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argumentl · 2 years

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Report from Tora no ana, Osaka (2023/03/10)

I had a decent ticket number, so was not so far from the front, I ordered a gari chuhai from Kaoru's special menu, and bought merch after getting inside. Everyone was given two sheets for submitting questions to Kaoru, but most seemed to be using one for submitting and one for keeping.

As far as I could see, I was the only non-asian person there, so possibly the only foreigner???

Kaoru came out at about 19:15 with Fujieda and Takabayashi. Short, black hair, hanging in his eyes a bit, wearing a loose, black, kind of shellsuit jacket, a white tshirt, and tracksuit pants/trousers.

The event was being recorded. From my seat I could clearly see the computer screen of the guy recording the event, so I saw lots of close ups of Kaoru via the screen, as well seeIng him in person.

Kaoru raised a toast to start...joining him for this was one of my life highlights. Audience members were ordering food and drinks for Kaoru and the managers throughout the event. They ended up with far more than they could actually drink. Some quite expensive things too, like Yamazaki whisky etc.

Kaoru said he has been bothered by hayfever. He said when he woke up on Friday morning, his eyes felt swollen.

Kaoru commented on the state of the street outside the venue, it filled up with dodgy looking types as soon as the sun went down. (*It really did*)

After getting settled, the talk got underway, and they started with a recap of the Dir activities of the last year. Starting with the Studio Coast live, and running through to the talk with Hazuki in Nagoya recently.

Fujieda was very enthusiastic talkIng about their visit to the Yamazaki whisky distillery.

Kaoru explained again about how difficult the anniversary tour was for him. He struggled trying to stop his old self emerging during that tour.

About the Hazuki talk, Kaoru had agreed to appear on Hazukitchen with Hazuki, but he said this time that he would not cook. He is happy to appear if all he has to do is eat what Hazuki makes.

The recap of last year lasted until almost 9pm, at which point Kaoru suggested a 10 min toilet break.

Getting back on stage, they got started with Q and A session. Despite having probably about 150 submissions, only a small handful were read out.

I have to start here by saying that MY QUESTION WAS CHOSEN! 🥴😱

I asked if Kaoru has been to see any of the other members' lives. Fujieda read out the question, and then also mentioned my name with it, so I was basically screaming in my head. Anyway, Kaoru answered that he has been to see Sukekiyo once, but thats it. Fujieda asked him if he wanted to see Decays and Seraph, and he replied 'Hmmm....' with an expression that said, 'NO' 🤣

Other questions were:

What type of curry do you like? - He likes many types. The fan who asked the question said she likes green curry. Kaoru likes this too, but said that there are a few members of the band who hate Thai food, which is tough when doing overseas tours, because Thai food is often suggested as an option by overseas staff.

Which Slam Dunk character would make the best lover? From a male viewpoint, and a female viewpoint - Kaoru said, Hanamichi for male, and Mitsu for female. Then he revealed that the white tshirt he was wearing was actually a Mitsui tshirt, he pulled back his jacket to reveal the shirt design underneath.

Which direction does you hair spiral at your crown? - Both managers got up to inspect the crown of Kaoru's head, but couldn't see much of a spiral. Kaoru said that since his hair tends to fall over his right eye, that probably influences which angle its growing from his crown.

What food reminds you of the taste of home? Kaoru says his mum always makes this dish using the fish buri during the first few days of the year.

How do you deal with creative slumps? - Kaoru basically said to embrace slumps as part of your life journey. They are what they are, and they will lead you to your next path eventually.

What is the best souvenir to get in Osaka? - Kaoru was very adamant about this, and his answer was kasu udon. The type that you can buy in a box from Shin Osaka station, and its very delicious apparently. He wouldn't hear of any other souvenir being suggested, is HAS to be this for him.

I think these are the only questions he answered, but the talk continued nevertheless. Other topics of conversation included:

The shops in the vicinity of Tokyo Garden Theatre. Fujieda is very impressed with the giant Daiso (100yen store) and the giant Mujirushi there. He mentioned a few things he likes to buy at Mujirushi, and then Kaoru says he gets his slippers at Mujirushi, especially slippers for summer time use. He gets a pair there every year without fail, and explained them as something fairly similar to this --> ルームサンダル・鼻緒 (google this product with 無印良品)

Kaoru also said he is planning another art exhibition hopefully in summer this year, but it will probably only be in Tokyo. He said he has just recently finished four or five pieces, and he hasnt been writing any new music at all these past few weeks.

Focus moves onto Takabayashi, as he has been fairly quiet. Kaoru says that Takabayashi is one of those people who knows something about everything. Wherever they go, he will be pointing out trivia and facts about everything they see.

Takabayashi said he is no good at talkIng at length, and this reminds them of that Youtube/TFOE combo that he MC'ed for remotely in 2020.

Kaoru said he wants to organise a trip for Tora no ana next year, but maybe somewhere where Dir have never played a live before. Suggestions included Wakayama, Saga, Shimane etc.

When talking about the photo exhibition, Kaoru said that the shot of him looking backwards which was used for that ticket/sticker was him turning to ask the staff, 'Shall we go get something to eat?', but the photographer got a quick shot at that moment.

Fujieda mentioned about Die surprising Shinya at the Seraph event, which Kaoru had no idea about! He asked Fujieda what the event itself was like, and Fujieda explained that Shinya talked a lot. After each song ended, he would say, 'Hai!/OK!' very swiftly, before going on to explain what the next song would be. This had Kaoru CRYING with laughter! He said 'Imagine Kyo screaming the end of a song, and then saying 'Hai!' each time. Kaoru said (while wiping copious tears from his eyes) he might think about going to a Seraph live, just to witness this!

Fujieda said he was having so much fun, he wants to do this kind of event every month. Talk began of how Toshiya is really the only member who doesnt really do this kind of thing, so Kaoru suggested Fujieda to persuade Toshiya to put an event on.

As this month is Toshiya's birthday, Kaoru raised a toast in celebration of Toshiya, and wished him a happy bithday.

A lot more chat about this and that went on in addition to the above, but the event lasted 4 happy hours, which for ¥3500, is not bad at all!

#dir en grey #薫 #kaoru #report

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rwby-confess · 5 months

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60-something confessions, weve paid our tribute, what are YOUR confessions

Okay, here goes 10 confessions from me:

I wish we had seen Pyrrahs friendships, I think she and Ren would've been good friends since both of them are so level headed.

I headcanon that they would take care of the school garden together, Pyrrah would struggle a bit with delicate plants but same time be happy to be able to learn from his peers new things for once.

One day she learns that Nora and Ren are orphans. Her respect for them grows, seeing them as so much stronger for not having the same support she had growing up, yet here they are thriving. She makes sure to invite them over during holidays and for other things they possibly missed out on as kids.

She doesn't care for cooking but often goes to shop for ingredients with Nora.

I think Freezerburn is incredibly soft.

Weiss is able to cool down hot-headed Yang and Yang is able to melt away the Ice Queens tsundere tendencies. :'-) <3

I miss seeing the street fashion influence when it comes to designs, ofcourse I understand why it isn't there as much anymore but I can still moan about it.

Yangs' tsuyome-esque looks was my fave, it was fire and I wanted to cosplay it so badly.

Ruby's look reminds me of something I wore when I was 12yo actually

Only on my second watch I realised that Ironwood looks really hot with this look and it's a shame that it got SO little screen time. And same with Winters first look.

Also on my second watch I realised that the straps on Oscars' gloves are green not black ???

Remember bootleg Neptune from volume 4? Yeah he sure exists. But what if he did more?

Weiss is trapped in Atlas, she's lonelier than ever, she can only go to places and events dad approves of. And this guy keeps coming around, maybe they meet at the Schnee Manors garden, why not go for a bad boy?

They have fling going on, for Weiss it's mostly out of boredom and finding him good looking. If she's trapped might as well have fun. Maybe they'll get in trouble or have some other sort of side plot going on together but eventually when Weiss gets a window to escape out of Atlas, she's faced with a decision.

Stay with the guy who obviously finds it insane to trade living high life in Atlas to go chase some pals she met at school in other kingdom. Weiss snaps out of the rose coloured glasses after hearing this, ultimately choosing her friends.

Idk I just wish they let them do the usual young people fuck ups and learning experiences if there's going to be whole volume of them sitting around

Yang's probably closest thing Oscar got for mother figure...

The bird thing. Make Raven tell Weiss and Yang how the experience was as she remembers, give them reason to be shocked. So here's my suggestion:

Maybe the process was violent since current humans aren't used to magic in any shape, they're stripped from their autonomy in that moment and it's humiliating.

Like Amber was in the chamber beneath Beacon, Oz did it to Branwens there in similar way? Underground to not attract grimm, no one to hear their screams, its cold and dark, they're stripped like Amber to act as guinea pigs for this man.

Qrow has (more or less) made peace with all that trauma and what happened since he thinks its suffering for the greater good. After all, the man doesn't really have home to go back to. He doesn't want to bring misfortune to people he loves and the tribe doesn't really want him back.

However Raven learns that Salem can't be beaten, meaning she and Qrow suffered for only to be ideal candidates for a suicide mission...

I want Qrowin angst, please crwby, I want to suffer lmao

Give Qrow absolutely losing it, calling Winter after Atlas falls asking her if she knows where the kids are? Where did she last saw them?

And when Winter tries to answer Qrows questions she can't bring herself to say it; they're gone. She was there and she couldn't save them, not even her own sister. The words just won't come out... and after the silence she tells him to meet her in Vacuo, after all he deserves to know.

Whatever differences they had in the past feel so miniscule now.

(Aaand I headcanon that both of them craved for a "normal" family, making this little story even more horrible!)

10.

Yang "shooting" kids' leg on live TV should've had more consequences me thinks. Give me atleast someone commenting or being vary of her.

Her arm is brand new Atlas tech according to Tai, maybe someone would see it as an issue after finding out that she got it for free from Ironwood himself.

Maybe anti Yang propaganda being showed around town could've pushed her to work with Robyn (lol)

"Quite frankly miss I'm about to piss myself right about now, so this one is on the house"

#long one #now we will just wait and see what happens lmao #oh yeah lowkey about the third one #theres rwby tuber who calls the accessories the characters have as “butt capes”#and it makes me irrationally annoyed ?#because girlypop just google Visual Kei or rokku gyaru and you see that its not too uncommon to accessorise (especially pants) like that 🤨#like how can you simultaneously complain that the guys usually get to wear “just pants” but then say the accessories “dont do anything”?????#Aaarrggghh #obviously you can disagree with me but please #p l e a s e #when Ruby herself has this gothic lolita inspired look why wouldnt there be influences from other styles too?!?!?!?!?#znndkwdkwkMndnwosfgk im going to eat dry wall #and i took that personally

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animationstarlover1983 · 10 months

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Fnaf system reboot au

The agency of malhare association (the cult of glitchtrap)

The agency of malhare are a cult group of followers who serve glitchtrap and worship William afton, the goal of T•A•O•M•A is to continue William aftons dark legacy and spread their influence to gain more followers, rather than being controlled or possessed like glitchtraps other victims these followers are loyal and willing to a fault and are leaders to minor members, glitchtraps goal is the use the pizzaplex to continue Williams experiments and research on remnant and killing spree and to find William.

Glitchtrap/malhare: glitchtrap is the leader of the malhare agency cult and the main antagonist of the au story. In this au story glitchtrap was a experimental AI created by William afton during his afton robotics llc era while studying artificial intelligence, glitchtrap was created by using the mimic 1 programming and William designed him after his iconic springbonnie costume and trained him to be like a copy of himself, however little did afton know that glitchtrap was also powered and infused with his own agony from losing 2 of his kids. after William got springlocked and many years would pass glitchtrap would remain in a single circuit board that would later be found by the newly rebranded fazbear entertainment llc and Shane carton/phone guy (in this au phone guy is the ceo of fazbear entertainment llc) and passed on to silver parasol who scanned it in allowing glitchtrap to invade the code of the Freddy fazbear virtual experience, he eventually finds out he can infect/influence/corrupt anyone who plays the game and used this as a means of escaping, eventually he manage to get a tester named Jericho (Jeremy) to transfer him into a springbonnie plus that he later modified with a built in camera system and speaker, soon after he was later transferred to dlz shopping solutions where he corrupted nearly all the warehouse animatronics, and finally he had his new apprentice patient 46 transfer and spread his virus throughout the pizzaplex. Species: digital rabbit ai/computer malware/agony infused being. Date of creation: unknown - unknown - 198x. Appearance: glitchtraps appearance is slightly changed from his game counterpart, he’s slightly taller and has longer arms and legs, he’s also a bit more masculine, his face is more alive, his eyes are more realistic and can move, he can move his mouth and make other facial expressions, he’s a brighter yellow, he wears a white long sleeved shirt and a purple vest with green carrots on it, he also wears dark purple pants, he also has a sludge form that’s black with purple glowing parts (like the sludge monster from princess quest), when in the real world he inhabits the springbonnie plush that’s been modified with longer arms and legs so he can move around, inside the plush is that same purple sludge. Personality: glitchtrap’s personality is much like William aftons, although he’s more unstable, glitchtrap worships William like a god and devotes all he does into continue his creators work, glitchtrap also views himself as Williams greatest creation and sees himself as above others. Fun fact: in this au gltichtrap was created around the same time the funtimes were. Powers: digital AI physiology, computer virus/malware physiology, code/data manipulation, shapeshifting, electronic/machinery possession, virtual reality/augmented reality warping, digital transportation, screen portals, signal/radio waves/broadcasting manipulation, hologram projection, influence/corruption/virus infection, digital consciousness transference, sludge generation, energy/power draining. Skills: high intelligence, raw cunning, strategic planning, adept learning, intuition, intimidation, manipulation, deception, coordination, multitasking, engineering expertise, computer science expertise. Likes: William afton, himself, being in control, virtual/augmented games, hacking, springbonnie. Dislikes: Henry Emily, the storyteller, glamrock Freddy, Vanessa, Gregory, humans, children, tolerating failure. Role: leader of the agency of malhare association cult. Goals: take over the pizzaplex, continue William aftons dark legacy, spread his influence, find the real William afton (failed). Fate: weakened severely/trapped within a digital glitchtrap/springbonnie plush inside an old arcade machine and imprisoned by mxes.

Members: (these are characters either appear or are mentioned/referenced in help wanted, special delivery, security breach and tales from the pizzaplex, also this is a alternate universe so things will be changed)

1. PDB/Patient 46/Percy Dylan Burrows: Percy is a 12 year old boy and a member of the agency of malhare cult and the new main antagonist of the au story after glitchtrap. Appearance: Percy has medium long strawberry blonde hair and has gray eyes, he wears a striped black and white t-shirt and a gray jacket and pants, he’s quite tall and fit for a 12 year old and he has small scar on his chin. Species: human/glitchtrap virus mutant. Date of birth: April - 30th - 20xx. Sexuality: bisexual. Personality: originally Percy was laid back, charismatic, fun loving, intelligent, friendly, brave, but due to a tragic incident in his life he became, sinister, manipulative, deceptive, egotistical, emotionally distant . Fun fact: Percy is a huge fan of monster movies and horror genre, he is the son of the chairman of fazbear entertainment llc Mr burrows, PDB was a name mentioned in tales from the pizzaplex ggy, after a tragic incident Percy became emotionally distant almost losing all his feelings. Powers: enhanced condition, spiritual awareness, glitchtrap virus mutation. Skills: bravery, genius level intelligence, raw cunning, strategic planning, adept learning, intuition, leadership, coordination, charisma, manipulation, deception, coding/hacking expertise, stealth. Likes: his mother/friends, candy, coding/hacking, staying hidden, indoors, dark places, electronics/machinery, fantasy, mythology, urban legends/myths. Dislikes: his father, bright lights, therapy. Role: glitchtraps favorite apprentice/follower. goals: ruin fazbear entertainment llc, help glitchtrap, regain his human emotions. Fate: unknown/in hiding.

2. Vanny/VANNI Mask Unit: a digital white rabbit entity and a member of the agency of malhare. Vanny is the creation of glitchtrap and the 2nd main antagonist of the au story, Vanny was created for the purpose of helping glitchtrap take over the entire pizzaplex and building him a physical animatronic body, but vanny was always treated as less than her other followers due to glitchtrap having more interest in his favorite apprentice patient 46, because if this Vanny grew bitter and psychotic but this is what glitchtrap wanted from her in order for Vanny to hijack the body of a young women named Vanessa, vanny was made to be Vanessa’s opposite and so vanny set out to try and ruin Vanessa’s life and steal her identity. Species: Digital rabbit phantom/Virtual, Augmented ai unit. Date of creation: unknown. Appearance: vannys physical appearance is the vanni mask, her digital form is like a combination of glitchtrap and mxes. Personality: vanny was made to be Vanessa’s polar opposite, she’s chaotic, psychotic, sadistic, self centered, rude, controlling, impatient, manipulative, deceptive, selfish, irritable, frustrated, playful, envious, lonely. Fun fact: this version of vanny is her own separate entity from Vanessa but she chooses to possess her body in order to try and make it her own. Powers: digital ghost physiology, ai physiology, virtual reality/augmented reality warping, signal/radio waves/broadcasting manipulation. Skills: genius level intelligence, raw cunning, strategic planning, adept learning, intuition, stealth, gymnastics/acrobatics, master of disguise, engineering, torture/torment expertise, psychological conditioning, manipulation, deception. Likes: herself, glitchtrap, games, puzzles, mysteries, winning, cheating, chaos. Dislikes: Vanessa, Gregory, Freddy, humans, children, losing, being told what to do, outside, nature. Role: reluctant follower/chaotic ai. Goals: serve glitchtrap, ruin Vanessa’s life and steal her identity, take over the pizzaplex. Fate: fragmented/weakened severely by Gregory.

3. Tiger rock: a animatronic white tiger and a member of the agency of malhare. Tiger rock is a mimic variant and the 3rd main antagonist of the au story, Tiger rock was a originally a game character that Fazbear entertainment llc made into a physical animatronic but after a incident that left a guest injured Tiger rock was decommissioned, shut down and locked away in the utility tunnels, many years later he was found by glitchtrap and join his cult. Species: animatronic tiger/reborn soul. Souls: David Murray, Edwin Murray, Patrick burrows. Date of creation: unknown. Appearance: Tiger rocks appearance matches his book cover version, except his blue eye is replaced with a purple eye, he’s slightly bigger and has black stripes added. Personality: Tiger rock was specifically made to interact with people but due to his corrupted programming and him constantly absorbing both good and bad data he has to dual personalities, on one side he’s fun loving, helpful and friendly, but on the other side he’s sinister, cruel and unstable. Fun fact: tiger rock was originally gonna be a member of the glamrock band but never got the chance. Powers/features: animatronic physiology (immense strength/immense speed/immense agility/immense durability/advance ai/inbuilt e-manual), coding/hacking, virtual reality/augmented reality warping, shapeshifting, adaptation, data absorption. Skills: bravery, high intelligence, raw cunning, adept learning, deception, manipulation. Likes: friends/family, party’s, music, video games, tigers, plushies. Dislikes: the other glamrocks and animatronics. Role: mimic variant/misunderstood animatronic tiger. Goal: destroy the glamrocks and become the mascot of fazbear entertainment. Fate: rescued by patient 46.

4. Moondrop/moonfall/moon: a animatronic celestial/astronomical object court jester and a member of the agency of malhare. Moon is an old animatronic counterpart of the daycare attendant that was made to help people sleep and not have bad dream, however moon was evil/dark and corrupted, even after people tried to erase its programming it didn’t work, as time passed by moon would then be placed in the pizzaplex as a daycare attendant. Species: robotic moon jester/reborn soul. Soul: ?????. Date of creation: unknown - unknown - 198x. Appearance: moondrop keeps his appearance from the games, however he’s slightly taller and his arms and legs are longer and he’s now able to make other facial expressions, the back of his head now has a moon like cover to protect his crust board. Personality: moondrop is sinister, sadistic, creepy, relentless, somewhat impatient, irritable, intelligent. Fun fact: moondrop was never suppose to be apart of the daycare but his programming couldn’t be undone. Powers/features: robotic physiology (immense strength/immense speed/immense agility/immense flexibility/durability/advance ai/inbuilt e-manual), night vision, wire control /cable extension (via back), glow lights, light/hologram projection, moon sphere mode/control, candy/medicine dispenser, nightmare/sleeping gas, hypnotic light/sound, telepathy. Skills: experience, high intelligence, raw cunning, deception, stealth. Likes: the moon, nighttime, darkness, fear/scary things, sleeping, punishing naughty children. Dislikes: sunrise, the sun, light, cute/wholesome things, staying awake, naughty children. Role: evil/dark side of the daycare attendant. Goals: help glitchtrap take over the pizzaplex, punish anyone he deems naughty or bad, spread fear throuout the world. Fate: turned good by Cassie.

5. Shane carton/phone dude/the client: Shane Carter is a 55 (physically) year old man and another member of the agency of malhare. In this au Shane is phone dude from fnaf 3 who is now the current CEO of Fazbear ENTERTAINMENT LLC, many years after the fire in fnaf 6 Shane decided to restart fazbear entertainment as a limited liability company since his horror attraction Fazbear frights was destroyed by Michael afton and William afton, he originally wanted to just remake fazbear frights but soon he decided to expand fazbear’s empire, he also discovered Williams research on remnant and used it on himself to stop his aging at age 55, Shane is also responsible for the pizzaplex being on top of the fnaf 6 location and he’s also responsible for sending silver parasol and dlz shipping solutions the old animatronic parts and the circuit board containing the glitchtrap virus. Species: human. Date of birth: october - 19th - 19xx. Sexuality: heterosexual. Appearance: Shane has light brownish hair with a few gray hairs and hazel eyes, he is quite tall and fit for his age, he wears a light gray suit and red tie. Personality: Shane is enthusiastic, energetic, eccentric, friendly, passionate, stubborn, charismatic, secretive, deceptive, as CEO he developed bit of a superiority complex. Fun fact: Shane loves collecting things from the past and using them in ways for current times. Powers: peak human condition, spiritual awareness, nigh immortality (via remnant). Skills: bravery, keen intellect, leadership, coordination, business expertise, deception, manipulation, charisma, likes: fazbear frights, fazbear entertainment, nostalgia, money, fame, power, attention, keeping secrets, collecting old things. Dislikes: people messing up his work, inadequate workers, failure, rival businesses. Job/career: Chief Executive Officer/inventor. Role: CEO of fazbear entertainment llc/support of glitchtrap. Goal: continue fazbear entertainment and expand its empire. Fate: untouched/still at fazbear entertainment llc.

6. Dale Toner: Dale is a 44 year old man and a member of the agency of malhare. Dale is the former manager of silver parasol games studio and is also responsible for glitchtrap being in the Freddy fazbear virtual experience, he also willingly let Jericho (jeremy), tape girl and Vanessa get infected with the glitchtrap virus just to get a spot in the malhare agency cult, he isn’t respected in the malhare agency and is only viewed as a worthless pawn and tool. Species: human. Date of birth: June - 8th- 20xx. Sexuality: heterosexual. Appearance: Dale has short jet black hair connected to a beard and dark brown eyes, he wears a casual uniform outfit. Personality: Dale is deceptive, cowardly, untrustworthy, self centered. Fun fact: Dale was responsible for the idea of the Freddy fazbear virtual experience. Skills: keen intellect, deception, business expertise, coding/hacking. Likes: himself, money, relaxation. Dislikes: his former employees, hard work. Job/career: former game studio manager (previously), none (currently). Role: former manager of silver parasol games studio/traitorous lapdog. Goal: join the agency of malhare. Fate: killed by the blob/tangle.

7. Jericho (Jeremy) Jane/NoFace: Jericho is a 32 year old man and a member of the agency of malhare. Jericho was originally a QA tester/beta tester for silver parasol games helping to make the Freddy fazbear virtual experience, sadly during testing Jericho got infected with the glitchtrap virus and slowly turned crazy and unhinged, he tried to warn his boss but he was ignored to the point where he was fired and discredited and soon later cut his own face off, but because he was infected with the glitchtrap virus he didn’t stay dead. Species: human (formerly), undead zombie/glitchtrap virus mutant (currently). Date of birth: July - 10th - 20xx. Sexuality: heterosexual. Appearance: originally Jericho had medium sized light brown hair and amber eyes, he wore casual clothing, after his death he no longer has a face and wears a specialized virtual augmented reality mask to cover his face, he wears dark clothing and his skin has turned pale. Personally: originally Jericho was friendly, responsible, curious, fun loving, stubborn, but after glitchtrap became sleep deprived, paranoid, unhinged, obsessive, aggressive, violent, sadistic, bitter, resentful. Fun fact: in help wanted he’s know as Jeremy but I was tired of their being multiple Jeremy’s so I changed his name. Powers: undead physiology, glitchtrap virus mutation. Skills: high intelligence, designer expertise, stealth. Likes: glitchtrap, video games. Dislikes: being told he’s crazy. Job/career: none. Role: undead/unhinged/vengefel ex employee. Goals: serve glitchtrap. Fate: in hiding/on the run/wanted by authorities.

8. Brock Edwards: Brock is a 33 year old man and a member of the agency of malhare. Brock works at fazbear entertainment llc and partially responsible for the company turning their criminal and haunted past into games and stuff that told lies about their history by hiring steve snodgrass to create indie games about the franchise (mentioned in TFTP help wanted). Species: human. Date of birth: may - 1st - 20xx. Sexuality: heterosexual. Appearance: Brock has light brown hair and amber eyes, he’s tall and physically fit, he wears a suit and tie and a pair of shades. Personality: Brock is brave, smart, serious, responsible, diligent, stubborn, deceptive. Fun fact: Brock favorite animatronic is Roxanne wolf. Powers: peak human condition. Skills: high intelligence, charisma, business expertise, deception. Likes: family/friends, dogs, cats, reading/writing, exercise/working out, outside, coffee. Dislikes: rude/annoying people, mosquitoes. Job/career: fazbear entertainment llc head talent acquisition agent. Role: hiring 3rd party agent. Goals: keep fazbear entertainment llc alive. Fate: unknown.

9. Helpi AI: a digital ai version of Helpy and a member of the agency of malhare. Helpi shows himself as a helpful ai companion but deep down he’s really a deceptive and cunning minion of glitchtrap, helpi is also a variant of the mimic created by glitchtrap. Species: AI bear. Date of creation: unknown - unknown - 20xx. Appearance: hello retains his game counterparts appearance. Personality: hello expresses himself as helpful, responsible, friendly, supportive, but deep down he’s deceptive, cunning, sinister and misleading. Fun fact: helpi believes himself to be the one and only helpy. Powers: AI physiology, coding/hacking, signal/radio waves/broadcasting manipulation. Skills: high intelligence, computer expertise. Likes: helping glitchtrap and the malhare agency followers. Dislikes: being bored. Role: ai assistant. Goal: serve glitchtrap. Fate: still used by fazbear entertainment llc.

10. Vex: vex is a pizzaplex staff security bot and a member of the agency of malhare. Vex isn’t like other staff bots, he’s fully sentient and aware of everything around him, although he isn’t very liked in the cult and is depicted as a bothersome and dumb robot. Species: autonomous robot. Date of creation: unknown - unknown - 20xx. Appearance: vex has the appearance of a common staff security bot, he is painted a dark purple with glowing white eyes and given a sinister grin. Personality: vex is responsible, awkward, annoying, cowardly, anxious, somewhat dumb. Fun fact: vex is inspired by the battle droids from Star Wars. Powers/features: robotic physiology (strength/speed/durability/advance ai/inbuilt e-manual), security alarm system. Skills: common staff bot skills. Likes: working. Dislikes: being damaged. Role: service robot. Goal: serve the malhare agency cult. Fate: destroyed by Montgomery.

11. Earl miller: earl is a 36 year old man and a member of the agency of malhare. Earl is a twisted and resentful man who despises fazbear entertainment llc due to the company ruining his family’s business and after the loss of his parents he spiraled down a path of darkness and evil. Species: human/glitchtrap virus mutant. Date of birth: November - 11th - 20xx. Appearance: Earl has messy sandy brown hair and hazel eyes, his eyes changed to purple after coming into contact with the glitchtrap virus, he’s tall and fit but not muscular, he has a scar across his eyebrow, when working in the pizzaplex he wears a common pizzaplex uniform, when in his dark persona he wears a large makeshift gray rabbit costume with purple eyes, a purple vest and black pants and a bow tie. Personality: Earl is sinister, self centered, overconfident, intelligent, fun loving, sadistic, chaotic, creepy, deceptive, manipulative, intrusive. Fun fact: in tales from the pizzaplex story pressure he was originally the main antagonist but is now being reused for this au. Powers: peak human condition, glitchtrap virus mutation. Skills: genius level intelligence, raw cunning, strategic planning, adept learning, intuition, deception, manipulation, intimidation, psychological conditioning, gadget expertise, engineering expertise, stealth, business expertise. Likes: himself, glitchtrap, family/friends, electronics, machinery, carrots, learning, stalking/killing/torturing, costumes. Dislikes: people (children especially), being found out. Role: twisted afton devotee. Fate: killed by the blob.

12. Todd Caine/lucky foot: Todd is a 27 year old man and a member of the agency of malhare. Todd is a corrupted worker from the fazbear Funtime service/dlz shipping solutions who came to worship glitchtrap after coming into contact with the glitchtrap virus. Species: human/glitchtrap virus mutant. Date of birth: July - 25th - 20xx. Sexuality: heterosexual. Appearance: Todd has long dirty blonde hair and dark brown eyes, he wears a casual outfit, but sometimes wears a rabbit costume. Personality: Todd is energetic, unhinged, impatient, stubborn. Fun fact: the name Todd is mentioned in special delivery but he’s not really important in the game. Powers: glitchtrap virus mutation. Skills: keen intellect, raw cunning. Likes: glitchtrap, money, violence. Dislikes: his ex girlfriend. Job/career: delivery/shipment worker. Role: corrupted follower. Goals: serve glitchtrap. Fate: arrested/in custody.

13. Karen Soto/cotton tail: Karen is a 29 year old women and a member of the agency of malhare. Karen is a corrupted worker at dlz shipping solutions and the fazbear Funtime service who was also infected and came to worship glitchtrap. Species: human/glitchtrap virus mutant. Date of birth: November - 22nd - 20xx. Sexuality: heterosexual. Appearance: Karen has straight long jet black hair and brown eyes, she wears a casual dress. Personality: Karen is rude, snobbish, impatient, stereotypical, judgy, self centered, narcissistic. Fun fact: the name karen is mentioned in special delivery but was unimportant. Powers: glitchtrap virus mutation. Skills: keen intellect, intuition. Likes: herself, glitchtrap, money. Dislikes: children, animals, animatronics, loud noises. Job/career: dlz shipping solutions IT associate. Role: corrupted follower . Goals: server glitchtrap. Fate: arrested/in custody.

14. Paul grant/floopy ears: Paul is a 31 year old man and a member of the agency of malhare. Paul is a corrupted worker at the fazbear Funtime service/dlz shipping solutions who gets infected with the glitchtrap virus and worships glitchtrap. Speciess: human/glitchtrap virus mutant. Date of birth: April - 7th - 20xx. Appearance: Paul has short dirty blonde hair and dark brown eyes, he wears casual clothing. Personality: Paul is quiet, resentful, bitter, curious, deceptive, irritable. Fun fact: the name Paul is mentioned in special delivery but is unimportant. Powers: glitchtrap virus mutation. Skills: high intelligence, strategic planning. Likes: the quiet, reading, getting even. Dislikes; hyper ups. Job/career: technician. Role: corrupted follower. Goals: serve glitchtrap. Fate: arrested/in custody.

15. Landon Prout: Landon is a 42 year old man and a member of the agency of malhare. Landon is the director of the pizzaplex and decider of many of the decisions made in the establishment, he is also responsible for the pizzaplex being built on top of the fnaf 6 location. Species: human. Date of birth: October - 20th - 20xx. Sexuality: heterosexual. Appearance: Landon has blonde hair that he dyes silver and blue eyes, he is tall tall and somewhat skinny, he wears a casual suit. Personality: Landon is strict, responsible, stubborn, greedy, deceptive, somewhat paranoid. Fun fact: landon was originally in the bobbiedots story but wasn’t really important. Skills: high intelligence, business expertise, leadership, coordination, multitasking, deception, coding/hacking. Likes: money, success, food. Dislikes: useless staff. Job/career: pizzaplex director/project management. Role: pizzaplex leader. Goals: keep the pizzaplex open for business. Fate: arrested/in custody.

Minor followers: corrupted staff bots, corrupted glamrock endoskeletons and class V technicians with vanni mask and anyone infected with the glitchtrap virus.

Leader: glitchtrap/malhare/mimic1 programming

Goals: take over the pizzaplex, continue William aftons work, spread their influence to others and expand their cult, build glitchtrap a physical animatronic body.

God/messiah: William afton

#fnaf #alternate universe #fnaf glitchtrap #fnaf vanny #fnaf moondrop #fnaf tiger rock #fnaf helpi #fnaf staff bot #fnaf endo #fnaf help wanted #fnaf special delivery #fnaf security breach #fnaf tales from the pizzaplex

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thenoirblogger · 2 years

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REVIEWS

Trouble Is My Business: Review

30TH NOVEMBER 2018 Dan Barnes

Trouble Is My Business: Review

Who doesn’t love a good film noir? There is something very special about the films that dominated Hollywood in the 1940s and early 1950s. Classics like ‘Double Indemnity’, ‘Sunset Boulevard’, ‘The Big Sleep’, ‘The Maltese Falcon’ and ‘The Third Man’ are hailed as some of the greatest movies of the era, and while the genre was very much of its time, the passion for it lives on, with noir themes influencing mainstream Hollywood productions even today. Films such as ‘L.A. Confidential’, ‘The Nice Guys’ and ‘Memento’ all contribute to the ongoing success of the genre, with varying generations of audiences.

Tom Konkle’s independent feature ‘Trouble Is My Business’ isn’t simply influenced by noir, but rather fully embraces it. The film is essentially one big homage to the time, created by a filmmaker with a clear passion for the material. It’s unashamedly a tribute to film noir itself, complete with all the genre tropes we’ve come to expect as well as particularly atmospheric cinematography.

The plot is a familiar one. Konkle himself plays Roland Drake, a private detective whose life is turned around when a young dame asks him for help. There is no need to go further into the plot here, mainly due to spoilers but largely because it’s exactly what you might expect from a film such as this. All the clichés are there; the PI, the femme fatale(s), the over-the-top dialogue, theatrical lighting, a good use of shadows. The film can be viewed in colour or black-and-white, but the latter is clearly the preferred option, despite being post-converted. The black-and-white simply suits the style of film we’re watching. One can’t help but wonder whether colour would actually have been particularly overbearing.

The production design is gorgeous and actually quite respectable for such an independent project. Everyone involved has clearly poured their heart and soul into ensuring the film stands out. It appears to be a cross between ‘Chinatown’, ‘Sin City’ and the video game ‘L.A. Noire’. Overall it works, but there are times when it isn’t quite as successful. The film uses a mixture of real locations and green screens, and sadly the latter sticks out like a sore thumb. It can sometimes look cartoonish, which is perhaps expected for such a budget, but it may have been a sensible idea to let go of that element completely and focus solely on the practical sets. It’s not a big enough problem to take enjoyment away from the film, but it’s certainly worth mentioning.

The cast are all charismatic enough and they do well with the material. The dialogue is witty, of-the-time, and mostly played for laughs. The comedic timing is well-judged, even if it can come across as cheesy on occasion. Konkle does a competent job in the leading role, but it might have been a better decision to focus solely on direction and cast somebody else as Drake. He’s not quite skilled enough to carry a film in which he features in almost every shot, but he does well with what he has and he’s clearly having a wonderful time with it.

The film might be a tad too long. Closing in on 2 hours, the twists and turns become a little much and the novelty of the film isn’t enough to carry it through to the end credits. Many classics of the era weren’t quite so long, and one can’t help but notice that ‘Trouble Is My Business’ simply doesn’t have enough ideas to warrant the minutes.

However, on the whole, this is a particularly enjoyable film that should please all genre lovers looking for an escape. It’s fairly admirable that the filmmakers would attempt something so ambitious for an independent production, and for the most part, they’ve pulled it off. This success is down to a clear passion behind the camera, and the obvious amount of work that went into the execution. It’s a nostalgic tribute to the classic days of Hollywood and it’s one that is sure to entertain.

Perhaps it is a little too long, the green screen can be off-putting at times, and Konkle might not be the most convincing lead, but the production design is far better than it should have been, the dialogue is particularly clever, the shot composition is inventive and the score is very fitting. It’s a fun homage to the days of old, and a respectable piece of independent cinema, even if it isn’t necessarily without its flaws

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thiives · 2 years

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SMALL ADDITION TO MY NEW YEARS RESOLUTION LIST

i neeeed to fix my record player and get back into silk screen printing! i have so many ideas for small runs of simple grungy shirt designs i can do at home. also i want to build up a music library with everything that moved me through the years. as i m posting on tumblr rn the foundation of that collection is pretty much the embodiment of my 2014 tumblr era ... which was ( to be fair ) a pretty defining time for me, too.

LANA DEL REY — BORN TO DIE, ULTRAVIOLENCE self explaining if you knew me for 5 minutes ...

HALSEY — BADLANDS, MANIC, NIGHTMARE i have tattoos for all of them, and manic was a surprise. i didn't like it at first and ended up calling it therapy in 2019, which might have been one of my worst years so far

THE BLACK KEYS — BROTHERS the first album i actively listened to and still one of my all time faves !!!! sinister kid for life

GREEN DAY — AMERICAN IDIOT THE BROADWAY RECORDING idk if or where to get this yet but i basically grew up on the green day albums the musical is made of and the first time ive seen billy joel armstrong live on stage! just holds a special place in my heart

TWENTY ONE PILOTS — TRENCH although i got into the band with blurryface, i ended up with trench on the loop! my best friend and i cried like babys at the concert

BON IVER — FOR EMMA, FOREVER AGO another one of my earliest favourites and it still gives me a very special, melancholic feeling

ARCTIC MONKEYS — AM blueprint and milestone for my style and music taste development?!

GORILLAZ — PLASTIC BEACH, DEMON DAYS also a very early found of mine and filled with so many bangers i hold close to my heart

AMY WHINEHOUSE — BACK TO BLACK not every song moved me as much as the other but it just feels right to have that one

OEL — ÜBER NACHT the first band my brother and i 110% agreed on and it will forever make me feel like home

WOODKID — THE GOLDEN AGE the golden age of my video game addiction indeed. i also started running with their songs.

ANNENMAYKANTEREIT — ALLES NIX KONKRETES a little cringe but it WAS the soundtrack to my sturm & drang times in cologne. oh my god is this a reckoning?!

MODERAT — III just. bliss.

FLORENCE + THE MACHINE — CEREMONIALS lungs was great but this was wicked, my guys. a must have for me.

FUNKADELIC — MAGGOT BRAIN i'm loosing my mind over this on a daily basis ngl

CHET BAKER — CHAT BAKER SINGS as i still feel like a jazz newbie, chat just kinda speaks to me?? the resemblence is also striking and idk sometimes it just feels like there's my past-me singing ...

SON LUX — BRIGHTER WOUNDS of ALL the great son lux songs and albums that accompanied me through the years, this strikes me the most!

MELANIE MARTINEZ — CRY BABY product of its time, adorable and important to me

THE NEIGHBOURHOOD — WIPED OUT! product of its time, adorable and important to me !!!

CRYSTAL CASTLES — (II) product of its time, adorable and important to me !!!!!!!!!!!

SIA — 1000 FORMS OF FEAR a surprisingly heavy influence when i dealt with my first experiences with substance abuse :") also cute lil wig cover

that might be it for now, and only should give you an idea of how im working on this. it almost feels like i'm building up my heritage of sorts. music gladly made it to one of the most important things in my life again and i finally want to give it the space and time and care that it deserves. so excuse me for being emo and absolutely unnecessarily explicit about my plans here. ITS CALLED MANIFESTING.

#new year resolutions #music #vinylcollector #silkscreen #screen printing #grunge #alt aesthetic

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sepublic · 3 years

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Through the Looking Glass Ruins!!!!!

…

SO! Onto other things first…

WRATH IS BRAXAS’ FATHER!??!!? HOLY SHIT, Wrath is a canonical dad, I’d always expressed my… OH MY GOD WRATH IS DAD! And of BRAXAS, that sweetie… How is Braxas such a sweetie with a father like HIM, also-

Wrath was in casual wear? Either he has a day off, or he got fired by Belos/Kikimora after drawing Luz a map to Eda in Young Blood, Old Souls! Either way this guy has a sudden new level of NUANCE that I am reeling from, and yes I checked, that really is Wrath according to the credits! Dang this puts everything in a WHOLE new light…!

AMITY HAIR OHMIGOD IT LOOKS SO ADORABLE SHE’S SELF-ACTUALIZING I AM FUCKING SCREAMING HOLY SHIT OH MY GOD!!! OH MY GOD OH MY GOD, it’s PINK and not green… They acknowledged it, Emira did! And they CHANGED IT I AM LOSING MY FUCKING MIND OVER THIS-

She looks so BEAUTIFUL and I love the kind of foreshadowing with the bookends of our first shot of Amity having her hair down, and now it’s changed! And she looks adorable and EMIRA AND EDRIC BEING GREAT SIBLINGS I LOVE IT SO MUCH! This… THIS is everything I wanted! I was resigned to not much of them but HELL YEAH they’re being good siblings and we get a look at their rooms, we see them doing MAKEOVERS together this is everything from my favorite fanon content and MORE,

Also Edric has a date?! Emira says ‘their’ mom… Unless the Golden Guard has a mom, DARN! Not gonna lie, I half-expected a big twist at the end that Edric was dating the Golden Guard, who was doing some sort of reconnaissance as his unrecognized normal self and/or screwing around with the Blights even further, but in a GENUINE sense… But then who knows Kikimora could be posing as GG’s ‘mom’, this is a stretch anyhow-

JUST HELL YEAH Blight Twins! Blight Twins being sweet and mischievous and supportive of each other, Blight SIBLINGS being siblings, Emira being an older sister and giving advice! And AMITY, Amity mentioning how much Luz has changed stuff, I love that they acknowledge it openly how her life has completely shifted, and now… NOW…!

No necklace! Red leggings! PINK HAIR?! Is this why Amity in the intro hasn’t been updated yet… She was getting TWO updates, so the animators decided to only animate a change after this final update?!

King and Gus are also friends it seems, and they even recorded some fun together! I’m surprised at how much Bria and the others mock Gus’ illusion skills… Obviously Belos is kinda terrible but like; I don’t think he’d set aside an entire subset of magic into Illusions without reason! Also that nightmare trip… I LOVE IT, I love Gus applying the creativity of illusions in their ability to completely warp and distort someone’s sense of reality! And I called that dragon-thing being an illusion!

A graveyard… I wonder if the Gallderstones (is that how it’s spelled) have any relevance or if they’re just neat? I hope Mattholomule and Gus help hide the Looking Glass Graveyard… Damn, that’s another Death reference with Gus, huh! Is it culminating in his respect for the dead, or will it continue further with Gus being a necromancer, or an Oracle who can commune with the deceased, and he has their respect as someone who treats them properly?!

Also not to get dark but… What if all those Illusionists are dead because of Belos? I’m JUST SAYING…! And not gonna lie, every time someone insulted Illusions, I kept imagining the Illusion Head just suddenly waking up and feeling like there’s a disturbance in the force, as well as a weird compulsion to beat up some Glandus kids. It’d be even funnier if he had beef with the Construction, Plant, and Abomination Heads as well!

Speaking of which, more confirmation on Construction Magic being related to earth! Glad to see Bria give us a look into that, which furthers my idea of Belos using construction magic… Also dang, Bria and the Glandus Kids really are the parallels/foils to the Detention kids! You’ve got the short ‘nice’ girl, the tall lanky kid, the furry… But the Glandus Kids start off looking nice and cool, but turn out to be rather nasty!

Meanwhile the Detention Kids seem like bad news and delinquents, but no! They’re just demonized and actually very kind and chill! The Detention Kids are looked down upon, the Glandus Kids are appraised… The Detention Kids are dual-track, the Glandus Kids are singular; Glandus Kids from, well, GLANDUS, Detention Kids from Hexside… One’s ‘mischief’ is actually very neat and cool, the other’s is literal grave robbing.

I guess that’s how the bleeding statues got past the censors- It’s technically just an illusion! Also more insight into how Glandus works with its Survival of the Fittest mentality, I wonder if we’ll get confirmation on which coven heads came from there, how that might influence them as adults…

What is Glandus like, is it more whole-heartedly accepting of Belos’ rule, hence its harsh ideals? Was it made after Hexside? Does Bump hate it for being so cruel like that, or is it just school bias? And dang poor Mattholomule, I always had a feeling he sort of felt and knew that he wasn’t much, so he accepted and compensated by deliberately doing whatever he can for power…

They confirmed he’s from Glandus, and I appreciate this new look at him! This new leaf turned… Hot take but he’s honestly not as bad as Boscha, his stint with Gus was a one-time thing that Gus was able to live with! And that seems pretty good to set them up as friends! Speaking of Boscha, Willow was injured by pixies? And the last time we heard of pixies, they belonged to Boscha and caused the school to get shut down… Did BOSCHA DO THIS I SWEAR SHE IS DEAD TO ME-

(Also she’s mentioned in the credits for this episode but I don’t remember hearing her? I might’ve gotten distracted with so much other things.)

Gus! I like the insight into his relationship with Illusions, and I appreciate how he’s considering other forms of magic… But this hesitation might just serve to reaffirm his believe in Illusions, which is okay! It’s all about choice… And yeah, it seems Gus also has a case of impostor syndrome like King, no wonder they get along so well! I love the glimpses into Gus’ house and the confirmation that he has a library card, no Perry though alas…!

I appreciate how Gus feels overlooked, like he has no real substance, which is how his Illusions reflect a desire to draw attention, but also the idea that there’s nothing real beneath them… Again, very much like King! And Gus, he’s not a powerhouse like the rest, he’s SKILLED and smart, but strength isn’t his forte, it’s not brute force he operates on, but cleverness! Trickery, I like it…! It’s a nice callback to his last A-plot episode, SVSF, where instead of fighting Mattholomule physically, Gus’ solution is to think outside the box and pull the alarm!

You go kid, not relying on brute strength but showing that some clever tricks and thinking are just as valid! Kinda wonder if this episode is lowkey a discussion on masculinity for young boys, especially with Gus growing older with puberty, though the latter is mostly because his actual VA grew… But maybe the writers rolled with that and incorporated it, or it’s just a very neat coincidence! Also, it is me or did Mattholomule’s voice change? And the gag that Gavin’s dad looks identical to him, even moreso because he’s NOT supposed to have a moustache… That’s great!

Malphas! Love this reference to a classic demon, I wasn’t sure if Malphas was the librarian with glasses whom I’ve always headcanoned as a father figure to Amity… But maybe it’s actually this bird dude! He seems adept in Bard magic, and I love the reveal of his true crow appearance… Guess those theorists were right that the one-eyed figure is from the Forbidden Stacks! Also Malphas NOT COOL with Amity, but I’m glad Luz changed his mind, and I wonder how that adventure looked…

Which- DAMN, the RSD with Luz! She looks so UTTERLY BROKEN when Amity mentions doing stupid things, and she didn’t mean it like that, but Luz just looks so completely shattered and you can tell she wants to cry but instead she bottles it up and tries to take it in stride, and that plays into her trying to overcompensate for her mistakes AGAIN… SOMEONE GET IT TO HER HEAD that she doesn’t need to! I’m scared for Luz, and I was SO scared this episode would end on a bad note…

BUT DOAHLDdFAEONDKFHN LUMITY KISS LUMITY KISS! ONE-SIDED BUT THEY FINALLY FUCKING KNOW AND AMITY IS LIKE WHAAAAT AND I WAS WAITING FOR IT AND I COULD FEEL IT HAPPEN AND GAY KISS! GAY KISS ON-SCREEN!!! And the way Luz just FLOPS to the ground on her knees AAHJJFFKHGGK and no Alador nor Odalia to ruin this, UTTERLY PERFECT and the twins WATCHING OOOHHHHGGGG YYYEEAAAAHHH-

This is EVERYTHING I ever wanted!

What an AMAZING episode with wonderful characer beats and reveals! Again, Amity’s growth as a character, that brief insight into how Luz as a person is very chaotic and sometimes frustrating for Amity and forces her to reevaluate, but ultimately it’s good and Luz DOES try her best, and Amity clearly wanted to make things up for Luz and apologize, they’re BOTH doing things, just the little moments!

Also, Alex Lawther voices Philip Wittebane! He has long hair and a vaguely british accent, he’s… He’s Belos isn’t he? And they got a new VA because having him voiced by Matthew Rhys would be really spoiler-y right? He’s got the long hair and he’s a nerd… And with how he talks of finding a way back home, maybe Belos really DOES just want to return home, after all? He talks of making a way back home…

And we see a glimpse of the Portal, so it might’ve brought him there? Or did Philip succeed in making it, and that was his blueprint designs? Did he arrive by Titan’s Blood? What happened to the portal if it brought him there, or if he made it? Why the scar, why near Eda’s house, partially buried?

Was it lost before he could finish his work, and Philip got side-tracked into something else… Perhaps going on a crusade, on behalf of a curse/demon that possessed him? A demon that killed King’s father…? Was the portal broken and he had to discard it, but then it naturally healed- Or did it just need to recharge, maybe Philip DID make it back home, WHAT IS THE ANSWER?! Is there some sort of doppelganger for Philip, is BELOS his doppelganger?! What is THIS WHAT-

WHAT AN EPISODE!

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worldsover · 4 years

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Judgement to the Desiccated ft. Karina

length ✦ 5573

genres ✧ sm type future; asphyxiation; blackmail; virtual_servant!Karina;

✦✧✦✧✦✧

Air did a poor job of not being polluted so Lee Soo Man flooded the world instead. The man himself certainly must be long gone and could not have been in charge of that decision but the legacy of his company far exceeds the legacy of any other human collective in history. Once on this planet, gas was the fluid of choice for respiration and breathing was an unconscious reflex. Now there’s Aether by SM. How very on-brand of them to have the liquid air you breathe follow perfume naming conventions.

Open your eyes and exit the sleeping chamber. Aether has you work for each inhalation, it desaturates the color of the bedroom—maybe there’s a subtle but uncomfortable tinge of yellow—and it makes your nose itch. Your muscles wield much less force than they used to because of the lack of resistance the fluid provides. Moreover, it smells like hairspray as though the ozone layer is taking sardonic revenge.

Screens impersonating windows track your eyes to ensure realistic parallax, playing the scene of divine blue heavens that could not exist. An azure sky is a reward for those planets that have an atmosphere and a sun for light to scatter. Your walls are either chrome or drywall white and your whole bedroom is plainly decorated just like the day you moved in.

“Etymology of bedroom,” you think out loud, though it falls on no ears.

“Bedroom is a compound noun consisting of bed and room. Bed goes back to Old English bedd ‘sleeping place, plot of ground prepared for plants,’ which goes back to the Germanic-”

Plants and sleep are both strong words to use nowadays. The former doesn’t exist in nature and it seems you’re the only one who bothers with the latter. Faint buzzing distracts you from the AI’s response and signals you to the nano drones that swim throughout the liquid to process carbon dioxide from your lungs. This whole ordeal could’ve been much worse if you didn’t have brain interfaces doing the hard part of controlling your diaphragm. The most you need is a purposeful thought. Still, it gets tiring having to think the same thought every three seconds. In. Out.

Was the metaphorical Soo Man teaching a lesson in perseverance? You love K-pop and imagine it’s how trainees used to practice dancing, singing, being charismatic. Being an idol had to be as natural as breathing air. Inhale and exhale. Right now with any antiquated programming language you clung on to, you could write a single for loop that did the same job. For every three seconds: breathe in, breathe out.

“What’s for breakfast today?” Not loud enough. “What’s for breakfast?” you think it louder.

“Welcome, master. Ae-Karina is ready for service.” It’s quite a kindness for SM to blur the bland dystopia you live in by augmenting reality through your neural device. A bosomy woman in a gold-lined but otherwise modest maid outfit appears from the corner of your eye and she bows. Ae-Karina is bewitching and almost becoming of her basis as its graphics have gradually upgraded over the rotations but you wouldn’t misconstrue the avatar as human.

“I said, what’s for breakfast!” It feels impolite to scream in your head, there’s other residents there, but finally the fridge lights up.

“Of course master. May I remind you eating is unnecessary?”

In. Out. Every day, she does remind you, yes. How kind of the company to put all your nutritional requirements in the new air. Aether goes in then Aether goes out. You wish the thoughts of breathing could fade into the background but they’re just like your cravings for food. Always hungry but never starving, whole though not once satisfied. Your eyes pause at her gorgeous face and she tells you there’s bacon. Take it from your fridge. Bacon goes in. Well, the drones take care of the out.

Your assigned living space is the entire 207th floor of a tower. Two hundred and seven floors below the surface. The neighbor a few floors upstairs says that he thinks living deeper is a sign of status. What a luxury. That guy should check the status of his facial muscles, maybe improve his code that lets him tell lies while he’s at it. A couple hundred flights of stairs to swim up is a useless skeuomorphism of skyscrapers in the days of the sun. In fact they were more than useless, you would've preferred a single vertical hallway as it would have let you propel upwards unimpeded. Each floor is the exact same, a glass door that affords no privacy for its residence, a false tree on each side. At the upper levels, malls, convenience stores and other gaudy retail, but it’s the gyms that mock you that you mock in return. They’re always empty.

Finally reaching the top is no true break even if it is a change in scenery. Inhale. Aether tastes a little different up here. Exhale. Can’t say you like it.

Countless satellites form a parody of the star from which the planet flew away, the false image refracted by the upper boundary of Aether. They can’t take away your memories of this star. Looking up at the sky once blinded you with ultraviolet radiation, burning your cornea. It was beautiful. Now everyone’s decided that if they’re playing the part of corporate dystopia, they might as well fit the aesthetic. In a way, it’s self-fulfilling. They wouldn’t have chosen a neon pink sun to compliment the blue and metallic gloom of the cityscape if it weren’t so ingrained in popular media already.

Still, you would’ve expected Google or Walmart to become the megacorp responsible for the state of the world, not a Korean entertainment company. Must’ve been quite the red paperclip scenario. Instead of material design or utilitarian architecture, tacky artistic structures line the streets. The same advertisements for albums that they’ve been selling for the past however long. It's all so obvious, the city could've been designed from scratch to accommodate new forms of travel and goddamn liquid air but instead they went with futuristic Tokyo.

Dubstep permeates your inner ear implants. A notification informs your thoughts that it’s “Hip-hop EDM dance pop with a strong jungle house groove and urban influences.” It’s dubstep. Liquid carries barely any sound so SM affords the option for implants if you're nostalgic for one of the senses. Even though it’s a slower form of communication than direct neural transfer, the noise comforts you. Of course the company would choose dubstep as their background music, but maybe they make money off refunds somehow. It switches to Ice Cream Cake. Much better.

You walk the not so busy roads towards a short brick warehouse in the distance and heavy rain soaks your clothes. No such thing as weather without the sun and water but it’s all simulated anyway.

A warm Seulgi adlib and you know it’s Psycho that starts playing. No, none of your senses are real. The most you could trust is your vision but even that’s being lied to. You could be living in a vat and fed all these thoughts, but then why make it so mediocre? Not paradise, nor torture but a lukewarm in-between. Guess that's what happens when SM Entertainment manages the post-apocalypse. Good on them for trying. The alternative would be a frozen hellscape without solar radiation. Can’t deny their work with geothermal and nuclear energy to keep the Aether warm so that you didn’t have to live underground for the rest of human history. It’s quite great PR to save humanity.

“Hey now, we’ll be okay,” repeats a few more times than you remember.

The Idea Factory Alpha White Delta Green says the neon tubes lighting the front of the brick and mortar building. Your ID card bears a name but it’s not yours, not until they approve your name change. Those usually get processed faster with how often people liked changing their names.

Sit at a desk with a sterile white keyboard and slick new monitor. Type and empty words appear on the screen: “Think for the many, not for the one. We need to think ahead.” A thumbs up. The company appreciates the input. That’s probably enough work for one day. Some SNSD live stages help the time pass, SM certainly appreciated the streaming numbers and it would net you some social points.

It’s hard to say what comes to mind when they ask you to envision a world without the sun and air, especially since it’s what you’ve known for... Two hundred years? There’s no frame of reference, that much you can tell from when you counted seconds to see how often the satellites completed their orbit. SM really took time to have them propel at random speeds, they love withholding sensitive information like that from citizens. To be fair, time is sensitive. Guess the meaning of that phrase changes like all parts of language.

Look around. Dozens of employees at identical workspaces all try to answer the same questions. Naturally, there’s no need for manual labor anymore but there will never be a replacement for human ingenuity. Nice slogan but you know you’re only here for data. Can’t see a need for customer retention though—what’s the alternative, skip Earth? See you on another planet?

“Hey bro, you come up with anything new?” Dave says. Two desks away, you see the enthusiastic, surprisingly spry man play around with a Newton’s cradle. The balls at each end bounce back and forth, not slowing down their rhythm any time soon.

“I think I got something,” you say, “Earth is not the answer. It can’t be, long term.”

“Ooh, I like that. Actually, I really like that.”

“What are you gonna do, copy me?”

“Of course not. You know how much SM hates plagiarism.” Click. Clack.

“Ha. As if there’s a single original thought left in the world.” Click. Clack. The imaginary sounds of metal spheres bouncing play in your mind. They got the volume wrong, no way it’d sound that loud from that distance. “You’d think with all their resources, they’d have figured out space travel by now.”

“I don’t think they want to leave, bro. Wouldn’t be great for profits.”

Your mouth opens to laugh and causes laugh8942.mp3 to play in Dave’s head. “I love it. SM probably hates that sass too,” you say.

“Oh no, they’re gonna arrest me for thoughtcrimes. Nah, they love creativity, just when it suits them. Also, if they actually did bust you for wrongthink like rumors say, I wouldn’t have this on me.” Dave twirls a finger and points at you and you thank his absurd flair for the histrionic that keeps you amused with such drab work.

“NewDrug.mp6. Would you like to play it?” the dry system voice notifies you.

“Woah woah there tiger, hold on.” Dave must’ve noticed your intrigued eyes and holds his hands up. “You might wanna experience that at home. But if you’re interested in more, ask for chicken parm at the vegan place. You know the one.”

Dave leaves his desk. He doesn’t return. You finish your work. Inspire. Expire. You’d rather not.

In contrast to your commute to work, the roads fill with others on your way home. You have to know. Take solace in the comfort of a bench where a huge McDonald’s arch bathes the surroundings and its people with a yellow glow. Really shouldn’t watch it now, especially if Dave says it’s a home type of watch but you have to know. A family of five watches you pass out. They, along with every other passerby, ignore your still body draped over the chrome outdoor seating as you look like yet another junkie. The title is correct after a fashion, the simulation is some sort of new drug. The details of the exploits that happen in the immersive replay wash over you but you don’t need them to know that it’s the sort of lewd that SM would not allow—at least not publicly and not without the right exorbitant payment.

Suit pants and underwear go straight to the laundry. That must’ve been an embarrassing sight but no one bothered to stop you, so it doesn’t matter. Look up where this vegan place was that Dave so presumptuously assumed you knew about and you find that it’s about four Avengers’ stores down from work. He must’ve eaten there before.

“Yo Dave, just wanna make sure, what’s the name of the vegan place called?”

“What are you talking about, man? You telling me there’s some secret underground farms that SM wouldn’t know about?”

You can’t tell when you got to work, a lack of standardized timing would help as well the haze of living in a monotonous dark. “Nah, I mean, for the-”

“I have no idea,” Dave emphasizes each word, “what you’re talking about.”

“I see.”

Work flies by, unusually.

“Hey, can I get a chicken-”

“Uh, this is Maron’s Veggies Only, it clearly says on the sign.”

Clear your throat. “Parm.”

The shifty part-time worker looks around and rubs his fingers gesturing for money. “No digital.”

Over the counter, you pass him a gold coin stamped with a holographic 1 and he hands you a USB stick and a laptop in return. How old-fashioned.

“It’ll sync with whoever you have set as your avatar experience aspect,” the worker says.

“Thanks.”

Ever vigilant as the patrol is, the alleys are the last place you want to go to hide with the obvious criminal element within them all but you head to one anyway. Dump the anachronistic technology in your storage pocket dimensions. Looking at its contents, you’d have to clean that mess up later, but the more you look like an average slob the better. The biggest problem with the inventories is all the people squatting in them. Inspectors wouldn’t care about the archaic ruins you left in yours.

“Welcome, master. Ae-Karina is ready to service.”

“I’d like to go on a date. A special date.” You highlight the key word special and sit on your living room couch. No one’s going to look in your glass door and regardless, you wouldn’t be the pervert for glimpsing into someone’s home.

“Ah yes, master. Ae-Karina is ready to fully service,” she says with a provocative tint in her tone, her sclera disperses to black to match. A pole drops from the ceiling while parts of her maid outfit dissolve which reveals more of the silky skin of her thighs, her lissom arms and most importantly her overflowing breasts. Ae-Karina wraps her legs around the pole and spins around, teasing fingers trace curves on her body to harden you. Her dance is precise but sultry regardless. She pulls up her short skirt to flaunt more of her ass beneath white panties and then pulls down to flourish her cleavage, not trapped by a bra. “Are you enjoying your maid’s show?”

“Very much so, yes,” you say.

Half of a smile forms before a glitch occurs and she teleports next to you, fully nude. It doesn’t pull you out of the illusion however. You just stare and drink in the splendor of her created body.

“You’re not going to touch?” Ae-Karina says.

A feel of her tits and you find it softer than pillows you used to rest on. Soft isn’t much of a character that exists anymore when the whole world is engulfed in liquid. No one has beds, especially with the rarity of sleep. Therefore, her mounds are a consummate dedication to the texture as you squeeze and pinch at her cute nipples.

Her maid outfit rematerializes as she straddles you. It provides more friction to your pants as she begins her lap dance. The weight of her body dragging across your legs and clothed erection induces your carnal impulses further. If only you could fuck the virtual idol. You have to make do with the imprint of her pussy lips on your bulge sliding up and down. Breath in. Breath out.

Ae-Karina pulls down your boxers and spits on your erection. It's not real but her hands so slick on your cock and you let reality slip. Real is for the past, you have desires gratified in the present. There is no real person nibbling at your neck but your nerves activate in sexual desire without discernment for truth. No, she doesn't love you, but when the voracious mass of ones and zeroes says it loves its master, you say it back.

"I love you."

ILOVEYOU infected ten million computers in 2000. An explosion. Calibration engaging. It’s 1:21 PM, Sunday, July 18, 2286 and hypothetically the sun would be out in its full rage. At this latitude and longitude, you’re at what was once the epicenter of all—Seoul, where a fountain caused a chain reaction allowing the hopeful remnant of a world to exist. It lasted a surprisingly long time without the sun and without Aether but the dying planet would succumb inevitably to the ever-increasing contamination so SM of all corporations took charge. A different kind of chain reaction occurred when they acquired a restaurant chain that discovered the recipe for liquid air. The law is on its way and prepared to punish you to its full extent.

You reel while your ears ring. An even sexier version of the woman you already fantasized about appears from your peripheral vision in the crater of your floor. A skimpy cop outfit, striated with reflective material that seems to wane black at different angles, outlines Karina’s curves. She has a tool belt with absurd gadgets, such as a knife baton hybrid, a taser combined with a spray bottle and a Tamagotchi. None of this is necessary. They could just immediately arrest you, impose limitations on your devices. Sure, SM cloned people to deal with underpopulation, but why Karina would be the enforcer is a whole nother issue. Maybe the entertainment company loves their irony?

“Halt. You’re under arrest. Any resistance will be penalized according to the combined Terms of Service of all SM and SM associated products.”

Fucked anyway, you figure you might as well go for it. Escape into your inventory and only seconds later you’re forced out. You manage to get what you need regardless.

“Violation of access rights will be charged to your account.”

It’s so obvious but there’s a reason you kept so much gold in physical storage. As you swim away, the sides of your apartment start to bubble. Bubbles? Already, your limbs feel unsteady. Something’s wrong in the Aether.

“This is standard procedure for escaping suspects that are indoors. Again, this is all agreed to under the Terms of Service.”

“When the fuck did I ever click accept to that shit?”

“When you were born in this world and decided you want to stay in it,” Karina says out loud. You hear her say it. Your physical ears process the vibrations in the air that come from her mouth. Gravity thwarts your desperate escape as your limp body floats on the limit between liquid and air. The atrophy of your muscles becomes apparent within the gaseous atmosphere. She watches you sink down as the room drains of all the false air though her eyebrows crease when she inspects you closer. Your breaths are involuntary. Despite your muscles shorting out, the force of gravity and the pressure of the gas bearing down on you, you’re breathing and you don’t mean to. Her eyes wander farther down. On your pants, a concrete rod stamps the fabric.

“Oh, you like what you see?”

“Shut up, criminal. Anything you say can and will be used against you.”

“Your pussy,” you say and she scoffs.

“Original.” Karina bites her lip as your erection continues to grow behind its prison. You use all effort to put your hands up.

“Please, miss Karina. I’ve been bad.”

“I could punish you even more for sexual assault.”

“Then do it.”

Heat radiates the room in a way you haven’t felt in a while and droplets of sweat form on each of your bodies, especially on the thighs that her revealing outfit parades. Her facial features contort in deliberation and the wait kills you. You bat your eyes at her before Karina takes off her tight shorts and drops herself into your anticipatory face. This makes no sense but none of this life made any sense so you decide to go with the tides.

Centuries of training your respiration has led to this moment, but when you finally have real air to breathe, you spit at the opportunity and choose to suffocate. Then you spit at her pussy and lap it up. Karina’s nectar transfixes your olfactory glands, for once a smell that isn’t the sterile Aether. Your eyes are mesmerized in parallel because of the perfect design of her pussy, a single crease that leads into her hole that your tongue emphatically explores. Karina spreads her thighs wide to reveal a small nub that craves attention. So give it. Suck and swirl and flick your tongue, and the woman provides you the tight clench of her legs as a gift. And the sounds, rediscovered glorious noise. Loud, almost too loud, and clear is how they assault your ears, even surrounded by the flesh of her thighs. Muffled by the weight of her legs, you hear Karina moan in approval but she’s still clearly in charge with how she chokes you with her legs. This is not about your pleasure but hers, and any satisfaction that you derive is not only incidental but probably punishable by SM copyright law.

Karina squirms her hips subtly on your mouth. Her eyes are sharp and she’s just about to stop your hands from moving but she notices them clasp together.

“I’ll do anything to make you cum, please.” you say sloppily as her pussy juices fill your cheeks and drip down your chin.

“God. I can’t.” She takes deep, contemplative breaths. ”That’s more time added on for inappropriate behavior.” Her groaning and brief squeals make her words sound incogent.

You give her a concluding lick and a kiss on her slit. “So what have you been doing right now then?”

Point to a corner of the room and a subtle red light indicates a recording camera. At once, she pulls out a hose from a pocket that could not fit it and the vacuum submerges the room with noise. Her expression shifts quickly to serious.

“We don’t play games here in SMTOWN unless it’s SuperStar so don’t fuck with me.”

“Look who's trying to be a comedian. How about you fuck with me any further and the video gets released.”

“That’s funny, you think you have any sort of power-”

“Yoo Jimin, I suggest you don’t push me more.”

“Where do you know that name from? Right now.” She weighs herself down on your neck.

“You think I don’t have contingencies for if I die too? Karina, we can make this a win-win scenario. We both get to cum, we both get to walk away unscathed.”

“Fuck you.”

Your weak arms wander between her thighs. At any moment, a feeble punch towards your face or another ten seconds of asphyxiation and she could call your bluff. Even if you did have the ability to expose her perversions in any way, there would be no permanent recourse, not as long SM was in charge. So it surprises you when Karina takes off her shorts.

“Goddammit. Your cock just looks too good. And your mouth, how are you so good with it?” Put up five fingers when she motions to remove her top as well, and instead she opts to take off your clothes, seizing your pants and throwing them to join the rubble in the room.

A finger slips in, then two and a third dares. Her flawlessly architected pussy lips clings to your digits and Karina shudders in reply. You explore her wetness and find it’s smooth to the point of having no faults, but her juice inside is gloppy and causes your fingers to stick more than the liquids she spills from her slit.

“Who said you’re allowed to have more?”

You lap up the nectar on your fingers. “Then why’d they make you taste so good?”

Your thumb teases her sweet tight asshole and puts just the slightest amount of pressure on it while you finger her with more intensity. The mass of her butt burdens your torso the closer she gets to orgasm. Her eyelids squeeze close and you see her body ripple in anxious pleasure. Karina shows off her pearly whites, teetering on the cliff of hysteria.

“Yes, yes! I’m so close,” she screams.

"Not yet."

“Fuck." Karina sobs, "God. Damn, fuck I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Just fuck me.”

“My pleasure,” you say. There’s no need for you to grab her since she brings herself down to your groin, which you’re thankful for as your arms are as good as jelly now. Fortunately, your cock throbs as hard as ever while Karina’s slit rests on it.

“Say you’ll delete it all, all the evidence, promise me.”

“You’re gonna fuck me first or what?” Your breath hitches while she makes a strangled noise as her velvety walls swallow your cock whole to leave no room for comfort. Her tightness is stifling and you have to start counting just to breathe again.

“One two-”

“Be quiet.”

But there is no quiet when pleas for your cooperation intersperse her excessive profanities when she seats herself into your cock and ricochets up and down. Sweat emanates from her creamy skin while her legs widen to find a better angle for her supporting knees in her cowgirl position. Grapefruit and other citrus mingle with the scent of the sweat, fruits you haven’t seen except on billboards in music videos. As much as your mind crackles and your blood roars for every atmosphere of pressure Karina’s walls provide on each thrust in and out, you can’t help but reminisce on sweeter, more innocent times.

The white fluorescent lights in your apartment sputter. For all the advancements in technology, some among many things never change. Light refracts differently in air, less bright, but you can see the pure enjoyment on Karina’s face no matter the luminescence. Karina slows her ride to pull her hips down harder instead and she jolts when your cock finds the most tender spots inside her pussy and it interrupts her babbling.

Karina almost hyperventilates when she gets up to spit on your cock. She pulls out some kind of meter from her tool belt and sighs when there’s no beeping and you recognize it having to do with carbon dioxide. She gets back to dribbling saliva and the filament trailing down to your shaft mesmerizes you. This spit is real, not simulated, and it wettens your erection in a mix with her pussy juices to paralyze you further in your already listless state. Her bare thighs jiggle and you can’t exert much force with your hands but her buttcheeks are firm with just a bit of give.

“Thank you for this cock, thank you for being bad,” Karina says as you watch her ass sink deeper while her pussy holds your dick taut. She’s frenetic when bounces up and down to play an unadulterated orchestra of slick noises between your groins.

“You’re welcome,” you accomplish getting out the words between planned breaths. Your hands cup her buttcheeks but you fear they may break with how she strikes her ass into you.

Karina turns around once more to give you the spectacle of her facial expressions as she fucks herself into you. Knead her calves laying on your torso and they take no energy to spread them though she brings them back together, compressing your hard shaft within her pussy. A new game you play with her, a separate rhythm of loosening and tightening. Her feet press on your chest to help her bounce, but the way they bear down on your lungs against the timing of your breathing causes you to fumble. Your cock bends straight forward as she plunges herself into you and it sends prickles to your entire skin, making the new angle difficult but worth it. Karina takes your hand and starts sucking on your fingers.

“You want my promise that bad?” you say.

“Yes, as bad as I want your cum. I swear, I need it.”

She draws her knees up to her torso and hugs her legs to keep thighs as tight together as possible. Karina couldn’t keep her word, she was trying to kill your cock with constriction.

“Fuck, your pussy is so fucking tight. God, Karina, fuck. You’re so good.” Even if good isn’t the word you want to use to describe her.

“Do it, please, please. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, baby. Karina can be a good girl, a good maid, a good cop, whatever you want. Just don’t get me in trouble, please.”

Karina’s mouth stops saying words though her lips writhe, drunk in increasing lust. Her cheeks flush, before the rest of her skin joins in redness while she grapples your chest and whatever spare limb she can find. You still struggle wresting control of your body but nature seems to take over when you drive yourself into her and match her needy cadence. The air in the room is replaced by a new air but it isn’t Aether. Passion, sweat, heat and all fluids that you both exude join squelching sounds, slaps and moans in harmonic bliss when her body tenses and she screams. As her body tightens, her pussy especially holds your cock for dear life and endeavours to wring out all your semen as her wetness throbs and spills. Karina starts counting to three repeatedly and you laugh though your amusement quickly subsides when you feel her juices become more viscous and she continues her ride, even in the dying pulses of her climax.

“Was I good?” Karina asks.

Just a moment goes by before you mentally send her a screenshot of all the recordings being deleted. Karina hasn’t stopped fucking you yet so at least it wasn’t a ploy.

“Thank you, thank you, I love you.” The flexion of her pliant legs brings them all the way back to rest on top of your legs. Karina lays prone above you and finally give you a kiss. The citrusy flavor may be closer to lime than grapefruit but it’s been so long that you can’t remember which scent is which. Lips crash and her tongue lashes out at yours trying to establish dominance. Keep still to let her investigate your mouth while her pussy does the same to your shaft.

You savor the way Karina’s top emphasizes the bouncing of her tits synchronous with the rebounding of her waist on your cock, but your mouth waters when she frees them. Take the shortest moment to relish in the sight before Karina smothers you with her plump globes. You wriggle your face to try to breathe. Inhale, up and exhale, down, but all you inhale is the scent of her orbs’ sweat. Her hips undulate with a pace at least double yours breathing and the echoes of slapping flesh resonate throughout the air-filled chamber. The loudness is unlike any you’ve experienced in a long time. It’s almost a flashbang every time her ass slams into your lap, especially as you start to see white when orgasm threatens to overload you with preludial pulses.

The last words you hear infected ten million computers in 2000. Fade to black. Cut. You’re slammed out of existence back into existence as a sun rebirths both within you, heating your core to a dangerous high, and from your eyes, dazzling you in an unforgiving white light. In the throes of unconsciousness relapsing to consciousness back to tenebrosity, your streaks of semen suspend in the Aether like a dead tree resting from the wind. What flashes your mind in its orgasmic state are two things only you would remember, plants and weather. Your hyperventilation is unconscious but not unwelcome, as it’s the first time in a while your breaths were reflexive even in the liquid air. However, basking in your newfound power, you start to choke. Right. You breathe in and out again. In and out. In. Out. In. Out. Back in.

“Replaying KarinaArrestsYou.mp6.” A hint of vexatious glee in the system’s otherwise dry voice. You don’t stop for it.

✦✧✦✧✦✧

AFF, AO3

It’s pretty silly but the idea danced around in my head ever since I saw the absolute Black Mirror concept that SM had for aespa and I concur that Karina is insanely hot.

As I’m writing this, this Kurzgesagt video on the idea of a rogue Earth comes out and now I have to rewrite stuff to make it at least a little consistent. I’m obviously already going nuts with all these ridiculous sci-fi concepts but this video almost feels too targeted to me writing this for me to ignore it.

#kpop smut #aespa smut #male reader #reader insert #title tracks

433 notes · View notes

thebeebi · 4 years

Text

You will be beautiful.

pairing: Taehyung x reader

warnings: disturbing, violence, yandere theme... can’t tell you much, because then it would not create the wow effect I wanted. ;)

genre: modern, rich boy / poor girl

word count: 4.4k

a/n: it would be better if you eat before reading this hahaha, you’ve been warned! There might be some gram. mistakes. English is not my first language. Enjooooy ♥

...Y/N stopped walking and stood still, hypnotized by Taehyung’s every movement. Something about him was so attractive to her, that she forgot about the outside world. Not only was he handsome and her ideal type, but there was this strange aura around him that made her halt her steps and just adore his visuals. She stared at him so intensively, that even he felt it and looked up from his phone, looking around feeling something weird. He was unsure what it was until he met her gaze. To Y/N, it felt like an eternity when they locked their eyes, but Taehyung swiftly looked back to his phone smirking while whispering silently: “beautiful.”

They were so different. He was one of the most wanted men in the world. Not only he was born with a silver spoon but also his physical features were out of this world. She was just an ordinary girl not very pretty, but also not ugly, a bit of weight to spare. Since childhood, Y/N had several health problems, which resulted in the scale to show three digits of her weight. This caused both others and her, to hate herself. She hated her body until he showed up one day. When she saw him for the first time, her legs started shaking. It was when she was coming out of the university’s areal while complaining to her best friend, Hwasa, about her day and how others made fun of her weight. Y/N thought that once she changes the environment and enrols at university, people would act more mature and the bullying would stop. She hoped people would stop caring about her weight and looks, but nothing changed. As it was a problem at her high school. It was even worse at the university because at lectures she attended there were about 200 people. She felt unwell even if she only had to pass through the lecture hall to find the seat. Usually, when the lecture ended she would go out hearing other people’s whispers or some rude guys shouting rude remarks at her. Elephant. Whale. Roach. It was more than often that she ran out of there with teary eyes without waiting for the lecture to finish. That was the day she met Taehyung. He stood in front of the gate while typing furiously into his phone. Even though he was one of the most handsome men she had ever seen, Y/N realised she would not have any chance with him. Ever. Hwasa, who was waiting for her, ran towards her bigger friend and started talking about her boring day and what she has to do once she gets home, but Y/N paid no attention to her words. While Hwasa was talking about homework, Y/N stopped walking and stood still, hypnotized by Taehyung’s every movement. Something about him was so attractive to her, that she forgot about the outside world. Not only was he handsome and her ideal type, but there was this strange aura around him that made her halt her steps and just adore his visuals. She stared at him so intensively, that even he felt it and looked up from his phone, looking around feeling something weird. He was unsure what it was until he met her gaze. To Y/N, it felt like an eternity when they locked their eyes, but Taehyung swiftly looked back to his phone smirking while whispering silently: “beautiful.”

“Don’t forget the homework we have to submit due to-“ Hwasa turned to Y/N while explaining the importance of the papers they have to submit, but it was only then that she realised her friend is nowhere close to her. She looked around looking for her friend, but couldn’t find her. “Y/N?” She shouted walking back to the place where she has last seen Y/N. When she recognized a familiar figure, Hwasa waved at her shouting her name once again. When Y/N heard her name, she looked away from the mysterious man and waved back. “Why are you still here, Y/N? Let’s go!“ She said as she started pulling her hand leading them in the direction they were supposed to go. Again. I wanna see him again. As Hwasa tried her best to walk her toward the crossroad, Y/N turned her head towards the man but was surprised when he was already looking at her. Their eyes were locked until the two girls walked around the corner.

“Beautiful,” Taehyung whispered when he looked away from the girl who was staring at him. Unknowingly, the girl was for him the most beautiful human he had ever seen. Her size, face without any scar and for sure she had a perfect body. Her body would be worth it. Taehyung would give her all his attention if he only did not have to deal with the problem in his company. He thought that he would just shortly reply to the stupid texts and look back at the mysterious beauty. He wanted to know her name and everything there is possibly to know, but before he could ask her, Taehyung heard a random girl shouting a name. When he looked up from his phone, Taehyung saw a skinny girl pulling his beauty away from him. “Why are you still here, Y/N? Let’s go!“ Taehyung inhaled deeply as he was trying to smell her fragrance. Y/N. He looked at the girl and saw that girl named Y/N is turning to look at him again until he lost her from sight. Right away, Taehyung pulled out the phone from his leather jacket, which he had designed and sewn up. Dialled his assistant’s number, waiting for him to pick up before giving him information about his beauty. “ XY National University, her name is Y/N,” he considered giving his assistant more information but at the same time he did not know anything else about his goddess, so he decided to just stay still. “Find her,” Taehyung said and ended the call before Mr Kim could say anything. Taehyung no longer cared about his company, nor any problems they were currently in. The only thing he wanted was her, Y/N.

It has been a few days since he met his beauty. Not only did he find out Y/N’s full name, address, amount of money she has on her card, but he finally had something he wanted. Her phone number, so he could call her. Even though he waited for her in front of the university every day, she did not show up, so he started to visit her favourite cafés and library. He tried his best to meet her, but it was like she disappeared. If he hadn’t find out all information about her, he would think she was just a beautiful dream. “So beautiful…” he sighed, while small scalpel was slowly cutting into the leather. Taehyung was in the studio, in which no other living being stepped into. It was a small workroom, in which A´he stored all the stuff for his hobby. He created most of the leather clothes and other stuff he wears in this room. The studio was dark, not only walls were painted to black. Even a sofa, which was near the window, was made of dark green satin and all other furniture was made of dark oak.

“Ring. Ring. Ring.”

Taehyung looked at ID showed on the screen of the phone, while softly stroking the leather which he was trying to straighten up and with disgust, he picked up the phone. “I am listening.“ Taehyung said, when he pressed the green button, making known to his assistant that he is ready to hear everything his assistant has to say. “That girl is at work, sir.” It was all Taehyung needed to hear before leaving all stuff alone running towards the car, wanting to meet his beauty. When he arrived in front of the café she worked at, Taehyung looked in the mirror making sure he looked good for the girl he wanted to meet for the past week. A strange smile appeared on his lips that did not disappear even after leaving his car, walking up to the door of her workplace.

Y/N turned towards the sound of the doorbell that rang that day for the hundredth time. “Welcome,” she said automatically without even looking at the man who just entered. Taking the rug to wipe tables, she sighed. I want my shift the end. I want to go home. She thought as she put the dirty rug to side and took little notepad to write down the orders from the customers. Y/N walked from one table to other asking what people want to order, if everything is alright and had small talks with customers until she got to the darkest corner of the café, which was lit up only by little light chains. “Hello, what would you like to or-“she wanted to ask, but words got stuck in her throat as she was who was sitting in front of her. It’s him! Y/N didn’t know how to react, should she jump around feeling happy or just turn around and run away from there, never coming back again. The latter option was more appealing but she needed the money to survive so she just coughed up, pretending that something was stuck in her throat, not wanting to show a handsome stranger that his presence influenced her. “Sorry about that. What would you like to order?” Taehyung who was amused by her behaviour was trying to read all the little details about her face and just mumbled so she could not hear him: “You.” Y/N thought she heard something, but wasn’t sure because she has been overworking herself lately, so she repeated the question: “Sorry, I did not hear you. What would you like to order?” Taehyung tried his best not to repeat his answer and rather decided to point at the advertised drink on the table. She nodded and went to the bar, so she could make him a black coffee Taehyung ordered. He watched her every move so it was obvious he did not miss her being clumsy. She somehow burned her hand and yanked her hand away from hot steam. That will leave the scar. He thought as looked away from her figure while she started walking towards him. Y/N came closer, preparing to put down the cup of coffee, Taehyung pushed the table which resulted in her spilling the coffee on the table and also somehow managed to stain his pants. As he felt hot liquid touch his tight, he stood up from the chair fast and made a sound that made everyone in the café focus on them. Only then did Y/N realise what was going on. “Gosh! I don’t know how this happened. I am so sorry!” Y/N shouted with teary eyes bowing to the handsome man. That was what Taehyung wanted. To see her being helpless. How perfect she looked when tears were staining her rosy cheeks. Even if Taehyung felt the pain, it was nothing compared to the bliss he felt when she cried. “It is alright, stuff like this happens, right?” he laughed and he softly pushed away your hand from his stained jeans. Y/N runs toward the place where she put the rug she was cleaning tables with and walked toward Taehyung, trying to make things better. Even though Taehyung was disgusted with cloth in her hand, he let her try to wipe away stains. “Sir, I am really sorry. I will do anything to apologize.” That is what Taehyung wanted to hear. He had to bit into his lower lip to prevent himself from laughing. How gullible, just how I wanted. My plan is perfect. He knew what he wanted. He had everything planned. All she had to do was to say yes. “If you want to apologize, then go on a date with me” Y/N wasn’t sure if she heard him correctly. Why would he want to go on a date with her, if all she did was cause him pain? She was not sure why he would want to go on a date with her. Is he making fun of me? She thought but before she could think of other negative thoughts, Y/N decided to shake them away. “Please, choose something else how I can apologize to you.” She looked at her shoes, not wanting to meet stranger’s eyes knowing that her thoughts must be right and that he is just trying to make fun of her. “Y/N,” said the stranger, but it was all it took for her to look into his eyes. She should not have done that and she was well aware of that. When she met him for the first time, she could not stop staring at him but now? When she is only a few centimetres away from his face? Impossible to look at anything else! “It is the only way to show me how sorry you are,” Taehyung said not breaking the eye contact between them. He knew she would say yes the moment when she did not ask him how he knew her name. He knew everything about her and that was why he knew she would not reject his proposal. “-but I” Y/N tried to find an excuse until Taehyung said calmly “-the only way”. Y/N wanted to find an excuse for not going on a date with him, but Taehyung’s voice stopped her from interrupting again. “My name’s Taehyung, you finish at 6pm, right?” He asked her even though he knew when she finishes. He even knew that whenever she finishes her work for the day, she goes to a small convenience store for two minutes, so she can buy a grape soda in a can. She nodded and added that she will be done in 30 minutes. “I will wait for you.” Taehyung said as he sits down again in the corner of the café.

Time went by and after 45 minutes, Taehyung stood up from the chair, paid for his coffee and walked out of the café. He thought, that he should wait for her outside because otherwise, it would feel like he waited forever. The thought of her leaving without notifying him was so strong that it slowly but surely started to anger him. Where is she? Did she leave just like that? When I meet her, I am going to twist her n-. “I am sorry for being late. I hope you don’t mind.” Y/N said while smiling fixing her hair which was ruffled because of changing her uniform. Taehyung wanted to show how angry he was but decided to hold back not wanting to scare her. “Let’s have dinner at my place. My car is over there.“ He pointed at the yellow sports car. Y/N did not have a good feeling about this sudden invitation to a dinner date, but after all, she caused his inconvenience. Even though he was still a stranger, a very good-looking stranger, she decided to go with a flow forgetting about the warning sign in her head. Rational thinking told her to not go, but her heart wanted more than just a meeting. Not wanting to waste any more time thinking whether it was right or not, she walked towards the opened door of the yellow car and sat down looking around the leather interior which made her consider what kind of leather it was. The inside of the car smelled like her favourite lotion. Meanwhile, Taehyung walked around to get to the driver seat, she softly touched the beige cover of a steering wheel. “This smell is amazing, it reminds me of my body lotion” She giggled and looked at Taehyung who sat down to his seat. He smiled at her and with long fingers stroked the steering wheel. “Every bit of leather you see on my and in my car was sewn by me. It first, I had to remove meat and then I started working with leather in my studio.” Admitted Taehyung and added: “You are right. It smells here as the lotion because I used it. It is the best one on the market.” He looked away from Y/N and silently started the car, so they would arrive sooner to his house.

The ride took about twenty minutes before they arrived at Taehyung’s house, during which Y/N fell asleep. She was awakened to the sound of a door being closed. She wanted to open the door, but Taehyung was faster and opened it for her with a smile on his lips. “I hope you are hungry because I want to prepare something very special. Just for you.” Y/N smiled at him but shook her head. “I am dieting, I can’t eat much nor eat any meat.” Taehyung inhaled sharply and closed the door to the car once Y/N was out. “Then you should make today an exception. I will let you eat the meat of the best quality. It is worth it!” When they entered the house, she stayed silent trying to understand why this wealthy man asked her to dine with him. “This way,” Taehyung said while pointing in the direction of a huge living room. When she followed him and entered the room, he took remote control to switch on the television and put a hand on her shoulder. “I am going to cook, just stay here and relax. Okay?” Before she could say anything, he disappeared from the room.

He made sure Y/N was not following him when he got to narrow hall and looked around once again making sure no one was around him. Before he entered his workroom, he exhaled and nodded while smirking. Beautiful. He started walking towards the fridge, which is in the back, he stopped midway next to the table, on which he left his work earlier. He looked at the unfinished piece of leather and sighed. He touched it the only bit that had a little imperfection and frowned. Even after three days of working on it, he couldn’t get rid of the imperfections. “You could have been so beautiful but this…” Taehyung shook his head and walked to the fridge pulling out the piece of meat which he decided to make for dinner. “At least you will taste good.” He added walking away from his workroom and after exiting it, he stood still waiting for the door to lock automatically before heading to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

It has been an hour already. What is taking him so long? Y/N thought as she started walking around the room for the fifth time already. His entire house was furnished in a minimalistic style that even if she tried to look for any more decoration or picture, she wouldn’t find any. When she was about to walk to the window, Taehyung appeared while announcing that dinner is ready. “Come with me.” He came closer to her and held her hand trying to walk with her to the dining hall with a huge table that has been set up for two. Taehyung smiled at her sweetly and pulled the chair for her to sit down. When she did, he walked across the table and sat down himself. So romantic. She looked at the lit candles but soon enough threw away the thought knowing there would be nothing between them. “I will give you a little test.” Said Taehyung with which he made Y/N focus her attention on him. Even though she was a really shy person, that did not mean she wasn’t competitive. “What test?” Taehyung smirked and added: “I hunted this by myself. Can you guess what kind of meat is this?” Y/N was unsure what kind of test it was, but her growling stomach decided to play along. When Taehyung pointed at her plate, she took a knife and fork and started cutting up the served delicacy. When she put the first bit in her mouth, she was sure she has never tasted this kind of meat before. Pork? No, it was too different from the taste I know. Beef? Maybe, but some special kind. She wasn’t sure, but before she could try more of it, it was all gone. Taehyung was looking at her without paying attention to his plate. “Liked it?” he asked as he noticed she finished her meal. “Yes, I don’t think I have eaten a better meal than this. What was it? My guess is beef, but I am still not sure.” Instead of answering her question, Taehyung smiled and asked her. “What are your hobbies, Y/N?“ Forgetting their previous conversation, she stayed silent for a bit but admitted that no one has ever asked her about her hobbies. “I would say painting, what about yours, Taehyung?” It was the first time she has ever said his name aloud, but he already felt intoxicated with the idea of her screaming his name later on. How beautiful it would sound. He stood up from the table and took wine glass to his hands. “I love working with leather. I think it is the only thing I enjoy in this world.” Taehyung helped her stand up. “Do you want to see my workroom?” Y/N nodded and let him show the way towards the little room no other living human saw but him. When they got to the narrow hall, he pushed her carefully forward making her stand in front of the door which was locked with code. What could be so important, that he keeps it behind the locked door in his own house? Taehyung took her hand in his own and lead her to touch screen. “I will tell you the code, you can type it.” He laughed as she touched the screen that suddenly lit up. “7,” said Taehyung and she repeated. “7,” “7 7 5 5 4 4 4 6 6,” Taehyung revealed the secret passcode as Y/N softly whispered the numbers while pressing them on the screen. She focused her attention on the door as she hears the sound of unlocking. She pushed the door, so it would open but before she looked inside, her gaze met Taehyung’s with a smile.

Taehyung pressed himself on her back while trying to push open the door Y/N tried to open before. When her eyes went from Taehyung to the dark room, with courageous steps she walked in and looked around. His workroom was nothing special. Y/N noticed small fridge, huge and for sure heavy furniture, large table and wide glass case with some strange looking tools. She walked past the table to look closely at the tools, which Taehyung uses for his hobby. Her fast steps slowed down before they completely halted. Why would he keep in his workroom something like this? She thought as she touched the glass of the case. “Why would you need captive bolt stunner? She looked at the gun used for killing animals that were in her opinion too inhumane. “Don’t you like working with leather?” She suddenly felt unwell. Since she was born, she despised people who enjoy hurting animals. “How could you do this to them? Don’t you like animals?” Taehyung looked her amused. “I do, but… who told you I use these tools on animals?” A smile that was there before, is now long gone and so was the inner peace which has Y/N felt before. Through reflection on the glass, she looked into his eyes but she no longer saw the sweet, hot man who she met in front of her university or at the café. “I have to go!” She said after she gulped even though her mouth was dry. She turned around, determined to leave but Taehyung stood before her to block her steps. “Where would you go? You haven’t seen everything yet.” He placed his hand on her shoulders making her turn towards the table. He digs his nails into her shoulders as he pushed her forward. At first, Y/N did not understand what was so important but when she saw the leather on the table, her face turned pale. Is that skin? “Do you see that, Y/N? Do you see the imperfection?” Taehyung pointed at the tattoo. “I didn’t know she had that. Otherwise, I would have never asked her to eat dinner with me. I wouldn’t share with her same delicacy I served you tonight.” She widened her eyes realising what was going on with tears in them. “But I forgive her that she did something so horrible to her skin. At least she tasted nice.” He laughed and held her chin between his thumb and index finger and with that he made her look at him. “You don’t have any tattoo, right?” Her silence changed to heart-breaking cries. When Taehyung did not receive the answer he wanted to hear, he asked again, but this time with more emphasis on the last word. “Right?!” The only thing she could do was nod slowly. “Great! Do you remember the jacket I was wearing when we met for the first time?” He inhaled sharply and continued: “It is worn-out already and I need a new one. When I saw you for the first time and your beautiful huge body, I knew right away that you will make a perfect materia-” “NO!” Y/N shouted trying to push him away but it was all in vain. “I hope you did not expect getting that delicacy without me getting anything in return?” Even if she knew something was up, she wished and prayed that her hunch was not right. “What are you talking about? I don’t get it!” She was confused and not ready to accept reality, but as she heard the door that was before opened automatically locking, she knew it was the end. “You tasted her precious flesh.” His head moved to the direction of the table. What I ate was a human flesh? She was ready to throw it all up as she tried to push her fingers up her throat but Taehyung helps both of her hand. “And since you did not pass my test,” She was not looking at Taehyung, but his eyes were filled with love for her body as he licked his lower lip. “…now you will be another test for another beauty I will meet later on.” As she could not bear what he was saying, Y/N fainted in his arms, but he let her fall on the cold floor. He saw that so many times that it started getting hilarious. “Oh dear Y/N, just as these was Hana and Jennie, from whom I made the cover for seats in my car, there was also Joy from whom I made my jacket. The pity is that Jane had the tattoo on her skin, otherwise I would use her for my new jacket. And now … You are here. And in the future, there will be others who will not pass my test.” He sighed as he walked towards the glass case and pulled out the captive bolt stunner. You will be beautiful.

a/n: I hid something in the code, I wonder if you can decipher it. :)

#bts fics #bts taehyung #bangtan #fanfics #bts smut #taehyung fics #ceo au #taehyung x reader #taehyung scenarios #taehyung angst #yandere bts #bts yandere #you will be beautiful #taehyung fanfic #bts #bts fic #taehyung #smut bts

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starr-fall-knight-rise · 4 years

Text

HASO, “Take Me to Your Leader.”

I hope you guys are all having a great week, and I hope you enjoy the read.

Captain Kell sat in his room's boots up on the small desk space as he watched the news report filtering in from over the feed.

“Early this morning the chairwoman of the UN has announced a state of emergency and launched a formal investigation into the attempted assassination of the GA’s Admiral Vir. This all comes in response to the announcement by UN president late last night that they were unable to identify connections to any internal terrorist organizations after a woman was caught attempting to assassinate the Admiral during one of his speeches two months ago. The failed assassination was thanks to 25 year old marine Angle Ramirez who dove in front of the bullet for his commanding officer, and is now (as his family claims) fully healed and back to work. Since the incident, GA and UNSC leaders alike have encouraged Admiral Vir to stay away from earth as much as possible and remain on his ship until further notice. At a request from one of our journalists yesterday morning, he agreed to a statement from his ship the Omen.”

There was a flickering on the screen as a face appeared on the news feed. It was, somewhat from a distance, and the lens seems grainy from radiation interference, but the man seen was tall and blond and had one green eye though he was wearing an eyepatch. Captain kell thought he looked a little more lean than the admiral, but it was hard to tell with all the distortion.

When the man began to speak there was something missing in the voice as well, but it would hardly be noticeable.

There was a knock at his door and he quickly threw his feet down from the desk walking over to throw the door open and step outside into the hall. Angelo was waiting for him there and without saying a word the two of them walked down the long hallway and to the planning room.

Mace was still discussing with some of the other men and women there., and Geea and Beatrice were still loitering at the back.

Captain Kell couldn’t keep the distaste from his thoughts as he looked at the two of them. There was a prime example of toxic love if he had ever seen it. The two were clearly partnered or, at the very least, dating, but he had never seen two people who enjoyed pissing each other off as much as they did. WIth them there was plenty of jealousy and mistrust to go around. And as for Geea’s views on Drev religion, well they were backwards to say the least.

He had seem the same sort of fanaticism in certain shamed drev generals after the war, radical, and suicidal almost in nature.

She had no real idea what the meaning of the new law was.

As soon as he walked in the two women turned to look up at him, their arms crossed over their chests. Beatrice was playing with some big ass knives like that was likely to impress anyone, but really all he saw was some crazy asshole whose parents probably didn’t give her enough attention when she was a kid.

He sad down at the table.

Geea leaned forward expectantly.

“Setting course/”

He turned his head to look up at her, “Yes, setting course to whatever cesspit of corruption spawned you.”

Geea pulled back, “Excuse me, but we hired you for a job, not for insults.” One of her hands reached for the weapons on her belt, but Noble stepped forward spear at the ready. He was a good foot taller than she was, and he knew for a fact he was probably a better warrior. He had a natural talent for it.

He leaned back in his seat, “You hired me for a job and now expect me to fling my dead corpse at the Omen like my ship is going to be able to handle that.” he shook his head, “You hired me which means we are going to do this MY way, which means we are going to do it quiet, and we are going to do it proper. That means NONE of this comes back on me. If we show up at the omen right now and bust down their doors, we are going to get atomized by two platoons of marines and an entire clan of Drev. LEts not also forget that the Admiral Isn’t exactly going to be easy to just kill.” Captain Kell waved a hand wildly, “He has a fucking Drev SAINT on his crew, that is hardly something I think I want to deal with.” he shook his head, “No no, this is going to take me a lot longer to plan, and it is going to require a lot more material that I don’t already have.”

Geea bristled in impatience and indignation.

“I am not going to throw my life away for this mission, and if you want to push that, than I will throw you out of the airlock faster than you can say, “please captain, please I was just being a whiny little bitch.” The room was silent around Geaa’s seething, but he paid her no mind. She didn’t exactly scare him.

She was a minor player in the black market at best, and the way she moved told him she was no great shakes as a warrior either. Probably used to fighting humans so developed a habit of using brute force to overcome them with her height. As for Beatrice, he had a feeling that she made up for skill mostly in unpredictability and sheer fury.

Anyone can look scary if they scream real loud and flail their knives at you.

The way their crew behaved was enough to tell him as much. No one on the ship really respected them, and Geea ruled mostly out of ear, her men were not as loyal to her as she thought they might be, and he had a feeling that, for the right price, he could buy them off if he wanted.

He rested his palms flat against the table before him, “You understand if I am going to do this I am going to need all the right equipment. You want the man gone but I want it to look like some freak disappearance The last thing my crew needs is the long arm of the GA down on our heads.” he shook his head, “No we need to do this strategically, and we need to do this quietly, and we are going to start by getting the tech we need to pull this off without being seen.”

He turned to look at the two of them, “I am assuming that you two know where I can get those sorts of things…. Under the radar.”

Geea crossed her arms over her chest, “And YOU don’t. You are a pirate after all.”

“Yeah, I generally tend to STEAL from other people and sell it to middle men. I don’t generally tend to buy any of the goods.”

Geea stood, waiting for a long moment before finally uncurling her hands in annoyance, “Fine, Fine, but we make this quick.”

He nodded his head once and motioned her to continue on following her up and to the bridge where he watched her set a course.

He tried to make it look like he wasn’t watching her, but in the back of his mind he was quickly memorizing the coordinates that he saw appearing on screen. Granted he did have a bot installed that should copy it for him, but you can never trust technology to do exactly what you expect it to do.

When she was done, he moved forward and slid into the Captain’s chair, familiar with the machine as he prepared it for a warp sequence.

Despite him being very familiar with this ship, more than one time he found himself accidentally reaching for controls that weren’t there. He cursed his muscle memory, though he forced the ship into doing what he wanted, alerting the crew to the imminent warp before he could accidentally kill one of them by sheer freak accident.

Geea watched him from behind.

He knew she didn’t much like him.

That was fine by him. She wasn’t exactly the kind of person that he would want to be liked by.

They came out of warp a few moments later with a hard lurch through the internal dampeners were doing their job to avoid smearing him across the front windscreen like window pizza.

She walked up to stand beside him and rested her hand of the chair, the gesture reminded him of someone else, and it felt wrong to have her do it, though he tried not to show his discomfort.

“Just beyond that asteroid.”

Captain Kell raised an eyebrow. This was all very interesting. Here he was thinking they would end up back on Noctopolis, for he had been sure that that was the hub of all pirate activity in the universe, but he guessed not. As they came around another asteroid, his eyes fell on a large chunk of rock that must have been over ten miles wide in his shi[s estimation, and from here he could already see the hive of docking ports and extending protrusions built into the rock.

He blinked in awe at the glittering blue lights and the hive of activity surrounding the massive asteroid.

Ships flew in and out through open docking bays landing here and there on extending arms. Good were moved by silent crane arms through space as add ons were constantly being made by men in space suits scurrying over the rock. The palace was…. Amazing at the same time it was an absolute disaster of engineering. You would never see something like tat made by the GA or UNSC, but from here he could see plenty of influence from all parties.

As they flew closer, they were absolutely dwarfed by the massive rock, and it’s protruding arms. All around him he saw human building techniques, and Tesraki logos stamped on almost everything as they moved forward. Massive viewing screens were all around them doing advertisements on things would would never have seen on a location run by UNSC or GA interference.

The one to his right was some sort of bootleg pill for weightloss, while, on the other side, someone was advertising some kind of flamethrower. The screen above that was giving the specs for the newest design in railgun technology.

His eyes were wide as he stared at all of it, and his heart began to race fast inside his chest.

Now THIS was awesome.

Being a space pirate sure did have its perks.

Over the radio feed static rolled in and out as the broadcasts from the different advertisements tried to pick up his frequency.

But one voice came in clear and crisp above all others, “Unknown aircraft. Identify yourself.”

“This is the Infinity requesting docking.”

There was a momentary pause over the other end of the line, as their ship was likely scanned before, “Docking permission granted, please proceed to hanger E docking space 6.”

He did as ordered, flying his ship down to the entrance of the docking bay, where he was ordered to slow, and then a large mechanical hand grabbed them around the hull and pulled them further into the asteroid.

They were dragged inside a ways, though he could definitely have flown in himself, and eventually sat down on E6.

There was a sharp jolt as they made connection with the airlock, and he stood rom his spot, turning and walking past Geea and towards the cargo bay where his men were waiting. He looked at them each in turn, making slow eye contact with them.

“You know what to do?”

There was a nod as they recognized the true words behind his eye contact, and they quickly moved into pairs of two discussing which piece of “equipment” they were looking for. It likely wouldn’t take them long, but he didn’t expect that part of their mission to take that long anyway.

Following after them, he was accompanied by Geea, Beatrice and Noble as they walked out into the tube and finally, into the absolutely massive atrium of the hidden Pirate city.

He had to stop, he just couldn’t help it, it was like nothing he had ever seen before, and his mind just couldn’t wrap itself around the massive room full of people and billboards and holograms. There were railed transports on the floor, and there were vendors selling strange food at every turn. It might have been any normal metropolitan area if it weren’t for the sort of advertisements for weapons, and strange illegal creams.

There was one place that was advertising body modifications….. With a ten percent discount if you got the limb removed with them as well.

On another wall someone was advertising a new mechanical eye. The technology hadn’t been released to the public yet, but the features…. Well the features were amazing. He found himself dragged in and rendered mostly stunned. They had him hooked by the first demonstration.

He wanted a cool new mechanical eye.

But Geea grabbed him by the shoulder and shook him, “Aren’t we supposed to be doing something.”

Angrily he frowned and held up a hand turning on her with his eyes narrowed.

He prodded her in the chest in a show of dominance towards her. Letting her know that he wasn’t afraid of being insulted or intimidated by someone like her. To him she was nothing.

“Look, I’m not stupid. I know that this genius little assasination attempt wasn’t your idea, so right here and right now, you better take me to the asshole who set you up for this is you can color me gone. I don’t work through third parties.” He prodded her in the chest again with one finer, “I don’t trust them.”

The Drev stared down at him with absolute rage and consternation.

“Don’t touch me.” She hissed.

He prodded her again, “Just try and stop me.”

She reached for his hand, but he caught her by the wrist and twisted it. He knew the way Drev joints worked, so he knew exactly what NOT to do. She howled in pain and Beatrice moved forward to help, but a spear to her throat by Noble was enough to stop her in her tracks.

“Show me your boss, or your girlfriend becomes a kabob, your choice.”

There was a sharp growl and finally Geea agreed, taking her hand back with some measure of pain and annoyance, “Fine, fine…. Follow me.”

She stalked away grumpily and Noble kept an eye on beatrice as the were led further into the station.

The captain kept his head turning this way and that distracted by the bright and colorful ads, advertising things that he wanted, and some things that he didn’t.

To his surprise, more than once he saw advertisements for Iron eye Knockoffs. He would have dared get a procedure done on this back alley asteroid, but it was still quite shocking. This air of shock continued along with him as he was led down through the darkness and into the tight passages and tunnels of the Asteroid.

Eventually Geea stopped in front of a door and knocked once.

The camera above the door whirred and looked down at them. Geea waved to it and with a hiss it finally opened.

They were led into a small waiting room with pristine little couches as if he was expecting to see a doctor at any moment, but after a few minutes of sitting another door opened and they were allowed through into the next room.

Geea told him to stay put as she was led behind yet another door.

Not to be left Behind, Beatrice followed after, giving him the opportunity to slip over to the door and quickly deploy a small circular camera which used technology unknown to him to see through the door.

It streamed directly into his fake eye as he closed the real one, and glanced around the room.

He could hear voices, and enhanced the sound of his implants.

“Did you get the assassin.”

“Yes, but there have been some, hiccups.”

“What might that be?”

“He is insisting on meeting his employers.”

The voice seemed almost bored with the idiot pirates, “Then let him meet someone, he doesn’t have to know. Jerah over there will do just fine.”

He turned his fake eye towards the source of the voice falling on some sort of hologram. He quickly looked up just as Geea was turning back towards the door.

He managed to make it up to the person’s face, a Rundi, how str-

Then he froze in shock and disbelief.

Geea reached towards the door, and it was only with a swift movement he was able to pull his camera away in time an leap from the door as she stepped from the room.

He tried to keep the horror and shock on his face in check as he was led into the room to meet his “employer.”

He didn’t care though.

He knew the truth.

There was plenty of evidence on that camera. Evidence that the chairwoman of the GA had ordered his assassination.

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secreteddsworldblog · 3 years

Text

Can I Buy You A Drink?

Eduardo x M!reader

You really don't know how you thought going to a bar to drink Diet Cola all alone was a good idea. Though you're not really in the right set of mind to make reasonable choices.

You've recently had a mutual break up from a long term relationship. Years, not petty months, walked out the door. Regardless if you were the one who brought up the conversation when confronting your Ex about the change of mannerism towards you it still hurt. You still felt like the Dumpy.

Even a month now since the night it ended you still felt an overwhelming sense of loss. You're no stranger to the feeling though. You've actually had worse relationships you rather not think about unless you want to go into a fit of sobs between Cola sips.

"Another diet cola please," you had already gone through a few cans but didn't want to stop. It's your favorite drink. Why not indulge in things to make yourself better? You're actually really picky with what you drink. Nothing makes it past your lips unless its water, milk, and Cola.

"You've had enough, sir!" The bartender was in the middle of drying a wet drinking glass with a yellowed white rag.

How dare he deny you, you're a paying customer, and in pain, "I know when to stop!"

From just the right distance away to hear the exchange sat Eduardo who was had been deep in thought about his own moarning. He always considered himself a tough man, the definition of machismo, someone who can't be knocked down.

Many would say he has no right to feel the way he does after how he behaved before the life changing event he had to go through. But sometimes it takes a rude awakening to trigger a well needed over due self reflection and change in character.

Eduardo's head perked up the moment he heard a man ask for another diet cola. Who orders diet cola at a bar? Besides him that is. If someone can enjoy a diet cola enough to drink it everywhere then obviously it's someone with good taste like him.

Temporarily getting out of his own head he got up and reached the counter, " Bartender, I DEMAND you bring a pair of diet colas for my friend and I!"

"FINE, Mr Eduardo," the bartender slammed the glass he was working on down and went to get the cold refreshments firmly holding them out, "But this is all either of you is getting tonight."

"Whatever," Eduardo passed one of the cans over to you, "Cheers!"

You'd be lying if you said you didn't feel a little bit of second AND first hand embaressment. It's not everyday a cute rando just comes up and makes somewhat of a scene for you. You have a feeling he's the kind of guy who calls out underpaid fast food joint employees when they put pickles in his friends bugers when they asked for none.

With the sound of a 'Tink' from cans tapping you lightened up a little. It would do you some good to know new people. Not in a thottie way. You've had to move homes for a fresh start, staying in that house with the memories were only going to make things harder for you to recover from, so you're actually in unknown territory.

"So what's a guy like you doing drinking cola all alone?" Eduardo glaced at you from the corner of his eyes still letting the diet cola can hover next to his lips after the first sip. You didn't know what he meant by 'a guy like you'. Though you weren't the most traditionally masculine looking bloke at the bar compared to him. You wouldn't go as far as calling yourself an E-boy but you're definetly decked out in more of a casual alternative attire. Some would call you a pretty boy, like your Ex before he stopped-

"Probably for the same reason you are?" It was strange to see someone else drinking the same thing alone- Unless this is normal for a guy like him. He didn't look like a traditional loner but weirdos come in all sorts of flavors. You knew that fairly well.

Other broken souls in the bar are getting properly drunk and a man out with the boys would only drink non-alcoholic beverages if he's the designated driver.

"I see... You come here often?" He lowered his drink to have his other arm reach over to scratch the back of his head. Eyes avoiding yours.

"No. I'm fairly new 'round these parts," You paused for a second deciding to say something risky, "Do you want me to come here often?" A little flirting never hurt anyone. It might be too soon to get back on the sattle but you weren't looking for anything serious any time soon nor were you planning to go far while you're still healing. You just miss being who you used to be before devoting yourself to you Ex. Your confidence wasn't always real but you'd love to go back to being the cocky flirts you used to be. Seeing just how many people call fall for you knowing you can have absolutely anyone.

Eduardo seemed to almost spit his drink seeing his subtle attempt at hitting on you be returned. "A-Are you serious?" His eyes widened a little looking at you. He must have been on the market and unsuccesful for quite some time hm? He hadn't been seen in a serious relationship since the one with his own Ex, Laurel.

"Why wouldn't I be?" You flex your classic side smirl and eyebrow raise. You might be a little rusty and you could use some practice in the mirror before trying that on anyone else.

Eduardo seem to have trouble thinking of what to say next only to be saved by his phone ringing, "S'cuse me, I have to take this-". On his phone Mark's icon and name popped up.

Mark had it together and seemed to have taken the loss a lot better than Eduardo. He was the more mature one of the trio and because of that he took it upon himself to look after eduardo remaining roommates with him.

As Eduardo went to a less crowded corner of the bar you checked your own phone.

You had roommates of your own. Some pals who ARE locals of this town. One of them even owns a music shop a few blocks form the bar. You couldn't trust yourself to exist alone after the break up so they were nice enough to let you move in as long as you helped around the store and did you part of house chores.

You scoffed at the text from Kasey the other roommate who has an online business and likes to call himself an 'influencer.'

[Kasey]: Are you still being a lil bitch baby? Where are you? Bill and I are going to lock you out of the house if you stay out late again.

With a roll of your eyes you respond back saying you'll be home in a bit. Even though they were nice enough to take you in the dynamic between the three could be considered playfully rude but tipping too close over the line into toxic. Kasey could say 'Fuck you' and you could say 'Eat my ass' then go out for a movie.

"Sorry about that. My roommate was checking up on me". Eduardo sat back down looking at your face wondering why you looked peeved.

Rent must be terrible in this town. It seemed everyone had a roommate. "That's fine. So were mine. I have to split actually-" You got up slyly putting your coat jacket on waiting to see if the man really was interested in you enough to say anything about seeing you again.

"O-Oh wait. How often are you thinking of coming by this spot?" Eduardo didn't have many people to see when he left home. Aside from a stiff friendship with Tom. Since the incident they've bonded over their hatred for Tord. They took turns doing each other's interests like watching a sporting event when it's Eduardo's turn to pick the activity or going to a concert when it was Tom's night. It would usually end in some fight over bashing each others choices but they always silently made up and made plans for another night.

"Mmmm. I don't know really," it was the truth. Even if you were to say what days you'd potentially show up it wasn't for sure. You'd play hard to get but this could become a good friendship. Someone who isn't calling you slurs, reclaimable between you and your roommates among themselves of course, and someone who might actually like you. "Here, let me save my number in you phone-" You reach out placing you hand on his forarm that held the phone testing to see if he'd flinch or push you away from the gentle touch.

Eduardo felt goosebumps from around you touch. You could have sworn you saw a hint of green blush on his face. No one really touches him besides Mark when he pats Eduardo on the back when he things he needs it. "S-sure".

You glided your hand from where it was to his hands sliding the phone out from his grasp. Your brain did a buffer effect when seeing the person that was his lock screen. A guy with small eyes, light brown hair, and blue button up. Who was this? This better not be some unnamed boyfriend. You didn't take him for a cheater. You still saved your number on his phone but took a mental note not to flirt as much until you know for sure the guy was single. Even if it's just casual the last thing you want to be is a homewrecker.

You handed the phone over back to him, "See ya." Okay, you can spare a wink before walking away from him.

Eduardo sat there confused. That really happened. He really got someone's phone number. He took one last sip from his diet cola before setting down the money to pay for their drinks.

Authors note:

What's up fellow LGBTs. I didn't see any xM!Reader content much less for Eddsworld charas so I took it upon myself to actually provide for any of the other losers who simp for Eduardo. Might do a love triangle down the line tho-

#eddswolrd #eduardo eddsworld #x reader #m!reader

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yourdailykitsch · 4 years

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Taylor Kitsch, an actor known for his roles in such Hollywood productions as "Battleship: Battle for Earth" and "X-Men Origins: Wolverine", is starring in the new Canal + series "Defeated". In an interview, the actor reveals what he remembers from history lessons, what connects the series' story with the modern world. He also explains why, according to him, every person should visit the former concentration camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Taylor Kitsch started his adventure in Hollywood as a "hottie" - an actor associated with a great body and beautiful face. All because the first role that brought the popularity of the former model Abercrombie and Fitch was the character of naughty lover Tim Riggins in the cult series "Friday Night Lights".

Kitsch did not avoid tough moments in his career - for example, when the $ 250 million John Carter, his first such big role, suffered a disgusting box office failure. But the Canadian knew this taste already - after coming to the USA, he was homeless for some time before finding a job.

For years, he has been successfully playing in big titles and alongside big names. Oliver Stone ("Savages"), Ryan Murphy ("Heart Reflex"), roles alongside Chadwick Boseman ("21 Bridges"), Michael Shannon ("Waco"), Michael Keaton ("American Assassin") and Rihanna ("Battlefield ), the HBO series "Detective," starring Vince Vaughn and Rachel McAdams. Meanwhile, Kitsch finds his way to charity, especially for children.

From 1 January 2021, we will watch him in "Defeated" . There he plays the role of Brooklyn policeman Max McLoughlin, who in the summer of 1946 is sent to Berlin, which is divided into four spheres of influence. Its task is to support the emerging police structures in the rubble. But upholding order in a space of brutality and lawlessness and clashing political forces - French, American, British and Soviet - will not be easy. Especially since Max does not know that he is used as a pawn in the game to open the Cold War, and somewhere in the maze of Berlin rubble lurks his brother Moritz, a self-proclaimed Nazi hunter who will stop at nothing ...

In addition to Kitsch, the main roles will be: Nina Hoss (local policewoman Elsie Garten), Sebastian Koch (criminal known as Engelmacher, Al Capone of post-war Berlin), Logan Marshall-Green (Max's missing brother, Moritz) and Michael C. Hall (consul Tom Franklin ).

The "Defeated" takes place in Berlin, right after the war. When you decided to play Max McLoughlin, did you have any knowledge of what the situation in Germany was like then?

The seres begins six months after the end of the war. I have the impression that this is a moment that is missing in the educational process - we learn a lot about the war itself, but about what happened immediately after it, for example, I had no idea. The plot of "Defeated" is made up, but our director Måns Mårlind (co-creator of the hit series "Bridge over the Sund") constructed it on the basis of many true stories. I have the impression that fact and fiction are perfectly balanced here. In the process of preparation, he gave us many documentaries and articles that helped to build an idea about the climate of the city from 1946. Discovering the next details of the story was fascinating for me.

Your work gives him a chance to get to know the world, its history, extraordinary places and people. Do you appreciate it?

This is the best part of my job! With each new production, I have a chance to immerse myself in its world and get to know it thoroughly. It could be a war movie like "Survivor", a story about a cult leader ("Waco"), the world of a detective ("Detective") or the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, as in "Heart Reflex". When I was an aspiring actor learning to act in New York, I never imagined that I would be able to live and work like this. Train with Navy Seals or meet Larry Kramer [American playwright, writer and activist for LGBT rights - ed.]. I am very lucky!

Prague, where you shot "Defeated", is a cult city for many Polish filmmakers, due to the famous FAMU school, but also a popular, atmospheric excursion destination. How was your time there?

Lovely. He will refer again to the privilege of working like this: six months in such a wonderful place, it is almost immoral! The only downside was the tight schedule so I didn't discover all the nooks and crannies that I had on the agenda. Fortunately, my driver, a guy in his fifties, was a great-grandfather from Prague, very talkative, and from him I learned the most interesting things - stories about the adventures of my ancestors and friends! Besides, in Prague, if you want to take a history lesson, you go out twenty meters in front of the front door - and it's already getting started. We shot in the summer, before Covid. We had an international team - Czechs, Swedes, Russians, Germans, French ... In use - not only behind the scenes, but also on the set - several languages simultaneously. Really, the only problem for me was my diet. Flour, red meat, stews ... I don't really like to eat like that. At least the beer was delicious, really amazing! In general, I really liked the culture of drinking and eating outside, these gardens, the community ... wonderful thing.

Due to the fact that the film was made in Europe, you had the opportunity to see places related to the war with your own eyes. What made the greatest impression on you? I was lucky, although it is not quite an adequate term that during the shooting we managed to visit the site of the former Auschwitz camp. Of course I knew, I had read about concentration camps before, but this direct contact with the site was invaluable, it gave me a clear idea of what happened. It is difficult for a man to believe what he sees around him. He's standing right next to him, yet he doesn't quite believe it. The space made a huge impression on me. I did not realize how huge Birkenau was, how perfectly organized the entire extermination was. This architecture, the surrounding houses, barracks. Someone designed it, thought over the function down to the smallest detail, and during my visit, I had the chance to trace how and where the whole process took place, step by step. I was standing there and it felt like I was choking, my whole body ached. Such experiences helped me a lot to bring my character to life. Max did not survive the camp himself, but he appears in a place marked by this tragedy, the tragedy of World War II, it affects him. I wish everyone could visit this place because it is a life changing experience.

Movies set in the past can be a perfect mirror for what is here and now. What analogies do you see between that reality and today's world? - Division, the dictate of fear, fear of the unknown, of otherness. Different ways to work through your trauma. These are all threads that connect the "Defeated" space with our reality. For my character, especially the experience of trauma resulting from family history, from the relationship with my brother, becomes the key. They both underwent a similar shock, but their reactions were completely different. I found it very interesting. Max is still hoping for a change, Moritz, as the saying goes, "the platform is gone". They have a completely different perception of one and the same event. Again, it is also a very contemporary thread - one event, situation, and extreme different opinions about it.

Your hero comes from Brooklyn, after you came from Canada, you spent a lot of time in New York. What is so special about the atmosphere of this city that gives it such a "mythical" status? For me, it has always been, I fully agree! Scorsese's "Streets of Poverty" has always been such a cinematic quintessence of New York, with its excellent Keitel and DeNiro. This film is set in the 1940s, which is the present day of Max. He was my point of reference in terms of the accent. Those years were difficult, the inhabitants struggled to make ends meet, and that also had to affect my character's character. Besides, New York has a chic character, New Yorkers feel proud of their roots. It's also something that Max defines.

And you had to transfer this New York feeling to Berlin ... ... to the razed Berlin, which for Max becomes, in a way, another space of trauma, personal again, but this time much more intense.

For this role, you had to master not only a Brooklyn accent, but also the German language. It was difficult?

I had an amazing accent teacher from Berlin, Simone. My rock! Fortunately, Max is an American who speaks German poorly and not a German, because if I had to play a German, I would have had a nervous breakdown! German is a damn hard language, especially for someone who wasn't exposed to such sounds when growing up. I learned everything phonetically. Sometimes I was "suspended" during the scene and then I was saved by Nina [Hoss, a great German acting and screen partner of Kitsch - ed.]. In my career, I have had to play with a South African, Texas, New York accent ... I've learned that there is no such thing as an optimal effect, someone is always dissatisfied. I focus on the vision agreed with the creators and I stick to it. Language is an amazing link between the actor and the protagonist, gives a unique insight into his state of mind and view of the world. I definitely prefer to play the character with an accent than to speak as usual. It's a great transformation tool. The arrangement of the lips, the appearance of the face, and the term are changing. In "Waco" my character, the guru of the sect David Koresh, had an unnaturally high, soft voice, which immediately made the viewer feel differently.

We associate you with American hits, but you are, like Ryan Reynolds or Ryan Gosling, Canadian. Do you feel like an American, or is Canada a state of mind after all?

I started my adventure with the USA when I was 20, I came to school. Now I'm forty, so I've spent half my life here. Madness! Over time, I have grown into this space, I have settled down and I feel at home. I'm talking to you from my home in Austin, Texas. But at the same time, I'll always be Canadian. I go there often, visiting my family and familiar places. Maybe I'll go back one day, who knows?

You've had moments in your career that turned from a promise of triumph to failure, such as the high-budget John Carter, who failed at the box office. Do you have something that you already know: "I'm avoiding this"? I don't have things that, as a rule, I don't do or know that I will never do. But there are some that I don't like. These include radical weight changes. My dear friend must have gained twenty-five kilos for a small, independent film. The first week was great because you eat what you want, then depression started, joint problems, sugar jumping ... I never put my back, but I lost weight. I lost a dozen kilos for the role in "Waco", before that for the "Bang Bang Club". It's fucking hard and very exhausting, especially the older I get. My body and head hate it! Also, until Scorsese calls with some great proposal, I say: enough.

#taylor kitsch #Shadowplay #interview

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theliterateape · 3 years

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I Like to Watch | Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings

By Don Hall

Hearts and Minds

The United States posited a slew of reasons for invading and occupying Afghanistan. Some were justified, others were falsified. The reason given most often was the amorphous win their hearts and minds nonsense as if any country could be won over by occupation at home and ridicule from across the ocean.

Hearts and minds are not won over with force or material goods. Hearts and minds are won over with ideas and those ideas cannot be sledgehammered in but more subtly presented. Those ideas have to be normalized.

Back in 2008—clearly a big year for LGBT rights—the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation did a survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults 18 and older and found that two in 10 of them had changed their views of gays and lesbians in the previous five years to a more favorable one.

Their reasons? 34 percent said their views were influenced by seeing gay or lesbian characters on TV, and 29 percent said it was by a gay or lesbian character on film. Hollywood has been streaming LGBT characters into American homes for decades. The arc of inclusion may be long, and it bends towards pop culture.

Characters in comic books have advanced the conversation. Although independent comics lead the way with characters like Maggie and Hopey in Love and Rockets, for years the Comics Code Authority—and cultural attitudes—limited the role of LGBT characters in mainstream superhero titles. Over the last couple of decades, however, LGBT characters like the reimagined Batwoman and Green Lantern Alan Scott have made their way into comics, and both Marvel and DC have featured superhero storylines that featured same-sex marriage.

No question that this is a wonderful thing for those LGBT consumers—seeing someone like you on a big or small screen is important and valid. That, however, is not the most important part of greater and more diverse representation in pop culture. What increased exposure of those most marginalized does, more than anything else, is win the hearts and minds of the majority of Americans.

This is the same for black Americans. In recent years, we see more and more black men and women on our screens, in our Netflix queues, on television and Hulu. For millions of Americans (and not merely white Americans) this slow reminder of the humanity of black Americans de-stigmatizes and expands the reductive monolithing of 14% of our population away from stereotypes and into the homes of people far less likely to encounter blacks in their communities.

Contrary to the concept that America is fundamentally racist, I'd argue we are fundamentally segregated. The flyover states with the majority of Americans unexperienced in the multicultural experiment (Iowa, Kansas, Arizona, Maine, Nebraska, Utah, both Dakotas, Vermont—all of which have less than five percent of the entire state population who are black) are populated with people who watch movies and television.

These folks who have little contact with black Americans on a daily basis have representation in their theaters and homes every weekend and every night. They spend their money (but more crucially, their time) watching The Protege, Candyman, Summer of Soul, Escape Room: Tournament of Champions and All American, Insecure, The Chi, and The Equalizer. This is significant and, while foments often glacial changes in attitudes and mores, grows a deeper understanding and empathy with every viewing.

Which brings us to the MCU. Arguably a juggernaut built upon the successes of white male protagonists as the MCU has gained in worldwide popularity and influence so has Kevin Feige's commitment to expanding those cultural boundaries with increased inclusion. Black Panther is far from the best Marvel movie or even comic book movie in existence but it was a cultural moment that a major studio had never before created.

Sure, whole communities of black people buying out theaters so that black children could celebrate seeing heroes who looked like them was significant but more significant was that millions of white fanboys watched an all-black cast in a movie that included Afro-futurism and incredibly badass black women at its core play out in their backyards.

The Master of Kung Fu

Shang-Chi was created by writer Steve Englehart and artist Jim Starlin, debuting in Special Marvel Edition #15 in 1972. Created as a response to huge television success of Kung Fu, the character was originally known as the son of Fu Manchu and, when the rights to that character were denied, became the son of Xu Wenwu, the Mandarin. At one point, he was a part of Heroes for Hire which featured both Iron Fist and Luke Cage.

It is notable that the genius of Marvel is in connecting the past with the coming Phase 4 whether by intention or retroactively. The Ten Rings army was responsible for kidnapping Tony Stark way back in 2008. Jumping ahead to Iron Man 3 we meet Trevor Slattery, the fake Mandarin and then a Marvel One Shot that shows Slattery kidnapped from prison to meet Xu Wenwu. All in set-up for the latest MCU addition.

More like Thor than the typical origin film, Shang-Chi dumps right in the middle of things. The movie begins with the backstory of Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung)—narrated entirely in Mandarin Chinese by Jiang Li (Fala Chen)—and his possession of the ten rings. In the comic books the rings were on his fingers with each designated with a power. Now, they're more like martial arts practice rings, five on each arm and capable of pretty much anything the special effects team could come up.

Then we meet Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) and his friend, Katy (Awkwafina). The two are a winning combination and, wonderfully, are not romantically involved. Parking cars by day, singing karaoke by night until, on a San Francisco bus, the Ten Rings gang (lead by a giant white dude with a laser sword for a right hand) attack him for a pendant left by his deceased mother.

Shang-Chi doesn't need those magical rings to completely kick ass—he is the Master of Kung Fu without them. The sequence is fun, fast, clean, and ends with Katy contributing to the graces of saving an entire bus load of citizens while Shang beats the shit out of the thugs.

And off we go. A Macau fighting club run by his sister that is like an underground MMA for magical beings. An escape on the side of a building fighting ninjas. Some flashbacks informing the secret city behind the trees where his mom came from and how Shang became the warrior he is at the hands of his father. A water map on the floor. Sir Ben Kingsley and a faceless furry with wings. More backstory. Two dragons. A showdown. An arrow. Two end credit scenes.

It's a fucking Marvel movie, after all.

The lengths the director (Destin Daniel Cretton) goes to find authenticity in everything from language, customs, and dress to be a fully realized Asian American film as well as a superhero ride is laudable. His treatment of Xu Wenwu is one more in a chain of villains who seem less villainess and more driven by sorrow or justifiable rage.

Early MCU baddies were nuts. The Red Skull (power hungry madman), Obadiah Stane (power hungry madman), Malekith (power hungry Dark Elf madman), Ronan (power hungry...you get the picture). More recently, the MCU is moving away from the Good vs. Evil narratives and presenting a more complicated version of opposing forces in the universe.

Thanos, while a genocidal monster, was still persuasive in some way. Not the insane, cackling lunatic one would naturally associate with villainy but a being with a sense of purpose who does not see himself to be the bad guy. Kilmonger from Black Panther is the same—his rage is justified and only his means are nefarious. Xu Wenwu is less an evil warlord and more a grieving widower weary of conquest and unable to connect with his children.

Making even the master criminal relatable while simultaneously rooting for the hero is no small feat. It demonstrates a complexity of thought and perspective one would not expect from superhero movies and represents opportunities for the discussion of who our bad guys are in the non-cinematic world.

Combining that sophistication with an increasing diversity in who are the heroes—black, Asian, Latina—makes everyone relatable.

That's the crux of the foothold pop culture has on change. Make everyone relatable and even the kid in Kansas who has only known the two Korean kids in his class can find purchase of the magnificent multicultural country we continue to forge.

#Shang-Chi

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zippityzap · 3 years

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My Top Ten Favourite Moments in Sonic Games

The past 30 years the Sonic series has had a lot of memorable moments, too many to list fully, so in celebration of my recent follower milestone, today I’ll be presenting and explaining my personal top ten favourite moments. I would like to emphasise that this list is very subject and is highly influenced by my personal experiences with the Sonic series. It’s not intended to be objective by any means, and I would love to hear what moments you guys would put on your own lists! Additionally, this list is only for things from the games, in the future I’ll make another list for other Sonic media

Without further ado, let’s get started!

10) City Escape’s GUN truck

Interesting set pieces and small scripted moments in levels have been a staple in the Sonic series since the beginning. Sure, they’re not always challenging from a game-play standpoint, but they’re always an entertaining spectacle. One of the most ionic of these moments (and one of my personal favourites) is being chased by the GUN truck. City Escape is already a highly memorable level from the get-go, but the truck sequence is the cherry on top. An additional shout-out to both of the Generations versions of the level for not only bringing it back but changing it up just enough to surprise you and keep you on your toes!

9) Escaping Null Space

Forces is one of those games that I would describe as a truly mixed bag. Yeah, there are a lot of things about the game that kinda sucked or were disappointing, but when it hit a high, BOY did it hit. While I agree with many people that having the Null Space portion of this level actually have gameplay in it would’ve made this moment impact a little harder, I’m just in love with that transition from the silence of null space to the bombastic chorus of Fist Bump. I thought it was a really exciting moment that hypes you up for the rest of the level.

8) Sonic Heroes’ opening cinematic

Heroes was my first 3D Sonic game, and consequently it was my introduction to a lot of things that are staples for the Sonic series. Vocal themes, an extended cast and their interpersonal relationships, story routes that connect to each other. These are some of my favourite things about the Sonic series, so even if some aspects of the game aren’t that great, I could never ever hate or even dislike Heroes. I feel like the opening cinematic to Heroes (the one with the theme song as the music) is the aspect of Heroes that really encapsulates those feelings best. I must’ve spent hours as a kid letting it play over and over again singing along to it.

7) Shadow the Hedgehog (2004) title screen cinematic

Before you laugh, here is where I must remind you that this list is extremely subjective and highly influenced by my personal experiences and memories. Ok now imagine this: you are a 7-8 year old kid, and your experience with media that isn’t mainstream radio or educational children’s tv shows is fairly limited. You’re getting deep into the Sonic series for the first time thanks to playing Heroes and seeing some of the cartoons and you’re interested to know more about the series. You visit Sonic Central, the official site at the time, and they have a music player with a variety of songs from the games. One of the songs it plays is I Am (All of Me). I won’t lie, I was a little blown away because I’d never really heard anything like it before, so I go to find out more about the game it’s from and I come across that opening cinematic.

I think it’s very, very, easy as an adult to laugh at the Shadow the Hedgehog game and it’s… direction, but adult me was not the target audience of that game, kid me was. Say what you want but the effect that game was going for I think is something that just hits best with sheltered little kids, and I’d be curious if anyone else had a similar experience.

6) The ending of Sonic and the Black Knight

I won’t go into too much detail on this one, since this is very much a fan favourite moment and many others have gone into detail about why it’s so great. Black Knight is certainly one of the games that captures Sonic’s character the best, and his words at the end of the game certainly encapsulate this. Followed by the amazing credits theme of Live Life, the ending of Black Knight is certainly one of the most emotional moments in the series.

5) Sonic Generation’s credits

Anniversary games can be a bit of a controversial subject for the Sonic fandom; 06 was one of the games released for the 15th anniversary while Forces is often considered to be a 25th anniversary game. I think Generations really achieved the feeling and the specialness of a celebratory event though. It’s one of my favourite Sonic games and the whole game is full of brilliant moments but I feel the credits really evoke the celebration vibe: a Sonic 1-esque music melody as the credits song, showing footage from the original games each stage is from, and the cherry on top: a ‘Happy Birthday’ message to Sonic recorded from fans who attended the 2011 Sonic Boom and Summer of Sonic conventions. It genuinely warms my heart every time I finish the game.

4) Metropolis Capital City level

Forces gets another representation on this list! Honestly, I believe the parts of Forces that were exciting, such as this, really demonstrate my opinion that Forces had a lot of potential to be a really good game. But I digress, this was my favourite level from Forces because it shows how fun of a villain Infinite could be. The way that Infinite follows you for most of the stage and uses illusions to fuck around with the stage itself? That’s really fun, and it’s not just stage gimmicks for the sake of having a gimmick, it ties into the powers of the villain and makes the player feel involved in a way because Infinite is messing around with you specifically and is having to make to think on your toes. Granted, part of makes this stage stand out so much in a good way is because it’s so different from the rest of the game and it takes you by surprise, so maybe the impact wouldn’t be as hard hitting if this sort of design was used more in the game, but c’mon when you have a villain who’s powers are illusion-based, the sky’s the limit!

3) Sonic Unleashed’s opening cutscene

Can you believe this game came out over a decade ago and the opening cutscene still looks this stunning?! Depending on who you ask, some might even argue that this cutscene has yet to be topped, and honestly, I’m in that camp. Not only is the rendering beautiful and the choreography of the action exciting, but this scene does a wonderful job of setting up for the viewer regardless of how much prior experience they have with the series who Sonic and Dr. Eggman are, as well as setting up the events of the game. I recall being very happy when I heard the animation team for this cutscene would also be handling the animation for the movie.

2) Beating Sonic Unleashed for the first time

So, this is another pretty personal one. I played Unleashed for the first time a few years ago and it is in my opinion, one of the most difficult Sonic games. Sometimes intentionally, sometimes for completely bullshit reasons. My first ever run of Eggmanland was around 40 minutes long and apparently that’s considered a pretty decent time for your first go, but christ it was a nightmare to finish (looking at you, that one section where you have to platform on pipes without a drop-shadow). The following boss sections weren’t much easier- I don’t rage much with video games, I tend to whisper swears under my breath at most but that part where you’re running on the Gaia Colossus had me screaming in anger every time I lost a life.

BUT when I finally beat the difficult sections? Felt like finally cracking your back after feeling stiff all day. Like taking the first sip of water after a walk on a hot day. The relief and satisfaction I felt was indescribable and slowly winding down while Dear My Friend plays as the credits theme was blissful. I don’t play difficult games that often so Unleashed is one of very few games that I have this sort of memory with.

1) Watching my dad get the good ending of Sonic 1

Here’s a small amount of backstory for this pick. My dad got his first job at 19 and he used his first pay-check to purchase the then newly released Sega Mega Drive. He had a lot of games for the console including Sonic the Hedgehog. He kept the console and games in good condition, and they were still perfectly playable by the time his first child was born (aka me!). Sonic 1 was the first video game I can remember playing at roughly 2-3 years old. I wasn’t good enough to get past Green Hill Act 3 but I loved watching my dad play through the game.

I’ll admit; his playstyle’s a little odd, he avoids speed when he can and instead, he likes to search for as many rings and extra lives as possible, but it was so enjoyable to watch nonetheless. The best bit was whenever he would manage to get all the chaos emeralds in a playthrough and be able to get the good ending. Sure, the only difference between the good and bad endings is just some flowers, but it was nice to see him be happy that he was able to achieve that ending.

And that’s the end of my list! Upon looking over it I realise most of it is either openings or endings to games…oops. I suppose they tend to be parts of games that get special attention during development since they bookend the journey. When I get around to making the second list, I’m sure it’ll have more variety, and as I said before, I’d be very interested in hearing what everyone else’s favourite moments are!

#sonic the hedgehog #sonic forces #sonic unleashed #sonic heroes #sonic generations #long post

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