#i am going to draw more catherine

[snakeyp00]

Master Millerrrrrr I love youuuuuuu

(Metal Gear 2 remake with extra ops mission Date with Master Miller, but it's just him finally taking out David (and Catherine) for that cheese fondue)

[averlym]

Can you do prompt 34 for araleyn?

no.34, gen: "you look happy" //sometimes i think too much about dlyh

[thedutchess07]

Sim Screenshot Quality?

Hey everyone <3

I've been getting asked how I get my screenshot quality the way I do quite a bit lately, soooooo I thought I'd answer through a general post. Sorry for the long post >.<

Software and lighting mods I use:

Gshade, ADOF* & Relight*

SRWE

GIMP or Facetune

In-game lighting mods

Maxis lighting

GSHADE, ADOF & RELIGHT

Installing Gshade tutorial here. This video also goes over how to change over to DX11, which if your PC has the capability to do so I totally recommend.

What Gshade preset do I use? Check my FAQs.

*ADOF... okay so ADOF is not a separate software but a shader in Gshade/Reshade. This is one of the common questions I get asked. Check out this Youtube tutorial on how edit your ADOF settings to your preference (15:53 min). For those confused on ADOF, it's what the blurry background of the pics. For ex. below, I like to play around with this setting a lot depending on my mood haha.

*Relight.. like ADOF, relight is not a separate software but a shader in Gshade/Reshade. This is what takes my screenshots to the next level. Youtube tutorial here and in depth guide here. Now you have to play around with relight a bit to get it exactly how you want it. Depending on the mood I'm going for will determine my placement and color of the lighting. For ex., below I focused on the middle and eye area with a white light...

I was going for a Catherine Zeta-Jones, Morticia Addams vibe (idk if yall caught that or can see my vision lol)

SRWE

Youtube tutorial here and in-depth guide here. Now SRWE is my bestieee lol. For SRWE profiles, that depends on what your computer can handle. The in-depth guide I linked helps you configure what profile is for you. Typically for me I do 3600 x 4800, but depends what kind of shot I'm going for. You don't have to use this esp, if you have a top tier GPU and monitor... I'm in the process of upgrading my PC, so who knows if I'll still be using it.

GIMP or FACETUNE

Tutorial on GIMP and tutorial on FaceTune. GIMP is like a free version of photoshop and Facetune is a photo/video editing application. I use GIMP and Facetune is for the grain effect and sharpener. I will only use the grain effect if it fits the vibe I'm going for, yes I can turn on film grain in Gshade, but I don't like how it comes out in my photos. As for sharpener tool, I only add a touch of it on my pics and not every picture. When I say touch I mean literally lol, I don't like a lot where it gives it that weird drawing effect (???). Like I said, I use this occasionally depending on the mood. A new feature I've recently used on GIMP was the shadow and contrast tool. For ex. below you can see before and after. I darkened the background and added a bit of contrast for a more pop effect on my sim.

Before After

LIGHTING MODS

I use:

Northern Siberia Winds Gentle CAS and Even Better In-Game lighting mods.

Lummia's No Blu and No Glo.

Lotharihoe's Brighter Walls and Foundations, Cubemap Remover, and Out Of The Dark (Indoor Lighting Mod). Which can all be found here.

I don't have Softerhaze's lighting mods, my brain cannot process how to install it hahaha (all jokes aside if you know good youtube tutorial lmk, bc I'm a huge visual learner).

MAXIS LIGHTING

Yessss maxis lighting also plays a role (for me personally). We all know maxis lighting is kinda trash, but it also has its place in things. Depending on the theme/vibe I'm going for also determines the season and time in game. For ex. below these pictures were taken in summer at 6pm (in-game lol). That gave me the perfect lighting from the maxis side to compliment all the other components I use.

Alright, I think that's it. Sounds like a lot, but it's really not. This is just how I do it, so you will find your own groove and settings on how YOU like your pics. Hopefully that makes sense to you all, and if not shoot me a message through my WCIF/Ask button. :)

Like you, I am learning about all of this. I am by no means a tech whiz, I have to do a lot of research myself to understand things.

Have a lovely day or night ppl!!!

[malwaredykes]

ma'am give us the catherine boone lore, please i beg of you

well *smiles shyly*

in case its not clear she is Boone the companion in fallout new vegas but after realizing some important things about herself

which is something that started out as just me having this sort of loose “wouldnt it be interesting” idea but then @fallout-lou-begas and i spent days digging into how well this actually fits boone's narrative. boone being an egg i mean. starting from simple things that dont Necessarily have to mean anything but definitely add up, like boone going by last name only, or being the least talkative companion by far (do you not like the sound of your own voice, boone?), all the way to like. the general Long-Unaddressed Dysphoria Hopelessness, the sense of having no future and no autonomy and no power to change anything. there's a lot to go through here but there's just this constant vibe of being a lost cause, of feeling like things can only happen to you as you move through life detached and disconnected and numb, and of not having the words to express any of that, not knowing how much of that can even be put into words or given any meaning or solution, because something is always missing, something big.

so. i think leigh suddenly appearing in boone's life had one hell of an impact. still took boone a long time to understand why and that it was okay for her to “want to be like leigh” and so on. but yeah, ive mentioned before how it adds a whole new layer to the fact that boone just followed this strange woman into the wasteland and became so ride or die for her. and how she felt that she and leigh had been destined to meet. in fact boones dialogue thats like “maybe its you i shouldve been expecting all along”, “i knew i was supposed to follow you the day we met” just kind of hits harder this way Im Not Gonna Lie. like, yeah, narratively in the game its suppose to be about boone's guilt, but... theres this overarching mindset that boone has... similarly to how boone's not liking to talk definitely reads as a neurodivergence thing, but also.... could be more than one reason.. there are Usually complex/multiple causes behind such character-defining idiosyncrasies yknow

i might write/draw something about the moment boone starts to piece things together and Realizes and tells leigh. and even though boone had been shaking like a leaf about the prospect of telling her, leigh is of course very very happy to help her and support her. shes happy she gets to be there for boone and get to know her even better than she already did.

as for the name, honestly catherine just kind of came up. like it just came up and immediately sounded right. she can go by cat and thats very very cute.

overall catherine is like… well shes just very lovable. shes definitely a LOT happier, she actually smiles and laughs, and feels a lot more grounded and present. and hrt makes her look very soft. and she grows her hair out to where its this like, fluffy mullet situation. and leigh falls for her because she already liked boone a whole lot, they were besties/worsties who had seen each other at their lowest and were very comfortable with each other, and seeing cat be this content and radiant and cute… she was Defenseless. Oh, This Lovely Woman Has Been Right In Front Of Me This Whole Time. shes crazy. cat youre gonna get sooooo kissed.

so. yeah. it IS ocXcanon with extra steps. and i love it. i love you cat boone. theres so much to her and so much i could say and so many layers to her new hopes and dreams after so many years of dreary soldier-conditioning dissociated i-am-made-for-a-purpose loneliness. but i wanna convey it properly thru art and writing i think.

[fantasies-fairytales-n-fics]

Thranduil and Josie Pt. 164- Blood Rage

Summary: Rosie stuns Josie. Legolas is stunned as well by Josie's changing behavior. She and Rahl come face to face and blade to blade after he pushes her last button. Another rune appears on Josie's body but who is drawing them for her? Another symbol could hold the answer. Rahl soon realizes what Josie is capable of. Legolas, where are you?

*Chapter Warnings* language, angst, mentions of rape, violence, sexual references

Chapter characters: Josie, Rosie, Legolas, Bash, Charles, Narcisse, Claude, Catherine, Rahl, Killer,

Chapter word count: 6,086

Stories Stories Stories Masterlist:

There was still no sign of Narcisse and you were getting ready to go find Bash when you smelled the very sweet, pungent aroma of roses like you had earlier when you saw the little girl who called herself Rosie.

Upon following the scent that led you to the foyer, there by the wall, sat the reddish haired child on a bench all alone and looking very melancholic.

"R...Rosie?"

"Hello." she softly greeted as her big round ocean like orbs met yours.

"Are you lost little one?" You asked as you pulled up a chair and sat down in front of her.

She shyly giggled. "I'm not little one, you are silly."

"What's that? you replied, somewhat befuddled.

She lowered her head and whimpered quiet cries as she nervously played with her fingers.

"Sweetheart, why do you cry?"

You reached out to comfort her and as your hand went to lay upon hers, it went right through it, just as Rahl's apparition had moved right through you.

Gasping, you yanked your hand back. "Are...are you even real?"

"Not yet." she sniffled. "I never will be if you don't find my daddy."

"Your daddy? Who is your daddy honey?"

"Josie? Who are you talking to?" Legolas asked as he came up behind you with a tilted head and furrowed brows.

You flung to your feet, holding your chest in fright.

"Jesus Legolas! I know you're an elf, but do you have to be of such stealth ALL the freaking time?"

The Prince's stance stiffened in surprise at your scolding.

"I..I'm sorry? I did not mean to startle you. Josie, are...are you alright?"

"I am fine. Why wouldn't I be??"

"Well...because you were speaking to...a wall?"

Your eyes widened and you spun back around to find the little girl gone, but her scent still lingered.

"Oh..umm. Yeah, I was just...talking to myself. Haven't you ever done that?"

"Actuallyyyy...no. Josie...I am worried about you. Lola...she informed me that you had cut your hand and that the healing waters did not mend the wound. It burned you? Is that why you are wearing gloves?"

"Stealthy and nosy as well. It's a cut, big deal and I don't have time for this nonsense. Have you seen Narcisse at all after you left your gossip session about me and god knows what else that took place in front of MY daughter with the ever so lustful Lola?"

Legolas could now see something was indeed wrong with you, for you had never spoken to him in such a manner, not even over his bickering with Haldir that always annoyed you or even about his unwanted opinions on Garrett. Slightly offended and hurt, the Elvenprince decided he would happily tell you what he had learned about Lord Narcisse in hopes that you would finally see what he had been trying to show you about the warlock all along.

"I did not. But Lola has. In a lip lock with Catherine's daughter Claude earlier tonight."

The reaction Legolas expected was certainly not what he received. He expected anger and disgust, which he did get a glimpse of in your gaping eyes, but mostly, they were filled with jealousy. Why, he wondered? For he did not know about your recent relations with Narcisse, but the perplexed Prince of Mirkwood did now as your broken shield allowed your thoughts of that night to run openly wild.

"And she told YOU this and not me?? Of course she did. Anything for you Legolas, right?"

"Why do you speak of her in this way, or myself for that matter? Has Narcisse done something more to you beyond sharing his bed, bath and body that you clearly accepted and indulged in??"

Your eyes slitted at him as your lips pursed tight.

"Legolas...Greenleaf. Now that you know how to invade my thoughts, it does not give you some elfy claim on my mind! If I had my powers right now, I would turn you upside down and use your luscious locks as a mop!!" you threatened, then huffed as you marched off, leaving Legolas with a dropped jaw.

Down the hall you stormed to the ballroom to pour another drink and as you rounded the corner, there stood Catherine looking as stunned as you were to see Claude sitting upon Narcisse's lap.

It was the only moment you could ever share the same feelings as that wretched old woman in wanting to castrate the warlock lord just as he had done to Ashir for taking advantage of Claude just as he himself was doing. Of course, you knew it wasn't him, but it pissed you off nonetheless. As far as Claude, you felt no ill towards her, for it was quite clear in the way she leered at a gawking Catherine, that she was only trying to stick it to her for pulling her into her mother's mess and also...you sympathized with Claude, because you knew what it was like to be used by your own mother and to be taken against your will by a man. It changed you and it seemed to be changing the young Princess too.

It seemed your keen senses still worked, quite well actually, if not better for some reason and you could hear Stephane's words to the red haired beauty as his animal eyes ogled her cleavage.

"Since it seems I am...unattached...would you gather my cape for me Princess and meet me in my chambers?"

Claude did as he asked and glanced back at Catherine in a victorious manner as she exited. Narcisse offered a matching demeanor as he raised his glass to to a fuming Catherine, then he caught your eyes.

With a grin and a wink, he knocked the drink back and also departed. Something told you by the devious gleam in Stephane's eyes, the eyes leading to the soul that Rahl held captive, that the evil alter was just getting started with his diabolical deeds and there would be much more to come.

As Catherine began to go after them, your raced past her, purposely and harshly grazing her arm with yours, enough to make her stumble to the side and leaving her gasping as she watched you dash around the doorway and disappear.

You quickly lost sight of Narcisse and Claude, but saw Bash and Charles from the distance, geared up and exiting the main entrance of the castle, heading out in search for Delphine in the city as Bash had promised you he would do.

"Bash!!" you shouted, out of breath as you ran down the hall and out the door only to see the two warlocks riding off on their horses.

"Oh god. Please be safe." you fearfully whispered as they disappeared into the darkness, for you did not know Bash was going to take Stephane's son with him.

They were doing this for you and if anything happened to them, you would never forgive yourself and Narcisse...well, you didn't even want to think about what he would do. He had already flipped out when his brother had been hurt by Harker and now his son would be put in danger. Charles had powers though that could help protect them and also, Aragorn, Bard and Gimli were in the city too, looking for Haldir, so you felt that it all could be a good thing, that maybe they would all find each other.

On your way to Stephane's chambers, without one ounce of fear in you at the possibility of facing down the fanged and ferocious feline, you passed a crying and very frightened Claude.

"Claude?? What has happened? Did he hurt you???"

"There is something very wrong with Lord Narcisse. You need to stay far far away from him." she sobbed and sniffled.

"Ok, ok. Try to relax and tell me what happened."

"He's lost his damn mind. That's what's happened. His rules are to use no black magic here, which as you know, is why my mother and I had been punished, yet the hypocritical cretin just used it upon me. I could feel it. The pull, to get me to give him my body."

"Narcisse...he is not quite...himself lately and you're right in a sense about him losing his mind. Long story. But..how..how did you manage to get away?"

"Something distracted him as he groped me. It was like...it was like he sensed something and stopped himself. Possibly you? I think he knew you were near."

"Or Stephane..." you mumbled.

You now thought that it may have been Stephane fighting back against Rahl and that's why he ceased his advances on Claude and if that were the case, then you might have a chance at bringing him back.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing...just go be with your baby and lock your doors for the night. And please, keep this to yourself. I will go speak with him."

"Are you mad?? What if he tries something on you too??"

"Oh, I can handle the man in that room. Trust me. Now go."

Strangely, Narcisse now had guards at his chamber door and as you approached, one opened the door for you without a word which confirmed to you that he knew you were coming and that he wanted to see you....but you were expecting to see Stephane because Claude did not mention his appearance. Surely she would have if he looked as you now saw him when Rahl himself, in the flesh, acknowledged your presence before you even spoke.

"Hello Josephine, or should I call you...Jo?"

The warlock lord of long chocolate locks stood with his back to you, then turned around with a succulent smile and sparkling sapphire eyes. He wore a collared and sleeveless red robe that accentuated his bare, muscular arms that had a sun kissed sheen from the firelight. Minus the provocative, uncovered skin, his attire reminded you of Thranduil's, as the upper half of the garment was form fitting and then blended into a loosely flowing skirt from the waist down to the floor. The neckline was of a typical flared collar and quite provocative as it openly descended in a gold trimmed V line to the waist, revealing his smooth chiseled chest and sculpted stomach. Apparently, Rahl was just as proud of his physical form as Stephane was, but clearly very much more.

"Only Stephane calls me that and YOU are not him."

"I will agree with you there. I am not my alter."

"He is not your alter. You are his!"

"Are you sure about that? I am very much aware that my meddling brother has revealed my identity to you and I know of his plans for this night and he will surely pay for that, but Sebastian knows not what he speaks of."

"Well I do. My mother created you with her black magic out of that damn book! You're not even real."

"Correction my fellow and quite lovely witch. I am very real. I existed long before Caroline used that lovely little spell to strengthen me."

"And I will find Ashmole to send you back to hell. I know all that you have done. Stephane is good. You are pure evil. A murderer. You exist because Stephane couldn't handle the things his father made him do and in that despair and desperation to protect himself, his mind, unknowingly to him, broke in two, creating someone who could please his father so he could be relieved of his mental suffering. You are merely a figment of his imagination, per se. My father ended you and you were only resurrected again because of Jareth."

"Ahhh, correction again my dear girl. I exist because I am the strong one. It is I, Darken Rahl, that stands before you, not my opposite, the pathetic and weak warlock you know and love, which is why it was so easy to reclaim my body, my soul, with of course, the aid from the goblin King. What you are right about though is MY father. Yes. Also a murderer...of my mother and I handled him. He got everything he deserved and now he can rot in the hell you threaten to send me to, which will never happen. If you kill me, you kill Stephane."

"I don't believe that at all. He didn't die before when you were banished. Do you even hear yourself? Stephane is the true and only identity. You will die, not him. And are you sure your father is where you believe him to be?? It would seem that Jareth has brought back all the evil ones to join his army of the dead. I would not be surprised if your daddy dearest was one of them."

Rahl folded his hands together over his stomach, fidgeting with his ring just as Narcisse would do, and then he approached you with a confident grin.

"If my father were to walk the earth again, I will just handle him once more. But with that said, Jareth merely opened the gates of hell. The dead do not have to return if they so choose. Being the coward my father is, I do not expect to see him. He has many enemies and many of his foes are the dead that have chosen to come back. You see, evil does not always play well with other evil. The living cannot kill them but the risen dead can indeed die by the hands of other dead. They won't all be a united army of allies. Some will kill each other and they can never return again. By the power of three times three, the twice born will see that twice dead is forever. Ashmole and those runes are not solely needed."

Your heart sank as you instantly thought of Thranduil. You knew he would never choose to be one of the dark ones, even if it meant being with you and his daughter. It was a feeling of relief but simultaneously the heaviest of heartaches. Your unanswered question to Legolas had been answered. You would not see your King again and the sadness of that vindication turned to anger.

"It will be needed for you and I will find it! I will bring Stephane back and he will help me rid of you and this curse upon him and myself. He's far from weak. His powers ignite mine and mine his."

Rahl chuckled in his amusement. "Yet you have no power. And he no more wants that book found than I do or he would have given it to you long ago."

You saw it in the wicked warlock's eyes. The real reason he chose to come back.

"Ahh, so that is why you are here. To probe Stephane's mind because he knows where Ashmole is and you don't."

"There are things we all do not know...Queen...Josephine." Rahl retorted with a smug grin, for he was now simply toying with you to distract you. "Tell me, how is that sweet child of mine, Lola?"

"What???"

"I thought that would get your undivided attention. Lady Lola, the meek one you have taken under your wing. She is my daughter. Her mother, Jocelyn, I believe you knew her quite well."

"You're...you're lying! You're just fucking with me because it gets you off to screw with people. Her mother can't be the Jocelyn I knew. How is that even possible??"

"Oh, it's very possible. There's so much you do not know but I'm not much up to explaining anymore to you, for your dirty words have made me feel a bit...aroused. I would most definitely love to fuck with you. It would easily get me off, yes. Maybe we could meet for a ...bath...later?" Rahl proposed in a slithering manner as he teased a lock of your hair between his fingers.

You realized you had stupidly set yourself up for that one and it now became clear to you that Rahl had all of Stephane's memories but Stephane did not have all of Rahl's from what Bash had explained. If it were even true, Stephane obviously didn't even know Lola was his daughter and you could see why Jocelyn wouldn't have told him. Did Rahl do to Jocelyn what he had just tried to do to Claude? And what about Sarah? How did she end up with Jocelyn and not Lola? Your mind was spinning like a top. And as far as the whereabouts of Ashmole, Stephane had it deeply hidden in his mind just as well as he had it hidden somewhere in his castle and you now understood as to why he didn't tell you where it was. Would it kill him too? Like Rahl said? Was Rahl really the sole proprietor of the body before you?

Forcing your thoughts away, you grabbed his wrist, the wrist that held the same butterfly birthmark as Stephane's.

"Don't you ever touch me without my permission. Just ask Stephane how that turned out for him once upon a time."

Chuckling again, Rahl ignored your warning and yanked you into his arms. "I don't have to ask him. I already know. You can abuse me. Trust me, I like being slapped."

The hot pepper of his breath and the voodoo in his dilated eyes, rendered you helpless in his firm grip. It was his poison inside of you. He was using it to his advantage and in that moment, you pleaded with Stephane.

"Stephane, I know you are in there. I know you can hear me. Help me, please. You are stronger than him. You are the real one, not him. You are the one that knows me and loves me. You fought him once when he attacked me in his beast form. You can do it again."

As your tearful eyes gazed into Rahl's cold ones, his pupils began to soften and his head dropped.

"Jo..my Jo? Is that you?" he whispered in struggled breaths.

"YES! Yes it is me Stephane. Fight him! You can do it!"

Rahl's head hung immobile for a few seconds and then it slowly rose with yellow eyes of the devil himself.

"You foolish witch!" Rahl reveled with a livid laugh. "Did you really think it was that simple? All I had to do was remind him of Haldir's lips on yours and it instantly shut him down. I am the one in control here and I want to taste once more what he had... and what I want, I get."

"You're the fool! Don't you mean what YOU had?? Since you're one and the same??? But you're NOT the same and he is proving it!"

Your rage was enough to push him off of you, but he grabbed you right back up, helpless once again and weaker, for his mental and poisonous power was draining you and Stephane knew it.

Suddenly, you were shoved with great force, onto your back as another ferocious cat appeared, but it wasn't the jet black panther, it was a snowy white tiger of illuminating beauty and gentle ice blue eyes that flickered in the firelight as they preyed upon yours with love.

You felt solace in that moment, even without ever knowing this side of Stephane, for you knew now and understood his symbolic ring he wore and his love of cats and you smiled at him courageously, knowing the giant black striped carnivore was no threat to you at all, but there to help you. Stephane's cowardly guards though, selfishly ran for their lives, slamming the door behind them. They must have faced the white tiger before.

You didn't know much about tigers, but what you did know was that they could not purr like a domestic cat, only roar. But this was different. This was magic. Stephane was magic. Soft, rumbling vibrations from the cat's throat echoed through the room as he approached you so humbly in a graceful, tender pace, trying not to frighten you.

When he reached you, Narcisse stood still, towering over your body as his peppermint breath tickled your nose and his blazing blue eyes slowly and softly blinked into yours, a cat's sign of trust. He then lifted his enormous furry forepaw and extended it towards your injured hand, gently grazing your fingertips with retracted claws and in that moment, light blue sparks flickered about as they always did when your hands would touch each other. The magic was still there and you knew what he was was trying to do. To heal you and bring yours back. He was the antidote to Rahl's venom, the light over the dark, the yang over the yin, but you soon would realize it was not the electricity you needed.

You removed your lace glove and bravely caressed his beastly chops and as you did so, your fingertips once again lightly sparked against him, bringing forth a sorrowful soft roar as he closed his eyes and nudged his head into your neck. You stretched your arms up and an embraced him tightly as you whispered into his sensitive ear.

" It's ok Stephane. This is not your fault. I knew you could hear me. I knew you could fight him, but for how long?? We will help each other. I will find a way. I won't let him hurt you. This is so crazy because you and he are the same being and I'm scared that if I hurt him, I will hurt you like he said would happen."

Narcisse stepped back, leaning one forearm inwards and bowed to you. You then understood that he was telling you to do whatever was necessary to defeat the dark lord. He then brought his wet snout to your hand and his tongue began to extend to lick your wound, making you realize it was his peppermint saliva that would counteract the venom....but it never happened.

Before his warm sandpaper papillae could reach your incision, a deathly looking man you had never seen before, with bold black hair like Rahl's, appeared out of nowhere and blew Silverbane into Narcisse's face.

You shook and cried as you helplessly watched Stephane paw at his eyes and roll around in pain, but it was short lived, for in a matter of seconds, an uninjured Darken Rahl stood before you once again....and that told you right there that he was not real, that he was not the one with the soul, but did that mean Stephane would not be harmed if Rahl were? None of it made sense because they shared the same skin, but...did magic ever make sense??

"So sorry to ruin your beautiful reunion." Rahl spoke with extreme sarcasm. "But the fun is over now. Stephane had his moment and let me assure you, it will never happen again. Let me introduce you to my faithful and loyal servant, Killer. A name quite deserving."

Rahl turned to the man you believed to be one of the resurrected and judging by his pale skin and the gray tint around his dark eyes, he had been dead for a very long time.

"A job well done as always, Killer....unlike Stephane's cowardly guards." Rahl commended with a snarl.

The man did not speak. He simply smiled and bowed his head.

"Now, where were we."

Rahl turned back to you, not expecting to see what he did.

"Never turn your back on a witch!" you exclaimed, holding the blade in an attack stance, that you had concealed under your dress, strapped to your leg.

A light breeze flowed over you from the open window above as the growing moon cast it's light over you, recharging you just as Stephane's touch did and illuminating a newly formed rune on your upper arm that meant courage in combat, although you did not know this yet or how it got there just like the one on your neck meaning strength and even though you knew this revitalization would be temporary, it could be enough time for you to show Rahl exactly who you were.

Rahl's smile was wide and his eyes thrilled. "A feisty one! I can see why Stephane was drawn to you. Desires you. A worthy opponent you are indeed. I too like games. A rare similarity he and I share. And I can see you and I share one as well. Clair de lune. (Moonlight).

He turned his back on you once more, to prove to you he did not fear you as he gazed up and the earth's neon night light, letting the rays shower over him through the crystalline prism in the window's center.

"Ahhhhh..." he softly and sensually moaned, rolling his eyes back as it struck him like a fortuitous wet dream while he too soaked the captivating energy into his body.

"The winter solstice will be upon us soon and last into the new year. Do you see the two constellations over the moon Josephine? The third will appear that night when the moon is full, a union of body, mind and spirit, forming a triangle of stability and power if the point is facing up, instability if down and reproduction if inverted, all symbolizing what Jareth has brought forth. A power like no other. Right now, all is unstable in the three week Sagittarius retrograde, causing all to rotate backwards, creating the negative energy I so love as it incites various wars of the world and mind."

The birthmark on your lower back was of identical triangular form and once again, it was burning. What was happening? Whatever it was, it was definitely inciting something in you. Something wicked.

"Well guess what Rahl? I'm a Sagittarius bitch!"

He turned back to you with a full grin of pearly whites.

"So, let us play, shall we. Winner gets choice of position. Personally, I like to take my prey from behind."

Rahl walked over to a table that a full length sword laid upon and as he ran his fingers over it, he noticed Killer glaring at you. He then raised his hand, shaking two fingers at him.

"Stay. I want to see what she's got."

Rahl fearlessly approached you with the blade in hand, lowered and hanging at his side and then he stopped about two arm lengths before you with a seductive smile as he leered into your angry eyes.

"To be fair, your short blade is no match for the one of my...length. Take this."

His sexual double standards were beginning to irritate you, enough so that it was even exciting you and that pissed you off even more. The only attraction you had to him was because he was Narcisse under that disguise.

"It is not the length that matters, it's how you use it." you riposted with a smug grin to match his innuendos.

"Ahhh clever one. That may be in the bedroom, but I assure you it is not for a game of fencing. Are you really that confident with your lack of experience? Afraid you can't handle a sword of such...size?"

You knew he was right. What experience did you have in a sword fight? You certainly lost to your King that day in the clearing with a short blade while training for the fight with the dark elves. Sure, Thranduil was the most skilled of elves with any weapon, so you never really had a chance to begin with and sure enough, with an invisible strike, he had knocked the blade clean out of your hand to prove it. With that thought, you then submitted to Rahl's offer.

You lifted your dress, revealing your bare leg to the eyes of a very attentive Rahl and placed your sword back into the strap, then, with pursed lips and a fixated stare, you swiped the sword from his hand.

"Come... with me my lady."

Rahl led you through an open back doorway of his chambers that led down a flight of stairs to a colossal cave like room filled with fire lit lanterns all over the stone walls and a dirt floor that appeared to be for fighting.

He then unsheathed his sword and smiled once, his eyes intrigued and possibly even intimidated as they remained locked in your intense gaze, then simultaneously, your blades loudly clanked as they united with two hard strikes, the jolt sending a painful numbing sensation through your hand and arm. This was nothing like your archery lesson with Stephane. Was Rahl trying to do the same? Teach you?

"Still want to continue, little one?"

"Don't you ever call me that!" you raged, thinking of Garrett, and swung at him again.

"Good girl Josephine...use that venom I gave you!"

Around in circles you both went, your feet scuffling through the dirt and your hits keeping up with his until one swift swing of his sword knocked yours to the ground and you found yourself pinned against a pillar with a blade to your throat.

"Why Josephine, I just don't think you're angry enough." Rahl snared through his teeth.

"Don't you know anger blinds you??"

Those were words of wisdom Thranduil had planted into your mind multiple times and you knew it to be so very true. Although, if used rationally, a skill quite hard to grasp in a bout of adrenalized rage, it could be an advantage.

An impromptu sock to his cock and another to his throat, freed you instantly and as Rahl huddled over gasping, you reclaimed your sword. As you swung it, his revival was perfectly punctual and round and round you both dueled again.

"Cheap trick Josephine. I love wicked witches. I like it rough. You would make me a splendid Queen in more ways than one." he huffed through the strikes as he began to physically sweat.

You had hit him where it hurt physically and now you would target his manhood mentally.

"I will never be your Queen, for your cock will never measure up to my King Thranduil's! Now that was a prize penis, you egotistical fuck."

The look on the warlock's pride scorned face was priceless to you and it gave you the opening you planned for.

With a screaming swift swipe, you knocked HIS sword to the ground this time.

As you pointed the piercing edge at his throat, his eyes widened and his pupils gaped of darkness like that of the panther you expected to soon encounter once again.

Instead...Rahl's angered lips formed into a grin and then...he was gone.

Behind you he appeared, stalking you like a cat ready to pounce. You spun around only to have your sword ripped from your hand as if he were a man sized magnet and then you were gripped firmly by the throat.

The electricity was still there between yours and Stephane's body and Rahl's hand lit up with blue bolts of audible energy, sending his own charged up packing punch right through you and then you could feel your feet leaving the ground as you were lifted by his stupendous strength.

"Chea..ter." you choked and gasped as you helplessly smacked and tugged at his magnetized fingers. "What happ..ened...to..f...fair? I...have no..m..m..magic."

"Oh, in my games, it is no holds barred. Let's see you get yourself out of this one...wise...witch! Better think fast before your lights go out." he viciously teased as held up your emerald pendant by it's severed chain with his other hand and chucked it across the room.

Think...it was something you now struggled with as the air was being snuffed out of you and your body pulverized by electricity. You had no lifeline now, nothing. Nothing but the unexpected and relentless rage that sparked in your very soul.

In that moment, your eyes filled with blood just as Garrett's had when you saw his true vampire form take over and attack Narcisse's guards. Was this coming from him?? Because you shared his vampire blood? Did Rahl's venom or electricity ignite it? Whatever it was, you could not control it.

Rahl lowered and released you, then he backed away in shock as you stood almost trance like with a death glare upon him and his servant.

Killer's black eyes and mouth gaped wide as did Rahl's. "It's the blood rage. She...she's a weaver! She can kill us both. Run my lord!"

Both warlocks raced up the stairs while you picked up your sword and pendant, then followed them at a casual, slow pace, as if you were under some spell, or maybe your mind just plain snapped like Stephane's once had? Your thoughts were clear but your ability to control your actions were gone. It was like something out of the movie Carrie....like you were possessed.

As you appeared in the doorway of Narcisse's chambers, Killer was gone and Rahl was standing in the middle of a pentagram painted in red on the floor, chanting some kind of spell. He whipped around when he sensed you and then blue flames suddenly erupted around him. It was then that you realized the cowardly warlock was dipping.

"AHHHHH!!!" you screamed and charged at him with your sword raised, proving your advice about irrational anger, for you weren't even thinking of how you could hurt Stephane if you hurt Rahl, but just as you swiped the blade at his face, Rahl threw his head back and disappeared.

Rahl made his way to a private corridor and stood befuddled as his fingers lightly traced the superficial slash on his cheek. He tried to regroup with his thoughts, for now they were all in a state of disarray at what he just witnessed. The wide warlock had no inkling whatsoever that you were a weaver and it became clear to him that you did not know either.

Moments after, two of his guards entered the room.

"My lord. Has something happened?"

"The witch Queen is a weaver." he muttered as he gazed at his reflection in the mirror.

"You mean...like a...spider??"

Rahl's head turned to him ever so slowly with a dumfounded look in his sullen eyes.

"No you oaf! But if she were...she would be a deadly one. A weaver is a witch with the only power to kill the dead, besides the dead themselves, either physically or by magic, without Ashmole and the runes, although she would still need it for the vast majority of them. She has the power to create any spell she chooses as well, but she is unaware of it. Now that I know what she is, I will be prepared to handle her as is, but she must never regain her powers. Especially with the blood rage gene inside of her. If only I had known about it before inducing it with my venom."

"If she can end your existence my lord, then why do you not just end hers? Besides, would she really hurt you and risk killing Stephane?"

"Look at my face you imbecile!! If I hadn't moved back in time, I would be headless!! It was the blood rage. If not for that, she would have been able to control her emotions. They make her strong but so very dangerous. She would never risk Stephane's life otherwise. I want her alive. She will be of great use to me. Keep a close eye on her while I am out. I need to go handle another situation in the city."

"Yes my lord."

The guards bowed and departed and soon, so did Rahl to hunt down his brother.

You were long gone from Narcisse's chambers, lost and wandering about the empty halls, dazed, confused and trembling as you came down from the adrenaline high.

You called out, pleading to Legolas in your mind as your feet shuffled along the floor, hoping he would hear you. He was all you had now in the entire world and you felt you may have lost him too after how you had treated him earlier. You didn't even know how it happened. It just...happened.

"Josie?? Where are you???" was the last thing you heard before you hit the ground.

@redeemer46

[hyzenthlayroseart]

Holy shit am I glad this is done. This thing took days.

Anyway years ago I made a drawing called Ode to Broadway featuring a bunch of musicals I love and I decided to redo it, this time drawn digitally and with more musicals added in (I also changed the name to Ode to Musicals because not all of these have stage adaptations).

The musicals featured here are: The Sound of Music, Singin' in the Rain, The Lion King, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Annie, La La Land, Hairspray, Cabaret, Chicago, Grease, The Wizard of Oz, Hamilton, Cats, The Producers, The Greatest Showman, The Music Man, Moulin Rouge, Fiddler on the Roof, Sweeney Todd, West Side Story and Little Shop of Horrors.

Now when I got to West Side Story I had a dilemma: do I do the original film or the remake? Because amazingly, Steven Spielberg did something unbelievable: made a remake to an already perfect classic film and said remake was also absolute perfection. Nonetheless I decided to go with the original. 

Two musicals I wanted to include but didn't are Rent and In the Heights just because I couldn't think of a way to fit them in.

Also I didn't want to add any animated musicals in, so that's why there's nothing from Disney for example (except for the Broadway adaptation of The Lion King, of course).

I also didn't want actors to appear twice in this, which is why Mary Poppins isn't here even though I would've loved to add it because I already have Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music here. Same reason I only chose one of Jacques Demy's musicals, because Catherine Deneuve also stars in The Young Girls of Rochefort and Donkey Skin.

[theblogtini]

So, do you think that Charles and Kate are really on the letters? Or is what Omid wanted make people to believe? Or they indeed are, but is because they say something ‘meh’ and H&M wanted to make people believe they are racists!?

I know that topic is super complicated, but if I’m honest, I don’t think Charles and Kate said something so outrageous to be labeled as ‘racists’. And the version has changed a lot that I don’t know what to think. First was only one royal, then she said that was while pregnant, then H said that it’s before even the engagement, first were ‘several conversations’ and then just one, etc. I just don’t see Charles telling him that the better their future children were white or he won’t give titles nor security or Kate telling him that she was worried because maybe if the children weren’t white that would look bad for the monarchy, which is what they basically said of how conversation went.

Also, MM can claimed that were Charles and Kate, but how are we sure they really were?

I think Charles and Catherine were really named in the letter. The "source" from Montecito said that Meghan "never intended for the names to be public" but there was no denial or correction. So I'm assuming they were the ones accused.

BUT I don't believe it's true that they necessarily said anything racist.

Meghan said that - during a conversation she wasn't even a part of, that happened when she wasn't even present, before she was even engaged to Harry - there was "concern" about how "dark" a baby might be.

We KNOW FOR A FACT that Harry has had this conversation before -he admitted as much on TV.

My guess is that Harry was speaking/joking with his father and sister-in-law about Meghan's genes wiping out his gingerness (again, as he has admitted to doing on TV). And at the time there was NOTHING malicious or anything even presumed about the conversation. But as time went on, as Meghan became more bitter, as Harry and Meghan's hate bubble grew, and as she realized that in order to try "win" or "beat" Catherine she needed to be a victim, she decided to take a VERY INNOCENT conversation and turn it into something incredibly mean spirited at best, and evil at worst.

But ... Meghan hasn't provided any PROOF of this. Harry has flat our refused to speak about it (during the Oprah interview he was VERY uncomfortable when it came up and literally said he didn't want to talk about it) and he said during his Spare press tour that his family is not racist and he never claimed they were.

Claiming that someone is a racist is a HUGE accusation to make, and Meghan hasn't backed it up once. She actually hasn't even directly said it - she's insinuated it. She's implied it. She's let people draw their own conclusions. But she's never outright said it. And she has never done a single thing to confirm it.

In my opinion, the fact that she won't provide proof of such a serious accusation tells me that she KNOWS it wasn't what she's trying to make it seem like it was. She knows no one was being racist. She knows no one was trying to be hurtful or harmful or malicious. Someone - whether it was Catherine or Charles or even Harry himself (because again, Meghan wasn't even there) - made a comment and Meghan decided to capitalize on all of the "the UK is so racist toward her" rhetoric and let that accusation stick there.

If it's true - she needs to prove it. And she CAN'T because she wasn't even there. But even if she wasn't there and she 100% truly believed that what was said was racist, she could easily go out and say "This is what was said. Yes, it was a second hand conversation, but this is what my husband told me was said and this is how I've interpreted it, and I am very hurt and disgusted by these comments and I am owed an apology."

She hasn't done that. And she won't do that. Because she KNOWS that wasn't the case. At all.

And also... it makes even more sense now that Catherine was the one who said that "recollections may vary" needed to stay in the statement. Because she KNEW what was going to happen - she KNEW that Meghan was going to say that she was the one who said it (which does give credence to the fact that Charles and Catherine were the ones named in the letters) and - therefore - she knew that it was important that people understand that what actually happened and the Sussex retelling of things were very different.

[celticcrossanon]

What's going on between Kate and William? What's going on with Kate ? I would really like you to do a reading on their relationship, because some tarot readers imply that things are not going well and I am really starting to wonder if the monarchy is cheating us. Are we going to see her again one day or are we living a charade.

Hi Nonny,

I believe that we will see Princess Catherine again when she is well and up to resuming her public duties. Cancer treatment is a long battle. All my friends who have gone through it have spent at least a year, if not more, having the treatment and recovering from that treatment, and during that time they only wanted to see their family and possibly some close friends. I am sure it is the same for Catherine and she will come back when she is ready.

Prince William and Princess Catherine are experiencing the stresses that come when one half of a couple is seriously ill. They will face the challenges together and come through this together, like they do everything else.

I will think about doing a reading on them. I don't want to invade Catherine's healing space, so it needs to feel right before I will draw cards on her.

[adickaboutspoons]

Because metatext is my jam, I decided to transcribe the text opposite Frenchie's log-drawings from 1x3:

As near as I can make out (Lucius, I have some Notes on your penmanship, dear), with some help from outside sources (more on that later), the text reads as follows: "Inspired of the thought of gold riches we were anxious to resume our voyage as soon as possible. We sent our letters home by the Dale she Sailed on the 26th inst. She takes also the US Minister to Chile who I understand has been recalled. We would have beat the whole fleet. We had a fair opportunity of viewing the beautiful Mountain Scenery along the route which for grandeur magnificence and wildness exceeded anything of the kind it has been my lot to behold before. And further back from the coast range the lofty Andes, raising their bold peaks and piercing the clouds with their Snow capt summits. Contrasting beautifully with the dark foliage of the mountains. Truly a sight to behold.

6 AM [    ] Cloudy, Weather mild, Light Winds and Variable. We dropped anchor in harbor opposite the city of Valparaiso about 12 M. Making the Passage from St. Catherines to this place in 53 days and from New York including 14 days stoppage at St. Catherine’s in 121 days. Valparaiso lies in Lat 32° 51’ South, Long 77° 14 West. We had a beautiful sail along up the coast this morning going at the rate of 10 to 12 Miles and Hour under a full spread of Canvass. 6 Other vessel going in at the same time, giving us a fair trial of our Barks Sailing qualities. And I must say she did her part nobly. If the chase had been of a few hours longer duration I think we would have beat the whole fleet."

Now. Unfortunately, we can't really use this to draw any conclusions about the show. You might have noticed references to the Andes mountains, which run up the western edge of South America and are not visible from the Caribbean. And Valparaiso. Which is a coastal city in Chile to the northwest of Santiago. Somehow I doubt even Stede managed to sail quite THAT badly. Back to that help from outside sources? When the geography wasn't matching up, I googled "We sent our letters home by the Dale" and it turns out the text is kind of a hodge-podge of extracts from the Diary of Alexander Van Valen from 1849-50 chronicling his voyage aboard the Heinlia voyaging from New York to San Francisio around Cape Horn for the purpose of prospecting for gold. Really all I can make of this as having any significance relating back to the show is something, something David Jenkins School of Historical Accuracy, something, something Historical Remixing in order to fabricate the story's text, something, something the show's text is NOT history, and history is NOT the text of our show.

[skippyv20]

As we know the truth will always come out….and why is that? Because God makes sure it does!!!!

I am perplexed as to why Catherine would manipulate photo and then admit it! It’s such a risky move, it makes the public think the BRF can’t be trusted.

What is so interesting is we know Harry and his wife do this all the time. There are so many pictures, we KNOW have been manipulated with them. No one in the press has ever called them out. We of course, have been accused of “conspiracy theories” around this fact.

Could this possibly have been done because the photo of Catherine and her Mother, may have been manipulated? That the dark forces were behind that?

Is it possible that the BRF knew this would draw attention, not only to them….but to give licence to the press to investigate and release findings on a certain photo we have begged to be called out?

I personally don’t believe Catherine would make such a blatant mistake without good reason. That is if she is behind this, and not the PR at Kensington. There is always a reason for why things are done, we know that. This however, is such a bad look for Catherine and the rest of the BRF. Quite a risk….

I do think more is going on in the background. This might have been preemptive to damage the BRF knows will/has happened with Harry and his wife….that the BRF know the tricks they are capable of…..bringing this to the public by admission…will make one wonder, if indeed such a thing happens again….if the BRF don’t publicly admit what happened….it isn’t from their office…that would have only one explanation then….Harry and his wife are responsible…..

[divorcedwife]

Okay so I love your art style and I love your drawings for Wuthering Heights. But I have to say it: The two Catherines have dark eyes. The Younger Catherine’s eyes are even described as “black eyes” at one point and she has her mother’s eyes. So it is not even darkish hazel, their eyes are very dark.

If you are deliberately ignoring them having dark eyes as an artistic choice, I am sorry for this explanation. I am a WHsplainer like this.

no problem! it’s a little bit mistake and a little bit on purpose. one half is just that i drew catherine before i re-read the book and i didn’t check, and i decided to just stick with my choice. but in general, i like to go off model in art because

- otherwise i will be obsessed with making sure every little detail is perfect and accurate

- i try to draw from memory because that’s where our emotions live

that’s also why with clothes my goal is historically accurate enough, cause if i interrupt myself every two seconds to check what kind of coat is accurate to the exact year, i’ll never get anything done, and my drawings are more boring and stiff when i do that

and to me it’s also more about communicating what i picture in my mind as i read, than illustrating to the letter

thank you though!

[skitskatdacat63]

Tysm for the tags @monacobasedgirldad @schumigrace @fernandoalonzoo sry im a bit late getting to this lol

Are you named after anyone?

My great great grandmother(I think??), though she was named Katarzyna, and I was born Catherine, but go by Catie obviously(this lowkey annoys my mom lmao, especially bcs if I were to have a nickname, it was supposed to be Cate.)

When was the last time you cried?

Today, over classical music. I think I cry at least once a day 😭 I am very emotional

Do you have kids?

Nope :)

What sports did you play/have you played?

I played soccer when I was a kid. Also does marching band count?

Do you use sarcasm?

All the fucking time, literally constantly. And also we sarcastically bully each other in my family, so I have to pull myself back from accidentally insulting people 😭

What is the first thing you notice about people?

Hmmmm, I feel like ive done this tag game before bcs I remember writing this exact answer. But usually I notice if someone is a good conversationalist or not. Like do they like to lead the convo, do they like to listen to the other people, do they talk too much, too little, are they awkward about it? It's just very interesting to me, bcs I think that kinda thing really does instantly show you if you're going to be compatible with a person(as a friend or more etc.) Cause I talk a lot a lot, and I think it's difficult to get along w people who are untalkative but also people who talk an equal amnt if not more djkfkglg.

What is your eye color?

Just brown!

Scary movies or happy endings?

Scary movies definitely. I mean im not opposed to a happy ending obviously, but that's not really what im always looking for in a movie, I guess? Rn I'm trying to think of my top movies, and man, not a lot of them have happy endings 😭 But I literally just watched two horror movies the past wknd so! Even though they make me paranoid

Any talents?

I think I could go on a rant about anything if you gave me a bit of time. I really think I can just talk endlessly. Is that a skill? Or is it just annoying..? But yeah I'm not sure, but I think I'm pretty good at absorbing information and being able to go on and on about it.

Where were you born?

America rahhh 🦅🦅 I like my state a lot even though I feel like all my peers keep saying "ugh I don't want to be in [insert state] anymore" Smh how dare you

What are your hobbies?

Mostly drawing! I draw both F1 fanart(pretty much all selfmade AUs tho) and ocs. I like writing lore and worldbuilding and meta, but not really writing itself. I like reading fic and watching movies as well. And I think one of the main things I do these days tbh is read about history and keep up with politics. I get more and more involved with it as the days go by, but unlike drawing, I don't really have an outlet for it sigh sigh. So that's why a lot of AUs involve history and random other things, bcs its fun to involve my interests with each other!

Do you have any pets?

Yes I do! Two cats and two dogs. The cats are named Jin and Frank. Jin is basically me in cat form, he's so anxious 😭 and Frank is like my brother, he's such a little bastard who loves to hiss all the time. My dogs are named Maisie and Ruby. Maisie is a menace to society, but she is also the most beautiful dog ever, so I forgive her. Her name makes me laugh bcs she's named after this book character, Maisie Dobbs right? So her name tag says Maisie Doggs

How tall are you?

Around 5'4

Favorite subject at school?

Politics >:) But I'm pretty interested in philosophy as well rn. Unfortunately my love for foreign languages has been slipping in the semester or so, bcs my professors on that side kinda suck. So I've been putting more energy into my other major, and now all I can talk about is history, politics and philosophy, etc etc. It's just a lot of fun and very interesting to me!

Dream job?

Man, sometimes I wish I could just be a student forever, I just want to keep learning all about the world and other things. But I'd like a job that's not too static, something that pushes me out into the world a bit, maybe smth in the government or like a non-profit idk yet!

Ahhhh I'm doing this a bit late so I'm not sure who's done it yet, I feel like mostly everyone has :,) I tag anyone who's interested, like seriously I'd love to see people's answers who I haven't yet!!

[breadvidence]

I am at the halfway mark with Shoujo Cosette—ep. 26—and while my experience thus far has been distinctly Malbec-tinted (holiday season, am I right?), I do have a couple coherent thoughts. This was always going to be a harder sell for me because the intended audience is younger and I'm a curmudgeon, and indeed a few of the minor plot arcs and emotional beats have been a shrug for me. That being said, I don't think this is a bad adaptation either in the sense of watchability or its handling of the source material. Thoughts, in no particular order:

The opening credits equate Jean Valjean saving Cosette with Myriel saving Valjean and I am almost resentful to have never drawn this connection myself.

I realize it is unreasonable to complain that a children's show does not explore the behavioral and physical impacts of abuse but—yeah, I am still going to complain about that. The fact that Cosette is an ugly kid who is dishonest and a little feral prior to her being saved rarely gets drawn out in adaptations, but the loss of this aspect of her character is particularly striking when we have twelve episodes regularly turning their attention on her childhood with the Thénardiers. In Shoujo Cosette she is an unrelentingly sweet kid, which is both less interesting for me personally as a viewer and strips nuance present in the source material.

Because this is an unreasonably large Jean Valjean, I cannot shake the impression of Javert being a little man. Look at them:

Javert is at near-perfect motorboating level. His relative size combined with the slender design and dramatically pointed facial features is giving rabid whippet.

After Javert interrogates a man at a tavern about Jean Valjean's past, the tavern owner comes tattling to M. Madeleine—to warn him, sure, but also complaining that his shop won't get any business if Javert comes around with his "intimidating face", and asking that the mayor please convey this. Valjean doesn't demur the task, and the implied encounter is a thing of beauty. This might be the most embarrassing thing to happen to any Javert, both being banned (because of his face) and his investigation being dragged into the open.

I would say this Fantine suffers more because she does not have access to sex work; for all its social vulnerability, that position at least affords her an economic advantage the Shoujo Cosette version lacks.

Was I stressed by the friendship between Cosette and Gavroche on the (correct!) assumption that her promises she would take him with her were bunk? Yeah, I'll admit to that. For one brief moment in Ep. 13 it looks as if Valjean will casually abduct two children in one day, but this is deferred under flimsy premises. The downstream effect of his taking Gavroche would have been extensive, but the show manages this moment with unusual clumsiness.

Catherine falls off a bridge in Ep. 15 and at the time I thought there was something in a "she pulled a Javert, what are the character parallels?" joke, but now that I'm sober I'm less sure.

Jean Valjean's wanted poster is a thing of beauty. Look with me.

Suffered the brief temptation to re-brand as tumblr user JVJs_wanted_poster just to use this image as a PFP. Those deep-set eyes. That chin dimple. Imagining the equivalent of the scene in BBC 2018 where Oyelowo chews out the line "Make his jawline more... more... prognathous" except it's Takashi Matsuyama's Javert throatily growling out "Make his jawline more... more... heroic."

Oddly, this is the only adaptation I can think of which truly draws out ambivalence surrounding the convent (even weakly). Particularly when Cosette is a little girl, you get the sense of the arbitrary and unhealthy control the place exerts on its residents. Ultimately it is a place of refuge—and Jean Valjean, already a tired old man at this juncture, is entirely on board for it—but it is flawed. The show proceeds to shy away from its own implications by having one of Cosette's friends become a nun in a little outburst of religiosity which rather puzzles me.

Grown-up Éponine gets fucked over in this adaptation, at least up to Ep. 26. She has no actual arc, either in he relationship with Marius or in her conflict with her father. I did not think you could do worse by her than '58 but I think I would rather her groveling and lacking bite than whatever's going on here. The issue isn't even characterization per se—they are just so inattentive to the beats and progression of her plot that the end result is incoherent.

I blame Shoujo Cosette less for the incoherence of Gavroche's narrative. He's as much a magical being in the novel as he is a child, and the fact that he has such prominence in the anime means they're trying to build something normal out of what really isn't. They've missed the mark on making him funny or tragic, which is a loss.

Great Grantaire here? Nothing deep to say, I just enjoy him.

This Marius gets a wobbly gold star for being the only one of his kind to articulate "I shouldn't have stalked them". May I present the Valjean expression which first dissuaded him from approaching them:

Truly intimidating. (In the universe of Shoujo Cosette there does not seem to be the same constraints of propriety keeping him from simply kicking off a conversation, making this more comedic.)

All complaints aside, this series repeatedly hits exactly the right note in the relationship between Valjean and Cosette, which is half of why I love Les Misérables—it's devoted, tender, and fucked-up. These two cannot have an honest conversation about anything important, but damned if you don't entirely believe in their love for each other.

[butchtwelfthdoctor]

i wanted to respond to your tags with an ask so I'm not reblogging the gifset again but. anyway its So So SOOOOO cooool you're seeing Catherine Tate I'm so happy for yooouuuu also good luck writing the dream au I should probably draw tbh but. am i?? no the urge to create hits when it does and so does ADHD and right now they are fightingggggg (oh also I changed my PFP on my dw sideblog to pertercapaldi12th Dr but with a gender fluid flag so that's still me btw)

YEAHARHGNAHNGSAHGN CATHERINE TATE i'm going to get her to sign my copy of the wild blue yonder novelisation i'm pretty sure you can bring things for her to sign......... i'm so so so excitedddd akshnakjsnasnhajsnns my ten cosplay is almost done too heheheheheheheh EXCEPT THE LIGHT ON MY SONIC SCREWDRIVER WENT OUT N I CANT GET INTO IT TO CHANG ETHE BATTERIES T-T i made it out of a uv light invisible ink pen i'm sur ei mentioned hehe. and yeah no pressure to draw any of it's not gonna be done for a while hehe i might send you a bit more later once i've got some more scenes down. also that is commitment to the bit changing url and pfp when you havent even seen him yet hehehehee so iconic of you :]

[the-gayest-sky-kid]

so this here is auggie: semi finalized!!! halliwell's... probably? not going to be his last name but i had no clue what surname to give him so its acting as a stand in aaa

so this is the blorbo. the new bsd oc i have been working on. from the fanfic i am Struggling with. same guy from the Art a while ago. august (i like the month okay) whatever last name i decide on at a later date.

notes!

his ability is called lucy locket! i actually came up with the ability's function first, and then i found that it fit pretty well. basically its a pocket dimension accessed via the users pockets. so far it has infinite storage, but whatever is added or removed at the present moment has to have been able to fit in the pocket originally. so you cant add/remove a large waterbottle from tiny jean pockets, for example. i like to think it only works when august himself pulls something out or puts something in. so. yknow. "not a penny was there in it, only ribbon round it". hehe

hes 25 because as much as a harp on bsd i also suck with ages so i rng-ed a number between 21 and 27 chcbdj

his birthday is june 21st! stole that from james orchard halliwell (see where that came from now) phillipps, bc he was the first to record the nursery rhyme. i also think him being born on the summer solstice in june but being named august is soo funny.

forgot to add it in correctly but his height is 5'8! that's about 173 cm? i think? i rounded it up technically its only like. 172.72?

168??? pounds??? which is apparently like 76kg? look i have no clue how weights work either i just took my own weight looked up the average for an adult and made something up. dont expect it to make sense.

bloodtype is a! i thought it was weird that the blood types were mentioned at all in the character bios but then i remembered the whole stereotype thing so i just picked whatever i thought fit.

he likes goldfish (hence the socks and earrings), rice (its rice), and hats (because they are so neat)! i was thinking about funny sock patterns and then i was looking at the wiki page for catherine maria fischer (the supposed kitty fisher in the nursery rhyme) and one of her paintings had a fishbowl in it. and then i thought about yoimiya because i had been drawing her before and. yknow. he definitely does has a small hat collection, but he'd rather them not be damaged at work. theyre saved for parties and formal gatherings!

dislikes are long explanations, pollen (allergy 😔), and unpleasant textures (like bedsheets that give you the Feeling when you scratch them). he likes it when people get to the point, and im projecting my own sensory issues onto him hxjsj

moving on we have design notes!

so here's our boy.

starting with the shirt, its actually based on one of the shirts i own. it's got the solid torso and the loose sheer sleeves, and i thought that was neat! though for him i think the sleeves would be a bit more opaque, and he's wearing a vest!

as for the tie you can see i noted that it's a bit of a cross between a criss cross tie and like... a sailor tie? i know it says bolo but thats because the word i was looking for was Tie Brooch for the pendant in the middle.

the cargo shorts!!! so obviously to best use his ability august needs something with rather large pockets, but i didn't know how to add those in. initially i wanted to go with some tights or normal slacks and have him wear a hoodie, but it was kind of... eh? so i tried cargo pants but those didn't work either. so then i tried on shorts and i Realized what needed to be done fhdjjws

knee high socks! i asked what how silly we should get with them and eni said knee highs and nobody said ankle with silly patterns so i combined the two! i think the combination is really funny.

the shoes! theyre just sneakers. comfy!

moving on

i dont actually like this doodle but we're gonna have to bear with it augu

the earrings! theyre little fishies! initially i had different earrings planned but i wanted the fish socks to match with something hdhdhdh

hair tie! august has got the rest of his hair tied up with a little bow. i think its cute bfbdbd

and so you can see what i meant, here's the page of concepts i did!

you can see the cargo pants, the hoodie, as well as the old earring design. i was playing around with the sleeves for a while xhdhhs

plus i got silly with one so maybe ill do smth with that at some point idk idk

[cricketnationrise]

I’m gonna get in on these ficlets before I lose my chance! 🩵 You rock!!

Time stamp: 6:37pm

Location: Kensington Palace

Character: Arthur Fox

YOU rock! I have no idea what you were expecting with your prompt, but I had a good time writing it!

want your own ficlet? rules here! (only 9 days left to request)

❤️🤍💙❤️🤍💙

kensington palace, 6:37pm

The hallway is silent, any noise stifled by thick carpet and thicker doors; of course it is, it simply wouldn’t do to betray any hint of what happens in the palace. Arthur checks his watch as he paces past the Queen’s study for the umpteenth time. Cat’s been in there for over an hour now.

His past year has been structured around a weekly audience with Her Majesty, trying everything he could possibly think of to get permission to marry Cat. He’d given impassioned speeches, tried simple requests, and everything in between, only to be met with Mary’s disapproval, unmoving as a stone wall. After a whole year, he’d received nothing other than how she takes her tea and a library of dismissive, cutting remarks.

If you’d asked him before he met Catherine, Arthur would have said that no relationship was worth going through all this Royal Nonsense – that the bowing and the scraping was archaic and ultimately pointless. Five seconds after meeting Cat, Arthur already knew that she would do whatever she set her mind to, Queen be damned. Arthur had been the one to advocate for trying to get Her Majesty’s permission in a more traditional way. He knew Cat would marry him either way, but he didn’t want her to have to give up her life, her platform, just for him.

Last week had been one year since he’d first attempted, and then today Cat had been the one summoned.

Arthur bounces on his heels at one end of the foreboding hallway, trying not to catastrophize. An hour and a half. The click of the door opening catches his attention and he moves back to the door anxiously. 

Cat comes bursting out of the study, her swirl of colorful skirts and beaming smile lighting up the hallway. She runs to him and throws her arms around him, laughing in her exuberance. Suddenly she squeezes extra tight and Arthur barks out a laugh as well when his feet leave the ground. Cat spins the both of them around twice before setting him down again, unable to form words, but happiness shining from every corner of her being.

Arthur brings his hands up to cup her face reverently. “I take it she said yes, love?”

“You wore her down! She said we can get engaged – I mean she was really huffy about it and definitely wouldn’t have said yes normally but you basically annoyed her into it and—”

Arthur cuts off her giddy babbling with a fierce kiss, pouring everything he’s feeling into it: his relief, his love, his happiness. Cat grips the lapels of his jacket, not letting him back off an inch for a long, loving moment. When she finally does let him retreat to breathe, he doesn’t go far, just rests his chin on the top of her head and gathers her in his arms.

“I can’t believe it,” he says. “Am I dreaming?”

“Been dreaming about hugging in a hallway a lot, darling?”

Arthur snorts and draws back, letting their fingers tangle together between them before getting down on one knee.

“I haven’t been dreaming about hugging, no. Asking you to marry me without fear of what the Queen would say? Absolutely.” He pulls out the box that hasn’t left his pocket for a full year, and opens it slowly. He meets Cat’s eyes steadily, despite the tears gathering in his own. “Cat. Ever since you snuck backstage that night, my life has been a whirlwind in the best possible way. I’ve never been so grateful to have my future derailed. I can’t wait to officially start our life together. Catherine, will you marry me?”

She’s nodding before he even finishes the question – shouts yes as soon as he does. He stands, kisses her again, and then slips the ring on her finger. His grandmother’s ring may not be up to Royal standards, but she and his grandfather had been married for over sixty years – Arthur hadn’t wanted to give Cat any other ring.

She pulls him down into another kiss, more a pressing of smiles together than anything else. Arthur could fucking fly.

“I can’t believe you proposed in the hallway outside my mother’s study,” she says, half hysterical.

Arthur just shrugs ruefully. “I had a whole romantic plan originally, but somewhere around the third month I realized that I wasn’t willing to wait a single minute past getting permission. Couldn’t let the old bat change her mind, now could I?”

“I suppose not,” Cat agrees, eyes sparkling. “Now, we have to go back to my rooms because I’ll be damned if we celebrate properly in the hall.”

“Yes ma’am,” says Arthur, allowing himself to be towed down the hall.

He’s looking forward to what the future holds more than ever before – it’s brighter than the stars, as easy as a sunrise after a storm – now that he and Cat will be together for the rest of their lives.