#at this point i am only interested in the youngins love story would have preferred

[glitterandhelium]

this guy is frustrating (and unfortunately relatable) but at least his so called gf dumped his ass, you literally have this adult man interested in dating you boy what are you doing?!?!

[spaceorphan18]

SO Watches Friends 1x01-1x03

Apparently, it’s been 25 years since Friends aired - and I’m seeing all these articles on it, how it was the greatest ever, how it sucked, how apparently the youngins are discovering it on Netflix.  

So - I felt like, what they hey, I haven’t seen it in years, and I need to watch something while I have meals, so let’s see how well this show holds up.  

Pilot - The One Where Monica Gets a Roommate (because how else is she going to pay for that apartment.) 

It’s funny to me that this was the hot new show of the time.  Because these people are... incredibly boring.  The beginning montage is them sitting in a cafe talking about random boring things for what appears to be hours, then they go home and watch TV.  This seems to be what they do on the weekend.  I mean, I realize in the early 90s there wasn’t /that/ much to do - but still, they live in NYC, and most of the stuff they do on this show will be sitting around doing nothing.  

So, let’s break down these characters, shall we? 

Rachel - It’s her wedding day, but she skips out on her wedding because she didn’t love her fiance.  I think this is supposed to be funny?  While I do think, in general, all of the characters are more relatable (and nicer) than in later in the series, she’s such a weird amalgamation of what the writers (or network?) thought would be relatable? I mean - she’s kind of dumb, and rich enough that money isn’t a problem, and her family values are set back in the 50s - hence her getting married so her husband can support her instead of her father.  

I get where the character is coming from - but while it might have been more of a progressive stance at the time -- it seems like a relic now.  

Monica - Who is the most together one of them at the moment.  I like early Monica, tbh, who appears intelligent (for the most part).  They’ll later take her quirks and make her a neurotic nutjob - but I can appreciate her mature nature right now.  

She goes on a date with Paul the Wine Guy - and again, it shows just how boring these guys’ lives are that they’re standing around her apartment with nothing better to do than to cheer her on about her date.  Is this what people in ther 20s did in the early 90s? I was much too young to know.  Anyway - Paul the Wine Guy is an asshate who uses lines to get Monica into bed.  The network thought this would make Monica sleezy.  I’m so glad times have changed enough that we can look back and be glad we can see that it’s really Paul the Wine Guy who’s sleezy, and that there are faster ways to figure out if a guy is a creep or not.  

Phoebe - Phoebe has absolutely nothing to do in the pilot other than be there and be weird.  I much appreciate it - because this show would be utterly boring and devoid of any quirky elements if she wasn’t there.  Also - Lisa Kudrow sells the comedy while most of the rest of them (minus Matthew Perry) seem to be just reading the script. 

Joey - I have no idea what Matt LeBlanc is trying to do here.  Is he doing a NYC Italian accent?  Is he trying out for a part? He’s kind of the most cringy during the Pilot but at least that’ll go away quickly.  

I don’t have a whole lot to say about Joey, he and Chandler are like two halves of the same character at the beginning, both with little development.  But - funny enough, maybe it’s age, I found myself agreeing with Joey during the whole dishing out life advice thing to Ross -- there’s no such thing as soul mates or destiny, get out there and live life :P 

Chandler - Like Phoebe he doesn’t have much to do other than make quips.  Granted - he did have some of the best, genuinely funny lines of the episode.  Matthew Perry’s comedic chops as well - and it’s a shame there is much Phoebe and Chandler stuff on the show.  

Anyway, the writers originally toyed with making Chandler gay, which I find a shame, I think that would have worked so well.  And added some diversity to this really, really non-diverse cast.  I completely understand why this makes lists of ‘Things Straight, White, and Loosely Christian People Like’.  25 years later, it’s incredibly glaring.  Even Saved by the Bell, which was ending its run at the time, managed to be more diverse. 

Ross - I’m curious as to when Ross becomes that one Friend whom everyone hates.  He’s recently divorced (from a woman who figured out she was a lesbian) and being really mopey about it (which, you know, is understandable).  I don’t particularly like or dislike Ross at the moment.  

I will say the whole Ross and Rachel thing is telegraphed from a mile here, and it’s weird that they’re going to drag this romance out for an entire season and a half when he literally asks her out at the end of the episode, and she says yes.  Why, why, why is this going to be dragged out so much.  (I know the reason - sweeps week - but still.)  

Is the episode entertaining? Eh.  It still has a lot of the trappings of an 80s sitcom - the annoying laugh track, the forced jokes, the surface level stories - only it’s new and hip because 20-somethings had never had a show to themselves without an older mentor around.  At the same time, there isn’t anything that remarkable about any of these 20-somethings, which may or may not have been the point.  I suppose we’ll see.  

The One With the Sonogram (of Ross’s baby that he’s having with this lesbian ex-wife) at the End

This episode is merely a continuation of all the threads set up in the pilot.  You can tell Chandler, Joey, and Phoebe aren’t developed yet, as they really don’t do anything other than crack one-liners at opportune times.  I shouldn’t complain that these characters just don’t feel like they’re getting enough time together as a group (because obviously, there are a ton more episodes to go where they are) but I feel like they’re spending too much time in individual plot lines that aren’t that interesting. 

Plot A) Ross finds out that his ex-wife (who’s a lesbian) is having his baby (because apparently they did it one more time after she left him? Idk), and he’s not doing so well with that.  Idk - I don’t hate this plot line.  For being the early 90s, the show is treating being gay with much more respect than pretty much everything before that (even if the idea of lesbians is treated as a joke rather than a serious thing people are).  At least the gay stuff isn’t villainized.  

Plot B) Rachel gives back the ring to her ex-fiance, whom she finds out was fooling around with her maid of honor.  This is the first time we meet Barry, and everything about him screams douchebag.  There’s nothing remotely interesting here, and it almost feels obligatory for Rachel’s story.  Also - I find it ridiculous that he and Rachel would be having private conversations with a (child) patient there.  

Plot C) We meet Monica and Ross’s controlling and judgmental parents who prefer Ross to Monica.  While Elliot Gould and Christina Pickles are both fantastic actors - I cannot with the amount of judgy-ness that spews forth, and really can’t wait for them to be the quirkier people they eventually become.  

Oh- and I forgot, this show decided for the beginning of season 1 to have these philosophical discussions about the differences between men and women, and I feel like this episode is supposed to loosely tie into that and I kind of roll my eyes and am like -- just be the situational comedy that you’re meant to be.  

Is this episode any good? Eh, not really.  There are some funnier moments in an otherwise bland and obligatory story.  

The One With the Thumb (in a can that Phoebe almost drinks)

This episode is so boring that it’s almost tedious to get through all 22 minutes of it.  Here we go! 

Plot A) Monica dates a guy named Alan that everyone likes but she doesn’t and she finds it hard to break up with him.  

I get what the writers were going with here - that she’d have to tell her friends that they need to ‘break up’ with Alan, despite them all really liking him.  Idk - I don’t think the whole schtick is that funny, and feels pointless when we barely get to meet Alan himself.  

I do have to note that Monica talks with one of her coworkers - who is the first PoC on the show, a black woman.  But we’re never going to see her again, so...? 

Plot B) Chandler starts smoking again - and we get a PSA plot line about the dangers of smoking.  Friends is rarely going to be a preachy show, and it’s super weird when it is.  It’s especially weird that it’s centered around smoking because -- who cares? 

Plot C) Phoebe accidentally has good things happen to her.  It’s almost like a running joke more than a plot line that ends with her ending up with a thumb in a can that nets her $7000.  It’s... just a really dumb sitcom plot line.  But, hey, we learn that Phoebe hangs out with homeless people.  And, the episode gets a point for tying all three plot lines together at the end.  

So... I’ll probably do these three or four at a time.  And the first three?  Eh, not great.  It’s fascinating that this show became such a hit right off the bat - because there’s not anything uniquely interesting about any of these characters yet.  And the plot lines are all so generic and/or dumb that there’s little to latch on to.  

We’ll see how this goes.  

[recentanimenews]

THE GREAT CRUNCHYROLL NARUTO REWATCH Sees An Old Enemy Return in Episodes 141-147!

With another week comes another batch of episodes in THE GREAT CRUNCHYROLL NARUTO REWATCH. I'm David Lynn and I'm here to guide you through the rougher waters as we truly begin our deep dive into the seas of filler in the back half of original Naruto.

  This time around we're finishing off our journey through the Land of Rice Paddies to see how Naruto and Sakura help out the desparate Fuuma clan. Right after that we transition into a full arc, including a return of the show's very first villain, Mizuki! Orochimaru is always up to no good, but did his antics entertain this time around? Let's find out!

The end of the Land of the Rice Paddies arc comes with a number of twists and turns. Did that story do anything for you as it wrapped up here? Joseph: This ended up being an decent little side story. I enjoyed seeing more moments where Sakura finds the need to shine, and this combined with later episodes in this set start to flesh out her abilities and potential a bit more. With that said, I find myself already forgetting about the conclusion of this saga and its beefed-up villain thanks to the one that immediately followed and also ended with a beefed-up villain! Kevin: The final fight was much more captivating that I thought it was going to be. Instead of just a monster of the week fight it showed off some of the great choreography that the franchise is known for, and the final scene with the Fuma siblings made basically no logical sense, but was beautifully shot. Paul: Overall, I thought the Land of Rice Paddies arc was more competent than the Land of Tea arc as far as filler story-lines go, but it didn't leave much of an impression on me aside from a few body horror moments. My biggest issue is that the writers didn't leave Naruto and company any decent clues to follow, so even though tracking down and rescuing Sasuke is still a driving goal, it feels like they're just spinning their wheels. Danni: Not really. Nothing in this arc was at all very compelling. We never learned much of anything about the Fuma clan, it was still all up to Naruto to save the day, and the final villain was incredibly underwhelming. There was potential in having the final battle be against the fused corpses of Arashi and his captives, but it was all undercut by giving him a cartoonishly evil personality for no reason. Hopefully Sakura’s training under Tsunade will pay off in future arcs. Noelle: It wasn’t bad, but it still doesn’t stand up to the canonical content. In terms of filler though, it’s pretty okay. I liked that they tried to pad some of the routes that Kishimoto ignores, such as Sakura’s further development. If a filler tries to add stuff, I can’t complain too much. Jared: It was acceptable. Not great, but not bad. We get Sakura something to do finally which will hopefully be good and it at least adds to Orochimaru being a jerk, but at the same time, is the Fuma clan going to be remembered at all? Probably not, but that’s to be expected. Carolyn: I’m also of the camp that this arc was pretty boring and not very compelling. I am also hoping for Sakura to get a truly meaningful arc but everything she gets to do is just centered around Sasuke. Sakura deserves better!

  The interim between the two arcs this week came with some relatively peaceful times, showing us what the characters do when there isn’t a crisis to solve or tournament to compete in. That part of episode 142 is also adapting the final chapter of the manga before it transitioned into the “Shippuden” storyline. Did you like that small break, and would you like the show to expand upon that part of their lives more often? Joseph: More valleys of calm would certainly be welcome in Naruto. At one point Tsunade said she feels like everything was just starting to cool down right when another situation popped up, essentially describing the pacing of a long-running series to the audience. I’d like to see more if only to connect to some of the side characters and see what Choji’s eating at any given moment. Kevin: Honestly, I would’ve been completely fine taking several episodes just to expand on what the characters do on a regular basis. If we’re going to have entire seasons of filler, then why not have a Lee episode, an Ino episode and so on, just showcasing what their normal day is like? Paul: While I enjoy getting a broader view of what daily life is like both inside and outside the Ninja Villages, the manner in which this material is presented can be a bit confusing. For example, although I knew that ninja society has police forces (such as the Anbu Black Ops), I'd never really thought about there being a ninja maximum security prison, and now I'm wondering about how different Villages deal with crime, punishment, and rehabilitation. Danni: My favorite part of shonen anime is whenever we get to see how these crazy powerful fighters function in their daily lives. Dragon Ball Super and Diamond is Unbreakable are two of my favorite examples of this. So, yeah, I appreciated it, and if I had it my way we’d get a full arc dedicated to Guy and Kakashi furniture shopping at IKEA. Noelle: I’m all for characters in their daily lives. While I certainly live for the plot, knowing that these characters have things to do in the day to day that doesn’t solely revolve around magical combat fleshes them out. It’s a lot more relatable connecting to characters that have mundane stuff to do too. Jared: I love when we get breaks like this and the show turns into a slice of life for a tiny bit. Especially since there will be all of this filler to go through, why not do more episodes like that. Although, I’m bummed we didn’t get to see Gaara attempting to teach the youngins at the school as that would have probably been good. Carolyn: I guess it didn’t feel like much of a valley to me. I felt like they were stretching out the few fights and confrontations they did have over multiple episodes when we probably could have wrapped them up much faster.

  Other filler arcs have had loose connections to the main story, but this one brings back the original villain from episode 1, Mizuki. On top of that, he gets a ton of development and backstory alongside Iruka. Do you find Mizuki or Iruka more interesting after watching this? Joseph: It was cool to see a character come back from the beginning, even if he was yet another who has been manipulated completely by Orochimaru and the promise of power. I appreciate the connections to the main story, but if we’re going to be venturing into non-stop filler I also kind of hope we run into some villains with their own unique motivations. With that said, I dug learning more about Iruka, one of the series’ great characters who isn’t on screen enough. Kevin: I liked most of Iruka’s development, since we get to see him work alongside Naruto and thus see just how far Naruto has come. Mizuki is much more developed now, but I didn’t particularly care for his development. I’m okay with bringing back the first villain of the show, but why not just make it a revenge quest or something of the like? They wasn’t any particular need to bring Orochimaru into the mix, outside of forcing a connection to Naruto trying to find Sasuke. Paul: All I can say is that Mizuki is a complete jabroni. In pro-wrestling terms, he doesn't even merit “jobber” status. It's also hard to take Mizuki seriously when his back story-paints his as a complete psychopath who murders his comrades when they become a minor inconvenience, but he receives a stiffer penalty for stealing a forbidden scroll. Also, his ultimate technique is wearing a karate gi with the sleeves torn off and using an experimental drug to express his tiger fursona. Danni: Can I say neither? Iruka didn’t do much, and we didn’t learn anything new about him. Mizuki, though...Someone at Pierrot really loves Mizuki. All of a sudden he’s super ripped and powerful and has a cool dude jean jacket with the sleeves torn off. I appreciate them trying to flesh out a backstory for a throwaway character, but I don’t think it could’ve gone much more poorly. Noelle: I think I appreciated more the attempt than the final product. Considering how large the cast is and how many throwaway characters there are, utilizing existing characters instead of creating some from scratch gives the writers more to work with. I don’t think it necessarily worked here, but it wasn’t a bad choice. Jared: I don’t think it really benefited either of them to be honest. Mizuki’s backstory just made him seem like a joke and yet we’re supposed to take him seriously as this big threat to everyone. I totally get why you’d bring in a minor character like this to utilize in the filler, but it didn’t really do much for me. Carolyn: I’m kind of over the whole villain was manipulated and isn’t that bad thing. We can have real villains. It’s OK.

  Connected to the previous question, would you rather there be more attempts at filler using characters we know, or do you prefer the ones that introduce us to whole new lands and people? Joseph: Balance is important. I like having characters we know branching out to other areas and taking the time to introduce more ways of ninja life in the land. On the spectrum of filler we’ve been presented with so far, though, I much prefer what’s been handed to us in these eps than the dull Land of Tea race arc. For a specific example: There was one moment in which Tsunade’s people casually enter her office to tell her they’ve captured all the inmates but three. I would have liked to have seen some of that go down! Kevin: Both options serve different purposes, so ideally I would want both. Maybe a filler arc where a different squad of people we already know about goes to a new land, but with Naruto or Sakura included so that we still have a connection to the main cast? That way we would get more worldbuilding while also learning more about minor characters through more in-depth interactions. Paul: It all depends on how the characters are written. Fujin and Raijin are completely new characters here, but for me they stole the show, because they're basically One Piece characters transplanted into the Naruto universe. As long as the filler arcs focus on characters who are interesting or unique in some way, and as long as the stories are decently well-written, I don't think it matters whether the characters are new or not. Danni: Like others have said, you need a good mix. It’s cool when they take inconsequential characters and try to give them some real material, but if you stick too close to the main story you run the risk of contradicting something the original creator had planned for later. Extended filler can really only take place as side stories, which is why people are so often disinterested in them. Noelle: Mildly addressed this in my previous answer, but I think both is the best mix. The only issue is, that if the writers make a character completely from scratch, they have to put the work into them too. Having a completely new face means that the audience needs to find some way to get attached to them, to want to see what happens to them. As far as that’s gone, it’s been a mixed bag, but anything can be pulled off with the right team and effort behind it. Jared: It’s best to have a mix since if you just keep going with established characters, you’re probably going to either run out of characters or just give them convoluted backstories. As long as you can make good and meaningful stories for either characters we know or ones we don’t, that’s the route they should take. Carolyn: I think a mix of both works. But don’t introduce us to new lands if they are going to disappear forever and not actually mean anything. Also, the closer we get to the end of the series the less I’m going to want to see new people. Don’t show me someone I won’t have time to get to know. When the series wraps up, go back to basics.

  Mizuki makes a surprising “evolution” of sorts here, thanks once again to Orochimaru’s blatant disregard for safety and ethics when it comes to scientific progress. If you were in charge, what would be the next wacky thing Orochimaru’s antics force Naruto and friends to contend against? Joseph: Mizuki’s evolution made me want them to dive even deeper into the mad scientists of the ninja landscape. Give me The Island of Dr. Ninpo or something. I’d be even happier if it didn’t feel the need to be directly connected to Orochimaru, though. It could even focus on a villainous rival of sorts. Kevin: Let’s see: a mad scientist who wants to generally find ways to gain more power while also mastering every Jutsu in existance and doesn’t care about the mortality rate of anything, so nothing boring like “make the Curse Mark not kill people.” I’d probably look into how to implant Kekkei Genkai like the Sharingan and Haru’s Ice Mirrors without needing to reincarnate into a new body every three years. So in terms of something for Naruto and friends to face: a shinobi with significantly weaker variations of basically every Kekkei Genkai we’ve seen in the show thus far. Paul: I'd try to invoke some sort of moral dilemma where Orochimaru's twisted machinations accidentally result in something positive happening. i.e. Maybe Naruto and the gang come across a small village where Orochimaru experimented on the inhabitants in an attempt to develop deadly new combat Jutsu, but his efforts failed in a way that inadvertently made the villagers happier and healthier. Orochimaru would have departed in disgust, but – unaware of his true character – the villagers presently idolize him as a hero and a savior. Naruto would have to decide whether or not to tell them the truth. I think that would be an interesting conflict. Danni: I already proposed an arc wherein Guy and Kakashi shop at IKEA together, so let’s say all their furniture had been destroyed before in Orochimaru’s attack and now they’re in the market for snake-proof end-tables. Guy does a cool roundhouse kick to Kakashi’s new table and breaks it, revealing a secret compartment full of food pills that rival the curse mark’s power. Turns out Orochimaru has been using furniture to smuggle these pills through villages. They don’t find Orochimaru in the end, but they do get a sweet new couch for their bachelor pad. Noelle: This is a mix, but I want to see just what makes Orochimaru such a draw to so many people. There has to be more than he’s offering to people than just power, and maybe the science experiments have to do something with that. So many people have joined his side, but what exactly is the pull here? What makes him so appealing? What is he promising people (beyond power, which gets dull after a while) that makes people so loyal? I want to see that. Jared: I’d probably go with something with lower stakes, but also goofy. Have some of Orochimaru’s goons sabotage some local event, maybe a festival or a sport of some sort. Naruto and the gang have to make things better, but at the same time, it’s not something that’s super dangerous or incredibly life threatening since we know that won’t affect any of the main characters. Carolyn: I do also like the idea of Orochimaru’s manipulations accidentally causing something good to happen. But then also maybe just someone who is a straight baddie? Like Orochimaru tries to offer them a deal and they’re like, “Nah, I’m just in it for the evil.”

  And as usual, what were your highs and lows? Joseph: My main high was Formation Ino-Shika-Cho! They seem like way more of a cohesive unit than Team 7. I love how their abilities complement one another and work together strategically. Also, it’s worth noting that episode 146 is artistically moody as hell. Low: Naruto stepping in to get his back stabbed in place of another happens twice in just these 7 episodes. I wish they would have skipped the first one to give the ultimate callback of the second one more weight. Kevin: High - Iruka and Naruto fighting alongside one another, showing that despite all of the powerful forces trying to kill Naruto and the people around him, he’s still quickly becoming strong enough to stand on his own. Low - Orochimaru being a part of Mizuki’s backstory. Bringing back an old enemy is perfectly fine, potentially even interesting since it’s a great way to measure how much Naruto has changed in the past 150 episodes. Making him a part of Orochimaru’s overarching narrative just doesn’t work for me at all. His entire original motivation was stealing a scroll and leaving the village. Sure, the new information doesn’t change that, but it overcomplicates it in a way that’s never going to be followed up on due to this being a filler arc. Paul: My high point was Kakashi summoning Pakkun into Iruka's hand. “May I offer you a tiny talking dog in this trying time?” Fujin and Raijin were a close runner up; I love those kinds of characters. My low point is how aimless overall the series has become in terms of pursuing the goal of finding Sasuke. I want to believe that Naruto really wants to rescue his friend, but it's hard to suspend my disbelief when he spends so much time goofing around on these low-level missions. Danni: The high point for me this week was easily the direction in episode 146. Seriously, I need the name of whoever storyboarded that episode. It was some of the best Naruto has ever looked. The low point for me is the fact we had two terribly written cartoonishly evil villains in a row. A good villain doesn’t have to maniacally laugh and yell about how evil they are! Just look at Orochimaru! Sure, he isn’t amazingly written, but he doesn’t have to prove to you how evil he totally is! He just walks up like “sup?” and you think “Oh geez this guy’s bad news, huh.” Noelle: High point, all that 146 has to offer artistically. It’s lovely to watch. Low point, looks like the fillers are shaping up to be ‘everything is Orochimaru’s fault’ and that’s not such a good sign.

    COUNTERS: Ramen: 2 bowls Hokage: 0 Clones: 46 + 1 uncountable scene

Total so far: Ramen: 47 bowls, 3 cups Hokage: 52 Clones: 503

  And that wraps up this week. It's more fun to be invovled, so you're always invited to join in on our rewatch journey by checking out Naruto today!

  CATCH UP ON THE REWATCH!

Episodes 134-140: The Climactic Clash

Episodes 127-133: Naruto vs Sasuke

Episodes 120-126: The Sand Siblings Return

Episodes 113-119: Operation Rescue Sasuke

Episodes 106-112: Sasuke Goes Rogue

Episodes 99-105: Trouble in the Land of Tea

Episodes 92-98: Clash of the Sannin

Episodes 85-91: A Life-Changing Decision

Episodes 78-84: The Fall of a Legend

Episodes 71-77: Sands of Sorrow

Episodes 64-70: Crashing the Chunin Exam

Episodes 57-63: Family Feud

Episodes 50-56: Rock Lee Rally

Episodes 43-49: The Gate

Episodes 36-42: Through the Woods

Episodes 29-35: Sakura Unleashed

Episodes 22-28: Chunin Exams Kickoff

Episodes 15-21: Leaving the Land of Waves

Episodes 8-14: Beginners' Battle

Episodes 1-7: I'm Gonna Be the Hokage!

  Here's our upcoming schedule: - On June 14th, PAUL CHAPMAN will continue on with our filler journey. - On June 21st, KEVIN MATYI will push onward into what the fillers have to offer. - On June 28th, JOSEPH LUSTER brings us to the Land of Birds!

  Thank you for joining us for the Great Crunchyroll Naruto Rewatch! See you next time! 

  Have any inquiries or thoughts on Episodes 141-147? Let us know in the comments!

---

David is always on Twitter @navycherub where he watches too much anime and plays too many mobile games.

Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com

[ellariasand]

11 Questions

I was tagged by the lovely @captain-k-jones - thanks so much!

Rule 1: Post the rules. Rule 2: Answer the questions the person who tagged you asked, and write 11 new ones. Rule 3: Tag 11 people.

Your Questions

1. What is your favorite season and why?

Spring. I love that it’s starting to get warm and you can actually enjoy being outside, but it’s not quite so warm that it’s stifling and that I can’t wear all the cute jackets and longer pants that I own. 

2. What was the show that got you into Tumblr/fandom?

I was a wee youngin’ when I joined Tumblr (I think I was 14?), but I’m pretty sure it was The Avengers, in that peak 2012 “they all live in Stark Tower” era. I got sucked very quickly into Superwholock (RIP) after that, so it’s kind of a blur, but I distinctly remember that being the first film franchise I ever really attached myself to. 

3. What are you reading currently (fanfic or book)?

Currently in the middle of Midnight Riot, the first book in Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London series! Saw it two years ago in a shop in Galway and finally got around to reading it — reminds me a lot of Good Omens, if you like that sort of thing. 

4. If you could live anywhere, where would you chose and why?

It’s a toss-up between London, York, and Galway. I absolutely fell in love with the UK and Ireland about two years ago, and after living in London for a semester I would love to go back. I love London because it’s a city that satisfies my itch for adventure and stimulus, and I love York and Galway because they look like something out of a storybook — so picturesque and old, and filled with so many stories that I could never possibly learn them all. 

5. Favorite subject in school?

Anything to do with books. I minored in English literature in college, and dissecting stories and discussing them is one of my favorite things to do. Words have always been and will always be my preferred medium, and I love getting the opportunity to tease meaning out of those that others have put on the page, particularly female authors.

6. Dogs or cats?

Cats! They match my vibe a lot better than dogs do, and I have an extreme soft spot for my cat Neo (not named after the Keanu Reeves character, in case you were wondering), who claimed me as her person and now yells at me on a regular basis to pay attention to her. 

7. Last song you listened to?

“Save a Prayer” by Duran Duran!

8. Other than Tumblr and fandom, what are your hobbies?

I’m a writer, of both nonfiction and fiction (as is obvious from the fanfiction I’ve posted here), and I also collect vinyl records and spend quite a bit of time cross-stitching. I also have a vested interest in feminism and music history, and I spend a lot of my time consuming media that has something to do with one of those two subjects. 

9. If you were going to listen to a fandom podcast, what would you want them to talk about?

I’m a part of very few real fandoms anymore (mostly The Punisher and Doctor Who, at the moment), but I would like to see a podcast that dives into the specific meta of a particular piece of art and really dissects it, like the way I discussed dissecting literature above. I think I’m beyond the point of enjoying it when people talk about surface level stuff on podcasts, like ships or plot points or stuff that you can see discussed primarily on Tumblr, where surface level stuff reigns because that’s what this platform is built for. (To clarify: surface level stuff is great, but when you’re trying to fill an hour of content, that stuff gets boring really fast.) Talk to me about parallels, about recurring visual symbolism in The Mandalorian or what it means that a large percentage of the Doctor’s companions are all working class women with a chip on their shoulder. I want to go deep. 

Either that, or start a podcast specifically dedicated to watching movie starring famous musicians and rating them. That’s an idea I’d love to have a co-host for. 

10. Who would win: Hulk or Superman?

Superman, if only because Clark’s a good human being and would probably try to talk Bruce down instead of fighting. 

11. Name one show you enjoy that is underrated.

Well, ya girl just finished Ashes to Ashes and I am smarting over how emotional I am over Gene goddamn Hunt, so I’m gonna go ahead and say that one.

My Questions

1.  What’s your favorite random fact that you know? Can be any subject you want, just teach me something new! 2.  If you could sit down and have lunch with one fictional character, who would it be and what would you want to talk about? 3.  Above question continued: same scenario, but with one real-life figure, living or dead. Who’d it be? 4.  What’s your comfort piece of media? Can be a song, a movie, a show - something that brings you peace and/or that you go back to often. 5.  Favorite trope (either in fanfic or in actual writing/film)? 6.  Do you collect anything? If so, tell me about it! 7.  What’s one thing you love that people wouldn’t expect you to love? 8.  What’s something you’d love to do but seems kind of ridiculous/out of your realm of possibility at the moment? 9.  If you could go on a dream vacation - all expenses paid, wherever you want  - where would you go? 10. What’s your favorite/preferred streaming service? 11.  Villains or heroes?

I’m gonna go ahead and tag @consultingsnowqueen and @shesakillerdragqueen, but anyone who wants to answer these is welcome to!

[witcherislovewitcherislife]

For the prompt thing; It's 3 characters, but Geralt introducing little Ciri to his friend Dandelion for the first time. Maybe on their way to Kaer Morhen?

Ooh thanks for this prompt! We need more of little Ciri. :)

Okay just like the last prompt I did, I ended up going in pretty deep on this one but I am very happy with the result. I’m gonna cross post it on AO3. It takes a while to get to the Dandelion parts but hopefully the first part is interesting enough to push everyone forward to the fluffiness that comes later on. Also, Ciri is a super adorable and very shy little girl here, she doesn’t become super brave until she is with the Witchers and Geralt is just trying to be the best dad ever. I would love to here what you guys think about it! I hope you all enjoy, thanks for the prompt and thanks everyone for reading! :)

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

He had finally found the little girl. The little girl that he feared and believed was dead until he heard “Geralt” screamed from afar. He had never been happier in his life. That being said, he had no clue what to do or how to raise a child. So he would take her to the place he called home. To Kaer Morhen. It was his only hope at this point.

Kaer Morhen was a ways off. A long ways. They would face many dangers but nothing would ever happen to the girl. He would not allow it. Occasionally a bandit or two would attack and Geralt would make quick work of them. He then had to go on damage control, assuring little Ciri that she had nothing to fear from him.

When night came, they made camp on the side of the road, Geralt would pick some apples and give them to the girl. He swore she loved apples as much as Yen loved apple juice. If they could not find enough food then Geralt would go hungry. He had the chance to hunt some rabbits but Ciri begged him not to. They were to cute to eat, she insisted. As long as Ciri was fed then he was happy. Every night, Ciri would snuggle up to Geralt and she would fall asleep in his arms, feeling happy and safe that she now has someone to call family.

Eventually, they traveled to Redania, but instead of continuing North, they took a detour east to Oxenfurt to meet a bard. In case anything should happen to either Geralt or Ciri, this story needed to be told to his friend. The bard was surely able to provide them some food and shelter as well. Geralt had no coin left and food was only available if they were able to find it. Geralt couldn’t take contracts either for he refused to leave Ciri under supervision of some villagers while he went out and fought monsters.

The Witcher had always found Oxenfurt quite pleasant. It was a fairly large city with a population made up of mostly young people and many students. Geralt had found that with high education came high intelligence and thus the students tended to not have a problem with Witchers. They didn’t fear them or think that they were gonna steal the youngins’. They knew better than that. The city guardsman on the other hand, were a whole different story. Those that couldn’t be bothered to use their brain or learn and instead only cared about muscle usually became guards. Many were intelligent but many weren’t. And the ones that weren’t were a lot stupider than the intelligent ones were smart. And stupid guards lead to stupid problems, especially for Witchers. Especially for a Witcher with a young child.

Geralt and Ciri approached the main gate of Oxenfurt, called the “Novigrad Gate.” Beautiful craftsmanship likely built by dwarves years prior. However what stood on the bridge was far less beautiful than the city walls, gateways, and bridges were. Fat, smelly, guardsman that looked at the Witcher with disgust. Geralt got off of Roach and helped Ciri down as he glanced back over at the guards.

“Go take Roach to the stables over there Ciri, they should let you stall her there.”

“Won’t I need coin?”

“Ciri, you’re adorable, use your cuteness.”

“Ah, that’s what I wanted to here, Geralt.” Ciri said confidently. She was a smart-ass even at her young age.

Geralt didn’t need to stall Roach in a stable outside of the city. He knew that there were stables inside the city and that horses were allowed inside the walls but he just didn’t want Ciri around in case things got ugly with the guards.

He approached the guards and while about fifteen feet away they began to speak to him.

“Ay, where did you get the girl from you mutant?” Just as Geralt thought, the fat and stupid guards far outnumbered the ones that just wanted to protect and serve the citizens. If only Yen was here, anyone that called him mutant when she was around was sure to get a lightning bolt to the chest.

Geralt let out a dee sigh and spoke, “She’s my daughter.” He didn’t have the time or the want to explain the story so he simply went with “daughter.”

“Everyone knows that Witchmen can’t have children.” one said. “I bet he put a hex on her.” shouted another.

“Good thing I’m a Witcher not a Witchman.” Geralt retorted. Sarcasm was always one of his strong suits.

“Ay the freak thinks kidnapping is some sort of joke. Kill the freak!” Geralt let out another deep sigh, why do they always have to try.

He made quick work of them. Geralt made the hand sign for Aard and thrusted his arm in their direction causing a heavy blast of wind and force to push the guards off the bridge into the river below. From this height and with the river being shallow, the fall was sure to kill them. The blast missed one of the guards and Geralt had to quickly dodge to the right causing the guard to swing and miss falling to the ground. Geralt used this opportunity to unsheathe his steel sword and lunged the blade through the top of the guards back. Three less pieces of filth in the world as far as Geralt was concerned. Hopefully they did not have families, Geralt thought to himself, but the thought quickly left his mind. No way anyone could stand to be around idiots like that. He picked up the last guards body and tossed it over the bridge railing, joining it with the bodies of the other two. Geralt decided he would return there later when he got the chance to burn the bodies. Not because he was afraid of the consequences but because the water should not be soiled with that kind of filth.

Luckily Ciri was still in the stables when he was finished with the guards. He did not want her to witness that. He could see her little head from afar, standing with Roach and talking to a young man. The Witcher headed towards the stable to return to his newly adopted child. The man saw Geralt coming and spoke. “Ay, I know you, you’re none other that the White Wolf himself, the Witcher Geralt of Rivia.

“Hehe you’re famous Geralt! I know a famous person!” Ciri giggled and exclaimed happily.”

“Uh-huh. And where do you happen to know me from?”

“There’s a man in town. Can’t stop telling tales of your heroic acts. Said he saved you quite a fair number of times as well if I remember correctly. I thought a man like yourself would have no problem saving himself but no matter.”

Geralt ignored the last part. Now there was no question in the man’s identity. Dandelion. “And where might I find this man?”

“Twas stayin’ at the Oxenfurt Inn when I saw him last. You wanna find him, try there.”

“Will do, thanks. Can my horse stay here?”

“Yes master. The little one and I already agreed that the horse can stay.”

“Thank you. We’ll be on our way then.”

“See you around, Witcher.”

Ciri and Geralt then headed back over the bridge and into town. Ciri grabbed onto and held his hand as they walked. This gave the Witcher one of the biggest smiles of his lifetime. If only he had Yennefer, his life would be perfect. One day, perhaps.

It had been some time since Geralt had been in the city. He viewed a signpost and a roadmap and quickly determined where the inn was. Ciri and him headed towards it, still holding hands. Some gave them strange looks as well as some whispered gossip that couldn’t be decipered even with his enhanced hearing. He didn’t blame them, not everyday that you saw a Witcher and extremely rarely would they be with a child.

The pair reached The Alchemy Inn as the sun was setting. It look them a while to make their way through the city crowd and the many buildings. Ciri was appearing to become tired as she was now resting her head against the arm of Geralt as they walked.

They walked through the door and before they could even look around a man shouted and approached them. “Geralt, my friend!” A few bar patrons looked their way but they had drinks and food and that meant that they had better things to worry about.

“Dandelion. I’ve never been happier to see you.”

“I was thinking the same thing, my friend. But who is this little one?” Dandelion kneeled down and stuck out his hand towards the child.

Ciri looked up at Geralt and he nodded, giving her confirmation that this man was friend not foe and was to be trusted. She then took his hand and shook it. His grasp was gentle and caring. It was comforting.

“I’m Ciri.” She said in the adorable voice with her Cintrian accent.

“Nice to meet you, little one.” Normally Ciri would retort that she was not in fact a little one but a whole NINE years old now. Barely. But now she was simply too tired and was speaking to a man whom she did not know.

“Uhh, I’ll explain later.” Geralt chimed back in at this point.

“Come sit, my friend. You look right famished.” Dandelion turned around and led the two through the large room over to his table in the corner. Geralt always preferred the corner tables anyways. Gives him a back rest.

“Order some food, Geralt. You two need it.”

“Uh, I’m a little low on coin.” Geralt replied, partly embarrassed.

“No matter at all. I’ve made a small fortune lately. My poem book is being mass published. Merchants are selling it from Novigrad to the Skellige Isles.”

“Glad to hear that. Congrats, Dandelion.”

“Couldn’t have done it without you. Traveling with you inspired many a poem and many a tale. I’m working on a book full of our adventures at the moment.”“Uh-huh. And let me guess, you save me in more than a few of these.”

“Well no one said that the stories had to be all truthful.” Dandelion replied sheepishly.

Geralt glanced over a nice menu printed on fine paper with exquisite designs on it. When a worker for the inn came over, the Witcher ordered a chicken roast, with some apples and bread and milk. It had been a long while since he had a full meal and he was about to feast. “What do you want, Ciri?” “Apples.” She replied in her typical sweet and quiet voice. Geralt let out a small sigh and a chuckle. “We’ll split the chicken roast.” The waitress smiled at the shyness of small Ciri. What an adorable little girl, she thought to herself as she walked away.

Geralt and Dandelion chatted and played a friendly game of dice poker as they waited for the food. Ciri sat quietly observing the game, trying to understand what was going on but didn’t say anything. She instead just rested her head on Geralt’s shoulder. They had been traveling since early morning and now nightfall had came. There food arrived and Ciri quickly chirped up becoming excited that she would be able to get a full belly. Geralt cut off pieces of the chicken and put them on a plate for her. He also pushed the bowl of apples that the waitress gave them over to her. He doubted he would get many and that was completely okay. As long as she was happy. They ate in silence, Geralt only speaking to check if Ciri needed anything. Dandelion was quiet as well surprisingly, not wanting to disturb his friend or Ciri. Instead he worked on a new ballad. One of a child and a Witcher eating dinner. Not all ballads have to be epic tales after all.

Dandelion had to admit to himself. He was fascinated with the child. A fascination that he had not had in a long time. Who was she? Why was she with his best friend? And why did Geralt seem to care so much for her? Hopefully his questions would be answered soon but now was not the time to ask. Not when she was here at least.

They finished there meal after some time. They had eaten all the chicken, the remaining bread and apples, Dandelion took and put in his pouch to give to the Witcher later. The waitress came back to the table and Dandelion paid her for the meal, giving her a generous tip. Partially because of her kindness and good service and partially for her attractiveness.

“Excuse me, Witcher. Will you be needing a room for the night?” Geralt glanced over at Dandelion and he nodded reassuring the Witcher that he would pay for all expenses.

“Yes please. How much will it be?” The Witcher responded.

“No charge.”

“Beg your pardon?”

“No charge, Master Witcher. You see Mary over there?” She said pointing to an elf women and Geralt nodded his head.

“She saw you deal with those guards earlier. They had been harassing many a non-human. It is good to be rid of them. We appreciate it. The room is on the house tonight.”

“Oh, I, uh, you’re welcome. Thanks for the room.” The waitress nodded and gave a faint smile then proceeded the hand over the Witcher the key to his room for the night. “Third floor, Room 13.” She said and walked away, taking their used dishware with her.

“What happened with the guards, friend?” Dandelion inquisited.

“The usual.”

“Figures. People are different depending on where you are but scum remain the same no matter the location.”

“At least they’re consistent.”

“Geralt, can we go to bed?” Ciri asked.

Geralt nodded and stood up. Taking Ciri by the hand.

“I’ll be here a while longer if you need a drink, Geralt. Otherwise we’ll talk in the morning. I’m staying in Room 7.”

Geralt and Ciri walked through the large room through a doorway and down a short corridor leading to a staircase that led up the the higher floors of the inn. For many patrons, the night was just beginning. A group of musicians played on a small stage in the corner of the larger room and students filled the establishment, looking to get drinks and meet new friends and possible partners.

The Witcher hoped that the noise wouldn’t be too much for Ciri. He needed her to get her rest for the would likely be setting off sooner rather than later. Their room was surprising nice. Geralt figured that they innkeep must’ve given them one of the nicest rooms. There were two large beds, a vanity as well as a bathtub already filled with water and multiple dressers and cabinets and a stool to light the chandelier. Candles and a chandelier lit the room but it was still a bit dark. He set the pouch of food that Dandelion gave him on the dresser located near one of the beds. Ciri took off her small bag and set it on the other dresser. She pulled out a small teddy bear made of plush and wool and climbed into the bed. Geralt didn’t know that she had that, it must’ve been given to her by the family that took her in, he thought.

“Im going to go talk to Dandelion.” The Witcher said, interrupting the silence.

“B-but.” He could tell that Ciri was upset to be left alone.

“It’ll be okay, Ciri. I’ll just be downstairs.” He realized that this was the first time he was leaving her alone since they had reunited.

“But you’re coming back, right?”

“Of course, Ciri. Always. I can stay until you fall asleep if you want.” Ciri nodded as Geralt tucked her tightly into bed. He sat on the bed opposite and watched as she drifted off into slumber. She fell asleep quickly, having nothing to fear. She knew that Geralt would keep her safe.

“Sleep tight, little one.”

Geralt locked the door behind him and came back down to the bar area of the establishment. He noticed Dandelion was surrounded by patrons. Unfortunately they didn’t seem to be the friendly type. Many people were watching on as the bard struggled to explain himself.

“You think you can just sleep with anyone’s wife just because you are a famous bard?” An angry man said to Dandelion. The bard was sitting at the same table, now regretting his decision to sit in the corner. His back was against the wall and there would be no escape.

“Maybe you should please her better and I wouldn’t need to.” The bard retorted. Multiple patrons gasped at hearing such a thing and they believed a murder of the bard may be coming. Geralt heard this as he was approaching the table. He would’ve imagined that someone as cowardly as Dandelion would be smart enough to shut up. Dandelion, the man wouldn’t fight a fly with his fists. But if words could kill then Dandelion would be a serial killer.

“You fuckin wot?” The same angry man said. “Ay, the little punk thinks this is some joke.” Another man said, likely a brother or friend of the first man.

“That Witcher that dun made you famous isn’t here to save you now. How unfortunate.”

“What was that now?” Geralt spoke, now standing behind the confrontational men.

The two men turned around and looked as if they had seen a ghost.

“I’ll give you five seconds to apologize to my friend and I’ll give you another five to leave this inn and never come back.”

“What if we don’t?” One of the men said, deciding to try his luck.

“You’ll end up feed for the drowners in the sewers.”

The men quickly decided that this was not losing their lives over. They turned around and apologized to the bard. “S-s-sorry, sir Dandelion sir.” They said terrified of the Witcher. Then they quickly turned around and hurried out of the inn. Geralt assumed that they would be back, likely with more friends but he didn’t care. Bring an army and Geralt would still fight to defend his friend.

“Wooh, thanks my friend. Close one, huh?”

“Uh-huh. Can’t wait to here how you saved my life in the Alchemy INN in a future tale.” Geralt said letting out a light chuckle and sitting back down at the table.

“So who is the girl, Geralt?” Dandelion asked, quickly changing the subject back to what was on his mind.

“She isn’t just some girl, Dandelion. She’s my child of surprise.” He said quietly, making sure no one else in the inn could here them.

“What? But I thought.” Geralt cut him off, “I know, but she is alive, I found her, Dandelion. I’m beginning to rethink this whole fate and destiny thing.”

Dandelion was astonished but he should have known. How had he not realized this? It didn’t really make sense to him still however. Cintra was attacked, so many died, including all the leader figures. The grandmother of Ciri, Calanthe was one of the deceased and Ciri was in her care. How did Ciri escape and no one else did? She was a fighter, he did know that. And Dandelion knew that there was no one better to take care of her than his best friend. His best friend, the Witcher, The White Wolf, The Butcher of Blaviken, and new father, Geralt of Rivia.