here. A little decorum would be nice." Harwin tried to decrease the tension.

"Yeah, whatever." Aegon stood up to leave. He hated his fucking life.

Shortly after Aegon's outburst, you and Aemond decided to leave. "That was the most eventful birthday party that I've ever attended." you chuckled, fastening your seatbelt.

"I can't believe that they decided to pull that shit while you were there." he complained, driving out of Rhaenyra's driveway.

"That's family, I guess." he shrugged.

"- and we're never going back." he added

next chapter >>

[respectthepetty]

Jeng speaking English should come with at least a 10 minute warning so I can collect myself.

goddammit!!!!

Y'all know that I mute and speed up my shows, so I didn't realize he was speaking English until the Thai subs kept coming up; then, I had to rewind and slow it down to hear it, so I could appreciate the cuteness. Jeng bringing out his multilingual side to confess AGAIN made him more adorable!

And because this isn't the first time the use of another language in a BL has caused me to stop in my tracks, let me give you something you didn't even ask for -

My Top Five Favorite Uses of Another Language in BLs!

offered in no particular order

My Only 12% - English

Cake was studying with his pals when he decided to call it a night. He went into his bedroom and apologized to his boyfriend Eiw for waking him up. Eiw told Cake he wasn't really sleeping well because Cake wasn't next to him, and that was all it took for Cake's heart-eyes to be activated. He kissed Eiw so tenderly only to then dedicate an ode to Eiw's entire body, mind, and soul all in English while kissing each part of Eiw's body as he praised it. What a king!

Never Let Me Go - Mandarin

I already thought that Palm liked Nueng's mean side a little too much before Wu and David wandered into Mam's bar, but this exchange solidified that Palm had a specific kink and Nueng was more than happy to offer Palm a helping hand a scolding insult. Nueng took great pleasure calling his boyfriend a fool in every language he knew including Mandarin, and I'm sure that is part of the reason Palm came around to Nueng extending his time abroad for schooling. The more education Nueng has, the more languages he can berate Palm in.

Unintentional Love Story - Spanish

The main couple were great, but I was showing up every week for Donghee and Hotae's friends-to-enemies-to-menaces plot because once they screamed at each other in the alley, the only reasonable next step was to sleep together, no? Maybe that's just me, but Hotae trying to prove to Donghee that he was serious about him by learning Spanish like one of the Hisstrange (Hispanic) men Donghee liked had me screaming, "SECOND SEASON WHEN?" which now I must patiently wait for to see how well Hotae's improves his language skills for his amor.

KinnPorsche - English

The VegasPete arc was a wild ride. They went from spying and torturing to crying and fucking in the span of two episodes, but what was the craziest moment of them all was when after sex and STILL CHAINED UP, Vegas turned to Pete and softly said, "Do you know how sexy you are?" Like . . . bitch, what?! Even crazier was Pete's apathetic response of "mmm" as if he had heard that line a thousand times after bringing countless men to their knees with his free therapy and snarky comebacks. Vegas served a lot of great English lines, but this one took the cake, and the tossed salad.

Moonlight Chicken - Modern Standard Thai Sign Language

Heart and Li Ming's story was already the sweetest thing since a nice mango sorbet on a hot day, but add in the fact that Wen, the bridge between Li Ming and his uncle Jim, was not only fully supportive of these two kids finding happiness within each other, but started to learn MSTSL so he could communicate with Heart was what pushed me over the edge. Heart's own parents couldn't be bothered to learn how to communicate with their son, but Li Ming's very-gay-uncle's boyfriend did. Wen knew he needed an ally to deal with these stubborn guys, and no better than the boyfriend of your-soon-to-be-nephew. Ghost Host, Ghost House gets an honorable mention for MSTSL as well.

Bonus

KinnPorsche - English

Ken and Big were two bad bitches and the Regina George and Maddy Perez of Kinn's bodyguard squad. Big had his reasons for disliking Porsche like being jealous that the man he loved was in love with this idiot, but Ken just hated Porsche for being an idiot who upset the guy he was in love with (Ken x Big is canon to me), so when Ken yelled, "Are you fucking dumb, bro?!" at Porsche with Perth's Australian accent, I was cackling. It made me instantly think Ken was the mole because only someone who was rocking with Vegas "but this wasn't the fucking plan" Theerapanyakul could drop bangers like this.

[romantamsxiangshi]

Translation of Tat Ming Pair's 1988 禁色 (Forbidden Colors)

Tat Ming Pair, comprised of instrumentalist Tats Lau and singer Anthony Wong Yiu-ming, drew from David Bowie's and the Pet Shop Boys' discographies for their uniquely experimental sound. 禁色, translated to "Forbidden Colors" and "Forbidden Love," is hailed as one of the first queer anthems of the Canto world. Notably, there are no pronouns in the song; the focus lies instead on a speaker "I" and their lover "you."

Translation:

窗边雨水 Rain puddles by our window 拼命地侵扰安睡 And pulls you thrashing from your sleep (1) 又再撇湿乱发堆 Once again, your hair's a mess 无需惶恐 But there's no need to fear 你在受惊中淌泪 You're trapped in your terror, weeping 别怕 爱本是无罪 But your love is innocent. (2)

请关上窗 Please close the window 寄望梦想于今后 Can we dream of tomorrow, instead? (3) 让我再握着你手 Can i hold your hand again? 无需逃走 There's no need to run away. 世俗目光虽荒谬 This whole world is cruel, absurd, (4) 为你 我甘愿承受 But if you would let me, i'd take it all for you

愿某地方 Someday, somewhere 不需将爱伤害 Nothing will hurt us. 抹杀内心的色彩 Right now, our love knows only its own death (5) 愿某日子 But someday, one day 不需苦痛忍耐 We will no longer need to endure anything 将禁色尽染在梦魂内 And our souls will know all their colors (6)

千种痛哀 Tonight, you only know your thousand sorrows 结在梦魇的心内 And your nightmares have ensnared your heart 愿我到死未悔改 And tonight, i wish to die with no regrets 时钟停止 For the clocks stand so still. (7) 我在耐心的等待 So i wait with a patient heart (8) 害怕雨声在门内 But i am scared of the rain at our door

愿某地方 Someday, somewhere 不需将爱伤害 Nothing will hurt us. 抹杀内心的色彩 Right now, our love knows only its own death 愿某日子 But someday, one day 不需苦痛忍耐 We will no longer need to endure anything 将禁色尽染在梦魂内 And our souls will know all their colors

若这地方 But if, here and now, 必须将爱伤害 The world must hurt us, 抹杀内心的色彩 Our hearts can know only their own deaths. 让我就此 So, let me go. 消失这晚风雨内 Let me disappear into this storm. 可再生在某梦幻年代 Perhaps we will wake up in a kinder tomorrow. (9)

Translation notes:

(1) A more direct translation would be "prevents you from falling asleep," with the characters 拼命 implying "struggling with all your will/life." I chose to make the rain the subject of this line, instead, to capture the loss of agency that echoes through the rest of the song.

(2) A more direct translation is "love, in its most original/base form, is innocent." I played around with the translation of "you've always known how to love, and your love is innocent"--it's all subjective!

(3) This line is not a question in its original form, but I chose to frame it as a conversation between speaker and subject.

(4) A more direct translation is "the perspectives of the orthodox are absurd," but that sounded too clunky to me. The stakes feel higher when the speaker is fighting against the whole world.

(5) A more direct translation is "massacring all the colors of our heart," but I chose to put this line in conversation with the later "souls know all their colors" -- Tat Ming Pair describes love as a very intentional, and therefore cognitive, act. The queer tragedy of knowing and anticipating your own death runs through the whole song, and through much of their other discography, which is why I chose this translation.

(6) I found the choice of 魂 (hun, the cognitive/knowing part of the soul from old Chinese myth), and not 心 (xin, the heart, commonly used as a stand-in for everything related to love) very telling. 魂 is not the most intuitive choice when describing love, nor does it have a direct translation. I therefore chose "our souls will know all their colors" as a two-part approximate. This one character informs a lot of my other translation choices, including in (5).

(7) The use of time in Forbidden Colors is fascinating: time, in Chinese and Cantonese, is existential. Tomorrow speaks not to the next 24 hours, but to a different state of being and an entirely different set of possibilities. The promise of a tomorrow is the promise of a new (and possibly kinder?) reality--that the clocks stand still on this night, and that the speaker's lover cannot fall asleep, speaks to how this reality is withheld from them.

(8) It's uncertain what the speaker is waiting for: their own death? Tomorrow? Both? I contemplated inserting an object of my choosing, but decided to leave it ambiguous.

(9) A more direct translation is "perhaps we will wake up in a better era," but I thought calling back to the "tomorrow" used throughout the song had a stronger narrative/thematic payoff. I really, really wanted to translate the line to "let me come back to you tomorrow," implying that the speaker will always come back to their lover, no matter the reality they must face, but decided to stick more faithfully to the original.

Fun fact: I first heard 禁色 at the airport, and it made me cry. This song was my first attempt at Canto-English translation, done by hand on the backside of a love letter.

[assassinnovice]

Chapter 14: My Soul Is Still Mine

Disclaimer: I do not own Mortal Kombat, those rights belong to The Netherrealm Studio

It was dark. No recollection of anything. Just a calm quiet.

"That's it. Here goes nothing..."

A voice too static to make out as lights started to awaken him the lights turned out to be a start-up sequence.

"You are certain this will work?"

The images were static at first as he saw the system still repairing itself.

"Hell no! I've never done this before. It's not like there's a manual."

but in the midst of system repairs, something began to override Lin Kuei's control system, canceling the connection to the Lin Kuei database.

"Wait! I think he's waking up..."

As the system was repaired, Smoke leaned over and looked at the Lin Kuei cyborg that lay before everyone. "Sub-Zero? Can he hear me?" he asks, looking over at the person who hacked the systems.

"He should," Jaks answers him, and then Smoke looks back down at the cyborg. "Sub-Zero?" he asks again. The cyborg just looks up at him. He was scanning the face before him. "Yes, Smoke," he answers.

Smoke pulls away, "How do you feel?" he asks. Slowly, Sub-Zero sat up, processing everything that's happened. Some of Earthrelam's heroes were gathered around the cyborg.

He humphs, with a turn of his head. "What is it?" Smoke asks him, Sub-zero turns his head again, "I remember... the things I have done for Shoa Kahn..." he spoke, Smoke places his hand on his friend's shoulder. "He cannot be allowed to merge the realms," he warns them. "Kuai Liang..." a voice calls out to him.

He froze for a moment then looked over, seeing Kai Ming standing at the altar with her hands clutched at her chest. "Ming..." he spoke in awe, sliding off and standing before her.

His hands hover at her shoulder, but the memories are still strong as he begins to pull back, but she smiles and wraps her arms around him. "Thank the Mother, you're all right," she mutters into his chest plate.

Sub-Zero froze for a moment, but slowly he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to him. "I'm sorry for worrying you," he mutters, she sniffles. "Damn right, you did. You'll have to make it up to him," she grumbles, making him chuckle. "Whatever your desire, my love," he whispers to her.

Marina just smiles at the two momentarily then flicks her eyes at Raiden, "There must be a way to stop the merging of the two realms." she states, Nightwolf nods at her.

"Haokah, how can Sub-Zero best help us?" Nightwolf asks the thunder God. Who was frowning to himself, "I do not know. My attempts to alter future events have had negative consequences. Sub-Zero should never have undergone this transformation. Enlisting him may only further divert the flow of time." he answers him.

Marina shot a look over at Raiden, "When what can we do? We can't just sit around and wait for Shao Kahn to merge Outworld with Earthrealm." she informs him, and he casts a side glance at her. "We need intel, right? Let's send him back to Outworld undercover." Stryker spoke as Sub-Zero looked at him from his shoulder, "They will be unaware of my defection. I could deceive them." he agreed.

Ming pulls back and looks at him, "I could go with you, posing as a prisoner you caught." she adds, Sub-Zero flicks his eyes down at her, "No, Ming it's too dangerous." he tries to reason with her.

"Kaui Liang, look at what happened to you when we separated." she spoke, cupping his face in her hands, "I am not leaving your side ever again. We swore made a promise to protect one another, didn't we?" she questions him.

Sub-Zero just looks down at her and sighs, "Ming..." he tries again, "No. You won't talk me out of this." She snaps. Sub-Zero just looks at her, unable to crack a smile anymore, so just huffs a chuckle. "All right. We go together. So stay by my side." he informs her.

She pulls her hands back and nods at him, then looks at the others, "So, we are all in agreement?" she asks, Marina just smiles as she and Raiden exchange looks with the others.

~8~8~8~

The Tarkatans were gathered in the throne room as Sektor stood with Cyrax and Noob Saibot. "Earthrealm is finished. It will not be missed." Noob spoke as Sub-Zero steps through the portal, tugging a struggling Kai Ming with him.

"Very well. You will return." Sektor spoke as the others were dismissed. "Let me go! This isn't you!" she shouts, drawing the other's attention.

Sektor then looks back at the approaching Sub-Zero. "You report late. Where is the intruder?" he orders, flicking his glace at the struggling Kai Ming. "I killed him in Earthrealm, but I happened to find this one, trying to convince me of who I am," he answers.

Ming flicks her head up and glares at Sektor and lunges at him, only for Sub-Zero to hold her back and she was face to face with the leader of the cyber Ling Kuei.

"You fucking monster! When I get free, I'm going to rip your soul piece by piece. Rendering you into an empty husk of a machine and then I'll rip your damn head off!!" she snarls. Her eyes flare to pitch black and it extends to her the veins at her eyes.

Sektor wasn't fazed and looked back at Sub-Zero "The intruder should have been saved for interrogation." Sektor informs him. Sub-Zero yanks Ming back, "He was formidable. I had no choice. But lucky, she will prove useful." he spoke, tightening his grip on her wrists, making her yelp in pain.

Sektor just looks at the two, "Follow me. We must lead a new mission. Bring the Persefoni." he orders and walks back to the portal, Sub-Zero turns both of them and they look at Setkor.

Neither daring to say anything, Sub-zero follows him, tugging the Persefoni along with him.

~8~8~8~

A portal opens up in the subway and Sub-zero looks out the subway, pulling Ming with him, "What mission brings him here?" he asks him, Sektor just looks out at the subway, "I have scanned your neural net, Five-Two-Oh. Your neuromodulator has been recalibrated." he informs him, Sub-Zero and Ming flick their attention at him, "Impossible!" Sub-Zero stated as Ming controls her expression. "The experience has been deleted from your system. Remove your access panel." Setkor orders as he reaches out for Sub-Zero.

Ming glares as she slips through Sub-Zero's grip and shoots out a dark orb, throwing him back. Sektor slid back, holding his arms up in a guard, and came to a stop, throwing them down.

He looks at the two before him, seeing Sub-zero stand next to an angered and ready Kai Ming. "Your programming has been corrupted," he states, Sub-Zero steps forward as Ming follows suit. "My soul was corrupted. Now it is cleansed." he declares and takes his stance.

Sektor just glares at them and flicks his eyes over at Ming, "First you stab your husband and now you sever your ties with the Lin Kuei?" he questions her.

Ming glares at him, "I can't betray anyone if I was never committed and it was you who betrayed the ties of the Persefoni clan, Not I." She snarls as they both take their stance.

Kaui Liang held his arm out in front of Ming, She took a step back and he charged at Sektor, swinging his iced fists, knocking him back.

Ming stalks behind them, pacing as her eyes glare at Setkor and watching as both cyborgs keep low, firing their charged powers at them.

Sektor was good, fast, and robust, keeping one step ahead of Kaui Liang. Firing his flame throwers, Kaui Liang dodges the flames and fires an iceball at him, coating his arms in ice.

Ming charges forward and leaps in the air, slamming her foot right into Setkor's back, he goes flying and Kaui Liang jumps out of the way, watching as he crashes onto the ground.

Sektor pushes himself up, and Kaui Liang steps past him and stands in front of Ming—Setkor then turns and charges at them. Kaui Liang charges his fist and slams it right into Sektor's metal face, moving fast and suddenly.

Kaui Liang, or his given name, Sub-Zero, did not relent in his fight against the Cyber Lin Keui's grandmaster.

Ming jumps in, swift and sudden, keeping her feet light and her hands lighter, she disarms Setkor's flamethrowers and damages his chest plates.

She twists in the air, slams her leg right across his face, and Sub-Zero charges in, reeling his fist back and slamming it right into Setkor's chest plates.

Sending him flying back he crashes right into the steps, breaking them in, and lays limp on them. Both lower their stance, glaring at him. "Artificial enhancement is no substitute for the human soul." Sub-Zero snarls at him.

Ming steps forward and glares at him, "For Cyrax and my parents." she snarls. Sub-Zero places his hand on her shoulder, feeling the cold metal calm her as she takes a breath and breaths.

Then he looked at him and nodded. Sub-Zero pulls away and steps towards Setkor, opening his chest plates and bypassing the firewall. Downloading all the information that was stored in his database.

Ming walks up, looking at Sub-zero, watching as the information is being downloaded, his visor dims for a moment and he looks down at the grandmaster.

"Thank you, Sektor," he tells him, then looks up at Ming, seeing her standing before him. Pulling away from Setkor, he stood to his feet and wrapped his arms around her.

He was taken by surprise, but relaxed in his arms and allowed herself to exhale, "Do not leave my side, no matter what." he told her, she nodded at him and buried her face in his shoulder.

~8~8~8~

Standing in the clock tower, Kano with, Goro and Kintaro in the clocktower with prisoners gathered for the sacrifice.

Kano was having a blast torturing them with his laser eye. The two Shakons just laugh with amusement.

Both step through the door, keeping to the shadows as they see the prisoners and the three guarding them. "Oy! Run about, will ya!" Kano shouts.

Ming went stiff as she saw Kintaro, A rage filled her as she took a step forward, "Ming!" Sub-zero whispers as he takes hold of her arm. "That one Shokan there." She nudges her head to Kintaro.

Sub-zero looks at the Shokan, "He fought against Kung Lao, and Shoa Kahn snapped his neck when his back was turned." she snarls, Sub-zero just looks at her and nods, "We will deal with him, but be patient. Remember your mother's teachings." he tells her. Ming hesitated for a moment but reluctantly nodded at him.

Then they both step out, Ming pretending to struggle in his grip as he drags her forward. "Finally! I see you brought another, little miss soul lady." Kano laughs, and Ming snarls at him as she continues to 'pull' at Sub-zero's grip.

"C'mon, we gotta get 'em to the graveyard at Saint Dominic's. On your feet! All of you!" Kano orders, Ming flicks her eyes at Kintaro and glares at him.

"For what purpose?" Sub-zero questions as Kano just shrugs at him. "Don't care, really. So long as I get paid," he answers rubbing his two fingers together. "He said on your feet!" Kintaro snarls and Goro just thrusts his arms up.

"C'mon. Up," he orders them, but before they can move them, ice is fired, freezing them in their place. This surprises Kano as he looks back at Sub-zero. "Hey! What're y--" he shouts, but with a twist, Ming slams her foot right into his face, knocking him right out as he hits the ground.

The soldiers blinked for a moment as they looked up at the two, "I will help you." Sub-zero assures as he picks up the chain and freezes over, the soldiers gasp in surprise as the chains that held them are completely frozen.

Ming steps next to him, both nodded and Ming charges a shadow orb and fires at the chains, breaking them and freeing the soldiers.

They looked up at the two that freed them but then heard the breaking of ice, both snapped their eyes and looked at the two frozen Shokan and saw they were breaking free.

"Go! All of you! Now!" Sub-zero orders them, "Let's go! C'mon!" a soldier shouts and they quickly stand to their feet and run for cover. Then the Shokan were free from their imprisonment and glared at the two as they took their stance.

"Your treachery will be punished!" Kintaro shouts as he takes his stance, but Ming charges forward and slams both her feet into his chest, she leaps off as he flies back and hits the wall.

Once she lands on her feet, she stands tall, Goro snarls as he is about to swing at her, only for an iceball to hit him. He snarls and looks back at Sub-zero. "Your fight is with me, Shokan." he snarls at him.

Goro turns away and marches towards him, Kintaro shakes his head, pulling himself from the will, and looks at the Persefoni, that took her stance, "You?! I have been waiting for this!" he snarls at her.

Ming huffs "Really, then I guess the long wait is over. Ready for round 2?" she snarls. Kintaro charges at her Ming dodges his swings, keeping light on her feet.

Striking at his vulnerable spots, he staggers back for a moment, merciless in her attack. Her rage slowly builds up as she remembers the smile on Kung Lao's face.

Waving at the crowd, turned to the God of Thunder only for Shao Kahn to sneak up behind him and snap his neck.

Black mist ripples from her body as she reels her fist back and slams it into his face.

He stumbles back and shakes his head, seeing Ming radiating with blast mist. Anger and hatred were all that seemed to matter in her pitch-black eyes.

Sub-zero dodges Goro's fist, slamming his right into his gut and he stumbles back. Then looks over at Kintaro and Ming, seeing her power radiating from her body.

"Oh no, Ming!" Sub-zero cries out, going to run to her, but Goro catches him by his read, he cries out, struggling in his grip as he is lifted off the ground, slammed onto the ground then swung into the wall.

Crashing through the wall, Goro growls, "I am your opponent, do not turn your back on me." he growls, marching forward, Sub-zero shakes his head and looks at Goro for a moment, but casts his eyes at the battle between Ming and Kintaro.

Ming dodges the incoming swings of Kintaro, and the black mist consumes her as she phases right through Kintaro, he stumbles for a moment, feeling all the air in his lungs evaporate and the need for air become dire that he was greedy for it.

He grips his throat, feeling to his knees. Ming turns, looking back at him as she slowly strides forward, "Oh, I'm sorry, is the sudden need for air great?" she questions, her voice is dark, and could send shivers down any man's spine as she leans next to him.

"Well... let me put you out of your misery," she whispers, pulling away and gently placing her cold hands at his jawline. Kintaro could speak as his throat was relieved of water and dried at the touch.

Gripping his neck in her hands, she raises her pitch-black eyes, and with a swift jerk, she snaps Kintaro, making him go stiff for a moment but limp as she lets go and he falls forward dead on the ground.

Goro blocks the iceball that was fired at him and swings at Sub-Zero, who dodges his attack and jumps back, but he hears the thud and looks over, seeing Kintaro dead on the ground and Ming standing over his, darker and colder. "That was for Kung Lao." she snarls at him.

Goro roars out in anger, turning his attention away from Sub-zero, and marches towards Ming. "I'll have your head!" he snarls, pointing at Ming. Sub-zero lowers his arms and charges after him, "Ming, look out!" he calls out, Ming turns her head, her black eyes staring at the marching Shokan.

She just tilts her head, watching as his fist is reeled back, she takes a step back, dodging the swing, and gracefully dodges the incoming swings. "Hold. Still," he orders, continuing to swing at her.

But she folds her arms behind her back and reels back, dodging the next swing, watching as it swung right over her, missing her by a hair strain.

She then steps back and looks at him, "Any last words?" he questions her. She flicks her eyes behind him, smiles, and looks back. "Freeze," she orders.

Before Goro could answer, Sub-zero slammed his foot right into his back, cracking his spine. Goro cries out, as he staggers forward. Ming slams her palm right into his chest, and Goro's soul is shot right out of his body.

Sub-zero freezes his soul, catching it in mid-air. Ming pulled her hand to the point where only her fingertips were touching Goro's chest, pulling straight back and forcing his soul right back into his body.

Goro cries out as the cold is torturous. Right in sync, Ming and Sub-zero twist and slam the soul of their feet right into him. Sub-zero hits the spine as Ming hits the chest, shattering the ice inside him.

Goro cries out as blood squirts right out from his eyes, ears mouth, and blood. They both step back as Goro drops to his knees and is dead on the ground.

The two just look at the two dead Shokan. "All those teeth and claws, you're still outmatched." Sub-zero declares then looks over at Ming as she is brewing in her rage.

Hurrying to her side, he immediately pulled her into his arms, "It's all right, Ming. It's all right." he spoke softly, the cold radiating from his hands, spreading through her body as the rage began to subside. "There, there. Breathe, breathe," he said, rubbing her back.

Slowly relaxing, Sub-zero could feel the heat inside her body drop as it returned to below-average body heat. She exhales, flicking her eyes down at the body of Kintaro.

Still seeing Kung Lao lying on the ground, his neck snapped as Shao Kahn stood over him. It wasn't enough to kill him, his very essence needed to be ripped apart.

Cold hands grab hold of her face and make her look up at the Cyber Sub-zero that was looking at her, "No, Ming. Look at me, focus on me. Listen to my voice." he tells her.

Ming looks up at Sub-zero, remembering how his brown eyes always shined with joy. All the time they shared together, the laughs, the training, the share of culture. And the love they shared.

It radiated a warmth that overpowered her rage, She took the last breath as frost rippled in her breath, the blackness seeped away, revealing the forest green eyes he loved so much.

Ming blinks as she lowers her head and lays it on his shoulder, Sub-zero just wraps his arms around her. "There... there you go," he tells her. Ming raises her head and lets her thoughts collect themselves.

Sub-Zero pulls back and holds her shoulders, "Are you all right?" he asks her, she looks up at him and nods. He exhales and presses his forehead to hers.

Ming exhales as she closes her eyes and relaxes against him. But she pulled back inhaling with an echoed breath, eyes shooting open as she could hear the voices of the dead. The mind sees the alert of an evaluated heart rate, immediately he cups her cheeks, but before he can say anything, their tender moment is interrupted as the bell tower begins to shake.

Sub-zero instinctively pulled Ming close to him, ensuring she was safe, they both looked around at the tower, convinced it was not an earthquake.

Looking at the door where the prisoners escaped, standing beside one another, the soldiers were immediately sent flying back by a green smoke. The soldiers crashed onto the ground before them, making the two look to where the mist came from.

The soldiers groan as they prop themselves up. "Behind us!" Sub-zero orders, the men pull themselves to their feet and run behind the two as they see their next opponent.

It was Qaun Chi's latest creation, Emarc, hovering into the bell tower "Cover no further, fiend of Outworld!" Sub-zero shouts as he and Ming take their stance.

They both charge forward, one throwing an attack after the other in a sync pattern but Emarc dodges each one, the advantage of having more than one soul.

He catches their firsts, twisting Ming's arm, as she gasps in pain, throws Sub-zero back, and slams his fist in his chest, Sub-zero slides back, forcing himself to stop.

He pulls back, watching as he pulls Ming into a headlock, Ming struggles for a moment, "You must be removed from the picture. You are too dangerous to be kept alive." Emarc growls in her, Ming flicks her sight to the corner of her eyes.

"But if we deliver your soul to Quan Chi, it will power the spell immensely. Your captured brethren certainly did," he informs her, She glares at the vessel, that rage inside her bubbles up again as her eyes become pitch black. "Ming!" Sub-zero shouts as he runs back to them. Emarc glares at him, removes his arm, spins her around, and grips her throat tightly. "Get your hands off of her!!" Sub-zero shouts as he runs them.

Emarc raises his hand, the green mist pulsing at his palm, but Ming grabs hold of his arm and slams her fist onto his arm. He cries out, looking back at her, only to meet the heel of her hand.

The attack stuns him for a moment as she twists his arm, reeling it into a strain. He cries out again, only for her to slam her knee into his chest.

He stumbles out of her hold and Sub-zero charges an ice ball in his hand and slams it into the back of Emarc's head, making groans in shock.

He then removes the ice into a sword, stabbing him right through his chest and sending him staggering to Ming, who flames her knee into his gut.

He staggers only for Ming to catch him by his wrist and pull him back, snapping her hands at the sides of his head and creating a link between them.

He gasped as the green in his eyes was consumed in the pitch black of hers. He struggles but stares into her eyes. "Quan Chi may have created you, but you are not his slave," she spoke as her voice held a cold and heartless whisper to it.

Sub-zero steps back as he sees the blast mist once again, radiating from her body. "So let me set you free of him," she spoke and channeled all her emotions into his head.

Emarc grips her wrist, trying to pry himself him, but can feel whatever tether that bound him to Quan Chi being burned away in this searing hot rage as the tether snaps from the flames.

He cries out for a moment, his power bursts out of his control, making the others shield themselves from the light.

But everything dispersed to nothing as Ming rips her hands away, panting heavily as she looks at the stunned Emarc as he staggers for a moment and falls back onto the ground.

Alive and Free, but out cold from the power surge. Once he is down, they both exhale and lower their stance, Sub-Zero walks over and looms over Emarc "You are not so fearsome." he declares to him.

Ming took the moment and allowed herself to breath as the mist subsided and her eyes reverted to forest green She exhaled, lowering her arms. Sub-zero places his hand on her shoulder, Ming shoots a look at him and nods.

After the calm, the soldiers cheered as they from around the two, "Thanks. I thought we were done." a soldier spoke, Ming nodded her head at him. "We must go. We need to investigate the graveyard." Sub-zero informs them.

"We go with, but we have to return to our unit." the second soldier states. "That is for the best." Sub-zero agrees with him, he shoots a look at Ming and they both turn away, "Good luck man To you and your girl." the first soldier calls out as the two turn towards the door.

"They ain't gonna need luck." the second spoke as they grinned at one another. "I've nearly forgotten," Sub-zero spoke, Ming shot her head at him. "Forgotten what?" she asks. Sub-zero turns his head to her, "How good we are together." he jokes.

Ming grinned as she rolled her eyes with the turn of her head, but that didn't stop the pink flush from coloring the pale skin of her cheeks. Sub-zero looked away, chuckling as they continued down the stairs.

~8~8~8~

Etching symbols in the ground as the shadow warrior uses his newly found powers by the dark sorcerer Quan Chi, who was chanting his spell. Green flames licked at the prisoners' feet.

Ming and Sub-zero hid behind a gravestone looking out at the ritual that was being performed. Sub-zero pulls up his arm and opens the secure channel to the others. "This is Sub-zero."

~8~

"Kai Ming and I have encountered Quan Chi. He seems to be casting s spell." he informs the others, "What is that sorcerer up to now?" she questions. Raiden gasped as he was pulled into another vision.

The entire city was engulfed in a tornado of soul, destroying everything in its wake.

He blinks for a moment, lowering his head. Marina cast her eyes over at him and placed her hand on his shoulder "Raiden, what is it? What did you see?" Nightwolf asks him.

Raiden flicks his thunder eyes down and reaches for Marina's hand. "One of Shao Kahn's Soulnados, on a scale I thought unimaginable. All of Earthrealm's souls imprisoned... absorbed by Shao Kahn, multiplying his power!" he spoke in shock as it was a feat of dangerous power. "This is what Sub-zero and Kai Ming have found?" Nightwolf asks.

Pulling his hand back, he pulls his amulet off his shoulder and looks down at it, seeing it crack further. "No matter my efforts, the future remains in peril. How could I have failed Earthrealm?" he questions aloud.

Marina frowns at her lover, seeing that doubt and loathing are heavy on him. "Do not lose faith in the spirits, Raiden. They will guide you. Protect you." Nightwolf assures him.

Raiden was not convinced "Sub-zero. We will disrupt the Soulnado." Nightwolf spoke, and then an idea lit up in Marina's head. "Yes. We will. Kai Ming can." She spoke the others looked at her.

She turns to Soyna's comm, "Kai Ming, centuries ago your ancestors created a spell, allowing the caster to become one with the souls of the dead and cancel out all and any spells, overpowering any who opposes them." she informs them.

The others blink in surprise. "That spell is only ever passed down from mother to daughter when they become Matriarch of the Persefoni Clan," Ming informs her.

"But I saw you sneaking a peek at that spell one, reading it until you had it memorized," Marina spoke up. The line was silent for a moment. "I was 10," she answers, Nightwolf and Luna cast side-glances at each other, grins on both their faces. 

"But my ancestors, my grandmother and mother were powerful people, I can't reach their level of power." Ming informs her, and Marina just smiles "You can do this, Kai Ming. You're stronger than you think. You have a tempest inside you, waiting to burst and the more you suppress it, the more it will hurt you." she informs her.

Silence for a moment, "I... I can try." Ming answers her, Marina just flicks her eyes down at the wrist comm. "I know you can." she assures her, Then looks over past Raiden, "Nightwolf, Luna, go to the cemetery, and make sure Quan Chi can never perform this spell ever again," she orders them.

Both bow to her, "As you wish, Goddess." Nightwolf said to her

~8~

"We will be there momentarily," Nightwolf informs the two, Ming exhales as she is nervous. "Hurry. The spell appears to ne nearly complete." Sub-zero warns them and pulls away from his comm.

He then looks over at Ming as she is exhaling, placing his hand on her shoulder, "You got this." he assures her, She looks at him and nods, "Right." she mutters.

Then looks back at the ritual, "When I begin to perform this spell, I will be completely vulnerable, there must be no interruptions. Of any kind." she informs him.

Sub-zero nods at her, "No one will dare come within arm's length of you." he informs her, she just looks at him for a moment, can't help but smile, cupping the side of his metal face and presses her lips to his face visor.

Sub-zero was stunned for a moment but raised his hand and gently gripped the side of her neck. Knowing he has no lips of his own, didn't stop him from enjoying the thought.

She pulls back and presses her forehead to his. "My Dawn..." she mutters, and he huffs a chuckle, "My dust," he whispers, She then pulls away and nods at him.

Both looked back at the ritual as it was being performed and both stood up. Ming walks off to the side as Sub-zero hears right for the ritual.

Standing next to a tall tombstone, Ming exhales, closing her eyes and flexing her palms open. She begins the spell as she mutters under her breath.

Sub-zero steps into view of the two, Quan Chi stops for a moment as he notices the cyborg. "Who is that?" he questions as Noob Saibot looks up at the cyborg. "The one Kano warned about. He is mine," he answers, closing his fist right as he stops his magic and marches forward.

Quan Chi kept his eyes on the two as they stood face to face. "You. You are not worthy of the name Sub-zero." he snarls at the cyborg. "Who are you to judge me?" Sub-zero questions his opponent.

"I wore those colors before you." he declares, Sub-zero stood a step closer. "Bi-Han?!" he spoke with surprise as his brother was not the man he remembered.

"Yes, Kaui Liang. It is I. Quan Chi restored me." Bi-Han informs him, but Sub-zero just shakes his head, "Restored? You and I both. We are flawed copies of our former selves." he tells him, Bi-Han just shakes his head at him, "I have no flaws. Quan Chi has perfected me." he informs him.

"For what end? To serve the Netherrealm and Outworld?" Sub-zero questions him, "It suits my purpose." Bi-Han informs him, "But Brother, we are--" Sub-zero tries to reason with him. "We share blood. We are not brothers." Bi-han informs him.

Sub-zero lowers his arms and clutches his fist. "Then I will not regret your defeat." he declares and takes his stance.

Sub-zero swung at Saibot, who just blocked his attack, and swung back at Sub-zero, who dodged the swinging of his fits, but he caught his little brother by his arms and pulled him back in, slamming his stomach plating.

Taking him by surprise and slams both his fists into Sub-zero's chest and sends him flying back.

Sub-zero rolls onto the ground, but pulls back onto his feet and pulls back into his stance.

Saibot just growls and charges at Sub-zero, The cyborg dodges his attack, blocking each punch that was thrown at him. But he catches his arm, twists around, and throws him right over his shoulder, Saibot smacks onto the ground.

But quickly pulled himself up and took his stance, but from Sub-zero's shoulder, he could see Ming was chanting a spell as the black mist gathered at her feet, slowly seeping up her body, the blackness spread into the veins of her eyes as the shadows seeping into the graveyard.

His cold white eyes glare at him, "We stopped being brothers the moment you slept with my wife." he snarls at him, Sub-zero takes a step back in surprise, blocks the incoming swing, and shoves him back.

"How..." he questions, Noob Saibot takes his stance as they circle one another. "When Quan Chi restored me, he shoved me your betrayal. Both of your betrayals. You knew she was mine. You knew she belonged to me." he snarls at him.

"And you knew how I felt about her. How we both felt and still you forced her to marry you!" Sub-zero snarls at him with a point of his finger. "If we had it the Grandmistress way, Ming would have married you!" Noob Saibot snarls.

Sub-zero stops and takes his stance, "Kai Ming belongs to no one but herself. She is her own master and if you think she ever belonged to me or anyone. Then you truly have gone mad." he declares and charges at him, swinging his fists.

Both were equal in their battle, having trained at a young age, and both knew each other's moves and strikes they would make. Making it a battle nearly impossible to win.

But thanks to Ming's training, Sub-zero fakes a punch, only to twist his wrist, gripping hold o Noob Saibot's wrist and slamming his knee right into his cut.

Cracking a few ribs, then twist his arm, forcing him to a knee and he slams his elbow into his shoulder, almost breaking his arm, twisting it back again, slamming the heel of his palm right into his former brother's throat.

His windpipes were crushed and twist his hand and grips the side of Noob Saibot's head and slams it right onto the ground.

Saibot tries to stand to his feet, but Sub-zero marches over and slams his foot at his chest, making him gasp in surprise.

Once he is knocked out, Sub-zero removes his foot and steps back, "You are right. We are not brothers." he tells him.

But as the fight was over, he was too late as the spell had begun, summoning all the souls to gather into one place, Sub-Zero stood his ground, bracing himself at the pulling winds, even the prisoners were consumed in the spell.

But it was enough to break a bright light into the sky as the pillars of souls were pulling in more and more.

It was the beginning of the end.

[letterboxd]

Halfway—2021.

Two Filipino indies lead the Letterboxd Top 25 at the 2021 halfway point, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to shake—and reshape—the film industry. Jack Moulton and Gemma Gracewood take stock.

Cleaners, Glenn Barit’s photocopied, hand-colored, stop-motion feature about high schoolers in the northern Philippines city of Tuguegarao, is the highest-rated 2021 film on Letterboxd at the halfway point of the year, with a weighted average of 4.3 out of 5 stars. Ode to Nothing, by Barit’s fellow countrywoman Dwein Baltazar, is in second place, and Shaka King’s two-time Oscar-winner Judas and the Black Messiah rounds out the top three.

Last year was a transition year in many ways: for the world, a pandemic-led move away from cinema screenings to at-home virtual theaters and streaming-first releases; for Letterboxd, a move away from US-led release dates in our annual calculations. This has opened the way for notable films from around the world to be included on our lists far sooner than their oft-delayed American releases (which had resulted in, for example, Brazil’s Bacurau not making the 2019 Letterboxd Year in Review).

Both of these factors help to explain why we have two Filipino independent features leading our midway Top 25. “Cleaners and Ode to Nothing are exactly the kind of small Filipino films that would have struggled to get national distribution in theaters in the before times, despite the buzz that they garnered,” writes Manila-based film critic Philbert Dy in his companion essay to the Top 25, in which he explains how the Philippines’ particularly long and harsh Covid lockdown has “led to smaller, quirkier films being made accessible to more Filipinos, whose consumption of cinema were once beholden to the whims of conglomerate cinema owners”.

‘Cleaners’, written and directed by Glenn Barit.

When we shared the good news with him, a delighted Cleaners director Glenn Barit specifically shouted out his nation’s film lovers: “It is a testament to a vibrant Filipino film community still actively watching and supporting films of our own. Especially with a film like ours set in a small city far from the capital, it is amazing to read in reviews that it resonates with a lot of people (sometimes even outside our country).”

From this year forward, our mid-year rankings include films that have been released in any country, with at least a limited theatrical, streaming or video-on-demand run, and a minimum of 1,000 views on Letterboxd. These new rules allow us to celebrate the love for Katie Found’s lesbian romance My First Summer—released in Australia in March—without having to wait for the US to catch up. It joins indie highlight Shiva Baby, Michael Rianda’s animated hit The Mitchells vs The Machines and Heidi Ewing’s swooning romance, I Carry You With Me, on the Top 25 in putting young, queer characters on the screen.

‘My First Summer’, written and directed by Katie Found.

As expected, many films on the list have suffered pandemic delays. We use premiere dates to mark the year of record for each film, so A Quiet Place Part II will always be attached to its March 2020 red-carpet screening, despite the fourteen-month hibernation that followed. This is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection by Mosotho director Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese screened at 2019’s Venice Film Festival and had a very long festival run until Mubi picked it up for streaming in the UK this year. The film’s lead, Mary Twala, passed away a year ago, July 4, 2020 (see her also in Beyoncé’s Black is King). Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s Our Friend—one of the eight women-directed films on the list—went to TIFF, London, and AFI before being released this January without screening once in 2020.

More than half of our Top 25 films are directed by BIPOC directors, nearly a dozen of whom are of Asian descent, illuminating a key benefit of the new eligibility system. Challenging the US for the most represented country is India with five films in the list, taking advantage of Amazon’s distribution deal and creating greater accessibility for Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam-language films at home and abroad.

‘Red Post Post on Escher Street’, written and directed by Sion Sono.

Also among the Asian directors making the list are legends Tsai Ming-liang and Sion Sono. Tsai’s Days recently received a limited run in Spain (it will be brought to the US by Grasshopper Films this August), while Sono’s Red Post Post on Escher Street had a quick VOD run in February courtesy of Japan Society Film.

Produced in the US and directed by Japanese-Brazilian Edson Oda, Nine Days qualifies due to an exclusive run at the Singapore arthouse theater The Projector in May—it’ll be released in the US later this month. Finally, Asian American director Jon M. Chu makes the list with his adaptation of Quiara Alegría Hudes and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights. We are also happy to see a couple of Letterboxd members in the halfway 25: Cleaners’ Barit and Chad Hartigan (Little Fish). If you’d like to discover more 2021 releases by our member-filmmakers, we have a list for that.

The Top 25 is, of course, solely made up of narrative feature-length films. On the documentary front, Flee is currently the highest-rated non-fiction feature of 2021. Neon is expected to release the film in the US for an awards run later this year, but it’s eligible now due to a release earlier this month in director Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s homeland of Denmark.

‘Flee’, directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen.

Fellow Sundance Film Festival winner Summer of Soul (or… When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) is currently the year’s highest-rated documentary in general, but was 48 hours shy of eligibility for the halfway list, releasing in theaters and on Hulu on July 2. The runners-up are: Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In, directed by the notorious football manager’s son; David Attenborough’s The Year Earth Changed, directed by Tom Beard; and rock-docs TINA and (in his doc-directing debut) Edgar Wright’s The Sparks Brothers.

In other categories, It’s a Sin is the highest-rated narrative miniseries at the midway point, Can’t Get You Out of Our Head by Adam Curtis is the highest-rated documentary miniseries, Bo Burnham: Inside is the highest-rated comedy special, Blackpink: The Show is the highest-rated music film, Save Ralph is the highest-rated animated short film, and Four Roads, by Alice Rohrwacher, is the highest-rated live-action short film.

With Cannes underway and more festivals to come, it is still a long road to the 2021 Year in Review for these films—but given the journey most of them have already travelled, it is pleasing to celebrate the filmmakers’ success. Ang galing ninyong lahat!

On top of its meticulously bonkers production process, our highest-ranked film, Cleaners, had a long journey to its first theatrical distribution, and it’s far from over. The film premiered at the QCinema International Film Festival in October 2019, to raves from Filipino Letterboxd members, and it still holds a firm grasp on its high rating nearly two years later. Ultimately, the first non-fest release for Cleaners occurred when Singapore’s Asian Film Archive screened it for a week in April, thus qualifying the film for our 2021 lists.

‘Ode to Nothing’, written, directed and edited by Dwein Baltazar.

Ode to Nothing has been on an even longer journey. The film also debuted at the QCinema Festival, but in 2018, and finally arrived on local streaming services iWantTFC and KTX.PH earlier this year.

Being celebrated by their countryfolk on Letterboxd is one thing, but how can those of us outside the Philippines see these top two films? Perhaps we need to give our local distributors a nudge. As Cleaners director Barit explains: “We are a team of three first-time filmmakers and producers. We are still learning the ropes of film distribution and marketing—and it’s been very hard. I just want to shamelessly say that our doors are wide open for distribution and acquisition; we are not yet available on any streaming platforms locally or internationally [winks nervously].”

See the Halfway 2021 list on Letterboxd and watch the Top 10 countdown on YouTube

Follow Jack and Gemma on Letterboxd

[translations-by-aiimee]

Dig a Grave to Dig Out a Ghost - Chapter 28

Original Title: 挖坟挖出鬼

Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Supernatural, Yaoi

This translation is based on multiple MTLs and my own limited knowledge of Chinese characters. If I have made any egregious mistakes, please let me know.

Chapter Index

Chapter 28 - Immortal

In some remote mountainous areas in the south, Miao women used clay pots and menstrual blood to raise hundreds of insects. They sealed them, placed them in a damp place and cast curses on them. Once the day was done, the poisonous insects will have killed each other and the last one was embodied with Gu poison*. The curse made with Gu poison could make someone's love interest fall helplessly in love with them for the rest of his life, and it could also plague one's enemy with nightmares, madness, and even death. The women who concocted Gu poison were typically loners, often muttering to no one, avoided by the general public.

*(T/N: 蛊 - Gu poison was believed to be the combination of all the venoms from the insects that died and would be used for black magic in southern regions of China)

In Nanyang Black Magic, they would use the body of a baby that died recently, boiled out the toyol*, poured it on a puppet doused in human blood and placed it in the home. The imprisoned baby ghost would protect the house but the curse-caster will be punished. They would also carve birthdates into wood, causing the other to die.

*(T/N: 尸油 - literally 'corpse oil.' I'll spare you the graphic details but basically taking a dead body's chin and boiling it until oil drains out of it)

This black magic flourished in the Ming Dynasty. The Eastern Depot eunuchs* were in turmoil. Everyone was reporting each other, no one would speak to each other, eyes darting between each other daily. These curses were developed as a branch of Daoism to oppose political rivals. A-Yan said that the Daoist practices used to drive out ghosts and save people were declining, but this black magic has stuck around. It was one of the biggest spots in Daoist history.

*(T/N: 东厂 - a secret police & spy agency run by eunuchs meant to suppress political opposition towards the emperor)

Saturday morning was a beautiful day. The sun was shining but not to the point of being unbearably hot. The distant mountains stood silently under the blue sky. A black Audi passed quickly through the country’s tree-lined roads, raising a cloud of grit and dust. A white goose with its head held high on the roadside was startled by the car, flapping its wings and stretching its neck to hide behind a fence.

The car stopped at a small farmhouse in the northwest corner of the village.

In the courtyard, a tall Shuzi tree stretched out dense branches, looking extraordinarily vibrant. In contrast, the entire courtyard was strangely decrepit. A well was covered by a millstone and the stone-paced path was full of weeds. The doors of the three mud-brick houses were closed, with straw curtains covering the doors and windows covered with dust.

Everything was very different from a month ago. Lin Yan remembered that the last time he came here, there were hens and rabbits. The old lady in blue embroidered clothing was kneeling on the futon with her eyes closed. The small courtyard was filled with the mysterious atmosphere of the countryside. The current yard would give people the impression that the homeowner hadn't been home for years when, in fact, a fresh grave in the back of the mountain had only been built a month ago. Rural people were convinced that the houses inhabited by the living were blessed by the gods and sheltered from the elements for decades. Once the owner of the house dies, the gods will follow, so the empty house often collapsed and was destroyed in less than six months.

"When Second Immortal Gu was in the village, she would help children that fell sick with fever, and the adults that were dealing with evil spirits. Young men would ask her when they'd get married and, for the right price, she'd tell them." The village chief said with a cigarette in his mouth.

The village leader knew Yin Zhou’s mother well. He heard that Yin Zhou wanted to bring someone to pay tribute to Second Immortal Gu and waited at the entrance of the village to welcome them. It took ten minutes to drive from the village leader's house to Second Immortal Gu’s house. The village head smoked four cigarettes in a row. Yin Zhou squeezed his eyes shut while Lin Yan and the little Daoist priest twisted their heads out of the window every 30 seconds to gasp for a breath of fresh air. The village chief was the only one of them chatting in the smoky car. Lin Yan saw how the complaints of three people and a ghost just flew over his head.

If a ghost could complain.

Lin Yan found a roll of incense from the little Daoist's bag and lit it. He put the incense burner at the door of the mud-brick house and offered his respects.

"Last time, we left just before Second Immortal Gu had her accident. I should have come to offer some incense sooner, it's just things with school got busy and I haven't been able to make it until now." Lin Yan brushed the straw curtain and the accumulated dust fell on his face. "Cough, cough. Does - Does anyone take care of this place?"

"Of course not. You big city kids wouldn't know. Doing this line of work is only good for putting food on the table. Immortal Gu came out here in her twenties. In less than ten years, her husband and two sons had died and she was the only one left. She couldn't even save herself." The village leader stuffed his yellow striped shirt into his pants. "Don't feel bad. No immortal in this village could escape that fate."

"Come on, let's go, you guys are here to see her grave. We don't put up any gravestones here. We just build a stone platform, but the villagers will remember who it's for. I'll take you up there."

The sun was growing hotter. Several of them used broken branches to smack the grass in case of snakes while they hiked up the rugged mountain trail. A rural cemetery wasn't as neat as an urban cemetery. Each family claimed a spot, with every newly deceased buried next to the rest of their family. The grave was a prominent mound of dirt with a large stone on top. Some of the graves were too old to even make out the mound, the ground studded with small light blue flowers. A date palm tree grew wildly, and they needed to watch their step when walking so they wouldn't disturb the resting dead.

Second Immortal Gu's grave was off on its own. The mound was freshly dug. Other than a crooked wreath lying on it, it was indistinguishable from the older graves that had been abandoned for years.

The scene made Lin Yan feel incredibly guilty. He burned a large stack of paper dollars in front of the grave, playing with his branch while saying silently in his mind: Auntie, if you're still here, please come back and tell us who harmed you. We'll avenge your death.

The village chief took the cigarettes Lin Yan had bought him and squatted off in the distance to smoke. Lin Yan winked at the little Daoist priest and said softly, "Let's start?"

A-Yan nodded and took out a crumpled photo from his pocket that he had found in a frame in Immortal Gu's house. The immortal in the photo was still very young, wearing a floral cotton jacket and staring vacantly ahead.

"Now isn't a good time. The s-sun is too high. The mountains are filled with Yang energy, and the ghosts may not be able to be reached." A-Yan said. He jumped up and grabbed a twig from the date tree above his head. He hung a spirit summoning flag on it and patted the dust off his shoulders. "Here's a picture, here are the bones. Um, Lin Yan, I'm going to borrow your birthdate for this."

Before Lin Yan had time to ask, the little Daoist priest handed him a dagger. Unlike his usual mahogany sword, this one was actually made of metal. The handle seemed to be a few years old, and the tip of the blade gleaming a bright white in the sunlight.

"H-Hold this for a minute. You might feel a little uncomfortable, but don't let it go." A-Yan instructed: "I-I'll read one sentence and you read the next."

Yin Zhou chuckled but he felt that it probably wasn't the time to laugh so he quickly turned his laughter into a string of coughs.

Surprisingly, A-Yan never stuttered whenever he talked about Taoism and charms, Lin Yan muttered.

Time passed by and it was almost noon. The date trees in the mountains couldn't block the hot sun. After standing there for a long time, most of them were covered in a layer of sweat. The village leader couldn't bear the heat and left to join some nearby people to drink some tea. Lin Yan stood in front of the grave with the dagger in his hand. He rubbed the sweat on his cheeks off with his shoulder, hoping that this time it would be over quickly.

The little Daoist started reciting. His voice didn't sound like proper speech, but the slow rate of speech wasn't too difficult to follow. Lin Yan held the hilt of the dagger and along with the chant. Not even halfway through the incantation, Lin Yan already began to feel that something was wrong. The temperature around him began to drop, and the hot sweat condensed on his back. He kept shivering like he was suffering from heatstroke. A chill came from the handle of the dagger. First, the temperature seeped into his palm, and then his whole arm, up to his shoulders, through the bones in his spine to the back of his head in a numb wave. It was as if he wasn't holding a dagger but a frozen fish that had been left in the bottom tray of the freezer for a year.

The spirit summoning flag above his head began to move.

"It's cold." Lin Yan took a breath and scanned the silent mountains around him. "Have you reached the soul?"

"I t-think I found her." The little Daoist hesitated. "Huh. . . that's weird. . ."

After reciting two more incantations, the bone-chilling cold air had spread to his calves. Lin Yan's teeth chattered and he shivered out: "A-. . . A-Yan, are you sure this is okay. . . it's too. . . cold. . ."

The chanting continued, the little Daoist priest shot him a sideways glance, his eyes cold. Lin Yan can only brace himself to keep follow the mantra incantations, a heavy cold sweat forming on his forehead.

"Hold on for a little longer. The soul is bound to something, I want to break it free." A-Yan gritted his teeth, and a piece of talisman paper was slapped against the blade. All of a sudden, the cold washed over him like a tsunami. Lin Yan's whole body felt like it was being stabbed by needles, veins popping on his forehead from the pain.

"A-Yan, what are you doing?!" Yin Zhou knew something wasn't right when he saw Lin Yan's lips turn blue. "If you can't do it now, someone's going to get hurt. Lin Yan, use the ghost that's following you!"

"Almost there. Don't let go!" The little Daoist was flushed a sickly pale colour and he rapidly chanted the mantra. The spirit summoning flag above his head was being whipped by the wind. There was a ripping sound and the whole piece of cloth was torn in half and fluttered down onto the old grave in the distance.

"I-It's okay. . . A-Yan, go faster. . ." Lin Yan was so cold that he could barely get his tongue to work. He tried to move the hand with the dagger to it but he found that his skin was stuck to the metal and he couldn't budge it. He was shivering from his arms all the way down to his legs. Lin Yan staggered back and stepped on the bag they'd brought, almost falling backwards.

A force of strength supported his back. Xiao Yu's voice sounded right when he needed him, but his low voice didn't let him retort: "Let go."

Xiao Yu's hand covered the back of Lin Yan's hand. Compared to the temperature of the dagger, his palm was actually warm. It was just right to block the cold air that kept pouring into Lin Yan's arm. A-Yan's expression changed in an instant and he shouted loudly: "Back off, beast!"

"I'll fucking finish this. . ." Lin Yan abruptly closed his eyes and pressed his palm to the blade. All at once, the bone-chilling cold air felt like ten thousand needles running through his palm up to his arm. At the same time, there was a cold that grew behind him. He quickly opened his eyes but Second Immortal Gu hadn't appeared. On the contrary, Xiao Yu snapped Lin Yan's wrist with completely overwhelming strength, forcing the sharp weapon out of his hand.

The moment the dagger was taken out of Lin Yan's hand, he felt like he was immediately torn out of an ice block and thrown into a fire. The ritual was broken, the hot sunlight licked his back, making his whole body numbly feel like it was going to dissolve. However, he couldn't care less about his body's reaction. What happened next made Lin Yan and Yin Zhou - who was freaking out off to the side - shocked. They saw Xiao Yu holding the dagger inching towards A-Yan, frigid eyes filled with killing intent. When the palm of his hand touched the hilt of the knife, it sounded like searing flesh. But he didn't care. He grabbed A-Yan's collar with one hand, and violently plunged the dagger toward his left eye with the other!

Lin Yan's mind kicked into action. He subconsciously rushed over to hold Xiao Yu's waist, using all his strength to drag him back. However, something was wrong with the little Daoist priest, too. His usual cowardice was gone and his eyes burned with rage. He rolled away and broke free, rapidly taking out a handful of cinnabar and tossing it towards Xiao Yu. His voice changed because of the trembling: "An evil beast is an evil beast. You can't stay!"

"What the fuck is going on!" Yin Zhou couldn't see Xiao Yu. He could only see the little Daoist tumbling on the ground alone trying to avoid a shimmering dagger. Lin Yan's nerves were fried. While dragging Xiao Yu back, he roared towards Yin Zhou: "How the hell should I know? You grab A-Yan!"

He had never seen Xiao Yu so angry. The midday sun was burning and blinding. The ghost's whole body was emitting a faint greenish-black aura. The knuckles of both hands snapped open, sharp claw-like nails grabbing the back of the Daoist priest's head. Lin Yan thought he was seeing things and closed his eyes, but the scene stayed the same. The place where the ghost stood glowed a greenish-black and the place where the human stood was a dancing orange fire, intertwining with each other, but the orangish-yellow flames were gradually dying out. . .

Later, he would learn that people have yang energy and ghosts have yin energy. When the energy was extremely concentrated, he could directly perceive the yin and yang without his eyes confusing it in his mind. This was the foundation of excellent Taoism. He had inadvertently opened a long-closed door to the mystical arts.

However, the current situation was extremely dangerous. Xiao Yu held A-Yan’s neck with one hand and the dagger cut inch by inch into the little Daoist priest's arm blocking it. The hand holding the knife was searing black from the contact with the blade of the evil spirit's. A Yan's face grew purple, his eyes bulging. Lin Yan didn't dare to hesitate for a moment and scrambled over to protect A-Yan from behind. There was a clanging sound and the dagger rolled to the ground.

The little Daoist broke free from the evil spirit's hands, clutching his bleeding wound and groaning intermittently: "Lin Yan. . . Immortal Gu. . . Immortal Gu's spirit is trapped. . . I couldn't get her. . ."

Lin Yan supported the little Daoist's shoulders. His eyes gleamed, and the soft deer-like eyes were different from those when he had when he cast the spell. "The curse. . . Be careful." A-Yan whispered. Lin Yan hadn't gotten the chance to ask what was going on before his thin body couldn't support his own weight. His eyes rolled back and he fainted.

Lin Yan and Yin Zhou looked at each other, shocked by the outcome, unable to utter a word.

[popwasabi]

“The Mandalorian” S2 is a power fantasy with mini Star Wars trailers

The term “Plot armor” is often used by readers and viewers to describe the myriad of ways writers keep their heroes away from any real danger no matter what choices or actions they make in the narrative. It’s typically a derisive phrase for the way a writer’s hero seems to escape death no matter what is thrown at him for the sole purpose of moving the plot forward.

In Disney+’s “The Mandalorian” this term takes a far more literal description in the form of our main anti-hero, played by Pedro Pascal, in his beskar armor which seems to be, by all accounts the most indestructible material in the galaxy far, far away.

(I mean, it still looks really cool too, of course.)

The result of this narrative decision in this series is that action scenes often don’t have real tension to them. In another series you might be able to reasonably believe the hero might be in danger with blaster fire shooting all around them but with beskar it’s almost comically not the case at all. Stormtroopers fire laser blast after laser blast at The Mando and each time they bounce harmlessly off him as if he were fucking Superman. It makes scenes feel devoid of stakes and danger no matter what situation they are in.

The show thus becomes a power fantasy, as action scenes serve as extended highlight reels for the Mando. Where season 1 of the show mitigated the power of the Mando’s plot armor by putting him more often in situations where his beskar alone wasn’t enough to save the day, season 2 goes mostly full power fantasy as The Mando rarely runs into a situation he can’t just quite literally walk through.

(“Aim for his armor, men! That’s his weak point!”)

This isn’t to say the season wasn’t without its high moments or even that it wasn’t enjoyable plenty of times but the series’ devotion to fan servicey action and callbacks to “Hey remember ____” makes it a fairly shallow story. At least for myself.

Season 2 of “The Mandalorian” continues the story of Din and his small Yoda-like companion, The Child (later known officially as Grogu), as he looks to complete a quest to return the burgeoning Force wielder to the Jedi. As he seeks to reunite The Child with the ancient Order, he encounters other Mandalorians who are on a quest to retake Mandalore and right on their tail is the nefarious Grand Moff Gideon who is still bent on capturing Grogu for whatever it is he has planned for the Empire.

Let me start this review by saying power fantasies aren’t inherently bad to watch or read. They can be good, cathartic junk food for the soul and can also be compelling, artistic, or even deeply metaphorical in their own way. A movie series like “John Wick” for instance is a power fantasy that aims to reinvent the wheel in action film-making with Keanu Reeves performing perhaps the best gun kata of all-time onscreen. Another film like Paul Verhoueven’s “Total Recall” can satirize the power fantasy to show how ridiculous it is in concept.

So, making your hero an unstoppable killing machine isn’t necessarily always a bad thing if used properly.

(Seriously, this is one of the smartest action films ever made. Don’t @ me.)

Now that that’s established, however, “The Mandalorian” season 2, despite some strong moments here and there, is a power fantasy that lacks these elements for a more interesting narrative. If you believe killing dozens of stormtroopers onscreen while never suffering so much as a scratch for eight episodes equals compelling storytelling then boy does Disney have a series for you.

Through the first four-ish episodes, the new season is mostly just fine and even quite enjoyable. We have the Mando getting a fun side quest with Timothy Olyphant on Tatooine where they get to wrangle a sand worm in a callback to the Westerns that inspired much of the franchise’s aesthetic. The Mando gets to escort a frog lady to her home planet to give birth to some tadpoles and they run into some actual danger in this episode in the form of kyrnknas/space spiders. And we get the return of Bo Katan from Dave Filoni’s “Clone Wars” and “Rebels” cartoon series, with Katee Sackhoff herself reprising the role in a fun Mandalorian team-up episode.

(I’m just so happy to see my girl, Starbuck, again more than anything honestly ;_;)

But the wheels started officially falling off for me in the next episode.

Episode 5 marked the live-action debut of fan favorite Ahsoka Tano, played by Rosario Dawson, and she meets the Mando by getting the jump on him with her lightsabers. In virtually any other situation we have been told lightsabers can cut through virtually anything. Now, beskar has been shown to be plenty durable throughout the series so far but lightsabers? Surely not.

Well…

It is an overall good episode despite this but it marked the point for me where I badly wanted The Mando to just go the rest of the series without it. Obviously, the writers aren’t going to actually kill our hero, afterall The Mouse needs more money and he can’t have it unless we get 50 more Mandalorian episodes and spin-offs, but at some point I gotta feel like there’s a possibility at least that our hero might actually die or at least is in danger. It is actually super funny to me each time The Mando ducks or seeks cover in a shootout when I know, and the viewer damn well knows, he can literally walk right into the middle of it and shoot all these motherfuckers at his own leisure cause his actual plot armor is the stuff of adamantium and vibranium combined.

Episode 5 is mostly good though, it’s a nice callback to old school samurai flicks and for an old fan like myself it was enough to ignore beskar again saving the Mando’s ass.

(This was cool...This...was...cool.)

If episode 5 marked the point in which the wheels began to come off though, episode 6 is where the show really spun out into the ditch for me. Perhaps, this series worst episode, personally, episode 6 reintroduces fan favorite and series inspiration Boba Fett back officially into the fold and the result was perhaps the most self-indulgent entry of the series.

(I mean, it was directed by Robert Rodriguez so...)

Boba arrives to demand his beskar from The Mando who promptly tells him “no” before they are ambushed by a platoon of stormtroopers. Alongside Ming-Na Wen’s Fennec Shand, the three do battle with the stormtroopers with ridiculous ease. I’m aware that stormtroopers exist to be on the highlight reel of our heroes in this franchise and have a long history of not being able to hit the broad side of a bantha but again, I can only watch these guys die by the dozens onscreen over and over again while our heroes get away without suffering even a bruise before it starts feeling boring and repetitive.

It only gets worse once Boba actually puts on his armor. In a sequence that I would describe as “gratuitously” fan servicey, Boba wastes just about every last stormtrooper in this scene culminating with him destroying their two get-away vehicles in a single shot with a rocket. Considering he was killing them with ease just moments before with nothing more than a battle club and a bathrobe, it seemed almost hilariously needless that he donned his iconic armor.

(It would be tempting to say the stormtroopers fought as ineptly as the Putty Patrol here but even the Power Rangers have struggled a few times against these guys...)

I get that Boba is really important to a lot of fans, based on their perceptions of him in the original trilogy and subsequent books and graphic novels that came out in the following years, but here’s a hot take; this series didn’t need him in it. Maybe they didn’t need to keep him rotting in the Sarlacc Pit but this episode, alongside Ahsoka Tano’s feels more like marketing choices for the story rather than narrative ones. I’ll concede that there is a bit more substance to having Ahsoka there to commune with Grogu but their additions to the plot don’t actually show much of anything about the Mando outside physically helping him in a fight.

The way they tease, in both cases, stories that exist outside the internal narrative between Ahsoka’s search for Admiral Thrawn and Boba taking over Jabba’s palace at the end of the final episode, it feels like Disney threw in mini trailers for fans to nibble on at the expense of telling the Mando’s own story and letting it stand on its own like the first season.

The choice to have these characters shoved into this season again appears to be market driven not narrative. Once more, I get that these characters are important personally to many fans, but the appearance of these characters alone DO NOT equal good storytelling.

(Me when a fan tells me “But Boba was such a badass in *obscurely titled EU book that a handful of general audiences have read*! He deserves this moment!”)

The final episode of the season is truly encapsulating of all these issues “The Mandalorian” has, however. Moff Gideon, played by the always sharp Giancarlo Esposito, has Grogu imprisoned aboard his ship. The Mando and his friends plan a rescue mission to save him and, just like nearly every episode before, it is stupidly easy for our protagonists.

The crew of five, again, walk through every Imperial on the ship. I don’t mean this metaphorically by the way, I mean this literally as Cara, Fennec, Bo Katan and Koshka Reeves (played by WWE’s Sasha Banks) without a single moment of real adversity just blast through every stormtrooper on the ship and never get hit once in the process.

A good action scene needs an element of danger, a sense that our hero might actually not come out of this alive even though we all know they will. An action scene without this has no tension and without tension it becomes booooooooring.

(Even John fucking Wick is capable of bleeding, guys...)

The finale had a chance, however, to add real stakes and danger to the scene in the form of this season’s new enemy; The Dark Troopers. These Imperial battle droids were foreshadowed as these super soldiers at the end of episode 4 and seemed to be billed as a real dangerous match for our heroes to faceup against. When the Mando finally gets himself face to face with one he finds they are not as easy to kill as the nameless stormtroopers from before. To see The Mando briefly face real adversity for a change snapped me out of my cynical mood so sharply for a moment I thought I had turned on another series by accident.

But of course, danger never lasts long in this series as The Mando’s armor again saves him first from getting pummeled to death by the droid’s super fists then he uses his plot spear, cause of course he has one of those too, to finish the job.

Danger over.

Moff Gideon doesn’t fair much better in this episode. This villain who had been built up for two seasons as this calculative monster gets stopped rather easily with Mando and his friends barely breaking a sweat. This character feels wasted because of this, even though I’m sure Giancarlo Esposito will return in the next season. He just feels about as much like a pushover as the nameless stormtroopers in this series.

The episode had one more chance though to show these Dark Troopers meant business toward the end as we found the heroes cornered on the command deck with nowhere to run and a dozen of these droids ready to blast and pound them into the floorboards. But help arrives in the form of a Deus X-Wing Machina.

Without having to face even one Dark Trooper, Luke fucking Skywalker arrives on the ship and kills every droid without breaking a sweat. It plays as inspiring in the moment but again I just found myself bored and irritated. A chance to see the series heroes actually use their wits and show their creativity in a moment of true danger thwarted to please fan boys.

I get that Grogu called out to him in episode 6 but creatively this felt like an extremley lazy way to solve the heroes’ dilemna.

(“Hello my name is Jedi. I enjoy doing...*computes script* Jedi things.”)

This season wasn’t all bad. It certainly had nice production value that made each alien world pop and beautiful to look at. Every actor and actress played their parts expertly well, with what they were given, and made for interesting characters at times. There are also nice homages to both Western and Samurai cinema throughout the season that fans of both will appreciate. And Pedro Pascal is just so good on his own, especially in tender moments with Grogu, that you forget that his character is kind of a Gary Stu.

But the main crux of the issue here that I’m trying to get across is the reason you need to remove the plot armor of your heroes is not just because action scenes need tension and stakes, it’s that when faced with danger these scenes reveal who these characters are. I used to believe that the reason Mandalorians and Jedi had such a fierce rivalry in the lore despite the obvious advantages of wielding the Force was because these famed bounty hunters were just that fucking good at killing. That despite being, on paper, normal people they had great martial prowess, athletic skill, and the tactical wit to outsmart people who can literally sense their feelings. But now with beskar and the way this series is written, it appears the Mandalorians were challenging warriors just because they happened to harness the most OP armor building material in the galaxy.

It makes you wonder how the fuck they were conquered to begin with…

(Maybe they just needed more knee rockets...)

This takes away from the mysticism of the Mandalorians for me. It makes The Mando less interesting to me in the way he fights. Yea he can shoot really good too but really it’s the armor that makes him the fighter that he is and I find that kind of boring. We occasionally get this character to remove the armor during the series, including a whole episode that was easily one of the best of the season, and in every case he’s more interesting once the helmet comes off. I get that fans hold a lot of reverence for that armor, yea it still looks really cool, but making it this impenetrable super material doesn’t add anything to the story.

If anything, it takes away from it.

(Plus how could you not love Pedro Pascal when he’s out of armor? uWu)

I wouldn’t go as far as to say I hate season 2, even though I spent 2000 plus words just now lambasting it but I guess I just want to say I am unimpressed more than anything. I feel like I’ve seen better Star Wars be it in the movies, cartoons, books, video games, etc and I’ve certainly seen better action in the franchise as well.

Considering fan reaction so far appears to be overwhelmingly positive, I am definitely in the minority here and you are welcome to enjoy this series as much as you want in spite of how unimpressed I am with the season. But considering all I have seen of this fandom the last few years, regarding complaints about fan service (“Rogue One”), easily defeated/underdeveloped bad guys (“The Last Jedi”), and Mary Sues (The sequel trilogy in general), I have to ask again what is it actually that fans like or don’t like about new entries in the franchise? It’s not that there isn’t valid criticisms there and “The Mandalorian” is enjoyable in sincere ways too but it has many of the issues I hear commonly said of more divisive entries in the Disneyverse. So why does it get a pass?

I’ve been told it’s not worth my energy to talk too derisively about the fans in one of my earlier write-ups, so I’ll leave it at that but it does make me wonder.

(“Rogue One” admittedly has a simarily self-indulgent action sequence though haha...)

Season 2 of “The Mandalorian” isn’t the worst piece of Star Wars media ever created, far from it, and for most part its solid enjoyable Saturday morning cartoon theater but if the series wants to really take steps to become more compelling in the future it might be good to stop bubble wrapping their heroes in plot armor. Literally.

Until then this is the way…I guess…

Me getting ready for the backlash...

[sunmaylight]

TGCF Book 3 Reaction pt.3 - Wind Master’s Self-Designated Quest & The Events that Happen After

I am back again with reactions & comments for when I read book 3. 

This is honestly fun for me because I can look back at what I read and remember my first reaction to everything. I can also see how things connect to make up each arc by going back and reading them. 

I really want to start book 4, but completing this first so I compose myself and not be a mess of emotions reading it. Cause, any book that is mainly about Xie Lian’s past is bound to be filled with angst and possible tears for the guy.

Ch 102: The Love for All Seasons Stew, the stew Xie Lian made and Shi Qingxuan is enthusiastically wanting to try some, shares with Ming Yi. Hua Cheng eats it like nothing and gives Xie Lian feedback

- Me: Ah, RIP Shi Qingxuan and Ming Yi. It was nice knowing you two.

Start of the Venerable of Empty Words

Ch 103: The stew knocks out Ming Yi and sends Shi Qingxuan to tears. Then Shi Qingxuan hallucinates

- Me: You know, by this point Xie Lian should have his own warning label to prevent this from happening in the future. What if he made something for Jun Wu and kills him with his cooking? Actually, that sounds pretty funny. This just in: Heavenly Emperor Jun Wu defeated by a plate of questionable food made by his favorite Heavenly Official, Xie Lian.

103: Shi Qingxuan tells a horror story. Xie Lian feels a cold breeze and discovers it’s made by SQX.

- Ah, I think I’m understanding more that Heavenly Officials are really eccentric. Especially the upper court.

Xie Lian casually mentioning he has encountered a Venerable of Empty Words in the past and how that ghost left him after staying with the fallen god for almost a year.

- Me: *sobs* Xie Lian. 

Wind Master talking about his past before ascension and then post ascension

- Me: Okay, but did you actually ascend?

Learns about Heavenly Calamities

- Me: Well, that will surely be relevant in the future.

105: Investigating for the Ghost. Learns that from a tampered list that Hua Cheng killed vengeful, malevolent tyrants

- Me: Hua Cheng, who else have you killed? How the fu-dge is it that you are more productive than Heavenly Officials in making sure nothing bad happens?

As the group was going to leave, Xie Lian remembers the kids (& Qi Rong). 

Hua Cheng: I have already called a babysitter. Don’t worry about a thing Gege.

106: The group was teleported to the wrong place.

- Me: Well, aren’t things starting out just lovely.

Hua Cheng changed clothes and Xie Lian Noticed. 

Hua Cheng & Xie Lian exchange verbal communication passwords. Hua Cheng’s password has Xie Lian blushing.

- Me: WHAT IS IT?

Xie Lian’s password: “Just recite the Ethics Sutra a thousand times.”

- Me: ...Is that a joke? Xie Lian, if they actually had to recite that, it’s like saying you don’t want people to talk to you.

Xie Lian’s password is revealed to be just that phrase. He set it up as a joke

- Me: goddamnit. I have been bamboozled. 

Learning about the legend of the Potential Scholar He, who was mad smart but got a lot of people wanting to crush him out of jealousy. He died after getting his revenge against those who were gatekeeping him.

- Me: HI! WHERE IS THE SHRINE FOR THIS GUY. I NEED A SHRINE TO WORSHIP SCHOLAR HE AS WELL AS A CERTAIN DIANXIA AND HUA CHENGZU

Xie Lian and Hua Cheng now have to play Mafia in a four man group.

Ch 108: A game to sniff out the Word Ghost. The game reminds me of the Japanese Game, King’s Game.

- Me: Is there a Chinese equivalent to the King’s Game?

SQX -’king’- Xie Lian and Hua Cheng have to strip each other. Just one layer

- Me: If this was me to my crush, I would be weirded out to do this in front of my friends. Unless if I was drunk

SQX to Hua Cheng (from the book): “What’s the worse suffering in the world?”

Hua Cheng: “To watch with your own eyes your beloved be trampled and ridiculed, yet unable to do anything. That’s the worse suffering in the world.”

- Me: (ToT) Hua Cheng. I got to mark this down. Hua Cheng’s beloved and him need their happy ending.

Ming Yi to Xie Lian: “What’s the biggest regret of your life?”

Xie Lian: “My Second Ascension.”

- Me: !!! Xie Lian, what the F*CK happened during the shortest ascension recorded in Heaven?

Ch 109: Hua Cheng lends Xie Lian a ‘bit’ of spiritual power. Xie Lian does a palm thrust and blows off the roof of the temple.

- Xie Lian & Me: ...Hua Cheng, that’s a little bit?

Hua Cheng: Was that not enough? I can lend you more.

Ch 110: Hua Cheng puts on a mini fashion show to Xie Lian in the middle of something important. 

Xie Lian: *focus is pulled away to stare at Hua Cheng*

- Me: Okay. Cute, but please focus. There is a time and place for everything. Now is not the time!

Water Master is suppose to prepare for the third Heavenly Calamity. SQX is kidnapped

- Me: What if this is the third calamity? Having to save SQX from the Venerable of Empty Words?

Xie Lian wants to do a soul-shifting spell, but Hua Cheng is stopping him.

- Me: Hm, does Hua Cheng know something? That is suspicious.

Ch 111: Venerable of Empty Words says: “Don’t worry, with your eyes wide open, you will watch the person coming to seek you die before you!”

- Me: *Thinks of Hua Cheng for Xie Lian* Shit, it got to Xie Lian. I really hope this doesn’t happen in the future. Cause, it’s not like Hua Cheng can die by conventional means since his ashes are ***** - Safe

Wind Master is revealed to be wearing a lot of treasures and gems on their person

- Me: Why is Wind Master wearing all of that?

Soul-Shifting spell ends, Xie Lian hears Hua Cheng’s voice

- Oh shit. I think Hua Cheng is mad.

SQX: “This is the Terrace of Cascading Wine. It’s where I ascended”

- Me: Wait, SQX is one of the Four Famous Tales? The odd one that is like Qi Rong that is about a guy who ascended for just pouring wine?

Learns that Xie Lian was actually sleeping when he ascended.

- Which ascension did that happen at?

SQX is in hysteria after Shi Wudu grabs him. SQX was acting suspicious before then SWD arrived.

- Me: Wow, what happened to SQX? D-did he actually fail his Heavenly Calamity and this is part of the punishment? Do Heavenly Officials get an advance notice that they have a Heavenly Calamity they have to face? Or is he behaving like this because of the removal of all of those artifacts and jewels?

-----

Ch 113: Hua Cheng sent a step-litter, a step-litter that is very extravagant, to Xie Lian. Hua Cheng is giving Xie Lian a fancy carriage ride towards somewhere.

- Me: Wow. What an obvious sign that Hua Cheng has deep feelings for Xie Lian 

The whole Step-Litter Scene of Ghost calling Xie Lian Hua Cheng’s ‘lady’ while he was in the Step-Litter and everything after until they drop Xie Lian off at Puqi Shrine

- Me: THIS NEEDS TO BE ANIMATED

Xie Lian’s new banner: “Return Babes through Miraculous Hands”

- No words

Hua Cheng helping Xie Lian do a task of working in the field. There is an indescribable tension that has been created through Xie Lian’s dense brain

- Me: Man, you can slice the tension with a sword and they still wouldn’t realize anything.

Xie Lian has a mysterious donor who filled his donation box with gold bars. He decides to return them

- Me: Yes, good for you Xie Lian. You do you.

The Drama between the Wind and Water Masters

- Me: You know, there is someone on YouTube who animated this part. I can now only visualize that while reading through my notes.

Earth Master forged his shovel to be his spiritual device. Ming Yi, Shi Qingxuan and Xie Lian travel through the tunnels dug by the Earth Master’s Shovel under Heaven

- Me: Wait, does this mean technically anything can be made into a spiritual device?

SQX can’t access his spiritual powers

- Me: shit. Did he actually fail a Heavenly Trial against Reverend of Empty Words?

The three are forced to dig and end up at Quan Yizhen’s palace with Pei Ming behind them

Pei Ming: QYZ, help me out and capture them

QYZ: *sees Xie Lian and remembers what he did for him during the Lantern Festival* - Grabs bed and throws it at Pei Ming- YEET!

Xie Lian tosses dice and the three end up at Puqi Shrine again. Xie Lian is greeted to the sight of a shirtless Hua Cheng finishing up some labour work with using E-Ming.

- Me: Is this going to be Xie Lian’s gay awakening? Will he finally acknowledge he has feelings for Hua Cheng?

Xie Lian immediately calms down and gets back into action

- Me: dang it!

The group, now with Hua Cheng, teleports to the Rain Master’s land. They exchange what they know and Xie Lian is drawing a very terrifying conclusion.

- Me: So, if there was a chart of the four famous tales compared to the four great calamities based on comparing their authenticity of tales

- Xie Lian    Hua Cheng       (They have to match somewhat)

- Princess who slit her throat         White No-Face      (Both have very little knowledge and seem very much bamf)

- General who broke his sword       Black Water       (Just vibes based on their names)

- Shi Qingxuan         Qi Rong     (Don’t really match the others, but are famous enough to get on the list)

Xie Lian connects the dots on Scholar He's name

- is that even possible?

Pei Ming arrives and then the group moves to Shi Wudu’s Heavenly Trial ground cause mortals are in danger. Their mission is to help the mortals and not get in the way of Water Master. 

Hua Cheng changes into a fisherman outfit

Xie Lian and Hua Cheng share a tender moment with a steam bun. General Pei watches them

- Me: Oh? Pei Ming, what did you notice? Did you notice the potential ship between the two of them?

118: The ship somehow wandered into the Ship-Sinking Black Water’s territory.

- Me: Oh no. The drama.

--------

Alright, here seems good. The next part will be the Wind & Water Master Arc pt 2 (?). At least I think so since the Wind part was discovered and now it’s the Water part that’s next. 

You know, I really wanted to comment on a bunch of other stuff. Especially the Hualian moments, but decided against it cause there are some things that should be read

[oh-theres-a-woman]

Arthurs Angel: Prologue

A/N: This was a request made by @amy-booxx that I’ve had the pleasure to explore and build on. I definitely see this becoming a multiple part story and something that’ll reach a lot of people’s hearts because it does have an angsty plot. I felt it in my heart the time Amy sent it to me. Just so glad to show you all the Prologue after a short hiatus. 

Taglist: @itsfrancisneptun @amy-booxx @hesagod-notyet @zodiyack 

Parts: [ 1 ] 

Pairing: Arthur Shelby X Reader 

Word Count: 529 

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Arthur Shelby was a man of many demons, beaten and broken mostly by his own mind. He was in shambles and tempered. So very angry, then so incredibly sad. It was an endless swing in his moods that bought him to the attention of his now-wife, Linda Shelby. A pretty blonde, rich and had her sights on Arthur as a little project. To fix him right up. Turn him once more in the light of God. Shying him away from the redlight districts, prostitutes, drugs and drink.

He thought things were well for him until one day wandering the streets in Small Heath, a car exploded. Screaming men were shot backwards and grimly pained by the actions.  Arthur had backed himself into a corner, fitful and struggling with himself. Rigid breaths choked out into the cool area that filled the streets of Birmingham.

A rough cold front ushered through the city and only made the condition Arthur was suffering with. That was until a pair of cool hands held his shoulders, squeezing him reassuringly. At first, he thought it might have been Linda because she was the gentlest soul in his life. But glancing upward he saw another young woman. No older than twenty-one years of age. “You’re safe,” she told Arthur in the sweetest whisper, soothing her fingers through his hair, brushing the strands away from his face.

“Wha-what?” Arthur retorted in a clear daze his mind wandering in from elsewhere his body shaking steadily and breathing was still incredibly uneasy.

“I said you’re safe now, nothing here will hurt you. Mister, you just need to breathe slowly but deeply. Look at me and I’ll show you.” The young woman commented in a calmer voice than he’d experienced.

A little grubby, Arthur only assumed she was on a work break and hadn’t had the chance to clean herself right up. However, this wasn’t the young woman’s story, it was so much deeper and formed other layers. Her clothes were old but still lovely on her small form, tightly pulled to fit her form by an old looking leather belt. Hair was cut short, but that was the style these days. Most girls didn’t want the long luscious locks anymore. They wanted a rougher, more boyish appearance.

What Arthur didn’t notice was the cuts were a little more rugged and messy. Like she’d sold her locks to get some coins. To get by when the times are really hard. Things were hard when you didn’t have a family, anything of your own and no education. So, the woman lived off survival and had a kinder heart than most that led her to be hurt a number of times. Yet, she wasn’t one to leave the eldest Shelby choking on the air in the dank alleyway. Her eyes were softer than any freshly green grass. Lovely.

“A-a-are you an angel?” Arthur asked in his trauma filled haze, ming fogged from whatever sustains he took prior. It only stole a little smitten giggle, from the lovely but dirty girl.

“No angel, here. They don’t come down from heaven, you see.” Y/N smiled offering an outstretched hand to help him up.

[girllovescomic]

Winter Begonia Episode 6 recap

One of my favorite episode, it is in my eyes when Cheng Fengtai (Er Ye) truly falls for our little singer, Shang Xirui.  He was already attracted to him, evidenced by the gaze, but this is what tips him over the line from infatuation to love. This is also an episode where you see how the opera lyrics are integral to the plot. 

We hear Er Ye’s internal thoughts as he watches the opera, engrossed in Shang Lao Ban’s interpretation of Yang Guifei. He tells that when one leaves the Palace for Eternal Youth (the name of the Opera), they can see their lives in the story or some similarities between them and the character, but for him it goes deeper.  He sees the helplessness and compromise he and his family had to make due to circumstances.  For him, he had to give up his literary dreams and return home (from Europe, I presume) to take the family business which had been in ruin. He had no idea what he was doing because he was young, having to deal with creditors taking away everything, their employees leaving them and his sister Meixin forced to marry the Commander Cao and leave the man she loved, so they can settle some debts.  Apparently, this was not enough, leading him to marry Fan Xian aka Er Nainai, who turns out had a lucrative career as a businesswoman that she was forced to becoming a housewife, confined inside the mansion walls to raise their children.  By the way, can we command the way Huang Xiaoming speaks English? He even speaks better than the white girl talking to him.  LOL. 

The play, or specifically the way SXR sings it exposes all the emotions he had pushed aside as he realize that in life you cannot always do what you want, that sometimes the hand of fate forces you to make choices that goes against your dreams, making you suffer silently as you bite your lips and trudge through life. Ooof, I felt that one to my core.  We go back to Shang Lao Ban singing what appears to be sad song. CFT is completely absorbed, to the point of tears as he resumes his narration.  

To him, Xirui’s Yang Guifei is unwilling to submit to fate, to kill herself because the courtiers ask her to, but freely choosing to sacrifice herself

In one of the most beautiful sequence that made me weep, we see SXR as Yang Guifei standing afar from CFT talking to each other, the white cloth falling on the floor.  She (talking about Yang Guifei) is reaching out to him, which makes him look around wondering if he is the one she wants. He tells her that it is her life, he can’t help her; she responds that she does not need his help, she just wants to look at her.  He laments that she did not need to die as long as she was willing to accept her status, but she responds what was she supposed to let go of. He replies that should have taken conformed to the hand of fate, like he did,  but to her that would have been meaningless. He tries to stop her from killing herself, but she replies that if she delays it more, she might start to regret it.  We go back to the present time and CFT is weeping, clearly affected.  Sigh, what a scene.  I am crying while typing this.  

SXR is doing his thing, marveling the audience, who are equally moved.  With everyone gone, CFT is alone in his VIP box, thinking of his mother, who left to pursue her dreams as her singer instead of being confined in her role as mother and wife.  CFT finally understands why his mother made that decision to go back to her love of the opera, as he walks dazed.  

SXR watches as CFT walks dazed to his house.  He is so struck, he doesn’t even see or hear anyone, not his wife nor his household manager.  The man is completely gone, his mind still on his vision of Yang Guifei. 

Again, we are privy to his thoughts and he tells us that SXR not only portrays Yang Guifei but embodies her, not simply acting her out, but being a living and breathing embodiment of the tragic concubine, like a reincarnation. OOOOF, this is poetry! As an aside, this scene was in the novel as well, although not as poetic.  He stands in the courtyard as snowfall as if in a dream-like state, stumbling through his house, much to the other’ consternation.  

Still in a daze, CFT is sitting and humming to himself.  Through a conversation between his wife and the annoying maid, it has been a half day he’s been in this position and that he has not gone to any of his social functions, discuss business or play mahjong, for the past couple of days, completely uninterested in anything.  The annoying maid of course has to run her mouth, claiming that at least Er Ye stays at home instead of being seduced by girls. I swear this girl has a one-track mind. He has been seduced, but not some women, but by an adorable opera singer who can lift his soul. Er Nainai responds that she doesn't care about this nonsense, she feels uneasy by this version of her husband. She clearly knows the annoying little maid can’t process such adult thinking and tells her so.  I like this side of Er Nainai. Meanwhile, Er Ye’s mind is still on the songs and may I say, Huang Xiaoming looks absolutely gorgeous in it.

He tries to replicate the experience, but none of the records he pick come close to the original.  Fan Lian is completely confused by his BIL’s reaction, wondering what he is looking for.  Like a lovestruck teenager who has discover her first pop idol, CFT confesses that he wants to hear Shang Xirui. Fanboy Fan Lian tells him that he has some of SXR records, and will lend it to him, but that is not what CFT is really looking for. 

Me, when I hear shitty house music

 He tells his BIL that when SXR is on stage he is a completely different person, as if he just walked out of book or an opera script.  Fan Lian tells him that he said something similar to SXR, “Body in the mortal realm, but spirit in the performance.” Ooof, I wished I could write something like that in my stories. He adds that of course, it’s a simplistic way to describe the singer’s performance, especially when taking into account his irascible personality and his nebulous past with his cousin.  But he adores the man’s talent, so he is able to ignore all that.  I completely understand bro.  I have a lot of celebrities that I enjoy their work, but dislike their personalities.  Sometimes you have to separate the art from the man/woman.  

CFT tells him that is not what he cares about, since he has no understanding of the art form, but he actually cares about the man’s spirit, which he finds special.  Well, someone is smitten. He finds it refined, rich and sensitive.  He is not only a performer who is amazing at what he does, but compare to him, everyone else are mere mortals.  This goes above Fan Lian’s head.  The look on CFT’s face says it all; this is a man who has fallen in love, so yeah, Fan Lian, you can’t understand what he is talking about or feeling. 

Dressed up in a fabulous attire and strutting his stuff, while his wife looks on, relieved that he is finally leaving the house, he goes out to find SXR.  Er Nainai tells Meixin that she used to be uneasy whenever Er Ye left the house, but now she is relieved that he is going out, as long as his heart is with his family. You might end up regretting those words.  

Meanwhile, SXR is facing another crisis as the opera singer who he was replacing while he was out sick as suddenly decided to come back, probably because he is jealous at the success our little divo is having.  Xiao Lai can’t believe this bullshit, especially since they are running out of place to perform.  

Waiting like a teenage boy for his crush, CFT is standing next to his car, when he spots Shang Lao Ban coming out of the theater with Xiao Lai.  He presses on the horn to get his crush’s attention and I swear this is the cutest thing ever.  SXR sends away Xiao Lai who does not seemed to happy that her boss is spending time with the businessman. Shang Lao Ban asks Er Ye how long he has been waiting in the cold instead of coming backstage. CFT looks at him like a man in love looks at his object of affection. I am so jealous of this fictional character! Seriously, he is practically gazing at the other man, who can only smile and asks where they are going.  Oh my, is this their first date? I squeal! He is taking him for an afternoon tea and actually wants to know what he would like to eat. Our little glutton tells him that he wants something sweet and opens the door to let him in.  I need to pause for a second, tis tew much. 

SXR is scarfing down on a chocolate cake and asks where Er Ye went after the show.  He wants to have his opinion about his performance, which CFT tells him it was really great. In other operas, Yang Guifei would be forced to die at Mawei Station, but SXR version sang about willingly giving her life for love, turning the damsel into a hero.  He was especially struck by one of the lyrics, which is the same lyrics SXR loves about the opera, brought to tears.  

CFT flashes a 1000 watt smile upon hearing that and tells him that his performance of Palace of Eternal Youth does not resemble other version of this opera and should be called something else, like the Legend of the Flourishing Tang Dynasty.  A little history background here.  Yang Guifei was Emperor Ming of Tang’s favored concubine, whom he stole from his own son.  Apparently he lavished her with gifts, built an expensive pavilion for her, neglecting his duties as an Emperor, so much so there was a rebellion.  Wanting to stop the rebellion, the courtiers forced the Emperor to demand Yang Guifei to be killed as they saw her and her family as the reason for the unrest.  Unlike the opera, she does not kill herself, but is killed by Gao Lishin and her body brought to the head of the rebellion as proof of her death.  However, the marks the slow decline of the dynasty..

SXR is confused by what CFT is saying, not grasping the meaning behind the title.  CFT explains that Palace of Eternal Youth is a love story between to high status people confined by their roles, that of an Emperor and his consort.  They have to abide to what his expected of them in their respective roles.  The play not only depicts this confinement, but also the rise and fall of a nation.  SXR version of the play since about a flourishing dynasty yet it is focus on a tragedy of sacrifice, which could be reflected in 1930s China before the horrors of the occupation and the valiant resistance from both communists and nationalists to oust the invaders. This goes above the uneducated SXR who explains to CFT that in the second act of the play, Yang Guifei had angered the Emperor in a fit of jealousy , but afterwards made up.  The reason for the disagreement was due to the fact the Emperor was enamored with another woman called JIang Caiping, feeling Yang Guifei sacrificed herself for no reason.  CFT sees a parallel between SXR situation with Mengping and his story.  SXR tells him that indeed he sees himself in the stories he sings. CFT tells him that he understands as he used to see that opera performers were similar to their characters, but when he saw SXR performed Yang Guifei, he was more than a mere embodiment but was the actual person, which makes SXR sees that CFT understands his performance in depth, and adds that he was using his soul to perform.  This gets CFT to smile, one that I bet even his wife never seen.  It is a naked smile what they shows his true emotion.  We are witnessing the connection of two souls here and it's a beautiful thing.  Once again, how this past censorship is beyond me. 

Look at this smile!

Meanwhile the troupe is waiting.  I have a feeling Xiao Lai told the troupe their leader had left with Er Ye.  As soon as the duo appears, everyone stands up in attention.  SXR shouts to Xiao Lai to warm up some wine, while Shi Jiu is trying her best to put her flirt on. Oh sis, you are wasting your time.  The man is not interested. 

She comments that finally her boss is seeing the light, associating himself with Commander Cao’s BIL is the next best thing than getting the actual man to dispel the rumors and help them out of their desperate situation. The duo chat some more, over wine, talking about the difference between Western Opera and Eastern Opera performers, especially the castrato. They talk about skills needed to be a good singer. They get drunk, so much so that SXR and are hilarious.  

SXR is in his first costume he ever used when performing and despite being average compared to now, he considers it his most prized one; it is his armor, his guts.  I have to say it is a beautiful piece, showcasing the meticulous work put in Eastern embroidery and their use of pearls.  

CFT reveals that he wrote a story when he was in school abroad.  SXR says he is not surprised since he can see that Er Ye understands the art on a deeper level and why they are connecting.  CFT tells him of his story, which is about a woman who eloped with a man she loved, but who abandoned.  While she waited at home, she had many lovers, who came and gone, until the woman finally realize that she didn’t need these men in her life.  They were just a passing folly, not dependable to ensure her happiness and that by controlling her fate, she can do so.  She went on to open her own weaving shop, taking in widows and orphans and went on to have great success, so much so, she was asked by the Empress to make her clothes.  Damn, that is a freaking good story! They laugh and SXR thinks the morale of the story is that for a woman to control her fate, she needs money. Hmm.. aren’t we all? Shang Lao Ban reminds might be too progressive for Beijing Opera; instead the protagonist would be killed.  CFT tells him that stories transcends culture or gender which seems to make SXR teary.  As a performer, he is seen as the dregs of Chinese society, lower than a prostitute, despite the fame. I bet he wished to live in a world that would dispense of this hierarchical structure and see his profession respected by those in higher status.  He tells CFT that he would love to play this type of woman, and I am hoping this is a hint of collaboration between the two.  I actually would love to see him play this kind of character.

The troupe is eavesdropping, hoping their leader would hit up CFT’s wallet to help them out when Lao Ge comes in looking for his boss.  They push him out, claiming Cheng Er Ye is not inside.  Shi Jiu says they should keep anyone from interrupting since it might be their only opportunity; Dashen replies that it depends on their leader’s abilities to charm beg Cheng Er Ye for help.  

Meanwhile, the duo is still discussing opera.  Er Ye does not understand that for the sake of expediency, why not only wear a mask like the Japanese kabuki performers do, which would save time on makeup.  This appears to make SXR laugh hard.  He tells Er Ye that it is not the same thing because you will not be able to see the facial expression, which are an integral part of the opera.  Wearing a mask is like being a ghost on stage, a bit like dubbed voices take away the essence of the emotions conveyed by the actors (any C drama fans would understand).  

They drink again and SXR reveals this has been the happiest day since he came to Beijing.  He never expected to become kindred spirits with Commander Cao’s BIL.  CFT ponders about the title, which constrains me like the rest of his life.  But SXR sees through the facade of a man who seems powerful and wealthy, like the fictional character, General Gao Yaonei who took Lin Chong’s wife, but turns out to be a good person, while CFT also had the wrong picture of Shang Lao Ban as an arrogant prima donna on the cray cray side, but is actually a good person as well.  Shang Lao Ban is asleep and he looks so cute.  The troupe is still standing at the door when a drunk Cheng Er Ye stumbles out.  The troupe does not want to let him go back home and convince him to stay by claiming their leader would beat him up if he leaves without saying goodbye.  Lol these sneaky mofos. It actually succeed and Cheng Er Ye returns to sleep with our adorable Shang Lao Ban.  They have no idea they are helping the ship sail.  

Meanwhile, the weasel family(Jiang father and son) are discussing SXR financial problems and the fact he had to pawn his costume to pay the rent. They are jubilating at the difficulties Shuiyin troupe is facing, especially since they are a big one and there are bound to have problems as morale starts to get low and the funds disappears. With losing his spot at the theater and not being shrewd, he will have problems raising money, leading to his own people turning against him.  Its the next day and the member wants to know how his chat with Cheng Er Ye went, in the hope they got themselves a rich sponsor.  SXR is like “the hell are you talking about? What difficulties?” Then it dawns on him what they are asking and that angers him.  He lets them know that his “friendship" with Er Ye is on a different level, one of being kindred spirits.  He wouldn’t dare use him for money. 

They grumble until CFT appears; he looks like he didn’t sleep on a cushy mattress like he has at home.  CFT asks if SXR heard some rumbling noises last night and SXR asks if it hail last night.  Judging from his face, he knows where this noise came from and Dashen confirms it was loud snoring. LOL.  SXR is obfuscated, claiming he never snores. Xiao Lai brings out the rinse and CFT is also given one.  As he is about to rinse his mouth, SXR breaks out in a voice exercise that makes CFT gulped the rinse.  LOL  There’s a competition between him and one of the merchant selling fried pancake.  There’s a knock on the door and the merchant as left a piece of fried dough for Shang Lao Ban, claiming it as gift.  He splits it and gives a piece to CFT, who can’t turn it down, but you can tell has no interest in putting this commoner’s food in his stomach.  So boogie. While CFT struggles to eat the dough, SXR invites to take him somewhere fun, but the troupe goad Xiao Lai to remind SXR they have to clean out the backstage of the opera house, hoping CFT would hear about their troubles.  SXR is having none of that, sending some of them to clean out their stuff.  He clearly does not want to ask money from CFT and I can’t blame him.  Money has a way to create unease and inequality, especially in a budding relationship/friendship.  Once you owe someone money, it causes problem, especially when you have to pay it back.  SXR leaves with CFT in tow, who still has not taken a bite of the fried dough, leaving it behind for the others. The way he drops the pancake and wipes his hand is so boogie, I cannot.

They walk through a street where many circus-like performers are showing their talent. They are walking so closely to each other already, le sigh. The area is called Tianqiao and someone in the Viki comments stated this is the closest to the amusement park date trope so prevalent in Asian dramas, and I couldn’t agree more. CFT compares it to the Shanghai’s Great World Amusement Park, confirming the statement above.  It is apparently an entertainment and amusement arcade, which opened back in 1917.  Shang Lao Ban reveals that he once sang there and despite the place having a roof which would carry his voice better, he prefers the open air of Tianqiao.  Clearly not full from the friend pancake, he goes and buys persimmon cake.  Geez where does the food go?! He offers one to Er Ye who, of course, turns it down. 

Look how close they are walking!!!

 Unbeknown to him, he is the victim of a pickpocket.  Trying to get his money to buy cigarette (hmm... wait, this is far more unhealthy than the greasy food Shang Lao Ban is offering you bro!), he realizes what happened.  Our kung fu penguin goes after the thief and kicks ass.  Seriously, he is amazing.  CFT looks like he is enjoying seeing his crush fighting skill, especially he is far more proficient with a gun than his fists. He gets the money back and tells the thief to leave.  CFT asks why he didn’t take the thief to the cops, but SXR tells him the way of the street is that if a thief got his ass kicked, that is sufficient punishment. CFT asks about his kung fu skills, saying it is is good looking (Ohhh); SXR reveals it is a skill that has been passed down from his father, the Shang Family Rod, a type of martial arts that is different from the fake fighting on stage that can do real damage.  CFT comments that SXR must have been beaten a lot when he was a child, which the singer admits.  If you seen Farewell My Concubine, you know the abuse these kids go through to become performers.  It is gross.  SXR invites CFT to continue with their walk and this is where it ends.

Ooof, this episode was heavy in emotion and exposition. I truly think this is where the infatuation Cheng Fengtai had developed for our little divo turns into love and where Shang Xirui gets to see the shrewd businessman has someone who possesses a similar artistic passion who had to give it up for circumstances out of his control.   He is like the real Yang Guifei who was forced to accept her fate and be killed by Gao Lishi, whereas Shang Xirui of the opera who chose to sacrifice herself for her love, giving himself fully to his passion. We are also seeing how much the troupe is suffering because of the rumored feud with Commander Cao, which sets up lots of conflicts that will set up the end of our act 1 and push our protagonists to make a decision that will forever change their lives. 

[assassinnovice]

Chapter 5: I Challenge You!

Disclaimer: I do not own Mortal Kombat, those rights belong to The Netherrealm Studio

Guards escort a Kombatant into the throne room "Kombatants! I present this latest creation of Shao Kahn." Shang Tsung calls out to the Kombatants, Luna twitches her nose at a new scent of death flowing into the room, it is almost like Ming's scent, but fouler. 

"He is many warriors, their souls fused into one being," he states as the others watch as he stands at the center in front of everyone. "Behold... Emrac!" Shang Tsung calls out as the guards walk away and Emrac turns to the Kombatants.

He empowers himself, showing off the fused souls inside his body, the Kombatants exchanging looks as one just laughs. "Be wary, Liu Kang. He is unlike anything you have fought before." Raiden warns him. 

Luna rolls her arm, "You alright?" Sonya asks her as she notices the nervous twitch. "That guy gives me the creeps," she mutters and Sonya looks back at Ermac. 

"Liu Kang! You are the sole Earthrealms warrior to progress to this final stage of the tournament!" Shang Tsung calls out and Liu Kang steps forward and faces Emrac "I am ready." he calls out and takes his stance

Emrac just looks at him, "We are many. You are one. We will destroy you." he calls out and takes his stance. He teleports right behind him, kicking Liu Kang in the back of the head, he rolls forward and immediately gets back on his feet.

He dashed right at Emrac, knocking him back with a few kicks of his own. Everyone watches as Liu Kang and Emrac are battling. Luna shot a suspicious look at Shang Tsung as he watched the match carefully.

Liu Kang came at Emrac suddenly slamming his foot into Emrac's chest and he was slammed onto the ground as Liu Kang won the fight. He relaxes his stance and looks at his beaten component. 

"Earthrelam will not fall into your master's hands," he swore to Emrac. Kung Lao smiles as Raiden steps forward and stands next to Liu Kang then the Earthrealmers turn and leave the throne room as Princess Katana steps forward to Shang Tsung. 

"He is a greater threat than anticipated. I will ensure he does not reach the final challenge," she promises. Shang Tsung turned his head to her and nodded in agreement then she left the throne room.

~8~8~8~

Liu Kang stood in a remote part of the area as he was meditating through his motion.

"Remember Bo' Rai Cho's teaching. For my vision to be realized, you must not let emotion overpower you." Raiden warns him. Liu Kang relaxes and turns to him. 

"Your visions. What caused them?" he asks God, but he is still unsure "My future self sent them to me. Perhaps to ensure some outcome." he answers him. "Or to prevent one." Liu Kang suggests.

Raiden nodded at him but then gasped in surprise as he felt another vision overtake his senses. It was himself, looking right back at him. "He must win."

Pulled back from the vision, he looks away momentarily "He must win. Those are my last words before I die." he mutters, shaking off the doubt he pulls his gaze back to Liu Kang. 

"I believe it is you who must win." he states and stands in front of Liu Kang "This amulet was forged by the Elder Gods. It cracked here in the Present after my first vision," he states, pulling his blue jade amulet off and looks down at the crack at the center. 

"If we choose wisely, the future will be secured and the cracks healed," he states and places the amulet back.

Kiu Lang nodded in confidence at him, "I trust you will make the right decisions." he said to him, "We must trust in the Elder Gods, Liu Kang." Raiden tells him then he summons lighting from the skies and vanishes from the area. Kiu Lang exhales then turns back rethinking Raiden's warning.

But the sound of clicking heels drew his attention, he immediately turned and saw a woman, Princess Katana marching towards him, he couldn't help but smirk. 

But immediately blocks her kick, she makes a comeback and throws punches at him, but he easily dodges them, and the leg swipes. Then he presses his foot to her back and makes her stumble forward. Then he took his stance, ready for her.

Katana looked back at him, growling to herself, and came back at him. Swiping at him again, he easily blocks her swipes. Dodges a swipe and shoves her forward. 

She growls and throws her fist right at him. He catches it, she throws her other fist. He catches that one too. "You're good! Show me more." he taunts, making her exclaim and shove him back. "Do not underestimate me, Shaolin," she growled at him and took her stance.

She charges at him, but he immediately catches her by surprise with his sucker punch in the face and knocks her back. But she flipped back onto her feet and threw her fans right at him, slicing him in the arm. 

He growls and charges at her. Slams his fist right into her chest, knocking her back, and then he repeatedly slams his fist into her gut and sends her flying back with one last punch.

Katana groans as she holds her stomach, but then pulls herself back up on her feet and she charges at Liu Kang, he dodges her punches, but misses her incoming fist and knocks him to the side, stumbling in his step. 

She charged at him again and swung her leg right at him, he caught it and threw it back, Katana caught herself twisted her body, and swung her other leg right at him, hitting him in the jaw, almost dislodging it.

Liu Kang steps over to the side, gripping his chin, he chuckles to himself, mildly impressed. Rotating his jaw. He looked back at Katana, pulling his hand away, and was ready for her. 

She charges right at him, but he flips right over her, slamming his foot right into her back, she stumbles forward as she goes low, twirling around her and slamming his panther paw right into her chest, knocking the air right out of her and she went flying and hits the ground.

Coughing to herself, she rolls onto her side, gripping her stomach, and pulls herself up. "I am impressed." Liu Kang states as he relaxes in his stance. But she frowns in defeat, "Do it." she orders him. 

But he was just confused by her words. "Do what?" he asks as he kneels in front of her. "Kill me," she said to him again. "Why would I do that?" he asks her again. 

She just sat in defeat. "I came to kill you. I have failed my father. My Emperor." she said to him and Liu Kang just looked at her in utter shock. "Shao Khan is your father?!" he asks her. She hung her head in shame. "I have disgraced him. You must kill me," she said to him in an earnest plea.

But he just smiles at her. "I will not," he answers and she lifts her head, locking him dead in the eye. "This encounter never took place. You disgraced no one," he tells her. 

She just looks at him, speechless. Then he stood up and turned, walking away. But he stops and turns back to her. "I hope we meet again. Under different circumstances," he informs her and walks away.

Katana just looked over at him, seeing that his man's actions stunned her, still unable to make heads or tails of him.

~8~8~8~

The Shaolin return to the Throne room, along with Lord Raiden. The other Kombatants were gathered from the next challenge. The three warriors join the others "Kombatants! Only two Earthrealm warriors remain. The Shaolin Liu Kang." Shang Tsung calls out as Kung Lau places his hand on his friend's shoulder. 

Liu Kang nodded sat him and Raiden then stepped forward, "Is he ready to bear such a heavy burden? Earthrealm's fate is in his hands. Your ally will be... Kai Ming of the Persefoni Clan." Shang Tsung calls out as Liu Kang steps to the center black mist gathered next to him.

From the black mist rose a figure consumed in shadow, once fully rose from the black mist, the shadow slithers from the body and revealed Ming as she was as calm and collected as ever. 

She shot a side glaze at Liu Kang. "Shaolin," she states, he nods at her. "Persefoni," he said back to her.

Luna arched her eyebrow as she smelt... an uneasy from Shang Tsung. "Your opponent will be... Scorpion!" he called out as hellfire appeared from the ground and there stood Scorpion. 

Liu Kang took his stance, "I do not fear you, demon." he said to him in confidence. "Fighting with Scorpion... the sorcerer Quan Chi!" Shang Tsung calls out and a portal appears and out steps Quan Chi as he chuckles to himself.

The two took their stance against their two components "You have already lost." Scorpion tells them. "Don't be so sure." Ming reminds him and the two take their stances. 

Scorpion charges at Liu Kang but he blocks the attack and as they step back, Quan Chi charges at Ming, but he goes right through her, and she fades into shadow. He barrel rolls and turns back to her as the shadows fade off her. "Impressive." Quan Chi said to her.

She held an emotionless expression on her face as she just looked at him, then shot right at him, gripping the back of his neck and slamming it down right onto her knee. Breaking his nose a little. 

She lets go of his neck then flips back and slams her foot right under his chin. Quan Chi went flying off his feet and smacked right back onto the ground. Ming flips back onto her feet and looks down at Quan Chi as he groans then flips back onto his feet.

Ming smirks to herself as she holds her fists up and beckons him to her with her fingers. He growls and charges at her. 

Liu Kang flips back, dodging the chain as it is thrown over him, Scorpion pulls it back and Liu Kang flips after the chain and charges at him, slamming his knee right into the gut, forcing him to fly back and slam into the pillar.

Luna gasped in surprise as she watched Scorpion drop to the ground and crumble onto the ground, she immediately ran through the crowd, heading towards him. Liu Kang exhales and turns to Ming and Quan Chi as he throws punches at her, Ming steps back as the punches go right through her.

She then turns into black mist, he staggers forward and looks around as he loses her, but she appears behind him, gripping his neck from behind, she sidesteps and throws him right into the ground, breaking the surface. 

He looks up at her but she lets go and throws her elbow into his face, knocking him out. She pants and pulls back as she is on a knee. "You shame the very name of the dark arts." she snarls at him.

Ming looked away as she went to stand, but then stopped as Liu Kang held his hand out to her, she looked at him in surprise but then took his hand and he pulled her back to her feet and nodded at her. She nods back and pulls her arm back.

Shang Tsung frowns furiously as Liu Kang walks towards Raiden "You have done well. But the tournament is not over yet." he informs him, "Goro." Liu Kang said Ming crossed her arms as she frowned at the very name. 

"What's a Goro?" Johnny asks Soyna, who shrugs at him. "A fierce and renowned Shokan Warrior. General of the Emperor's army." Luna whispers to them, making them look over at her. "What's a Shokan?" Johnny asks her, and Luna just smirks.

Ming steps away, looking up at the old man, she glares as the shadows whisper into her ear. Liu Kang smiles at Raiden, "Liu Kang it has been years since an Earthrealm warrior has progressed this far. But the reigning champion is far beyond your ability." Shang Tsung warns him as Liu Kang turns to him. 

"To the Lair with you!" the sorcerer orders him, then throws a hand, and a portal opens up at Liu Kang's feet, getting his attention. Then he yells as he falls through.

~8~8~8~

In the Lair of the castle, a portal opens and outfalls Liu Kang as he drops onto the ground, he lies there, momentarily. Catching his breath then pulls himself onto his feet.

He stood ready as he looked around the room, seeing no one, "I did not expect to fight in this tournament." Goro calls out, making Liu Kang turn back and look at the Shokan warrior. 

"But eventually even the Shaolin produce a warrior worthy of a Shokan." He informs the Warrior Monk. 

He then marches forward, "I know who you are. I am ready." Liu Kang said to him, Goro flexed his arms, "I will give you a warrior's death." he said to him and took his stance.

Then he charged at Liu Kang, getting the first few hits in, but Liu Kang fought back, making the Shokan step back and sending the warrior into the wall. 

Liu Kang hops in his place as Goro pulls himself out of the wall, shakes off the attack, and charges at Liu Kang again, he throws in more punches at the Monk, knocking Liu Kang back, even panted him into the ground, but the Monk shakes it off and looks back to Goro.

He pulls himself to his feet and charges his fire fists, she sends them right into Goro's face, knocking him back then right onto the ground, defeated.

 Liu Kang shook out the flames from his fists and relaxed his stance, "It seems the Shaolin trained a warrior greater than a Shakon." he said to him, then he bowed to the fallen warrior and exhaled with relief. Not long after, a portal opens up for him.

~8~8~8~

Everyone waited with anticipation as the victor had not stepped out, Shang Tsung smirked as he was assured of his warrior, Raiden just waited patiently. Ming paces back and forth. Luna taps her finger as her nerves are on edge.

Then the portal brightens making everyone hold their breath, Shang Tsung rose from his chair and waited, but as the victor appeared in front of them, everyone let their breath go as Liu Kang stood before them, a grin on his face.

Ming exhales with relief, as did Raiden and the other Earthrealm warriors, but his victory only soured the sorcerer's mood and he steps away from his throne. Liu Kang turns to him, his fists raised as he steps back. "Shang Tsung. Only one fight remains! Face me... in Mortal Kombat!" The monk shouts to the sorcerer. "So be it." the sorcerer agreed and took his stance.

Everyone steps back as they watch, Liu Kang the first hit at the sorcerer, but Shang Tsung uses his power and turns himself into Liu Kang himself, Ming closes her eyes and looks away in disgust. Using his move against him, Shang Tsung sent Liu Kang to the ground.

But the Monk shakes it off, pulling himself back onto his feet, then twists and slams his foot into his copy's chest, the fake Liu Kang slides back, and the illusion falls and reveals the old man himself. 

Luna couldn't help but grin. Ming tilts her head away from the shadow that slithered from her shoulder and down her body. She flicks her eyes back to the fight as Liu Kang was kicking Shang Tsung's butt.

She huffs in approval as the sorcerer smacks onto the ground, defeated. "Say it." the Monk orders him. Shang Tsung slowly pushes himself onto his knees with a glare of disapproval. 

He looks up at the monk, "I concede." he said loudly. Earthrealm cheers, Luna inhales as Ming taps her finger against her cheek. "He has saved Earthrelam," Raiden said with relief.

The light shines down onto the victor and defeated momentarily, then the earth fighters gather around Liu Kang, except for Ming and Luna, congratulating him. Shang Tsung and the other outworld warriors headed toward the portal, leaving the island behind. 

But Katana stopped and took one last look at Liu Kang then quickly left as well as he locked eyes with her.

He looks away as the Earthrealm warriors step away and turn to Raiden, who bows to the champion of Mortal Kombat. 

Liu Kang bows respectfully back to him. Kung Lao steps up to his best friend and draws his attention away. Raiden grips hold of his amulet, but the crack along the gem only grew, causing worry and concern in the mind of the thunder god.

~8~8~8~

The Outworld warriors were gathered in the Outworld throne room as the sorcerer was on his knees before the Emperor himself. "You failed me!" he shouts at the sorcerer. 

"Five hundred years I have waited! Now I must wait five hundred more!" Shao Kahn snaps at him with a wave of his hand. "My lord! All is not lost!" Shang Tsung tries to reason.

But Shao Kahn turns away in disgust "Curse the Elder Gods and their tournament! I should have taken Earthrealm by force!" he declares, stepping back towards his throne. 

Then turns to the others, "But I am bound by their rules. Rules that cannot be broken." he states as he sits on his throne. "My lord!" Shang Tsung calls out to him again, but Shao Kahn waves off the plea. "Kill him." he orders.

Baraka and Reptile held Shang Tsung down as Katana raised her fan, the sorcerer looked up at them in fear then quickly turned his gaze back to the Emperor. "But what if the rules were changed?" he suddenly asks.

This gets his attention quickly, "Katana!" he calls out, raising his hand and stopping her. She shot a look over at the Emperor as she held her fan in place. Shao Kahn leans forward and looks the sorcerer dead in the eyes, "Continue."

~8~8~8~

Back on Earthrealm at the Shaolin Temple, the monks were gathered in the courtyard, Liu Kang walked in between the rows of seated monks, and the warriors were seated up front as they watched with smiles.

Ming stood off in the distance, watching the metal ceremony, as she against the tree. Luna stood in the back, holding her spear in her hand. Liu Kang steps before Raiden and bows to him.

Then one of the monks stepped out and held out the Mortal Kombat champion's metal, Raiden took it and placed it over Liu Kang's neck. Then everyone applauded him. Luna looks away as she locks eyes with Ming. 

The sorceress held a blank look as she turned away and walked, vanishing into the black mist. Luna looks away as she sighs and looks back to the others. Couldn't shake the feeling that their fight was just beginning.

[aki-draws-things]

NaNoWriMo 2020 #12

Yesterday tumblr was uncooperative with the formatting so here comes the angst today instead!!!

Plenty of good, nice and cute memories and then, here and there, the heartbreak of the aftermath of the last two chapters!

Day: 12/11/2020

Prompt: Grief

Ship: Mingjue/Zonghui

Word Count: 2745

Grief was weird, huaisang thought. Grief would bring up memories he thought had been lost many years before, grief brought them up to the surface like waves of an invisible ocean. Huaisang never saw the ocean, he never sailed in the sea, not even for a trip, he didn't know how tall waves could get and how painful when they crashed down. Grief taught him in the most unexpected way. 

The day his parents' died he was at school. Mother was supposed to pick him up and take him to get an ice cream like every Friday afternoons. - well, it was MingJue's mother, he had learned, but his own mother wasn't there anymore so she was his mom too. Other kids in his class didn't understand. He did. - mingjue showed up instead, hours before the lessons were over. He took his backpack on a shoulder and grabbed huaisang's hand. 

"where's mama?" he didn't answer, he kept walking holding his hand a little too tight. "Da-ge? Are we going to take an ice cream together? It's ice cream day." mingjue nodded, he looked dazed, distracted, but he still took him to his favorite place to take his favorite ice cream and they sat outside on a little round table in the shape of a flower to eat it. 

"as long as I can spare him from that." mingjue thought. "as long as he can still be happy…" he was too young, he knew it, but he could try. He would never let a stranger take his little brother away, shove him in a house for orphaned children like he had no one in the world. Huaisang had him. And he would keep him by his side, at all costs. 

"Da-ge, try it!" huaisang hand came into his vision with a little spoon and some orange colored ice cream. 

"no, I --" 

"it's a new flavor they said. Orange and cinnamon. Try it, it's good!!" it was good, he told him, he lied, his mouth could hardly taste anything that wasn't bile. 

"as long as I can see his smile." 

"Da-ge…?" a sob broke through his throat and he held his little brother close. 

Huaisang didn't remember, years later, the day he found out his parents' died, but he never took that flavor again, it wasn't as good as he once thought and he couldn't explain why. 

ZongHui remembered the day his life changed. He remembered when his brother had left for being adopted and the family that came for him didn't spare a look at ZongHui. Zhuliu tried, to no avail. They had other children of their own, and a niece and nephew to take care of too. Why did they even choose to adopt another one? Why him? Why separate two brothers? Not that zhuliu wasn't grateful to the wen family, of course he was! They gave him a chance to grow in a loving family, with other kids he could call his brothers and sister. He picked wen Ning as a little brother and carried him around because he reminded him of zonghui. He picked him so he would never forget his little brother, so that one day he would find him again. Everyday he prayed his life was just as good. 

Zonghui's life changed the day HuaLing, one of the volunteers, took her best friends' (and lovers) son with her. He was six and he immediately went to pick zonghui under his wing, they soon became friends, best friends, mingjue wanted to follow her to the orphanage everytime she went and zonghui would light up when he walked through the doors. Something in the little boy called to mingjue, like an ancient instinct, something tying them together. Zonghui felt the same, though he couldn't explain it, mingjue wasn't simply filling the hole zhuliu left, it was something else, something more, it was piece of his soul finally whole again. But they were kids, they didn't understand those kind of feelings just yet. 

It happened the same when huaisang was born. All mingjue felt for a couple of days was heartbreak, he loved HuaLing like his own mother, she taught little songs and recipes that she knew he loved, she was the reason he met zonghui in the first place. He loved her and she was dead. Then his father put a little bundle of blankets in his arms and huaisang looked at him and yawned. Mingjue swore he would sell the world for him. He swore he would die for him. Huaisang never knew that. 

Finding his brother again had been zhuliu's aim for so many years but he only succeeded when they were both older. He missed his childhood and teen years, he missed so much, they had so much to catch for. Finding him had been almost accidental. Wen Qing asked him to go pick he brother from a friend's house, when he arrived the A-Ning was talking with another boy his age, then five minutes later the other boy's tutor showed up, and zonghui by his side. He stared at him for a little before swallowing and holding out a hand to caress his face. He didn't see him for more than half of his life but he would recognize him everywhere. Brothers had a special bond. 

Wen Qing called when he failed to return home with her brother only to be greeted by a crying face half hidden against a shoulder. 

"give me time Wen-jie. I found my own brother." he cried. 

"I asked you to pick up mine, Zhu'er." she said, fondly. 

He turned the phone to show her Wen Ning chatting with a loud, little group, squished against an older man side, almost hiding against him, comfortably. 

"oh, isn't that Old Nie?" she said, a bit too loudly, enough for mingjue to hear. 

"call me old again and I will personally kidnap NingNing. We're related apparently, Qing-jie!" he shot back.

It didn't take long for zhuliu to know mingjue and decide he liked him. A lot. - It took even less to find out his brother was soon going to marry him. -

“You’re not going to give me the “If you hurt him I’m going to hurt you” speech? I always thought it was a must for older brothers.” MingJue Tildi him once, he briefly contemplated it. Maybe he could give him the speech but—

“I’m pretty sure I would arrive too late if it happened, ZongHui would hurt you himself.” They both knew he wouldn’t, and they both knew MingJue would never willingly bring him any harm, even Zhuliu who was just getting to know him could say that.even him could see the love in the way they looked at each other.

“Arrive too late.” He had jokingly said that day, never thinking one day he would really be too late to save him.

Giving comfort had never been Xichen strength point in truth. They all said he could give great hugs, that he was soft and warm and kind, but when facing an unexpected death such as this he really didn’t know. Words were useless, most words were stupid and seemed coming out from a textbook, nothing truly felt sincere enough. So he squeezed HuaiSang’s arm and gave him a hug, then he remained silent, his eyes briefly meeting YanLi’s in a silent conversation, both close enough to MingJue ever since school days, all three growing up dealing with different levels of troublesome little brothers and trying to raised them right. - Wangji wasn’t that much troublesome in truth, just quiet. Until he met Wei WuXian. - They shared study afternoons and babysitting hours, they grew up together and they were meant to grow old together.

“Tall!!” Wen Ning exclaimed, his eyes wide in surprise. MingJue was ready to crouch down on the floor if that would make Wen Qing little brother more at ease, it sometimes happened at the orphanage, some of the younger kids were intimidate by his height  and he spent the whole hours kneeling down at they’re level. Not all of them, and Wen Ning was, apparently, not intimidate, just surprise. Before his sister could grab him he sped toward MingJue and crashed against his legs, then he enveloped them in his arms and climbed up to his side, fingers clawing in the fabric of his clothes.

“A-Ning!” But MingJue laughed and held him in his arms before having to pick up huaisang too. “Don’t climb our guests.” Wen Qing laughed.

“Don’t listen to Qing-jie, NingNing. You can climb all you wish.” Wen Ning threw his head against his shoulder happily.

When Huaisang set foot inside the house he knew something wasn’t right. It was in the smell, it was in the way MingJue Stood in front of the kitchen door. Door that looked very much closed for unknown reasons.

“Da-ge…”

“You’re home early.” He looked, and sounded, uncomfortable. Awkward. Like he was hiding something. 

"did you blow up the kitchen trying to make yanli's soup?" 

"aren't you supposed to have lessons until 6?"

"oh my God! You really blew up the kitchen!" huaisang wanted to laugh. Even if at just the sight of his brother with flour over the shirt, and face. And even hair. 

"I… No! Kitchen is perfectly fine! What are you doing home, huaisang?" 

"we finished earlier. Besides, I won't be home for long. Wei Ying is planning a party for tonight." and he was going. See? He even told his brother where he would go, no reasons for forbidding it.

"not tonight." 

Not that his brother's words would stop him anyway. 

"oh come on dage… It's only a party. I promise I won't drink much." 

"not tonight, no. You're staying here." 

Huaisang frowned. He tried to think of what reason would make his brother say that, some bad grades or something in the past week? No, he had been good and even helped at home. He deserved to go. 

"daaaaa-geeee." he complained, loudly, annoying. Fine, he would slip out of the window and--

"it's really important that you stay home tonight. I… It's important huaisang. It is for me." 

"fine." he pouted and turned to go to his room. He had to find some clothes for the night, and plan out to go out and back inside without being heard, and… Probably zonghui would cover for him, he usually did. He would ask. 

"you're thinking of sneaking out." there was something in MingJue's voice, like disappointment. "I'm not asking much… it's just for tonight." he said again, huaisang rolled his eyes. He was about to speak back, he turned and MingJue's expression changed. 

He ran back to the kitchen, threw the door open and opened the oven muttering some prayers under his breath. All that huaisang understood in that moment had been the word rooster. 

"Da-ge… - he called, curious now. - why do you have a rooster in the oven." 

"it's… Our dinner." 

"a… Rooster?" 

"I was craving chicken meat." 

"that's quite a big chicken. And technically not a chicken." 

Huaisang leaned on the door and watched as he moved around the kitchen, not as relaxed as he usually was but agitated, anxious. It finally clicked and huaisang grinned.

"you're going to propose." mingjue blushed and hid his face by opening the fridge. Huaisang laughed louder and walked up to him. "he better say yes cause you will never find someone else like him anywhere." 

Mingjue knew he was right, still he lightly slapped his arm and smiled. 

"I can only hope he will." he whispered softly. 

In the end ZongHui of course said yes, through tears and kisses and more tears of joy, Huaisang never regret staying home that night. When his brother finally picked enough courage he decided that playing with his phone was the perfect thing to do. Well, he was recording the moment in truth but years of sneaking away from MingJue and from several teachers taught him well how to be discreet. Before the evening was over the video and the news had reached all of their friends with no exception.

“Out of everyone I always knew you would have been the next to marry! - YanLi wrote on the older siblings shared chat. - Pay up, Xichen! I won!” She added with a winking emoji.

“You were making bet on who—”

“I only said my brother and hers would be the next to get married. It’s hardly a bet.”

“That until YanLi said, and I quote, “let’s make a bet. MingJue and ZongHui are basically married already anyway, it’s only a matter of time.”, and you answered “Wangji went all the way to the Jiang house to ask permission for courting A-Ying.”. So yes. They were betting.” Wen Qing wrote, complete with actual quotes from previous discussions that MingJue had strangely missed.

“Well… apparently YanLi really won this round.”

“I did! Oh, BTW, that was quite a nice touch with the rooster.”

“And seems like your kitchen wasn’t falling apart either.”

“Hey! I’m not that bad at cooking, you know? Give me some credit.”

YanLi looked at the chat, her fingers hovering over the display of her phone, unsure. She watched at the photo MingJue sent them a couple of days before, the one with a little girl hugging his leg as he was tidying up, her cheek squished against the pants fabric and a smile they could barely see from the position. ZongHui took the photo with MingJue's phone and sent it to them.

“You all keep quiet but can I unofficially introduce you to our newest future addition? Don’t let it slip out, it’s still a surprise. Waiting to inform Huaisang in a couple of days!”

She was tempted to write, asker the other members of the chat how things were, but she closed it instead, the weight of waiting the one answer that would never come was too much to bear.

Nie MingJue cried the moment he saw ZongHui in a red hanfu. Huaisang had been adamant on being the one organizing everything, from the ceremony, to the food, and the clothes. That was how they ended up with a traditional kind of wedding, somehow it felt right, almost perfect, like that was how they had always been meant to be married like.

ZongHui walked up to him and smiled, he laughed as he dried the tears with a sleeve.

“No need for crying. Aren't you happy?”

“That’s exactly why I'm crying.” He held him close, closer, hid his face on ZongHui's head.

The picture of their kiss, hands intertwined in a red ribbon they kept holding for the whole ceremony, had been the background of ZongHui's phone for months. Then he changed it to lock screen so that he only needed to press the button without having to unlock the phone to see it.

He swore to always be by his side, to love him and to guard him from evil. He swore to grow old with him and enjoy every single minute of their lives together.

He did enjoy them, up to the very last instant. But it was never meant to be that short.

“Er-ge…”

Huaisang crawled in the bed in the middle of the afternoon, he collected his legs to the chest and watched the figure laying on the other side of the bed facing the window.

“Er-ge, I made soup… it’s late for lunch, and early for dinner, but you should have some.”

His voice was strained, he sniffled and waited. ZongHui didn’t move nor he acknowledged him.

“Er-ge… do — - Tears welled up in his eyes. Huaisang thought it through for days and that was the only thing that seemed to make sense. - Do you hate me?” He asked and swallowed. “Because… because you know… you should. It was my fault. I asked Da-ge to come out that night and take me home. But I should've stayed home to begin with because you both asked. You should hate me.” Tears fell down his cheek and he hid his face on the knees.

“It’s my fault, Er-ge… you should hate me. You have to hate me. Must! - His sobs grew louder, more and more painful. ZongHui shifted on the mattress, uncomfortable. - I should have never called… It should have been me!”

ZongHui finally turned and raised from the bed, his arms circled HuaiSang's small frame and he held him tight through the tears.

[shitpostsfromtheinvisiblelibrary]

Prompt 13 for Froststorm?

I am fairly certain this is the right prompt? But please correct me if I am wrong.

“Where  am I?”  Li Ming squinted around the dark room, trying to peer into the shadows and see who else was in the room with him, he could sense their presence.

“My room.” Ao Shun said from across the room, Li Ming heard the creek of a chair as he stood up. “I had them bring you up here when you were found to have minimal injuries and didn’t require medical attention. You’ll have a bit of a headache and little more.” Li Ming touched his temples. It was a lot more than a ‘bit’ of a headache. But he didn’t complain.

“Your majesty. Could you possibly, turn on the lights?” Ao Shun turned them on dimly and Li Ming instantly recognised the room that he was in. “Thank you, your majesty.”

“No need to be so formal, you are in my bed after all.” Ao Shun realised what that sounded like as soon as he’d spoken and both men flushed.

“Why am I in your bed?” Li Ming softly asked, Ao Shun took a step forward. “I do appreciate the… the care and consideration that you have put into my well being, and I am deeply grateful for that, my lord. But why here and not my own rooms?” Being a high ranking servant and nobleman had granted him his own suite of rooms within the royal palace.

“I wished to be certain of your wellbeing.” Ao Shun answered shortly, like he’d accidentally say too much if he used too many words. “You are,” He swallowed, like the next few words were choking him. “You are important to me, Li Ming.” Li Ming was still a little flushed, his skin was as pale as the crips white silk sheets on the bed, except for where his cheeks were blotched like damask roses.

“Your interest in my wellbeing is too much, your majesty. Surely I am bellow your notice. Less important than a lot of other things on your mind.” Li Ming wanted to close his eyes and sleep again. Here in Ao Shun’s bed and the man of, quite possibly, his dreams so close but impossibly far away. His lord and king, and nothing ever more intimate than that. It would be improper. And if the king was to take on a partner, he’d have his choice of much more than he could have ever been. Men and women with much more to offer than he could.

“Do you really think that?” Li Ming slolwy pushed himself up, he was still tired and slumped against the headboard with a soft exhalation. He shut his eyes again as he breathed deeply. “Are you in pain?”

“No, your majesty. Just tired.”

“You should rest more.”

“I should return to my own rooms to do such. I do not wish to take up anymore of your time than I already have done.” He went to stand up, pushing the sheets away from him when Ao Shun reached out to grasp his shoulder.

“No, stay here, please.” Ao Shun said, his voice softening as he dropped to his knees. “Please.”

“You could ask anything of me your majesty.”

“I know. But I am not asking you this as your king. I am asking you as… as just a man asking someone that he deeply cares for. Stay here, please. Don’t strain yourself. I will leave if my presense makes you uncomfortable. Or assist you to your room if you really feel like you must leave.”

“May I ask you a question? I will stay if I can.”

“You may ask anything of me.”

“Why did you bring me here?”

“Because I care about your wellbeing. You are not just a servant to me, Li Ming.” Ao Shun looked down and Li Ming had the urge to take the kings hands in his. He ignored it. “You are improtant to me. I know that you will always see me as your king but I sometimes wish that we were on the same level. Free from societal pressures to see each other in only specific ways.”

“We are free behind closed doors.” Li Ming said softly, biting the bullet and taking Ao Shun’s hands in his. If he could bare his soul in this way, then maybe Li Ming wasn’t daydreaming as much as he thought. “If you do not wish to be my king behind closed doors, then do not be. What would you rather be?”

“Your lover if you’d do me that honour.” Ao Shun said simply. “Your partner, even if just in the privacy of this room, or your rooms, I would take that over pretending to not see you, when you are all I can see. Your light, mon etoile.” Li Ming smiled.

“Your lover. I like the sound of that.”

[hamliet]

He Xuan, Shi Wu Du, and Shi Qing Xuan: Three Mirrors

So yeah how about that chapter 124.

What a mess. And by that I mean it’s like excellent writing, but the circumstances are such a mess and it’s so tragic because it did not have to be that way.

Shi Wu Du and He Xuan parallel each other quite a bit, and of course, Shi Wu Du and his brother Shi Qing Xuan foil each other, as do He Xuan and Shi Qing Xuan. The entire arc explores a lot of themes like love and its limits, family, power and control, etc. by foiling these three characters. And they’re all kind of summed up in that final confrontation between Shi Wu Du and He Xuan, which reveals both of their fatal flaws are the same: they lack empathy and try to control that which is close to them. But instead of condemning them or writing them off as shallow, the narrative shows us that the reason both of them do these things is because of love.

“EVERYTHING I HAVE TODAY, I FOUGHT FOR MYSELF. I WILL FIGHT FOR WHAT I DON’T HAVE. I WILL CHANGE FATE I DON’T POSSESS. MY FATE IS UP TO ME AND NOT THE HEAVENS!” 

These are some of Shi Wu Du’s final words. But Shi Wu Du’s best quality--his refusal to capitulate to a cruel fate, or to leave those he loves at a cruel fate’s mercy either--is also his fatal flaw. Because he hasn’t just been about controlling his own fate: he’s extended that control to the fate of others in Shi Qing Xuan, the brother he adores, and He Xuan, a random person who just happened to have the wrong name at the wrong time.

Where Si Qing Xuan is concerned, of course it’s understandable, even justifiable in some sense. He loves his brother and was fearful of the Reverend of Empty Words’s curse on his baby brother. To save him, he switched his fate with He Xuan’s and allowed Shi Qing Xuan to ascend without having earned it, and then kept the truth from Shi Qing Xuan. But by robbing and erasing He Xuan’s work to control his own fate, he shows a privilege He Xuan never had, and shows that in controlling his own fate, he doesn’t mind changing others’. Not to mention he ties Shi Qing Xuan up when he discovers the truth, forcing him to drink the black liquid.

In their final confrontation, Shi Wu Du refuses to consider He Xuan’s first option of giving Shi Qing Xuan a terrible fate, and tells his brother that he has to kill him instead. He doesn’t take Shi Qing Xuan’s wishes into account, because it’s not just about who will die; it means traumatizing his brother.

Shi Qing Xuan however, wasn’t as despairing as he was, and said hurriedly, “Ge! Ge! Let’s, let’s choose the first option. The first one.”

A moment later, Shi Wu Du calmed down. “No. I choose the second one.”

“...” Shi Qing Xuan was dumbfounded, “Why the second option? Can we not both live? Ge, I can’t do it, I really can’t.”

Shi Wu Du said furiously, “QUIET! Don’t you understand? To have me lose everything and watch you become a grimey creature, you think I can do it?! Why don’t I just go ahead and die from madness!” ...

Shi Qing Xuan was so horrified he couldn’t keep a hold of it in his hands, dropping it a number of times on the ground. “Nevermind, ge, nevermind! Didn't you tell me yourself? Everyone only cares for themselves in this world, why would anyone take care of us? Haven’t we always taken cared of each other? Don’t give this thing to me, DON’T GIVE IT TO ME!”

Shi Wu Du shouted, “QING XUAN! Don’t be so immature!” 

But of course, Shi Wu Du is in part playing He Xuan. Shi Qing Xuan would never kill him, and finally decides to strangle his brother so that they will both die, forcing He Xuan to intervene.

Shi Wu Du gritted through his blood-covered teeth, “Qing Xuan! I can’t leave you alone like this! If I die there’s no way you’ll be able to survive in this world, so you might as well come with me!” ...

Shi Qing Xuan broke down, “...Ge ge, I beg you I beg you, please stop talking, please shut up. Help…”

However, Shi Wu Du’s smug arrogance was undaunted, “Qing Xuan, ge ge will go ahead first. I will wait for you down below. Hahahahaha…”

Considering those are his last lines, it’s fair to say he may indeed have planned on them both dying. But again, he’s repeating the same exact flaw that got them into this situation in the first place: assuming he knows what is best for Shi Qing Xuan, when really what Shi Qing Xuan wants is just for his brother to be okay--he was more than okay with giving up his heavenly official status, for example, as long as it was going to be okay. Shi Wu Du’s inability to understand this is heartbreaking.

But even though Shi Wu Du could not understand this about his brother, his deep love for his brother parallels He Xuan’s tragic love for his family as well. As he even notes before he dies:

He used those broken arms that were bleeding profusely to tug He Xuan’s collar, “Because I see the you right now who is so filled with rage, so filled with suffering, so filled with hate, yet you are still powerless in bringing your family back. You’re still nothing more than a ghost in the gutters of the shadows. BE AS MAD AS YOU WANT, THEY’RE LONG GONE! But me, and my brother, we’ve lived for so long, and we’ve been heavenly officials for hundreds of years, so even if he can’t be one any longer, even he can’t live anymore, he still profited. I’M STILL THE VICTOR SO I FEEL EVEN BETTER THAN YOU! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA…”

Again, this ties into the idea of privilege--no matter what He Xuan does now, he will never have his family back. And as such Shi Wu Du cannot fully understand the pain He Xuan is in, having lost his family and his rightful place in the heavens. But in pursuing controlling his own fate via revenge, He Xuan demonstrates the same flaw of Shi Wu Du’s: he tramples on the fates of others.

Shi Qing Xuan was completely innocent. Shi Wu Du treated He Xuan as just a tool to help his brother; He Xuan treated Shi Qing Xuan as a tool to help him get to Shi Qing Xuan’s brother. And yet it’s implied that not all of He Xuan’s feelings for Shi Qing Xuan were bitter--he knew Shi Qing Xuan was a good person, and gave him chances to denounce his brother’s actions.

He Xuan whipped around and started pacing back and forth within the hall of Nether Water Manor, growling, “I’ve given you chances!”

Shi Qing Xuan shut his eyes, clenching his fists. Xie Lian recalled that excessively furious “Fine. Very well!” back at the town of Fu Gu, and that scene of ‘Ming Yi’ blocking Shi Qing Xuan’s path to follow Pei Ming in going to the East Sea.

Only, every time, Shi Qing Xuan had chosen to help Shi Wu Du.

He whispered, “...I’m sorry.”

He Xuan stopped. He demanded, “And what good is your apology?”

That row of four urns were placed squarely in front of Shi Qing Xuan, as if they too were jeering at his feather light sorry, drilling misery into his heart, scorching his innards, like everything he said would be seen through. Shi Qing Xuan begged, “...I know it’s futile, but I…”

And again:

Before he finished his sentence, He Xuan placed his hand over his head and gripped his hair. Shi Qing Xuan’s soul was going to leave his body, the iron chains banged and clanged against the wall madly, “MING-XIONG! MING-XIONG! I’M SORRY, I’M SORRY I’M SORRY I’M SORRY I’M SORRY I’M SORRY I’M SORRY! WE’RE THE ONES WHO SINNED! WE’RE THE ONES WHO ARE WRONG. IT’S MY FAULT! MY BROTHER ONLY DID WHAT HE DID BECAUSE OF ME. MY BROTHER’S GONE MAD, HE’S CRAZY CAN’T YOU SEE! I… YOU… YOU…”

He wanted to beg, to pray for mercy, but his pleas wouldn’t leave his lips, and he could only use his eyes to kowtow. He Xuan watched him, and in a fleeting moment, he seemed to have remembered something. He calmed and stopped.

Seeing this, it was like there was a thread of hope, and Shi Qing Xuan let out a breath of relief, tears finally rolling down. But before he could speak, he heard He Xuan’s cruel voice rang, “You’ve called the wrong person.”

And this gets to Shi Qing Xuan’s greatest strength and also, like the others’, his biggest flaw: his love for his loved ones. And it reveals something of what He Xuan was thinking: you don’t know who I am. He was never Ming-Xiong, but He Xuan, and the whole refusal to acknowledge his identity and what he had done to earn his ascension was cruelly ignored by Shi Wu Du.

Because part of what He Xuan wanted was to have someone know him, acknowledge him as mattering. He transformed himself into a female form around Shi Qing Xuan because Shi Qing Xuan asked him to, clearly wanting to get close to Shi Qing Xuan, to the point when Shi Qing Xuan insisted he was his best friend. But even in the end, Shi Wu Du tells him everything he’s done does not matter, that it’s all futile.

On the topic of Shi Qing Xuan and his love for his family and friends paralleling both his brother’s love for him and He Xuan’s own mourning for his beloved family, it presents an interesting conflict that again gets at this core desire to be acknowledged for who he is in He Xuan. Because what exactly was he expecting by giving Shi Qing Xuan chances? Would He Xuan have denounced his family, the family he claims to be so moved by, had they done something similar? Considering that he’s not really motivated by righteousness, I doubt it. So why was he holding Shi Qing Xuan to an higher standard? Because he’s a god? Or because it was really about himself in the end? Or more likely, a combination of the two? Did he just want to know what kind of person Shi Qing Xuan was, and by extent Shi Wu Du? Did he want something better to exist?

If he wanted to know what kind of people they were, he should have looked in the mirror, because he is very much the same as both of them. And by killing a part of himself and breaking another part of himself in the person who truly loved him and thought of him as his best friend and whom he clearly, to an extent, cared for as well, he’s unlikely to find that his bitter fate has changed very much.

Anyways off to cry again.

[clearlyswagmentality]

Mafias sweet revenge Pt 1

What type of justice is this?!

How can you break the pencil in the first day of court?!" I asked shocked from what the judge had decided for my uncle.

"My father is better than half of the higher ups you serve! But you'd rather turn a blind eye to them because you get money with every win they have! Be it using illegal ways or not! How the fuck is this fair!!" Alex shouted, trying to walk towards the judge in sheer anger.

Lexi then stepped forward in the mist of the group of people that were becoming riled up "Don't you have any family? If they were suddenly announced to be hanged for no good bloody reason, what would you do?!" Lexi screamed tears rolling down her face as her brothers tried to calm her.

"Don't worry dad justice will be served!!" Alex said his hand going towards his waste band, which was covered by his blazer to get his gun out but he was to slow in the action, Sam had realised and pulled him out of the court before he could do anything

"You fucking bastards!!" I heard some one in the court shout which brought be out of my trance like state, and my shock turned into pure furry, I moved forward before anybody could stop me.

I gripped the the judges collars with both hands and pulled him down from his all mighty throne  to my eye level.

"Luis !Luis stop!" Michael shouted as he tried to pry my hands of the son of a bitch.

"Luis" I heard the faint voice of my uncle but my anger was too high so I ignored his call.

Looking at the bastard's face "Is this your justice?Do you feel no remorse?! Look into my eyes and tell me! What do you call a man who killed an innocent?! A judge or a murderer! Put your hand on your heart and tell me!!" I shouted the man didn't even look at me, the nerve of this man.

Michael was still pulling at my arms "let go of him man!!"

"sir please let go" Is this BASTARD for real? he isn't even looking at my eyes and he wants me to let go. Not happening, not till I get my answers.

The little minions by his sides also trying to calm me but it wouldn't work, not when this bastard can't even look at my face for doing what he just did "Please be calm sir"

I wanted, no needed a reason "Is there ever justice without humanity?! Did you ever think when you decided, that this man has a family that he loves?! Did you think about us?! Did you?! Look into my eyes! if you have a heart, look into my eyes judge!!"I shouted

"Speak! Who's fucking bitch are you!! Who's!!!!" I waited for an answer or a reaction but none he was just turning his face away from me, avoiding my eyes. Fine.

"Look at me! And look at me good!! Because from this day forward I will NEVER, let you see the light of day again!!!"

"LUIS!!!!" The shout of my uncle pulled to me and I looked at him, the sight of him with soldiers at either side of him, and the sad look of defeat that was shown in his eyes, eyes that once held a crazy, happy look tore my heart to pieces and my arms dropped to my side. My thought were going hay wire as i watched them start to guide my uncle towards the exit of the court room, suddenly a breeze flew right passed my ears, and a heart wrenching screams of the women in the room tore through the place. Our people all unsheathed their hidden guns and pointed it in the direction the bullet came from, windows were breaking with men in black running in, at this point all hell had broken lose and people around us were panicking looking for an escape, it was is though my legs were chained to the ground for a minute.

This time, I heard the second shot,

My breath got caught in my throat as I see him look at his chest, grabbing it, then looking, his eyes searching for something amidst the battle and land on me, looking straight into my eyes...

"Dad!" I hear Alex scream as he runs into the court room and sees his father, he then ran towards him covering him and shooting enemies trying to get close to his father, who was swaying on his feet.

It was as though everything had slowed down, I forgot about the fight and dashed towards him  pulled out both of my guns and shot the fucker who had hit him.

I let my guns fall out of my hands whilst in shock "No! No! No! N-N-No Un-uncle Al" I teared up, catching him from the front mid fall and slowly kneeling, holding his weight in my arms and hugging him tight the bullet must have exited through the back where blood was gushing out  attempting to cover the bullet hole I cover it with my hands, staining them red. Two men were protecting me and Uncle Al, stopping any one from coming close. His chin was rested on my shoulder, He starts coughing the strength of it coursing through my body too.

" I did good right? Hmm" and a tear leaves my eye, I couldn't bear the thought of him leaving  "You were a reward that god gave to the whole f-family in this life-" another wave of coughs raked his body.

" No! PLEASE GOD NO! Don't leave! I'll take you to the hospital a-and it will be alright! It will all be alright d-don't w-wor-ry!" I said crying; my hands trembling over his wound, my Ming fumbled with trying to fund a solution, anything to help him. "We'll get you to a H-Hospital, d-don't w-worry!" I say tears staining my face. I frantically looked around for someone who wasn’t busy fighting "CALL A DOCTOR!! SOMEONE CALL A FUCKING DOCTOR!!!!" I shouted whilst holding up his weight, he slightly pushed himself away to look at me using my shoulders to keep his balance. I could practically feel his body trembling to stay up.

"Its all right you don't h-have to, It's all r-right ... J-Just p-promis me that you'll look after the fa-family..." he says out of breath and coughing up blood, some of it spluttering onto my face, His tear rimmed tear rimed eyes stared back at me.

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! JUST S-SHUT UP!!!!! WHY WOULD I LOOK AFTER THE FAMILY WHEN YOUR HERE?! WHY WOULD I TAKE CATE OF THEM! YOU SAID YOU W-WOULDN'T EVER LEAVE ME AG-AGAIN! S-SO P-PLEASE DON'T LEAVE, YOU P-P-PROMISED!" I said sobbing my hands shaking and grabbing his hand with my stained hands; he smiles again two big tears rolling down his face

"Sssssshhhhh, d-d-don't cry when I leave, I'm not s-sad but h-happy I'll be seeing my family I m-missed-" cough cough " my brother, my nephew, sister in law a-and my beautiful wife" he said a coughing fit taking over, more of his blood splattering on my face... I felt frustrated not knowing how to help him, angry tears roll down my face, he wipes my tears away with the pad of his thumb as a father would do... "take care of A-Alex for me...I L-L-Love you b-both"he whispered giving me a smile as he wiped yet another one of my tears...as I lean into his touch, the warmth of his hands leave me, his head falls back onto my shoulders his hands fall limp to his side, I catch his body trembling under the weight "N-N-NO!! NOOOO! P-PLEASE! NO! Y-YOU C-C-CANT! Y-YOU CANT LEAVE ME!!! WAKE UP!!!" I scream my hands tremble as I push his face back and grab him from the shirt collars shaking him, wanting him to wake up, "YOU PROMISED ME! YOU FUCKING PROMISED YOU WOULDN'T LEAVE ME AGAIN!! OPEN YOUR FUCKING EYES PLEASE! IM B-BEGGING YOU! OPEN YOUR EYES!!!!!! ", his once colour filled face, was already turning pale and his lips starting to lose their rosy colour... I hated him, I hated him for leaving me alone in this colourless world....

I slowly lay his body down, holding his head up whilst taking off my blazer and rolling it up and placing it as a cushion on the floor. I suddenly felt a pain shoot through my left shoulder nearly causing me to lose my strength but I then gently lower his head my tears dropping onto his face, mixing with his own. I gently use the pad of my thumb and wipe the tears of his face and close his ghost like glass eyes, and looked at him one last time. I felt numb...numb but furious.

The sound of gunshots were now much more loud and clear, just as clear as the volcanoes that could be seen to erupt any second inside of me. I picked up both my guns from floor, blood soaking into my shirts left arm staining it red, and rose like the grim reaper out to collect the souls of those who had angered me.

The two men protecting me looked hat me " protect his body" my voice cane out cold. Tgey nodded at me and protected him a few others joining to help them. I saw Alex fighting with two men, he had hit one, turned his back towards him and attacked the other guy thinking the first was out. However the man had taken out his pistol and aimed it right at Alex BANG!

"Too slow fucktard" I thought as his brains splattered over Alex, who had knocked out the second man and was looking at me with sorrow and anger as he nodded his head as a thank you, and ran to his fathers bodies side protecting it. As I carried on shooting until one of the guns bullets were finished and I had no more ammunition to reload, the other holding only 3 bullets.

I shot around two more fuckers when the gun was suddenly kicked out of my hand and a fist connected with my jaw jerking my head to the side. And I felt a gun pointed at my head I turned to face the idiot his smirking face raising my shackles, I smiled back catching him off guard and slammed his hand down causing him to shoot my abdomen as a reflex. The pain was there but blocked out by my anger, I started to laugh unable to move my left arm due to the injury,  and pulled my empty gun out with my right hand and whacked the back of it against his head , causing him to fall backwards so I leaned over to him and whacked his face with it over and over again, several times blood splattering against me. With every hit I swore

"You" whack! "Mother" whack! "Fuxkers!" Whack...

"Did" whack "you think you would get" whack! "Away"Whack!  "with" whack! "this"whack!

I raised my head and shouted " ALL YOU MOTHER FUCKERS, BEST START RUNNING NOW, BECAUSE WHEN I CATCH YOU, YOU'LL ALL WISH YOU WERE DEAD!!!" HE was now trembling in pain, his eyes shedding tears, begging for mercy.

“Have fun in hell.” HE shook his head trying to resist his fate, fear taking over as he cried louder. I picked up the gun he droped sticking it into his mouth the fear in his eyes bringing me a small amount of gratification. Bringig a smile to my face

BANG! 

I let his body drop limp and stood with a wide smile plastered on my face, a smile that would racke fear into even the devil himself and shot some of the fuckers trying to escape, killing some but letting the others get away with injuries so that I could find out who was be hind this.

I looked around to assess the situation, and my eyes zoned in on a boy, a young boy surrounded by rats trying to help him rather than shed is blood, how strange. I chuckled as wiped my blood soaked guns against my top, not that they got any cleaner, my shirt was just as bloody. I signaled for one of my men

“Kill them all but the boy, bring him to me alive and kicking” I watched as they killed all the men whilst the boy cried in fear. I reloded my guns sticking one back whilst keeping the other in my hand. Intresting...

I skipped towards the boy and knelt down to his eye level, unable to hide my pleasure at his fear. My smile as broad as ever. The hall had quietened down to silence as everyone watched me like a hawk. 

I looked into his eyes, glistening with unshed tears, he looked either 1 or 2 years younger than me, trembling in fear. Like a cornered white rabit, unscathed, without any stains of blood... how unplesant. He must of senced my change in mood, scooting back, not that it would help his case. I looked at the tattoo on his hand, the sign of that bastards gang. Upon closer look my suspicions were proven true. making me laugh.

“P-please dont k-kill me! I’ll- I’ll tell you anything! ANYTHING! Anything you want! I’ll tell you!” HE begged in desparation kneeling as he did so. I tilted my head... was this kid hit over the head or somthing? I pulled his hair earning a scream, NOPE. No bumps, clean. He’s just stupid. I stood as i contemplated what to do

“Stand.”

He looked at me in shock. BANG! I shot the ground right by him “Id suggest you dont make me repeat myself”

“T-Th-Thank you! Thank you so m-much!” HE stumbled as he stood, repeating his thanks over and over, I could only grin at his stupidity.

“Go.”

“Thank you! Th-Thank you! You wont regret this! I promis! Ill meet you buy the bridge next to Burger King tomorrow at 12pm! I promis you wont regret this” He said slightly bowing and wincing in pain. Probably from one of our punches... I nodded, as he turned to leave, the small smirk he had when he looked down when bowing didnt go unnoticed by me, I could only chuckle, How naive.

“Luis! Why the hell are you tetting him go-”

BANG! BANG! BANG! Click

How annoying I was out of bullets again, so I flung the cheap gun to the side and pulled out mine, I stalked towards the boy who was now facing the floor, trying to turn over, so I, being the kind person I am lent him a foot, kicking him over to face me.

His tear stained face mixing with blood as he wiped them away  “JUST KILL ME ALREADY! WHY ARE YOU DRAGGING IT OU-” 

“Do you think i dont recognise you?” I said as i looked down at him, the question silenceing him immediately. The fear in his eyes reaching a whole new level.

“H-How”

I laughed, and crouched down once again to his level and pulled him in by the scruff, talking quietly

“My family may not have recognised you, or even your people, excluding those protecting you, with your disguise... But your father should have taught you better, his youngest son how to blend into the crowd before allowing you to leave the house... Or even how to tell a decent lie, or maybe” I draged out, In mock thought “maybe you left without his knowledge, with your pathetic friends”

I looked behind me, my families eyes trained on me in confusion, unaware of our conversation. I reached into his pocket and faced the phone towards him

“Password”

***********************

Part 2 will be posted in a few moments too