#There are not many cast recordings I do not own in some form

[white-cat-of-doom]

The 2004 cast recording for the Warsaw non-replica of CATS. As with most cast recordings, this one is highlights of the show.

There are a few photos of the rehearsals for the production in the booklet, along with cast and creative team credits.

I admittedly have not given this a listen yet, but it is great that a production like Warsaw had the opportunity to release a cast recording, especially it being a non-replica.

Now if I could only find the Versione Italiana CD easily.

[asksythe]

The real-life Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng - A tale of two brothers

I’ve been asked this before when talking about topics such as Qiongqi beast and its symbolism in Wei Wuxian’s death, the various hints that Wei Wuxian might be long lost royal, the historical background behind the Yin tiger tally, and why the tiger symbol seemingly being bad juju for Wuxian. 

It’s all connected, of course, through a historical basis. I have some free time today, so let’s get! 

Meet Wei Wuji, also known as Lord Xinling, the second Prince of Wei Kingdom (circa 2nd century BCE), the first person in recorded history to handle a Tiger Tally, and very very likely to be the real-life basis for Wei Wuxian. 

How very likely? Well, there’s no word of god, of course. But I’ll just let the facts speak for themselves, and you be the judge. 

1. Let’s start with names:

Wei Wuji 魏無忌

Wei Wuxian 魏无羡

Wei 魏 = Wei 魏. An exact match. As a matter of fact, Wei Wuji’s Wei kingdom is the first kingdom to bear this Wei name in recorded history. 

Wu 無 is the traditional form of Wu 无. In the Japanese, Taiwanese, and traditional Mandarin versions, Wei Wuxian is also written with this Wu 無. 

The original meaning of Ji is ‘envy, hatred’ in ancient times (as per the Kangxi dictionary and the original text of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms). In modern times, the meaning of Ji has morphed to represent ‘fear, avoid’ more than ‘envy’ and ‘hatred. 

The meaning of Xian is envy in both ancient and modern times. 

So Wei Wuxian is effectively an alternate way to write Wei Wuji. 

2. The life and death of Wei Wuji and the first Tiger Tally recorded in history:

a. Genius second son, a friend of many, the brightest 4th Young Master:

Wei Wuji was born the second son of King Wei Zhao and the second prince of the Wei Kingdom. He had an elder half-brother: Wei Anli, crown prince and, afterward, King of the Wei Kingdom. 

Despite being the younger brother and not the heir to the throne, Wei Wuji eclipsed his elder brother in talent, courage, military and political acumen, and sheer popularity. 

Wei Wuji was also unique among his period peers for being very open-minded when it came to castes. He lived during the warring state period, during which there existed an extremely strict caste system where the lower and slave castes didn’t even count as humans and could be executed for silly things like being in the presence of their higher caste masters and ‘tainting the air’ they breathed. Not only did Wei Wuji give no thought to this caste system, he would often go out of his way to listen to the lower castes and treat them with respect as if they were of the same caste. 

In one legend (Sima Qian Historical Records, circa 135 BCE), Wei Wuji walked away from a banquet raised in his name to go sit and talk to an old, wise prison guard (Hou Ying). He would then invite this prison guard to his banquet with the highest of honor, even giving the guard his seat (noble seat) and driving the chariot in his place. When other noble banquet guests protested this lowly guard’s presence by vilifying the old prison guard for not knowing his place, Wei Wuji stood up for him and gave him the highest of toasts, thus silencing the guests.   

In another legend, Wei Wuji hosted over 3000 guests in his princely fiefdom. He famously declared that so long as a person had ambitions and a will to do good in his heart, then Wei Wuji would receive him in his hall as a guest and friend regardless of what caste he was or from where he came.

For this, Wei Wuji was known as Lord Xinling and held the loyalty of many in his own brother’s kingdom.

He was one of the Four Gongzi of the Warring State Period (lit. Four Young Masters, Four Noblemen, Four Princes. During this period, Gong was a distinct noble class comparable to Duke. So this can also be understood as the Four Dukes). He was seen as the brightest among the Four. 

b. The tale of the first Tiger Tally in recorded history: 

Sima Qian Historical Records told the tale of the first Tiger Tally as such. It was a time of chaos where the strong trampled the weak, and big countries gobbled up small ones. Wei Kingdom was one of the seven strongest of the time. This meant that their position was precarious. 

Around this time, Wei Wuji’s elder brother, Wei Anli, had ascended the throne and adopted a policy of avoidance. Despite the ferocious fighting, the political struggles, and the easily foreseeable threats, Wei Anli was of the thought that if he did nothing and just closed his door, then trouble wouldn’t come knocking at his door. 

But this was not so. In 260 BC, the state of Qin (of Qin Shi Huang, yes) besieged the state of Zhao and captured the King of Zhao (who was related to the Wei through marriage). Zhao sent for Wei’s help. But King Wei Anli didn’t want to be Qin’s next target, and so refused to send aid. 

This was where the Wei brother’s opinions diverged. Wei Wuji saw that Qin was growing unchecked in power, and if not stopped, then Wei would be next on the chopping block anyway. So not only was Wei politically and morally responsible, but from a long-term strategic standpoint, Wei must respond if they didn’t want Qin to grow too strong and eventually be invaded and absorbed into Qin itself. 

The only problem: Wei Wuji had no right to make this decision. And regardless of his insistence and explanation to his elder brother, Wei Anli would not be moved. Meanwhile, the state of Zhao sent ever more desperate pleas for help (from the Wei’s sister who was Zhao Queen at the time no less). 

Pressured from all sides and with no alternative, Wei Wuji made a decision that would go down as a first in history. He would steal the Tiger Tally from his King’s hand, commandeer the army, and ride to answer Zhao’s pleas for help himself. 

This would eventually become the historical example of military brilliance that required the usurpation of the immediate superior. Wei Wuji’s own name would go down in history as brilliance that eclipsed his station. 

I’ve written on the tiger tally before. So I won’t write more about this now. 

To summarize things, Wei Wuji’s plan worked. Zhao was saved. But at the cost of a rift between brothers. After lifting the siege, Wei Wuji stayed in Zhao for ten years. 

He would only go back to Wei Kingdom when Wei was besieged by Qin in purported retaliation, bringing with him the 3000 guests that stayed loyal to him and went to Zhao for help. Wei Wuji successfully lifted the siege of Wei and the two brothers reunited after a decade of not seeing each other. They cried and embraced one another. Wei Anli made Wei Wuji the Grand General of Wei, and he then took over the safeguarding of Wei against the onslaught of Qin. 

c. The tale of two brothers. Or, as the Chinese say, the King has no brothers. The King has no equal. Fool is he who dares think himself the King’s brother and equal. 

Despite the fact that the brothers reunited, this tale does not end well. 

Wei Wuji was a brilliant general and a ferocious warrior. But more than that, his reputation far eclipsed his elder brother the King. Ever since they were young, Wei Anli had had to suffer being under the shadow of his little brother, despite his being the heir and then King. 

Wei Wuji not only successfully repelled Qin, but he also started making a plan to counterattack and nyx Qin Empire before it could take shape. Because his reputation was such that countless warriors and scholars answered his call to arms. Five other kingdoms also answered his request for an alliance.

The King of Qin was deathly afraid of Wei Wuji. Violence did not work, so the Qin King attempted the other way: through schemes and manipulation. The Qin King sent enormous fortunes and gifts to Wei Anli under the guise of normalizing relations between the two kingdoms and potential peace. Along with his gifts, he would send people, spies of all ranks and castes, to infiltrate Wei Anli’s court and territory. These spies would continuously do things to increase the friction and gap between the two brothers. 

Some of them would falsely congratulate Wei Wuji for having ascended to the throne. 

Some more would treat Wei Wuji with more deference than Wei Anli. 

Some would then whisper into Wei Anli’s ears: “Prince Wei was away from his own Kingdom for 10 years. And yet when he calls, thousands in Wei Kingdom answer him. Why is it him and not you, the King? Do your people only know Wei Wuji and not Wei Anli. Are you sure it’s still you who is the King? He should know his place!”    

Wei Anli… fell for their tactics. So he demoted Wei Wuji and effectively isolated him from the court. He would then give this position to someone else. So, of course, the plan to counterattack Qin with the 5 ally kingdoms fell apart miserably.

Wei Wuji was heartbroken by his own brother’s action. He descended into alcoholism and purportedly died from depression and failing health. In other words, he died from the betrayal of someone who saw as a brother but that same brother saw him not as a brother but as a rival and a carrier of problems. 

Wei Anli died in the same year as Wei Wuji, purportedly from illness. 

18 years later, just as Wei Wuji predicted, Wei Kingdom was conquered and subsumed by Qin. Qin would then go on to become the first true Empire in Chinese History. 

Wei Anli was not technically the last monarch of Wei. But it’s historically agreed that he’s the one who laid the foundation for the fall of Wei due to his suspicion of his own brother and removing the one person capable of turning the tide of Qin.  

So, I will leave this here for you to come to your own conclusion and come back another day for analysis on the parallels between history and story and a few other somewhat ironic anecdotes that I didn’t include here (Like the fact that between the 2 Wei brothers, it’s the real-life Jiang Cheng, Wei Anli, that was the gay one. How gay are we talking about? So gay he’s the origin of Chinese gay porn) 

[hwallazia]

WE KNOW

pairing: park seonghwa x fem! reader

word count: 1,3k

tags: mafia!au, angst? (if you squint), mob boss!seonghwa, undercover agent!reader, mentions of death (reader’s boyfriend), seonghwa threatens reader at the end (not this being necessarily a death threat).

synopsis: your boyfriend’s murder hurt you for so long. So you were going to do the impossible to revenge his death. One cold night, you meet the head of the responsables of your boyfriend’s death. You thought it would be a piece of cake but he was so much smarter that you. | PART TWO

| a/n: of course this is having a part 2 (I’ll eventually post it, I swear) which will contain smut. This is literally word vomit of my thoughts of mob boss! Seonghwa so I’m so sorry for the shortness of this!

You knew it, you knew that what you were doing was wrong, but your body tends to react faster than your own brain.

With your legs shaking and a lump forming in your throat, you stood in front of the majestic door of the 19-story building, knowing everything you were risking by even stepping on the ceramic floor of the hotel’s luxurious floor; your life and on the other hand your work, your boss had been more than clear that case 3498: “Park Seonghwa” would be handled by special forces and more trained and experienced strategists.

You still couldn’t fully understand why you were in front of the gates of hell of your own free will, but you simply couldn’t miss the opportunity to kill the heir of the ‘Wonderland’ cartel, his men being responsible for the death of your boyfriend, which happened a long time ago. More less two years.

When your squad leader announced that there was a possibility of finally destroying this cartel because of its leader’s murder, your eyes shone; you found hope along the way, after having gone through one full of desolation and tragedy.

That’s why you couldn’t just sit back and pretend that the case had never been mentioned. You decided to take matters into your own hands even when your boss explicitly told you to step aside.

And with a deep sigh, you walked into the hotel, the smell of wood and leather sofas filling your nostrils.

You analyzed the environment, noticing certain people casting their gaze on you. Without giving them much importance, you tried to locate your target.

You walked around the place, meeting many familiar faces and wondering where you knew them from; soon the answer came to your mind, they were people you saw, locked in your office —more like a pretty, decorated prison— in criminal records files. Some of them with quite compromising and illicit antecedents. But this wasn’t the time to think about those people.

Of all the people who were in the building, you had to locate one, which, by the way, you weren’t finding anywhere.

You headed to the elevator and pressed the button that had a downward arrow drawn on it. You waited patiently for the ‘ding’ to announce the arrival of the mechanism, and got on the elevator. Once on the floor you wanted to be, you walked down that hallway full of 2-4 person dining tables, until you finally found your target.

The only way you could attract him into your net was by seducing him, so you could make time to call the special forces. No matter how many lectures your boss gave you later, you could finally avenge the death of your beloved boyfriend.

You approached the mysterious man, your maroon dress shedding some of its fabric due to the slit in your right thigh, falling delicately to the floor. It hugged your anatomy, highlighting your exotic curves. Due to the non-accidental rip in your dress, your shiny white heels were on display. You felt beautiful, and you hoped that Mr. Park Seonghwa would fall for your charms as well.

Taking your dress by the sides, being careful not to step on it, you sat down without saying a word at the same table as the enemy. He somehow sensed a foreign presence, so he spoke.

“I wasn’t expecting a companion tonight.” His voice made a delicious shiver run down your spine, straightening your back.

“No handsome man should spend the night alone.” Your feminine and captivating voice made him finally look up and fix his dark, solemn eyes on yours.

“Is that so? Since when?” He raised an eyebrow mischievously.

“Since today, darling.”

A small laugh escaped his lips as he lowered his head to hide the curve that had formed on his lips.

“Okay, doll. I’ll let us share this dinner together,” He straightened up, focusing all his attention on you, “Why, of all the people gathered here, did you decide to sit at my table?”

“Didn’t I say it already? I think you’re cute, so I decided to keep you company.”

“With what purpose?” He leaned over the table, resting his elbows on his sides.

Very good question, with what purpose had you taken the decision, and the courage, to sit at the same table as the devil? You couldn’t remember anything, it seemed like your mind went blank every time the man fixed his dark irises on you, and the fact that he was doing it right now wasn’t helping matters.

“Don’t tell me you’re here to arrest me…” Your blood suddenly ran cold. Your mind began to spin in search of a sensible answer. Your neurons were so busy thinking meticulously about the words you were going to say that you forgot how ridiculous and desperate you’d look in the process.

“No! Not at all… Nonono,” You let out the longest existing “ehhh” in the middle of your explanation. “My goal with you tonight is different and… personal.”

“Mhm... personal,” The word slid off his tongue dangerously. “Well, I’m dying to know what you’re planning on doing with me tonight.” A curved smile decorated his lips, weakening your legs.

You urgently wanted to change the direction of the conversation, and as if you had manifested it, the food arrived at your table. The waiter placed two plates of medium-rare steak in front of you as an appetizer and a bottle of champagne that he masterfully opened. The clear liquid from the bottle slid smoothly down your glass, bubbles adorning the top of it.

Food flooded your table as you kept a conversation with Seonghwa. It was strange but intriguing. Neither of you gave more information than necessary, both always staying on the edge. You didn’t know when, why, or how but you were both laughing. When you stopped, the gangster let out a sigh and then spoke to you.

“You’re very beautiful. Y’know?” Your cheeks turned a tender pink as you felt them burn. However, you decided to test him, looking at him lustfully, clearly with other intentions. Unfortunately, Seonghwa read you like an open book and rapidly recognized the game you were playing.

“Thanks, handsome. You’re very good-looking as we-”

“Too bad you’re an agent.”

What?

How was it possible? You didn’t give too much information, and you were cautious when speaking. So how the hell does he know you’re an agent? You stayed still in your seat, unable to formulate any excuses.

“Oh, darling. I’m the heir of the greatest mafia in Asia. Didn’t that tell you and your pretty little head something?”

Words simply chose not to slip out of your mouth. So you remained silent, looking down as if you were a just scolded six-year-old girl.

At that point, you didn’t know if you were scared or what, but you just couldn’t bring yourself to look him in the eye. It was as if a deafening voice was ringing inside your head repeating ‘don’t. you. dare.’

“I’d love to have you around, I really mean it. You’re lovely. Maybe your head hanging on my coat rack can keep me company.” Seonghwa got up from his seat, going around the table to be face-to-face with you.

“Please, let’s talk rationally.” You naively tried to keep your voice from shaking, but it was impossible. You were terrified of what this man could do to you.

“Follow me, y/n.”

Fuck.

Now there was no way to deny the undeniable. He knew your name, probably your last name, your address, your blood type, and the name of your dog, why not?

Now you were really against a rock and a hard place.

He took your hand carelessly and practically dragged you to one of the countless hotel rooms, away from the crowd. He closed the door behind him and threw you on the bed brusquely.

“W-what are you gonna do to me?”

“Oh, don’t worry. I’m not gonna kill you, I’m not as ruthless as my father.” You let out a sigh when you heard his words.

“But I am gon’ make you regret trying to arrest me, darling,” He walked towards you and leaned down so he could be face-to-face with you. His lips brushing dangerously against yours. You could see how a flame decorated his dark irises, “So much that you’re gonna wish you never had met me.”

| masterlist

[seasurfacefullofclouds1]

When his tour was postponed by the Covid 19 pandemic in 2020, Louis offered a refund to everyone who wanted their money back. His disappointment at having his best moment in a solo career postponed (again) didn’t exceed his sense of fairness and empathy toward his fans.

When he could, Louis organized the Live From London livestream for fans, took every precaution against infection in order to protect his band and crew, and gave a most memorable concert for fans during the pandemic. In doing so, he broke a Guinness World Records for ticket sales.

Did he keep the money for himself ? No. He donated all of the proceeds, including revenue from merch sales.

Louis has never used dynamic pricing. He has never charged for a solo Meet and Greet. He has never sold VIP packages. He has held many listening parties and events, sometimes with snacks, for free.

Of all the One Direction ex-members, Louis is the only one to hold a free music festival for 10,000 fans on his own dime, in London, as soon as he could and as safely as he could. He paid for the support acts himself.

Louis never cancelled a single concert on LTWT 2022 due to illness. He and his team planned strategic substitutions of the band members so that the tour concerts could continue as safely as possible, under Covid conditions. He played many concerts when he wasn’t feeling great, because he didn’t want to disappoint the fans.

Louis has stopped many concerts out of concern for fans in the audience— including on the FITFWT 2023. In 2022, he decided to provide water at his own cost to fans, some of whom then took this amenity for granted, when it was far from the industry standard.

In all of these instances, Louis has shown, over and over, his continuous concern for the fans, his desire to share his work with fans at a fair and affordable price point, his commitment toward caring for band members and crew (and everyone who works with him), and his generosity.

He puts up with an incredible amount of fandom nonsense at his concerts, asking fans to observe rules so no one gets hurt— not to throw things on stage, not to push against each other. He’s listened to chants of No Control and WMYB despite being on his second solo world tour. He is patiently educating fans on good concert etiquette, many of whom are going to the first concerts of their lives.

Louis could have used his fame and wealth to make a lot more money from the people who admire and love him, as some of his ex-bandmates have done. He could have told his team to strategize his career for maximum exposure and profit. He could have turned bitter from the setbacks he’s suffered and lashed out. He could have buckled from the strain of endless, unfair media coverage and criticism, industry blacklisting etc. He could take advantage of personal tragedies to cast pity on himself, but he never has. He has never mocked or criticized the career of an ex-bandmate, and his crew does not either.

As always with Louis Tomlinson, he perseveres. He is patient. His kindness is demonstrated in action, not only in words and trademarked slogans (btw marketing a code of ethics for money is the basest form of fandom manipulation, but also the most transparent and unironic demonstration of greed). He never sold Covid-themed merchandise. He never used the Black Lives Matter campaign to enrich himself. He has never sold merch claiming to support women and then sing explicit lyrics objectifying women as sexual body parts. He will never turn a social tragedy into a marketing opportunity.

This is Louis. He will always feel grateful for fandom’s support. His humility is not an act. His generosity is not a slogan. He will try his best; he will persevere. When knocked down, he will get back up. He is a singular type of star; there is no one quite like him. In supporting him for all these years, I feel proud of Louis and Louies for our humanity and love for each other. No matter the numbers, in his solo career Louis has distilled the best of One Direction into the utmost caring, fun, and creative excellence. He will continue to thrive, and Louies will continue to grow in numbers, and we will keep caring for each other.

[cherrirui-official]

Friendlocke Violet Gijinkas (Part 2/7)

PART 2 BAYBEE WAHOOO!! Three more gijinka designs comin right up!

I plan on posting them in order by groups of three, so there’s gonna be seven parts in total, all of which I’ll be linking here when done vvv

(Part One) (Part Three) (Part Four) (Part Five) (Part Six) (Part Seven)

!! These will contain personal headcanons I have for the cast, little fun facts, and also spoilers for Friendlocke Violet (for both the edited vids and the streams) This also contains a small amount of blood on one of the images!!

@saltydkart-reblogs

And that’s pretty much it, designs under the cut!

JOE:

The reason Joe dislikes most bird pokemon such as fletchling is because they're always stealing and pecking at the olives he... or well more specifically his company grows.

Speaking of which, they own a large plot of land which is used specifically to grow olive trees, which of course are used to make the olive oil he sells. What? Did you think that the olives come from Joe themselves? Of course not silly, welcome to capitalism.

That being said, Joe DOES know how to garden. When they first started their olive oil company they had to grow their own olive trees. Nowadays, in their spare time, they'll sometimes be found tending to the olive trees in their company's garden.

His crown is personally tailored for Joe and Joe ONLY. Crafted with the shiniest gold and the richest olives, all fit for a king! Somehow it never falls of his head. (Fun fact: the points are made to look like olive oil bottles)

Joe needs glasses but usually wears contacts when in public. Not that they look bad with glasses, it's just a personal choice.

Joe LOVES being involved in... well, anything! As long as it's not weird or sexual or illegal (that last one counts UNLESS it involves scamming others into buying his oil products), he is more than happy to invite himself into whatever is going on around him. What are you going to do? Stop him? Oh please!

HANNAH Ü:

At the start of her career, she would spend her days doing her own one-man (or.. well... woman) shows at subway stations, telling stories and entertaining other pokemon and people alike while they waited for the next train to arrive.

Her hat and cape are made entirely of salt! She is able to transform her cape and hat into different shapes and usually used this ability of hers to make stuff such as accessories, hats, and props that fit the role she's donning at the time.

Hannah LOVES collecting stickers and often wears them proudly on her body (in her poke form ofc ofc). However, she usually has to get someone else to stick them onto her bc of her lack of actual hands.

Some of her improv roles are inspired by the people she meets while others are inspired by pieces of media she's interested in at the moment.

Will ABSOLUTELY learn a new language if she needs to for a role. Duolingo speedrun world record

MYKYIE:

As stated previously, Mykyie used to be a circus performer before he quit to pursue his dreams. His most popular act involved him spinning plates on a stick while standing on a ball.

^^^ Because of this, he also has really, REALLY good balance.

Mykyie always keeps his Miku glowsticks on him, even when not attending any of her concerts.

"Anger Point" is basically an uncontrollable form of last resort whenever Mykyie is close to death but can still fight, it usually leads to him attacking whoever or whatever caused him great harm (In the instance of Lark, it was when he crit Mykyie and the ladder's health was extremely low.)

The Miku tattoo on Mykyie's arm was designed by Mykyie himself! However, it was drawn on him by an anonymous underground artist who went by many names to hide his true identity. The name that the artist went by at the time Mykyie got his tattoo was "Cl@ir33"

The cuffs and cape that he wears are... well, WERE, red. An unknown force seems to be slowly turning them into a shade of blue.

And that's all the HCs for now! Next Gijinka batch will consist of GrAce, Braidy, and Christene's

Also here's the posterless version of Joe's Gijinka bio before I go

[cornerdreams-txt]

random little things that i think the mw22 cast would like.

simon riley; “ghost”

web weaving. gathering quotes and lines from books and poetry and history, collecting lyrics and artwork, then putting them all together in the theme of a person, a place, a thing, a memory, something. creating a piece of artwork centered around a single person’s experience with something they can recall. sharing an experience, emotions, memories, without ever having to say a single word.

john mactavish; “soap”

baking using ingredients he grew. knowing every rain shower the cucumbers got, knowing the strawberries were just picked a few minutes ago. taking seeds and making something out of nothing using soil and water and the sunlight outside his home, taking that something and making it into something more, and then holding it out in offering and gift for the people he knows. making his own food, and providing it as a show of his care for the people he’s around.

john price

photography. capturing a single moment in memory forever, keeping memories and emotions stored somewhere safe, so that their faces and the place and the state of the world just then is, even as the world changes neverendingly, never forgotten, and can be easily remembered. being able to keep a moment he holds dear in his pocket, hidden from the cruelty of wars and military force. a log of his own life, so he never has to forget the things he loves.

kyle garrick; “gaz”

origami. taking such an ordinary sheet of paper and folding it over and over and turning it and folding and unfolding and then folding again, until a personally created, holdable piece of artwork rests in his hands, something he made to keep his hands busy, something he can look at and know that he made that, no matter how many tries it first took.

nikolai

astronomy. using the stars as his guide, knowing the story behind every constellation, being able to know exactly why the stars look as they do, knowing what lies beyond them and knowing what humanity is scraping their fingers along as they explore. flying at night and having more to think about than just his destination and the aircraft’s parameters or current performance. he knows that by heart. but the stars? that’s something else. knowing that he is made of stardust, and so is everyone else.

farah karim

musical theater. a story told through music, characters moving around stage, the different sets. the casts cycling through, the original recordings and covers and the sound of projecting voices echoing through the theater. the curtain calls, sound design, lights and tech crew. makeup and quick changes - over a dozen art forms coming together to create a single product.

kate laswell

making her own tea blends. taking care of plants to dry them in the sun when they’re ready, always leaving some for later. testing out what goes well with what, sharing the ones that taste the best with her wife. using natural medicinal properties for nausea, for headaches, dealing with cramps when they get bad. customizing teas to make the people she meets a tea that’s unique to that experience, every time.

rodolfo 

archeology. seeing how people lived all those years ago, how humanity has progressed. ancient acts of kindness - the disabled living long lives, babies buried with the best that could be offered, pets being laid to rest with their owners, tombs telling stories about the people’s lives, gravestones showing how loved the individuals were. what daily life looked like what must have been forever ago. knowing that there will be kindness and love and war and good and bad and victories and everything that makes humanity what it is, for as long as humans have their feet on the ground.

alejandro vargas

marine science. the vastness of it all - the depth of the ocean and the strength of the currents. the diversity of life and how much such a simple substance, just water, does for the entire earth. the different terms, and especially coral reefs. how a formation worn away by time and current and sun and tides has become a central place of life and support for so many creatures. how colorful they are, how delicate, now beautiful and so incredibly necessary they are. how much there is to love about the planet he lives on.

philip graves

urban exploration. seeing everything that’s been left behind, abandoned by the people who were there before. admiring how nature has taken back these man-made structures, the wear and tear, the animals that call those places home, even if they were never meant to be there. the echoing of footsteps and voices, the light filtering through cracks in the ceiling. ivy and sunlight and dust, serenity and silence in a once bustling thing.

[doe-eyed-fool]

Fallen {Chapter Eighteen}

Alastor x (Fem)Reader

Warning: Mentions of abuse

I never thought I would give up on what I wanted most, and the realization of what I wanted was unobtainable, only made me feel worse. I was still left with so many questions, and a broken spirit. I hate not knowing, and not being able to remember anything doesn't make things any better.

It only leaves with stress, worry, and an immense amount of guilt. Stressed about my new residence in Hell, worry that I may never return to Heaven, and guilt for whatever I had done to land me here. I shouldn't have to feel any of this. I had felt it hundreds of times when I was alive, death, and being sent to heaven was suppose to erase all of that.

But now, it's like nothing has changed. I still feel so broken.

So, why not say yes to the deal Alastor had made me? Why not learn to become stronger, so I can protect myself against whatever is thrown at me? I'm so tired of feeling helpless. I won't do it anymore, I refuse to.

It's too bad my real appearance was a constant reminder of what I can no longer have.

"Isn't there a way you can make this permanent?" I ask Alastor, not taking my eyes off of my mirror. I had grown somewhat use to my false demonic form, honestly, seeing my true form was near jarring now. "Afraid not dear." Said Alastor.

"Though it is strange...If the good lord threw you out, why not have given you a true demon look to go along with your eternal damnation?" He asks. I furrow my brows. He had a good point. Why didn't God give me a demonic form?

Alastor had mentioned how valuable an angel was down here. How demons would do unspeakable things to get their hands on one, for their own sick desires. Was that part of my punishment? To be toyed with by a bunch of demons forever?

"I don't know." Is all I could say. "I just hate to hide like this. It makes me worried that this can all go away, the second the necklace is removed." Alastor shrugs. "It's the only way I can help you stay hidden in plain sight."

"Alright. Thanks anyway." I tell him. "And...thanks for finding another way." Alastor raises an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" He asks.

"I was so certain that there was nothing left for me. That I was doomed to never return to Heaven. I was left behind. Forgotten about...I didn't see any point of continuing on. I felt like I did when I was alive all over again..." I explain. "But, you managed to find another way for me. A way to make the best out of a pretty terrible situation. So...Thank you."

Alastor seemed slightly taken back by my words. He cleared his throat before speaking.

"Yes well, can't have someone like you disappearing. I'm quite curious about how you angels work. If I didn't tolerate you as much as I do, I would have already known how angels taste." He says lowly. I chuckle. "You tolerate me?" I swore I heard a record scratch from somewhere. "Do not get use to it. You can go from that to distaste very quickly."

"Can't really say you have a distaste for me, if you've never tasted me." Alastor's grin twitched. "Now listen here-"

"Sorry." I say with a smile. "Thank you Alastor. I tolerate you too." Surprisingly, Alastor smiled softly. "Alright." I sigh. "Where do I start? Becoming a real demon, that is."

"I don't think it will be as easy as you think." Alastor tells me. "Unless you're ready to spill some blood, get blitzed out of your mind, or commit several felonies right this moment...I think we should take things slow. In the meantime, keep up that act of seeking redemption around Charlie and the others. We don't want any of them getting suspicious at your sudden change of heart."

"Right. I still intend to help Charlie too."

"And why's that?" Asks Alastor. "Because, what she's trying to do is so unheard of and pretty much impossible, and yet, I believe in her. I wish it could have worked for me, but I wish even more than it works for her." I tell him.

Alastor shakes his head. "I'm starting to believe your god is a fool to cast out such an innocent and naive person."

I roll my eyes. "Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about something else."

"And what would that be?" He asks. "It was about when we were sharing how we both died. I feel like I upset you. You left in quite a hurry." I mutter.

Alastor hums. "Apologies my dear, I didn't mean to come off that way. No, you didn't upset me. Rather, your situation had stirred up some rather unpleasant memories."

"Unpleasant memories?" I repeat. "Oh...uh, you were...?"

"Not only I..." Alastor quickly shut his mouth and cleared his throat. "No need to bring up the past! We have an infante future ahead of us to look forwards to!" His lively tone had returned. "Alastor. It's only me. Who am I to judge?" I say softly.

Alastor fell silent. "But, if you really don't want to, you don't have to say anything." I assure him. Alastor's glance fell away from me, a light sigh left him. "I suppose if we're going to be working together, we might as well be honest."

I stayed quiet, letting him start when he felt comfortable .

"I guess you could say, my childhood wasn't the best. Grew up in a part of town, where my mother and I were treated differently because of the way we looked. And my father was no better, him being part of the problem. But that's not all, he'd tend to take his anger out on my mother almost every day. And when she was beaten near unconscious, and unable to utter a scream...He'd go to me. There were many times, I feared he'd actually kill me." My stomach twisted as I hear him speak.

"Yes, it was like that for quite some time. Until I finally did something about it...It wasn't until my early adulthood, that was finally able to put an end to his abuse...Do you remember when I told you about my first kill? How it is still so fresh in my memory, even after all these years later?"

I had a feeling I knew where this was going. "You never do forget your first kill...especially when it's someone in your own family. I made sure to do it when he was alone, I took him far into the woods near the swamps...I made sure he felt every ounce of pain I could give until his very last breath. Then I threw him into the swamp to be feasted upon by the wildlife that resided there."

"I thought I had finally rid myself and my mother of all the pain he had caused us...But my pain would only grow from there. A month later, my mother had passed. She got sick, and unfortunately, our family was not on the wealthy side. Couldn't afford proper treatment...From that day on...I only grew colder, the killings would pick up later on until I was eventually met with the end of the line."

"I see." I mutter. "I'm sorry that happened to you." Alastor said nothing to that. "Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me. I promise, no one but me will know about this." That caught his attention, his left ear twitched and he turned to face me. He opened his mouth to speak, closing it for a moment, then opening to speak again. "Yes well...if you value your life, you'll keep your word." I nod my head.

"I will."

[crustaceousfaggot]

Hob Gadling traditional folk music collection.

Been thinking about a sort of Hob Gadling character playlist composed entirely of British folk music. Songs he might have listened to throughout his life and resonated with. This is also just a little excuse for me to share some of my favorite folk songs from across the history of the British Isles :) Most of these are British in origin, but a couple are Scottish.

Some of these choices are loosely based on the fic And In The Waking World We Want And Wait by @qqueenofhades because at this point it's basically canon to me and has considerably influenced my perception of the character. Furthermore, I'm writing this with Dreamling in mind because... Well because I want to.

I'm attaching recordings for each piece, but keep in mind that, by the nature of folk music, songs (both melody and lyrics, as well as accompaniment and performance choices) are intrinsically altered in every performance and there is no single correct interpretation of a piece. If you don't like the recordings I picked, I encourage you to seek out your own :)

I am not a music historian, just a classical singer with a love of traditional folk and a cursory education on music history.

Lastly, keep in mind that folk music in the Late Medieval and Early Modern music exists in a much different form than it does today, both in its lyrical and melodic content. Of the songs surviving from that period, the majority are liturgical in nature. Those that aren't are generally about farming, changing seasons, and (of course) drinking. I've done my best, but most of these pieces aren't perfect fits. Still, what character playlist is?

Arranged in rough chronological order.

1200s: "Sumer is icumen in" (composer unknown) (Note: This song is the oldest recorded English language folk song. I think that's pretty neat.)

Sumer is icumen in Loude sing cuccu (cuckoo) Groweth sed (seed) and bloweth (bloometh) med (meadow) and springeth the worlde new

(Full text)

~1450: "Tappster, Drinker" (unknown composer)

Tappster, Drinker, fill another ale, Anonn God sende us good sale. Avale the stake, avale, here is good ale y founde. Drynke to me and y to the and lette the cuppe goe rounde.

(This is, as far as I can tell, the full text)

~1513: "Pastime with Good Company" (King Henry VIII)

Youth must have some dalliance Of good or ill some pastance Company methinks then best All thoughts and fancies to digest. For idleness Is chief mistress Of vices all Then who can say. but mirth and play Is best of all.

(Full text)

1500s: "The Ballad of Tamlin" (composer unknown) (Note: Yes this one is @landwriter 's fault. Go read Oaths. Also, I'm using one of many translations of the original ballad, but there's also an excellent folk punk adaptation by The Forgetmenauts which you should listen to if you like the story. Generally, I'm not doing this ballad any justice with my little 2-line snippet and I encourage you to look into it more yourself.)

"For if my love were an earthly knight as he is an elfin grey, I'd not change my own true love for any knight you have."

(Full text)

~1580-1650: "Greensleeves" (composer unknown)

Alas, my love you do me wrong To cast me off discourteously And I have loved you so long Delighting in your company

I have been ready at your hand to grant whatever you would crave; I have both wagered life and land Your love and good will for to have

(Full text)

1700s: "A Maid in Bedlam" (composer unknown)

My love he'll not come near me To hear the moan I make, And neither would he pity me If my poor heart should break, But, though I've suffer'd for his sake, Contented will I be, For I love my love Because I know he first loved me.

(Full Text)

1800s: Black is The Colour of My True Love's Hair (composer unknown) (Note: although the most famous variations of this piece are from 20th century America, the piece is believed to have originated in Scotland some time in the 19th century.)

Black, black, black is the color of my true love's hair, His lips are something rosy fair, The fairest face and the gentlest hands I love the grass wheron he stands.

(Full text)

1813: "The Last Rose of Summer" (Thomas Moore) (Note: I was a bit conflicted about adding this one. The song is about the pain of losing those you love to time, and the loneliness that comes from outlining your companions, both of which are sentiments I feel are very applicable to Hob. However, the song also implies that death is a mercy in the face of such loneliness, which obviously doesn't align with Hob's worldview.)

'Tis the last rose of summer left blooming alone. All her lovely companions are faded and gone. No flower of her kindred, no rosebud is nigh, To reflect back her blushes and give sigh for sigh.

(Full text)

1902: "Whither Must I Wander" (Ralph Vaughan Williams, from the song cycle "Songs Of Travel") (Note: This is technically not a true folk song but shhhhh. This was the song that inspired this whole list because I absolutely adore Vaughan Williams and particularly this cycle.)

Home was home then, my dear, full of kindly faces, Home was home then, my dear, happy for the child. Fire and the windows bright glittered on the moorland; Song, tuneful song, built a palace in the wild. Now, when day dawns on the brow of the moorland, Lone stands the house, and the chimney-stone is cold. Lone let it stand, now the friends are all departed, The kind hearts, the true hearts, that loved the place of old.

(Full text)

1904: "In Dreams" (Ralph Vaughan Williams, from "Songs of Travel") (Note: I will not apologize for using two pieces from the same cycle. Y'all don't understand I'm so autistic about these songs. Also, I had to pick at least one song with "Dream" in the title haha.)

In dreams unhappy, I behold you stand As heretofore: The unremember'd tokens in your hand Avail no more. [...] He came and went. Perchance you wept awhile And then forgot. Ah me! but he that left you with a smile Forgets you not.

(Full text)

1946: "Come you not from Newcastle?" (Arr. Benjamin Britten, original composer unknown) (Note: Although the text of the song itself doesn't necessarily have any strong Hob Vibes, the most widely known arrangement of this piece was done by Benjamin Britten, one of the country's most famed composers and also a fairly open homosexual. This, combined with the text of the song and the time that this arrangement was written, gives the song a distinctly queer vibe, at least to me, and so it makes the list. The recording attached is by Britten's life partner, Peter Pears.)

Why should I not love my love? Why should not my love love me? Why should I not speed after him, Since love to all is free?

(Full Text)

And that's all of them! Please let me know if you have any traditional folk songs you know that fit the bill, as I'm always looking for more good traditional folk music. It holds a special place in my heart :)

Consider reblogging if you got anything out of this post, since I did spend quite awhile on it and I'd love it if it got out to the wider Sandman fandom.

Resources: 1 2 3 4

[twig-tea]

Love in Translation--Everyone Is Right This Show Is Great

Ok so I was convinced by these great posts by @bengiyo here and @lurkingshan here to catch up and prioritize this series.

But then I watched Minato's Laundromat s2 instead (which was a disappointment, bad decision).

And then I lied again and watched Only Friends ep6 as cough you may have noticed based on my posting this past 24hrs.

But now I'm finally actually keeping my word and prioritizing Love in Translation lol

And of course, they were totally right, this show is so good!

I'd already seen episode 1; it was chaotic but cute, and already established the older/younger brother dynamic as well as the chemistry between the two leads and the full cast of supporting characters--who bengiyo rightfully points out are delightful.

Episode 2 hits the ground running and the next few episodes flew by on my catch-up binge; as lurkingshan said, the pacing on this show is FAST and really enjoyable. With the absurd premise established they jumped right into character development and pining! I love a grumpy on the outside because he has too many feelings on the inside character, and Yang is perfect. He fell so hard so fast for Phumjai's sunshine charisma (which bengiyo is so right, is a rare breed of happy and energetic but not annoying). And I love that they've established pretty clearly that Phumjai needs someone to believe in him (hello, Dangerous Romance's Khaotung, I see you), and that Yang warming up and trusting him is going to be the thing to sway his heart. Yang clearly being aware of his feelings and helping Phumjai talk to Tammy anyway is giving me so much of the good kind of pain! I love a pining while helping my love interest with their romance because I am secretly a simp even though I seem cold character. Yang's tiny smiles give me life. And I also really love a smile through my pain because I desperately want to protect everyone around me at cost to myself character, so this show is really giving me everything I could want and then some.

Love in Translation is so good at earning every emotional response the characters give... lurkingshan talked about this in her pitch and I'm going to double down because this show keeps surprising me in the best way. Yang is not just jealous, he knows something. Phumjai is not just inexperienced, he's never been trusted to stand on his own or make any decisions for himself. There's a reason why Phumjai hesitates and why Yang pulls back. Every time there's a character decision that moves forward the plot that in any other show would be handwaved away, it's explained and given context and I am LIVING. I can't wait to find out why his brother is so overprotective, for example, because I now trust this show to give us that.

I can't talk about this show as much as I want to without spoilers so cutting the below for those who have been convinced but don't want to be spoiled. But for those who have not yet been convinced: Below the cut I talk about how this show queues up annoying narrative tropes to undermine them. I also just want to say while I'm still above the line, the chemistry between the two leads is excellent:

this show is very pretty (some really interesting shots and use of the store aisles for framing, as well as lovely colour grading):

the interpersonal drama is so far quite good at staying interwoven with actual work (I know absolutely nothing about running a mini mart but at least they do seem to do work in a workplace show, and at least some of the episodic challenges are about work/sales), and the comedy is not too slapstick. At least one side couple (involving Ngern! My beloved) has an arc clearly forming and I am hopeful the other will too.

And for you colour girlies, @respectthepetty has written brilliantly about the colours in this show meaning things (and already been proven right).

TL;DR Love in Translation is so far a really, really enjoyable viewing experience!

Oh hi! For the record, I will be potentially spoiling through episode 5. This is just me gushing about stuff that might be spoilery, don't expect any brilliance here lol

God I love how this show tees up tropes to undermine them. Tammy is an influencer, but Phumjai fell for her because they met in person and she made him feel competent and listened to. Tammy is a player, but Phumjai is aware and makes no demands. Phumjai made Tammy feel like someone really cared about her and so she decided to be serious about him (rather than Tammy playing into the evil woman stereotype). Yang is clearly already aware of his feelings, but decides to help and Phumjai go on a practice date, and doesn't hold back, AND gives the older brother a baller speech about letting people make their own choices. Phumjai isn't totally thoughtless about Yang during the practice date, he doesn't just focus on Tammy and chooses things Yang would like. And then when he goes on the date he doesn't sublimate, Phumjai realizes something is going on and goes to talk to Yang, who kisses him!!! Phumjai reacts badly and avoids Yang, but it's because he realizes he has a crush and thinks he needs to make it go away rather than because of gay panic. Yang starts pushing Phumjai away, but it's because he's literally under threat rather than because he's scared of having emotions, and he doesn't want to risk Phumjai's safety. And this also puts Yang's intensity, anger, and seriousness about the business and how its doing in context because (I think) he owes folks money and is very worried about being found before he can pay them back.

And because the show gives good reasons for why these characters have these reactions or make these decisions, the show is also able to explain when these reactions or decisions change! Yang doesn't just forget about his crush or his history with Tammy, she proves to him she's serious this time with her actions. Yang thought he was safe and he finds out he isn't, so he stops pursuing Phumjai.

What I'm really, really hoping for in the next ep: we know from the trailer that Phumjai bolts, I'm assuming because Yang says something unclear to push him away again, and Tammy finds him. I'm really hoping this gives Phumjai and Tammy a chance to air things out, and for Yang to realize he needs to be honest with Phumjai about what's going on so that they can ~please for once, BL gods~ face their troubles together!

Also can I just go off on a rant and say how much I love Phumjai? At first I was afraid he would be annoying either because he's so sunshine or because he's incompetent or both, but besides his obsession with Tammy (which I will admit at least is motivating for him lol) he is actually really dedicated to his job and works really hard. Love that Phumjai's recruits are already on his side and defend him to Yang, even moreso than Tag, Phumjai's so-called best friend (I am side eyeing you sir) does to Phojai.

Really holding onto hope that this show keeps surprising me because I'm really enjoying every time it does it!

[rosewaterandivy]

—whatever's still to come [i.]

summary: Blood like yours, a love like yours could be halved and still be whole.

pairing: steve harrington x f!reader

wc: 1.4k

warnings: character death, big sads, grief, “they were soulmates”

notes: dearly beloved, we're gathered here today to kick this thing off and flirt with disaster. (pls don't hate me too much 🫣) this has been burning a hole in my brain for a while and caters to some of my favorite tropes. my goal is for this to read like a snippets of time series, and will be updated when inspiration strikes. that being said, get ready for my usual brand of filth and yearning™

series masterlist | next

i.: i could break beneath the weight

He was never one to remember you first. Not in the eons since the pair of you began this song and dance, and it got harder and harder each time.

Taking a break, inviting some distance seemed like the best thing to do this time around. Close enough to keep and eye out or an ear to the ground, but far enough from his orbit so as not to invite any familiarity.

In the hope that it would be different this time; that fate would be outsmarted and once, just once you’d have some sort of life together. 

But the universe had never been all that kind to you— all that was allotted were snatches of happiness throughout the years.

Several lifetimes for him, but one prolonged existence for you, casting centuries aside; so it goes.

It simply wasn’t meant to be.

Hawkins, Indiana was a sleepy, small town much like many others in the Midwest. Or, at least it was until a few years ago. Leave it to a government-funded lab to eradicate any sense of safety in suburban America. 

The thought that kept hounding at you ceaselessly through your shifts at the book or record store was this: he was only seventeen when it all fell apart.

He was only seventeen but he’d never been one to turn away from a fight, especially if he felt the need to to protect someone. The rest of the party, you’d come to learn, was either roughly his age or even younger which was abjectly horrifying.

But then he was eighteen and the hits kept on coming— heartbreak for the first time, new and raw, hastily patched up and distracted by a boy too-smart for his own good in need of a friend. Then, nineteen and effectively on his own, working at the mall and then video store across the street from you.

While you’d seen the best and worst of what humanity had to offer in your many wanderings, in your wildest dreams you never thought it’d come to this: lying in his arms under the starlight, eyes growing heavy.

“Steve?”

That’s what he’s called, this time around. It brought a smile to your face because you’d always liked that name, and it fit him like a glove. Nevermind, that he’d first been given a form of that name in France during Le Grand Siècle, Étienne. Steven came from the Greek Στέφανος (Stéphanos) meaning wreath or crown, and, by extension of its verb form, to encircle, to wreathe. 

Much like his arms were encircling you now.

“Mhmm?”

He doesn’t trust his voice not to shake if he were to speak.

“It’s c-cold,” You shiver in his grasp.

At that he draws you near, warmth from his skin pouring into yours. You can feel the gooseflesh of his bare arms against your neck and side, despite his jacket draped across you. 

It’s useless to pretend, but the two of you have managed to delude yourselves thus far. The sky above rembles a bruise, mottled purple that’s somehow lighter at the edges. It’s clear enough to see Ursa Major and Hydra littered amongst the stars. 

Your head tilts upward to find Steve staring down at you, eyes soft and honeyed. A tear escapes and cascades down his cheek, one landing wetly against your lips, another falling straight into your eye— what a lesson, what familiarity. If you were able, you wouldn’t hesitate to reach up and wipe them away.

“Oh my love,” you rasp instead, venturing a small smile though it causes the blood to surge from your split lip. “I don’t regret a single thing.”

“H-how can you say that?” His voice is a ravaged thing, words spilling out in a furtive whisper. “This is all my fault. If I’d just—”

You shush him. “There was nothing to be done,” You strain to prop yourself up, not minding Steve’s protestations. Sweat gathers at your brow with the effort as you eventually settle against his chest.

He lets his arms fall at your hips, chin tucking over your shoulder resigned, defeated. 

“I don’t want to lose you,” is what he says, soft as air against the nape of your neck, “Not when I’ve only just found you.”

Your hand finds his and slots your fingers in between with a reassuring squeeze. You take a breath, feeling the tears beading along your lashes, and resign yourself to fate.

“You listen to me Steve Harrington,” you choke out. “This is not the end.” A turn of your head to rest against neck and revel in the warmth. “It never is, not for us.” You swallow hard, but your throat closes up anyway. “I followed you to the sun,” you confess, “And now it’s up to you to wait for me as I go into the dark.”

He sniffles against the crown of your head, tears baptizing you anew.

“I’m not saying it’ll be easy, being the one who remembers— it’s kind of mortifying, actually.” 

Steve sputters a laugh in spite of himself.

“It’s awful, the waiting, but someone’s gotta do it. You’ll be mad, wrathful even, wanna tear the world apart for doing you so wrong.” Your words are coming slower now, breathing becoming stilted. “You’ll search for me in everyone you see, you won’t be able to help it— you’ll want see me in everyone, sometimes you will. And that’s okay.”

He’s quiet again, worrying his lip between his teeth. Knuckles turning white with how he’s holding onto you— you’re adrift when you realize you can’t feel him anymore.

“I’ll find my way to you,” you say, fighting the heaviness of your eyelids. “Whatever hell you’re in, hold on, just a little longer, just for me.” 

Numbness crawls up your body like frostbite, you sense his nod. Steeling yourself for the inevitable plunge, you will yourself to turn at the waist and plant your lips to his, blood be damned as it flows from your mouth into his. Blood like yours, a love like yours could be halved and still be whole.

Steve sobs into the kiss, thumb sinking into the dimple of your cheek and ghosting along your jawline. It’s tender and desperate, the way his lips slot against yours and his tongue hearkens to you. A broken sound wrenches from your throat. A shrill gasp. A guttural breath.

Prying yourself away, his blood-stained lips rest against your forehead. Arms winding around your waist to keep you steady and upright. Your chest heaves with every breath you steal. 

“Stevie, philtatos, most beloved,” you whisper to him, so sweetly in a way that makes him ache all the way through his bones, all the way down to the meat of his heart. 

“I love you and I know you. Could recognize you through a history of touch alone.” 

Your eyes blow wide at the realization of what’s rushing up to meet you. Steve can tell he’s losing you, slipping through his fingers like water. He’s at the end of the line, kingdom carved. Your lips part in a ragged breath, he inclines his head toward you as you murmur one last word. 

A name.

With a final squeeze of your hand, your head lolls back falling against his palm as it cradles your skull. Eyes slip shut, taking the glorious cosmos with them. The cage of your ribs no longer expands with tedious breaths. And finally, your heart ceases to beat.

He leans down and presses his lips to your for the last time.

“Come back to me, come back to me, come back to me,” he pleads.

It’s with a wretched howl that Steve breaks, a caterwaul, unlike any other sound he’d made before. Breaking beneath the weight of his loss, the callous loss of you— ripped from him like a limb when he’d only just begun to truly know you.

His head full of doubt has been replaced with a flood of memories, of lives lived with you— snatches of stolen time rushing through his senses ever since you’d given him his name. The first one you’d known him as; of course, it’s not enough to alleviate his grief, but he’ll take what he can get. 

And now that you’re gone, there’s a heart beating inside of him that isn’t his own. He takes a small comfort in that and turns toward the distant sun rising in the East, rays of gold dappling through the trees chasing away the lingering stardust and moonlight of your body. 

Steve didn’t have to guess at it any longer, images blooming in his mind’s eye, emotions vacillating between elation, heartbreak, and grief tugging at the ventricles beneath his ribs.

Philtátē. Philtátē. Philtátē. 

He was made for you.

[kvetchinglyneurotic]

I wouldn’t mind hearing your thoughts on the reality tv fic research you’re doing, if you had any thoughts or observations you wanted to share, be they fic-related or otherwise 🌹

So the reality TV fic is really the first chapter/prologue of a longer fic that covers Jamie's reintegration into the team and developing friendship with Sam in the first half of season 2, while also having some complicated feelings about Amsterdam and his time on Lust Conquers All as Sam and Jan rope him into their effort to get the player auction during at the charity gala changed to something less terrible. While I don't necessarily think Jamie's experience on LCA was itself traumatic, the structure of reality dating shows might poke at some sore spots in a way he might not consciously register, same as the auction did in season 1. 

Unhinged ramble on reality TV dating and how it might affect Jamie under the read more:

(My research was mainly focused on Love Island UK, the real-world equivalent of LCA; however, some of the rules, filming practices, ect. are based on industry norms that I don't know for 100% certain apply to this show) 

There are some aspects of the reality TV experience that Jamie would likely be better equipped to handle than most contestants — while the producers do go out and scout people and I gather that some (or possibly most) of them are social media "micro-influencers," one of the main things they tend to struggle with is not only the sudden rise to fame and the volume of criticism that comes with it, but the fact that it's very temporary fame and they have to reintegrate into regular life and a regular job afterwards. Jamie struggles with depression after leaving LCA, but he clearly didn't put the same stock in it as a career move as most contestants do — his depression is tied to his football career (or rather, his temporary lack thereof) and his dad; LCA was primarily a way to get away from James rather than something he was invested in for its own merits or that he likely expected to have much of an impact on his life in the long term.

He also has an advantage when it comes to contract negotiations. Reality TV contracts are extremely extensive and typically involve the contestants waiving the right to sue in the event of... basically any kind of harm (emotional/psychological distress, injury, illness, death, ect), as well as their right to privacy — many shows specify that they have hidden cameras and microphones throughout the entire house, including areas like bedrooms and even bathrooms, and that they can use, edit, ect. anything they record however they want, including frankenbiting, ie cutting together snippets of audio to form sentences that the contestants never actually said — and their contact with the outside world, as contestants aren't allowed to keep their phones or go on social media. They also often tie the contestants to the production company for several months afterwards, which may involve doing public appearances or even restricting activities related to the show (this is less relevant for something like LCA, but American Idol season 2 contracts didn't let contestants sing anywhere outside the show, even at like. private gatherings with friends and family).

I imagine Jamie's contract would include a lot of these same rules, but unlike most contestants, he has an agent (even if we know the agent kind of sucks) who may have gotten him better terms. That being said, based on the way his agent talks about him going on LCA in 2x02, there is a distinct possibility that he signed on as an impulse decision and actually didn't have anyone look over the contract, so really whether or not he had an advantage here depends on how pre-meditated his decision was at the time. Another area where he has an advantage is purely demographic: he's a white man, and reality dating shows have a massive problem with racism and sexism that affects casting, how the contestants are framed once they're on the show, and even voting behaviour. 

Prospective cast members undergo a very thorough vetting process that involves a background check, medical exam, psychological evaluation, and interviews with basically everyone they've ever talked to, it seems like. How effective the psych eval is in rooting out people who are likely to be negatively affected by the show is debatable — I read an interview with a former contestant on the Bachelor who said she suspects she was chosen because she was emotionally fragile after a recent breakup with her fiancé — and they seem to be more geared towards keeping people off the show who are likely to be physically violent with the other contestants. Jamie fits the profile of someone who might be chosen pretty well, actually: he's combative and has a big enough personality to be involved in drama, but he doesn't actually start physical fights. 

Once contestants arrive, their belongings are searched for any contraband alcohol or drugs, as well as clothes with logos from non-sponsor brands. Shows generally don't allow them to keep their phones or other electronics — Love Island contestants have cellphones that they sometimes use to take pictures and where they instructions via text, but these don't appear to be their own personal phones. (Sometimes contestants appear to be posting on social media during the season, but it's actually someone else running their account.) They're also not allowed to leave the villa except on scheduled dates (some shows do allow the contestants out, but they have to ask permission first). This is... kind of creepy, honestly, but I suspect that with James being on Jamie's case the way he was after he came back to Manchester, the lack of contact with the outside world may have been part of what appealed to him.

Life in the villa is very regimented: two producers live there with them and the contestants are told when to eat and when to sleep. This is another area that Jamie might cope with better than the average contestant, since he'd be used to working with nutritionists and generally having many more aspects of his life than the general person planned out, and the dietary restrictions are likely less strict. While conversations aren't scripted, contestants are often told to go to a specific location and to have a conversation with a specific person about a specific topic, which produces the slightly odd effect that, especially in the first couple of episodes, they spent all their time analyzing their relationships/prospective relationships with people they just met and barely know. I suspect this might be part of why it's hard to build sustainable romantic relationships in this environment — obviously communicating about what everyone wants in a relationship is good, but it doesn't allow for the regular conversations that make up most of the process of getting to know and like another person.

Which brings us to: kayfabe. Kayfabe is a wrestling term which refers to the implicit agreement between wrestlers and their fans to act as though the staged performances are authentic. Part of what I suspected tripped Jamie up during his stint on LCA and got him kicked off is that he's... not great at this part. He'd probably have some form of PR training and he has experience doing brand deals, but ultimately footballers don't have to pretend they're doing anything other than trying to win. Reality dating contestants can't say that they're there to build their brand or win the cash prize; the only motivation they can publicly acknowledge (not contractually, just in terms of coming off well to the audience) is finding love, and I suspect that Jamie was maybe a bit more obvious than he should have been about the fact that he approached it as a competition more than as an opportunity to find a relationship, which I don't think he was actually interested in at that point (or at any point, for the aro Jamie truthers among us).

There's also a bit of a tension between the producers' putative goal of capturing authentic reactions and creating certain storylines. The result is that they try to elicit certain reactions during the talking head interviews without stating outright what they want the contestant to say, and I suspect Jamie and the producers would find each other frustrating to deal with given his blunt approach to social interaction and difficulty with subtext and other forms of indirect communication. Similarly, interactions between the contestants — particularly the contestants of opposite genders — are governed by a set of extremely heteronormative social norms in which the contestants reaffirm their relationships through by, for instance, acting jealous or worried when their current partner is talking to another person as a sign that they're serious about the relationship. In addition to just generally not being a sexist dick even in his prick era, he is, again, just not that great with subtext. Ultimately, I think Jamie attracts the public's ire because he's too obvious about the fact that he's approaching LCA as a game to be won — while viewers are generally aware that reality TV is constructed, the contestants acknowledging that damages their popularity.

And now onto the potentially triggering stuff. First up: the alcohol. Most reality dating shows involve a lot of drinking, although instances of light drinking (eg sipping on champaign, drinking beer on dates) are generally more common than heavy drinking like taking shots or the contestants being shown to be very drunk, though it does happen. Some shows have an open bar, while others control the consumption of alcohol more closely and only give the contestants one bottle at a time. Contestants on Love Island are often shown drinking (usually champaign, or at least something in champaign flutes) from what appears to be an open bar, but I'm not sure which approach they actually use. I've seen some former contestants (on The Bachelor, not Love Island) attribute the frequency with which everyone drinks to the fact that they don't really have anything to do besides interact with the other contestants, get involved in drama, and drink — they don't have personal electronics, obviously, but they also aren't allowed to bring books or other forms of entertainment. Jamie does drink in canon and he goes out clubbing with his teammates, but the consistency with which everyone is drinking and the potential pressure to drink more himself as a result might make it feel a bit more fraught, particularly if part of the reason he doesn't remember losing his virginity in Amsterdam is because James forced him to drink.

Second: consent in reality dating shows is... weird. Once they sign the contract and enter the villa, the contestants pushed — though not technically legally required — to engage in various forms of intimacy which in any other situation would be considered pretty clear violations of their consent. Couples are formed unilaterally: in the season of Love Island that I watched (season 8), the initial couples were chosen by the voting public, and couples are re-formed in ceremonies in which, for instance, a newly arrived man choses between the two single women and the one who isn't chosen is sent home (or vice versa). In essence, only one member of the couple (or neither, in the case of public voting) actually has a say in whether they want to be with the other person. These couples then sleep in the same bed (in a room they share with all the other contestants), and the challenges similarly often involve one contestant choosing another to kiss, offer a lap dance, demonstrate their favourite sexual position, or perform other forms of intimacy (these examples are all from the first challenge of the first episode of season 8). In essence, while the contestants could technically refuse, they probably also wouldn't be on the show for long, and the whole thing is very much built on the presumption of consent to these more "mild" forms of intimacy. 

Other Things: 

Part way through, the men are sent to a different villa where they meet a new set of women, while the women stay at the original villa and meet a new set of men. I imagine the Jamie cheating on Amy with Denise in a hot tub incident probably occurred during something like this. 

For some reason the announcer always calls them "boys" and "girls." He does it for both genders so at least it's not sexist, but I still don't like it. 

If you want to read more about consent in reality TV dating, I found this chapter very interesting: Sreyashi Mukherjee and Dacia Pajé, "'You Can't Force Someone to Want You': Investigating Consent, Tokenism, and Play in Reality Dating Shows," in The Forgotten Victims of Sexual Violence in Film, Television and New Media: Turning to the Margins, ed. Stephanie Patrick and Mythili Rajiva (Palgrave Macmillan) [tried to attach the pdf but I got it through institutional access from my university and it won't let me 😞)

[twistedtummies2]

Marvin the Martian in the Golden Age - "Least Good" to Best

Recently, I made a list of my favorite Looney Tunes characters. Right at the top of that list was our favorite martian, Marvin. I’m not sure why this little destroyer of worlds is my favorite in the Looney Tunes cast, but he is, and always has been. What’s interesting about Marvin is that he’s actually a lot more prominent today than he was back during the Golden Age of the Looney Tunes, back in their theatrical cartoon days. In that time, out of the hundreds of Looney Tunes made, Marvin only appeared in five cartoon short subjects. But over time, the character evolved, and creators began to use him more in a wide array of projects. This year, not only is Warner Bros. turning one hundred years old, but it marks the 75th anniversary of Marvin, as a character. I therefore thought it would be fun to look at Marvin’s track record onscreen, and talk about some of my favorites of his appearances. And, since it IS a celebration of Marvin, I figured I’d do this in the form of two separate lists: one dedicated to his early Golden Age shorts, and one dedicated to…well…basically everything else. With that said, this countdown is a ranking of the five cartoons Marvin appeared in during the Golden Age of the Looney Tunes. While I personally enjoy all five of these shorts, naturally I like some more or less than others. So, for the first half of this celebration of my favorite Looney Toon, here’s a little ranking I like to call “Marvin the Martian in the Golden Age - Least Good to Best.”

5. Mad as a Mars Hare.

Marvin’s final appearance in the Golden Age. This was, believe it or not, the first Golden Age cartoon with the character I think I ever saw, and it’s not a bad final trumpet sound for the martian to go out on. The story begins with Marvin not planning to DESTROY Earth, but instead simply studying it from his hideaway on Mars. Bugs Bunny is sent rocketing into space (not wholly voluntarily). The mission lands him on Mars (after crashing through Marvin’s observatory). The Martian, believing Bugs to be a threat, proceeds to use a few of his gadgets to try and either destroy the rabbit or transform him into a mind-warped servant. As you can probably guess from the image used here, it doesn’t go the way Marvin anticipated. I love the beginning of this cartoon, as well as the way it ends, and Marvin and Bugs each have some good lines, but I feel the cartoon is a bit too simple for its own good, with a lot less going on through the midsection. This was late into the Golden Age of the Looney Tunes, when the animation department and other creative areas were starting to lose both budget and steam. While it’s still a good cartoon, it does feel somewhat weaker than earlier cartoons that came before it, and perhaps that’s the reason why.

4. Haredevil Hare.

Right on the heels of the Martian’s last outing, we now have Marvin’s very first appearance. It’s an alright character introduction, in my opinion. The plot is pretty simple: Bugs Bunny is sent into space (against his will) for a science experiment, just as would be the case years later in “Mad as a Mars Hare.” Not long after landing on the Moon, however, Marvin the Martian arrives, planning to use an Explosive Space Modulator to blow up the Earth. Bugs steals the device to prevent this, so Marvin sics his alien pet dog, K-9, on the rascally rabbit. Hijinks then ensue. The cartoon established a lot about Marvin; many of the gags and character distinctions in this short would be repeated in later outings with the Martian, and his design would remain largely unchanged through the decades following. However, while this is a solid START for Marvin, that’s also exactly what it feels like: a START. I think a lot of the jokes and elements present here would be expanded and improved upon in some later shorts. Most notably, Marvin’s voice in his first appearance is quite different from his later appearances: instead of a prim, proper, only somewhat nasally performance, Mel Blanc’s first voice for Marvin literally sounds like a stereotypical nerd with a bad cold. You can see why they changed it later on; if Marvin had used this voice for the rest of time, I get the feeling he’d be a lot less beloved.

3. The Hasty Hare.

This was Marvin’s second appearance, and in my opinion, it’s the point where the character really got cemented and became the Marvin we know and love best today. (For one thing, this is the cartoon where his now-well-known voice was properly set.) This is sort of funny to me, since I often get the feeling it’s the Golden Age Marvin cartoon least remembered nowadays. In this short, instead of Bugs going into space, this time, it’s the Martian who comes down to Earth. He and K-9 have been given orders to abduct one specimen of Earthling life and bring it back to Mars for analysis; by sheer chance, Bugs Bunny is the first Earth creature the pair come across, and thus the carrot-chomping trickster must find a way to outwit the man from Mars (and his “K-9” companion) and escape. The cartoon gives us a lot more interaction between Marvin and both of his co-stars, and gives us a better understanding of his personality, with more of his classic lines and manners than his first appearance, as well as more of a look at his gadgets, and a better showcase of his infamous temper. It’s simple, but it’s fun, and for me it’s a great example of a second appearance that outmatches the first. FUN FACT: one thing that WASN’T established here was Marvin’s name. He wouldn’t receive his classic name until much later. In this cartoon, he’s referred to as “Commander of Flying Saucer X-2,” and behind the scenes work refers to him “Antwerp.” I think we can all agree “Marvin the Martian” is a much catchier moniker, however.

2. Hare-way to the Stars.

Marvin’s penultimate Golden Age appearance is probably one of his most popular, being the most referenced, quoted, and generally showcased cartoon featuring his feud with Bugs Bunny out there. Once again, Bugs gets shot into space (this time accidentally, rather than him being forced for some sort of scientific purpose). This round, he winds up on a Martian space station, where Marvin seems to be the only lifeform running anything. Just like in “Haredevil Hare,” the little rogue plans to blow up the Earth using “the Illudium PU-36 Explosive Space Modulator.” He claims the planet “obstructs his view of Venus.” Bugs stops and steals the device at the last possible second (“Where’s the kaboom?! There was supposed to be an Earth-shattering kaboom!”), so Marvin creates an army of bird-like “Instant Martians” to chase the rabbit down and get the Space Modulator back. The visuals, gags, and dialogue of this cartoon are all sublime; interestingly, Marvin’s costume in this version is given a different color scheme, with a green jumper and armor that is bronze-hued. This same color scheme would reappear in “Mad as a Mars Hare,” and seems to be unique to these two appearances. While I do prefer Marvin’s traditional red-and-green outfit, this look isn’t too bad, and it’s curious that it was used so rarely; I guess fans never really cottoned to it. No matter.

1. Duck Dodgers in the 24th ½ Century.

It’s funny that, nowadays, Marvin often seems to be considered an arch-nemesis of Daffy Duck, rather than Bugs Bunny. Out of the five Golden Age cartoons made with the character, this is the only one where Daffy and the Martian interact. But, oh, what an interaction it was: “Duck Dodgers in the 24th ½ Century” (a parody of the space fantasy series “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century”) is widely regarded as one of the greatest Looney Tunes cartoons of all time, and along with “Hare-way to the Stars,” is likely Marvin’s most lauded appearance. The cartoon features Daffy as the dunderheaded, over-confident space adventurer Duck Dodgers, who is given a mission to locate the mysterious Planet X and stake a claim for it on the Earth. Unfortunately, at the exact same time, Marvin arrives to claim Planet X for Mars. Declaring “there just ain’t room enough on this planet for the two of us,” Dodgers and Marvin thus proceed to try and destroy each other in increasingly wild ways, till one of them can claim Planet X. This cartoon inspired more spin-offs, reimaginings, and homages than probably any other cartoon either Marvin OR Daffy ever made. In a way, the rivalry between these two makes more sense than Marvin against Bugs: the two are complete antitheses of each other. Marvin is a smoldering ball of destructive rage who carries himself with dignity, while Daffy is a wild whirlwind of chaotic energy. Both have tremendous egos, and both are infamously unwilling to compromise as a result. Seeing these two personalities clash is a delight, and it’s probably why their single encounter is more fondly remembered than almost any of Marvin’s meetings with Bugs Bunny (which, I should point out, are also terrific, obviously). It’s a cartoon as iconic as the Looney Tunes themselves, and for having such recognizable status, it more than earns its place as My Favorite Golden Age Marvin the Martian Cartoon. “Isn’t that lovely, hm?”

[artobotsrollout]

Hissy Sparkling Headcanon: Communication

Until Sparklings are adjusted to compassionate parenting, they often are only heard making noises of complaint or defensiveness. However it has been recorded that some sparklings will form groups and they'll have their own little trills, whistles, honks, and beeps that mean different things. When they are more accustomed to a gentle parent they make a great deal more noise.

There's many many noises a sparkling will make with a wide range of meanings. And depending on their development the same sounds might sound different between sparklings. Here are just a few:

One noise that I like to think Hissy Sparklings make is similar to baby Alligators: LINK. Little pew pew noises. That's often a noise of agreement or acknowledgement. When used in repitition it means the sparkling is trying to grab someone's attention.

They'll make little Boo-oop? Voo-eep! noises to greet someone they like or express excitement.

When they feel safe and relaxed their little engines purr. Imagine a high pitched car engine rumble.

A loud grinding noise is often the precursor to an angry sparkling tantrum.

They'll often sound off a honk noise when they urgently want someone's attention. Aggressive repetitive honking is usually a sparkling being obstinate or throwing a tantrum. One single LOUD honk usually is a big "no!". Often heard as a defensive warning if you approach a feral sparkling too fast.

They are sometimes heard making a whistling noise to themselves when they feel content.

They are also little parrots at times. They'll imitate noises or words they hear similar to human children. The only difference is their ability to mimic is uncanny and often turns into shenanigans. Many a Cybertronian parent with a filthy mouth has been outed by a sparkling repeating a swear word over and over.

Sometimes sibling sparklings will annoy eachother with repetitive beeping, screeching, or honking

Many sparklings make a little mechanical trickling noise when they are thinking or focused. Similar to human tutting or humming.

Happy trills are very common when a sparkling feels happy and safe around a person.

Special Vocal Abilities

Some sparklings are created or develop enhanced vocal abilities naturally. Jazz was a good example of this, he is capable of basically being a one man acapella group and can talk or sing different notes at the same time in multiples of his own voice.

Soundwave and Bumblebee both developed an ability to naturally record and replay the noises in the world around them. A lot of Cybertronians can gain the ability to do similar things due to later life augmentations but it can happen naturally.

Some sparklings learn and develop a noise that is so high pitched that it is painful to the ear as a defense mechanism. These sparklings often will later use these ear piercing ringing noise as a way to throw a tantrum and get what they want. Some create this noise through their vocal processor and others develop it through somewhere else in their body like a siren.

Pre-war caregivers assigned to educate and raise the Medic caste had specific training for this ability since a siren noise was something they often did their best to force a young sparkling to develop for their assigned future career. Ratchet will never admit it but he was a rarer sparkling who developed his siren naturally at an even higher pitch than "desired" at a very young age so he would often harass his assigned caregivers with it.

[real-life-senshi]

Keiko had an interview posted on Yahoo!JP News! - June 24 7am JST due to her voice casting in Sailor Moon Cosmos Part 2! With the help of some translation tools and contextual edits, here's the full interview translated to English!

Kitagawa Keiko, the live-action Sailor Senshi team who she has continued to interact with for 20 years, is her "comrades-in-arms" and "the only place where [she] can open [her] heart."

Surprised by the [anime film voice acting] offer, consults frankly with all the live-action Sailor Senshi

Keiko Kitagawa has been announced as the voice actress for "Sailor Cosmos" in the film version of "Sailor Moon Cosmos," the final chapter of the "Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon" series. For Kitagawa, who has played the lead and heroine in many dramas and movies, the "Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon" series is also the starting point of her acting career, as she played the role of Sailor Mars/Hino Rei in the live-action version of "Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon" (2003-2004). We asked her to talk about her thoughts on returning to such a starting point after 20 years, the role she played, her interactions with the Sailor Senshi, and what she cherished on the 20th anniversary of her debut. (*This article contains some spoilers about "Sailor Cosmos. Please be warned.)

--Keiko Kitagawa-san, you are returning to "Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon" for the first time in 20 years, and when you were offered the opportunity to voice the character in the anime movie version of "Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Cosmos," what were your thoughts? What were your thoughts when you were offered the opportunity to voice the character in the movie version of "Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Cosmos"?

Kitagawa: In the year of the 20th anniversary of my debut, and 20 years after the live-action version, I was very happy to be asked to be involved again in a work that I had a connection with. However, when I received the offer, I was very surprised and for a moment I couldn't understand what it meant, so I had to think about it for a while. It is because I also appeared in the live-action version of "Pretty Guardian Sailor" that I have a strong feeling that "Sailor Moon" for us Sailor Senshi has to be Sawai (Miyuu)-san. The character Sailor Cosmos that I will be playing this time is the ultimate form of Sailor Moon in the distant future, so I was really questioning myself "Am I the right person to play the role?". So I contacted all of the live-action Sailor Senshi (Sawai Miyuu, Izumi Rika, Azama Mew, and Komatsu Ayaka) and asked, "What do you guys think I should do?" "Does it feel weird/off for me to take this role?" I openly and honestly shared my thoughts and consulted them on this, and everyone basically responded saying ""Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon" is very important to all of us, and would be very happy to see any one of our own live-action Sailor Senshi involved in the anime film. We definitely want you to take it!" Sawai-san said she is really looking forward to it, and with everyone's support, I decided to take on the challenge.

--What did you keep in mind when playing the role?

Kitagawa: Sailor Cosmos is a Sailor Moon from the distant future, and I think there were times when I berated myself, wondering if I had made the wrong choice taking on this role, and I had fought a very long and painful battle. This role is the culmination of all the Sailor Senshi who have fought so hard in past comics, animations, and musicals, including the live-action Sailor Senshi, so I was worried about what kind of voice I should use to make the audience feel this history. This time, I received guidance from Mitsuishi Kotono-san (Tsukino Usagi/Sailor Moon)'s voice acting as an example. I was able to go into the recording session thinking that I wanted to use a soft voice that would gently/warmly embrace everyone, rather than thinking too hard about "transcendent" or "far into the future".

--How did you feel when you saw the completed film?

Kitagawa: Aside from myself, it looks like a collection of eminent legendary voice casts, and I think it is a very exciting work for voice cast (seiyuu) lovers, and the animation technique is amazing and the visual is beautiful. Besides, the story also reminded me of the months that we, the live-action Sailor Senshi, spent together for 14 months.

One of the themes of this film is "I can do my best because of my friends." I have been able to continue this work for 20 years because all the other [live action] Sailor Senshi have been working hard in this (entertainment) world, in each of our own places. There have been times when things didn't go as planned, times when people around me thought things were going well but I wasn't convinced, etc., but even so, all five of us have remained in this industry without quitting. I have always been supported by the thought that since everyone else is giving their best in the entertainment industry, I should do my best as well.

--It's rare for people to stay in touch with their fellow debutantes for 20 years.

Kitagawa: We are all 35 to 37 years old now, and have spent more than half of our lives together, so we no longer feel like mere friends. During filming, we were rivals, and I didn't want to lose, wondering who would stand out, who would get the most main scenes, and so on. But I also felt that we were like comrades-in-arms who had devoted all our energy to the same goal of producing good work.

--What kind of relationship/dynamic do the five of you have?

Kitagawa: In our minds, Sailor Moon Sawai-san is in the center and the other four support her, and the feeling of "I'm going to support and protect this person" grew naturally during the 14 months of filming. The reason why I still call her "Sawai-san" (instead of her first name or nickname) is because of the imagery that we are all protecting and supporting Sawai-san and that she is the center of the team, and the relationship has not changed even today. We respect each other so much that there is almost nothing we don't know about each other, and I feel that this is the only place where I can be completely open and honest.

--No matter how busy you are, it is amazing that you remain always cherishing the work "Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon" and your relationship with the Sailor Senshi, isn't it?

Kitagawa: No, not at all. (OP clarification; Keiko is disagreeing in the sense she doesn't think this is exceptional.) For example, even if there are times when we don't see each other for 3 or 4 months, everyone is always there, very understanding, and getting along well as usual. They always call me at any gatherings. Everyone encounters good times and not-so-good times, and even if things seem to be going well, maybe the person doesn't feel the same or isn't up for a gathering. But we are still friends just as we were 20 years ago, and because we have each other, it's why I have been able to continue. The amazing thing is that everyone has remained friends with me all these years. Now that I have a child, they sometimes change the timing of our gatherings to lunch or come to my house because I can't go out much at night.

--Women, in particular, often reset their relationships every time they change stages of their lives. It seems that some things are even more so difficult for celebrities.

Kitagawa: That's true. Among my friends from elementary school, junior high school, high school, and university, I only have about one friend other than the Sailor Senshi who I keep in touch with regularly. With most people, we hardly get together anymore as our careers and marital status change and our interests and directions change. It's easy to pause and wonder "Who was it that was my best friend?" In that sense, the Senshi team is really special. They were really happy for me when I got married, everyone came to the wedding reception, and we all sang the song "Friend," which was only included in the (live-action) album.

--That was a truly wonderful event! What kind of existence does "Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon" mean for you, Kitagawa-san?

Kitagawa: It is my life itself. I've loved "Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon" since I was 3 or 4 years old, and I collected all the goods I could get my hands on. That my first audition was for "Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon," I didn't only find friendships with my fellow Senshi, but also the producers would invite me to work with them again, and it's always so fun to bump into any staff from that time at a different job again. For me, the most fortunate thing in my life was that I was able to make my debut with "Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon". It was the beginning of my career, and I don't think I would be where I am now if I hadn't debuted with "Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon".

--What are the strengths that you have developed in the 20 years since your debut?

Kitagawa: I think my strength is the fact that I never change. I think it is because I am not that skilled, but it is easier for me to be myself all the time, rather than switching from one persona to another because of work or because of someone else. What I have valued for the past 20 years is the desire to stay true to myself. (OP note: I think Keiko's response is alluding to how in Japanese culture, the ability to switch persona like a chameleon is heralded as a skill of success given their more hierarchical and conservative culture. Also, this is such a badass Hino Rei response???? Keiko I adore you.)

I debuted at the age of 17, and all the while there are people of the same age who have already had 10 years' worth of career experience as child actors, so no matter how smart I pretend to be or how much I pretend to know, I am still a newcomer, and I can't do what I can't do. When I don't know something, it's much better for me to admit and say that I don't know it, and if I don't try to make myself look self-important, and just be myself, I would earn the trust of others. I believe that you cannot be an actor if you are not a proper human being first, so I think that being true to myself and always staying the same is a weapon I have developed over the past 20 years.

(Reporting and writing by 田幸和歌子; Photographs by 小川遼)

The two-part theatrical version of "Sailor Moon Cosmos," "Part 1" is now in theaters, and "Part 2" will be released on June 30.

[sarahlizziewrites]

ROYGBIV tag

Thank you @void-botanist for the tag!

I'm going to tag @writernopal, @autumnalwalker and @starbuds-and-rosedust - no pressure!

Rules: Search your your writing for the colours of the rainbow and post the excerpt.

This is PERFECT for TAOSL, because everyone's got a signature colour, which is also the colour for their magic! So, all these snippets are from the recently completed draft 2.

Red - Master McKinnon

One silent, awed step backwards allowed her to get a good look at what was behind. The red glow turned out to be glowing runes, not dissimilar to the spell inscriptions Sitora was now familiar with, arranged in a square on the wall a little smaller than the frame of the mirror. Old magic, a part of her brain whispered - the part of her brain that must have been absorbing what Lance spoke about and was his voice in her head. 

Orange - Mataio

“Hold on one sec,” he said. From beneath the neckline of his tunic, he pulled a chunky necklace, the pendant made from a dark green stone. Placing his fingers against it, he muttered: “Darkest night, loan me light.” For the second time that day, Sitora watched in awe as magic was cast before her. A gentle orange glow began to form on the necklace under Mataio’s fingertips, casting light in the corridor like a votive. 

Yellow - Rali Tashmis

“Let’s test it out. I will utter the command word, you will speak your desired recording. The recording can only be a handful of words, or a few seconds of another sound. The commands are in Old Dwarvish, so they may take some getting used to. Alright?” They both nodded. “Giscrib.” He spoke the guttural word into the stone, and the rune flashed yellow briefly.

Green - Raelynn Thenorin (she doesn't cast any magic in book 1, but she will in book 2!)

Raelynn looked up, green eyes snapping to meet Sitora’s. Her shock melted quickly to joy, a smile growing in her eyes before it spread to her lips. She ran to the window, her light, dancing steps carrying her there with the same bubbling excitement that Sitora could feel in her own chest. Sliding the window up, Raelynn said breathlessly, “What are you doing here?”

Blue - sky blue - this is Sitora's colour!

Sitora thought. “They have sentimental value. Some of them are old family heirlooms.” Lance chuckled to himself. “Some people have so many family heirlooms that they become less of a sentimental item and more of a burden.” That was an alien concept to Sitora, and she subconsciously reached up to stroke the soft, frayed ends of the blue ribbon holding her hair back.

Indigo - dark blue - Lance Marrowstone

Lance shushed her with a finger held aloft. His eyes were glued to the scroll, but then he closed them, tilted his chin upwards and exhaled slowly. Fingers skittering across the page, Sitora watched as the tips of Lance’s fingers began to glow with a soft blue shimmer. Lance took another deep breath, inhaling through his nose, and the shimmer expanded, creeping up his fingers like liquid silk in candlelight. A smile crept onto Lance’s face.

Violet - purple - Master Barleyvale

Then, she was within. The room was not nearly as dark and shadowy as it seemed from outside, and in fact, was a bit more brightly lit. Each position on each shelf was lit up with a purple symbol, giving off an eerie glow. Each individual symbol glowed only infinitesimally, but combined, they lit the room in a soft, bluish light. There were hundreds of symbols in this tiny room, fading the further down the narrow space Sitora looked, until they were like tiny stars in a velvety blackness. 

TAOSL TAG LIST (ask to be added or removed): @mrbexwrites, @zeenimf, @hippiewrites

[fabuloustrash05]

Would they use CGI or practical effects or puppeter in your TMNT actor AU? Also I wanna know some stuff about the salamandrians in the actor AU- (Can you tell what kind of animal person I am-?)

A mix of CGI and practical effects. It all depends on the situation/scene they are doing. So something like April using her psychic powers or Karai's mutant snake arms, CGI. But an explosion, Mikey's zits in that one ep, or Karai's snake eyes/skin in her human form, it be practical effects/makeup.

Characters like Fugitoid and Metalhead would be animatronics that the actors work with on set. Fugitoid's human self (that we see in canon through flashbacks) would be a voice actor rather than an on screen actor. He'd recorded his lines then the crew would add his lines in during the editing process after filming.

As for the Salamandrian characters, in the AU, Sal, Mona along with all the other alien characters in the show are actually mutants playing alien roles. In the Actor AU, humans and mutant both exist, but aliens are not real.

Sal in the AU is a popular actor who has played many roles in his life, the younger actors like the Turtles and April look up to him cause he was basically their childhood! He is both an actor and voice actor, and has even done singing roles too (he's got a lovely voice).

Mona is a more fresh and new actor, who's parents are acting legends and she wants to follow in their foot steps and make a name for herself. Mona is also naturally fit and can do most of her own stunts. She actually had a kick boxing career when she was younger before she started acting, she her having some experience in fighting helped her get the part.

Newtrailzer is an actor who always gets casted as the villain and can even do his own stunts. Sadly though, he was a man with a busy schedule and other acting gigs, so they had to kill off his character in season 2, but luckily he made some time to reprise his role so the director found a way to bring him back for season 5.