#scala collections

[renatagorreri]

Premio di Accademia del Profumo

Da anni faccio parte della giuria di qualità per le selezioni dei profumi che concorrono al Premio di Accademia del Profumo e quest’anno la premiazione è avvenuta in un luogo di eccezione: la Scala di Milano. Dopo le proclamazioni dei vincitori delle diverse categorie, abbiamo avuto la possibilità di assistere a un concerto esclusivo che celebrava, oltre alle premiazioni, anche la chiusura della…

[jstor]

For those of you interested in modern and contemporary art, Art Resource recently added around 750 new images to JSTOR–featuring iconic figures like Georgia O'Keefe and Jacob Lawrence.

Learn more about the collection in our recent blog post.

Image: Wayne Thiebaud. Pie Counter, 1963. Oil on canvas. © Whitney Museum of American Art / Licensed by Scala / Art Resource, NY

[teaandfics]

Before the fall of Scala, there were rumors that Master Brain had a journal where he kept notes and sketches of all the portraits he eventually added to the palace gallery. No one ever dared to read it without his permission. They relied on the plaques below the portraits for any information.

But surely, someday, someone would read it. Maybe multiple people would. But Scala has been empty for a long, long time. The journal has collected dust in an abandoned tower for far, far longer.

“Portrait #11:

They never had a family photo all together. But Lauriam showed me one of him and Strelitzia, and then all the leaders had a portrait taken. I think they’d be happy with this, in spite of everything.

Lauriam, if you’re somehow reading this, I hope you found them. I’m sorry I couldn’t be there to see it like you hoped.

Ven, if you’re reading this, I hope you’re together. I hope you’re safe, and I hope you’ve been able to grow up past everything. You’re a good kid. And yeah, I have to admit, you did grow a backbone.

Strelitzia, we never met. But Ava trusted you enough to pick you and your brother really cared for you, so I’m sure you’re amazing. I hope you’re safe and I hope you’re together. I don’t expect you to forgive Ven, but if you can, I know you’ll get along. He’s a good kid for as much grief as I gave him.”

But no one has read these words in long time. The only words so many knew were the ones engraved on the plaque below.

“The Tarax Siblings:

From left to right is depicted- Union leader Strelitzia, Union leader Lauriam, and honorary Union leader Ventus

‘Perhaps in another life, I could have made this properly’- Master Brain”

********

I haven’t posted anything here, but I do love myself some writing as well as art. I even have an Ao3 (TeaAndFics04).

The idea came to me (and my gf) that Brain could very well undertake painting to cope with his loses. Imagine the drama of everyone finding his work, and all that jazz.

Either way, it is of my belief that Lauriam saw Ven as a little brother in some way. It would also explain why Ven later latched to Terra to have an older brother figure. It would also explain why Marluxia is so nice to Roxas when there was no chance of him being part of the coup. Buried memories and all.

Finally, Tarax comes from Taraxacum- the scientific name for Dandelions. It fits since 1. They’re dandelions and 2. Flowers + A Wayward Wind = Dandelions.

[cheshireliam]

"Countdown to Stealing Your Heart" Collection Event

Liam ECB Card Story

This is a fan-made translation solely for entertainment purposes with no guaranteed perfection; expect mistakes, grammatical errors, and some creative liberties. All original content and media used belongs to Cybird. Please support the game by buying their stories and playing their games. Reblogs appreciated.

Read this before interacting

NSFW WARNING!!

Liam: Thank you all for coming to our theatre tonight too.

Liam: Have a wonderful new year, everyone!

December 31st. The heartwarming performance by The Scala for families and couples spending the end of the year together was a great success. 

…

I met up with Liam in the theatre’s hall after he was done cleaning up.  

Kate: Good work, Liam! 

Liam: Thanks for coming, Kate! How was the play?

Kate: It was so touching… I teared up at the end. I especially liked the scene where they huddled together in the snow— 

Liam gazed at me tenderly with his eyes the colour of roses as I told him every little detail about the strong impressions the play left on me, while also sharing little anecdotes like “the tempo was important there…” and “did you notice the ad-lib?”.  

(... This time is such a luxury.) 

Up till now. I've always been watching plays alone as a hobby, and although I never found it to be unsatisfying… 

Now, I enjoyed chatting about something I like with the person I love.

Kate: … Sorry, I was rambling. Shall we continue this conversation when we get home? 

Liam: Sure. But before that… can I please get a reward for my hard work? 

With fluid movements like a cat, Liam brought his face closer to mine.

Kate: C-can we also leave that for when we get home…? 

Liam: No can do. I lose my self-control when I see you, Kate.

Liam: We can do it before someone comes… come on, quick— 

My gaze was drawn to his lips as he pleaded for his reward.

Wanting to give him his reward and touch him, I took a step closer to him. Just then— 

Tom: Liam! Kate, you're here too! 

Kate: T-Tom…! 

I quickly jumped back and put some distance between Liam and I when Tom, the director of The Scala, came in. 

Tom: … Oops, am I disturbing something? 

Kate: No, um… is something the matter? 

Tom: The troupe is having a get-together after this to celebrate the end of the year and the new year. 

Tom: Why don’t you two join us too?

Kate: Would it be alright if I join even though I’m not part of the troupe…? 

Tom: You’re part of the reason why Liam’s acting is improving, you know? 

Tom: How should I put this? Hmm… not only is his acting improving, Liam’s personality has also been shining through his roles. 

Tom: Anyway, you played a prominent role in it! Right, Liam? 

Liam: … Of course. Don’t say you’re not part of us, Kate. 

Kate: Alright… thank you. 

Since it was coming from the person who made Liam an actor, it must be true that Liam’s acting has changed. 

(If I had such a positive impact on Liam… nothing would make me happier.)

…

We went to a tavern we had been to before with the troupe members of The Scala.

Tom: Next year, we’ll make The Scale the best theatre in all of England— no, in the entire WORLD! 

Tom, who had a low alcohol tolerance, made a bold declaration before downing his drink in one shot. 

I was sure that was the Bomb Shot, rumoured to be incredibly strong yet awful tasting.

Tom: Ugh… eurgh… I feel sick. 

Kate: A-are you alright, Tom? You should go outside for some fresh air—

The same time I expressed my concern for Tom, Liam leaned over on my shoulder.

Kate: Liam…?

Liam: Kate… I feel sick too…

Kate: What.

Liam’s face was pale and clammy, his breathing was laboured too. 

He seemed fine just a while ago, but he felt unwell all of a sudden. 

Liam: I think going outside will make me feel better… will you come with me?

Kate: Alright. Here, I’ll support you. 

Leaving Tom to a sober troupe member, I lent Liam my shoulder for support.

…

Kate: There we go… you can sit over there and rest, Liam. 

I spotted a bench right outside the tavern and tried guiding Liam towards it.

Liam: … Nah. I don’t need to. 

Kate: Huh? — Kyaa! 

Suddenly, Liam slid an arm under my knees and lifted me in a princess carry. 

Liam effortlessly ran through the streets at night with me in his arms and leapt up onto a rooftop.

Liam: This should be the spot… I think we can get a good view of the new year’s fireworks from here.

Liam gently let me down onto the roof while tightly holding my hand in case I slipped.

Kate: Um… Liam, are you okay? You said that you felt sick…

Liam: ��� Sorry, that was a lie. I just wanted to have alone time with you as soon as possible, so I whisked you away like that.

Kate: That was an act? As expected of you, Liam. Your great acting had be compl fooled.

Liam: … You’re not mad at me for lying?

Kate: I was worried, but… I’m relieved that you’re not unwell.

Kate: Besides, I was also thinking that I wanted to be alone with you, so don’t worry about it.

Liam wore a troubled look on his face when I told him that he didn't have to feel guilty about what he did. 

This time, it wasn’t an act; it was Liam’s real facial expression. 

Liam: … … I’m really such a weakling, I can’t keep my cool.

Liam: Tom interrupting when I was about to kiss you, you trying to take care of Tom… I hated all of it.

Liam: It’s not that I’m suspecting you of having something with Tom. 

Liam: Even if it were someone else, I’d still hate it… 

Liam: That’s why I lied, made you worry about me, and tried getting your attention… it’s pathetic. I’m childish, aren’t I? 

Kate: Liam… 

I was about to speak when I heard a loud boom. I looked up to see fireworks lighting up the night sky.

Liam: This year’s fireworks start before the countdown.

Liam: There’s still about 30 minutes before we step into the new year…

Liam: I wish I could be reborn as a stronger and kinder person with every new year. 

Liam: But, since that’s not possible… I have to try my best as I am. 

Liam didn't want to erase the existence of his weak self or pretend to be someone who’s strong. 

He said that he would continue living as himself and rely on his own strength to change. 

Liam: Therefore, Kate…

Liam: From the seat closest to me that anyone else's, watch me change and grow.

I could sense his nervousness from the way his grip tightened around my hand.

Kate: … I was already intending to do that without you asking. 

I was drawn to Liam who resembled Betelgeuse shining brightly in the night sky.

We’ve gotten so close that I didn't mind burning out together with him at the end of our lives.

Kate: I won’t ever take my eyes off you, Liam. So keep yours on me too. 

I gazed up at Liam from up close, as though not wanting to let a single change in Liam escape my sight. 

I reached my free hand to Liam’s cheek.

Standing slightly on my tiptoes, I placed a soft kiss on his lips. 

In the end, we returned to our room without waiting for the new year countdown.

Not even sparing any time to bathe, we tumbled straight into bed. 

We took off each other’s clothes and started making love without saying much. 

Liam: Nn, haa… 

We exchanged countless heated kisses as though to warm ourselves from the cold and Liam slowly pushed himself into me. 

Liam: It’s our long-awaited first new year together, and yet… we’re doing what we always do. 

Kate: I like doing it with you, so… as always, I’m fine with it. 

Liam: Fufu, you’re really good at indulging me, Kate… 

Liam: Then let’s fill ourselves with as much pleasure as we can. 

Our fingers intertwined, and our bodies came together as we expressed our overflowing feelings of love for each other. 

Liam: Mm… it’s already 11:59pm. 

Liam looked up from dropping kisses on my chest and checked the time.

Liam: I want to spend new year’s eve kissing you… can I? 

I smiled. Instead of using my words to respond, I wrapped my arms around Liam’s back and initiated the kiss.

Liam: Nn… haa…

Liam’s hot tongue parted my lips and danced in my mouth.

Liam: Nn… I’ll start moving…

Liam picked up his rhythm again, rocking his hips and slamming into me. 

Kate: Haa… ah… ahhh…! 

I reflexively tried to move away due to the overwhelming pleasure, but Liam stopped me by grabbing my hips. 

Liam: Fufu… no running away. 

Kate: Nngh—aah…! 

Liam pinned me down and continued rearranging my guts.

Liam: Let me see more… your erotic cries and facial expressions… I want to know all of it. 

Liam’s groans were husky and sweet, a side of him he would never show on stage. He was my Liam. 

It was so endearing it made me want to fulfil every one of his requests, no matter how lewd. 

I gave him an accepting smile and he thrust into me, holding my hips.

Kate: Nn, aaah…! 

The pleasure was so great that I nearly lost consciousness for a moment. 

Cheers from people celebrating the new year and fireworks going off could be heard outside the window. 

Liam: Ahha… Kate, did you cum the moment we entered the new year…? That’s so sexy. 

Liam kissed away the tears that had formed in the corners of my eyes.

Liam: Since we couldn’t do a countdown… shall we do a “count up” this time? 

Kate: …? What’s that? 

Liam: I want to know how many times I can cum, so…

Liam: Will you count together with me and help satisfy my curiosity?

Liam: Here goes… one… two…

Kate: Nn… w-wait, Liam…!

Afraid of overstimulating my sensitive body after having just reached my climax, I clung to Liam’s arms to stop him from moving. 

Liam: I’ll wait until you tell me “okay”. 

Kate: … 

It felt shameful to be the one initiating it by giving him the signal to start. 

But, since I wanted to fulfil Liam’s wish— 

“Okay”

I whispered the word and our lustful count up began. 

[wedding-affair]

Lee Petra Grebenau | Bridal Spring 2026

Collection: La Scala Gown: Tosca

[lightandfellowship]

Here's my take on a Halloween Town Vidar. He's a gargoyle with a wolf skull mask.

Design notes under the read more:

I previously mentioned in my Halloween Town Vor post that when Nomura designed Sora, Donald, and Goofy's Halloween Town designs, he took inspiration from two different creatures for each of them. Sora is inspired by vampires and imps, Goofy is Frankenstein's monster mixed with a werewolf, and Donald is a mummy and invisible man. I once again took a similar approach here, though instead of using an even mix of motifs like I did with Vor's fairy + sphinx design, I went down more of a Sora route. IMO, if you look at Sora's Halloween Town design, it mostly reads as vampire despite lots of overlap between vampire and imp design elements, with the exclusively impish details really only being his imp/pumpkin mask and maybe his clawed gloves. For Vidar, he is mostly gargoyle with the wolf motif coming primarily from his wolf skull mask, but there's some overlap of creature motifs with the claws and fangs.

Now, why did I choose to make Vidar a gargoyle? Here are my reasons:

Made of stone. References how Vidar tries to harden his heart to the harm he's potentially causing the worlds. The cracks in the stone represent his slowly crumbling will and the eventual abandonment of his plans. As well, I think him being a living statue well represents his somewhat stoic demeanor and the mythological Vidar's title as the "silent god".

Gargoyles serve as guardians of the buildings they adorn. Throughout the game Vidar was trying his best to protect people and prevent anyone else from dying, especially Baldr.

Water spout gargoyles collect rain water and divert it from the walls and rooftops of buildings to prevent damage to those buildings. Water is sometimes symbolic of darkness in the KH series (for example, the KH1 opening where Riku offers his hand to Sora and gets enveloped by the darkness the waves). So, in my mind, this function of gargoyles represents Vidar's attempts to preserve Baldr by removing the darkness from Baldr's heart.

Gargoyles are commonly found on cathedrals and churches, and I think that religious aspect of them fits Scala society and Vidar's commitment to Light fairly well.

If Vidar were to visit Christmas Town via Halloween Town, I imagine his gargoyle form would change into a sort of "guardian angel" form, but keeping some of the more demonic elements such as the horns for a more Lucifer-esque angel. Sort of like how Christmas Town Sora still keeps many of his Halloween Town elements despite donning a Santa outfit.

Reason why I chose the wolf skull mask:

Probably the most well-known event in the Norse god Vidar's mythology is his battle with the great wolf Fenrir, who he kills by ripping its jaws apart. Thus Vidar wears the top jaw of a wolf skull as a mask, as a sort of "trophy" and reference to this mythology. Of course the "real" Fenrir would be much larger than a normal wolf, but the mask is just a representation.

Now, I'll explain all of my individual design choices from top to bottom:

Gargoyle Horns: There's many styles of gargoyle horns, but I decided to give him more realistic-looking animal horns to add more detail.

Gargoyle Ears: I quite like this type of gargoyle ear with the multiple rounded segments even though I couldn't find many examples of it, and I think it nicely differentiates the ears from elf/demon ears. Vaguely Rochelle Goyle from Monster High inspired, as well.

Wolf Skull Mask: Already explained, but I tried to go semi-realistic here, once again to add more detail and make it more clear what kind of animal skull this is. If this design were to actually appear in a Kingdom Hearts game, I could potentially see this mask being stylized in a more cartoony way (especially if put into the chibi mobile game style.)

Gargoyle Wings (Feathered): I originally gave Vidar the more typical style of gargoyle wing which looks like a bat wing, but I felt that style of wing in conjunction with the horns, claws, and elongated skull mask made him look too much like a dragon, which wasn't what I was going for at all. So I changed it to the other common stye of gargoyle wing, a bird-like wing. I think this also better reflects his role in the game as someone sided with Light.

Stone Skin and Hair: As mentioned, he's made of stone and covered in cracks and nicks. He's pretty much all stone (except his eyes? I guess?)

Shoulder Pads? (Don't know what else to call them): I made them more pointy and curled up at the edges for that Nightmare Before Christmas look.

Shoulder Pad Design: I turned the square design on Vidar's shoulder pads into crosses. One, to reference gravestones, but also again to reference back to cathedrals and that religious aspect of gargoyles. Also, it's a subtle detail, but I added a stitched seam to the side of Vidar's coat as well.

Bandages: Vidar's original design features bandage-like cloth underneath one of his gloves, so I took that detail and just put it all around his arm. Weathered and torn for the creepy look.

Wrist Bands: In Vidar's original design, he sports two asymmetrical gloves. Here, the bandages take the place of the more complicated glove, while these two black bands take the place of the simpler glove, which was just a black, fingerless glove comprised of a main glove and two straps above it.

Gargoyle Claws: Not much to say here. Can sort of double as wolf claws, but obviously without the fur.

Scala Emblem Chain: I changed the chain from a bead chain to a more grungy link chain for that Halloween look. Also, I wasn't able to depict this in a way that satisfied me, but I imagine the metal of the charm and chain being a little tarnished and scratched up.

Dirtied Sash and Coat Edge: It's not blood, just grime. Grime, tearing, and weathering for more creepy factor. His coat is pretty long anyway so I could see it getting dirty in the streets of Halloween Town pretty easily.

No Boots: To show off his gargoyle feet. In his original design his pants tuck into his boots, so I don't really know what the bottom of his pants are supposed to look like. I just cinched them at the bottom to maintain that puffed-out look. Is it weird that his feet only have three toes but his hand has three fingers and a thumb? Yeah. But I couldn't get four toes to look right. Just assume he's supposed to have four.

I decided to draw this Halloween Town design in black and white this time, but if I had colored it, you can imagine the color scheme of his clothes being darker and less saturated than his original design to better match Halloween Town.

Also, this was just a coincidence, but both Vor and Vidar's Halloween Town designs feature wings, claws, and fangs, and have a sort of cat (sphinx) and dog (wolf) theme. Which I think is cute and makes them feel more like a duo. :)

That's it. Thanks for reading.

[databoyreekoo]

lost masters arc predictions (in no particular order)

!find original post here!

some ideas/predictions for the lost masters arc, i'll update this post whenever i think of anything else ✨

mickey recovers "daybreak town era" data from within scala ad caelum, he finds evidence of different layers/divisions within scala

the appearance of scala can be changed with the same (or similar) trick used with the land of departure/castle oblivion, it depends what guild/faction/person is in control and/or whoever wields master defender

sora connecting with strelitzia will allow namine to establish a link to ava, ava's potential return

lea and isa explore the castle in radiant garden, retracing their steps in order to find more clues about subject x, isa recounts how he got his scar

kairi stays with terra, aqua and ventus in the land of departure while training under aqua, the three of them help build up kairi's confidence and combat skills

kairi's desire and determination to become stronger, not just for herself but for her friends too, feels familiar to ven and resonates with him, chirithy reminds ven of the past which jump-starts a flood of memories returning to ven, he passes out again (lol) and Darkness confronts kairi, aqua and terra

like i speculated before, Darkness may take this opportunity to move to another host (kairi), since that's how darkness spreads

lauriam and elrena reunite and set off to aid the guardians, as well as relearn how to summon their keyblades

sora meets luxord, now human, in quadratum -- the wild card serves as proof that they've met before (it would be really funny if the wild card turned into luxord's business card lmfao)

aegis, magia and strelitzia become sora's party members

yozora and riku meet, but instead of fighting they partner up instead

black box will be opened, revealing what's inside

maleficent dragon form but in ue5, pete gets his "big moment" and/or gets turned into a heartless

luxu and the foretellers travel to quadratum

MoM face reveal 🥰

foretellers' face reveal and/or new outfits

true dandelion and child of destiny reveal

"riku isn't human"

new worlds (not all but i feel like these have a good chance); star wars, treasure planet, atlantis, coco, brave, moana, princess and the frog, soul, the incredibles, turning red, inside out, zootopia, enchanted

returning worlds; hercules, frozen, wreck-it-ralph, cinderella (cinderella 3 would be PERFECT for this)

riku, donald and goofy end up adventuring together for a bit, while mickey ends up with sora

subject x has the same scar isa does, or something similar -- it's revealed that the scar on isa would've originally ended up on subject x's face had isa not stepped in

kairi gives up her princess of heart powers, reflecting her growth as a person and as a keyblade wielder

sora recovers his lost memories and his true memories (perhaps riku does too...), with namine's help ("thank namine")

vanitas...separates himself from the collective Darkness and joins the guardians as well

playable characters (other than sora, obvs); riku, mickey, yozora

other characters may have smaller playable segments, like kairi training with aqua, or the guardians fighting together as a group (like in remind)

at least one more movie (like khx back cover)

khx/khux/khml player character is connected to sora (so like, sora is the reincarnation or descendant of player, something along those lines)

riku is a descendant of ephemera OR related to the master of masters

EDIT (additions)

skuld or strelitzia has ava's heart within them, like a kh1 sora and kairi situation, kairi's restoration in remind was foreshadowing ava's restoration

[makemysims]

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[khmemeries]

Theory: Sora was supposed to use the Power of Waking on Xehanort at the end of KH3

I am pretty certain that the final battle from the Keyblade Graveyard onward in KH3 was altered late into development. The whole sequence feels off and at times even confusing. Nomura also described having difficulty writing this part of the story:

—The story's endgame where all your friends and foes gather at the Keyblade Graveyard was a masterpiece. Nomura: I know each fan has their own different beloved character, so I wanted to give each one an appropriate moment. But in the end there was too much story that had to be told then, and I ended up being restricted to the minimum necessary to move Sora forward. The truth is, the Keyblade Graveyard was the toughest part I faced when writing the scenario. [...] At the end of deep worry and thought, I narrowed my aim and ended up with the way it is now, which prioritizes rhythm.

No shade to Nomura for dealing with creative restrictions imposed on him... but yeah, it shows. I think the very end was also a casualty of these sorts of restrictions. One of the most nonsensical scenes to me in KH3 was this:

Riku: It's Xehanort. During the Mark of Mastery exam, we learned that he can transcend space and time. He's a portal. And we can use that to trap him. (Mickey nods)

Followed by this when Sora does a little Keyblade zippy zap:

I know we learned a little about portals in 3D but there was no foreshadowing that it was a way to trap someone like this. And the idea of portals was totally absent for KH3, but suddenly it's the way to beat the Big Bad?

And then we are magically in... Scala ad Caelum? Not sure how that would trap him because he can just Keyblade Scooter back...

Xehanort says this about it:

Master Xehanort: Of all the places to be sent.

Master Xehanort: Here, I and my other selves can be one. United…in Scala ad Caelum.

Okay? Why can he be one with his other selves? Why does he even care? He was about to win, he was opening Kingdom Hearts!

Everything that follows remains almost entirely unexplained. Like, I am bewildered that they kept any of this in because it's so bizarre. We aren't told who these creepy dudes are, we don't know why they merged, we don't know what Xehanort being a portal means or how that can be used to trap him.

But what if Riku's explanation was retroactively applied over a different, original intention? What if Sora--who believes in the light in every heart--decided to use the Power of Waking on Xehanort and rescue him as well?

Consider how Riku uses the Power of Waking in Dream Drop Distance:

He opens up a portal which is visually identical to the one Sora opened for Xehanort to dive into Sora's heart

2. He collects Soras

3. He fights the nightmare imprisoning Sora, which takes the form of armor of darkness surrounding him

4. He is suddenly in Sora's heart's Destiny Islands and gets a pop quiz on the meaning of the Power of Waking from Sora's heart & co.

Then Sora's heart wakes up.

The entire sequence is really similar to the Xehanort battle:

Sora uses a portal to trap Xehanort somehow, which ends up being in Scala ad Caelum

2. Sora sees several Xehanorts wandering around, which Xehanort identifies as his "other selves"; they morph into the creepy darkness things, which Sora defeats

3. Sora then defeats this Xehanort, whose armor shatters

4. Sora talks to Xehanort in Scala ad Caelum

Basically, all the ingredients for the Power of Waking are there. But in KH3, it's not explained that is what's happening. The whole thing makes far more sense if Sora was opening a portal to Xehanort's heart, not trapping him in the real Scala ad Caelum. That's his home world--the world that would be in his heart, just like Destiny Islands is the world in Sora's heart. It also explains how he is able to bend the physical space--it's not real. And it explains why he could be his "other selves" all together.

Okay, but WHY would he need the Power of Waking used on him? Well... what if everyone realized he was possessed by Darkness--namely, Superbia?

Sora first sees the heart-Xehanorts normally, but then they morph into the creepy darkness things: the twelve Darknesses that were released from the other just-defeated Organization XIII members. (You see the streams of darkness leaving their bodies as each is defeated.) Darknesses as in, Darknesses whose desire is to possess bodies with strong hearts, of which there are thirteen in total.

Reconsider what Xehanort says after all the Darknesses merge into him:

Master Xehanort: Here, I and my other selves can be one. United…in Scala ad Caelum.

It is somewhat weird for Master Xehanort to say (he never cared about uniting himself into one--he was about to achieve his goal after he opened Kingdom Hearts). But it's not weird for Darkness, which can act separately or as a hive mind, to say at all. And of course Xehanort would be Superbia since he actually believes he is entitled to direct everyone's fates. Sora would have learned about this if Scala hadn't been cut as a world.

So, the reason that the Xehanorts would "glitch" and turn into Darkness is because of his possession. More speculatively, it was probably a willing possession like Xigbar's which allowed him to keep his sense of self, but become half Darkness. It just got removed from the story.

With Xehanort's heart freed from the clutches of Darkness, he would now be free to converse with Sora in his heart. Sora would reawaken his heart by reminding him of his old friend Eraqus, his light and what matters most to him. Then back in the real world, he would voluntarily give Sora the χ-blade and more understandably live happily ever after with his boyfriend Eraqus.

It really sends the message that you can light the way back for any heart in the darkness out of love. It's why Xehanort has that happy ending--it was necessary for the meaning of the whole story. But with this part stripped, it ends up uncomfortable because it was unearned.

[literally-in-too-many-fandoms]

scattered dreams like a far-off legacy

Underneath the cable-cars and the dreary fog sky, the city of Scala ad Caelum ruminates on their enigmatic Founder, Ephemer, and gets some things right and some things wrong. Regardless of their veracity, the Founder's legacy is undeniable to the whole world.

A collection of snippets about the statue of Ephemer in Scala ad Caelum, somewhere during Missing Link-era. . written for Ephemer Week 2024 Day 6 - Prophecy / Legacy

....

              The Central Fountain Square of Scala ad Caelum was rather inappropriately named. 

               For one, it wasn’t even in the center of the mountain.  The great castle and windmill from which the interconnected cable cars descended was the true center of the mountain.  The Central Square was slightly downhill to the west of the Stairway to the Sky, and didn’t see quite the same foot traffic as the Breezy Quarter which lay just to the south. 

               Second, it wasn’t even square.  Maybe it had been planned that way—the loose diamond shape of the fountain in the middle meant to be echoed by four sides of buildings around it—but the city’s expansion had made it more of an amorphous rectangle with a rounded side where the open-air café seating extended the cobblestone into a wider path.

               And while, yes, there was a fountain in the Central Fountain Square, that was not the landmark people really referenced.  There were many nice fountains in Scala, many bigger and cleaner than this one.

               What the Central Fountain Square did have was the statue of the Founder.

               This fact alone was enough of a draw that the Central Fountain Square was desirable real estate.  A hustle and bustle predominated during the day, a common meeting place for workers and families and students of the Master would find themselves.  While much of the city was overcast, a certain amount of sunlight was usually brave enough to join the crowds in the Central Fountain Square, casting the otherwise dull gray statue in a striking, almost cheerful light.

               The statue itself was fairly detailed, even the wrinkles in his clothing visible to passersby at the statue’s feet.  Most striking was the blocky Keyblade he raised above his head, face uplifted to gaze beyond it. 

               Artists would describe his expression in any number of ways, and none of them were entirely wrong.  One could point to his smile and claim he was a happy figure, and it was true that his slight grin was sweet and gentle from every angle.  Another argued he was confident, with his lofty gaze and striking pose, off hand beside his hip, and it was true that he looked at some unseen distance with such conviction you wanted to look up and see if you could find it yourself.  A third said the statue looked melancholy, a lone figure standing against the fog, and it was true that the light of the city built by his own hands was the only ally he seemed to have in whatever fight he waged.

               Whatever it was you wanted to see in the Founder’s expression, you could find it.  Comfort on a hard day.  Inspiration when the going got rough.  Reminder of past success when future plans came tumbling down.

               He was an enigma, a fond landmark, a beloved historical figure.  He was a figurehead, often overlooked by those chasing the next cable car, brushed off by the more suspicious and rebellious, overhyped by the current founders.

***

               As with any landmark, any historical figure commemorated, the Founder was subject to being the topic of conversation more often than not.

               From the learned historians ruminating on the impact of the Founder on their world to passersby reciting dimly remembered facts from stories and myth or their own school days, everyone seemed to have something to say.

               Certain historians continued the argument of whether his name was “Ephemera” or the more widely accepted “Ephemer”.

               Writings from the founding of Scala were carefully preserved, and the Founder clearly had taken pains to keep record keeping as a priority, but records on his own past were slim.

               “The early days were too busy to bother with a comprehensive history,” one scholar would say.

               “He was so careful to record census data and prophecy alike, why would he neglect his own story?!” another argued.

               “It is as though he appeared from nowhere, already equipped to lead Scala to its Founding,” yet another mused.

               “From whence would he have come?” was a question they would never know, records of the time before and the worlds apart were scarcer even than their own history.

***

               The children had their own arguments, less formal but no less heated.  The Founder’s fountain was the “safe” area for their games of tag, and many youths dared each other to wade into the pool and see if they could climb the statue; quickly retrieved or told off by nearby parents, but the Founder’s gentle smile was only an encouragement to their interest in him.

               “Was the Founder really that tall?” the youngest asked.

               “Of course not!  He was normal sized” rebuked their sister.

               “But look at his keyblade,” the middle sibling protested, “it's almost as tall as him! He musta been short!”

               “Maybe he was just a kid like the apprentices,” suggested another youth, flopped in the shade of the statue to recover from a fierce bout of tag.

               “Founder was a growed up!” said the sister.  “He was a Master, wasn't he?  All the Masters at the castle are super old.”

               “I saw a picture of him in the library,” the middle sibling reported.  “His hair’s all white.  Gotta be an old guy.”

               “Silver is different from white!”

               “Nuh-uh!”

               “Yeah-huh!”

               The Founder’s expression did not change from its gentle smile as the statue watched them devolve into a wrestling match.

***

               To passersby, the Founder watched over their path, a notable landmark for those likely to get lost in the winding streets.  Those who sat and rested in its domain would silently thank the statue and fountain for providing a respite on busy days, the hustle and hustle of the city and even the dinging of the cable cars overhead seeming faded and faraway in the Founder’s restful presence.

               The nearby cafe had hosted many of its own varied discussions of the statue.  Whether a conversation starter on first dates, an idle comment by bored students, or a thoughtful reflection of the landmark by grateful denizens.

               “Ok, everyone vote,” said one group of friends one day. “Smash or pass?”

               “On the Founder?!?” her friend sputtered, blushing.

               “He's so handsome,” she replied.  The bright sunlight emphasized the curves of his face, and she gazed dreamily up at the unmoving stone effigy. 

               “Nah, pass,” said the third.  “That smile’s too enigmatic.  Is he actually happy?  Or just putting on a facade?”

               “He looks nice enough,” said the blushing one, timidly.  “I bet he was kind.”

***

               “Doesn't he look lonely?” asked one friend of another.  “Founding the city couldn't have been easy. I hope he had some friends.”

               “Leading isn't that hard,” the other replied, having been passed up for a promotion the previous week.  “I bet I could've done his job.”

               “Still, we could all use friends sometimes,” protested the other.  “And if you're in charge, you've gotta balance friendship with responsibility.”

***

               A romantic couple nearby overheard their conversation and turned to their own musing. “Responsible, huh?  Think he did the dishes on time?”

               “Oh, come on, I said I was sorry!”

               “We should follow his example,” the first said, smarmy.  “And care for our partners by listening when they ask us to do chores.”

               “It was one time–”

***

               “I heard he's the one who thought of the cable cars to connect the mountains,” one café visitor muttered, as though a conspiracy.  They were on their third cup of coffee and wired energy turned them in turns manic and earnest.

               “Scala didn't have cable cars for a while after the city’s founding though,” the other replied.

               “It was his vision,” the first insisted.  “He knew exactly how amazing the city would be from the start.”

               “What, like some prophecy?  He could see the future?”

               “Maybe not himself, but I bet he knew what was going to happen.”

               “You're making all this up.”

               “No, really!  They say that's why he's looking up, past his Keyblade.  He's got his sights set on the dream of what Scala ad Caelum would be.”

               “A dream, huh?” the friend replied, bemused expression turning to something a bit wistful.  “...I bet it was some heavy responsibility to carry that dream."

               "Maybe it was.  …But look at how he's standing.  Looks like he thought it was bright enough to be worth the weight.”

***

               The Central Fountain Square was the most sought-after shift location on the roster of public services.  While most trash-cleanup was not undertaken with any amount of cheer, the pairs of workers who swept the square and attended to the lamps each evening unanimously agreed this was the nicest part of the mountain to clean.

               “All the other statues get bird crap all over them,” one complained.  “Not the Founder.  The seagulls don't respect anything except him.”

               “I think they're just scared off easier by all the foot traffic,” his compatriot said.

               “Come on, you don't think the Founder had magic to scare off birds from his statue?  He was the smartest of them all!”

               “I heard he didn't even want he statue in the first place,” the other argued. “My ma always used to say they built the statue when he was too old and tired to stop them.”

               “Nobody's that humble,” the first said. “Who wouldn't want a giant statue commemorating them in the middle of the city?”

               “The Founder didn't do the whole thing himself, dumbass. Sure, he was the leader but there were others who helped him out.  Maybe he didn't want to take all the credit.”

***

               The lanterns which formed the ring around the Central Fountain Square always lit easiest, the fog almost hesitant to blanket the Founder’s direct domain as heavily as it bracketed the rest of the city.

               When the rest of the roads grew dark and foreboding, the stars far away, the Central Fountain Square was a safe haven.

               Students out too late at the nearby library always detoured by the Founder, where the lights were brighter, and threw some Munny at his feet in hopes for help studying for the next tests.  Workers with overnight shifts would tilt their hats to him, in greeting, in farewell, in commiseration of a dark and cold night.  Those with more nefarious plans avoided the Central square, convinced the Founder’s eyes sought them out with an accusing glare, his grin turned sharp and warning. 

               And every morning, the dawn would rise over the city, and hit the face of the Founder’s statue first.  The statue looked most at peace with the pale light of daybreak illuminating him, cold stone lit to look more like silver, his smile tinged melancholic, something nonetheless hopeful.  

               Whatever he seemed to see in the sunrise must have been nice.  He smiled to see it each time, no matter how dark the night before had been.

~fin~

......

shout-out to @ thetwilightroadtonightfall for organizing this event! check out the tag ephemerweek2024 for more delightful ephemer content

this is technically late but at this rate my submission for tomorrow will also be late, i am blaming the holiday and not my poor time management skills

just to clarify. this fic is meant to be snippets of conversations and beliefs about Ephemer by the modern denizens of Scala, who do not know the whole story and definitely got it wrong in many places.

missing link is not out yet and if any of this is later contradicted/is already contradicted by the beta from earlier this year, don't @ me, i am not trying to be super canon with this. just havin fun :)

i miss the dandelions :(

thanks for reading! happy holidays! and happy birthday ephemer!!

also see this on Ao3, will reblog tomorrow with the ao3 link

[lxminesce]

CHARLES MELTON | The Criterion Collection: Closet Picks (2024)

Mikey and Nicky (1976) dir. Elaine May After Life (1998) dir. Hirokazu Koreeda Memories of Murder (2003) dir. Bong Joon-Ho EO (2022) dir. Jerzy Skolimowski Eyes Without a Face (1960) dir. Georges Franju Le Samouraï (1967) dir. Jean-Pierre Melville La Piscine (1969) dir. Jacques Deray Cure (2001) dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa Drive My Car (2021) dir. Ryusuke Hamaguchi Short Cuts (1993) dir. Robert Altman 3 Women (1977) dir. Robert Altman Safe (1995) dir. Todd Haynes A Special Day (1977) dir. Ettore Scala WALL-E (2008) dir. Andrew Stanton

[renatagorreri]

Danza nella luce

[jstor]

"Oranges and Lemons," an oil on canvas painting by Bartolomeo Bimbi.

The painting comes from the Scala Archives collection on JSTOR.

[for-hunger]

nothing but surrender- reference post

Information and references from my Hannibal/Will forcemasc fic, nothing but surrender. mostly for my own collection

Our couple

Hannibal

Will

non-passing

(post-haircut and more t)

Will's knife

My visual references for Will and Hannibal's opera suits, respectively

Cultural/intellectual references

A little Wittgenstein

The Wile E. Coyote/Road Runner in psychoanalysis lecture is based on one I caught by this scholar

The Dracula erasure mentioned at Mix

Der Zauberberg, or The Magic Mountain, is a 1924 modernist masterpiece by Thomas Mann (best known by the gays for writing Death in Venice). I stole a bunch of Will's little speech about his mother from it

A big influence on my Hannibal perspective is In A Lonely Place by Dorothy B. Hughes, a noir about toxic masculinity from the POV of the killer

The prostate orgasm porn channel that Hannibal makes Will watch lmaooo

Will mentions checking out the MoMA PS1 Art Book Fair (archive) and Hannibal talks about a signing of Original Plumbing

Hannibal and Will's debate in Ch 7 is mostly informed by Feminism Against Cisness and the essay Hannibal cites, Is the Rectum a Grave?

The short ribs recipe that Hannibal makes in Ch 8 is from Start Here by Sohla El-Waylly (couldn't find it online but it's excellent, use a lot of anchovy and whatever meat you want (; )

This is not a book or anything, but some of Will's dialogue in Ch 8 was inspired by this post I saw on that t4t app by a user named onthehill: “I want to be with him. I want to be him. I want him to hold me. I want to have a body like his. I want him to love me. I think I could be loved if I was him. I want, want, want.”

Steve Reich's "Come Out" and the story

Hannibal's Cape house, in my mind (might be a bonus chapter at some point)

Shea Stadium was a diy venue in Bushwick

Will references Met performances of Aida, which famously include horses as well as a section titled "the Dance of the Moorish Slaves". He would, indeed, hate it.

David Bowie's Peter and the Wolf

Ch 11 opera references: Victoria de los Angeles's Mélisande , and the 2012 version of Pelléas et Mélisande that I watched as inspiration.

Huberd's Shoe Grease (favorite among bootblacks) and a podcast I listened to about bootblacking

the Marc Chagall murals at the Met

Symbolism (in poetry)

The Rite of Spring

I'm not telling you what the sex party is that the boys go to because I haven't gone in a long time and I've exaggerated its friendliness but let's just say it's named after this movie

Much of Will and Hannibal's conversation about stoneness in Ch 14 comes from the gorgeous lesbian history book Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold

Tam Lin

Will's band in Ch 16 is just playing Team Dresch

Soundtrack

Locations

Nitehawk Cinema Williamsburg (bar)

Mood Ring

Mix Film Festival (RIP) (I think it still happens in, like, Berlin)

Prospect Park/Grand Army Plaza

Teatro alla Scala, Milan

Lincoln Center

The Met

And the parterre boxes where the boys sit:

Two venues that inspired Ch 16:

Market Hotel (now a club, I think)

Silent Barn (closed years ago)

House of Yes:

[aishangotome]

Liam Evans: Drink, Get Drunk Drown

From 2024 Collection Event

-

(I wonder if Liam is having fun.)

I heard last night that he was going to a drinking party with the Scala Theater people.

(I was invited to go with him, but Liam doesn't talk to other people much when I'm around...)

(I wanted him to have fun without worrying about me for once.)

Roger: It's obvious you're lonely without Liam, lil lady.

Kate: Roger! You knew Liam went to a drinking party?

Roger: Yeah, I heard from those guys. Don't worry, I didn't eavesdrop.

Roger: Don't you need to go pick him up?

Kate: No, he promised to come home early, so I'll wait.

Roger: ...Well, I'm glad Liam is with Kate.

Kate: Really?

Roger: He's gotten hurt less and doesn't do anything dangerous anymore. I'm grateful for that.

Roger ruffled my hair with his big hand.

Roger: Keep that cat on a leash, will you?

-

When I looked up from the book I was reading, I heard a knock at the door.

Kate: Yes?

Liam: Kate, I'm home.

Kate: It's open.

Liam came back, found me, and sat down on the bed with a smile.

Liam: Were you lonely?

Kate: Yes. But I was hoping you were having fun.

Liam: Yeah, I had fun. But I have much more fun when I'm with you.

I was pushed on the shoulder and fell back, and at the same time, my face was showered with kisses.

Kate: Mmm, Liam...

The hand stroking my thighs grabbed the edge of my underwear.

Kate: Liam, what's wrong?

Liam: You like me, don't you?

Kate: I like you...?

Liam: Yeah, I know. I like you too!

The smell of alcohol on our overlapping lips makes me almost dizzy.

Kate: Are you drunk?

Liam: Maybe, I'm feeling lightheaded.

Kate: Ah!

My underwear is stripped off and his fingers touch wet spot.

A sweet voice leaks out at the pleasure of being stroked around her ripe bud.

Kate: Ah.....

Liam: That feels good... see, you're getting wetter and wetter.

Noticing the tips of my breasts, he takes off my nightgown,

Liam: I want you to touch me too.

He bites the tip of my breasts, and the pain and pleasure that hit me makes my body tremble.

Liam: Did you come already?

I was distracted by his lips sucking at different angles, and then a finger was buried into my defenseless spot,

Kate: Oh, there, no!

Unable to withstand the intense attack, I come suddenly.

I exhale and look at Liam, but the man I know is not there.

(Huh...?)

I can't take my eyes off his face, so sexy and masculine, different from his usual gentle self.

The moment he brushed his hair back in annoyance, the scent of vanilla filled the bed.

His relaxed smile, even the sweat on his forehead, is nothing more than a tool to arouse Liam right now.

(I didn't know he could make that face)

Maybe it's the alcohol, but his more masculine and aggressive demeanor makes my heart race.

Liam: Kate-chan... no, Kate.

Kate: Oh...

Liam: My dearest. The one I want all to myself.

Kate: Lia--

Liam: The one I want to be happy with for the rest of my life.

Kate: Liam!!

I endure the pleasure and put my hands on Liam's cheeks.

Kate: ... Did something happen?

Liam blinks in surprise, then pauses for a moment before his expression breaks.

With the smile I know.

Liam: How did you know?

Kate: Because I'm always watching you.

Liam: ... Haha, I'm always watching you too.

Liam stops his advances and takes my hands from his cheeks into his own.

Liam: At the drinking party, I was told I should change things up sometimes to keep things interesting.

Kate: I could never get tired of you, Liam.

Liam: I thought you'd say that...

Liam: I wanted to give you, Kate, a new thrill.

Liam: ... Did you hate it?

His relaxed expression changes, and I smile at him as his eyes show a hint of unease.

Kate: Of course not.

Kate: Anything you give me, no matter what kind of Liam you are, makes me happy.

Kate: I like the Liam of right now, and the usual Liam, both of them.

Liam: ... You really are too good for me, Kate.

Liam: ... Hey, can we finish like this tonight?

I nod, and Liam changes his expression again--.

-

Liam: Good morning, Kate.

Kate: Good morning, Liam.

Liam embraces me with a gentle smile.

When I notice the countless red marks on my body, an innocent voice responds.

Liam: I got a little carried away.

Liam: How was it?

My heartskips a beat as I remember Liam from last night.

Kate: ... It wasn't bad, maybe?

Liam: Really?

Kate: But, but! I like the usual Liam! If you make that kind of face too much--

Liam: If I make that kind of face?

Kate: It's bad for my heart...

Liam: ... Haha.

Liam laughs happily, gets up, and straddles me--.

Liam: Then... let me hold you like I always do.

As his delighted lips fall on mine, I feel the joy of knowing that I will surely see more unknown sides of him in the future, and I close my eyes in the shower of love.

FIN

[wedding-affair]

Lee Petra Grebenau | Bridal Spring 2026

Collection: La Scala Gown: Verona