#he absolutely has nightmares about Nicholas

[spookyboywhump]

I’ve written quite a bit of both Wren and Zander waking up from their horrible horrible nightmares I should do that with Cain too

[moon-alight]

Hi, i loved ur "nightmares" jo fanfic and wanted to request an ot9 reaction where they have a nightmare where they lose their s/o and can't find their s/o (and they like cry a lil cuz i feel like nicho cuz he's a softie and maki would a bit but let's leave it at that cuz it's a ot9 reaction) and srry for my vad english, anyway i love ur writing so yeh bye-bye 💗💗

Hello! :) I like this idea, I think it's absolutely adorable. . . also, what does everyone have with nightmares? Do you guys need someone to talk to or something? I'm glad you like my writing and your English is good enough for me to understand so, you're good. <3

Masterlist

&Team reaction to waking up from a nightmare and not finding you

Warnings: fluff, angst, sad &team

Word Count: 1359

-K

He wakes up in the middle of the night with a thin layer of sweat on his forehead. The recent events of his nightmare still fresh in his mind, he reaches out to find you but somehow can't.

He quickly opens his eyes and looks around. The spot on the bed where you would usually be is empty and right now he really would've loved your support. He looks around before remembering that you are currently at your house because you have to wake up early tomorrow.

He turns on the lights, sits up on his bed and stares at his phone on his nightstand. He has a discussion in his head, contemplating whether or not to call you but he decides against it. 'It was just a nightmare anyways' he would tell himself.

(He would tell you the next morning and you'd both talk about it which makes him feel better)

-Fuma

He has had livid dreams, sure, but never did he have such a livid nightmare and honestly, it scares him. He opens his eyes and looks around wildly only to find your side of the bed empty.

"y/n?" His voice is shaky but he tries to hide his fear as much as possible. He throws the blankets off of him and stumbles through the hallway. He hears faint voices come from the living room and decides to check it out only to find you watching tik-toks on the couch.

"Hey, baby." You say, smiling softly.

"What are you doing here?" Fuma asks, sitting down next to you. You close your phone and put it down next to you.

"I had a nightmare and didn't want to wake you."

"Me too." Fuma replies and wraps his arms around you. "We shouldn't have watched Nightmares on Elmstreet last night."

-Nicholas

His nightmares are usually about bad performances or something but this one was much, much worse. He lost you, the love of his life, after an argument which he could've fixed. When he wanted to apologize, he got the news that you had died in a car accident.

It all felt so real.

Especially because you two fought literally right before going to bed. He reaches out once he wakes up but you're gone. Instant panic spreads through his body. Did you walk away? Did something happen? Are you gonna break up with him?

You walk inside the room two minutes later to find your boyfriend crying on the bed. "Nico?" You ask, your voice is soft as to not scare him. He looks up, his eyes red and there are tear stains on his cheek. You had never seen him like this.

"I'm sorry." He whispers, you run to his side and sit down next to him. "We fought and you left and then you died! I couldn't say how much I love you, I couldn't say how much you mean to me--" *Hiccup* "You were just gone."

"I'm here, love." You assure him. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise." You pull him in your arms. "I love you, doesn't matter how much we fight I will always love you."

-EJ

He is stressed out. He has been ever since he got the role of leader which meant that he now has so many responsibilities meanwhile he also tries to take care of you. . . it's a lot. Nightmares aren't very uncommon but you not being there is.

He wraps a blanket around his shaking body and he is off to find the love of his life in the middle of the night in the dark dorm. Boy is determined to find you and ultimately does. He sees you stand at the kitchen counter with a cup of milk in your hands.

He walks over and embraces you from behind, letting his body weight fall on you. You jump slightly but laugh when you realize it's your own personalized teddy bear.

"Hey, baby. What's wrong?" You ask, taking another sip of your drink.

"Nightmare." EJ mumbles back. "You weren't there."

"Oh, I'm sorry, bubba. Want some milk to make up for my absence?"

-Yuma

He is absolutely terrified but will pretend he isn't just for the sake of being the protective boyfriend who doesn't need protection but the moment he realizes you're not there. . . he freaks the hell out!

"Princess?" He sits up and looks around with sleepy eyes. "Angel?" A scary sound comes from outside and he's up. "Sweetheart?" He asks again. Nothing. "Bab---AAAAAHHHH!!!!"

You slam your hand over his mouth to stop him from waking the other boys though you're sure they're awake by now. "What's wrong?" You ask but Yuma doesn't reply, no, he wraps his arms around you and holds onto you like you're his lifeline.

"I thought you were kidnapped!" You chuckle and rub your hand through his hair gently.

"Let's go back to bed, shall we?"

-Jo

My baby. ( ˘͈ ᵕ ˘͈♡) Anyways, he would wake up and stare at the ceiling unable to move. When he finally catches his breath he feels around the mattress with his hand only to find that you're not there.

He would want to go look for you but he's absolutely terrified to even as much leave his bed so he waits this one out. When you finally return to the room he does sit up and looks at you with teary eyes.

"What's wrong?" You ask, cradling his face in your hands. He sobs lightly and you gently wipe his tears away.

"Just a nightmare, it's stupid." You reassure him that it isn't stupid and climb in beside him. Jo holds onto you like a koala for the rest of the night, just making sure you won't leave again.

-Harua

Has a dilemma when he wakes up. Harua had positioned himself against the wall with his phone in his hands, your contact is visible but he isn't sure if he should call you. You were at home, asleep peacefully, he shouldn't wake you but he had clicked 'call' before he could stop himself.

"Yes?" Your groggy morning voice sounds. Harua feels so damn guilty about waking you up. "Harua?"

"M sorry." He reaches to end the call but your voice stops him.

"What happened?" You sound so worried, so caring.

"Nightmare."

"Want to talk about it?" You ask. He hears blankets shuffle and knows you're sitting up now too. So he decides to talk to you about it.

-Taki

He feels indifferent. He had a nightmare but he has had them many times before. . . then why is he currently grabbing onto his phone like an idiot? It rings four times before you pick up.

"Yes?"

"Where are you?" Taki asks, knowing you should've been besides him but you weren't.

"Bathroom."

"Oh, ok." He hangs up and stumbles out of bed. He walks towards the bathroom and knocks a couple of times.

"Yes?" You ask again, still tired from waking up only seconds ago. The door suddenly opens and Taki walks inside. You're glad you just pulled your pants up before he came in. "Hello, a bit of privacy?"

"I had a nightmare." Taki tells you, he looks rather shaken up. You quickly wrap your arms around him and comfort him the best you can.

-Maki

Pain. He feels pain. So much that he can't breathe properly and tears stream down his face. It looked and felt so real. He reaches for his phone and calls you immediately.

"Sorry for waking you." He apologizes when you have picked up. "But I had a nightmare and didn't know what else to do." You were up, you couldn't sleep so this sounded like the perfect opportunity to go to the dorms since you live close by.

"On my way." You arrive about seven minutes later and find him on the couch. His hair is messy and he is still wiping away his tears. "Oh, Maki." You say softly and sit down next to him.

He clings to you and buries his face in the crook of your neck. You chuckle lightly and rub up and down his back, comforting him.

[elipheleh]

TV & Satellite Week Magazine (issue 418) feature on Red, White & Royal Blue

text under the cut, image by myself.

When Alex (Taylor Zakhar Perez), the son of US President Ellen Claremont (Uma Thurman), is invited to a royal wedding in Britain, he's expected to be on his best behaviour and be as diplomatic as possible. Unfortunately, things don't quite turn out that way...

Alex has an ongoing feud with Prince Henry (Nicholas Galitzine), which comes to a head when a fight between the pair causes the destruction of the very expensive wedding cake. To avoid a PR disaster, they are instructed to stage a high-profile friendship until the gossip dies down - but the campaign proves to be far more effective than either of them anticipated.

"In doing their damage control, they discover that they actually like each other -and love each other, says Matthew López, who directed and co-wrote this adaptation of Casey McQuiston's bestselling novel. ‘This was absolutely a passion project for me - I read the book, and it zoomed straight to the top of my "must-do" list. The idea of anybody else making this movie would have thrown me into fits of jealousy.’

López was acutely aware that the key to the film's success would be in casting lead actors with credible chemistry, and he was delighted that Zakhar Perez and Galitzine sparked together instantly.

‘The nightmare scenario for me was finding two perfect actors who did not gel at all’, says López. ‘But what was innate from the moment Taylor and Nick first met was that they played so incredibly well together.’

The two leads were equally keen to make their characters relationship evolve believably.

‘Nick and I felt a responsiblity to bring to life these sexual moments that are in the book in a real, grounded way’, says Zakhar Perez. ‘The intimate scenes were choreographed and specific when it came to whether it was a moment of passion, or a tender experience. In a relationship you go through different stages, and we got to explore those throughout the film.’

For Galitzine, another part of the appeal of the project was the chance to portray a character who was experiencing such an intense internal conflict.

‘Henry feels a very strong sense of duty, but he's completely in denial of his own feelings’, he says. ‘There's something very selfless, if not really heartbreaking, about that. He's in this totally solitary position of this role he was born into’.

In addition to Thurman as the US President, the film also features Stephen Fry in the role of Henry's grandfather, the British King- and López was delighted to have Fry on board.

‘Stephen took no convincing whatsoever, and that was such a happy thing for me’, says López. 'And it was really important to us to create a lot of daylight between the fictional royal family that features in the movie and the actual royals. These characters aren't the Windsors, they are completely made up. But when we had Stephen Fry walk on set that day as this fictional king, I think everybody in the cast and crew stood to attention!’

[the-sixth-guardian]

It’s been ten years since Pitch Black had been defeated by The Guardians; ten years of peace and prosperity between all of the mythological realms. Fear giving way to happiness that gave way to vulnerability.

The Man in the Moon didn’t falter in his observations— keenly aware that it was only a matter of time— but not even he could anticipate what was about to befall his beloved Guardians.

Will the newest Guardian be able to remind them why they were chosen? Remind them that the light will always defeat the dark? Or is it already too late?

Demo Features

Play as a Cupid!MC that’s just become the Sixth Guardian! Will you be able to remind the Guardians of what love truly means and that the light will always prosper? This story is rated 18+.

Customizable MC: name, gender, sexuality, appearance, and much more!

Get used to the new responsibilities of being a Guardian.

Will people start to believe in you? Like they started to believe in Jack Frost?

Romance 1 of 5 potential options. (For the sake of the story some characters have been slightly aged up or down; mainly when in regards to their appearance.)

This story will be free from start to finish.

DEMO (TBA)

Jack Frost [M]

The most recent addition to The Guardians before you came along. Jack Frost is known far and wide for his laid back disposition, and his tendency to have as much fun as he can, but when push comes to shove he’d do anything to protect the people he cares for.

Appearance: Jack stands at around 6’0” with glacier blue eyes and snow white hair. His fair skin stands out against the blue hoodie that he’s commonly seen in; his trusty staff never far from his person. He always has a playful smile curling his lips. (He has a lithe physique.)

Nicholas Claus [M]

An intimidating man by all appearance, Nicholas is definitely a man that you’d assume would sooner use his fists than talk. However, he’s an overgrown puppy that absolutely adores to help people whenever he can. Just don’t get him angry— or be on his naughty list— and everything will be okay.

Appearance: Nicholas stands at around 7’2” with piercing green eyes and dark auburn hair. His tanned skin is accentuated by the various tattoos easily noticeable across his body. The hulking mass of his body hidden behind simple shirts and pants with his trusty black boots to finish the look.

Toothiana [F]

A gentle entity, Toothiana— or simply Tooth— is a sporadic woman by nature, always shifting around, but she’s always dependable whenever you need her. With an open fascination with well looked after teeth— something you’ll have to get used to— Tooth makes sure you know that you can always count on her; even if she gets distracted easily.

Appearance: Tooth stands at around 5’2” when she isn’t hovering around. Her naturally dark brown hair, when she’s shifted from her scaled appearance, falls to the middle of her back. Bronze skin causing her golden-emerald eyes to stand out that much more.

Seraphina [F]

One of your closest advisors, and friends, Seraphina makes your job that much easier whenever Valentine’s Day rolls around. Her attention to detail and quick wit making everything much smoother. Even if she’s a little rough around the edges, mainly when it comes to other people, you couldn’t imagine having anyone else by your side.

Appearance: Seraphina stands at around 5’6” with dark brown eyes and onyx black hair. Medium brown skin being accentuated by the pearly white apparel that’s common among the individuals within your employ. Her slender, almost delicate, body hiding a hidden strength.

Pitch Black [M/F]

One of the greatest nightmare the world had never seen; The Boogeyman in the flesh. Pitch Black had been nothing but a whispered rumor for years before their return. You don’t know what caused their disassociation with The Man in the Moon, but it’s clearly left a permanent scar. Will you be able to show the embodiment of darkness that love isn’t impossible for them?

Appearance: Pitch stands at around 6’2” with sapphire blue eyes, with specks of gold, and raven black hair. Pallid skin, that almost has a grey hue to it, stands out against the dark clothes— and the shadows— that they’re commonly seen in. Their lithe body has a muscular quality to it.

[kissorkill15]

When We Were Once Happy: A Hello Neighbor Fanfic

By JJ

Summary: A story before Trinity moved to Raven Brooks.

Chapter 12

Nicky woke up at 3:47, not because of a nightmare, he was just thirsty. So he got up to get some water.

Half awake, he can barely remember his way to the bathroom, so he ended up taking the long way. He managed to wake up a little to realize he was going the wrong way.

He turned around to go to the right direction of the bathroom, but...

"Which way was the bathroom again?"

He was fully awake now, fully aware that he had absolutely no idea where he was going. Great, things were changing.

Aaron remembered how he mentioned how his dad liked to change his own house around, like it was a mix and match doll. Like it was a game.

But right now, Nicky was too thirsty for games.

THUD

Nicky nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard a loud thud come from behind him. He scrambled to find somewhere to hide, frantically trying to pull doors open, but every door he tried to open was locked.

Fortunately, the last door he tried opening was unlocked, and he immediately ran inside and slammed the door.

When he turned around, the first thing he saw was a bulletin board full of old newspapers and photographs. He walked towards it to get a closer look.

The newspapers were full of news about how Mr. Peterson built a new rollercoaster. The first one he saw was in Germany, the next in Bosco Bay, and the next one he saw was how he was being interviewed on his latest creation.

His eyes traveled to a desk, and he saw a lot of blueprints for a rollercoaster. He took a closer look at it, and he was more than surprised. This rollercoaster had so many twists and turns, so many ways to go, so many tunnels, it was enough to make the average human being barf their innards out.

Aaron has been dying to find out what his dad was going to build next, so maybe he could show him this blueprint. He took out his phone, made sure it was on silent, and took many pictures.

He nearly dropped his phone when the door was slowly pushed open.

"What the heck?! Who had such quiet footsteps that no one would be able to hear them?!"

He got his answer when he saw a familiar looking argyle sweater in the corner of his eye. The first place he thought to hide was under the desk.

"Just wait for him to leave."

He waited, and waited, and waited, and waited. He checked the time on his phone, it was 4:30. He peeked from under the desk and saw Mr. Peterson with his back turned, probably looking for a book or something.

"If I'm quiet enough, I could sneak out of here and get back to bed."

Nicky slowly stood up from under the desk, and slowly tried to tip toe out of the room, but luck was not on his side as he stepped on a creaking floorboard. He nearly peed himself.

Mr. Peterson turned around, and Nicky wished the ground would just open up and just swallow him whole.

"Nicholas, what are you doing here?", he asked.

Nicky couldn't form any words, his voice was stuck in his throat, and it was excruciating. "I...uh...I..."

"Well?"

Nicky was starting to feel queasy.

"Young man, this is my private office. You shouldn't be here.", Mr. Peterson nearly growled.

Nicky forced the words out. "I got lost looking for the bathroom!", he squeaked.

Mr. Peterson stepped towards him, and Nicky curled in on himself. For some reason, he saw his grandmother in his place. Stepping towards him in a menacing threat, looking like he was about to hurt him. Nicky could feel tears forming in his eyes.

"Please don't hurt me.", he squeaked.

Instead, Mr. Peterson slowly wrapped his arms around the boy and picked him up. He carried Nicky out of his office, down the long corridor, and back to Aaron's room. He slowly set him down on his sleeping bag, and tucked him in.

"Nighty night, Nicky."

And with that, he left.

Nicky was so confused, yet so relieved. Mr. Peterson wasn't angry, he didn't even yell at him, he just put him back to bed.

It's not that Nicky wanted Mr. Peterson to be angry at him, he was just surprised. But he decided not to question it any further, and tried to get some sleep, with only one final thought in his head.

"That wasn't another nightmare. I'm not with Bubba. When I'm here, she can't hurt me."

[warwickroyals]

Poor guy . . .

beginning - previous - next

[NICHOLAS] I was seventeen. I remember failing a science test at sixteen but . . . I don’t remember the funeral. I don’t remember reacting. Like, I watched YouTube videos of myself from that time and it felt like watching a stranger. It’s just a void, that whole three-month period.

[THERAPIST] That’s totally normal, sir, shock after a traumatic incident can result in loss of memory, people often experience dissociation.

[NICHOLAS] Yeah, I guess . . . but for months?

[THERAPIST] It’s not uncommon. shock can last years. So, you remember absolutely nothing? Nothing about family, friends? How ubiquitous was this void?

[NICHOLAS] Well, there were two sides of it . . . the public side, I remember next to nothing, maybe standing outside the gates of Chester Palace with my brother but . . . Other than that, I mostly remember being alone at home. My mom was in a lot of pain, obviously, so she wasn’t really around. In fact, I don’t remember seeing her, it was my dad’s private secretary who was looking after us before we got sent to our grandparents’.

[NICHOLAS] I mean, it was a very lonely time. My uncle was getting a divorce, so I wasn’t allowed to see my cousins through him, my brother stayed locked in his rooms. My mom . . . I wanted to be with my mom, my dad would have wanted me to protect my mom, but it was so intense with her. It was real. I couldn’t handle it, I didn’t know how to make her feel better, I still don’t, I guess . . .

[NICHOLAS] I sometimes have these dreams about my dad—maybe nightmares would be a better word, I don’t know—anyway, in these dreams he never has a face, it’s always hidden, and he’s always asking about my mom. If she’s happy or feeling better and . . . I’ve had these dreams on and off for ten years. Never once did I have a positive answer for him. Never once.

[NICHOLAS] How do I tell him? “I think Mom has PTSD” or “Mom moved up to Collingwood because everything in the city reminds her of you” or “Sorry, Dad, I outran my childhood and left Mom behind in the process”. Those aren’t the things he’d want to hear, but that’s all I have. Even worse if he asks about Alex.

[THERAPIST] You and your brother aren’t close?

[NICHOLAS] We haven’t been in years. There’s a royal biographer who’s writing a book. He’s been talking it up a bunch on the news. It will follow three generations of brothers in my family. My grandfather and his brother, my father and my Uncle Phillip, and me and Alex. It’s going to analyze the tensions that cause heirs and spares to break apart.

[NICHOLAS] Dozens of sources have already signed off on it, it won’t be good for us. The author is claiming my father would be shocked and upset about me and Alex . . . but I’m not sure. If he were alive to see the things Uncle Phillip has said and done, he wouldn’t be on speaking terms with him, either. He knows what that estrangement feels like, he wouldn’t be surprised. Which I guess still proves the author’s point, ironically.

[NICHOLAS] I always stay up late to read the news. If it’s not about my family, it’s about the cost of living crisis and all that.I constantly worry about this stuff.

[THERAPIST] You’re just one man, you can’t realistically solve everything.

[NICHOLAS] I don’t mean to sound conceited, but I am not just some random guy. That’s the whole point. I can do more but everyone around me wants me to do next to nothing.

[NICHOLAS] This might sound rich, but I envy the protestors. People act as if they’re a problem, but I admire them. Tens of thousands of people coming together to fight for something they believe in. I’ve never experienced that type of unity in my entire life—if anyone ever comes to you for a quote, don’t tell them I said that.

[THRARPIST] These sessions are completely confidential, sir, I couldn’t tell anyone even if I wanted to.

[NICHOLAS] Yeah, well, I’m sure you’ve already noticed, but I have very bad trust issues.

[THERAPIST] What makes you say that?

[NICHOLAS] I honestly have no idea. It just . . . I don’t know.

[CORALINE’S ARTICLE] While promoting my most recent novel, Currents, I’ve had the honour of speaking with many young people at various university campuses. Many have told me my writing has uplifted and inspired them. However, with the cost of living crisis looming in the background, these conversations have become less uplifting and more uncertain and even abjectly pessimistic. The truth is, young people are struggling.

[NICHOLAS] I have a hard to processing loss. Not just my father, but other people, too.

[THERAPIST] Others?

[NICHOLAS] I haven’t said her name in years, but, yeah, she’s an other.

[deeptrashwitch]

Random facts about the 75th Ranger Regiment Specters/Team Charlie:

1. Luke loves lilac (the color) and keeps a sleeping mask of that color near his desk for the moments where he's extremely tired.

2. Marcus and Keyra have fought against absolute strangers on the streets when they hear how Alexander was insulted and shamed for his vitiligo. Now both men are scared of Keyra with a branch or a stick on her hands.

3. Francis writes stories and has the habit of speaking to himself when the ideas run low or to recreate some scenes. Elliot has heard some of his stories by luck and is really invested in the last one now.

4. Jackson owns a seal plushie (yes, he ended up buying it) and he uses it as a pillow for the late nights inside the bay. No one says nothing, but after some time is now a habit for Jackson to leave the plushie with Noah when it breaks.

5. Elijah swears A LOT and sometimes change the language. It's even amusing to hear him, except when you translate it...

6. Nicholas went to teach once on Flying Love, and even though he was insecure about it, he became one of the favorite teachers. Marcel always welcome him when he's in New Orleans, and the students even have given him thank you gifts.

7. Elliot is hella quick when it comes to solve a rubik cube that is hypnotic to see, and he has a collection with so many of them.

8. Alexander loves spicy food and everytime he's on leave goes to find some restaurant that serves some dish of that kind. He even has some bottles of spicy sauce on his room and sometimes cooks with them.

9. Edward, when is ranting, unconsciouslly make his accent even thicker and sometimes no one understand him. They even have a bet of how much can he rant without taking a break or a breath.

10. Alicia's laugh is a high-pitched and loud one. The first time she laughed for real, everyone got scared of it. They still not used to it, so they continue getting nervous when she laughs.

Not so nice facts below...

11. Edward still feels guilty about what happened to Marcel. Sometimes he can't even look in the mirror because he sees his twin lying down there, connected and barely alive.

12. Noah feels ashamed and a bit afraid of intervene in other's people life. The memory of that mission where he tried to help his friend just keep reminding him of his mistakes.

13. Jackson gets overwhelmed sometimes and needs to isolate himself before a BAD panic attack kick in. He'll never admit it, but he just laughs while crying because he consider himself pathetic.

14. Luke is the one with more nightmares and five out of six nights he ends up uncapable of sleeping again once he awakes. He rarely goes out of his barrack, and the times he does...usually is just to go for something to drink to prevent himself of dehidrating.

15. Due to Operation Firewall and her time captured, Alicia developed an intense fear to needles. It sometimes gets so bad that she NEEDS to be tied to the stretcher just to keep her to hurt herself or hurt others during the procedures.

16. Elijah often wakes up screaming, mistaking the sweat for other things and with the ghostly sensation of the wounds open again. He needs to run to the bathroom and puke, unable to process correctly what's happening or where he is.

17. Alexander from time to time hates his skin, his face, himself, because it make him feel as a monster. He even has think about of find a way of white completely his skin or just try to make it look like he wasn't a...phenomenon.

18. Francis just feels useless when he sees the team on their own fields. He's an amazing cartographer and the younger one on the team, but he feels like he managed nothing when he sees Marcus and Alicia fight, or Alexander practice and Elijah moving as a ghost, or Noah with Luke and Elliot prepare everything, or how Edward and Nicholas are so talented, or Jackson being so quick on his job. It's just like he's being left behind.

19. Nicholas is afraid to loose what he feels like the only place he fits in, because he's sure that once he leaves the team, on the next place he'll be treated like a threat or an outcast.

20. Marcus usually looks at his wife when he's on leave, and thinks that she deserves better. As a soldier, he knows he's deeply broken and just wishes that Keyra had someone better as a husband, not the mess he is.

21. Elliot is aware he's arrogant and that it has brought him so many problmes, more than he can remember. Many times he has said things he shouldn't had while trying to have the last word, and it has hurt people. He tries, he really tries to keep it down, but even with that is to no use...he keeps saying stupid and insensible shit after stupid and insensible shit.

[2hoothoots]

I was wondering what if anything you thought of B-mask's P2 analysis on youtube! he brings up points of thematic dissonance about the way the maliks were handed (as well as wishing the interns/the P1 gang were better included which I think we all concur on)

ooh, LOVE a good video essay! i hadn't seen this one before but it was great to have on while i was sculpting this morning. i'm gonna link it here for anyone who hasn't seen it, if you've got the time it's a good watch:

i'd say i broadly agree with it, although i think the analysis loses me at the end. imo he tries to read in much too literally to the parallels between the Maliks and the real-life case of Tsar Nicholas II/the Romanov family. to me that's always been a much more allegorical reference, and i'd actually specifically point to '60s-era Cold War tensions between the USA and the USSR as a much closer thematic parallel to the whole Maligula thing, which is mentioned but not really dug into properly in the video. (in fact, i think that comparison makes the themes of propaganda in the game much clearer, especially given how the Psychonauts are so clearly American in all but name.) it's a shame, because i think everything else is pretty good stuff, but the last 20-or-so minutes feel pretty weak to me.

the video kind of pulls double-duty as an analysis of PN2's themes, and also a comparison and in some ways a critique of it versus the first game. that's something that i've been chewing over since... basically the moment it came out, haha, because i'm in the exact same boat of someone who's absolutely in love with the first game and doesn't quite feel like the sequel was as good (although it's a fantastic game in its own right and i love it a whole lot). so i'm gonna take this as an opportunity to dump my own thoughts on it! this is gonna get long so i'm putting it under a cut: tl;dr, the conclusion that i've basically come to on the game is that while it's not perfect, Psychonauts 2 is, in my opinion, probably the best possible version of what it is, given the circumstances around it and the nature of it as a crowdfunded sequel to a 2000s cult classic and a clear passion project by everyone involved.

the video brings up three main points of comparison/critique: the visuals, the structure/novelty of the gameplay, and the depth of the ensemble cast. i'm gonna borrow that structure, and then go into a little more of why i think certain decisions and compromises were made. overall, i think there were a lot of difficult decisions that had to be made during the development of PN2, and the more i dig into each one the more it seems like a lot of these decisions were made the only way they could be.

in terms of visuals: i can't disagree that the new game looks absolutely great, although i personally wish they'd gone just a little weirder with it. the stylized ugliness of the first game is one of my favourite things about it, and i know that part of that was due to the low poly count... but i dunno, i think there was still the opportunity to make the designs in PN2 a little less cute and a little more grotesque. it feels like the edge has been filed off, pun intended, and a little of the gloomy gothic feel of the first game is gone. i do love the look of the second game, but i can't help but feel that a little something was lost from moving from the deliberate asymmetry and exaggeration of the first game to something a little more... i guess i'd say 'clean' and palatable.

i can't lie, i think that's kind of a shame! but i also definitely get it, especially from a marketing standpoint. the style of PN1 is deeply mid-2000s, calling to mind properties like The Nightmare Before Christmas (which was cited by Tim as a direct inspiration for the game's artstyle) or Invader Zim (iirc, Jhonen Vasquez is a friend of the studio). there's definitely an argument to be made that that kind of angularity would feel dated in a modern game, and certainly similar games that have recently gotten refreshes (take Spyro, or Ratchet and Clank) have also moved towards a cleaner, cuter, more doe-eyed look. maybe that's just the aesthetic upgrade needed to make the game more appealing to a modern audience. (similarly, i think a lot of the tone shift between the games also has to do with being a product of their time. the first game feels a lot meaner, and the second more sincere, in a way that i think is in service to the shifting conversation around mental health. i think it's appropriate, but i do also miss some of the zingers from PN1, hahaha.)

gameplay: yeah, the lack of innovation in the structure of the mental levels is something i absolutely agree with. PN1 did a fantastic job of making every level feel deeply unique, and tying that into the themes of each level as well (ludonarrative!). even when these levels were a little frustrating to actually play, it always felt in service to what the game was trying to do. take how the Milkman Conspiracy is confusing and convoluted and even a little nauseating to navigate, all deliberately designed to create that uneasy atmosphere; or how Black Velvetopia literally traps players in a loop, constantly being forced backwards and only able to make forward progress in little steps before it all comes crashing back down again, as a reflection of Edgar's anger issues. in comparison, other than the noteworthy exception of Compton's Cookoff, most of the PN2 levels are just 'big platforming area that branches off from a hub'.

but i think the video stops short of diving into what i feel is the reason why some of these levels are less innovative. imo it comes down to the shifting market. 3D collect-a-thon platformers aren't really a thing any more, not like they used to be. the genre feels like it's stagnated in a lot of ways; it's not being innovated upon or moved forward, and it's also not something players are really used to any more. again, i think there's an argument to be made that designing a level that's unique but a little obtuse and clunky (take Gloria's Theater - which is great, but by god does it seriously suck to play the first time round) would be a huge turn-off to a lot of players. i sympathise with the devs feeling like they needed to prioritise a smoother platforming gameplay experience, rather than getting a little weirder with it.

story and ensemble cast - yeah, it probably won't surprise anyone to hear that i really wish the interns had gotten more screentime and depth hahaha. i know not everyone loved them, but also, anyone who didn't love them is wrong. they're the best. give me one million new intern voice lines please now

anyway, i think my biggest critique of PN2 (esp. storywise) has always been that it feels like it has one more cast of characters than it knows what to do with. it introduces the interns and the Aquato family and the psychic 6, and between everything it feels like no individual group is given quite enough focus and screentime and room to breathe to really make them shine. so the obvious answer becomes, hey, why not just cut some of the characters?

but on the other hand, like... think about what this game is. this is a sequel from a studio that really doesn't do sequels (and afaik is never planning on doing another one, certainly not a PN3). this is a passion project 16 years in the making. it's a follow-up to a beloved cult classic, and it's something Tim and the others were only going to get the chance to do once, and from that perspective i absolutely can't blame them for wanting to put everything in it. it's clear the team were bursting with ideas and themes they wanted to touch on and plot threads to resolve and cool new characters to introduce, and this was their only opportunity to do so. in their position? i would've done the exact same thing every single time.

a related point that i see brought up a lot, and that i also agree with, is depth - something that's there in spades in PN1, but feels a little lacking in PN2. i think comparing the interns to the campers from PN1 is a pretty obvious way to compare the two games, and yeah, i'll wholly admit that they're one of my favourite things about the first game. they just make the whole summer camp setting feel so alive. there's a huge amount of depth and care given to them; each one has their own little drama that plays out, and while i think there are a few obvious standouts each of them is still interesting and compelling in their own way. that's the kind of depth that has fans coming back a decade after the came first came out. Tim famously got super sidetracked making MySpace pages for all the campers over the space of a few days so that he could really get into their heads and understand their characters. it's great.

most people who play the first game casually will never see any of that. heck, i barely saw anything from the campers on my first playthrough. it was only on subsequent plays, when i went digging and started diving into the fandom and the discussions, that i realised how much there was. i still find new cutscenes and bits of dialogue and interactions every time i play. hell, the fandom is still digging up cutting-room-floor stuff that suggests there was going to be even more interaction with them. i love that depth, i really do. but is it worth putting that much dev time into something that most players will never see? especially in a game when something as fundamental as the boss fights was nearly cut for lack of time and budget?

actually, cut content is something that's pretty interesting to talk about in itself. there's a ton of stuff that's been discovered through datamining: sidequests (like finding Nona in the forest), stuff from early story beats (like the whole Mentathlon - an early version of Hollis' mind?), a whole Gruloky minigame (which presumably would have helped flesh out the Aquato family), and new mechanics (like Otto's bottled emotions - the lines related to which give what is, to me, vitally important insight into some of the characters. i'm not kidding when i say that Norma's bottled sadness line is load-bearing for like 80% of the way i characterise her, it drives me nuts i swear.) in this cutting-room floor content are glimpses of a game that was even more ambitious - dare i say overambitious - than the final product ended up being. we'll never know how much of it actually had a chance of ending up in the game, and how much was cut early due to various reasons, but...

games are made differently now than they were in the 2000s. an AA title like Psychonauts 2 takes more hours, more manpower, and a lot more money than the original. (this isn't adjusted for inflation, but PN1's budget ended up being $11.5mil; in 2012 a projected Psychonauts sequel was ball-parked at $18mil, and i can only imagine that number's gone up.) like i said, i deeply love the depth of interactivity in PN1. but is something like that really feasible, or worthwhile, in the current climate? PN1 was made on some pretty serious crunch. it was a passion project from a small, dedicated team who worked themselves to the bone on it, and due to a number of factors it ended up being a commercial flop that almost ruined them. for PN2, the team were committed to eliminating crunch, which i think is really laudable, especially given the wider state of the industry. in terms of the scope and the cast, PN2 is broader in just about every way than its predecessor. if that was the decision made in favour of added depth to character interactions that only a small number of players would see, was that the right decision to make?

when i look at PN2, what i see, above everything else, is a series of compromises that were made in order to bring a game that a lot of people really cared about to life as best they could. in a lot of ways, it's nothing short of a marvel that the game exists at all. seriously, before the whole campaign dropped if you'd asked me whether i thought Psychonauts could ever get a sequel, i'd have thought you were playing a practical joke. it was a one-in-a-million shot, and they made it, and i kind of think that given everything Psychonauts 2 is actually a hell of a lot better than it has any right to be. there's a lot of factors to the story of its development - it's a sequel, it's a collect-a-thon platformer that released in 2021, it was crowdfunded, it's a passion project through and through, oh yeah and there was a global pandemic midway through development - and i don't think any of those things necessarily hold it back, but they definitely shape it in ways that i don't think can be ignored if you're talking about the game as a whole.

i don't think it's a perfect game. i don't think there is such a thing as a perfect game. but the more time passes and the more i think about it, i think this is... maybe the only version of Psychonauts 2 we could have gotten? i dunno if it's the best game it could have been, but i do think it's the best Psychonauts 2 it could have been, if that makes sense. and the game that it is is, in my opinion, really damn good.

[twistedtummies2]

The Price May Be Right - Number 16

Welcome to “The Price May Be Right!” I’m counting down My Top 31 Favorite Vincent Price Performances & Appearances! The countdown will cover movies, TV productions, and many more forms of media. We’ve officially reached the halfway point for this countdown! Today we focus on Number 16: Nicholas Van Ryn, from Dragonwyck.

Honestly, it’s very fitting this performance lands smack-dab in the middle of this countdown. In many ways, this film could almost be perceived as a crossroads in Vincent Price’s career. I say “almost” because…well…chronologically speaking, it really wasn’t. But the SPIRIT of the film, to put in the most pretentious terms imaginable, feels like a crossroads between Vincent’s earliest endeavors on the screen, and the kind of work he’d be most known for by the time his career hit its greatest stride. “Dragonwyck” came out in 1946. At this time in Vincent’s career, the actor was only starting to make his name well-known as a portrayer of dignified and complex villains, and while he’d done a couple of spook shows, it would be some time before he became well known for his work in Gothic horror movies. In the 30s and 40s, Price was best known as a character actor in period pieces, and that is essentially the reason he was picked for the role of the main antagonist in the film. The plot of “Dragonwyck” focuses on a young lady, Miranda Wells: a country-grown, God-fearing girl wo has many optimistic ideals and far-flung dreams for her future. Her dreams seem to find a possibility for reality when she meets a wealthy New England landowner by the name of Nicholas Van Ryn. Nicholas is an elegant, eloquent gentleman, and Miranda is soon smitten; he, too, ends up falling in love with her…even though he’s already married. Hiring Miranda as a servant at his estate, Nicholas brings her to his family manor house, known as Dragonwyck. From that point on, various strange and unfortunate events befall the pair, as their relationship goes from a dream to a total nightmare. While not by any means a horror film, this movie has many elements that certainly feel reminiscent of the kinds of movies Vincent would be most well known for later on. The story involves murder, ancient curses, supposed ghostly occurrences, and all takes place in an old mansion on a lonely hilltop. The way the film is lit and shot often evokes feelings of unease, as well; it may not BE a Gothic chiller, but it often FEELS like one. I guess the best way to describe it is that it’s neither a horror thriller, nor a period drama, but something in-between: a “period thriller,” if you will. The character Vincent plays is similarly fashioned: Nicholas is both the love interest and the main antagonist, and as such, he’s a character we are always finding ourselves second-guessing. He flip-flops constantly from being someone we care about and even feel sorry for, to someone we utterly despise and fear. He and Miranda’s twin arcs mirror each other, as both have any aspirations and ideals they long to hold onto, and both are forced to realize that, as the song goes, “there are dreams that cannot be, and storms we cannot weather.” What separates the pair is ultimately how they react to these things. Price plays the character absolutely beautifully, making his pain just as palpable as his perversions, and thus creates one of the most sympathetic yet still shadowy villains he ever portrayed in his entire career. Tomorrow, the countdown continues, as we move into the Top 15!

[greatwyrmgold]

Caught up on Ice Queendom (again), and...is it just me, or is Nega-Blake mostly winning her argument with Nega-Weiss? Nega-Blake keeps explaining all the reasons the faunus have to distrust/hate humanity in general and Weiss in specific, but all Weiss can say is "I didn't personally do any of that, don't take it out on me!"

I kinda wish Blake actually countered that point, though. There are lots of options, from "You're still benefiting from the continued exploitation of faunus!" to "What else are we supposed to do? Nobody else is going to fight for us!" to "Do you expect me to dig up the corpse of Big Nicholas to punish him for his crimes?"

But even without that...I love how Ice Queendom is focusing less on the White Fang's terrorism than on the genuine injustices that it's a reaction towards. You could argue that that's just because it's Weiss's story, but...no? Both sides of that conflict are equally part of Weiss's story. The only reason that the injustices faunus face are given more focus than their terrorism is that the narrative considers a few wrecked trains less important than the oppression of an entire ethnic group.

There are quite a few reasons I hope Toshimasa Suzuki, Kenjirou Okada, Tow Ubukata, and everyone on the Ice Queendom team that Wikipedia doesn't mention in the sidebar keep remaking RWBY under the guise of telling side stories. Their treatment of the White Fang is a big one! I could see it falling into the same traps Original RWBY did with regard to the White Fang, but things are looking promising so far!

(I also like the detail that faunus were forced to fight Grimm to defend the human upper class. I don't recall anything like that being mentioned in Original RWBY, but it's a neat idea.)

Other random thoughts:

The use of splitscreen shots is a neat aesthetic touch. It would be weird if just one episode or some scattered scenes were like that, but Ice Queendom uses them enough that it feels like a deliberate artistic choice.

Not sure how to feel about Grandpa Nick's presentation. On one hand, it makes sense that Weiss remembers him as a kindly old philanthropist. On the other hand, he built a company renowned for its exploitation of faunus workers, and that's not something that just springs out of nowhere. I don't feel like the Big Nicholas looming over the story gets enough focus to say anything as nuanced as "He was nice to his family but callous towards others"; it kinda comes off as suggesting that Jacques was a bad apple, and the SDC just needs the right Schnee plutocrat in charge. I feel like the best solution to this would have been to let Nicholas fade into the background. (For instance, cutting that dream-flashback-thing where Weiss talks with her grandpa, and replacing it with a conversation she has with some present-tense character. Maybe she could cover some of those points in that conversation she has with Ruby?)

Revealing that Ruby has some special anti-Grimm power in her eyes before it's absolutely plot-critical is a good idea! The implementation is weird, though. Ruby has her epiphany, her moment of triumph; then the Nightmare suddenly restrains her after being shot a bunch; then Ruby's eyes give her a different moment of triumph, one that feels a bit less earned.

The Silver Eyes also prove that the IQ team is, on some level, preparing to do an Ice Queendom sequel if it's greenlit. There is no reason for that double-reversal-of-fortune ex machina unless it's establishing the Silver Eyes as something Important and Magic.

Jaune defeating Weiss's internal image of her abusive father feels like it's symbolically significant, but damned if I could say what it means! He did it with the help of Silly!Pyrrha and the Silly!Weisses, the latter of which definitely represent the childlike parts of Weiss that she locks away under her icy facade, but I'm still not sure what the former means, symbolically.

[skye-huntress]

RWBY Ice Queendom Reaction

Episode 7 “Dreams Come Rued”

Of course Weiss sees Jaune as completely in over his head, carrying the weight of something greater than he can handle. She is of course right. Sure, there is more to Jaune than that, but has he yet given her a reason to think otherwise.

Time to finally do something about that ambush. Also Jaune, just don’t. Put that thing down before you hurt yourself, you have your own sword on you and barely know how to use that.

When this is all over, Ruby’s going to train or fight with the real Crescent Rose, and she’s going to point her the wrong way for firing.

So the weird sign changes as changes are made in the dream. If my interpretation of it representing all the directions Weiss is pushed or pulled towards, we could take these changes to represent her friends nudging her towards a certain direction. Perhaps it will untangle and become clearer as they continue to address Weiss’ internal conflicts

Back to the Control Room, mostly the same thing again, except like the second time and unlike the first time, Negative Weiss refuses the brush. What is different this time is the White Fang were driven back and the train is still inbound. Now what was mentioned the previous episode, RBY have made a change and now it is up to Weiss whether she accepts it.

That one change allowed them right into the inner ring, but that’s the easy part. Also, Jaune is already having issues and they’ve barely started, no way he’s going to be able to fight the “Nightmare” itself.

So apparently the inside of the Sillies’ jail is actually quite nice, pretty much supports what Ren and Pyrrha suspected. Jaune’s symptoms abated because the Grimm’s presence is kept out to protect the memories of Weiss’ friends.

Now we do have a third relic, this one yellow, likely representing Yang. This means I was wrong and there must be a fourth, a Black one somewhere in the dream that is Black.

Speaking of connections to Yang, Weiss believes that she spoils Ruby and that’s why she still acts so childlike. I can’t believe I forget to consider that when she compared the sisters’ relationship to her own that she might also be jealous. Which would explain why removing the relic unleashed Weiss’ inner child- er, children?

First off, child Weiss is absolutely adorable and I totally would spoil her.

That said, there needs to be a balance. Because of Jacques’ strictness and high expectations, Weiss never really got to be a child, and she absolutely should be allowed a chance to feel that way, but letting them all run amok with reckless abandon is just going to cause too much chaos and that’s going to be too much for Weiss to accept. Freedom is all well and good, but only when you are being responsible about it, otherwise someone is going to get hurt.

So I notice Ren and Nora are quick to start talking simple words but Pyrrha is different. When I first saw their Dream designs, I did have the impression that Dream Actor Pyrrha was not a fighter. So far, she has sung one of Weiss’ songs and she is considerate towards Jaune. The latter makes sense based on Weiss’ earlier observations, but I’m still not too sure why she dresses and sings like Weiss. Is it perhaps because Weiss was projecting parts of herself on Pyrrha?

Grumpy Klein lives!

So now things are getting out of hand. You spoil a child and they only want more and more. And now Ren and Nora are infected with the Grimm, something that Weiss locked them up to avoid happening, mind you. Probably should have been more careful and mindful of the changes they made. Seems like the Grimm is taking advantage of their carelessness.

Negative Weiss saved Jaune and Pyrrha I guess. I’m a little concerned about what she’ll do next.

So when they say “Big Nicholas”, they really meant BIG Nicholas!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to make that art of the Weiss children my wallpaper.

[kitawolf12]

I posted 5,827 times in 2022

19 posts created (0%)

5,808 posts reblogged (100%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@actuallyinvisibleninjah

@ladyshivs

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@thisiscrasy

I tagged 278 of my posts in 2022

#nicholas cage - 7 posts

#cagepocalypse - 7 posts

#unreality - 7 posts

#nickapocalypse - 7 posts

#goncharov - 6 posts

#the king's affection - 4 posts

#kdrama - 4 posts

#spoilers - 4 posts

#theater kid - 2 posts

#ehhh - 2 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#like that was maybe 30 minutes ago in movie. you smell like alcohol and puke why would he kiss you just hygienic wise not even consent wise

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

>attempts to pick up order, walks towards building

>building has gates pulled together like it's closed or something

>maybe it's a new security measure, keep walking

>door has little sign that the location is closed??

>man sitting in car calls out to me "You tryin' to go to [store]?"

>nod

>"I'm in the phone with her, she'll be right here."

>sit in car, perplexed

>write tumblr post

>she is right there.

>PICK UP ORDER SUCCESSFUL

1 note - Posted January 7, 2022

#4

this is probably taboo but I really like this post and OP (whose name and comment I deleted) turned off reblogs because people were being "annoying" (?)

2 notes - Posted July 20, 2022

#3

anyone else have a nightmare about being stalked, harassed, and blackmailed by a terrorist organization that forces you to be an accessory to murder like half a dozen times and then have a second dream about you and some of the other victims teaming up and finally killing the head of the organization dnd style with magic and swords but your new partymates get upset after you actually take his life instead of turning him in because you know he has internal connections and would get off free and keep harassing all of you? and then they force you to clean out the house you grew up in of any sign you lot or your loved ones were ever there but in doing that you find some old fanfic your mom wrote and you start crying because you'll never be able to see or talk to her again after you all go on the run for murder? and then you wake up filed with just an immense sense of loss and dread and your throat hurts so much because you're sick? and then when you can't fall asleep you go downstairs and grab water and just sit and type this? no? just me?

3 notes - Posted November 11, 2022

#2

I don't know if people consider 10 Things I Hate About You to be like problematic or bad but I just finished it and you know what? If my partner bought me a guitar anytime they screwed up I would absolutely stick around. Do you know how many guitars that could get me? So many. I could have enough guitars for all the picks I have. That's the dream, baby.

3 notes - Posted July 30, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

nick cage

9 notes - Posted April 22, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[pinkfey]

5, 12, 15 and 29 for your jael / daeran and saskia / nick?

ship asks!!

5. nicknames? pet names? any in-jokes?

yes indeed 😈 since nick is also the name of my boyfriend i did project the tiniest bit onto saskia. most often she calls him nicholas, nick only when she’s being serious, and nicky nick when she’s in a silly goofy mood 🤪 she absolutely refuses to call him justice unless she’s being sarcastic, much to his dismay, and doesn’t have many pet names tbh?? the way she says nickkk in that tone of hers shows endearment enough.

nick, on the other hand, is so annoying. he’s thought of every possible play on her name (kiki, suskia, 2022 kia sorento plug-in hybrid™️, etc!!) and has a preference for babe/baby/sunshine/love of my life—especially when he wants something. he also has a fondness for referring to her as “my girlfriend” needlessly as some sort of flex lmaooo

12. is there a wedding? what was the proposal like? any kind of honeymoon?

there absolutely is >:3 saskia agreed for tax purposes, nick agreed so he could upgrade from “my girlfriend” to “my wife.” it was a very impromptu proposal—nick literally just throwing the idea out there over breakfast one morning. planning it was a nightmare not because they had different tastes but because nick wanted everything to be perfect. it was even in the papers (JUSTICE: BRIDEZILLA?) and it was difficult keeping the media at bay for saskia’s sake.

as for the wedding itself, the colors were matcha green and cream, and audra and gray were the only other two in the wedding party :-) the venue was dark and softly lit and small—only about a hundred people!!—and the photos were beautiful. saskia had personally coordinated decorations and nick made the cake himself. they told the press they were honeymooning in cancun but they secretly went to sorrento. nick thought this was hilarious.

15. how adventurous are they?

extremely. well, maybe it’s better to say nick is adventurous and saskia trails along amusedly for emotional support. she’s not averse to any of his overeager plans and maybe she hides how much she enjoys them a little bit, but she can’t let him know that. she has a reputation, after all!!

29. how do the handle disasters or emergencies? minor injuries? sickness?

in an emergency, nick is always reliable (oldest sibling things!!) and tends to know what to do better than saskia, and even she can admit it. he’s justice. he keeps his cool whereas saskia just pretends to.

when it comes to minor things and sickness, as a caretaker nick is suffocating nfjdsjbfnd. more than enough medicine and homemade soup and canada dry than saskia could ever need—and constantly checking in.

as the one sick?? he’s a baby. does absolutely nothing all day long. and whines. he tries to appeal to saskia’s soft side and get her to do things and saskia likes to think she doesn’t fall for it but she does every time. she’ll comply with his every whim and keep a straight face while she does so and he’ll just grin up at her and say, “thank you, baby,” and all she can do is roll her eyes.

5. nicknames? pet names? any in-jokes?

only the mean ones JFNDBSJDJ daeran would often poke at her uhhhhhh sadistic nature even before catching feelings for her. “ah, my bloodthirsty friend!!” or “give this to the commander. the sick cruel and beautiful one.” AND in turn jael would sarcastically refer to him as “your highness” 😌 true love

12. is there a wedding? what was the proposal like? any kind of honeymoon?

there is not simply because i don’t see them as the marrying type!! but they might as well be married. they’re loyal and never far from each other <3

15. how adventurous are they?

well daeran will try anything once 🥴 but horny jokes aside, i wouldn’t necessarily call them adventurous as opposed to opportunistic!! jael is fearless and will go anywhere she deems necessary and daeran will follow her with only mild complaining and occasional convincing

29. how do the handle disasters or emergencies? minor injuries? sickness?

they don’t 🤩 that is to say, daeran hates caring about her (at first). the first time they found themselves in a dire situation and he felt fear his healing wouldn’t be enough, he wanted to avoid her for days. but he couldn’t. he still came to speak to her, offered her roses, splendid gifts, and when she’d teasingly suggest he’s courting her he’d coyly smile and deny any knowledge of such things.

and jael?? daeran has to beg her for attention when he’s hurt or sick HFKDHSHKF not that that’s anything out of the usual for him but jael truly could not care less fhdjskfhdbd????

daeran, delicately lounged on the floor with a hand to his forehead: oh no,,, i seem to have….. fallen ill 😩

jael, kicking him: get up.

[love-little-lotte]

Miss Saigon in Manila!

Here in the Philippines, even if you're not a fan of musical theatre, you'd definitely know about Miss Saigon and Lea Salonga. That's how big this show is to many people here. The last time this show was in the country was way back in 2000, with Salonga herself playing the role of Kim. It also blessed us with a full pro shot available on YouTube, giving me and my fellow Gen-Z theatre fans a glimpse of Salonga in her most acclaimed role.

Fast-forward to 24 years later, and Miss Saigon is finally back, stopping in the Philippines for their international tour. My mother has been such a huge fan of Miss Saigon. As a child, I remember her playing her Original London Cast cassette (double tapes, of course, one of each act) and singing along to "I Still Believe." In 2014, she also bought me the cast recording of the West End revival, and I used to play this a lot because I was obsessed with Eva Noblezada's voice.

So, of course, there's no way we're going to miss Miss Saigon in Manila (even if we had to travel miles and ride a plane!) Along with us was also my older brother and his girlfriend. Watching this musical with my family was so, so exciting and certainly just too much for one heart.

This is my third show in the Solaire theatre, and so far, Miss Saigon has been the first to blow me away with its production. Don't get me wrong, the Phantom's Lair from POTO and the revolving stage from Hamilton were amazing, but Miss Saigon's production was so extravagant and spectacular that my mouth was just hanging open the entire time — especially during "Kim's Nightmare." That helicopter scene was just so fricking cool.

The story itself can still be a hit or miss. While some aspects are not as offensive as the original run (changing the lyrics in The Wedding Ceremony to actual Vietnamese words, for example), the show is still far from perfect and has so many dated themes... which I fear could never be corrected properly even in the future. There's simply no way you can make productions of this musical without including the problematic parts, so I understand why some people don't like this show. However, I'd argue that the show is not a white savior story. Is Chris really a white savior if he didn't get to save Kim in the end? He's not the hero of the story. (No one is; it's a tragedy.)

Nonetheless, there are still so many things to like about Miss Saigon, especially the score. Les Misérables is one of my favorite shows of all time, but Miss Saigon's music kicks its ass any day. While Les Mis has better individual songs, Miss Saigon's overall score always brings a chill up my spine. In addition to "Kim's Nightmare," "This Is The Hour" is one of my favorite moments and that's all because of the soaring music and the ensemble.

I also enjoyed the incredible cast during our show. Everyone was superb and amazing at bringing this show to life. Abigail Adriano, who played Kim, astonished me; how that powerful voice came out of such a small girl is beyond me! She's only 19, but wow, she commanded the stage like a pro and transported the audience to another dimension with her vocal chops alone. Her versions of "You Will Not Touch Him" and "I'd Give My Life For You" were too good. Her acting was also on-point. Adriano's Kim was so gentle yet strong and fearless. My family and I also got to stagedoor (my first time!) and when we approached her, I jokingly said, "You made me cry!" to which she replied, "I'm sorry!"

I was so looking forward to watching Seann Miley Moore as the Engineer ("EnginQueer," if you will). Instead, we got Nicholas Kong, who was such a great scene-stealer! His version of "The American Dream" absolutely gagged me — and not just because of the visuals. His Engineer also reminded me so much of the Thenardiers from Les Mis than other versions I've seen: funny but also a scheming menace.

Nigel Huckle played Chris in this performance and was also terrific. See, I've never warmed up to Chris in other versions. Some Chris actors are too aggressive, and I feel like they don't really care about Ellen in Act 2. But Huckle was different; he also even actually made me feel sorry for Chris. I can feel his desperation and confusion in "Why God Why." He also shared really good chemistry with Adriano; their "Sun and Moon" was too perfect.

Another performance that I was so looking forward to was Kiara Dario, who played Gigi. I've been seeing a lot of her tweets and simply loving her theatre-girl energy so much. A homegrown Filipina talent, she showcased everything: her impressive dance moves (no wonder she's part of a girl group here in the Philippines), her vocals, and of course, her acting. I'd love to see her in another big role soon or even grace the Broadway stage.

Here are some pictures from my first stagedoor (I wish we'd had more but we got so overwhelmed and frankly, we got tired from the very long day):

Overall, just a really fun night in the theatre with my family and so many wonderful performances. Definitely one for the books!

[absentia-if]

Hello! Idk if this has been asked before (I hope not, but if it is then I'm sorry), but what would be the reactions of all the ROs + parents, where MC is still kidnapped for five years but is killed by the Kidnapper instead of been let go like in the start of the demo?

I don’t think they’d know… unless, you know, the Kidnapper deliberately places the body somewhere (which would be something they’d do come to think of it…)

Kade/Kara: It was something they were aware of being a possibility… something that they’ve been gearing for. They just never expected the tidal wave of agony and heartbreak to knock them down to their knees. Knowing, without a doubt this time, that you were truly gone. They wouldn’t know what to do with themselves— probably regressing back to what they were before— but this time at least they have help. Even though it would be much worse than what it was before… at least before they could at least pretend like things would turn out okay.

Michael/Margot: Regret and heartache burns their tongue as the liquor burns their throat. All the words they wish they would have said— wish they would have been brave enough to truly let out— clogging their throat and making it hard to breath; it’s better that way because you weren’t doing so any longer either. Your death— the actual realization that you were gone— would break down their last bits of repression and denial… and it would leave a husk of what they used to be; someone who had been carved out from the inside but still had all the walls from before.

Blaine/Blaire: They wouldn’t believe it. Wouldn’t believe that you were truly gone. You couldn’t actually be gone. They would know… they would feel it in their heart. Even if they have lost hope as the years past they always had a sliver of it still tucked away. Because they just knew that they would know if you were to perish. It would be a constant cycle of denial that you were truly gone and that they’d never see you again. That they’d never get to hear your voice again. That they’d never get their best friend back.

Wren/Wynn: Their heart would go out to your family and friends… they know what it’s like to lose someone you care greatly about. Knows what it’s like to see lifeless eyes that used to be the window to the person you loved soul. It would strengthen their resolve to find the bastard who did it. They didn’t want this to happen to another family. Didn’t want anyone else to be destroyed because of something they couldn’t help. No matter how much it may be difficult at times to understand.

Nicholas/Natalie: Would be saddened. They may not have known you that well but they wouldn’t wish what happened on anyone. Though they’d mainly be concerned with the people that they do know and have a relationship with; namely M. They’d try their best to be there for their best friend. Offering comfort whenever it was wanted/needed. At least they have familiarity with grief and can be helpful.

Eliza: She would throw herself into her work. Wouldn’t be able to comprehend that her baby was gone and that she would never be able to see you again; that she had outlived her child. It’s one of the worst nightmares a mother can face. She’d wish everyday that it had been her instead. That she was the one that had been taken because at least that means her Cricket would still be alive.

Oliver: Any hope at Oliver pulling himself from the hole he had dug himself would be ruined the moment he saw your body. He wouldn’t be able to comprehend that you were gone, that he hadn’t been able to protect you like when you were little, and that would absolutely destroy him inside. Maybe down the line he’d be able to help himself— realizing that he couldn’t lose Eliza too— but by then it may be too late.

[tcm]

Julien Temple Musicals: ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS (’86) and EARTH GIRLS ARE EASY (’88) By Raquel Stecher

Director Julien Temple has built his filmmaking career showcasing creative types. Musicians are his forte, although he’s also made films about poets, filmmakers and other artists. Best known for his music videos, he’s directed artists such as the Rolling Stones, Depeche Mode, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Billy Idol, Van Halen and Paul McCartney. He became interested in filmmaking when he discovered the work of French filmmaker Jean Vigo, whom he would later direct a biopic about. He began working alongside the Sex Pistols and made his debut feature film The Great Rock ’N’ Roll Swindle (’80) about the band’s tumultuous break-up.

Temple had a front row seat at a time when music was revolutionizing culture but was also interested in how the music of the past influenced the present. Among his films are two outliers, a pair of films inspired by Temple’s love of Hollywood musicals: ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS (’86) and EARTH GIRLS ARE EASY (’88). An homage to the early days of rock ‘n’ roll, ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS was an adaptation of Colin MacInnes’ 1959 novel. Set in 1958 during the time of the Notting Hill race riots, it explores the cultural revolution of the time, when jazz was falling out of favor, rock ‘n’ roll was making a scene and teenagers were being recognized as a major influence on popular culture. Eddie O’Connell stars as Colin, a photographer who falls in love with fashion designer Crepe Suzette (Patsy Kensit) and gets caught up in the local music scene. The film features performances by Sade and Davide Bowie, two musicians Temple had previous directed music videos for.

According to the website Supajam, ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS was at the time “the most expensive British film ever made.” When the shooting wrapped, Temple was fired. He had no involvement with the final editing, which was handled by three different editors. The end result was a musical that strayed from Temple’s vision. In an interview, Temple called the production “a half-nightmare, half-dream” and said that he wishes it would have come out differently. The film was a flop and bankrupted British movie studio Goldcrest Film International. Temple goes on to say in his interview with Supajam, “It was strange being accused of destroying the British film industry… for many decades, it seemed to be circling Pluto, but it seems to have made its way a bit closer back towards Earth these days.”

The film caught the eye of Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson. Temple is quoted as saying, “It turned out the Jackson family were fans, particularly Michael and Janet, who used to copy the dance sequences as it played on their cinema screen.” Temple went on to direct two music videos for Janet Jackson. “When I Think of You” pays homage to ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS urban setting and “Alright” is a throwback to the golden era of Hollywood musicals and features cameos by the Nicholas Brothers, Cab Calloway and Cyd Charisse.

When Temple left the UK to work in the US, he made another go at the musical feature film with EARTH GIRLS ARE EASY (’88). This science fiction romantic comedy musical hybrid starred then real-life couple Geena Davis and Jeff Goldblum in their third picture together. Written by Julie Brown, Terrence E. McNally and Charlie Coffey, the story follows California girl Valerie (Geena Davis) who, in the midst of romantic turmoil, is visited by three furry aliens: Jeff Goldblum, Jim Carrey and Damon Wayans. The aliens are given a makeover to best resemble humans and they cause a ruckus in the Valley with their new look. 

The movie is chock full of 1980s esthetics and slang, making it a nostalgic delight for anyone who lived through, or just loves, that era. It even includes a cameo by the mysterious lady in pink Angelyne, who was herself a precursor to today’s celebrity influencers. The film also serves as a throwback to 1950s science fiction films like Forbidden Planet (’56) and Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (’56). The trio of aliens learn human behavior and language from watching classics on television like Gun Fury (’53), Rebel Without a Cause (’55) and The Nutty Professor (’63).

Given his newfound reputation, Temple had a difficult time finding a studio or production company for the film. Warner Bros., MGM, 20th Century-Fox and New World Pictures all expressed interest but eventually turned it down. It was picked up by De Laurentiis Entertainment Group, which was set to distribute, but they filed for bankruptcy shortly after filming. The movie didn’t make a splash at the time, however it’s gone on to earn the cult classic status it so rightly deserves. EARTH GIRLS ARE EASY served as the inspiration for the Britney Spears and Iggy Azalea music video for “Pretty Girls” released in 2015.