#V de Venus

[lunatic94]

Venz Sco kiddo

[v-albion]

Risetober day 13: Witch

Yes these witches do be witching @tangledinink

Masterpost

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[argesta]

no one is allowed to tell louis “GIRL GET UP 🗣️” ever again. no one is getting up after this

[piedelune]

aw gee wiz mina what did you rope artemis into this time!!

❤ do not repost, but reblogs are loved! ❤

[sodaspons]

i took another crack at a rise venus design!

[cuartoretorno]

[pompadourpink]

Literal French expressions

À deux - at two

À la + n. - in the style of

À la carte - at the menu

À la mode - in fashion

Amateur - lover

Après-ski - after skying

À propos - about

Armoire - wardrobe

Art nouveau - new art

Au naturel - plain

Au pair - at the peer

Auteur - author

Avant-garde - before guard

Bête noire - black beast

Blasé - jaded

Bon appétit - good appetite

Bon voyage - good journey

Boutique - shop

Buffet - credenza

Bureau - office

Canapé - couch

Carte blanche - white card

C'est la vie - that's life

Chauffeur - warmer (n.)

Chef - leader

Cliché - picture

Clique - gang

Connaisseur - "knower"

Coup d'état - blow of state

Coup de grâce - blow of mercy

Coup de foudre - blow of lightning

Couture - sewing (n.)

Cul-de-sac - ass of the bag

Début - beginning

Débutante - beginner

Déjà-vu - already seen

Dénouement - untying

Dossier - file

Double entendre - double hear

... du jour - of the day

Eau de toilette - washing water

Eau de vie - life water

Encore - again

Ennui - boredom

En route - in road

Ensemble - together

Entourage - people surrounding you

Entrepreneur - starter (n.)

Essai - attempt

Esprit de l'escalier - spirit of the stairs

Étiquette - label

Exposé - exposed

Façade - frontage

Faux pas - fake step

Femme fatale - deadly woman

Film noir - black movie

Fin de siècle - end of century

Flâneur - "stroller"

Femme - woman

Folie à deux - madness at two

Foyer - fireplace, home

Gamine - female kid (casual)

Gauche - left

Gendarme - person of weapons

Je ne sais quoi - I don't know what

Laissez-faire - let (someone) do (imperative)

Laissez-passer - let (someone) pass

L'appel du vide - the call of the void

Lingerie - underwear

Maître d' - master o'

Mardi gras - fat Tuesday

Matinée - morning

Ménage à trois - household at three

Mon/ma chéri-e - my cherished

Montage - mounting

Motif - pattern

Mural - on the wall (adj.)

Né-e - born

Négligé - neglected

Nom de plume - feather name

Parole - word

Petite - small (adj.)

Pied-à-terre - foot on land

Poilu - hairy

Pot pourri - rotten pot

Pourboire - for drink

Première - first

Prêt-à-manger - ready to eat

Protégé - protected

Renaissance - rebirth

Rendez-vous - appointment

Répertoire - directory

Résumé - summary

Risqué - risked

Robe - dress

Rouge - red

RSVP - answer please

Sans-culottes - without pantaloons

Savant - "knower" (n.)

Savoir-faire - know how to do (v.)

Savoir-vivre - know how to live

Séance - session

Soirée - evening

Souvenir - memory

Suite - sequel, development

Surveillance - careful watching

Tête-à-tête - head to head

Touché - touched

Tour - circuit

Trompe-l'oeil - cheats the eye

Venue - came

Vignette - sticker, label

Vis-à-vis - face to face

Voyeur - "seer"

Ballet vocabulary:

Allongé - laid down

Balancé - swinged

Balançoire - swing (n.)

Battu - battered

Brisé - broken

Chassé - chased

Chaînés - chained

Ciseaux - scissors

Coupé - cut

Dégagé - cleared

Développé - developed

Échappé - escaped

En cloche - in bell

En croix - in cross

Entrechat - between braid

En pointe - in tip

Failli - almost did

Fouetté - whipped

Glissade - sliding

Plié - bent

Jeté - thrown

Manège - carousel

Pas de bourrée - drunk step

Pas de chat - cat step

Pas de cheval - horse step

Pas de deux - step of two

Pas de valse - waltz step

Penché - leaned

Piqué - pricked

Port de bras - carry of arms

Relevé - lifted back up

Renversé - titled, bent backwards

Retiré - removed

Rond de jambe - leg circle

Temps de flèche - arrow time Tendu - stretched

Temps lié - linked time

Tombé - fallen

Tour en l'air - turn in the air

Kitchen vocabulary:

Amuse-bouche - mouth entertainer

Bain-Marie - Mary bath

Café au lait - milky coffee

Casserole - pot

Cordon bleu - blue ribbon

Crème brûlée - burnt cream

Crème de la crème - cream of the cream

Crème fraîche - fresh cream

Croissant - crescent

Éclair - lightning

Entrée - entrance

Filet mignon - cute net

Flambé - blazed

Foie gras - fat liver

Fondant - melting

Fondue - melted

Gourmet - foodie

Hors d'oeuvre - out of the work

Légume - vegetable

Liqueur - liquid

Mille-feuille - thousand leaf

Mousse - foam

Pâté - pasted

Roux - redhead(ed)

Sauté - jumped

Sautoir - "jumper"

Soufflé - blown

Velouté - velvety

Fanmail - masterlist (2016-) - archives - hire me - reviews (2020-) - Drive

[chrisevansonly]

𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 = 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐲 𝐛𝐨𝐲𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝? | 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐜

᪥social media fic

᪥charles should have known when he started dating you that he’d end up around the horses as much as you are

᪥another charles post, also because i grew up riding and still do so this was v special for me❤️

y/n’sinsta

liked by longlinestour, charles_leclerc, scuderiaferrari and 5M others

such a great few days in Paris for the Longlines Championship Tour! my girl never fails to disappoint and i’m so happy with our results, merci beaucoup Paris!!🤍

tagged longlinestour

view 16,000 comments

username yay!! congratulations y/n!!

username i was there, you rode beautifully!!

scuderiaferrari we think coco needs some red in her life

liked by charles_leclerc and y/n’sinsta

>y/n’sinsta coco would agree ❤️

charles_leclerc so proud of you mon ange, you and coco did amazing❤️❤️

>y/n’sinsta thank you charlie, couldn’t have done it without you there❤️❤️❤️

username my favourite power couple 😭😭

danielriccardo save a horse ride a cowboy right @/charles_leclerc?

>charles_leclerc 🙂🙂🙂

y/n’sinsta added to their story!

weeklyformulagossip

liked by formulawags, f1gossip, username and 3K others

charles recently spotted in france for his girlfriends show jumping tour!! he took photos with fans before getting into a car and heading towards the venue in paris! when asked about y/n he said ‘i’ve never been more proud of her in my life’ queue our crying

view 500 comments

username he talked about y/n and coco for so long and then realized he’d be late if he didn’t leave 😭

username he’s such a horse girl now 😂

formulawags we loves charles as a wag🤭

username THESE TWO 😭

charles_leclerc

liked by y/n’sinsta, pierregasly, longlines, f1 and 9M others

thank you for allowing me to watch you shine and do what you love best in the world. I am extremely lucky to see you and coco in your element almost everyday, je t’aime tellement chérie, je suis très fière de toi ❤️❤️

tagged y/n’sinsta

longlines so great to have you join us charles!!

pierregasly charles is in his horse girl era

>landonorris cowboy charles

>charles_leclerc how about you both shut up

username THE GIRLS ARE ARGUING!

y/n’sinsta oh charles 🥹🥹

y/n’sinsta i love you, thank you for supporting me and loving me the way you do, i’m so lucky to have you mon bébé

>charles_leclerc ❤️❤️❤️

username I CANT HANDLE THESE TWO😭😭

y/n’s insta added to their story!

[twignotstick]

Flowers for Venus

She's here~ 🩵

Note: This story is based on @cupcakeslushie 's Empyrean Weeping au. These characters are not my own, and this story is in no way canon to the main story. I really made a lot of assumptions here, so this must be emphasized.

Tags: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, ROTTMNT, Venus de Milo (TMNT), NOT MY CHARACTERS, Empyrean Weeping AU, experimentation, mental issues, perspective shifting, intentionally written to be confusing or leave out information at times, they are all family your honor

Warnings (if there's anything I should add here, tell me please!): childhood trauma, abandonment issues, physical violence, repeated mentions of medical(?) procedures

Words: 6,472 🪦

Summary: Venus had one person in her life, and that was what mattered. Until she didn't.

----------------------

“I'm going to fix your body.”

The young turtle gazed up into the glass chamber before him, observing the mangled, underdeveloped, and weak body within. The vitals displayed around it were at acceptable levels; nowhere near as good as needed to survive out of the chamber, but acceptable considering the circumstances.

Not acceptable to the young turtle in front of it.

“You should be out here, learning with me. Being my sister. So I'm going to fix you.”

The turtle within the chamber did not stir- only breathed, as blood was forcefully pumped through its nonfunctional veins.

----------------------

“Huginn and Muninn helped me find more books to help you!”

Three- he had realized that the body in the chamber may not yet know his name, and so he introduced himself not long ago- bounced on the balls of his feet. He had one book clutched close to his chest, with others strewn about the workspace he had made around the chamber.

“Yokai biologists have very interesting methods! I plan on attempting some of them soon- Pops said he is going to get me some more materials before I try. He said that Witch Town will probably have what I need. The fusion of biology and mysticism is incredible! Oh! Oh! And!”

He dropped the book that he was holding on the floor carelessly, tripping over his own feet as he ran over to a table to show the body's closed eyes another. This one was thicker.

“Muninn says that this one was written by a human! ‘Mary Shelley’. It's called ‘Frankenstein’. I believe that's a name too- the surname of the main character. I haven't read it yet, because I haven't had time to. However, maybe with your improved cognitive function as of recently, it could be beneficial for me to read it to you!”

Three got no response, but he could have sworn that a part of the body's brain scan spiked.

“I can't start now. I have to finish my work on the developmental errors in your lower arm, but as soon as I finish that and find what I need to find, I'll start! I'm really curious about human literature.”

Three got to work, as the mind within the chamber grew curious.

----------------------

She didn't quite know what time it was, but she knew what was supposed to happen at this time. The voice was supposed to make noises in the room- Three, that was his name- and he was supposed to talk to her. Her? She thought that sounded right.

Three had told her about pronouns. He had said that since she was biologically female, it was assumed that she would go by she and her. Just like he was male, and went by he and him.

He had said that her name was Five.

Even so, Three liked calling her Vee, justifying it with the reason that they “matched”. Five didn't quite understand where the name came from; perhaps how her name was spelled? F-I-V-E, that was what Three had told her. T-H-R-E-E, that was his. But he spelled Vee as V-E-E. Maybe that's why they matched. Both had two E's in their name.

Their names were numbers too. One, two, three, four, five. She wondered why she was Five, and he was Three. Where were One, Two, and Four? Were they there, but she couldn't hear them? Was Pops another name for One? Pops and One weren't anything alike. She wished she could ask all the questions she had in her mind.

She wished she could see. Maybe that would explain why Three hadn't spoken yet.

Just when she was starting to believe that he may not speak to her this time, Three made noise. She couldn't see, but he stumbled through the door and sat down in a chair near her with a smile on his face. He looked at her, she could feel it.

“I'm sorry I'm home late, Vee. I met a new friend today! But don't tell Pops. He's a human.”

Five knew that word. Weren't those bad?

“Timothy isn't like other humans, though. He's nice! He showed me some insects and told me their names. Surface bugs are very different from normal ones! I think I might ask Huginn and Muninn to retrieve me some books on surface entomology. I can tell them that it's biological research.”

Entomology. That's a big word. What does that mean?

“Entomology means the study of insects, by the way. It's a very interesting branch of science. Timothy said he has books that tell him the names of different insects at his house. Oh, and a house is where humans usually live. Not a lab, like we live in. Or… a glass chamber, like you live in! Though, technically your chamber is within the lab.”

The lab. She wondered what the lab looked like.

“I think that I may be able to replace your eyes soon. I've been developing a prototype, hopefully it shouldn't take me too long to finish! From there, I just have to work really hard to get your other physical errors fixed, and then you can come out here! Maybe I can even bring you to meet Timothy!”

Timothy. That was a nice name. Not as good as Three or Vee, though. They matched. Though, maybe Timothy matched too. She didn't know how to spell Timothy yet.

Maybe they could match anyway.

----------------------

Three stumbled in today. Vee couldn't see it, of course, but Three had tripped, holding in tears. His chest just wouldn't stop hurting. Pops had said he could walk it off, so that is what he tried to do.

He couldn't walk much longer, falling to the floor in front of Vee's chamber. She enjoyed hearing the sound of his breathing, but she never liked it when he breathed this heavily. That meant he was hurt and crying. That meant Pops had done an experiment or a test. That meant Three didn't have the power to work on her body. He would always apologize for that. Of course, that never stopped him. She always heard him working.

“...V-Vee…”

That is her name. He loves to remind her of that.

“M-maybe…” Three gasped deeply, holding the breath for longer than he should before slowly releasing it. “Maybe if… I finish you… he w-won't do this to m-me anymo-ore…”

Vee couldn't feel his eyes on her. Until she could.

“I've shown him y-your guts alr-ready, though… maybe he won't won't w-want to v-vi…vivi…”

That's not how he's supposed to say her name. It's Vee.

“...Vee? Vee~”

That's right.

“Veeveeveevee…”

Is that right?

The mumbling of her name faded away, turning into slow rasping breaths.

She didn't want him to be hurt and crying anymore.

----------------------

“I want to make you as strong as One is. Or, at least, he should be. I haven't met One. Or Two. Or Four. But Pops says that it's impossible for you to be that strong. You're a box turtle, designed for defense. Anyhow, it's more important that I develop your muscle mass enough for you to stand independently first.”

Vee wondered what One, Two, and Four sounded like. Maybe their voices were jumpy and squeaky like Three's was now. Maybe they were sweet, like his was before. She wondered what Pops sounded like.

“Four is a box turtle like you. He developed properly, but don't feel bad! He got stolen away, so really, he got the short end of the stick! You're living the life of luxury.”

So many types of turtle. Did that mean they couldn't match anymore?

“I showed Timothy some sketches of my work with you. He got this really weird look on his face, and I thought he might not believe that I could fix you. But, he promised that he did believe in me! And he said he can't wait to meet you!”

Surely, he was just jealous of Three's hard work.

“I'm still working on your eyes. They're causing me more problems than I thought they would, but I think I'm getting closer to a functional product! It's just taking a while to find a good base that can survive the transfer.”

Eyes. One more sense. He taught her the five: touch, taste, sight, smell, and hearing. She had hearing- or at least, she believed she did. She didn't know what else this could be. To have two senses would be marvelous.

Three's voice went away, leaving a rubbing sound. He had told her what that was. It meant he was “rubbing his hands together”. It was a “nervous habit”.

“Pops told me… he told me that talking to you was ‘fueling my delusion’. I know that, logically, you're comatose. Your body isn't supposed to work right now, for the sake of your life.”

That made sense. She was hurt. Three said that if she came out of her coma as she was now, she would die. Dying wasn't a good thing.

“But I really want you to hear me. Even subconsciously. So- so that way, when you do wake up, we'll already be friends! A-and you'll already know so much about me, so I just need to know about you!”

That sounded nice. Vee wanted to tell him about herself. Maybe she'd know just what that meant by the time she got the chance.

“I promise I'm going to fix you soon. It'll be no problem!”

Vee liked that.

----------------------

Three was hurt and crying again. But this time, he didn't come to collapse by her chamber. He was far away, in the workspace. Vee didn't want him to be hurt and crying anymore. Three had said that hurt could mean dying. Three couldn't die yet. Vee still had to tell him everything about herself.

He wasn't even saying her name this time. He was saying the human's. He was hard to hear, so quiet, so far.

Timothy.

I'm sorry, Timothy.

What does that mean?

I'm so, so sorry.

What does that mean, Three?

Please, Tim.

Three?

Please forgive me.

I'm sorry.

I'm so, so sorry.

Three?

Three, please. She wants to understand. She wants to know you.

I want to know you. Talk to me, please. Tell me everything. Tell me about Mary Shelley. Tell me about entomology. Tell me about One. Tell me about Two. Tell me about Four. Tell me about Pops. Tell me what you're working on. Tell me how you want me to be better already so I can hold your hand and talk back. Let me hold your hand.

Tell me what's wrong.

“---ee? Vee, I'm ---y, I'm here, plea--- calm down. I'm here, please. Do I need- do I need to sedate her? I-”

He's not crying anymore. He's talking to her.

“Vee? Five?”

That's right.

“Should I read to you? W-Would you like that?”

She would.

“P-progress report 13. May 23rd. It happened today. Algernon bit me.”

Flowers for Algernon. Surface literature. Of course he would read surface literature now. He was just thinking of Timothy.

Every time Three would read this specific story to her, he would explain that the first few progress reports were intentionally written with poor spelling and grammar. He would spend the whole time explaining the correct way to write the sentences, up until the writing became legible. Then, when the writing returned to its sorry state, he would resume his corrections.

“I visited the lab to see him as I do occasionally, and when I took him out of his cage, he snapped at my hand.”

Vee knew the end of this story.

“I put him back and watched him for a while. He was unusually disturbed and vicious.”

It never ended nicely. They always had to die.

“May 24th. Burt, who is in charge of the experimental animals, tells me that Algernon is changing.”

She didn't want anyone else to die.

----------------------

Something was different. Where once there was a lack of anything, now there was something. Something Vee didn't have the knowledge to understand just yet. She couldn't understand light. She couldn't understand color. Now, it was right in front of her.

A blur of a color she didn't know the name of, green, with a dash of another, purple. Three's voice came from it.

“Eyelids are open. Should be working. Just one last test-”

Three grabbed a small blur- a silver flashlight- and shined it into her eyes. Her muscles instinctively tried to close her eyelids, but there just wasn't enough power behind it. They stayed open enough for Three to see the pupils constrict.

“Yes. Yes! YES! They work! Yes!”

Three sounded happy. That was good. Maybe he looked happy, too. Vee didn't know what happy looked like yet.

“...I have to show Pops. I have to show Pops! Wait! Stay right there!”

Three left the room, and Vee thought deeply. “They work”. Three had said that her eyes “didn't work yet” before. So that must mean that they work now. That meant that she was seeing. This was what she had been looking forward to ever since Three had attempted to explain the abstract concept of seeing.

This was it.

Those colors. The nameless ones that she didn't know- the ones she didn't even know how to identify as colors- that was Three. That was the face of the voice who had been her only comfort for all of time. That was the face of the person she wanted to comfort. The voice that she heard crying and hurting. The person she wanted to hold the hand of.

The door to the room opened again, and Three returned with a taller figure. Vee had never heard him before, she was sure of that when he got close for her to hear his breathing. Maybe she could have seen him before. He was tall, and covered with new colors. She couldn't name them, but they were gold, blue, and magenta.

“Look! Look! Her eyes are functional now! They constrict and dilate! Watch!”

Three held the light to her eyes once more, and her pupils shrank again.

The new voice only grunted.

“She's so close to completion now! Th-there are only a few more developmental errors, and she just needs a little more muscle mass-”

The tall figure lashed out at Three, as another color, magenta and pink, writhing, latched around Three's throat. He was held off the floor, just a few feet. His happy breathing stopped.

“You have obsessed over this project for too long. Your progress has been agonizingly slow, and this is what you have to show for it?”

A new voice. Deeper. More menacing.

Pops.

Three gasped for air, trying to respond.

“I suppose I must also involve myself. Your inefficiency up to this point will not be forgotten.”

The writhing mass slammed Three into the floor as the tall figure walked away, shutting the door behind himself.

Three heaved shaky breaths from his spot in front of Vee's chamber. He almost sounded like he was crying and hurting.

Was this what crying and hurting looked like? Curling over yourself? Was that what she was doing? She was supposed to be hurting. She didn't think she was crying, though. Could you hurt and not cry?

Could you cry and not hurt?

Three moved onto his knees, placing one hand on the glass. His face looked different, as if the light reflected off of it differently. His eyes looked at her. For the first time, she could feel and see it.

“I'm going to get you out soon. Then… then you can be here with me. And Pops will be proud. And I'll have you, my sister. Forever, and ever, and ever. And no one will take you from me.”

Three smiled, leaning against the glass and falling asleep.

That sounded nice.

-----------🕷️-----------

“What is this?”

Vee stood over Three at his workbench, looking down at the sketch he was working on. It looked familiar, like other ones he had made, but the notes around the margins were different.

“Oh, it's another collar for Big Mama. She has someone joining the Nexus who has some immunity to electricity, so I have to work on an alternative design…”

“How does it work?”

Three looked up at Vee as she smiled softly. She loved doing this. Getting him talking about the things he knew about.

“Okay, well, since the regular electric shock won't result in what we're going for, I have to find another method of keeping the fighter in line. So- so this collar is designed to tap straight into the nerves in the neck- focusing mainly on the more secondary nerves, but also creating a pathway to the spinal column if needed. With this, the nerves can be pinched all at once, effectively paralyzing the wearer!”

Vee looked over the sketch, resting a hand on the desk next to it. “And why is this collar shaped so differently?”

Three brightened again. “Oh, well, for one, to create a visual distinction that makes it easier for Big Mama to know what type of collar it is. But also, because the specific yokai has… no neck? Sort of? They have shoulders, but it would be somewhat easy for them to slip a standard collar off. So, alternative design! And this one can be green.”

“Very good. I'm sure Mother would appreciate the change in aesthetic.”

The stone in her pocket began to glow.

“Speak of the Devil, I suppose.”

Five slipped her mask on quickly, then answered the call. “Hello, Mother.”

“Turtley-boo! Hello! Where are you, my dear? I couldn't find you!”

“I had to deliver this week's recording to Three. I'll be returning home shortly.”

“I would hope so! Everything here is always such a tissy-tassle when you're over at that terrible place. Oh, do come home quickly, please. Your mama is getting lonely.”

Vee looked to Three, and they exchanged a soft look, even behind Vee's emotionless mask. “I'll be there in a moment, Mother.”

----------------------

This was wrong.

This was all wrong.

She was supposed to be worried about being taken from him.

What could she do, now that he was taken from her?

Four was gone. Then Two was gone. Vee thought, surely Three wouldn't be that dumb. Three was smart. He cared about her. He wouldn't leave her.

So where was he now? On the surface, living with rats and humans.

And she was left behind. Stuck under the thumb of a spider that claimed to be her mother. Forced to witness the violent aftermath that had come when Three disappeared, as Lord Draxum berated her and her mother for letting Three get such delusional thoughts in his head. Ideas that made him weak and stupid. Hopes that his family cared for him. 

But he left his family, didn't he?

She was supposed to be his sister.

And he left, in search of a family that didn't even know his name. His face. His voice. That voice was supposed to be hers. The one who took care of her. The one that fixed her.

Draxum may have caused her birth, but Three gave her life.

Didn't that matter to him?

She had been so scared of being taken from him, Vee didn't even consider the idea that he may be taken from her.

Fighting against him was something from her worst nightmares.

This couldn't be happening.

This was all wrong.

----------------------

Empty apologies.

He left, all because of a stupid dream he had been chasing. He left the family he had because of some dumb idea of a family that he had romanticized in his head. He left her.

Maybe he never cared about her anyway. She was just a toy to pass the time.

She wasn't real, anyway. Just a monstrous body given life.

----------------------

“Hi, Vee!”

Four approached her, sitting down cross legged on the floor beside her. He examined the blade she had been sharpening with an odd fascination.

“Where'd you get that?” He asked innocently.

“From Mother.”

Four straightened. “O-oh. Guess I shoulda… guessed that, huh?”

“Maybe.” Of course he should have. Who wouldn't recognize one of Big Mama's weapons?

“Hmm…” Four rocked back and forth, holding his feet. “Do you feel alright with me calling you Vee? I know that's what Donnie calls you, but I know he has like… a thing with names.”

“I’m Five,” she said bluntly, looking up at Four for a moment. “But I don't mind being called Vee.”

“Cool!” Four smiled, almost as sweetly as she remembered Three doing. “What's it short for?”

Vee paused and looked back up at Four. “Sorry?”

Four blinked. “...Vee. What's it short for?”

She squinted. “It stands for the roman numeral for Five. It isn't ‘short’ for anything.”

“Oh. Well, that's not right.” Four shook his head disapprovingly. “You need to match with us!”

That made Vee think. “Match?”

“Yeah!” Four shifted to sit on his knees. “See, cause I'm called Mikey. That's short for Michelangelo. He was a human artist in the Renaissance. And Raph is Raph, short for Raphael. And Leo is Leo, short for Leonardo. And Donnie is Donnie, short for Donatello!”

Vee put her blade down on the ground, giving Mikey all of her attention. “So they match because they're all artists?”

“Well, and since they're from the Renaissance, and since we've all got nicknames!” Mikey grinned. “Do you… want a name that matches with ours?”

“Yes.” Vee answered before she could really think about what she was saying. “I-I mean, I don't really need one, but-”

“Sweet!” Mikey patted his hands on the ground. “Now, what names could work… Genevieve? No, that would be Jenny… Vivian? Nah, that's not good enough. Oh!”

“What?”

“Well, I know all of our names are from artists, but, uh, what if your name was from a piece of art?”

Vee thought for a moment. It was certainly true that she wasn't like the other turtles. Obviously, her name would have to reflect that.

Though, maybe being a work of art wouldn't be so bad.

“Sure. But tell me the name before I agree to anything.”

Mikey's expression suddenly shifted to a more serious one. “Of course. How about… Venus de Milo?”

Venus de Milo.

“...what is it?”

“It's a statue from ancient Greece. She sorta got her arms ripped off, but she's still incredibly beautiful and detailed, and a very widely known masterpiece! Wait, lemme see if I've got internet-”

Mikey fumbled with his phone, desperately trying to gather some internet signal in the depths of the Hidden City. Meanwhile, Vee simmered in the thought. A statue, broken, never to be truly as it was before. And yet, it was beautiful, not just because of what it still had, but because it had lost. It had persevered. Because something so beautiful was never truly perfect. That was what allowed it to be beautiful instead.

Maybe that beauty made it perfect, anyway.

“I like it.”

Mikey's eyes flitted up from his hunch over his phone. “Oh? Great!” He corrected his posture. “How ‘bout you try it out? Introduce yourself to me!”

Vee cleared her throat, checking her own posture out of habit. “Hello, Michelangelo. My name is Venus de Milo. You may call me Vee.” She extended her hand for a handshake. Mikey met it vehemently.

“Perfect! Now, you match with all of us! Man, the teamwork and collaboration on this mission is gonna be on point!”

Venus smiled, turning the interaction around in her head.

Maybe she could be a masterpiece.

----------------------

Donnie loved to talk. Vee always knew that. But, for too long, she had never noticed how much he loved to be listened to; to have another directly engaging in the conversation. Once she learned that, she learned that she had a love for listening.

It was sometimes hard for her to understand her own wants without comparing them to the wants of others. She loved to listen because Donnie loved to talk. She loved to spar because that made Raph happy. She loved to ask questions so Leo could explain the nonsensical movies he showed her. She loved to eat because Mikey loved to cook.

But right now, none of that really mattered. Donnie was talking, and Vee loved to listen.

“Splinter told me that I could make him, as long as I make sure he doesn't turn, like, evil or anything. Though, honestly, if a robot uprising were to happen, I think it would be smart to just accept fate.”

Donnie was cleaning up some sort of schematic on a bean bag as a movie played on the TV. Vee sat next to him, not paying attention to the film at all. Screams about hot food went in one ear and out the other.

“So these are the plans you have so far?”

“Exactly!” Donnie brightened, then slumped as he came to a realization. “He's actually based on a design I made before you got out of your chamber. P-... Draxum destroyed that one, though.”

“Oh.” Vee slumped a bit as well. “I wish I could have seen it. Maybe I'd be more helpful now with these designs.”

“Uh, y-you don't have to worry about it!” Donnie waved his arms frantically. “It was my fault you were stuck in there anyway.”

“No it wasn't.” Vee looked at him blankly. “It was Lord Draxum's fault. He made me faulty. You helped me. You fixed my body.”

Donnie flustered, scratching at his neck. “W-well, not really. I didn't even-”

“You gave me my eyes. You gave me purpose.”

He looked at his sister, hands shaking almost invisibly where they gripped his sketching paper. Something strange came to his eyes- a shimmer, one that she knew. “I-I'm-”

“If you say you're sorry one more time, I might just rip your tongue out.”

“But I am! In more words than I can say, I am! You cared about me so much, and I just left you without a second thought. No apology I can give can ever make up for that.”

Vee sighed, shaking her head, looking at Donnie with tired eyes. “You're right.”

Donnie's nervous energy evaporated and he stilled.

“No apology will ever be enough. When you apologized to me, I didn't forgive you. When you apologized to me, I hated you.”

Venus paused, questioning whether or not she should continue. When Donnie gave no reaction, she decided to.

“When you tried to explain what had happened, I hated you. When you asked for my help, invited me in, told me you wanted me back, I hated you.”

Genuine tears started to well up in custom built eyes.

“B-because… because I couldn't believe you. You left me, and that was what was real. That was what mattered.”

Donnie took a breath in, as if to add something, but ultimately decided against it.

“Part of me still doesn't believe you.”

Months of worrying. Months of waiting. Months of simmering in hatred for the one person she had convinced herself she could trust. Months of wondering, “Would he have stayed if I had been better?” Months of unbridled rage towards her creator, who couldn't have waited just a little longer to make her right. Months thinking of her other so called “brothers” who stole her brother away.

He said no one could take her from him. So why would he throw her away?

“But you showed me otherwise.”

She never knew how to put these things into words. There was something difficult about bringing her thoughts out in that way. Because of this, she could never really tell Donnie how it felt when he first showed her that room he had prepared, which he left mostly empty for her to decorate herself. She could never explain how it felt when Splinter traced her stitches, complimenting how wonderfully they framed her features. She could never properly thank Raph for expressing his admiration for her fighting style. She couldn't express the joy she felt when she saw Leo do something that would make him feel embarrassed hours later. She could never say anything more than “It’s great” when eating one of Mikey's meals, one that should make a food critic cry.

“So you don't need to apologize anymore. You showed me how you cared, and that's all that matters now.”

Vee grabbed Donnie's hand, and the two shared a wordless understanding.

You can cry and not hurt.

----------------------

Vee woke up to the sound of someone else moving around the lair.  All of her brothers were still covered in blankets around her, and a blank tarp hung on the wall stood in front of her that she vaguely remembered watching a projected video essay on before she fell into slumber. There was only one person missing from the scene…

As she pushed herself to her feet and walked into the hall, Vee came face to face with a still bonnet wearing April.

“Oh, morning, Vee!” April greeted energetically. “What're you doing up already?”

“This is a normal time to wake up, isn't it? You're awake.”

April hummed. “I guess you're right. I'm just used to the guys sleeping in super late. You hungry?”

Vee nodded, following April silently into the kitchen. Just a short time ago, she would have wanted to cut April's head off, purely because of her human existence. Now, she felt a strange, foreign comfort around the human. Not quite like she felt with her brother, or her other brothers, but something akin to it.

April started loading up the toaster, grabbing some spreads and setting them out on the counter.

“Got any plans today, Miss Milo?”

Vee chuckled. “It's Miss de Milo, and, uh, no. You got any plans, Miss Neil?”

April laughed in turn. “Actually, I do. And since you don't have any, I was hoping you might help me out with mine.”

Vee nodded, letting her continue.

“I brought some stuff from my place to do a spa day, slash makeover day. Figured you might want to join in.”

Vee thought for a moment. “I know what a spa day is, but what is a ‘makeover’?”

“Well, it's like,” she hesitated, “it's when you put on a ton of makeup and wear fancy clothes and stuff. Not because you're not pretty, but it's just… it's a way of making yourself feel good, y'know? You've worn makeup before, right?”

“No.” Vee shrank slightly. “Mother said that it would be a lost cause. That's why she gave me the mask instead.”

“Oh.” April shook her head, scrunching her nose. “Oh, no, no. That's not gonna work. You are going to be pampered, Miss de Milo. That is an order.”

April strode out of the kitchen, and Vee followed slowly behind. Before she could see where April had gone, there was the telltale sound of a pillow being thrown into someone's face.

“Owf- wha- hey! What was that for?” Leo grumbled through the grogginess of waking up.

“We've got a busy day ahead, boys! Gotta eat breakfast so we can get to work!”

“Busy day?” Mikey asked, slightly more cognizant than Leo. “What are we doing?”

“Makeovers. All of us!”

Vee finally caught sight of April in the hallway of the living room as she saw Donnie jumping up from where he was laying. “Are we gonna do nails?!” He shouted excitedly, running up in front of April. “Can I pick the colors?”

“Of course you can, bud. Just go eat some toast first,” April responded, patting his shoulder.

Donnie hurried to the kitchen followed by his brothers, who were all still wiping the sleep from their eyes. After that, breakfast went quickly.

Raph drug a stool into the bathroom in front of the mirror, where Vee was instructed to sit. Soon, she was surrounded by her brothers and April, with a large makeup bag in the human's hands. She put the bag down on the counter, taking out a liquid foundation in the perfect hue for Vee's skin.

“Where do you even find this stuff? Party City?” Leo asked, taking out another foundation from the bag that matched his own skin.

“No,” April scoffed, preparing her workspace, “I get it online. Its makeup, not face paint. It just happens to be green. Are you complaining?”

“No, ma'am.” Leo quickly shut himself up.

“Good. Now, let's get some jobs set straight.” April started gesturing to the brothers one by one. “Donnie, you're in charge of picking colors out, and themes. Mike, you're executing Donnie's ideas, because his hands are way too shaky. Raph, my bag's in the other room, go pick something out. You'll know what I mean when you get there. And Leo, you're in charge of music and talking. Tea spilling, gossip, whatever.”

All of the turtles nodded in response, and Raph walked out to find April's bag.

“Now, Vee.” April put her hands on Vee's shoulders, looking her straight in the eyes. “You just sit here, close your eyes, and relax. We've got it all handled.”

“Okay.” Vee hesitated, closing her eyes slowly, before shooting them open again. “Wait!”

April hummed, hovering the makeup sponge she had prepared in the air.

“Can you, uh… can you leave my stitches? Not cover them up, I mean.” She couldn't help casting a glance at Donnie, who gave a timid smile.

April relaxed. “Course, Vee. Now, close your eyes and let us work our magic!”

Vee complied, and she found herself surrounded by sounds. A strange nostalgia filled her chest.

“What we thinking, D?”

“How about, uh… this?”

“Ooo! Perfect! Can I get, uh… that one first?... Thanks! Okay Vee, I'm gonna grab your hand now. It's gonna be cold!”

“What am I supposed to even talk about? I don't have any tea.”

No need for sight. Hearing those voices, comforting her. With a slight drone of music alongside.

“How about your date with Usagi?”

“Wh- April! It wasn't a date!”

“Hey! No shoving! This is a delicate art, Leo!”

“Ugh, fine.” Another shove.

“Hey! No shoving me either! I didn't even say anything!”

“Yeah, but April's busy, Mikey's busy, and you gave me a weird look.”

“I gave you a normal look. You obviously went on a date. Vee, you know?”

Vee laughed just a bit, trying not to move and disturb April's work. “Donnie's right. It was pretty clearly a date.”

“No, it wasn't!”

“Just tell us what you did, Leo.”

Unlike before, she had other senses. But somehow, removing this one made her feel comfortable. Knowing that someone else was taking care of her felt so good.

When she felt Donnie's scar covered, calloused hand grab onto hers, the comfort felt warmer.

“We didn't even-”

“Hey, April? How's this one?”

“I think it's great, but how ‘bout you ask Mister Manicure?”

“Oh. Mike?”

“That's perfect, Raph! You got any accessories?”

“Maybe in my room… lemme go check.”

The sound of heavy footfalls walking away.

“Alright, I'm gonna be working on your eyelids, so it's gonna feel a little weird. Just try to stay loose.”

“Ooo, you are gonna look so good!”

Vee allowed the sound to envelop her entirely.

“Listen, we didn't go on a date, we aren't even a thing anyways.”

“I'm going to fix your body.”

“Usagi would be very hurt it he heard that. You wanna tell him, D?”

“You should be out here, learning with me.”

“I can text him right away-”

“NO!”

“Being my sister.”

“Just admit it, Leo! You're down bad for the bunny!”

“He still hasn't admitted that?”

“No, Raph! Because I'm not ‘down bad’!”

“So I'm going to fix you.”

“Okay, keep the volume down. I gotta concentrate…”

Time passed shapelessly. Vee interacted in the conversation when asked, but otherwise, she let the noise flow over herself. Before she knew it, she was being told to stand up and having fabric pulled onto her arms, with a ribbon being tied over her shell.

“Okay, okay, just a few more touches-”

“You've been doing ‘a few more touches’ for five minutes, Donnie. She looks great!”

“SHH! Don't rush perfection, Nardo.”

Vee blushed. “You really think I look perfect?”

She felt Donnie's eyes on her. “You always have.”

Mikey awed. “Okay, okay, okay, now you can look!”

Vee opened her eyes, just as Donnie moved to the side so she could see herself in the mirror. She saw that the fabric put on her was a dress, very light blue and with flowery embroidery patterning on the bottom of the knee-length skirt. Her claws were painted with pastel colors, with a light blue backdrop behind white daisies, each having an undertone of a different color: reddish-pink, blue, orange, purple, yellow, and green. On her face, a soft blue eyeshadow was put on her eyelids, with small painted daisies incorporated into her eyeliner. Similar flowery bows were placed down the length of her braided mask tails. Donnie quickly shuffled behind her to put a necklace on her neck, with a daisy shaped pendant.

Vee found herself speechless, staring at the stranger that had been pulled out of her own skin.

“Is it alright?” April asked hesitantly.

As she rubbed her lips together, Vee forced herself to look up at the ceiling. She waved her hands at her face.

“Oh- Oh! Its waterproof! You're good!”

“It is?!” Vee squeaked, struggling to hold herself together.

“Yeah, yeah, it is!”

“That's s-so cool!” Vee finally let her tears loose, still waving at her face while nervously laughing.

“You like it? Do you like the flowers? It was Donnie's idea!” Mikey asked, beaming as bright as the sun.

“Yes! Yes, I do, thank you!” Vee paused in her flapping to look over her hands again, and the dress, and her face.

Her flowers.

When she looked to Donnie, he looked as if he couldn't be happier.

“Well that's good, cause they cost me my dignity,” Leo groaned, despite the smirk on his face. “By the way, I call next.”

April patted his shell. “Alright, Leo. We'll make you pretty so you can look good for Usagi.”

“Great, because I- Wait! HEY!”

Vee was laughing loudly now, wiping her tears delicately with a single finger. The argument slowly turned back into background noise, as Leo sat on the stool instead, squabbling far too much for April's liking. Donnie recruited Vee for color picking and inspiration searching.

And so Vee let herself exist there, not worrying about mattering or being wanted. Not worrying about if the one she cared about was hurt or crying. Not longing for another sense to experience the world with. Not questioning if she may be taken away for good. Not asking if she really had a family. Not wondering if she did something wrong, or if she even had the right to call herself alive. Not waiting for someone to talk to her.

She had her flowers, and words could never compare.

○●○●○●○

Finally, she is here. I went a little wild on this. There are just so many parts of Vee's story that I can't wait to see. She's my little brainworm 💖

I'm glad that I can get this out before the @tmntaucompetition ends, especially since EW is in the finale. Go vote for them!!! I love them so dearly :)

I'm going to edit the first chapter of my own iteration, (currently titled Second Shot), and post that soon. I simply must get my boys out into the world, especially after discovering @dluebirb's TMNT AU family reunion. Lord knows they need friends.

GO VOTE IN THE TMNT AU COMP! AAH!

Broken Brothers (and How to Fix Them)

[comtessezouboff]

Paintings from Buckingham Palace: part I

A retexture by La Comtesse Zouboff — Original Mesh by @thejim07

100 followers gift!

First of all, I would like to thank you all for this amazing year! It's been a pleasure meeting you all and I'm beyond thankful for your support.

Spread among 13 occupied and historic royal residences in the United Kingdom, the collection is owned by King Charles III and overseen by the Royal Collection Trust. The British monarch owns some of the collection in right of the Crown and some as a private individual. It is made up of over one million objects, including 7,000 paintings, over 150,000 works on paper, this including 30,000 watercolours and drawings, and about 450,000 photographs, as well as around 700,000 works of art, including tapestries, furniture, ceramics, textiles, carriages, weapons, armour, jewellery, clocks, musical instruments, tableware, plants, manuscripts, books, and sculptures.

Some of the buildings which house the collection, such as Hampton Court Palace, are open to the public and not lived in by the Royal Family, whilst others, such as Windsor Castle, Kensington Palace and the most remarkable of them, Buckingham Palace are both residences and open to the public.

About 3,000 objects are on loan to museums throughout the world, and many others are lent on a temporary basis to exhibitions.

-------------------------------------------------------

This first part includes the paintings displayed in the White Drawing Room, the Green Drawing Room, the Silk Tapestry Room, the Guard Chamber, the Grand Staircase, the State Dining Room, the Queen's Audience Room and the Blue Drawing Room,

This set contains 37 paintings and tapestries with the original frame swatches, fully recolourable. They are:

White Drawing Room (WDR):

Portrait of François Salignan de la Mothe-Fénelon, Archbishop of Cambrai (Joseph Vivien)

Portrait of a Lady (Sir Peter Lely)

Portrait of a Man in Armour with a red scarf (Anthony van Dyck)

Portrait of Alexandra of Denmark, Queen Consort of the United Kingdom and Empress of India (François Flameng)

Green Drawing Room (GDR):

Portrait of Prince James Stuart, Duke of Cambridge (John Michael Wright)

Portrait of Frederick Henry, Charles Louis and Elizabeth: Children of Frederick V and Elizabeth of Bohemia (unknown)

Portrait of Infanta Isabel Clara Eugenia of Autria and her Sister, Infanta Catalina Micaela of Austria (Alonso Sanchez Coello)

Portrait of Princess Louisa and Princess Caroline of the United Kingdom (Francis Cotes)

Portrait of Queen Charlotte with her Two Eldest Sons, Frederick, Later Duke of York and Prince George of Wales (Allan Ramsay)

Portrait of Richard Colley Wellesley, Marquess of Wellesley (Martin Archer Shee)

Portrait of the Three Youngest Daughters of George III, Princesses Mary, Amelia and Sophia (John Singleton Copley)

Silk Tapestry Room (STR):

Portrait of Caroline of Brunswick, Princess of Wales, Playing the Harp with Princess Charlotte (Sir Thomas Lawrence)

Portrait of Augusta, Duchess of Brunswick With her Son, Charles George Augustus (Angelica Kauffmann)

Guard Chamber (GC):

Les Portières des Dieux: Bacchus (Manufacture Royale des Gobelins)

Les Portières des Dieux: Venus (Manufacture Royale des Gobelins)

Les Portières des Dieux (Manufacture Royale des Gobelins)

Grand Staircarse (GS):

Portrait of Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen, Queen Consort of Great Britain (Martin Archer Shee)

Portrait of Augustus, Duke of Sussex (Sir David Wilkie)

Portrait of Edward, Duke of Kent (George Dawe)

Portrait of King George III of Great Britain (Sir William Beechey)

Portrait of King William IV of Great Britain when Duke of Clarence (Sir Thomas Lawrence)

Portrait of Leopold I, King of the Belgians (William Corden the Younger)

Portrait of Prince George of Cumberland, Later King George V of Hanover When a Boy (Sir Thomas Lawrence)

Portrait of Princess Charlotte Augusta of Wales (George Dawe)

Portrait of Queen Charlotte at Frogmore House (Sir William Beechey)

Portrait of Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saafeld, Duchess of Kent (Sir George Hayter)

State Dining Room (SDR):

Portrait of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Queen Consort of the United Kingdom in Coronation Robes (Allan Ramsay)

Portrait of King George III of the United Kingdom in Coronation Robes (Allan Ramsay)

Portrait of Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, Princess of Wales (Jean-Baptiste Van Loo)

Portrait of Caroline of Ansbach when Princess of Wales (Sir Godfrey Kneller)

Portrait of Frederick, Princes of Wales (Jean-Baptiste Van Loo)

Portrait of King George II of Great Britain (John Shackleton)

Portrait of King George IV of the United Kingdom in Garther Robes (Sir Thomas Lawrence)

Queen's Audience Room (QAR):

Portrait of Anne, Duchess of Cumberland and Strathearn (née Anne Luttrel) in Peeress Robes (Sir Thomas Gainsborough)

Portrait of Prince Henry, Duke of Cumberland and Strathearn in Peer Robes (Sir Thomas Gainsborough)

London: The Thames from Somerset House Terrace towards the City (Giovanni Antonio Canal "Canaletto")

View of Piazza San Marco Looking East Towards the Basilica and the Campanile (Giovanni Antonio Canal "Canaletto")

Blue Drawing Room (BDR)

Portrait of King George V in Coronation Robes (Sir Samuel Luke Fildes)

Portrait of Queen Mary of Teck in Coronation Robes (Sir William Samuel Henry Llewellyn)

-------------------------------------------------------

Found under decor > paintings for:

500§ (WDR: 1,2 & 3)

1850§ (GDR: 1)

1960§ (GDR: 2 & 3 |QAR 3 & 4)

3040§ (STR, 1 |GC: 1 & 2|SDR: 1 & 2)

3050§ (GC:1 |GS: all 10|WDR: 4 |SDR: 3,4,5 & 6)

3560§ (QAR: 1 & 2|STR: 2)

3900§ (SDR: 7| BDR: 1 & 2|GDR: 4,5,6 & 7)

Retextured from:

"Saint Mary Magdalene" (WDR: 1,2 & 3) found here .

"The virgin of the Rosary" (GDR: 1) found here .

"The Four Cardinal Virtues" (GDR: 2&3|QAR 3 & 4) found here.

"Mariana of Austria in Prayer" (STR, 1, GC: 1 & 2|SDR: 1 & 2) found here.

"Portrait of Philip IV with a lion at his feet" (GC:1 |GS: all 10|WDR: 4 |SDR: 3,4,5 & 6) found here

"Length Portrait of Mrs.D" (QAR: 1 & 2|STR: 2) found here

"Portrait of Maria Theresa of Austria and her Son, le Grand Dauphin" (SDR: 7| BDR: 1 & 2|GDR: 4,5,6 & 7) found here

(you can just search for "Buckingham Palace" using the catalog search mod to find the entire set much easier!)

Drive

(Sims3pack | Package)

(Useful tags below)

@joojconverts @ts3history @ts3historicalccfinds @deniisu-sims @katsujiiccfinds @gifappels-stuff

-------------------------------------------------------

[greedandenby]

Transcript of the French dialogue in IWTV S2 Ep6 - Like the Light by Which God Made the World Before He Made Light 

Attack at Madeleine’s shop:

[The song the attackers are singing here is the "Chant des Girondins", which was the short-lived French national anthem under the Second Republic (1848-1852). Here are the lyrics sung in this portion of the show:

"La France appelle ses enfants, – Allons dit le soldat, aux armes ! C’est ma mère, je la défends.

Mourir pour la Patrie"

Which translates to:

"France calls to its children,

- Come, says the soldier, to arms!

She is my mother, so I shall defend her.

To die for the motherland"]

Woman attacker: Bonsoir, Madame Éparvier !

Madeleine: Allez-y ! Faites vos dessins très ingénieux !

Bald attacker: Arrête de les laver et on arrête de revenir, hein !

Woman attacker: On l’a ! On l’a, la pute !... Madeleine est pas bien, elle a attaqué, t’as vu ?... Crie tout ce que tu veux, hein. Tes voisins s’en fichent.

Madeleine: Arrête ! Non !

Bald attacker: On va voir ce qu’elle a donné à l’Allemand !

Madeleine: Tu suces du sang… T’es un v…

Armand and Madeleine discuss her turning:

Armand: Tu aimerais être l’une des nôtres ?

Madeleine: Non, je veux être avec elle. Et toi, tu peux aller te faire foutre.

Armand: They always think they’re different. Stronger. Superior. Jusqu’à ce que la solitude arrive.

Madeleine: Monsieur, ça fait longtemps que je suis toute seule.

Armand: Tu seras un monstre.

Madeleine: Si tu fais de moi un monstre, tu feras que me transformer en ce que je suis déjà.

Armand: Tu vas manger des humains comme tu manges ta pomme ? Un par nuit, aucune pitié pour l’enfant, la mère, l’invalide ?

Madeleine: Je suis un humain et j’aime ma nourriture. Quand je serai un vampire, est-ce que j’aimerai ma nourriture ?

Armand: Comment choisiras-tu qui tuer ?

Madeleine: Je tuerai sur les bords. Les faibles d’abord, et occasionnellement je me livrerai à mes appétits.

Armand: Et quand les derniers vestiges de ton époque auront disparu ? Les voitures, les coiffures, les croyances ? Comment continueras-tu ?

Madeleine: Jeune homme… There’s been a war. Claudia! He thinks there’s something left of my era!... Mais quel con ! [not captioned, but she’s basically calling Armand a dumbass.]

Armand: Comment vas-tu survivre à l’éternité ?

Madeleine: L’homme qui vivait en face… La Gestapo est venue le chercher. On a entendu un coup de feu quand la voiture a tourné au coin de la rue. Et la femme qui habitait plus bas, elle est morte de faim dans sa chambre. Elle portait des vêtements très chics. Elle devenait de plus en plus maigre jusqu’à ce qu’un jour, je regarde par sa porte et elle était là, un squelette dans des vêtements chics. Parfois, je le voyais dans leurs yeux, quand ils étaient sur le point d’abandonner. Et moi, j’ai survécu. Moi, j’ai suivi mes instincts. J’ai trouvé l’amour dont j’avais besoin, même quand c’était un amour dangereux. And I have again.

Armand: Et que feras-tu dans quelques décennies quand elle se jettera dans le feu ? Parce qu’elle le fera.

Madeleine: Peut-être qu’elle le fera pas. T’en sais rien. Peut-être que je suis ce dont elle a besoin pour survivre.

Louis and Armand at the Sacré-Cœur:

Okay, this is a subtle one.

While Loumand kiss on the steps of the Sacré-Cœur, you can hear a man taunting them in the background.

He says: "Hé ! Mais vas-y hé ! Mais suce-le, tant que t’y es ! Sale pédé !"

Which translates to: "Hey! Well go on then! Why don’t you suck him off while you’re at it! Fucking faggots!"

This explains why Louis turns his head around for a second after kissing Armand...

Madeleine’s turning:

Madeleine: J’arrive pas à croire que mon dernier verre de vin soit un Chardonnay. J’aurais dû en prévoir plus.

Madeleine: La pièce tourne…

That's it for this episode! See you in a week for the next one!

Ep. 2 here

Ep. 3 here

Ep. 4 here

[dearorpheus]

Do you have any writings abt sex and death, and how they're connected? Thanks if you decide to answer!

hiiiii yes♡ 

first and foremost is Bataille’s Erotism: Death and Sensuality which is expressly about this. everywhere you turn while researching this subject, Bataille will be mentioned. inclusive of this is a foray into religious eroticism/divine love/mysticism and elements of dissolution/continuity, violation and violence, aberration, so on... "There is no better way to know death than to link it with some licentious image." (pdf)

also v central are Freud’s theories surrounding our competing Eros/Thanatos drives, in which (as a very reductive summation) “the death instinct pervades sexual activity”; Freud also touches on dissolution, displacement and 'higher order/form'—you can see here one of the many ways Freud influenced Bataille's theories/writings. ultimately we might agree that the drives, rather than competing, are irreparably intertwined. "Life is displaced death, and death is displaced life." -> I like this article about them, but the source material is his Beyond the Pleasure Principle (pdf) +if you're interested in this, you could further research in sexology, sexual ethics and phenomenology as regarding sexualities linked to death, namely necrophilia, lust murder/sexual homicide, asphyxiophilia (sexual arousal by oxygen deprivation/erotic asphyxiation) and autassassinophilia (sexual arousal from the idea/risk of legitimately—imperatively, not in a fantasy-sense—being killed)

speaking of necrophilia (from Howard Barker’s afterword for Eroticism and Death in Theatre and Performance):

the last two sentences accordant with the modern usage of la petite mort in which the sensation of orgasm is likened to death. literature which comes to mind: M.G. Lewis’ The Monk*, Gabrielle Wittkop’s Le Necrophile, Angela Carter’s “The Snow Child” and “The Lady of the House of Love” as published in The Bloody Chamber, Poppy Z. Brite’s Exquisite Corpse, some of Baudelaire’s poetry...

then getting into more periphery stuff, there’s a lot of theory on the corpse and its sexuality (touched on above) + fetishisation. some theories have to do with executions, others with the sexual aspects of ritual sacrifice, as below in Death Comes To The Maiden: Sex and Execution 1431-1933 by Camille Naish:

more on the former in Julia Kristeva’s The Severed Head: Capital Visions and Nicole Loraux’s Tragic Ways of Killing a Woman

also the eroticisation of the medical venus—for this i heartily recommend Joanna Ebenstein’s The Anatomical Venus which is an absolutely fucking stunning artwork of a book to caress and coo over and cradle as you would a baby and which has a chapter dedicated to ‘Ecstasy, Fetishism and Doll Worship’ that delves into this (and religious eroticism, ne'er shall these subjects be pried apart for individual study it seems, not that i’m complaining)

+supplementary readings into our corpse-like beauty standards, with the heroin chic of the 90s (which has perhaps insidiously returned?) but esp in terms of the consumptive beauty ideals of the fin de siècle x, x etc etc. pervasive and perverted when beauty—an engine of evolution/a vehicle for sexual selection—becomes dictated by icons of illness

other haphazard things which come to mind: Camille Paglia’s Sexual Personae (tw for terf rhetoric); Angela Carter��s Sadeian Woman; cause-and-effect death by sex horror trope/generic imperative of post Halloween/‘78 slasher film; death and the maiden trope ofc which is often highly sexualised

*there is a v good essay on this called “Between Life and Death: Representing Necrophilia, Medicine, and the Figure of the Intercessor in M.G. Lewis's The Monk” by Laura Miller

[gonetoforks]

Introducing; my version of Rise’s Venus de Milo! (OUTDATED; adding the canon design for BM’s assistant!)

(she/her/thon/thons) She’s about 9 ft tall since she’s equally based off of Frankenstein, IDW Venus and the OG Venus de Milo. more info about her and her life under the cut! (Like, a lot more info, she’s been living in my head since last April) (She’s a year old and I’m only now revealing her info!) (HBD Venus!!)

Her Family in the Hidden City

Big Mama had her made by a scientist/patron of hers during the first 2 seasons as a synthetic competitor for her Battle Nexus, but after her change of heart in the S2 finale, she took thon in as her heiress and daughter to try and do something right for a change. It’s very hard for her. Her parenting style is a good balance of gentle and stern but she thinks praise is a good replacement for emotional vulnerability and it’s turned Venus into quite a megalomaniac. Venus just calls her “Mama” and BM calls her “Veedee” (If she calls thon “Venus,” thon’s in deep shit)

Time wise, after the movie she’s physically at age 1.5, 2 years old, though mentally thon’s about where Leo and Donnie are, 16. (Still very young, please keep in mind she is a child and has big eyes like the teenagers in the show, she’s just tall. If you sexualize her I will send you to the shadow realm. BEHAVE.)

Venus also sees the doctor that made her, Dr Shelly, as her father, and they’re quite close. She spent the first few weeks of her life in his home, mostly in his library where she filled her head with everything most people know intuitively. She often can recite information she has no memory of learning, these first few weeks were less like learning and more like remembering information but from no memories.

Venus’s closest friend & surrogate older sister is Jennika, who works as Big Mama’s assistant (and a fine artist!) under the codename “Frida.” The 2 spend most of their days on diplomatic missions in the Hidden City mafia underworld and managing/restructuring the Battle Nexus to be more ethical. Venus is a naturally studious academic who loves philosophy, literature, and of course, renaissance art, so adults tend to think she’s mature, but only Jennika really knows how naive she can be. Jennika misses her human family, so they’ve really latched onto each other.

She picked her name out herself. When thon was first revived, Shelly rushed up to her and almost addressed her with a name starting with V but stopped himself before he could say it in full. Changed his mind and said that he supposed that name probably wouldn’t fit right now. So she had a preference for a V name.

Thon’s Physiology

It’s quite the mystery how he did it, but the secret to Venus’s sentience is a machine that manages to convert any matter she digests into energy in the form of empyrean. This is why she was mostly kept a rapunzel-like secret for the first few months of her life before she had Jennika as a bodyguard. Nobody knows about her heart except herself, Jennika, Shelly and Big Mama.

If she bleeds or cries, it glows bright green, so she hates both because thon feels like she’s drawing attention to herself. She’s insecure about most of her organic parts anyway and pushes herself to appear stoney, inorganic and perfect. (The consequences of idolizing and wanting to emulate a literal goddess statue, skill issue) It’s not like her fears are completely unfounded though, she has no idea where Shelly got her dead body parts.

If she’s too stressed, the seams on her upper arms bleed and they fall off like a gecko tail. She kinda looks like the og Venus do Milo statue when that happens, it’s a bit gruesome.

To represent her need to balance the organic/inorganic parts of herself, thon’s biggest dreams vs realistic expectations for herself, her right hand is organic (and based off the 2012 turtles) while her left is robotic. (& made to look like big mama’s claws in her spider form)

Goals & wants

She wants to overthrow the council of heads and rule the Hidden City as president. (Through a democracy of course!) She sees them as ineffective and useless, she went to them during the Kraang invasion to tell them something needed to be done about the alien invaders but they did nothing and said to let the turtles handle it. She’s grateful everything turned out well but she still has a grudge against them and the way they run things. Big Mama thinks she’s silly and Jennika thinks she’s a mentally unwell, workaholic, megalomaniac but pizza supreme as her witness, thon’s gonna do it.

Thon wants to be a good, ethical leader/politician (oxymoronic, I know lmao) and sees the increasing amount of Battle Nexus estate Big Mama entrusts her with as practice for managing yokai society. She would love “the Good Place.”

She also wants to know more about Jennika and for her to reconcile with her father.

Venus’s arc

“Your life is your own, ok?!” She struggles with dehumanizing (de-turtle-izing?) herself because she believes it makes her greater, more fit to achieve her goals. When the fact that she’s a mortal, breathing, living being, that can’t possibly be anywhere near divine like thon thinks she needs to be hits her, she spirals. Thon desperately needs to learn that being imperfect is a necessary gift, that she is “the protagonist of her own life” and that you don’t need to be a great person to do great things, you just need to be a person.

She’s very studious and seen as intelligent and mature for her age, but when she’s put in real life situations after meeting her cousins, the turtles, she has to learn to to manage imperfections and embrace them.

She’s quite based off of MP100 and Barbie haha.

For this internal conflict I was inspired by how the original character’s depiction back in the 80’s was really,, dehumanizing? if that’s the right word? Misogynistic very much too. I find the message that; “no matter what other people think of you or what you think of yourself, you will never be anything more or less than a regular being” both comforting in itself and a neat subversion of the original VdM since one of my favorite aspects of Rise’s writing is how subversive it is.

I can’t wait to show you more of her! Esp how she interacts with the Mad Dogs!

Bonus; Design Details!

All the turtles have shape motifs; square, rectangle, circle, triangle, her’s is a Raindrop shape! Combined with her electric motifs she’s a bit of a storm cloud lol

The Turtles’s shells are s-shaped and follow the curvature of a human spine, I draw Venus’s shell really distorted and disproportionate to this since she’s inorganic.

Similarly, while the other turtles shells and plastrons are like boxes that contain their whole torsos, thon’s kinda just sits on top of her torso, where her plastron ends and her legs begin don’t line up. It started out as an anatomical error but i liked how it made her look distorted and off somehow. (Kinda gruesome, but it kinda helps her look like a bloated corpse, which is what she is aksjks) To be clearer, the difference between how the mad dogs’ shells/plastrons/bridges(sides) are attached to their bodies vs Venus’s is like the difference between a bodysuit and a t-shirt.

[oumiyuki]

First Outdoor Live for Shuka and me: Saito Shuka 5th Anniversary Shuen 2024: Tenshi to Akuma no Sasayaki 👼😈

Gosh, how do I even begin…?

First, I just want to let everyone know how hot it was XD I’m already someone who sweats a lot and the heat from the Sun returning the same passionate feelings as us Shukajins and Shuka ;D was simply…! HOT!!

For Day 1 (17 August 2024, Saturday), I did not have the leeway of using my analog hand fan or the Aqours electronic fan I had on hand as I was finding my way around Saitama to get to Tobu Zoo where Shuka’s Live was being held.

As you all know, I was running late due to that! And it was also because I made the mistake of still wearing my watch – that made me think I still had time, but Japan is one hour ahead of Singapore! XD Gyaahh!

I feel like the guide Shuka and staff left about exiting from the North Exit and it being a 10 minutes walk to Tobu Zoo is…for people in the know XD and interestingly, the station itself had a paper put up guiding visitors to take the West exit! So well, I followed that instead.

I was already running late, I was attempted to follow guys that wore Converse shoes cos that’s a good way to guess that they are Shuka fans heading to her Live venue but because I was already late, I figured it’s not wise to follow random dudes in hopes they are going to the zoo XD So don’t worry, I didn’t. Instead, I went to the bus and asked the nice bus driver uncle if it goes to Tobu Zoo >v<

When I made it there, 2 lady staff was waiting in a tent and helped me put on the wrist band for the zoo pass and Shuka’s Live pass – thank you! Because I would’ve been stumbling to put it on (I was fumbling with it for Day 2 XD) The nice ladies then told me it’s another 15 mins to Shuka’s Live venue and I was like – “Ah, thank you.” On the outside. But inside my mind, I was like, “Ehhh!? Another 15 mins?! Even though I’m already late. Mouuuu!!” And I jogged and sped walk my way to the venue XD

The “good” thing of being late is that you get to be led to Shuka’s venue by her wonderful singing voice XD

I also like how when I ran past the attraction for a roller coaster ride that had tall stones with Egyptian carvings on it and some other horrific poster near it, I was like, “Yeah nope, turn right because no way Shuka’s Live venue is where something scary is XD” And it is the right way to continue on my way.

[Egytian carvings to the left, let the Shuka poster be your guide]

Speeding things up, because why would you want to know what else I saw on the way there, right? >v<``

When I neared the Live venue, that’s where you’ll see the Live Goods tent too. As I ran pass, I saw the merch I wanted sold out already so I was a bit sad but more importantly!! I could sense Shuka already XD Jogging in and slowing to a walk so as to not disturb anyone, I tried looking for my seat but it was like “BWAAHH!! AAHHH!! WOOO!!!” energy from lots of guys cheering so I was like “Never mind, I’ll stay at the back” XD

I joined in just as Shuka started the Devil Side of the Live!! (Courtesy to the Shukajin who made a set list record so I could fact check where I popped in >w<) So, it was where Shuka was singing “Baby Tell Me”!

But truth be told, I can barely remember how the song went cos I laid eyes on Shuka in her Devil themed outfit and I was just speechless, eyes glued to how amazing she looks and while I was amazed by her shining on stage and performing, I was very much constantly thinking about how good she looks in that outfit XD

You’ve seen the pics, you felt the same way! I bet on it!! XD Aahhhhhhh!!! >w<♡♡♡

[mind blown, attention stolen, Devil Shuka is here]

Followed by a Medley of HYPED songs…!! *O*

Tsuki de hoshi de Taiyou da

Zenshin Zenrei

Ippai Attena

Bokura wa Genius

Excuse me, Shuka-san?? I believe this was where I jumped a bit too much and knocked my knees against the long bench XD And Miyuki here didn’t even realize it until she’s back in the hotel later to see the bruises. I’m telling you, the hype and high and smiles you feel from being on cloud 9 after experiencing a Shuka Live let’s you not feel pain XD But adrenaline aside, I did apply my essential oil blend that soothes pain so I’m guessing that’s why I could still go all out for Day 2! HAHAHA!

*coughs coughs* Back to the Live!

Shuka performs Darake next, and you can bet the energy explodes even more because everyone was looking forward to the 555 songs?? At least I was!!!

ShuShuShu is next and I had my Ai no Yajirushi towel with me so I took it out to twirl for this towel song!! Towel songs are so funnnn~ (I’ve been a fan of towel songs since μ's Mermaid Festa Vol.2, and have been looking forward to any towel songs. SO, I thoroughly enjoyed Shuka’s one too!!)

Mata Ashita was the next song. I vaguely remember me swinging my hands along to it >v<

I don’t remember where the MC part takes place, but I’m going to assume here where she had performed a bunch of songs already. Shuka mentions how she posted about her having a sore throat and that made everyone worry so she apologizes and reassures us that she is alright and in fact, super energetic >w< She’s adorable when showing how energetic she is. >w<

I felt that her sore voice wasn’t obvious in her singing which is really cool. Other than when she performed “Mikata”, that one was when you hear some scratchiness in her singing voice. Ah, and when she talked, that was when her scratchy voice was obvious.

Shuka calls out the dancers called “Gyaruz” to introduce them and that’s when a cute moment happens cos Shuka starts asking her band members if she forgot to introduce them XD Usually the flow would be to introduce her band members first! And so, her band members told her Shuka did forget and she was a little in denial about that like “I forgot?? Ehh? I forgot??” XD Too cute. And then she introduces each of them!

Shukajin then goes: “You forgot something!”

Shuka: “Mm?”

Shukajin: “Vocalist?”

Shuka smiles, “And the vocalist is Saito Shuka.”

And we all clap and cheer for her!! >w</

Somewhere in between the MC part is a conversation where Shuka makes a cute noise with her scratchy voice too and it was extra adorable. I think it might be where she was asking her band member if she forgot to introduce them? I don’t remember exactly, I just know she was adorable XD That voice was hnnggg XD

Oh, and Shuka asks if we got hit by the water she shot. And the reaction was… “Yes!!!” and she apologizes that only some got hit by the water? XD

I… …also remember Shuka saying that we have now seen Angel Shuka, Devil Shuka and now that she is wearing the Live Tee she is Real Shuka! (which is the purple coloured Tenshi to Akuma no Sasayaki t-shirt but cut up and redesigned into a different fashionable way which allows Shuka to show off her midriff when she dances >//w//< paired with her jeans-shorts. Healthy legs in display =//w//=b)

[Real Shuka and her midriff ahhhh >//w//<♡]

You know, now that I’ve reminisced to here, I wonder if Shuka performed One Piece and Kutsuhimo first before the MC part >v<``

Because, when wanting to lead into a song, birthday bgm plays by the band member and the Gyaruz girls help to bring out the birthday cake and we all sang “Happy Birthday” to Shuka!! >w<7 It’s always so fun singing it to her hehe~

Shuka sneaks some to eat and from there is where it became picture-taking time!!

I love how everyone sat down and Shuka was like, “If you sit, we can’t see you!”

Then, some of us stood up again. And Shuka continues to say, “Ah, but it’s okay, we can take a proper picture later.”

That leaves us lost as to whether we should sit or stand XD So some was sitting, some was standing XD

[Day 1 together picture; I can be seen hehe >v<]

The photo gets taken and we go on to have Shuka perform the final song Mikata.

Shuka thanks everyone after, running to the sides of the stage and back to the middle to bow, the Gyaruz and band members join her to join hands and bow to us too…

It’s always such a bittersweet feeling when the Live ends. And as she’s going back stage, she waves to us, smiles, bows, all of that. It doesn’t take long for her to disappear behind but it’s kind of slow motion in my memory…=v=

And once you hear the electronic announcer voice says it’s the end of Shuka’s Live, that’s when we clap real hard again and then start to disperse. :>

I was at the back so I just made sure to drink more water, wipe my sweat, take a photo of stage and the Sun shining through the ferris wheel to us. 😊I then bumbled my way over to the goods tent and checked what else is selling. Although the t-shirt and keychains were sold out already, the hood towel was still available! So I went to buy one >v</ (LITERALY NO REGRETS FOR THIS BUY. More about it in Day 2 gushings :P)

Aaaand, the next part of the tent is where they are selling Shuka CDs and whatnot, I already have all her CDs so I didn’t buy anything from there, so onto the third section of the goods tent, there was where a staff would give out a postcard with Shuka at a spot in Tobu Zoo where the bears are at! Super cute picture UwU Alongside the Stamp Rally card and he stamps Day 1 on it! The tiger is so cuteeeee!!! Look at her!! >w<

[Tobu Zoo kuma Shuka!]

Beside that booth, is a present box where we can put our gifts to Shuka there. So, I took out my gift for her and placed it gently inside ^w^ From what I noticed, I think not many knew if there will be a present box cos I think there was less than 5 presents including mine XD While on Day 2, I believe I spotted a bit more presents in the box XD I hope Shuka loves the present I chose for her!! \>w</ Woof woof!

(Gosh, I’m making you all read so many words. There’s no way y’all are reading all these, right? XD To you who read all the way to here. Thank you. And I hope you’re smiling as much as I am while writing these~ ^w^)

[Sunset. This picture captures the feeling after a Shuka Live… Breath-taking, at a loss for words yet so much feeling/emotion running through your mind…]

~ DAY 2 ~

The Summer heat was high. I am early at Tobu Zoo this time because I don’t want to miss a single second of her Live. I won’t go into details of the fun before the performance but just so you know, it’s so awesome that our Live ticket already includes full access to the zoo and amusement park attractions! ^w^

Now…

It’s really hot and I kid you not. I was grateful for any natural wind and not natural wind that blew our way. When it was time to enter the space where the Live will be though, there was no natural wind there and my Aqours electric fan of course decided “I’ve worked hard for you for HOURS now. Time to rest…zzz…” [cue my shocked face XD] But it’s okay!! It’s like minutes to the start of Tenshi to Akuma no Sasayaki Day 2!!! I’ll just keep wiping this sweat and hydrating—

AHHH!! When the music changes to like a storm is brewing and SOMETHING IS COMING…!! And the band members come out!! I love them, by the way. We all love Shuka so we’re here but her band members just feel like family or super good friends already (to Shuka) so the feeling of cheering for them is sincere and excited~ >v<

And then, and then, there was this mash up of Shuka songs too…That one made me feel like if there was a montage playing too of Shuka’s growth, that’d be so cool too. But just hearing the songs mashed together like that… It evoked that feeling already and the scenes of MV to Shuka Live performances played in my mind too anyways—

HYAAAA!! From that, THE wedding-like music starts playing and, I think the backup dancers were already around and I was doing my best to absorb all that was happening. (Oh, also there were a bunch of tall guys so I had to tiptoe to see Shuka XD) But it’s all worth it when I saw Shuka in her Angel form which was this outfit like a wedding dress. Miyuki mind: CHOTTO MATTE EEEHHHHHHH?? KAWAIIIIIIIII!!! HOLD ON. WHAT, HOW, WHY, SHUKA?? >w<

I was smiling widely and fangirling hard inside XD And she starts singing Aishiteshimaeba. I love this song a lot too but because of being caught up in the moment…? I totally forgot Shuka’s Live performances are extra fun with the dance moves she came up for us to dance along with her XD So when this super enthusiastic fan beside me did the moves – I was like OH YEAH, THERE WAS THAT. WAHHH. And tried to mimic and dance along the best I could >v< I kept remembering how Shuka told us she wants us to not be shy and be cute for this song so I focused back on seeing her perform on stage and did my best for the moves where I can remember XD

PaPaPa is the next song. And this is one of her super hyped songs too. Understandable considering how fun it is and one of her early songs too! >v< So, as someone who usually play the blurays at home and cheer with my hands/light sticks, I forgot again that there’s like claps and other things the at-the-venue fans do XD I feel like I’m being too focused on this because of the enthusiastic and loud fan beside me but I’m not opposed to learning the fan moves in the first place! I especially like the Love Live! ones after all :P So well, I was trying to follow along…again… XD

P.S. It feels good to be praised by Shuka when you pull off the moves so it pays off? >w<

PiPiPi next!!! I loooooove this song a lot >v< Maybe it’s because I love old school things but the lyrics having “antenna” in it just makes me smile so much XD And and, it’s such a cute song?? And thus, I didn’t forget the dance moves for this one XD I can’t even explain how adorable Shuka looks throughout this song as she sings and dance it… I’m sorry for my lack of vocabulary for it… But just imagine that…that megawatt smile, glowing not just from the stage lighting but from the Sun and her angelic form?? That’s how it was from my POV… TvT

Here comes the new song from her 555 album! And yes, it’s PuPuPu!!! MEANING SHE JUST CHAINED THE PAPAPA-PIPIPI-PUPUPU SONGS!!! That’s such a cool thing to do, right!? *O* And I love this song from her new mini album!! It’s peppy, it’s fun, it’s cute, it tells a story of friendship when two argues and how they care about the other, and understands the other too, and how they make up and it’s all good again. >v<♡♡♡ I know I had the biggest, silly smile as I watched her sing this song, staying on my tippy toes to keep my eyes on her… mmm… Cute and wonderful. (I also clap hard after each song I think XD)

After that much hype, it’s MC time!

I found it cute how Shuka knew we’d want to do it?? So she gets us to congratulate her for her 5th Anniversary. And also to wish her happy birthday XD So she would say “Shuka-chan, congratulations on your debut 5th anniversary” and we’d echo “CONGRATULATIONS!!” and she goes, “Shuka-chan, happy birthday~” and we’d echo, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!” >w<

Shuka then mentions about wanting to go bbq together and we’d shout back things like “Let’s do it!” and another one even went, “Right after this??” XD

Shuka likes to know the fans that are around so she starts asking our age group! When she asked “Are there teens?”, the person behind screamed so loudly <v<; Me and the other guys in front visibly flinched from the loudness XD I think Shuka was looking to the other side so perhaps she was not affected by that screech! Then she goes, “Those in the twenties?” and I cheered! I chuckled a bit on the inside that those in their twenties did a very cordial cheer? It was properly loud but not annoying is how I remember it XD And then Shuka goes, “Those in the thirties?” There was quite a bunch too and I remember I accidentally pumped my fist up too XD I was like, Hold on, Miyuki. We still have a few years to that. XD And when she asked for the older age group and there were still replies Shuka was happy about that!! :D

[Shuka serenading us and playing instruments for us at the same time TwT She's so amazing, mouuuu, daisuki! >w<]

Shuka spoke more and then asked us to take a seat for now as she wants to serenade us >v</ I gladly sat down to hydrate myself but I was concerned if I could see Shuka when sitting down @v@ Thankfully? I could see her in between the heads of the tall people in front of me XD But it was slightly tough to make the head of hair become unfocused while I tried to make my eyes focus on Shuka only. It was a strange first minute or two while I watched Shuka play the harmonica and sing Himitsu Dogu. But gosh, I’ve wanted to experience this Live too and it’s wonderful each time!!!

Next, Shuka sings Kokoro from her 555 mini album. My eyes soften as I nod to the music and her singing voice, taking in each lyric into my heart. I really liked how everyone sat quietly and listened. And I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Shuka for even a second.

When the music started for Hanarenaide, I felt something from the tip of my toes to my fingers and the top of my head. I knew this song resonated with me from when I heard it back home, but Shuka singing it to you Live? While you’re sitting there, and she’s sitting up on the stage… It’s like the world just had me and her. I remember I could not help but groove to the song and her words and I simply wanted the words in my mind to reach her – zutto hanaremasen. zutto soba ni… (I’m never letting go. I’ll be by your side always.)

We clapped so hard when she finished singing. >o<♡♡♡

And while I was feeling things, Shuka goes off stage to get changed and the band gets their solo moments!! It’s suuuuper cool! *w*

Miss Devilish Shuka returns in her full devil form and I swear I still feel the same way as Day 1 – Excuse me, Shuka-san?? What are you wearing?? What are you doing to me?? XD That looks so sexy and pretty and devilish indeed!? XD

[The Devil owns my heart and takes good care of it!?]

Shuka is singing Baby Tell Me and it’s such a fun song too to be bouncing to while she have fun singing and running about the stage?? Oh, but she did not just run around the stage. This was where she was going to shoot us with water XD So she also ran all the way to the back and climbed a tower?? A high place XD And she sprayed a whole lot of water – from that far back, the water barely not reached me XD So I was like “Aww” >v< But it wasn’t over yet…!! She ran down and came all the way the sides too to spray us with water with her water hose-gun thing XD So yes – I was hit by the holy or maybe not so holy water since she’s on the Devil Portion of the Live now XD

It's one heck of an experience to see her up close!! It’s like, “Oh right, Shuka is that small. How is she so small but so amazing? Oh gosh, Shuka is right here…!!” kind of thoughts as she ran between the aisles to spray us with water! And then back to the stage!! >w<

After this hype marathon, there was some music box and thunder bgm which brought the mood back to “Oooh what’s next??” >v< And Shuka starts singing Tsuki de hoshi de Taiyo da! So I was jumping and hyping along to it! >w</ And when you’re hyping to it, suddenly it’s a little interval bgm thing again and she’s onto the next song Zenshin Zenrei…!!! *O* Waahhh!!

You’re Zenshin zenrei-ing one moment, and then bam, now it’s Ippai Attena!! XD It’s one hype song after another, I’m telling you!! All I remember now is being unable to stop smiling, to be bouncing on my tip toes to constantly get to see Shuka and cheering happily. (All while appreciating her moves and smile of course ;D) Bokura wa Genius is the final of the Hype Medley. This song was always super energetic for the full version too so definitely a wonderful finale of the medley hehe >w< Ugh, whenever she lowers her voice for a cool moment during the song…! >w< It’s so goooood >w</

Oohh, I like this next part – the BGM gets you pumped and Shuka asks you to do a few rounds of “S-H-U-K-AAAAA SHUKA!” cheers before her next song Darake!!! >w< I want to do that agaaain >w</ Shuka counts the number of times we cheer it with her fingers so we know how many to go too \*w*/

[Inner Miyuki reacting to Shuka counting down >v<]

And now we are onto the 4th song of her 555 mini album. I was trying to take note of where she planted each of her new songs too, and I loved how they were placed!! ^w^

PuPuPu alongside the other fun triple P songs >v<

Kokoro and Hanarenaide as a ‘sit down get serenaded’ segment

Darake as part of the Devilish hyped portion

And last would be Mikata >v<

But first, TOWEL SONG…!! ShuShuShu!! As mentioned in Day 1 report, I find towel songs extra entertaining and fun for us to participate in >w</ This time, I tried twirling the Tenshi to Akuma no Sasayaki towel… and I must say, it’s a bit heavy to spin XD But all in all, there was spinning, jumping and cheering \>w</

Sekai no hate is one of my favourite songs too. It’s so cool, empowering, and the MV is as gorgeous as Shuka! I remember hearing it for the anime and then the MV…Shuka’s brown eyes literally so bright and alluring! And I would think Shuka rocks any colour but she rocks her favourite colour red so, so well…!! u>v<u I digress. Shuka on stage performing Sekai no hate is charming and I was left staring and experiencing her performance. I didn’t even bother doing the cheers the dudes around were doing. It’s that feeling of…like, all you can see is Shuka, all you can hear is Shuka, and…it’s just an amazing feeling.

At the end of this song though, Shuka reached out her hand skywards and stayed in that pose for a long time, so it’s like she froze and the people around started wondering if she really froze XD Then she “unfroze” and head towards the backstage again for outfit change! I bet she was feeling the moment thus the elongated pause in pose. =w=♡

Piano version of Hero ni narikatta plays while we wait for Shuka to return. 😊And this is another one of my favourite songs from her. I especially love the acoustic version and so I was loving the instrumental as I get hydrated, waiting for what Shuka is going to bring next—

I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR MY TOP FAVOURITE SONG OF SHUKA’S TO BE PERFORMED NEXT.

THE SECOND THE FIRST BEAT DROPPED.

My eyes widened, my jaw fell agape morphing into a smile of disbelief and awe.

My processor was going into overdrive as I understood that Shuka was singing “Mou Muri Demo Hashiru”. I literally, unapologetically, and fervently tell whoever I can and Shuka that my favourite song of hers is this. It’s been an unspoken dream of mine to get to experience this song of hers Live. I’ve seen the MV, I’ve looped the song a gazillion times, I’ve watched her perform it in other Live performances via the Blurays, but…Live in person?? I wanted to get to taste this. And I am living it. The world does not even need a rebuilt or to “fall apart” again as I was still living in the space that felt like it was just Shuka and me as my eyes never strayed from her, when she pours her heart out in singing each syllable and verse which she would go lower to the stage’s floor, I’d just do my best to tip toe some more to see her, chasing after every poignant second of this performance. I lipsynced to it as the words were known by heart. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to properly convey my love for this song and how good Shuka’s Live performance of this was.

If you ever have the chance, please go to Shuka’s Live and experience her performance. It reaches your heart…

And while I’m still reeling from having a dream come to fruition unexpectedly… (Shuka is amazing that way, right?  (◕‿◕)♡) The next song Shuka performs is Kutsuhimo.

Gosh…It felt like coming full circle. Of course, I came to know Shuka from loving Watanabe You, but when I got into loving Shuka too, I supported her from her debut song too. And Kutsuhimo is like the string that ties us together. A strong bond that’s like…fate and like a pinky promise too. We put in the effort to continuously support one another. :)

[Shuka performance touches my soul and I have ascended (again)]

MC time! Both Shuka and I need that moment to hydrate and breathe again XD (By this point I think I already finished my sports drink and my 2 litres of water is probably down to 500ml or less OuO;)

I think Shuka liked to ask us if it’s hot / if we’re feeling hot, and we would go “It’s hot!!!” XD And while she’s drinking, someone asked if the water was delicious, she smiles/smirks and under her breath, she goes, “It’s not water” XD But doesn’t tell us what it is. Well, considering the hardcore setlist, you’d think it’s a sports drink at least XD

Shuka then asks us if we are enjoying the outdoor live which we of course tell her we’re enjoying it to the max. Then Shuka goes, “Tasukaru?” (“Does it save you?”) and we all laugh with her because this is like a youngin’ slang. Probably the Japanese Gen Z slang? XD Basically a thing to say when what you love is there. (Fun fact: Shuka did not understand this slang is either and learnt about it during Uraraji when the person who wrote in used this slang. And further understood it more the more people used it even during her InstaLive. >v<)

Shuka continues to talk about a bunch of stuff such as how she would think a lot into what song to perform for each Live, and to cherish every second there is with everyone… And that’s how quite the tough and crazy setlist got decided for this first ever outdoor Live too. She smiles sheepishly yet happily at this, and we laugh because we know it’s really a setlist jam-packed with energetic songs and Shuka really kept going song after song. But we love it >v<

Shuka also tells us about how she feels that with each Live performance she gets to do with us, with each challenge she overcomes from the various performances, she finds/hones a new weapon to be able to be stronger again >v< (EXP points gained and levelling up!!)

When she goes “The last song for today”, me and everyone around whines for more XD And we asked for extension XD but of course, it’s the last song for the day. And Shuka leads in with her these heartfelt words…

“For a final song…Right now, what I am feeling up to this point have been enveloped into this song and I hope to deliver it to you. You all are not alone, you have me. No matter how tough or sad things get, or when things seem out of reach, I will definitely be unwaveringly by your side. You can come over to me knowing it will be okay. Every day, every day, let’s keep supporting each other and walk together. So…please listen to this song – Mikata.”

Mikata to me, is another song of hers that is one where she bares her vulnerable side to us like she did in “Yoku warau riyuu”. Some lines that calls out to me are “I’m going to continue singing at the place where I am reflected in your eyes.”, “Even if feeling like a coward or feeling uncool. Put that aside, and take my hand.” and “I’ll tie my shoelaces again and start running once more.”

When Shuka sang the final line of Mikata, I like how there’s such a loud silence and then the band plays the instrumental of Mikata, like it just continues and then Shuka goes, “Thank you so much for coming over to play with me for the 5th Anniversary Live. Now, allow me to introduce the band…”

“I may not be a hero yet…but right now, I know that what I can say with confidence is that I’m your ally (mikata). And will always have your back.” Shuka… >o< To me, you ARE my hero. But I’m also just…so, so happy to have you as my ally. That’s for certain!! >o< ♡ (I also teared up at this part when Shuka talks about her journey of 5 years as a solo artist, how she wants to be our hero and don’t think she is yet… Shuka… OmO♡)

Shuka also asks if we will continue to see more sceneries with her. And I can tell you, my answer is a resounding yes. My new dream is to get to attend her FC event performance because I adore her acoustic singing and I want to get to experience that too.

So… With this feelings of adoration, admiration and endearment, I once again have set forth to reach that dream! >v<

Ah, I just realize I did not mention about how Shuka was in “real Shuka” mode AKA where she is in the Live T-Shirt and shorts and the way it got redesigned is so hawawa too O//w//O

If you asked me whether I like Angel Shuka, Devil Shuka or Real Shuka more… I don’t think I can really give an answer right away XD They are ALL so wonderful hehe~ >w< ♡

After Shuka introduced the backup dancers, Gyaruz, I think there was picture-taking moment… And then they go off backstage…and then Shuka asks for her phone cutely, “I want my phone~ My phone, please~” >v< Kawaii sugiru desho?? (Isn’t she too cute??) >w< And once she got it, she gets to record her usual video where we all cheer loudly and she asks the question which we go “SAIKO JAN!!!” >w<

…haaa… …

This 2 days of Shuka Live was simply awesome. I’ve got no words. XD I mean, I’ve said so much, I feel like there’s more to say but…it’s that…basking in the moment feels. The post-Live euphoria… You can’t wait for the next time you get to see Shuka but at the same time, you’re just…smiling and remembering the 4 hours you just had with her for this 2 days… =v= ♡

For me, the feeling of missing Shuka and Japan while feeling like I’m still there…lasts quite long XD It’s probably why I can still be gushing about Shuka’s Live even though it’s September already :P But I really wanted to get to share it??

Again, thank you for reading all the way here. I love Shuka!! Aaahhhh >w< ♡

Fangirling OuMiyuki signing out (≧◡≦) ♡

See you around! \(^ヮ^)/

[ncutincuti]

Ncuti Gatwa’s Favourite?

Food spot in London: “I've just found a new one in Greenwich called Angle Ninety – it does high-style Nigerian food. The jollof bangs. The suya bangs. The lamb cutlets bang. It's just a little spot that does great food, and I think they do events there too. But also, honourable mention to Borough Market.”

Food spot in Scotland: “My mum's kitchen.”

Art gallery: “I like the National Portrait Gallery and I like the V&A.”

Museum: “The Natural History Museum. I need to go back there. I've only been there once and it was f****** amazing.”

International holiday destination: “Rio de Janeiro. I love Brazil and Rio is an incredible place.”

Staycation: “Maybe Devon? I like Devon and I like Cornwall. They're beautiful places: colourful houses; beautiful scenery. I just shot a film in Devon called The Roses and I definitely want to go back.”

Pamper spot: “I've got to give you three: 1) Ama Hair Salon, 2) for massages – OK now we're going boujee – The Corinthia, and 3) Omorovicza [The Spa at Liberty]. I like to pamper myself! We've all got to look after ourselves!”

Concert venue: “Principality Stadium in Cardiff – I went to see Beyoncé there twice. Other than that, I do like a night at Ronnie Scotts.”

Cinema: “There's one in Notting Hill where they've got like sofas and they've got a chandelier. That place is nuts. What's it called? That's it! Electric Cinema!”

Park: “Hilly Fields. And then head up to Blackheath.”

Any destination in the past: “Ancient Egypt.”

Any set in entertainment history: “Maybe The Matrix. To see all the pods.”

Year: “I would want to go 200 years into the future. I would want to see how we've done. I would want to see if we had sorted out climate change. I would want to see if we have sorted out all the world conflicts. And I would want to see if we've kept AI under control.”

Read More:

[waterlight]

Venus signs as supermodels

Aries

Paulina Porizkova (19°): signed the most lucrative partnership in 1988, a $6 million deal with Estee Lauder for seven years, the first Central European woman to appear on the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue

Vera Lehndorff (22°): known professionally as Veruschka, she is considered the "first German supermodel.

Alek Wek (10° R): began her modeling career in the mid-1990's, she became one of the most successful black model in the industry. She has been hailed for her influence on the perception of beauty in the fashion industry. 

Taurus

Linda Evangelista (27°): been featured on over 700 magazine covers, Evangelista is primarily known for being the longtime "muse" of photographer Steven Meisel, as well as for the phrase: "We don't wake up for less than $10,000 a day." Described as the "chameleon" of the fashion industry, she was part of the "Trinity". Known by her nickname "The Linda".

Naomi Sims (25° R): was the first African-American model to appear on the cover of Ladies' Home Journal, which occurred in November 1968, and is widely credited as being the first African-American supermodel.

Other supermodels: Carmen Dell'Orefice (16°), Jessica Stam (25°)

Gemini

Naomi Campbell (29°, V House): sleek, tall, chic, one of the reigning queens of jet-set supermodels, the first black female model to make the covers of both the British and French Vogue. She was part of the Trinity which also included Christy Turlington and Linda Evangelista.

Giselle Bündchen (19°, VI House): since 2001, she has been one of the highest-paid models in the world. Vogue credited her with ending the heroin chic era of modelling in 1999. In 2007, Claudia Schiffer called Bündchen the only remaining supermodel. She has appeared on more than 1,200 magazine covers.

Other supermodels: Joan Smalls (14°), Kimora Lee Simmons (24°), Heidi Klum (24°), Laetitia Casta (17°, IX House)

Cancer

Iman (7°): muse of the designers Gianni Versace, Thierry Mugler, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan and Yves Saint Laurent (who described her as "the dream woman").

Lisa Fonssagrives (4°): is widely credited with having been the first supermodel. She was reported as "the highest paid, highest praised, high fashion model in the business".

Other supermodels: Jourdan Dunn (16°, II House), Devon Aoki (25°)

Leo

Donyale Luna (1°): the world’s first black supermodel; when she was 20 years old, Time magazine named 1966 as “The Luna Year,” describing the model as “a new heavenly body who, because of her striking singularity, promises to remain on high for many a season.”

Karlie Kloss (25°, II House): Models.com has said that Kloss "represents the gold standard of modeling—a girl with the look, the poise, and the drive to take things to the next level", and she ranks on their "New Supers" and "Money Girl" lists. By 2019, she had appeared on 40 international Vogue covers.

Other supermodels: Anja Rubik (6°, VIII House), Stephanie Seymour (9°, XII House), Coco Rocha (3°)

Virgo

Ines de la Fressange (19°, IV House): the first model who had an exclusive contract with a fashion house, Chanel. After her decision to accept the deal with the French government to be a model for the national symbol of Marianne, she had an argument with her mentor at Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld who considered her his muse. She terminated the relationship with the fashion house and has gone on to design for Gaultier.

Bella Hadid (6°, XII House): she began her modeling career in 2014 and walked in major fashion show for designers such as Chanel, Dior, and Marc Jacobs.

Libra

Lauren Hutton (8°, III House): signed a modeling contract with Revlon in 1973, which at the time was the biggest contract in the history of the modeling industry

Claudia Schiffer (17°, XI House):  became the face of Guess, which gave her mainstream recognition. “In order to become a supermodel one must be on all the covers all over the world at the same time so that people can recognize the girls,” she once said. Appearing on more than 1,000 covers over the span of her career, Schiffer is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the model with the most magazine covers.

Beverly Peele (9° R): rose to fame in the late 1980s and 1990s, as a supermodel, appearing mostly in Mademoiselle and Elle magazine. She appeared on over 250 fashion magazine covers including Vogue and Harpers Bazar.

Scorpio

Twiggy (5°, IV House): with her expressive doe eyes, she was crowned “The Face of 1966,” voted British Woman of the Year, and found immediate fame all over the world.

Anna Bayle (13°): became one of highest paid models in the late 70's. She has been described as being one of the first Asian supermodels (she's filipino). Bayle became known for her unique runway walk, which The New York Times described "as if she were crushing a cigarette butt with each step down the runway".

Other supermodels: Carla Bruni (19°, V House), Kristen McMenamy (23°), Milla Jovovich (12°, V House), Beverly Johnson (19°), Jean Shrimpton (10°, XII House)

Sagittarius

Kendall Jenner (0°, VIII House): her status as a supermodel is controversial. Jenner made her debut at No. 16 on Forbes magazine's 2015 list of top-earning models, with an estimated annual income of US$4 million. In 2017, Jenner was named the world's highest-paid model by Forbes, ousting model Gisele Bündchen, who had been leading the list for more than 14 years since 2002.

Capricorn

Tyra Banks (27°, VII House): the first black model to appear on the cover of a "Sports Illustrated" swimsuit issue and the first black woman to be featured on the cover of the "Victoria's Secret" catalog.

Cindy Crawford (28°, VII House): known for her trademark mole just above her lip. Her girl-next-door aesthetic was so in demand, she fronted nearly every campaign imaginable, from Calvin Klein to Pepsi.

Other supermodels: Amber Valletta (26° R), Irina Shayk (12°), Shalom Harlow (28°)

Aquarius

Barbara Goalen (23°, XI House): is considered the first British supermodel. With her striking features and wasp-waisted frame, she epitomised post-war glamour and modelled for both Dior and Balenciaga.

Kate Moss (7° R): rose to fame in the eary 90's as part of the heroin chic fashion trend. She is known for her waifish figure and role in side zero faschion. She has inspired cultural depiction including a 18 carat gold statue of her, sculpted in 2008 for a British Museum exhibition. She was part of the 'Big 6' together with Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, and Claudia Schiffer.

Other supermodels: Christy Turlington (27°, II House), Tatjana Patitz (18°), Yasmeen Ghauri (23°), Helena Christensen (17°, IV House), FeiFei Sun (21°)

Pisces

Liu Wen (14°): in 2012, The New York Times dubbed her "China’s first bona fide supermodel". She is the first Chinese model to walk the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, the first East Asian spokesmodel for Estée Lauder cosmetics, and the first Asian model to ever make Forbes magazine's annual highest-paid models list, the first to be featured on the front cover of Vogue, the first person of Chinese descent to appear three times on Vogue.