#bringing out my past as a horsegirl

[blushouyo]

kelpie man, take me by the hand

[scortchedtoast]

My Top 15 Kpop Songs of the Year

1. Love Dive- Ive- Like give IVE their tens this was song of the year, mayhaps even song of the decade (getting ahead of myself). The vibes were immaculate and the song is outstanding I even like the dance break which can break a good song if done poorly. 

2. Hype Boy- New Jeans: Like this is really also the song of the year for me, Love Dive triumphs but probably only because it came out earlier. Like this song is immaculate and attention is pretty good too it would be in the 16-20 range of my fave songs of the year.

3. Catch the Star- Woo!ah- They really outdid themselves like this was a masterpiece and such a great way to start the year. I really didn’t think it could be beat for a while and at one point it was higher than Love Dive but its not as replayable as Love Dive. Still a bop tho!

4. DM- Fromis_9- Again the girls were taking no prisoners' at the beginning of the year jan-feb was insane like this is probably my fave fromis_9 song after love bomb of course.

5. Talk that Talk- Twice- Of course the queens had to be here and for their only comeback of the year. Truly I couldn’t have wished for anything more (except a more coherent MV), like the song is good and repayable. They never disappoint and this comeback as well as celebrate was made just so much better by all the members continuing on and re-signing their contract!

6. Smiley- Choi Yena- Another early bop, like it’s so catchy it’s still in my head! Truly a great debut but that’s to be expected from the izone girlies. The only critique is Bibi was so not needed, like it wasn’t bad but Yena defs could cover that part herself and I’m not crazy about a feature being on a debut. And we must thank Yena for holding down yuehua entertainment until everglow come back.

7. Love in Bloom- ILY:1- They are bringing back christian kpop and I have to thank them for it! This song is so refreshing and unique and a bop. The MV and styling were cute and I replayed it so much it just had to make the list. A very solid nugu debut.

8. Run- H1-key- This was the song of the summer for me. It just screams a fun summer like I was a little unsure of the group what with their former members alleged political connections and their debut song but this was spectacular. 

9. Antifragile- Lesserafim- This is probably my most replayed song of the year which is crazy because it literally came out a few months ago lol. Like this is such a good song to workout to they really served. I was worried what they would do post garam kick out and with the success of new jeans it was looking a bit grim for them but they came back swinging. Also their performances are so good and Yunjin I find genuinely funny which is rare in an idol, like they’ve been added to my faves list.

10. Rollarcoaster- Woo!ah- Yep Woo!ah made the list twice and if we extended the list to 20 entries they would make it thrice. Woo!ah had a great year with a comeback at the beginning middle and end of the year all of which were really strong but starting with Catch the Stars and ending with Rollarcoaster is insane like their producer is a genius. I envision this will climb the rankings but since it came later it’s at number 10.

11. Flip That- Loona- I started writing this before the Chuu situation and the potential exodus of the Loona members and man am I bummed out now. The song is good and everything I wanted after the girl crush mess I’ve been force fed for the past two years. Like just a nice chill song for the summer, not their best but super refreshing. (BUT, everyone needs to boycott bbc and not listen on streaming sites and don’t watch their new comeback or interact with the teasers.)

12. After Like- Ive- They also made the list twice this song was a bit boring to me at first but on a second listen its an earworm. Whoever is producing these Ive tracks starship needs to pay them more cause they are excellent.

13. Loveticon- CSR- Giving Christian Kpop Horsegirl vibes as my one anon put it and we need to bring the genre back so I’m glad they’re helping. Ever since gfriend pivoted to whatever apple was the genre has been left behind and its revival and CSR and ILY:1 can do it! Weird group names tho.

14. Higher- Fifty Fifty- this group has a decent concept and I really like that they sing a majority of the chorus and songs together as opposed to in segments like it makes them unique in kpop. A nice chill jam with good vocals what more could anyone else want.

15. Pop- Bugaboo- I liked the song it was fun but this is mainly here because my girls have disbanded and its only right that they make the list for the two years they were active during.

[dustedmagazine]

Why Bonnie — 90 In November (Keeled Scales)

Photo by Grace Pendleton

90 In November by Why Bonnie

Nostalgia is a hell of a drug. Why Bonnie’s 90 in November was written and recorded in Brooklyn, but its songs live in an imagined, idealized Texas of wide-open spaces, endless highways and honky tonk beaches (though wracked by climate change). The album spins off slow rockers steeped in melancholy, shot through with heavy, glacially paces beats and bent blues guitars, embellished with roots-rocking organ and electric piano. The past is hot, sunny, full of careless pleasures, but it can be viewed only in retrospect from a pandemic shuttered city, and as singer and guitarist Blaire Howerton observes in “Galveston,” that makes it slippery. “When I try to remember it, I can’t/It’s slipping through my hands,” she sings.

This is Why Bonnie’s first full-length album, and they’re a young band, but not as dewy and unshaken as, say, Horsegirl (speaking of that, they oddly enough started out as Ponyboy and the Horsegirls but had to change the name under legal pressure). They’re all in that late-20s, post-collegiate interval when the kids realize they won’t be kids forever. 90 in November dreams of youth, but from a distance, which makes the right now look pale and dissatisfying. In “Healthy,” even water isn’t what it used to be.

And yet, while the mood is downbeat, the music kicks, riding slinky, backsliding blues rock vamps into 1990s feedback blare. (Though never again equaling the truly Dinosaur-esque howl at the beginning of “Sailor Mouth.”) Howerton is at the center of it, with her cool, every so slightly twangy delivery. She breaks into agitated yelps at moments of the highest drama, but mostly stays serene and unbothered in the mix. She sounds like a marginally more countrified Snail Mail or a less spikey Stef Chura and is altogether appealing. The band is good, too, with Sam Houdek on guitar, Chance Williams on bass, Josh Malett on drums, and Kendall Powell on keyboards. This last member, a classically trained pianist, may be the band’s secret weapon. She is particularly fine on trilling, atmospheric organ in “Galveston.”

These songs have a dream-like, airy quality, despite the genuine rock fire power that Why Bonnie brings to the game. The title track nods and dreams in sing-song-y rhythms, its melody murmured, not forced, but underpinned by the roar of detuned guitar and bass. “Hot Car” coalesces gradually out of languid guitar and buzzing synth tones, its instrumental heft framing fragile threads of vocal musing. They’re lucid like certain kinds of dreams but transient. Why Bonnie is getting them down before they disappear, putting rocks and weights on these gauze-y images so that won’t blow away.

Jennifer Kelly

[drsteggy]

Fanfic Master Post

Because it’s just getting out of hand. I am DrSteggy on AO3, and pretty much everywhere.

I write Legend of Zelda. It’s mostly Breath of the Wild flavored, but not exactly BOTW. I like ZeLink, but have not written much of it just yet.

Here is what we have.

The long fic:

Uneasy Lies the Chose of Farore this is how I dealt with 2020. It is a long multi chapter fic that I am really pleased with about a Link who is 42 the day he draws the Master Sword out of its pedestal, and he is not ready for it. At all. It’s not the legend you’d expect to hear, but I really wanted to read about an actual adult Link and had to write him myself

The newest fic.

The Dragon at Lanayru set between BOTW and TOTK. I wrote it off a prompt before TOTK came out and somehow it still fits in the canon universe. Anyway. Marriage proposal that is just fluff and cute

Everything else is below the cut

There is a series of short side fics off of Farore:

Pots in which we briefly examine the hero’s relationship to pottery

Cuccos in which we briefly examine the hero’s relationship to cuccos

The Hero of Thyme I think there are a lot of kids who get named Link, and here is one of them

Sunset in Lurelin Written as an experiment with softer stuff, it’s Actual Adult Link at the beginning of a relationship that you see the end of in the long fic

The Night Before Ordon written as an experiment with smut, this is a sexually explicit piece with middle age Link and Zelda

After the Boss Battle another sexually explicit piece with middle age Link and Zelda because years do not mean you can keep your hands off each other, it just means you fumble less

After the Wedding YES one more explicit go around with Mature!Link and Zelda

Reflection Zelda thinks back on some key points from the long fic, as the Hero snores like a monster. G rated fluff.

Nauru’s Counterpoint WIP with no set update schedule that retells Farore from Zelda’s point of view.

Link and Fancy the horsegirl!Link story I have threatened to write. This is about a ten year old future hero and his fabulous pink pony. G rated.

True Colors I lost a bet and had to write a mild emotional hurt/comfort with a side of platonic snuggling about my version of Link and Impa, who go from not really enemies to besties over the course of the long fic. Everyone won. G rated

ZeLink Week 2022 collection: One Last Look Age Rainy Days Sparring Healing

The Constant A series of five extended or missing scenes from Farore exploring the Link and I pa friendship. They go in chronological order starting with a very traumatized Link who doesn’t really trust the royal advisor sent to bring him back to the castle and ending as besties people watching over a beer. Written as part of a fic exchange.

The Risk of Love set between the end of Uneasy Lies the Chosen of Farore and Tris of the Wild’s wonderful Naive Melody Zelda shares a painful part of her past with Link

The Longest Night my winter solstice/Hyrule holiday fic in the Faroreverse

Straight up Breath of the Wild fics:

Everything so far is rated G

In Memorium written for a challenge on Amino, exploration of memory 17

Eternal Shipwreck of our Hopes character study of Urbosa as she waits in Vah Naboris, post Calamity

(Nothing But) Flowers Link and Zelda 3 months post Calamity, trying to figure out what’s next.

Homecoming- Link and Zelda spending their first night in Link’s Hateno home. Rated G. Yes.

Tempest- Prequel of sorts for Shipwreck. It’s the years and weeks before the Calamity through Urbosa’s lens.

They Stumble That Run Fast- character study on Breath of the Wild Link, meant to fit into the work of StudioRat specifically the series Nor Shall Death Brag

Today shows Breath of the Wild’s Zelda heading to Hyrule Castle to go put the Calamity in a head lock.

This one is rated E

Reunion- could be a sequel to Homecoming, but both stand alone. Slow burn slice of life until it’s all hands on, uh, deck.

Tears of the Kingdom:

Rising Storm a Tears of the Kingdom one shot about redirecting your angst onto a Large Monster

The Ficlet Collection

Is a half dozen super short things I wrote off prompts from others in 2021. It’s all Zelda and includes from Skyward Sword, Breath of the Wild and the Farore-iverse.

The veterinary AU :

Minor Species written off a prompt, it’s about Vet!Link and his goldfish patient

And, the sole non Zelda thing I have...

Freak an X Files story that I wrote in 1999 and assumed lost until I stumbled over it on my hard drive in 2020. It’s about a unicorn.

[twelvemonkeyswere]

AFFC - Jaime III

aka Bear Pit Pt 2: That Time Jaime Takes a Long Ride that Proves his Compassionate Nature and That He Will Defend Brienne Even If She Is Not Around or in Immediate Danger

Thoughts on Jaime / Brienne:

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“His hand shone dully in its light. No good for throttling eunuchs, but heavy enough to smash that slimy smile into a fine red ruin. He wanted to hit someone.”

→ HA! “a fine red ruin”. Get it, huh, huh? Because Red gets ruined? HA!

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1/3 time Jaime actively mentions Brienne in his thoughts:

“Payne was as rusty as his ringmail, and not so strong as Brienne, yet he met every cut with his own blade, or interposed his shield.”

→ We do mention a lot how Brienne constantly says ‘he ain’t Jaime tho’ but Jaime is just the same: ‘Payne ain’t Brienne but he’ll do’

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2/3 time Jaime actively mentions Brienne in his thoughts:

“Jaime found himself wondering if Brienne might have passed this way before him. If she thought that Sansa Stark had made for Riverrun . . . Had they encountered other travelers, he might have stopped to ask if any of them had chance to see a pretty maid with auburn hair, or a big ugly one with a face that would curdle milk.”

→ I’m a sucker for Jaime having Brienne’s same train of thought and thinking about her journey constantly. As others have pointed out, he is startled by his wondering and has to remind himself how ugly she is, right? The fact he wants to ask about Sansa (his vow) is nice, but the fact he also wants to ask about Brienne (his special interest), is very nice.

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3/3 time Jaime actively mentions Brienne in his thoughts:

“He passed beneath the covered bridge… before he realized where he was headed.”

→ Don’t fucking @ me. The bear pit is a direct, unquestionable straight line to Brienne and as soon as he gets a chance he, unbidden, goes to her memory.

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So Bear Pit Pt 2:

““Naked? No.” He wondered how that wrinkle had been added to the story.”

→ Kingslayer’s whore?

“The Mummers put her in a pink silk gown and shoved a tourney sword into her hand. The Goat wanted her death to be amuthing. Elsewise . . .”

“. . . the sight of Brienne naked might have made the bear flee in terror.” Connington laughed. Jaime did not. “You speak as if you know the lady.”

→ a couple of things:

what I LOVE about this moment is that Jaime is here genuinely trying to make some conversation and casually doing disrespectful impressions of the man who almost kills them and he’s actually concerned with explaining the truth and HE IS DISREGARDED by Connignton because Connington is an ass and THEN Connington disrespects his wench and it just.fucking.activates.him.

Jaime remembers the dress clear enough to describe it in material and color (this man is definitely not my father)

what was after that ‘elsewise’? ‘Elsewise, she would’ve killed it? She would’ve won? I would not have needed to jump in?’ Jaime respects (and admires!) Brienne SO FUCKING MUCH I wanna believe he was going to sing his praises here.

“That took him by surprise. Brienne had never mentioned a betrothal.”

→ He's SO OFFENDED lmao Heaven knows how much shit he talked during their walk across the Riverlands and he is like, Brienne surely would’ve mentioned something of SUCH importance but he also senses that if she DIDN’T it was because of REASONS and gosh does he make Ronnet spill the beans.

““I was the second. My father’s notion. I had heard the wench was ugly, and I told him so, but he said all women were the same once you blew the candle out.”

“Your father.” Jaime eyed Red Ronnet’s surcoat.”

→ Jaime taking notice of who Connington dad is because HE’S GONNA CUT A BITCH

→ (and also because he is trying to unravel why they would betroth Brienne to this idiot and he discovers it’s because they are poor and were going to use her to elevate his status and you can just feel his disdain, I fucking love it)

““The bear was less hairy than that freak, I’ll—”

Jaime’s golden hand cracked him across the mouth so hard the other knight went stumbling down the steps.”

→ the first time I read this I fucking TRANSCENDED because I wanted to smack each of Brienne’s wrongdoers myself. Jaime stood his ground as much as he could but the moment he insults Brienne with “freak” (and insults her bush, which we know he was gladly impressed by) he just fucking reacts. And my favorite bit is…

“You are speaking of a highborn lady, ser. Call her by her name. Call her Brienne.”

→ FIRST, Jaime hasn’t referred to Brienne internally as “wench” or anything else but Brienne in a fucking long time.

→ SECOND, this shows just how much he respects her as a woman, as a mf lady, and how much he’ll demand others will treat her as such.

→ And THIRD, it shows how much he respects her, PERIOD. We love a man who loves and respects his beloved.

Thoughts on Jaime:

Clearly even though Loras is young Jaime thinks he is worth his salt. And it’s not until Cersei brings up his gayness that Jaime doesn’t really anger. Even Cersei points out that Jaime’s “perception” of manhood has changed but I think it has to do more about Jaime respecting Loras and him self-actualizing his identity.

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More on Cersei:

“Cersei slapped his face. / Jaime made no attempt to block the blow. “I see I need a thicker beard, to cushion me against my queen’s caresses.” He wanted to rip her gown off and turn her blows to kisses.”

→ this looks terribly like conditioned behaviour because Jaime previously mentions he has to “beg” for her “affections” and that means “coaxing” her into changing that. Same thing happens when they are discussing the unmentionable knife and he sits her on his lap to stop her from being angry. which actually leads me to…

“Softer words might have swayed her, yet of late the very sight of her made him angry”

→ He balked her on purpose, though he seems to miss her somehow still (he’s horny, too) he gets angry at her and doesn’t let that impulse govern him at all. But he does allow himself to anger her because he doesn’t want to have to treat her kindly. It’s almost like he’s realizing how hateful she actually is.

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FUCKING KILL ME BRUH

“It had been long years since Jaime had named any of his horses; he had seen too many die in battle, and that was harder when you named them.”

→ Jaime: traumatized horse girl. Poor man.

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Symbolism?

“Glory wore trappings of Lannister crimson; Honor was barded in Kingsguard white”

→ I’m sure this is symbolism but heck if I can put it into words. Like, it seems clear (?) they represent two sides of Jaime, the need to uphold the Lannister name (glory) and the dedicated vows of his knighthood (honor) but… that’s as far as I get.

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Paralelism: 

Jaime’s “price” for going to the Riverlands is Ilyn Payne (a counterpart to Brienne’s Pod) and Ser Addam (a person from his past, like Brienne’s Hyle). I like their parallelism. Like, they’re accompanied by someone who reminds them who they were and what they have/are becoming while on a quest caused by their vows.

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Jaime is not stupid:

“Robb Stark took me unawares in the Whispering Wood,” he said. “That will never happen again.”

→ besides this man turns trauma into learning points.

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Jaime cares about others:

“Jaime had given stern commands that no man was to depart the column without his leave.” → He protects the land as they go, he scoffs at the “bored lordings” who could trample and attack the stock and farms along the way.

Little Lew Piper brings blackberries, Jaime orders him to share them with the other squires and fucking Ilyn Payne.

Feeling sorry for the horse and bear.

Pia!

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More Paralelism:

I love this bit that calls back to Jaime’s first chapter ever:

“Riding at the front of the host with Ser Ilyn silent by his side, Jaime felt almost content. The sun was warm on his back and the wind riffled through his hair like a woman’s fingers.”

→ It’s like a more toned down “alive and drunk on sunlight.”. Instead of feeling alive, he feels almost content. Instead of drunk, warm. Instead of Cersei's fingers, a woman's. And it’s about being free from a former entrapment behind enemy lines.

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Goldenhand

“Men shall name you Goldenhand from this day forth, my lord,” the armorer had assured him the first time he’d fitted it onto Jaime’s wrist. He was wrong. I shall be the Kingslayer till I die.”

→ I swear to God if they give him the nickname AFTER he dies I’m going to fucking scream (fingers crossed he won’t die)

“The golden hand was the occasion for much admiring comment over supper, at least until Jaime knocked over a goblet of wine. Then his temper got the best of him… After that there was no more talk about his hand.”

→ These fucking people omgggg fucking bootlickers. Besides he lets the common folk/his men see him as he is but has to pretend for "polite" company. I like that the hand is almost a second thought like, Well I suppose I ought to wear the hand to dinner.

→ He also says they’ll call him ‘Goldenhand the Just’ eventually because he is willing to impart justice even to the men who served his own house (he hangs a man in Lannister red for being a bandit), and if that doesn’t show AGAIN he is willing to do the right thing if necessary… well.

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Jaime’s shames:

“They have lusty wenches in House Hayford. These are love bites, lad.”

→ Jaime Lannister, famously monogamous, thinks a fake hickey excuse is less shameful than his shortcomings. But also he needs to appear commanding.

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Jaime, Horsegirl (contin’d):

““These are demons in the skins of wolves, sent to chastise us for our sins.”

“This must have been an uncommonly sinful horse,” Jaime said, standing over what remained of the poor animal.”

→ this line is not just funny but shows just how much Jaime has an affinity to the innocent.

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About Hoat:

since the description of how he died (tortured, cut up in pieces, fed his own flesh, then defiled in death) happens right before the goddamn Bear Pit Pt 2 I had completely forgotten about it. Jaime hears the tale, sees the head, and hi satisfaction at his death seems to curdle. I just like that of course, we know Jaime is not cruel. And that even though Brienne told him to “live and take revenge,” he is NOT finding pleasure in a death he might have gloated on if he were different.

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About Pia:

“She is a font of corruption,” said Ser Bonifer…

“I expect her flaunting days are done,” he said, “but if you find her that objectionable, I’ll take her.” He could make her a washerwoman, he supposed. His squires did not mind raising his tent, grooming his horse, or cleaning his armor, but the task of caring for his clothes struck them as unmanly

→ So first, this is one of the reasons I like Jaime. He is actually very very compassionate, and actually defends Pia. Second, does this seem to suggest he would’ve personally taken care of his clothes if he had two hands? Or just that this seems like an excuse to bring her in? Also, I love how the squires will do the cleaning but draw the line at washing clothes.

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Jaime internally calling Ser Bonifer “Baelor Butthole” is infinitely amuthing to me.