#the woman's a powerhouse in this play man

[akaanonymouth]

Jemma Redgrave's eyes bore into my soul as she very scathingly with a laugh pointed me out as a rock, and a very large part of me died right there and then when my heart shot right out of my body

[zevranunderstander]

hate how scared modern liberal movies are of making characters of color into antagonists of any sort? like i know it depends on what kind of story you want to tell, but if it's a "colorblind" story that's just like, "regency era, but diverse" or whatever and all of the people of color are the kind supporting cast, just go fuck yourself I'm sorry

[loganwritesprobably]

First Meeting With.. P3 (One Piece Edition)

Part one with Ace, Law and Sanji Part two with Zoro, Robin and Luffy Part four with Benn, Shanks and Smoker

Requests are open for x reader things! I will write basically ANY kind of reader - male, female, non-binary, gender neutral, trans, disabled, black, white, latino, asian, neurodivergent, etc

Here is another three lovely characters for you to meet: Crocodile, Mihawk and Buggy! All readers are gender neutral, so everyone is welcome to enjoy. No Y/N is used!

Buggy's section is a little short, but honestly I think it's just fine as it is, it made me laugh at least

CW: In Mihawk's section, the reader experiences a massive loss, and expresses some passive desire for death, take care with that

The casino was a little overwhelming when you first walked in, between the bright and sometimes flashing lights, and the various noises coming from patrons and machines alike, but you seemed to thrive here. You'd always liked card games, so that was what you gravitated toward when you'd first arrived. This, however, was far from your first time here, and you'd found a way to play the system. You'd play a few games, and lose intentionally with small bets, then you'd slip away to play another game and lose just once with another small bet, before retreating to the bar for something to drink and maybe something to eat depending on the time of day. You'd chat with other frequent patrons, and some of the staff. Finally, to end your night, you'd pick out whichever game you were most inclined to that night and place a large bet, and win. Your secret? You could count cards.

You didn't come too often, it was a delicate balance that you were striking to not be caught in your actions, but when you did come you always won big. The house couldn't always win, after all. Your wins were spread far enough apart, with enough losses in between, that you hadn't been flagged yet. It was a win, for you at least.

Tonight, you'd already done all your losses, and you were sitting at the bar. The woman behind the bar, Alisa, was lovely and you had gotten to know her in a fairly casual way, at the sort of level that you usually knew a co-worker. You knew very little about her, but you got along enough to happily chat whenever you were both at the bar. As you were happily chatting, you watched Alisa's face change, eyes widening and smile falling. That couldn't be anything good, but you didn't look up, you didn't want them to realise you knew someone was approaching.

A very large man sat on the stool beside you, dressed in fine fabrics and more fur than anyone had any right to be wearing in the desert. He was handsome. "Sir Crocodile, what can I get for you?" Alisa asked, and that told you just who you were dealing with - the damn owner, and one of the seven warlords of the sea. You took a deep, steadying breath, and sipped your drink casually. Crocodile ordered himself a drink, and you didn't look at him. There was a long, silent minute, where even the sound of the slot machines faded into the background and there was only you and Crocodile. Alisa returned with his drink, and he took a first sip, before he turned to you. "You're good, I'll give you that." He said, and you glanced at him as if seeing him for the first time. "What can I say? I make sure I dress nice for the casino." You replied, hoping to ease some of the tension. "You know what I'm talking about, though I'll admit, you do clean up well." You'd take a compliment where you could get it. "So I'm busted?" "You had a good run, but you can either leave and never come back.. or I'm willing to offer you a deal."

You were a powerhouse pirate in your own right. Your crew wasn't quite at your level, but every day they worked harder to match you in strength and ability - and they were getting there. Hell, you were sure they'd start to surpass you soon, and then maybe you'd have to start trying. You didn't mind. It felt good to see a group of people you'd been nurturing grow into something more. Your bounty was no Straw Hat level, but it was nothing to sneeze at in your humble opinion. A couple million berri - what you wouldn't give to have that much berri at your disposal.

You'd crossed paths with Mihawk only once, very early in your career, and you'd had the sense to stay out of his damn way. It was a good thing you did, he killed a man not ten minutes later, not that you stuck around long enough to find out why. You chased your crew from bars and away from market stalls, back onto your boat, and took off sailing again. He hadn't seen you, you were sure, and that was a good thing, but you'd seen him.

Never had you anticipated getting into a situation where you were crossing paths with him again - certainly not voluntarily.

Karai Bari was a damn hot island, not quite something you were used to, and well swimming several miles didn't help with how hot and out of breath you were. A dozen men approached you with swords and guns, and you could only hold up your arms in surrender. "I'm not.. here to fight!" You panted out, desperately searching the crowd for a sympathetic face. You found the least sympathetic amongst them in Dracule Mihawk. "My ship was shot down by marines sailing away from here, my crew.. I don't know where they are or if they survived. Please, I just want to live." You asked, hands beginning to tremble as reality set in. They were good people, and now you had no idea what had become of them. You'd demanded some of the younger members take to paddle boats to get to safety, but you didn't know if they'd made it. There'd been devil fruit users amongst them, and they were certainly dead by now. The knowledge of it weighed heavy on your shoulders - you were meant to protect them. You collapsed down to your knees in tears, sobs wracking your chest. You were meant to keep them safe. "I take it back," you whispered, voice thick with tears, "I can't do it without them. Do what you want to me."

It was the last hand you'd expected that came to rest on your shoulder and gently squeeze. "Get up." Came the voice of the world's greatest swordsman. "A Captain's grief should not be witnessed here. I'll take you somewhere private, where you can grieve properly, and I'll organise a rescue mission for any survivors."

He was a little odd looking, and that was putting it nicely. He was some sort of clown, judging from his large red nose, and he was.. well, all head. He was a head, directly attached to feet, and you couldn't quite understand how his hands were also attached to him. It was unnatural, and more than a little unsettling. He was yelling at you, bouncing up and down, and all you could do is stare. "It's flashily rude to stare ya know!" The guy yelled, which finally forced you to blink yourself back into full awareness. "What the fuck?" You managed, finally crouching down to look at him properly. "I'm Buggy! Genius Jester! Star Clown!" He yelled, and you shoved a finger in your ear to rub it. "You're also fucking loud." You muttered, running a hand over your face. "Hey! I'm looking for.. well.. the rest of me." You told you, realising that maybe yelling at you wasn't the best way to get your help. "For what?" You asked dumbly, blinking at him owlishly. The rest of himself? Was he some sort of hippie, what did that even mean? "I'm a chop chop man! My body comes apart." He explained, splitting his hand from the rest of his body as your face contorted in disgust. "I'm going to be sick." "You get used to it. Now stop being useless, and help me out! My leg is around here somewhere, I can feel it."

[trips2saturn]

towl spoilers below!!!!!!!!!

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late briefing but it’s here and that’s what matters!!!!! let’s get into this episode! ❤️‍🔥

this episode was amazing. no notes. angst fuels me, so keep it coming in episode four along with some loving intimacy! 🤝

michonne is the most clever, headstrong, charismatic, fearless powerhouse of a woman in the entirety of twdu. there is no situation nor circumstance that she cannot handle. no matter the time, skill, or hardship that woman is going to do whatever she fucking wants. she’s such an admirable character, and yes this is just a fictional show but she means so much to me. tv mom forever and ever and ever. my lovebug!!!! 🫶🏼

rick… my og lovebug. his selfless, tender hearted yet courageous and dangerous personality is sooo missed recently because of these losers who love to keep playing hide the donkey. he’s been so beaten down and forced into the caged mindset, also known as stockholm syndrome. it hurts so much to see it affect him so deeply, especially in this episode. we truly get to understand just how horrified he is of losing michonne, losing judith, losing their home. it’s so layered that he’s come to the conclusion that he has to do whatever it takes to protect his wife and their children (judith for now until further notice). even going as far as pretending to break michonne’s heart just to get her to go back home for the sake of a safe and secured future. and as much as it rips his entire psyche into shreds, this man is a family man. his priority in life is to protect the ones that he loves by all means necessary.

and thank fucking HEAVENS that despite their years apart, michonne knows her husband like the back of her palm and can read him like a book!!! every word that poured out of his mouth was utter bullshit merely for safety purposes and i’m soooo glad that she understood that without even having to retaliate verbally.

she retaliated by throwing them out of a moving chopper LMAOOO 😭 MY GIRL, MY LEADING LADY!!!!!! CAN WE MAKE SOME NOISE FOR THE CRAZIEST CHARACTER IN THE ROOM. thank youuuuuu! i digress.

“we needed a timeout” shdjshdhsjdjs well yes! please knock some sense into your traumatized husband. he needs his wife!!!

moving forward. the phones!!!! “believe a little bit longer”!!!!! CARL MENTION!!!!!!??????!!!!! 😨🫨🥺☹️😖 rick not mentioning any names for three years and never liking any drawings of his son because they could never be depicted perfectly 😣😣😣 try not to cry challenge [FAILED]. punching me in the gut would hurt less. still hoping for a random chandler cameo too :D

i know that what rick said was absolutely fake and futile but as a fierce michonne lover… HER FACE AS HE SPOKE??? if we don’t see him loving on her endlessly in episode four… i might throw myself out of a moving helicopter.

one hundred percent positive that they’ll be pouring bisquick and making pancakes next episode. i’m sat.

thorne is a D. not an A. she’s a piece of shit and will be dealt with eventually. michonne will handle any light work. i rest my case.

jadis is a sexual predator and a grade-A loser with a shit haircut. i almost pissed myself laughing when rick said that. he’s been waiting and so have i!!!! 😁 but yeah she sucks. die asap.

RICHONNE KISS IN THE WOODS AFTER BEING A POWERHOUSE COUPLE. 🥹 reminded me so much of when they took those cars and drove into that herd of walkers. ugh. please put their entire love story into the louvre.

last but not least because i’m tired — unsure what beale is up to. he’s so sketchy, and also SO CONFUSED about rick supposedly having a briefing with him about being promoted?! NO. no thanks we didn’t ask for him to ever be a leader nor get kidnapped in the first place!!!! scared to see what lies ahead for the next three episodes :(((((

in conclusion, michonne is the most beautiful angel to walk the earth. she looked so hot in every single scene. episode three is hands down my favorite episode yet, despite the hardship. again, angst fuels me. so excited to see what’s in store next week, and every other week after that!!!! it’s only up from here. ❤️‍🔥⬆️

okay that’s it. hope everyone enjoyed the episode!!!! this is such a wild ride, and i’m happy to have my television parents back on my screen, making things happen again. 🌟🔥

[blackcatruse]

𝔣𝔯𝔬𝔪 𝔞𝔰𝔥𝔢𝔰

Story Synopsis: In the aftermath of the Tokyo Civil War Era, three gangs rose to the top: Kanto Manji, Rokuhara Tandai, and Brahman. These powerhouses have been locked in a stalemate, which only serves as temporary peace. In order to truly control Tokyo, one gang has to obtain all the money, power, and status. You’re a runner for a gang affiliated with Brahman, trying to claw your way out of debt that was never yours. The deals you make turn a significant profit, but your string of luck is starting to fray. When a deal goes south, you have no choice but to work with the infamous Haitani brothers. In exchange, you were promised freedom, but as you work the jobs with them, you begin to realize that the shadows hold something larger at play.

«prev. ❃ next» ❃ m.list ❃ ao3

pairing: r. haitani/fem!reader ↳ she/her, fem descriptors, nickname ❃ chapter synopsis: Enemy territory is a perfect, totally acceptable place to do business, right? The Haitani brothers don't think so, even if you do. word count: 1.4k chapter cw(s): swearing, physical violence, drug mention, death mention a/n: okay so, this is... loosely attached to the three deities arc. canon is just a suggestion, but because it's a stupid ass suggestion, i have elected to ignore it. i also threw in a ton of OCs, more than i was expecting too, oops. was not beta read & minimally edited. beware possible ooc

Being on enemy territory wasn’t on your to-do list for a Friday night, but the deal was important and the man you were supposed to be meeting said it had to be done here. Your boss said to do whatever you could to make it happen because it would make a huge profit. So here you are, decorated by neon pink and purple lights. The floor of the club was filled with moving bodies and reeked of sweat and alcohol. The thumping bass of the music vibrated the ice in your drink. Goddamn, if you weren’t annoyed. It was already nearing midnight and you hadn’t seen a lick of the man you were meeting. You couldn’t leave, but you also didn’t want to be seen here. You tried to stay in the shadows as much as possible, but you had already shooed away a few men that tried to hit on you, offer you a drink, or try to get you on the dancefloor.

You glanced down at your phone with a frown. There were no messages to be seen. Taking another sip of your drink, you scanned the sea of people writhing in the black lights. Maybe you should just go outside.

“What’s a pretty thing like you sittin’ all lonely?” A heavyset man plopped into the booth across from you. He smelled like a liquor cabinet.

You put on your best smile. “I’m just waiting on someone.” You stared over the man’s head and immediately saw the mule you were looking for. “Actually, he just got here. Sorry, got to go!”

Cursing men under your breath, you got up and weaved your way to him. His tattoos and piercings lined up with what you were told. You didn’t know his name, just an alias. But if you were being honest, you didn’t give him your real name either. The music made it almost impossible to speak without yelling, but when you came into his field of vision, he stared intently. You held up four fingers. He nodded and jerked his head towards the door.

Outside was far colder than the inside of the club. Your leather jacket did little for you. Both of you were in a narrow alleyway, underneath a flickering streetlight. Neither of you spoke, but you broke the silence. “Yon?” you asked.

A smirk, followed by, “Ah, so you’re Suzaku’s little Lotus.”

“Has your boss considered our offer?”

“Straight to the chase, I like that in a woman.”

If you were going to start a fight, you would inevitably lose. This monster of a man probably had a good eight or nine inches on you and at least a hundred pounds more muscle. You settled for a slight tick in your jaw. “You know that we’re experts at trafficking all sorts of things,” you said. “Running your drugs and dirty money would be a simple task.”

“Don’t you think Wuxing is getting a little greedy? You aren’t even a big name, just a subsection of Brahman. You have no negotiating power,” Yon scoffed. “Boss says he would consider it if you dropped your fees, then we could make something work.”

“Our rates are considerably lower, especially considering your gang isn’t well known either. You wanna get footing around here? You work with us.”

“Ambitious, aren’t we?”

“You know just as well as I do that money is power. Imagine how much money we could make you by running your goods through Shinjuku.”

“We’re not sure that profit will outweigh the costs. We’d rather run it ourselves in that case.”

It was your turn to scoff. “Brahman would never let you. They’d wipe you out in a second. But if you work with us, Brahman doesn’t know what we’re up to. We cover our tracks and we turn enough profit that the higher ups are willing to turn a blind eye.”

“Tell you what, we’ll think about it some more. Let Suzaku know he needs to send someone else other than his prized Lotus.”

With that, Yon turned and left. You knew this was something that could go south, but you figured the temptation of money would be enough. No, Yon was too smart for his own good. You should’ve met with someone dumber, but Yon’s boss started strong out the gate. Dammit. What were you going to tell Suzaku? Your string of luck with deals was running out, and it wouldn’t be long before he decided he was through with you.

You punched the brick wall next to you hard, ignoring the pain that seared down your arm. How had everything in your pitiful life come down to this? You could be at a university now. You could be on the path to an honest living, but no. That was never going to happen. There was blood on your hands that would never come off. It wasn’t your fault. You did what you had to in order to survive, but you couldn’t stay afloat much longer.

Damn your brother for getting tangled up in business with Wuxing. You could’ve had a normal life, but he had to go and fuck everything up for you. His debts were suddenly your debts when the leader of Wuxing decided your brother was worthless. Not only that, but your brother had tried to sell you like some kind of broodmare. At that moment, you realized that the older brother who was supposed to protect you didn’t care about you at all. You didn’t flinch or look away when the bullet went between his eyes. You didn’t feel anything except white hot rage.

You could have had a normal life. Instead you were making back alley deals and running money, drugs, and weapons. All to pay off a debt that would never truly go away.

Hefting a sigh, you glanced at your skinned knuckles. Yeah, that was gonna sting later. Well, you’d deal with everything tomorrow. You had a meeting with Suzaku. You’d tell him you weren’t successful, get the shit kicked out of you, and try again later.

“Well, well, what do we have here? A little mouse straying into enemy territory?” A deep voice behind you startled you, but before you could make a run for it a rough hand grabbed the collar of your jacket. You were lifted slightly off the ground and you couldn’t kick at your attacker.

Shit. You knew better than to panic and instead shucked off your jacket as quickly as possible. You hit the pavement with an unceremonious thud before sprinting away. You can’t say you didn’t try, but you really should have anticipated the person that tackled you. Before you could even process what was happening you were on the ground, your right arm prisoner and your upper body pinned by a pair of legs. Goddammit. You really were in trouble now.

“She’s fast, bro,” a voice said, you could almost hear the shit-eating grin.

You couldn’t struggle, but you heard the nonchalant footsteps. There was a painful tug on your arm, but you refused to scream. You didn’t want to meet in Minato ward for this exact reason, but Yon insisted or else the deal was off completely. Why, for the love of any deities that existed, would he want to do business where Rokuhara Tandai ruled? Especially when the gang had the S62 generation among them. Getting caught would basically be a death sentence, though, you supposed it was your fault for lingering too long.

You tilted your head up to see a tall, lanky silhouette outlined by the streetlights. A baton twirled in one of his twin braids. You were familiar with your captors. In your line of work, you’d be stupid to not recognize the Haitani brothers. There was Ran who loved beating anyone senseless by any means necessary, and then there was Rindou, who would trap you and break any limb he caught.

Another jerk of your arm had you gritting your teeth, but you wouldn’t give in. You’d had worse. They wouldn’t get the pleasure of your fear.

The tip of the baton touched your face as Ran leaned down to get a closer look at you. It trailed down your cheek almost sensually before it went underneath your chin. “I would really hate to mar such a pretty face,” he cooed.

You heard something crack as Rindou pulled harder. Tears welled in your eyes, but your lips stayed sealed.

“Wow, you’re tough,” Ran remarked, sounding rather impressed. His boot came down on your face with a sickening crunch. Stars danced in your vision and blood gushed from your nose. You still didn’t make a sound. You’d had worse beatings, and you didn’t want them to have any satisfaction. So you spit your blood at the older Haitani, and that’s the last thing you remember before blacking out.

Thanks for checking out my self-indulgent little story! I hope you enjoyed. Have a great day <3 I had wanted to post this earlier, but life got in the way and then i wanted to make a fancy banner, but i didn't have the skills so i asked a friend to do it (she did awesome). the concept was mine, but the art is hers lol

Please do not reupload, translate, or steal my work! If it isn't here or on my ao3, it's not me!

Can't wait? Ao3 has more chapters posted!

Banner Credit: @/cafekitsune

[highfantasy-soul]

Qimir is doing every classic ‘femme’ fatale act in the book and I think that could mean he’s not actually a sith master yet? It’s pretty common for femme fatale characters to actually be working for some bigger, shadier bad guy. Qimir’s already a powerhouse so kinda terrifying to think he’s still just a student.

I also think it would make his whole seduction angle less insufferable (tbh this is definitely personal bias — I find the trope boring.)

I could see the story going in a couple of ways as they're playing around with our initial assumptions about things and turning them on their heads:

Qimir's deception was simply his 'potion seller' guise and the reveal is he's the sith

Qimir isn't the head honcho, but rather the classic Sith apprentice looking for an apprentice of his own so they can kill the current master

Qimir isn't actually evil at all, he has a legitimate reason to fight against the galactic force that is the Jedi

Not an exhaustive list, but I think there's a possibility the show has one last surprise from Qimir for us - him being the apprentice looking for someone to join him in killing his master so he can become the true master would be the most canon-typical option there.

So it's very possible the writers are drawing from the femme fatale archetype for Qimir, switching the seductress to a man rather than a woman. It'll be fun to watch it play out

And now all I can think of is Count Dooku being a femme fatale, luring all his little 'assassins' and 'acolytes' over to the dark side so he could kill Sidious

[parkerslatte]

Songbird || TWENTY-THREE

Eddie Roundtree x Fem!Reader

Warnings: none

Word Count: 3.1k

Part Summary: Y/N makes a decision that effects her and Eddie’s relationship.

previous chapter / next chapter

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•••

TRACK TWENTY-THREE;

KISS ME HARD BEFORE YOU GO

***

4:15pm

4 Hours Earlier

“Anyone have a guess where they might be?” Rod questions, “Anyone?”

No one answered. 

“For fuck’s sake, even Y/N isn’t here and she always is.” Rod says before walking away.

“Not like Billy to be missing soundcheck,” Warren comments, “Or Y/N for that matter.”

Warren takes a drag of his cigarette before turning to Eddie, “It’s a nice shiner you got there.”

Eddie doesn’t say anything, he simply focuses on his bass.

“Eddie,” Warren says, taking a seat, “What’d you say to him, man?”

“Nothing, just, uh…some shit that needed to be said, that’s all.” Eddie says.

“Eddie, look, I’m gonna say some stuff, all right, and you’re gonna promise that you’re not gonna hate me for it,” Warren says, “What the fuck is wrong with you? So what if Billy’s an asshole? So what if you’re not the guy? I mean, you are in the biggest band in the fucking world right now. You get to fly around on jet planes and sleep on one hundred dollar bills, and we get to play songs that millions of people listen to and they fucking love ‘em. They love ‘em Eddie.”

“And don’t get me started on Y/N,” Warren continues, “The one woman most men want and you’re with her, not anyone else. And all that is still not enough for you?”

“Warren-”

“No, no, man. I’m serious. Like, this shit does not happen. To anyone. We’re the luckiest motherfuckers in the world, bro.”

“Warren, all due respect, I think I may be looking for a little more out of life than you are.” Eddie says.

Warren looks down and chuckles, “Yeah, man, tell that to Y/N, I’m sure she’ll be thrilled to hear that.”

Eddie sighed, knowing that the comment he said wasn’t about Y/N but he didn’t argue, not wanting to cause any more of a stir. 

As Warren begins walking away, Eddie calls out to him, “Where are you going?”

“Me? I don’t know,” Warren says, “Maybe I’m gonna go smoke a joint, pop sound thousand dollar champagne. Or - you know what - maybe I’ll call my girlfriend, the movie star. See you tonight, bro!”

***

Present Time

On Stage

As Y/N stepped up to the microphone, the crowd cheered. It caused Y/N to smile, her final time performing this song was already off to a good start. The band began playing and Y/N began singing, losing herself in the music completely. 

At the beginning of the song, she closed her eyes as she sang, imagining what it would be like if this audience were here for her and only her. The banners would only have her name on them and they would all be singing along to the songs she wrote. The audience would be chanting her name, demanding an encore to which Y/N would come out and sing one final song - a different one every night so no two shows were the same. 

When Y/N finally opened her eyes, she was transported back to where she was originally - performing with the band. However, she strived to make this the best performance she could give. Taking the microphone from the stand, Y/N began to walk around the stage. 

…

KAREN SIRKO: That night Y/N’s voice was something else. I had never heard her sing like that before. 

WARREN ROJAS: Y/N was a powerhouse that night! I get chills just thinking about it.

DAISY JONES: That song was a duet, but I stepped back and let Y/N have the whole stage. With a voice like hers she deserved the spotlight, especially with that song.

…

Eddie watched Y/N walk around the stage, her voice echoing throughout the arena. From the hundreds of times he had heard her sing the song, he had never heard her sing it the way she was. There was an emotion to her voice that he could place but he knew that he was a part of the cause of that emotion. All he wanted to do was run up to her, take her into his arms and apologise as many times as it took for her to forgive him.

Y/N wouldn’t even look at Eddie for longer than a few seconds at most. Eddie obviously thought that it was because of what he had said earlier but it couldn’t be further from the truth.

…

Y/N L/N: I was angry with what Eddie said, but I got over it quickly. I couldn’t look at him that entire performance because I knew what I was going to do after the show. I couldn’t face him.

…

In the final chorus of the song, Y/N finally turned to face Eddie as she sang from the other side of the stage. Eddie looked at her as she sang, nothing but love in his eyes. He had always loved Y/N’s voice and he loved it even more with the way she was singing now. The only thing he hated was that he was the cause of some of the pain behind her voice. 

As Y/N finished her song, she turned away from Eddie, walking back to the front of the stage and the crowd erupted into cheers, chanting her name over and over again. Y/N smiled and bowed, soaking in the applause. 

When the crowd began to quiet down, and Y/N took her place next to Graham, Daisy stepped up to the microphone.

“Let’s hear it for Y/N L/N, everyone!” Daisy says and the crowd cheered again and Y/N smiled, “Now, ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage my sister and my best friend, Simone Jackson!”

***

8:33pm

Y/N stood in the greenroom with Warren and Simone. Y/N had heard of Simone Jackson before Daisy ever mentioned her, she had listened to a few of her songs. Simone’s type of music wasn’t typically Y/N’s go to, but she definitely replayed a few of her songs when she first heard them. 

As the three of them conversed, Daisy walked into the room, causing their conversation to come to an abrupt halt.

“Oh wow.” Simone commented on the makeup on Daisy’s face.

“Finally, great! Gang’s all here.” Rod says.

“You look scared, Rod,” Daisy says, “And you should be.”

“Okay,” Rod says slowly, “All right, this time’s for real everybody.”

Y/N began to walk out of the greenroom, fully aware of Eddie walking just behind her. She wanted nothing more than to turn around, pull him away and talk to him but she knew that she needed to get through the show first. 

***

Present Time

On Stage

“So, we have to go soon,” Billy says into the microphone, “But we can’t leave without paying some dues. I’m gonna need your help. You with me!”

The crowd cheered.

“On drums, a man who keeps time like a Rolex and who cuts grooves like a knife,” Billy introduces, “It’s Mister Warren Rojas!”

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Billy says, taking the microphone from the stand, and begins to approach Eddie, though he swerves at the last second, instead focusing on Karen, “The classiest, coolest cucumber ever to play keys. It’s Miss Karen Sirko!”

Billy walks across the stage towards Y/N, “You know her and you love her, the woman that doesn’t shy away from the spotlight, it’s Miss Y/N L/N.”

“Up next, as good a man as you’ll ever meet. But sometimes I forget how lucky I am that he’s my brother. It’s Graham Dunne, everyone!”

Billy walks back to the front of the stage, “On bass, well that’s Eddie Roundtree,” Billy pauses, “All right, wait, wait, wait, let’s try that again, shall we? The master of the low end hammer, the man, the face that keeps pace on the bass, the groove layer, the four string slayer. It’s Eddie Demetrius Roundtree!”

Billy leans closer to Eddie and whispers into his ear, causing the smile that was on his face to drop.

“And finally, well, do I even need to say it?”

“Well, I want to hear you say it.” Daisy says.

“It’s Daisy Jones, everyone.”

“Billy Dunne, everybody!” Daisy announces.

As the band performed ‘Aurora’, Y/N looked at Eddie the whole time. He didn’t smile once and he didn’t even look anywhere but straight forward, much like Y/N had done at the beginning of the show. Finally when Eddie looked up, he made eye contact with Y/N and they didn’t break it the remainder of the song. 

“Y/N,” Eddie says as soon as the band exits the stage,  “Can I talk to you?”

Y/N sighed, “Eddie, there’s nothing to talk about.”

“Yes there is!” He says desperately, “What I said to Billy, I shouldn’t have said that, I panicked when he questioned me and I didn’t know what to say. I regret it, I really do. I love you and only you and I can't bare it if I caused you any pain.”

Y/N sighed, “Eddie, listen, I’m over that now. I’m not going to lie, it did hurt when you told me, but I’m the one who asked what you said and you told me the truth.”

“So why are you avoiding me?” Eddie asked, taking her hands in his, “Tell me.”

“Eddie-”

“No, I don’t want any more excuses, I need you to tell me,” Eddie says, “You used to tell me everything.”

“I’m leaving tonight.” Y/N said. 

Eddie paused, “Is that why you have a plane ticket in your bag?”

“How do you know about that?” Y/N questioned. 

“It fell out of your bag after you left earlier.” Eddie says.

Y/N sighs, “I wasn’t going to use it initially. I don’t really know why I bought it.”

“This isn’t all because of me, right?” Eddie asks, his hand cupping her cheek.

“No, of course not,” Y/N says, “It’s nothing to do with you at all.”

Eddie rested his forehead on hers and closed his eyes. The two didn’t need to say any words to know what the other was saying. I love you.

By the time the band went on stage, Y/N was heartbroken, knowing it was getting closer and closer to the part of the night she was dreading the most, she wished she could just skip it entirely. The crowd cheered as everyone walked back onto the stage and Y/N forced a smile onto her face. 

The crowd chanted ‘Look at Us Now’ over and over again as the band waited and listened.

“Let me hear it if you’re in love tonight!” Daisy yelled, “I’ve been in love. And it hurts, doesn’t it?”

Y/N spared a glance at Eddie and found that he was doing the same.

“But it doesn’t have to,” Daisy continued, “Love doesn’t have to be bombs and tears and blood. Love can be peace. And it can be beautiful. And if you’re lucky enough to find somebody who lifts you up, even when you don’t deserve it, that’s where the light is.”

Y/N continued to look at Eddie as a tear slipped down her cheek. She loved Eddie more than she loves anything else on the planet. But that was the problem, she loved him more than she loved herself. And before she could start loving him the way that was needed, she needed to love herself first.

“So my wish for you tonight, ladies and gentlemen, is find someone who helps you see the light.” Daisy says, “This is a love song.”

The band began playing Look At Us Now and the crowd cheered, probably the loudest they had the entire night. As it was Billy’s turn to start singing, he didn’t. He remained still at the microphone, tears threatening to spill. Holding the microphone out to the crowd, Daisy urged them to sing, to which they complied.

As Daisy began singing, she said one simple word to Billy which prompted him to leave the stage running. At that point Y/N knew that she wasn’t the only one leaving the band that night. 

Daisy sang to each member of the band, completely focusing on the people she was performing with rather than the audience, it was her goodbye. 

The song finished and the band slowly made their way to the front of the stage. Eddie stood next to her and intertwined their fingers together, giving her hand a squeeze. 

As Y/N bowed with the band, she knew it would be the final time; there was no salvaging what had been broken long ago. As she stepped off the stage, she fought back against her tears. Y/N wasn't sad that the band was over; she was sad because she would never have the opportunity to perform with her friends again. Rod tried to get her attention as she walked past, but Y/N just continued, knowing she would break down if she stopped for only a minute. 

Y/N was aware of Eddie walking behind her, the gentle hand on her lower back. It stayed there until they got into a taxi. No words were exchanged between the two; there didn't need to be. When they returned to the hotel and up to their room, Y/N hugged Eddie. 

The two stood there in the centre of the room, swaying gently. It was silent; there was no sound of people talking, and there was no sound of cars outside the window. It was as if the world stood still. 

"Eddie…" Y/N began but paused once she realised this would be the most challenging conversation ever. 

Eddie rested his forehead on hers, cupping her cheeks gently, "I know."

"You don't hate me?" Y/N questioned. 

"I could never hate you." Eddie says, brushing Y/N's hair out of her face. 

"I just need some time," Y/N says, "I don't know how long that'll be, but I think I just need to do things and be on my own for a while."

"I understand." Eddie says, his thumb gently rubbing across her cheek.

"I still love you, Eddie, so much, that's why-" Y/N began to tear up, "That's why this is so hard for me."

"Shhhh," Eddie says, wiping the tears away, "I love you too, Y/N. I adore you."

It was at that point that Y/N began to break down. She clung onto Eddie for dear life, clutching at his jacket. Her sobs echoed through the room, and they jabbed a dagger into Eddie's heart. 

The two remained on the hotel room floor until Y/N's sobs subsided. Her grip on the front of Eddie's jacket loosened a little as she tilted her head to look at him. 

"I hate that I'm doing this to you, Eddie." Y/N says, her voice barely above a whisper. 

"Hey," Eddie says, "You're not doing anything to me, okay? You need time and to be on your own for a while and I respect that," Eddie paused, "And I will wait for you. Whenever you decide to come back, I will be waiting."

"But I don't want you to do that," Y/N says, "I don't want you to wait around for me when there could be someone that you will love more than me."

"Impossible," Eddie whispered, "Because there is no one on this planet that I could possibly love more than you."

Y/N cupped Eddie's cheeks before pressing her lips against his. This kiss was different from the ones they had shared before, and this was a kiss that they both hoped they never had to experience and this was a goodbye kiss. 

Eddie gripped onto Y/N, holding her close. It was the last time he would hold her this way for a while, possibly forever. 

Eddie was the first to pull away, "I don't want to make this any more painful, Y/N."

Y/N looked down and nodded, "I know. I just don't want to leave."

"Y/N," Eddie says softly, "Go."

Y/N paused before nodding as she rose to her feet; her bag was already packed. She picked up her bag before she began the walk to the door. With each step, Y/N felt the door get further and further away. 

"Hey," Eddie called out. 

Y/N turned to him; he was still sitting on the floor. Something deep within her wanted him to beg her to stay and not leave him; there was hope in her heart. 

"I love you, Y/N L/N." Eddie says. 

Y/N, despite her tears, offered him a smile, "I love you too, Eddie Roundtree. More than you could possibly imagine."

Y/N turned around once again, her hand on the door handle. It was cold beneath her touch. Pushing it down, she pulled the door open. The hallway felt dark, and Y/N didn't want to step out into it; she was scared to do it without Eddie; she was afraid to do it without Warren, Karen, Graham, Camila, Daisy, and in a way, without Billy. 

With a sigh, Y/N stepped out alone, closing the door behind her. There was no one but Y/N in the hallway, which is how it would be from now on. Sparing one final glance at the door, Y/N walked down the hallway. 

…

Y/N L/N: I left Eddie because I needed to work on myself, and so did he. We were perfect for one another, but at that point in time, we couldn’t love each other at our full capacity; there were arguments and tears. I knew that night that I was the one who needed to leave because he wouldn't. That's not to say I didn't love him; I adored him, and he was my everything, but we needed to fix what was broken, and we couldn't do that together. I loved him so much that I let him go. 

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[yearningaces]

Hi! (It got too long, sorry)

So um.. i had some time to think while I was trageling, and I didnt wanted my thoughts to get lost in the void so I wrote some things in my notes about Declan (its not entirely about him, mostly about just Hallewells). So if its okay then I would share it.

The first one is actually just a situation, or well.. so um, I temporarily forgot that he is in the medival times and I had a daydream about him in the modern age.

The thing is that I really love how devoted he is, but I also like how cold he is towards everyone else. And you said that he isnt a entirely a good person so I wanted to play with that thought, how he was acting before he met his heart. (I.. um... its about a car crash so um.. dont read it if it makes you uncomfortable, there is no blood or anything but someone does dies and someone got injured, sorry)

Its colorful because I just realized I can do that in my notes lel (and I was hyped from my own thoughts, how silly)

Next one is like.. um.. mostly an ask. Shortly its about what would be his first reaction when he first sees his heart.

The next one is about um.. shortly, when you cannot communicate what you feel or want, what would he do then?

I am really sorry if any of this is uncomfortable or hurtful for you and you do not need to answer and also sorry for how I wrote in my notes because I was in a hurry... and on a bus so if you see any mistakes in my english then please ignore it. And also ignore this ask if you dont want to answer. (Im just hyperfixating right now here.) Thank you if you answer!

Please NEVER apologize because this is all liquid word gold and nothing could have made me happier to read because you got him! You got him nailed down!! Let's run through this one by one!

Second scenario!

First of all the car crash is 100% in character for a Hallewell. He's done his job, he's moving on without a second glance. Maybe MAYBE if that Hallewell knew his heart already and the woman who was injured looked like his heart? He might toss the man's phone to her. That's really it, they are such an emotionally detached being, not good, but they're doing general good by hunting and murdering the bad in their own way (also please please I'm rotating the powerhouse of this scenario iny mind the next few days of a modern time Declan just... Appearing in the road like that on a dark stormy night to do his job. I need to figure out the best weapon he'd use if not in beast form.) because that's exactly it! To most folks unless the Hallewell has actually shifted, they only see an intimidating human. For the prey of the Hallewell, they see or at least in the back of their mind they feel just how inhumanly wrong this creature is. These aren't good creatures, their job is to hunt and kill foul hearted individuals but that doesn't really make a Hallewell GOOD you know? Very duty bound and almost nothing else is in their heads

It's something I didn't touch heavily on, but whatever decides when a Hallewell is born (be it the deity that drives them like Crom dubh to a Dullahan) or the fate that creates a Hallewell because remember they can't be born from another Hallewell, whatever decides that they're meant to be is what decides who they're fated to. One individual through their entire lifespan, and that's it.

If I could say one good thing about a Hallewell it's that they are viciously devout to their heart. That is their only person, all of the lacking emotions and care is poured into that one person that's why it's so extreme. It's not strictly romantic though, it could be a platonic bond where the Hallewell feels a driving need to be your closest companion. A familial one where in their eyes their heart is their only family, but more commonly a romantic one where they want to be the best partner you could hope for so you'll never want to leave them behind. Because that's it for them, they could never find another person to care for.

Though the way they find their heart is a little... Fitting for how scary they can be.

The reason their heart is called that is because that's how a Hallewell finds them. They hear your heartbeat. They follow it until they find you.

Have you ever been hunted down?

Even if you know you're completely safe, it's terrifying especially if you don't know that and if the Hallewell in question is too excited to consider that fact so it will be a heart attack but once said Hallewell catches up, like I said with Declan, he'll be on his knees as soon as he sees you, holding onto your hand as if in disbelief over your existence because he's spent centuries committed to his duty alone, he's a rarity among Hallewell of being older and only now finding his heart, but now he has, and he would do anything to convince to keep him around. It doesn't matter if his heart is the strongest burliest man around, or the tiniest, he will act with the same adoring worshipful actions. He'd try to go off of your reactions, because at any point a terrifying stranger pledging his lifelong fealty is unnerving at best. He'd offer his home, protection, always good food on the table- he'll cook for you if you'd like, books, gems, fine fabrics, entertainment, himself, anything and everything he has if you will only permit him your presence and should you decide anything more he would be most blessed but would never expect as such.

He's an intense dude... All Hallewell are really.

As for the third thing!

This is hell! A Hallewell unable to aid his heart, Declan would be close to tearing his ribs open to offer you his racing heart if it helps! It's a scenario where he can get very very overbearing but he wants so badly to help and is close to just finding the nearest person he knows you've expressed lacking fondness over to devour them.

Now this is a very dependent scenario, but if you were crying, breaking down good and proper, first and foremost he'd isolate the both of you. No crowds, no guest fuck off everyone he will grip a bitch and toss them halfway across town if he feels they're making the situation worse regardless of who it is. Once alone he'll try to hold you, be it both of you on the ground he wouldn't care, if you let him he'll hold you close and not say a word until you do even if it means staying there for hours until he's stuff and sore he wouldn't care.

If he can't hold you? Okay he won't try again but he's gonna pace around on high alert instinctually patrolling the area you're in to ensure nothing can come near you so you can have the space to breathe properly.

Eventually he'll gain enough sense to bring you water and something light to eat because crying is dehydrating and exhausting. If you let him he'd carry you to bed, tuck you in all nice and cozy and try to help you rest.

The issue comes in now, if you go to sleep and don't tell him what happened once he's positive you're sleeping he'll lock the house up so you're safely protected from any nosey folks, and he will hunt everyone he knows you've been connected to. Not to kill but it's not off the table. He needs to know who did what to upset you so much and he doesn't care if that means fighting everyone in your town. He'll drag folks out of alehouse and toss them into a ditch to interrogate, he's not above beating someone to near death if they know something and if they're the cause I'm sorry they're no doubt going to die

If you tell him to stay before falling asleep, or find a way to explain, he'll just stay beside you as motionless as stone, watching you breathe. Counting the moments, waiting, watching. When you wake if you can tell him what you want he'll do anything.

If you can't tell him what you want just try to tell him to stay close so he doesn't go on a rampage trying to figure it out himself

[what-gs-watching]

"I'm just a boy in a neon suit, standing in front of a girl, reminding her that Notting Hill is her favorite movie."

GANG. I went to see The Fall Guy and it was SO. FREAKIN’. GOOD. Like, sooooo good.

I have to admit, I’ve been a bit disillusioned with movies for the past few years. The industry has changed and like, really, do we need so many fucking movies about APES? Apes? For real? I do not understand why they’re making like 90% of the shit they’re making and I used to love to go and see absolutely everything and I haven’t felt that way in a while. 

Y’all,in the summer of 2008, there was Ironman, Dark Knight, and Pineapple Express. That was the height for me. That was the last time I felt really tuned into what was going on at the movies. 

The Fall Guy reminds me a lot of that summer. It would have fit perfectly. I would have seen it at least three times, we would have wandered into showings a few minutes late because there was nothing else going on that day and we wanted to get out of the heat and just have a good time. It feels nostalgic, and I love that. 

Wherein, Ryan Gosling plays Colt, a stunt guy for a popular movie star, in love with Emily Blunt’s camera operator turned director Jody, who's trying to make her first movie, after Colt suffered a terrible injury on the job and basically disappeared.

I’m gonna be Stefan for a second - this movie has EVERYTHING! Car chases, adorable couple moments, a dog that bites people in the junk, karaoke, a dopeeee neon suit, explosions, a dead body, movie quotes, friendship, and, obviously, a shit ton of incredible stunts.

ALSO! Hannah Waddingham. Shout out to that gorgeous amazon woman for being charming as hell and also a ridiculous villain. Girl, you are on fire and I want to see you in literally everything.

But my favorite part? Jody explaining the plot of the movie she’s making while forcing Colt to perform a stunt that sets him on fire, over and over, in front of the entire crew. Obviously, the movie plot has parallels to their brief affair, and she’s calling him out on abandoning her so very publicly, hiding her hurt behind the details of her movie couple, Aliena and Space Cowboy (which, LOL). And he takes it on the chin, and he tries to answer her as honestly as possible in between takes, burning and thrown against a wall. It’s funny and a little bit cathartic and a little bit sad.

Once she finally decides he’s down with the stunt, he climbs into a truck to leave and the radio starts blaring Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well”. He starts singing along and remembering their time together and ya boy starts to cry but is then interrupted by Jody asking “are you crying to Taylor Swift?” and the whole thing was absolute perfection. They had me in the palm of their hands, after that. 

And that’s like, pretty close to the start. The rest of it is madcap and fun and Ryan Gosling really is a fucking powerhouse. He’s Noah from The Notebook, he’s Ken, he’s a fucking mouseketeer and he’s always so, so, so, so good. The man is a national treasure. I will follow wherever he goes because it’s always wonderfully entertaining.

It’s really just two hours of the perfect movie going experience. And the confusing thing is, it seems like the studio didn’t realize what they had? I remember the first time I saw a preview for it, it was supposed to come out in March which is when you dump out tepid movies no one’s really dying for. But then they moved the release to May which made more sense, summer movie season, but man they are not touting this movie the way they should. 

It’s universally appealing! The chemistry between Colt and Jody! The full on absolutely crazy action sequences! The banter! 

It’s an incredible summer movie. And it put me in a great mood. I need more of that in my life, and I bet y’all do too. Maybe I’ll go again, and pretend I’m a youngin’ just looking for something to do for the afternoon, ignoring my terrible adult obligations. That’s what movies are for, and I’m glad The Fall Guy helped me remember that. 

Ryan Gosling, you wonder.

[3rdeyeblaque]

Yesterday we venerated Ancestor Rosetta Tharpe on her 108th birthday. 🎉

Definitively crowned as THE Godmother of Rock N Roll, Sister Rosetta Tharpe was a trailblazing pioneer whose legacy continues to inspire, revolutionize, & cement our footprint in America's arguably longest standing music genres.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe's musical genius is found at the crossroads between the old church house & 40s nightclubs. Born to a family of traditional evangelists & cotton pickers, she grew up in a world immersed in music & performance. She'd go on to engineer an infusion of Delta Blue's, New Orleans Jazz, & Gospel. Her unique playing style paired with her striking range in voice was both enthralling to her fans & appalling to her church family & folks. As if being a woman & Negro holding a guitar wasn't enough, her audacity compelled her to find the sweet harmonious center in secular themed music. Her sexually charged songs lined with faithful praise and gritty giration marked a collective shift in the midst of the Prohibition Era & WWII in what was viewed as popular music among Black and Mixed audiences.

She is the powerhouse that gave voice, sound, & style to the legendary likes of Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Aretha Franlkin - and to the leeching likes of Elvis & Johnny Cash who began to sample her blueprint at the downswing of her 40 year long career. It was the swing of her hips paired with the strum of her guitar that ignited the international sensation that we call, Rock, today & the array of subgenres that stem from it. We owe it ALL to Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

"Can't no man play like me!” - Sister Tharpe

We pour libations & give Sister Rosetta Tharpe her due 💐 for her fearless heart & raw talent, who's ripple effect charted our course in music history.

Offering suggestions: play her music, a COGIC Bible verse, & libations of whiskey or gin.

<< FINAL copies of The 2023 Hoodoo's Calendar are available for purchase. Subscribe to the official e-newsletter for the latest updates & exclusive content access. Link in bio🌟 >>

[15-lizards]

sorry to bother but... what about gender swapped lannisters twins?? how much worse are male!cersei (kevan or cerso) and female!jaime (jaima)?

Oh my god wait…

Also disclaimer I’m aware that doing these gender swaps messes up character dynamics/what makes them so complex but again this is just for speculation and good fun 👍🏻

Cevan is somehow so much worse than regular Cersei because he has male audacity now (which fem Cersei does have but now he can back it up) Originally wanted to marry the Targ princess whom he still obsesses over to this day, so he was quite annoyed when his Momma sided with Roberta. He does Jamie’s eldest son failure by marrying the new queen and giving up his claim as heir to Casterly Rock, bc of course he only cares about himself and his power. Whenever Roberta is pregnant, Cevan’s beloved sister Jenna is miraculously pregnant at around the same time. And once Roberta gives birth, her chubby and dark haired babies have a sudden tendency to lose weight and have lightened hair. He’s scheming and notably irritable and paranoid, but thinks he savvy enough to outsmart the small council. He’s also constantly getting bombarded by noblewomen to be his mistress, but he prefers to keep it in the family ofc. Though he has tried Lord Merryweather once or twice. By the events of GOT he manages to get Roberta killed on one of her hunts, installing his dear insane daughter Johanna as king, making his mother start a bloody, continent wide war to protect that claim. Through pure luck does he get his enemies killed and his sycophants in positions of power. But feels lost without his mother after she dies. Classic Cersei through and through.

Jenna Lannister living in the most gilded cage in the world…she was never a female knight or warrior but rather the most loved and sought after courtier in the Red Keep. She was well liked at court and preferred to socialize and dance and gossip (much to possessive Cevans annoyance) to politics and scheming, taking few things seriously. When the war started she was the favorite of the king, and was thus stuck at the Red Keep. On the day he started screaming to burn them all, she managed to convince the kingsguard to leave the hall and quickly forced his neck down on one of the thrones blades. After the war her mother marries her off as a war prize to a useful Lannister ally. Despite her good health she’s unable to carry a baby to term, and the three times she’s given birth, the baby has tragically and suddenly died of mysterious complications. By GOT she’s now one of Roberta’s ladies in waiting, and despises her and what she’s done to her brother. The court half fears her and half loves her, calling her Kingslayer behind her back and even to her face at times. She goes off as an emissary during the war but gets captured when the Lannister army loses a battle to the Young She Wolf, resulting in the hand she killed the mad king with getting cut off. Brienne is still her gf bc lesbians.

Mommy issues bonus round. Tyresa Lannister is the first cousin and widow of Johan Lannister, who died. She is a domineering woman, a powerhouse in politics, but is deeply resentful of any woman in power besides herself (cmon internalized misogyny). Close friends with the king and queen when she was young, and eventually became the royals closest advisors, leaving when they would not wed their daughter to Cevan. She was the unofficial head of the Lannisters by the time of the war because she sure as shit was not letting her useless cousins and brothers and uncle be in charge of an army. She plays her cards right and becomes the most revered and feared woman in the seven kingdoms, no man objecting her to her face. She sells her daughter as a war prize and is going to arrange her heirs auction, but he goes off and becomes king, leaving her to secure her legacy on her own, starting an entire war to keep her family safe and their legacy in tact even if she doesn’t particularly like them.

[withoutrunes]

A New Day for Women in Beat’Em Ups: Marian and River City Girls 2

I think the thing that surprises me the most about playing Marian is how... liberating it really feels.

Marian is, put plainly, a brute.  Marian hits people like her fists are made out of tanker trucks and they’re breaking the speed limit.  Marian can punch her enemies across the screen with her basic Heavy attacks- not even a Special!  Just a good old Heavy Attack, and she can send them across the screen with a punch that doesn’t look like she’s putting all that much effort into it.

Marian has elbow drops for her “hit them on the ground” move.  Marian can grab people and bash their skulls together.  She has almost unparalleled ability to crush faces, and her combo strings are all punches- no fancy kicks or twirls here.  Marian can make her uppercuts combo into each other, but she can’t flipkick anybody.

She’s also kind of slow!  Marian’s a bit of a tank.  She’s not one of the faster characters; she’s not greased lightning like Provie or Kyoko.  Marian’s a bruiser, not a cruiser.  She can cross the screen quickly with her default Special, but that’s a wind-up punch that takes time and leaves her vulnerable- though when it’s at full charge, she just plows her opponents down in a massive punch that would be more commonly seen on a big, strong dude.

Which leads me to my next point: Marian?  Is a surprisingly feminist character, in a lot of ways. 

It’s not Ra Ra Girl Power like we’re used to seeing, which often emphasizes femininity.  Marian’s about as feminine as a knuckleduster; yet the game manages this without emphasizing her as “boyish.”  No one ever accuses her of being a man, or questions her as a woman, nor is her lack of relative girlishness treated as a problem for attracting others.  Even her very introduction, beyond having Kyoko and Misako both lusting after her “legendary abs”, firmly establishes that she had a relationship with both the Lee brothers of Double Dragon fame (through hilarious eyebrow waggling, of all things.)

Girls in beat’em up games fall into only one category, usually, since there’s almost never more than one you can play: the speedy, fragile character.  Marian is the exact opposite; her beat’em up predecessors in playstyle are people like Max Thunder or Floyd Iraia of Streets of Rage, Bullova of The Combatribes, and Mike Haggar of Final Fight.  She‘s a one-woman wrecking crew, a bulldozer in first gear, slow but steady.

Even Marian’s theme in her boss fight is intimidating- and her fighting style during that boss fight is quite unique!  She doesn’t summon goons or minions, like most bosses in beat’em ups do- no, the threat in her fight is just Marian herself, and she’s more than enough.  She shakes the ground in her fight with her bare hands, throws exploding barrels at you, lunges across the screen with her giant punches- it’s quite the throwdown!

All of this to say that in a lot of ways, Marian is treated as powerful in a way that video games of all stripes, and beat’em ups in particular, have never treated women.  Marian is an absurdly present physical threat, and none of it detracts from her womanly nature- she’s just a powerhouse and everybody has to deal with it.

Honestly her closest counterpart might be Martha Splatterhead, the final boss of Combatribes, more than any actually playable character- which makes it particularly amusing that Martha herself is in the game as a powerful, rare enemy type.

It’s neat to see a game treat a female character with both this much respect and this much sheer asskicking power without trying to lessen it in some way or use it as a slight against her, and I love seeing it.

Also Mega McDuffee deserves an award, the game’s musici s incredibly solid.

[zalrb]

i literally just saw a tweet re: challengers that basically said that it’s kind of hard to achieve the type of eroticism and sensuality that movies like that are supposed to have without life experience and zendaya doesn’t have that yet. i think there’s merit to that argument because i feel like zendaya either gets these roles for these huge franchises where she’s just meant to be The Girl like in spider man and dune or she gets these roles that seem too mature for her??? not that she’s immature just that it seems obvious that these films are supposed to establish her grown woman era but are just edgy in the most toothless way possible? i really think she did a great job with rue and euphoria but her film career kinda confuses me.

I think there's merit to that argument but not in relation to the eroticism but in relation to elevating a character.

“I’ve been playing 16-year-olds since I was 16,” Zendaya said, having launched her career on Disney Channel before moving on to projects such as HBO’s “Euphoria” and the most recent “Spider-Man” franchise, both centering on high schoolers. “So it was nice to play a character that was not a child anymore. It was also interesting playing parts of my life that I haven’t experienced yet: I’ve not gotten married. I’ve not had a child. Those milestones, I don’t necessarily have a direct reference point for. That was different to feel. Ultimately, it felt like the right time for a character like this.”

And I get that, but also I don't think she really pulls this off. Because as I keep saying, Tashi was underwritten but in the hands of a more mature actress, she would've been imbued with a lot more emotional nuance which would've been illustrated her complexity more.

I'm just going to repost what I said about Malcolm and Marie:

That being said, there was a review that I think succinctly and accurately summarized my feelings about Zendaya’s acting in it:

Zendaya makes a worthwhile case study, a Disney kid turned Hollywood powerhouse on the come-up. After years of playing teenagers, she is transitioning to more wholly developed, adult roles. But while I mostly enjoy her quiet, mumbling heartbreak on Euphoria — the wild, glittering teen HBO drama Levinson also spearheads — Malcolm & Marie puts into an unforgiving spotlight her weaknesses. Her decisions are obvious enough to feel them coming on. A furrowed brow. Jutted chin. She smokes cigarettes like the parody of French actors you’d expect in a midcentury Looney Tunes sketch. There’s an air just before crucial lines like she’s clearing her throat before a big speech. She doesn’t carry the weight of real emotion and complication — whether she’s quietly crying, stripped down in a bath, or shouting obscenities.

So for a movie like this, micro expressions are everything and like, when I think of micro expressions I always go to Sonequa because she’s masterful at them

so like, something like this

vs something like this:

Sonequa’s quiver doesn’t feel like she’s putting on a quiver, it feels like she’s really trying to gather herself.

This pout is a little more petulant than intended

And this isn’t to suggest that she’s bad in the movie more that I think she’s still growing as an actress and she needs to do roles like this to get better and command the screen the way she needs to because it’s not that I didn’t see her try, it’s that I saw her try.

So I absolutely agree with the assessment that she's either The Girl in the movies or she's supposed to be in her Grown Woman Era (although frankly I thought she was written as The Woman in this movie as well) but for where she needed to be/go in the present day scenes, I watched it like you have presence but you don't have the gravitas necessary for this.

[astrologicalsstuff]

Specific parings I like and see often

Leo Venus with sag sun

I’ve seen this multiple times work especially well if the female is a Leo Venus and the male is a Sagittarius because the sun will pursue Venus and make Venus feel special. This is also a masculine planet reaching a feminine planet showing a little bit more of the relationship dynamic. The sun will chase and pursue Venus in a non toxic way. Leo is willing to play hard to get and Sagittarius loves to the chase.

Leo and Taurus

I know these placements square but when it comes to what these placements desire they are actually quite similar. Leo and Taurus both want a bold love that will last. Both love love and beautiful things. Taurus usually has a fine taste and love for beauty that they can share with Leo. Both are fixed signs that are willing to put in the work it takes and remain consistent. Leo might want to be a little more showy and social than Taurus though.

Libra and capricorn

Both diplomatic signs that believe in compromise and communication. Although these signs Also square I find they go about things pretty similarly. They both can have pretty traditional views on relationships and have the maturity to come to fair agreements. Libra may want more romance out of the relationship though. This works especially well if the man is a libra and the woman is a Capricorn. Commitment is very important for these two and planning a future for the relationship is important to both parties.

Aquarius and Virgo

These signs seem to always gravitate towards one another. They both take a logical viewpoint on people and may not quite understand how others can be so emotional at times. The mental stimulus this pairing has leaves no room for boredom. Analytical and intelligent their minds can go for hours. This works well either way and usually has a lot to do with the sharing of information.

Aquarius moon and Gemini Venus

Neither of these placements will hold each-other down and they both aim to give each-other the same freedom they desire for themselves. This is another intellectual pairing that can float around and keep things fun. Neither of these placements require a lot of attention or commitment but rather they want someone to communicate with. Neither one is likely to get jealous and may even be comfortable with an open relationship or polyamory. As air signs they value open mindedness ease and adventure.

Scorpio moon cancer Venus

Cancer Venus loves attention and they want a partner that will focus on them. They can be a sensitive partner with small triggers. Scorpio moon desires someone who will show them the kind of love they desire. Scorpio moons ability to catch on to the tiny changes in cancer helps to balance the relationship. This pairing can be both healing and beneficial for both parties without taking too much from one another. This paring may also disappear completely when together because they sometimes want to just be alone together. Scorpio and cancer can both be very loyal and I tune to each others past traumas.

Capricorn rising and Leo placements (esp moon)

Capricorn works hard and wants a life that supports their image. Leo doesn’t mind being the trophy. Capricorn is likely to work hard for the person they desire.

Gemini and Pisces

Another pairing that squares but somehow can agree in certain ways. Honestly I haven’t seen this one personally but I think that Gemini and Pisces have a tendency to flirt around and love to be social. They are also both signs of duality who have a hard time committing to one idea. The emotional perspective and mental perspective allow for a very open minded couple that can teach each-other a lot.

Scorpio and capricorn

The powerhouses of the zodiac. This pairing desires to grow and takeover the world together. This duo can make for an intimidating power couple that pushes each-other to be the best. They may shy away from the emotional aspect of this couple but neither minds. They understand each others intensity and desire for growth. Both of these signs are ruled by karmic planets which makes both strong people. They understand that life isn’t always easy and come together to leave those struggles behind.

Libra moon and Leo moon

The truest romantics of the zodiac. They may not last forever but the time they’re together nobody can deny the chemistry. Libra presence the romance Leo has been dreaming of. Leo wants to be shown how great they are and will return the love in the way libra appreciates. The more one of them does for the other the more the other returns the favor. They love to spoil each-other in affection and acknowledge their beauty.

Leo moon and sag Venus

Works best if the woman is the moon and the man is the Venus. Leo moon wants to feel desired and wanted. Sagittarius venus will never stop trying to prove that to the moon. Sagittarius venus loves how bold Leo can be and how Leo knows their worth. They love the dramatic emotions Leo presents and how direct they can be.

Capricorn Venus and Scorpio sun

This pairing works great when Capricorn Venus is the man and the woman is Scorpio. Scorpio is intense and mysterious and Capricorn Venus loves to admire someone in power. Capricorn Venus likes that Scorpio isn’t a push over and that they can stand up for themselves . They like that the sun person isn’t afraid to shy away.

Pisces moon and Leo moon

Both very creative and have a flair for the dramatics. These placements understand each-other very well and come together to create unique future.

Virgo Venus and Saturn dominants

Virgo Venus can get confused with all the nuances of romance sometimes. Even when they are in the mystical realms of love they tend to over analyze the situation. With Aquarius or Capricorn they are likely to find the logical understanding they seek. They enjoy the direct and controlled energy Saturn provides.

Scorpio mars and cancer mars

These placements can hold on to something forever. They love loyalty and building strong relationships that last. Both of them care with their everything and are driven by erratic emotions. They love reminiscing and share memories that strengthen their bond. They’re not afraid of showing their crazy side with each-other because they know they will both understand. Cancer mars feels comforted by the trust Scorpio mars provides. Even if this pair fights they can make up because they understand the depths of each others wounds.

Virgo sun (Venus applicable) and Leo sun

Virgo is a perfectionist that wants the ideal. They aim to have a partner that reflects the perfection they want in themselves. Virgo is meticulous and deliberate. They will work hard to please Leo.

Gemini Venus libra moon

The biggest flirts of the zodiac. Neither of these placements indicate someone who desires a control based or intense relationship, rather they aim to have fun and explore different people. They love socializing and can be seen as a dynamic duo at every party.

Cancer Venus taurus moon

Cancer Venus and Taurus moon are the homebody’s that want to enjoy eating together and just spending time at home. Cancer Venus wants emotional comfort that Taurus Venus has developed in themselves. Venus appreciates the moons consistency and sees Venus as someone they can rely on. The moon loves to nurture Venus and appreciates how open Venus is to love.

Libra moon Pisces sun

Both very flirty romantics. Pisces sun can have a wandering mind but will never truly betray their partner. While libra moon shares the same sort of tendencies. other placements may not enjoy how free these two placements are they know that the other wouldn’t dare ti cheat. In some ways this can spice up their relationship. They love how wanted each-other is and it reminds them how lucky they are to have each-other. Pisces sun is very romantic and can come up with some beautiful ways to treat libra moon.

Aries sun and scorpio sun

This pairing can FIGHT but there’s definitely a tension there and an understanding for this kind of communication. Fights between these two

Gemini sun and aries

These signs are all about the moment. Aries has many ideas that Gemini would love to indulge in. This paringi can go for hours always coming up with new adventures and spontaneous ploys.

Leo moon and Gemini sun

Leo moon likes the attention and Gemini sun will talk them up. These placements are both social and like to be in a group setting.

Scorpio Venus libra sun

This works best if the man’s Venus or mars is in scorpio and the sun is libra because libra sun wants a committed partner and Scorpio placements also desire that commitment and will help libra make the steps towards it.

These placements desire commitment and devotion to their partner.

Aquarius sun and aries moon

These signs are here to spice things up. They can always make a good time and laugh so hard together. These signs also have a malicious tactical sign and can work in unison making jokes that may target smone…. Time and time again I see these placements gravitate towards eachother.

[autumnmobile12]

Leona's height in relation to her father started as a joke.

Originally, I designed her to be somewhere between her parents, a little taller than Sypha but not as tall as Trevor. Then, for whatever reason, the idea that she was unusually tall for a woman or man (especially in this time period) came up as just something fun to play with.

Scenario: Family sitting down to breakfast. Leona finishes early and heads out. Sypha watches her leave, then turns to Trevor and asks in disbelief, "Is she taller than you?"

Basically, it was fun to imagine her hitting her growth spurt. No one thinks twice when she reaches Sypha's height. Reaching Trevor's, everyone just nods and thinks, Okay, so she's going to be a tall lady. Big whoop. And then she just keeps growing another head taller.

Definitely an interesting development if the family does that thing where they keep track of the kids' growth by marking a doorframe once a year.

But in developing Leona's personality further, the more the enormous stature started to fit. She has Sypha's eloquence and manner of speaking as well as Sypha's ability to remember lengthy manuscripts. She's also extremely clever with numbers and trade and has managed to increase the wealth of her home village. In terms of disposition, Leona is very charismatic, has a roaring laugh, and a fierce love for her family and people. Essentially, she became a person that Trevor might have been had the trauma of losing his home and family never happened.

It made sense for her to be a physical powerhouse. She can use rudimentary magic, but it's limited to small tricks she found useful: unlocking doors, spells that make her horse easy to find in case he's stolen, etc. Mostly, though, Leona's talent lies in her meticulous training with melee weaponry and brute strength.

This stature also provided a set of weaknesses such as a present insecurity about being taller than even her own parents, which ultimately has potential for her to be the subject of ridicule in a less-than-kind medieval world.

Another more serious weakness is the fact that long bones do not equal strong bones and are actually more susceptible to fracturing.

"Our family has fought and died through generations for this country.  We do this thing for Wallachia and her people."

...

Besides, it's also fun to imagine her doing this to any of her family:

[ellieloves2draw]

my siblings are the funniest people i know

for reference: im ellie, brother is monkey, sibling 1 is magpie ( @fried-cowboy-1897 ), sibling 2 is cinnamon, and the youngest sister is astro. as the title suggests, theyre the funniest people i know. enjoy <3

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astro (in monopoly): i hate splitting hundreds. it makes me feel less powerful than i am

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astro (losing at monopoly) (12): i hate being an adult

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astro (reading an article): “you eat with your eyes before you ever take a bite.” (middle distance stare) the papa’s games taught me that 

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magpie: like when the recipe calls for two cloves of garlic but youre smart so you put in FIVE

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cinnamon: this is to test if you have flexibility or strength. monkey, you have both

me: what do i have :D?

cinnamon: *disappointed head shake*

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magpie: rabies is a sometimes food

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astro (sadly): i have too much swag 😔

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magpie: i love it when giant crabs kill their abusers

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me: you’re such an obtuse triangle

dad: youre so acute :3

cinnamon: equilateral :D

magpie: right triangle.

—

monkey: your attitude is not shobbiting my diggities

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mom: some people say “i don’t believe in anything i cant see”.

magpie: you don’t believe in the bottom of the ocean? 🤨

monkey: you don’t believe in korea? 🤨

—

monkey: i think im moving a new bit of cartilage i wasnt able to move before! i just got spicier!

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magpie: millions of years ago there was a little land animal who wondered, “i wonder if i could go into the water?” and millions of years later, he’s in the water

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astro: i know what i can do!

dad: no spaghettios

astro: i can make— wait, no spaghettios??

—

dad: that’s the bike lane

astro: if we drove on there, we’d avoid traffic 

dad: uhhhhh

astro: at least not any traffic that we couldn’t plow over

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cinnamon (holding their boob angrily): i dont want them anymore! stay down, soldier!! stay down!!

—

astro (while wiggling like a strange little octopus): i have a mAlLEabLe head

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astro: bibble is the powerhouse of the cell

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magpie: i dont really do the whole “picture in my head” thing

cinnamon: it’s because of your anemia

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magpie: i think that if i could drink water through my skin like a frog it would fix me

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magpie: “kill them with kindness” wrong. satellite at point nemo

—

astro (playing minecraft): this is how most villagers live. alright now, look away

mom: what are you doing?

astro: keep looking away

mom: are you killing him? you could just let him free and let him live in the—

mimi: what’s done is done.

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magpie: she,*takes deep breath* world's funniest catholic guilt haver, let's just say that

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cinnamon: the only way to crack eggs *smacks egg against forehead* is the right way *smacks egg against forehead again*

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magpie: better be safe than mold poisoning, as i always say

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magpie: it’s a mermaid in a horror movie. they’ve gotta eat somebody. it’s what they do.

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astro: ellie according to this, you’re funnier than magpie *holds up chart*

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astro: no no no, mom. a woman cannot have a child, because that would display signs of unmanliness. OBvioUSly a man just manlinesses so hard that another man appears

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me: you’re so pale you're green

astro: i got that corpse slay 😎

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