#then i watched the new intro and THE CHILL IS GONE

[ninja-knox-ur-sox-off]

its here

[fancyfeathers]

Society of Protection (Yandere Bungo Stray Dogs x reader x original characters) (normalized yandere au)

Chapter Eighteen

Dust and Ashes

revealing the danger levels from the polls and what you chose of refusing to answer

Answer his questions honestly

Current danger- 10%

Future danger- 60%

Lie

Current danger- 30%

Future danger- 40%

Refuse to answer 

Current danger- 0%

Future danger- 70%

—————————

Prologue and oc intro

Chapter one

Chapter two

Chapter three

Chapter four

Chapter five

Chapter six

Chapter seven, part one

Chapter seven, part two

Chapter eight

Chapter nine

Chapter ten

Chapter eleven

Chapter twelve

Chapter thirteen

Chapter fourteen

Chapter fifteen

Chapter sixteen

Chapter seventeen

“I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to ask a few questions…” 

Jouno stood over you by the edge of your bed, the same smile on his face. You felt a chill go down your spin as he spoke those words. You couldn’t give any information away on the society, but lying was to risky with his monitoring on your heartbeat. This left refusing to answer his questions as the only option.

“I…I can’t… I can’t do that.”

“Excuse me?” He cocked an eyebrow, his smile falling flat. A new feeling of fear washed over you now that he was not smiling, unsettling as that smile was.

“I-I won’t be answering any questions.” You rephrased your answer sternly, almost as if standing your ground. You were either brave or stupid for talking to a hunting dogs like that and that fact settled over you as the smile came back on his face. He suddenly leaned over you, slamming his hand on the rail of the opposite side of the hospital bed that he was on so you had there feeling of being trapped. Your heart started racing again, faster than before.

“Let me rephrase that, you will answer my questions, you aren’t in a position to refuse.” As he spoke you looked down at you hands, one wrapped up from being dislocated. He was right, you were in no position to refuse or fight, but you didn’t have a choice, you had to keep the society safe. Then you felt his hand reach down and squeeze your face, making you look at him. He couldn’t see you, but you could tell something about your fear when looking at him gave him a thrill. “If you choose to keep on refusing to speak, I’ll make sure you’ll never step foot out of a government facility again, make you a ward of the state. I do have the power to do that so I suggest you pick your next words wisely.”

You felt your stomach drop at that statement. Your throat went dry and it almost felt hard to breathe after hearing him speak those words and you could swear for a moment your heart stopped. This man was getting off from your fear. 

Then a sudden yelp of surprise from Jouno broke his intimating aura. You both turned to face another man in a similar uniform to Jouno standing in the hospital doorway, he had messy brown hair and three markings under his left eye. “That’s enough Jouno, she’s still in shock. Even if she wanted to she wouldn’t be able answer your questions with complete honesty.”

A scowl formed on Jouno’s face at this new man’s words. “She a part of the Society and we both know it, Tecchou.”

“Yes and as of right now you are supposed to be finishing a report on the human trafficking ring that she was almost a victim of, not tormenting a victim in a case who is recovering.” Tecchou snapped back at his blind coworker, almost feeling like a knight in shining armor coming to your defense. “Besides the boss has assigned me to look after her now until sashes is discharged and someone comes to pick her up. So then with that you would be dismissed.”

You watched Jouno sighs, stand up, and readjusts himself. He turns on his heel, his cape flowing out behind him. Once next to Tecchou, Jouno leans over and whispers sometimes his coworker, you couldn’t make it out but right now you were to startled to think. It wasn’t until you registered Tecchou sitting in the chair beside your bed did you realize Jouno was gone. The two of you sat in silence for a long time, doctors and nurses came in and out of the room to check on you, take your vitals and what not and only then did Tecchou speak, asking if you were going to be okay and every time he would get the same answer of yes.

“I believe Jouno has good intentions of wanting to question you, he just likes tormenting people and seeing them squirm.” Tecchou’s words catch you out of your thoughts, at this point it had been a good two hours or so since Jouno left. “A few weeks ago a received information that a dangerous ability user, an ex assassin for British Criminal Organization, is a member of the Society. He has a body count over five hundred.”

Your mind went blank… what is his talking out? Sure some of the society members have questionable pasts, Jane had a fake identity, Dr. Stevenson ran an unground hospital in London, Alexandre had done quite a few things to win back his family’s fortunes, Victor killed his father, and so on. But an assassin? You wondered if the Hunting Dog’s information source was correct.

“…Look I don’t know anything, and even if I did I wouldn’t tell you.” You paused on your words, thinking about what you want to say next to the more than intimidating man next to you. “Some of us what questionable origins but as of now, none of us intend ill on anyone.”

“I believe you, but that’s mostly just on your past. I remember you worked at a flower shop, I used to live in an apartment not to far away from there before I became a Hunting Dog.” At his words your mind went back to the peaceful life at the flower shop, it was simple and probably the last safe job you’ll ever do again. “You’re not meant for a dangerous job like the Society, please I can get you out-“

“No.” You interrupted him, it was creepy enough that he knew your former occupation before this that you didn’t want his help at all. “I think I know what I’m made for and I don’t need a Hunting Dog to tell me what they think that is.”

Your words made Tecchou fall silent, he looked down at his lap in a bit of shame, looking somewhat like a kicked puppy. You two sat in silence once more before he spoke up again waiting to do so to make sure he said the right thing. “I can’t tell you what to do but it’s my job is to protect the innocent and I will do my job no matter what. If… if something happens and your life is on the line I will do what I have to… it’s my job.”

Before you could respond the nurse came in to let you know someone was here to pick you up, Jouno or the hospital must have gotten a hold of your emergency contact who is currently your uncle, who you haven’t seen since your visit with Dazai to talk about your father. Tecchou helped get into a wheelchair, since you were still a tad dizzy from the medication the hospital had given you, and you could just feel how strong he was as he picked you up and set you down in the wheelchair, but he was so insanely delicate and gentle with you as if you were made of glass. 

The nurse pushed your wheelchair to the front lobby, Tecchou walking along side you, carefully keeping pace with you as if he was scared to let you go far. In the front lobby you saw your Uncle John Tolkien and Aunt Edith Tolkien sitting there, both with looks of worries on their faces, like they were scared to death. As soon as they saw you they both rushed up to you and embraced you. You could see the look of almost defensiveness on Tecchou’s face when he saw two strangers he didn’t know rush up to you but relaxed once he realized who they were. 

“Oh (Name), we came as soon as we heard what happened.” Your uncle said letting go of you. He looked like a mess, absolutely worried, your aunt looked about the same. Your uncle turned to look at Tecchou and reached out to shake his hand. “Thank you so much for looking after our niece, we were so worried.”

“Niece? I thought she was your daughter.” Tecchou said, a look of confusion washing over his face. This comment gave your aunt and uncle a bit of sad expressions to mix with their already stressed ones.

“No, no, we’re not her parents.” Your aunt answered, her tone becoming a bit sad as she spoke. “We took her in after her father disappeared when she was just a baby.”

“I… I see.” Tecchou took off his hat and placed it on his chest, over his heart. He gave a bow to the three of you. “I am sorry for your loss then.”

“It’s alright, besides it has been quite some time and after all time heals all wounds.” Your uncle replied. There was a moment before your aunt took over for the nurse, ready to push the wheelchair to the car. Your uncle adjusted himself and ruffled your hair like he did when you were a child. “Well then, we’ll be getting (Name) her back to her home, her friends are probably worried sick about her.”

—————————

The two figures of Gaston Leroux and Leo Tolstoy walked down the halls of the apparently abandoned ship. It wasn’t hard to find the records of a Port Mafia executive buying such a thing, but they just didn’t expect to find what they did there. Completely abandoned and the distant and old smell of smoke on board. The two friends knew this was Fyodor’s doing and that he was long gone by now. The two walked down the florescent lit halls of the ship, Gaston leading the way, revolver in hand. Then they at last came to a vault, but once swinging open the doors they found nothing but dust and ashes.

“Fyodor’s doing?” Leo asked, stepping forward and running his finger along the ash stained wall.

“Most definitely, but why is the question.” Gaston answered, not daring to step into the ruined and soiled room. “A contained fire in a vault, he wanted to destroy something or cover up something missing that he took.”

“I see…” Leo mumbled something under his breath before turning back to Gaston. “There is nothing else in here, we should move on to the rest of the ship.”

Gaston nodded and let Leo step out of the vault and let the Russian lead the way. The two continued down the hallway until they saw a door, wooden and slightly ajar. Leo cautiously opened it and saw before them the mafia executive they had been looking for, only now he was hanging from the ceiling, most definitely dead. The two stared at the body for a long moment before Gaston sighed.

“I see Fyodor pulled a page from my old book.” Gaston sighed, looking over the room beyond the hanging body, and his eyes landed on the body of a ginger, dead on the ground. This sight made the composer’s stomach twist, it was a teenager, no older than seventeen. “…Fyodor did this, didn’t he?”

“Yes, I believe so.” Leo answered his French colleague as he pealed off his white silk gloves. 

“C-can… can your ability fix this?” Gaston questioned, the composer looked as if he was about to be sick at the sight. Leo only nodded and sat down next to the body of the boy. Leo lifted the body up so the boy’s upper body rested in his lap, like a parent holding their child close. Leo brushed the boy’s hair out of his dead face, hands tracing over his scar. 

“They say we are asleep until we fall in love, we are children of dust and ashes.” Leo spoke those words and with his fingers trailing on the boy’s cheek, a golden glow engulfed the two, far to bright for Gaston to look at, he had to look away but he could hear what Leo said. “But when we fall in love we wake up, and we are a God and angels weep.”

The golden glow blew up out and Gaston finally could look to see Leo still holding the child. It was dead silent for a moment and they waited, Leo with a calm expression and Gaston, while staying calm but having a look with light worry. Gaston went to say something but Leo only held his finger to his lips in a sush motion. Then not a moment later the boy’s eyes opened wide, and he gasped for breath, looking absolutely terrified. He sat up, looking up at the Russian man and French man with a look of pure fear.

“W-who are you two? What happen? T-that man… he k-ki…”

“Killed you? I know.” Leo answered for the dumbstruck boy. His voice still so gentle and ethereal. “What’s your name young man?”

“K-karma… w-who are you two? W-why are you here?”

“My name is Leo Tolstoy, and this is my friend Gaston Leroux. Call us enemies of Fyodor.” Leo answered, standing up. He reached down and offered a hand to the young man. “How about we get you out of here?”

The young man stared at Leo with a look of shock but not of fear. If Fyodor was something far more dark and repulsive than evil then Leo was something far more bright and virtuous than good…

…If Fyodor is a demon…

…then Leo is a god..

…and angels weep…

—————————

Your uncle and aunt drove you back to the apartment building where the society lived. It was already nearing midnight when you arrived, you figured as much with how long you must have been unconscious. You said goodbye and made your way upstairs. You could hear voices from Gaston’s room, you saw the door was slightly ajar. You stepped in and peaked into the living room and saw almost ever society member there, gathered around a young boy, red hair and an X shaped scar on his cheek. Gaston was the first one to notice you, he stood up and walked over to you. He didn’t say anything, only lead you to his study. He closed the door, locking it behind him 

“G-Gaston, what’s going on?” You asked and he hushed you placing a finger to his lips, listening. “Is this about Fyodor?”

Gaston slammed his hand over your mouth,and nodded as if to give you an answer only to dismiss your question. You two stood in silence for a long moment, Gaston seemingly listening for something…

“(Name), you were followed.”

Your heart sank as Gaston said that. Suddenly you heard a voice behind you, despite the locked door.

“You’re very observant, Mr. Leroux.”

You recognize that voice….

The two of you turned to see a man, dressed in the redhunting dogs uniform wearing that same smile as earlier today…

“Jouno.”

[writerblue275]

Favorite Media Music in no Particular Order Pt 1.

Inspiration: I just really wanted to do this lol. Music plays such a critical role in media (at least to me). When media has great music, it really enhances it for me. (I put part 1 because seriously I could do so many more of these lmao.)

Genre: Random List hehe.

TW: Me swearing? Otherwise a lot of these pieces don’t even have lyrics.

1. Counsel of Condemnation (Cyno Theme) - Genshin Impact

Listen this straight up slaps. I don’t even play Genshin Impact lmao! Though some of my lovely moots are into it, so I’ve been exposed through them. The song alone slaps and I need people to go watch his character demo. The General Mahamatra is not someone to be fucked with and his music expresses that really well! It’s ever so slightly sinister, but still up beat once things get going.

2. Viego, The Ruined King | Champion Theme - League of Legends

Riot managed to somehow completely encapsulate the arc and tragedy of Viego’s story in 4.5 minutes. From the death of his brother, putting him on the throne, the whirlwind fairytale of his romance with Isolde, and all the events leading to ruination. This piece manages to tug on my heartstrings in so many ways. Brilliantly done!

3. Taliyah, the Stoneweaver - League of Legends: Season 6

This piece is hopeful, beautiful, driving, and has little moments throughout the music that show Taliyah’s adventures across Runeterra. The build ups to the energetic points of the music are also just mesmerizing. To quote one of her voice lines: “Keep your eyes on the horizon and your feet on the ground.” (Love love love that she trained under Yasuo btw that’s such a good lore point.)

4. A Bicentennial (the Progress Day theme) - Arcane Episode 4.

When I say I literally gasped as the first peak of this song played when Heimerdinger opened the doors to show Jayce the majesty of Piltover post-timeskip, I fucking mean it. That moment left me breathless and it’s when I truly fell in love with the show (even though I really liked it before that point). But the low string leading into the HORNS. And the strings just do such an incredible job accompanying them as we’re shown around the new Piltover. The Piltover with HexTech. I also love the secondary swell as we see the sequence of the airship being sent to a different area of Runeterra via HexGate. It’s SO COOL.

5. Light of the Seven - Game of Thrones S6 Ep. 10

I distinctly remember watching this episode live one Sunday night with my parents and getting CHILLS as this song played over the introductory moments of the episode. The progression and rising intensity of the song fits the chaos as the viewer (and some of the characters) realize WTF is going on. And it’s incredible. Haunting.

6. Dragon Age Inquisition Theme - Dragon Age Inquisition

This song makes me feel like I can fly. (In fact I highly recommend listening to it as you’re taking off in an airplane. It’s great.) the transition from the slow intro into the drums is SO GOOD. And then the strings kick in again it’s just PERFECTION. Love this game and what an fantastic theme to go with it!

7. FAIRY TAIL Main Theme - Fairy Tail

One of the first anime I ever got into and from the moment I started watching I was like…YO THE MUSIC SLAPS. It’s so hopeful and epic! Every time the theme kicked in I was just like YESSSS HERE WE GOOOO.

8. He’s a Pirate - Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

This one is SUCH a classic. One of my favorites to play in orchestra too. (Woot woot to any violists out there!) Just one of the most recognizable media themes and it’s phenomenal. There are so many moments from the scores of those films that I love.

9. Anakin vs. Obi-Wan - Star Wars Ep. III: Revenge of the Sith

The battle scene between Anakin and Obi-Wan on Mustafar is one of the scenes that defined my childhood. The incorporation of the “Imperial March” theme is perfect, showing that Anakin really has gone to the dark side at this point. This entire piece is emotional and at points, chaotic. Which it should be. The BRUTAL battle between master and apprentice. Also just knowing what’s happening to Padme and stuff. OOF MY HEART.

10. It’s Over Isn’t It? | Steven Universe

Yo Steven Universe has SO MUCH GOOD MUSIC it’s amazing. But this song specifically makes me SOB. DeeDee Magno Hall puts so much emotion into Pearl’s vocals. So much so the show even reanimated that part of the episode to better match her vocals. You truly feel Pearl’s unresolved grief here.

11. Test Drive - How to Train Your Dragon

This is such a magical piece! Accompanying Hiccup flying on Toothless, this song makes me happy. And the main thematic elements are just so beautifully grand. And the part when Hiccup just goes like “fuck the manual” and trusts his gut? That with the majesty of the music gives me chills and makes me smile EVERY TIME.

12. Trust Each Other - Game of Thrones S6 Episode 9.

Damn the music from this show is so good, but especially S6. This plays during the “Battle of the Bastards” (Jon Snow vs Ramsey Bolton). This music plays at a very critical point in the episode and it’s perfect for capturing the energy there. Also I love how it has the GOT opening motif throughout, though it’s adjusted to fit the situation in the north.

13. Duel of the Fates - Star Wars Ep. I: The Phantom Menace

The TENSION IN THIS SONG. One of my favorite pieces from the Star Wars universe. The urgency and stakes are conveyed SO WELL through the music. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan vs. Darth Maul is such an AMAZING fight scene with incredible music.

14. Kingdom Dance - Tangled

THe second half of this piece makes me want to get out my flower crowns and Renn Faire attire and go dance in a field of wildflowers. Bonus points if it’s in the rain! What a beautiful and fun piece that helps to show off Rapunzel’s first festival experience! Also the way the music helps build up the cute moments between her and Flynn Rider!! Listen as a fanfic writer, this scene is something I live for and the music is a big part why.

15. Rewrite the Stars - The Greatest Showman

Listen the lyrics to this song are fucking phenomenal angsty fanfic fuel. Like come on now. Also I love a good romance-related song in a musical. Like god damn I really have been a romantic for a long-ass time 😂. But also this song is just really good! The harmonies for the bridge and final chorus are truly EXCELLENT.

This is such a random list I decided to post just because! But I hope you enjoy! And I’d love to hear your favorite media-based music! 💙

[carnivorousyandeere]

Welcome to the Cliffside Inn; Kurtis Intro

Okay I can already tell that the poll is going to end with people wanting the beach babes so here is an intro for the resort itself as well as an intro for the most outgoing mer so far~

(Can’t decide if he should be octopus, jellyfish, or seahorse though 🤔)(Edit: jellyfish!)

Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

A magnificent coastal resort, that had indeed started as a small inn, was renovated and expanded in the 1920’s and became a hit with stars and starlets of the age. Over the years, the new money crowds lost interest, but old money families still vacation there enough that the place can maintain its vintage decor and unique ambiance.

On a whim, you’d entered a contest for a free trip there. Never in a million years did you think you’d win— but you did. Now here you were, feeling like a fish out of water amongst the rich folk in the lobby, carrying your own threadbare luggage while valets and attendants trailed behind them, carrying luggage more expensive than a new car.

Seeing your distress, a young man waded from behind the front desk and through the crowd to you.

“Hey, you~! You must be one of our lucky new guests?”

You nodded tentatively, taking in his fuschia hair and the bellhop outfit he was wearing. You hadn’t seen any of the other workers with brightly colored hair and pierced ears, and he certainly seemed more relaxed then they were. Then again, the dyed hair could be a good sign that he’s just chill. Maybe there is no dress code policy here…?

He hummed happily. “It’s a pleasure to meet you! I’m the son of the owner of this fine establishment. Might I help you with your bags?”

Of course. Those earrings did look expensive. You smiled politely, “No, thank you. I’ll be fine as soon as I get my room key.”

He pursed his lips, grabbing one of your bags and slinging it over his shoulder before you could protest. “Awww, come on, let me be a gentleman? It’ll make me look bad, letting a cute thing like you struggle up the stairs with all these.”

“What about the elevators?”

“Broken,” he sighed, looking mournfully across the lobby towards the elevators.

You watched as the door opened and people got off the elevator, then more people got in. You looked back at him, and he just shrugged, grinning. You were regretting entering that contest more and more.

He helped you up the stairs, and led you to your room, opening the curtains to show off the view and taking a minute to dramatically fluff your pillows for you. The man walked over to the door, and bowed with a wink, before leaving.

You were about to breathe a sigh of relief, but the door didn’t click shut— he poked his head in one more time. “Oh, I don’t think I got your name.”

You furrowed your brow but told him. How had he known your room number but not your name? “What’s yours?”

His thick eyebrows, also fuschia, shot up towards his hairline. “My apologies, valued guest! My name is—”

“Kurtis!” A tinny voice came through his earpiece loud enough that you could hear it across the room.

Kurtis winced. “Yes, Mom?”

More tinny noise, but not loud enough for you to make out more of the words. “Yes, I’ll be right there.”

He looked back up at you, eyes apologetic and smile tight. “Sorry about that. Duty calls! Please do give us a ring if you need anything, though~!”

And with that, he was gone. Now you could breathe more easily. What an overwhelming guy…

You sat back on the bed, feeling the expensive sheets under you. You almost felt bad even touching something so expensive… almost.

The air was surprisingly cold and dry for a building so close to a warm beach, especially a building as old as this one. Although you supposed they did have enough money to install a new AC system every year if they really wanted to. The decor was mostly in white and pastels, with shell-shaped sconces on the walls and even a small chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

You shivered, stress from the drive here and your arrival bleeding into an overwhelming exhaustion. You pulled the throw blanket from the end of the bed over yourself, and fell asleep.

[crascet]

X-Men Movie Tier List Update- X-Men: Days of Future Past

Wow, this is great movie! Based on one of the best storylines in X-Men comics history, this lives up to that. Now in the original story, it was Kitty Pryde that goes back in time thanks to Rachel Summers' psychic powers that allow Kitty's consciousness to go into her past body. In the 90's animated series adaption, it was Bishop that goes back in time with simple time machines. In this movie, it sort of corporates both of them in here with Bishop being one of the survivors and Kitty being the one who has abilities to travel someone's consciousness to their past body. However, the biggest difference here is that the person being sent back is Logan, which is honestly the best choice here because of the interaction between him and past Charles.

So after First Class, Charles starts the school alongside Hank and enrolled many young mutants, providing a safe space for them. However, after the first semester, the Vietnam War started and thus many young mutants were drafted to said war, with some being dead during said war. This... really did a number to Charles, especially how it's implied that he heard all their deaths in his head with Cerebro, which lead to him taking in a temporary suppressant made by Hank just to make it stop, which means that his telepathic abilities are effectively gone as long as he keeps taking it. This pretty much leads to him being pessimistic on his outlook, making him not care anymore, with the only one still looking after him being Hank.

It's this that leads to the great dichotomy between a more optimistic Logan, with him truly knowing who Charles will be in the future, and this more cynical Charles, pretty much a full 360 from how they first met in the first movie. This dynamic is key to one of my favorite parts of this movie with Charles' whole arc to becoming back to his old self again and having more trust in his powers. Thanks also goes to McAvoy's great performance.

This whole movie is full of great scenes, from the chilling intro and introductions of the future adaptable sentinels to the Pentagon prison-break scene with the iconic Time in a Bottle sequence with Peter and his speed ability to Charles and Eric's argument on the plane ride to France to past Charles meeting his older self in Logan's mind to that incredible climax.

The ending scene of Logan waking up in the mansion of the new timeline is just great, seeing everyone from the first three films again is great, with Kitty, Colossus, Rogue, Bobby, Hank, Jean, and of course Scott, glad to see he's alive in the new timeline. This also is sort of a goodbye to most of these characters since we won't see them again until Deadpool and Wolverine.

I sadly don't have the Rouge Cut which would include a deleted sequence from the regular cut which would include Rogue getting a bigger role there instead of not appearing until the ending. However, this doesn't change the fact that this movie is just awesome to watch, and this cut would just make everything better.

A legit great movie that is now my favorite movie in the franchise that serves as a continuation of First Class and as sort of an ending to the original trilogy.

The movies after this are all going to be interesting, since it'll be my first time fully watching them. So next up, we go from the cynical 70s to the 80s as we see more recognizable members in their teenage years, and the film debut of an iconic X-Men villain with X-Men: Apocalypse.

[lux-et-astra]

The Sink Session Two Transcript

Session Two: Kevin Boots

#INTRO

[MUSIC]

VOICE OVER: Welcome to Sink Systems. If you are new to the service, make sure you start at the beginning. This is not the beginning. A warning. This session contains swearing, sex, and violent bodies.

[MUSIC]

NARRATOR: Welcome back to The Sink. It’s been a long week, hasn’t it? You’re more tired around your face. Your eyes are soiled, and your tongue’s gone hard. But that’s okay, that’s part of it. Last time was the first time. We went in quick, digging around, washing out all your dreams. The first time’s always going to bruise, get a bit tender, purple, little bit green on the top. But it'll be worth it, when your brain’s all clean. There are plenty more dreams to wash off as we start to figure out why you’re full of this mud. Soon, no more sludge, no more mud, no more muddle. Just clean and cold, sliding in your skin like a needle. 

[SFX: HORRIBLE NOISE]

NARRATOR: All you need to do is trust the advances in nanomesh sleep technology, and let us dive in. Breathe in, breathe out. Feel it coming, that’s okay. Arms outstretched, feel how long they are.

[SFX: CREAKING]

NARRATOR: Feel the breath, like wind into your mouth, isn’t it. Lovely bit of windy business. Breathe in, lovely, breathe out, windy business. I’ll count down. Three, two, one.

[SFX: SOMETHING DROPPING INTO WATER]

NARRATOR: Go.

[MUSIC]

VOICE OVER: The Sink, by Natasha Hodgson. Session Two.

[MUSIC]

#SCENE ONE - BEARINGS

MAN: (FAINT) Are you gonna give me a hand here, or what? What are you here for? Now, help your dad out, will you?

WOMAN: Dad, you really look like you’ve got it.

MAN: Come on! What’s Instas-gram got that the great outdoors hasn’t?

WOMAN: (UNDER HER BREATH) Oh, my God…

MAN: You’re not a robot, you know? You’re not plugged.

WOMAN: I know.

MAN: Right. Get our bearings.

WOMAN: Again?

MAN: So we’re two fields off from the scarecrow, one away from the bog, ravine on the left.

WOMAN: Yes.

MAN: Say it!

WOMAN: Two fields from the scarecrow.

MAN: Right. Tube, please. Bend your tube.

WOMAN: Which tube?

MAN: The – tent tube, the s– structural tube! It’s the spine of your tent, that tube.

WOMAN: We’re not staying here!

MAN: These are the skills you’ll need! Tents, edible brambles, medicinal bark… it’s the only way you’ll survive in the wild.

WOMAN: It’s a festival, Dad.

MAN: Oh yes, that’s how it starts…

WOMAN: Dan’s taking me, and he has the van!

MAN: Oh yes, here they come, these boys, creeping in closer every day –

WOMAN: Oh, my God, they’re just friends!

MAN: The second my back’s turned, here they come, creepy crawlies, well my daughter will not die on a patch of marsh with funk in her ear. Now time to play, bend that tube! Doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo, bend.

WOMAN: Oh my God, Dad, chill.

MAN: Oh, cheer up. Medi kit in the hamper, Flazer in your tin. Right, bearings!

WOMAN: (HUFFS) One field from the scarecrow, one field from the bog, ravine on the left.

MAN: Two fields!

WOMAN: What?

MAN: Scarecrow, two fields away.

WOMAN: No it’s not.

MAN: Yes it is.

WOMAN: Dad, look.

MAN: That’s –? It wasn’t – was it? WOMAN: What?

MAN: Was it one away, just now?

WOMAN: What? Yeah. Of course, it’s not moved, has it?

[SFX: SYNTH]

MAN: And creepy Dan’s got a licence, has he?

WOMAN: Stop calling him that! He doesn’t like it! Yes, he’s got a licence, obviously!

MAN: So he says. Right, we need some wood.

WOMAN: I’ll stay. Watch things.

MAN: You’ll be alright?

WOMAN: I’ll be in the tent, I promise.

MAN: Bearings.

WOMAN: Again?

MAN: (STRAINED) Just humour an old man for me, will you? So he doesn’t worry?

WOMAN: Fine! We’re in the field with the scarecrow, one field away from the bog, ravine on the left.

MAN: (STRAINED) Very good! Put me teeth back in, haha… You know I’m only like this, because…

WOMAN: I know.

MAN: I wanna protect you! You’re just –

WOMAN: Growing up too fast.

MAN: You are! Feel like the moment I close my eyes, someone’s gonna grab you away.

WOMAN: Stop being a weirdo. Go and get some wood, or whatever. I’m here, I’m fine.

MAN: Alright, alright, okay then. Bearings! You’re in the tent with the scarecrow, one field away from the bog, and I’ll see you in a second.

WOMAN: Bye Dad.

MAN: Alright sweetheart. Sorry for being… you know.

WOMAN: It’s okay.

MAN: It’s just… those creepy boys!

WOMAN: Dad!

MAN: Should I zip you both in?

WOMAN: Yeah. So we don’t get a gust.

MAN: Exactly. You don’t want a gust, do you.

[SFX: ZIPPING AND HIGH RINGING]

[SFX: BREATHING, RINGING STOPS]

[SFX: RUSTLING, BREATHING]

NARRATOR: You don’t have to stay here. You don’t want that, do you? Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.

[MUSIC]

#SCENE TWO - BEAUTIFUL NECK

[SFX: BREATHING]

MAN: I’m sorry.

WOMAN: No, that’s alright, don’t worry!

MAN: No, I thought I’d be more…

WOMAN: No, it’s fine, honestly.

MAN: (OVERLAPPING) I just…

WOMAN: Why don’t you…

MAN: I was going to say, I’ve never done anything like this before, which is, uh… which is true, but uh, I bet you get that all the time.

WOMAN: Look, it doesn’t matter about that, honestly, just…

MAN: I don’t… I don’t even know why I’m here, I really don’t.

WOMAN: Shh shh shh.

MAN: I’m a nice man!

WOMAN: Yeah.

MAN: I just – sometimes feel like –

WOMAN: I know. You – you want to relax.

MAN: Yeah.

WOMAN: You wanna relax with me.

MAN: Yeah. (LAUGHING) How do we, uh… how do we start?

WOMAN: Well, how do you want it to start?

MAN: You have a beautiful… neck.

WOMAN: (SULTRY) Thank you.

MAN: Your neck is beautiful.

WOMAN: (LAUGHING) Thank you.

MAN: (LAUGHING) You’re welcome.

WOMAN: Do you want some straw?

MAN: What?

WOMAN: Do you want some of this straw?

MAN: Uh – no.

WOMAN: Alright. Why don’t you – why don’t you just come a bit closer?

MAN: My – my wife, my wife is –

WOMAN: I – shh shh shh.

MAN: (STRAINED) Oh, God, and my boy –

WOMAN: Hey, you love them.

MAN: So much.

WOMAN: I know! I know that, and that’s okay!

MAN: Yeah.

WOMAN: You just – you need a break.

MAN: Yeah. They’re in the crocodile kingdom.

WOMAN: Okay. Good.

MAN: He wanted to see the crocodiles.

WOMAN: Of course he did. Crocodiles, yeah, they’re great.

MAN: I just… we walked past you.

WOMAN: (LAUGHING) Yes.

MAN: A– and I told them I was getting another tango drink and some wedges.

(LAUGHING)

MAN: Your neck is… fucking beautiful.

WOMAN: Thank you.

MAN: (SIGHING) It, uh… it must… is it weird for you, being here?

WOMAN: What?

MAN: Being so close to the lions, I mean.

WOMAN: What?

MAN: Just… the lions are next door, does that never bother you?

WOMAN: (BREATHING HEAVILY) Uh, no.

MAN: No, oh, sorry, I’m…

WOMAN: (OVERLAPPING) No, it’s fine.

MAN: I’m prattling, and my boy, he’s only –

WOMAN: (OVERLAPPING) Look, the point – lions don’t bother us, and we don’t bother them. So.

MAN: Oh. Right.

WOMAN: We’re powerful, and our legs are strong, and we run, very fast.

MAN: Yes.

WOMAN: (SULTRY) We fight.

MAN: Yes.

WOMAN: With our necks.

MAN: Oh, God.

[SFX: RUSTLING]

WOMAN: We’re warriors.

MAN: Can I – touch you?

WOMAN: Of course.

[SFX: RUSTLING]

MAN: Oh, God. You’re –

WOMAN: Mmm –

MAN: You’re – you’re so – tall.

WOMAN: (BREATHING HEAVILY) Yes.

MAN: I like your little… hooves.

WOMAN: Yes.

MAN: Oh, Jesus –

WOMAN: Oh, how did you find me?

MAN: The door, was swinging open, all the straw was spilling out –

WOMAN: Oh God –

MAN: One of the cleaning staff had left a broom –

WOMAN: Yes?

MAN: A broom in the –

WOMAN: Uh, the broom?

MAN: The –

WOMAN: Yes?

MAN: The hinge –

WOMAN: (BREATHING HEAVILY) Ah, they’ll be here soon…

MAN: Oh God…

WOMAN: Don’t, don’t think…

MAN: I’m a good man!

WOMAN: (STRAINING) I know!

MAN: My wife is so short, she just doesn’t –

WOMAN: I know, I know, shh shh –

MAN: (STRAINING) I’ll go straight – to the crocodile kingdom –

WOMAN: Of course –

MAN: (ORGASMIC) Just – as – soon – as – we’re – finished – I’ll get a fizzy tango drink and go to crocodile kingdom!

WOMAN: (ORGASMIC) Ahh!

[MUSIC]

NARRATOR: Funny, isn’t it… what you really want. What’s underneath… Nothing to be ashamed of, it’s just what’s inside you. Quite nice, really, when you admit what it is. It’s better when what’s chasing you starts to catch up.

#SCENE THREE - FEATHERS

[SFX: KNOCKING, WATER SPLASHING]

MUM: Love?

WOMAN: What?

MUM: You going out then, are you?

WOMAN: Mum, what?

MUM: I just – I just, uh…

WOMAN: I’m using the bathroom!

MUM: That’s absolutely natural.

WOMAN: Uh, yep.

MUM: Uh, I’ve put some tampons – for you. Behind the bubble bath!

WOMAN: (UNDER HER BREATH) Oh my God.

MUM: It’s behind the Matey.

WOMAN: Yep, okay, that’s fine, thank you Mum, you can get –

MUM: (OVERLAPPING) The bottle of Matey –

WOMAN: Thank you!

MUM: Cause – you – cause you’re not still using pads, are you?

WOMAN: Mum.

MUM: You’re not flushing them?

WOMAN: Oh my God. No!

MUM: Because they get stuck in the pipes? Love? Like, your dad said about the pipes – they run the water all red.

WOMAN: Oh my God.

MUM: Dad tried to hose down the garden last week and it came out brown, like a wet rope.

WOMAN: What do you want, Mum?

MUM: Love – 

WOMAN: What?

MUM: I found your razor!

[SFX: WATER SPLASHING]

MUM: Now, it’s absolutely your decision –

WOMAN: Mhm.

MUM: And I know about legs, for lacrosse, and – shorts and things – all the girls wanna be smooth girls now…

WOMAN: Mum.

MUM: But the thing is, once you’ve started shaving them, it grows back thicker.

WOMAN: Okay!

MUM: And darker. And –

WOMAN: Mum, I don’t –

MUM: And it’s very hard, plucking them out by hand, cause they’ll get so thick –

WOMAN: Okay, thanks Mum, my friend’s here in a sec –

MUM: (OVERLAPPING) Pulling them out, one by one, just to keep up with the growth, you know… like a brambly hedge!

WOMAN: Mum!

MUM: Just – pulling out, like feathers from a cushion –

WOMAN: (SURPRISED) Oh!

[SFX: SOMETHING PULLED OUT WITH A POP]

WOMAN: (UNDER HER BREATH) Shit, ow!

MUM: You alright?

WOMAN: Yeah, yeah – yeah, um… what?

MUM: You alright, love?

WOMAN: Yeah!

[SFX: SOMETHING PULLED OUT WITH A POP]

MUM: Did it snag on one?

WOMAN: (WHISPERED) What, I – what is this? What?

MUM: Alright.

WOMAN: (PANICKED) Mum?

MUM: It’s alright, oh dear.

WOMAN: (PANICKED) Oh, what’s happened – Mum? MUM: (OVERLAPPING) You’ll need to pull it out now, love.

WOMAN: But – but what – I don’t underst – why is it, why is it just so dark?

MUM: You can’t keep them inside you love, now you’ve started.

WOMAN: Oh my God, oh my God –

MUM: Just – find the sharpest one, the biggest darkest one, and just pull it out, if you can.

WOMAN: Okay. Wait, wait, okay.

[SFX: WET TUGGING, CRIES]

WOMAN: (PANICKED) Why – is it… why is it wet?

MUM: Yes, well – they’ve been growing inside, haven’t they? No good for feathers, really, that, they want to be on the outside.

WOMAN: But – but they’re the wrong way! Why are the feathers –? Why are the feathers the wrong way?

MUM: You’ll need to keep pulling them, now, love! Cause you’ve started, you’ve got to get them all out.

WOMAN: Oh my God! Oh my God – ah – ow!

[SFX: WET TUGGING, WHIMPERS]

MUM: Love? Love, are you alright, do you want me in there?

WOMAN: Ah – no!

MUM: You can use the Matey, sweetheart!

WOMAN: (CRYING) I don’t want this!

MUM: I know, love, I know, I – I wanted – a couple more years, but…

WOMAN: (OVERLAPPING) Mum, I’m sorry, there’s… there’s feathers, they’ve gone everywhere!

MUM: It’s alright, my love, it’s okay, it’s okay. You’re not a bird, are you, love?

WOMAN: (CRYING) I don’t know! I don’t know! What’s – what’s wrong with me?

MUM: It’s alright, sweetheart – you know, some boys, they don’t mind, these days, you know! Just – just make sure that you don’t –

[SFX: WATER DRAINING]

MUM: Oh, dear. The poor pipes. Your dad did say…

WOMAN: (PANICKED) Oh God… the feathers aren’t going… Mum! The fea– they’re not flushing down! Mum, what’s wrong with me?

MUM: I’ll get your dad. Oh, he won’t be happy about those pipes…

WOMAN: Mum, Mum, Mum! Mum? Mum!

[SFX: WATER SPLASHING]

NARRATOR: (ECHOING) It’s better when what’s chasing you starts to catch up.

#SCENE FOUR - DOG IN ILLNESS

[SFX: BELL RINGING]

MAN: Hello again.

CLAIRE: I’m so sorry.

MAN: No, no. We’re happy to handle complaints.

SAM: We haven’t – we – we don’t wanna do complaints.

CLAIRE: Sam.

SAM: It’s lovely here, it’s a lovely hotel, we’ve – just done the local area, the hat museum –

CLAIRE: Your colleague, uh, recommended we–

MAN: Mm, it’s popular.

SAM: Yeah, we learned about their, uh, shapes, and how you wear them…

CLAIRE: Sam, if you’re doing this –

SAM: Just on your head, really, don’t second guess it, that’s the…

CLAIRE: If you’re doing this, can you just do it, please?

SAM: Yes! Yes.

MAN: I assume it’s your room?

SAM: Uh, yes.

MAN: The fourth room.

CLAIRE: Yes.

SAM: Yes.

MAN: In four nights.

SAM: I am – I am really sorry.

MAN: What’s the problem now?

CLAIRE: There isn’t one.

MAN: Fantastic. The entertainment tonight will be local jazz, provided by Kevin Boots.

SAM: Oh, yeah, yeah. There – there’s just –

MAN: He’s on trumpet, with his wife, Mary-Anne, accompanying on the bells.

SAM: Right. We need – we need to change rooms, please.

MAN: Can I ask why?

SAM: Uh, yep, okay, um, the thing is – hah, is that it’s, um, it’s getting – closer.

CLAIRE: She’s – she’s being fussy. It’s – we’ve not had, um, any time off, in a while, so it’s, it’s just one of those…

MAN: If I remember, room number one was –

CLAIRE: Too close to the hedge.

SAM: Yeah, the plants, are quite – near.

MAN: Right. Room two, the taps weren’t parallel.

CLAIRE: Not quite! Not quite parallel.

SAM: (QUIETLY) Parallel, yeah.

MAN: Room three, there was a noise, it says here, like “a dog in illness”.

SAM: Illness, yeah.

CLAIRE: She’s a light sleeper.

MAN: And you don’t think you can stick out the sense of a dog in illness for one more night, seeing as you check out tomorrow.

SAM: Uh, I, uh, I… I can’t.

CLAIRE: Sam.

SAM: I’m not mad, Claire, you’re making me sound mad.

CLAIRE: No one’s mad. We’ve had a lovely day, all those hats, shapes –

SAM: I don’t care about the – hats, or the plants, or the taps, or the – the dog in illness…

MAN: To clarify, there is no “dog in illness” in this hotel.

SAM: I know that! I know, I’m not insane.

CLAIRE: Sam.

SAM: Just let me tell him, Claire! Alright, just… okay, so in the night, the problem is, is, it gets closer.

CLAIRE: Sam.

SAM: And it only backs off if –

CLAIRE: I’m, I’m so sorry.

SAM: (DETERMINED) If you’re looking at him from a different window!

MAN: Looking at who?

SAM: The scarecrow. It’s so dark, it’s just… it’s just, I mean it’s just straw, well, you know, like a heap –

MAN: Straw like a heap?

SAM: It resets as soon as we change rooms, it starts again, so it starts far back again, if it’s a different window.

MAN: What starts again?

CLAIRE: So, local jazz –

SAM: At midnight, it’s in the furthest field.

CLAIRE: And bells, I mean that’s a real lost art, isn’t it –

SAM: D’you see? D’you see, d’you see the tent?

CLAIRE: I can’t believe you managed to book Kevin Boots! I mean –

SAM: And at 2 AM, if you’re awake, if you check, it’s a field closer, it’s moved, to the wheat.

MAN: There’s nothing to fear from a scarecrow.

SAM: But – but, but, by 3 AM, you know, there’s nothing you can do, it, it doesn’t move when you’re looking at it, but it, but you have to keep – and your eyes, get so tired, and if you close them, it – you know, it’s moved, and then by the morning, I could feel it, it’s by the window, and it’s getting straw in all the glazing!

CLAIRE: Sam, there are hay bales.

SAM: It’s trying to get in!

[SFX: SYNTH]

MAN: This is working farmland, madam, the farmers are well within their rights to put up cloth-based deterrents or bundle up the hay in a tidy heap.

SAM: He doesn’t want to bundle up hay in a tidy heap, he wants to scare me!

[SFX: SYNTH]

MAN: Scarecrows aren’t for scaring people, madam.

SAM: I know.

MAN: They’re for scaring birds.

[SFX: BIRDS CAWING]

SAM: (SCARED) I know.

MAN: Are you a bird, madam?

SAM: I don’t – I don’t – 

CLAIRE: Sam.

SAM: I don’t know.

[SFX: PLUGHOLE]

SAM: I don’t – I don’t know.

JOHN: (ECHOING) Jim, did a Birdman come to your school?

JOHN: (ECHOING) Jim, did a Birdman come to your school?

[MUSIC]

MAN: And now, it’s my pleasure to introduce local jazz, from Kevin Boots, accompanied as ever, by his wife Mary-Anne on the bells.

[SFX: APPLAUSE]

[MUSIC: BELLS]

MAN: (DISTORTED) Are you a bird, madam?

[MUSIC: TRUMPET]

WOMAN: Stop!

[MUSIC STOPS]

WOMAN: I hate Kevin Boots.

NARRATOR: You’ve done so well. That’s enough for now. You need to build up those muscles before we go again. The things that come back, it all means something. Underneath your dreams, swimming into focus, is the truth. Like a lovely bit of hair, at the bottom of the canal. And we’ll find it. Whatever it is that’s keeping you from sleeping. Whatever it was that you did.

[MUSIC STOPS]

NARRATOR: Sleep.

#POST SESSION

VOICE OVER: On Session Three of The Sink.

NARRATOR: Let the dreams flood in.

WOMAN 1: Well, yes. That’s a problem, isn’t it.

NARRATOR: Have a little drown.

WOMAN 1: They don’t remember. You don’t remember.

NARRATOR: We’ll figure out what’s keeping you down.

WOMAN 2: Uh oh, where’s she gone?

NARRATOR: Down at the bottom of the tank.

WOMAN 1: Jingly jangly beads.

MAN 1: I’m wet, I’m angry!

MAN 2: You’re wet on the chair.

MAN 1: I’m soaking wet!

NARRATOR: I’ll count down.

MAN 3: There were children in there.

NARRATOR: Three…

MAN 3: I thought.

NARRATOR: Two…

MAN 3: Children…

NARRATOR: One…

MAN 3: In there.

NARRATOR: Go.

VOICE OVER: The Sink is written by Natasha Hodgson, and produced by Andy Goddard. It stars Alice Lowe as the Narrator, with Jason Forbes, Celeste Dring, David Elms, and Natasha Hodgson. The music was written by David Cumming. The executive producer was Victoria Lloyd. It was a BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds.

[chaeyunz]

happy opening, everyone! excited to introduce u to ryu chaeyun, the wolf pack skele and also professional pain in the patoots. more info will be under the cut, and i’ll be around for a while if you’d like to plot. discord is also available (and slightly preferred!)

please be warned that passive suicidal ideation is mentioned in the intro (marked w a *) & will be a general recurring theme with her character, so please proceed w caution, and do let me know if you need a sparknotes/would prefer to plot without that point!

graduated from the national university of idgafistan, with a doctorate's in idgafism and a minor’s in ijbolism. thats it, that’s all you need to know about her.

her life pre-apocalypse was pretty normal: grew up in a family of 3 with her dad and older brother. mom passed when she was young, and at mama's funeral, her grandma tells her she has shitty fate. she's literally 10 though and doesn't understand what gran's trying to say except she doesn't ever see the maternal side of her family ever again x

watched train to busan like right before the apocalypse started and decided she just wouldn't be built like gong yoo. did, and still does not have that much will to survive, but hey, she's still here!

same can't be said for her dad, who d*es in seoul qz because of a very mundane stroke. doesn't get his blood thinners on time... or at all, bc of the kdrt rationing it super strictly. her brother turns angry at the world, and somewhere in their 5 stages of grief, they make the move to the busan qz. his joining the fireflies is the natural next step for someone so full of anger towards the kdrt.

all the unprocessed grief really makes one a great member of the resistance, and he does well within the ranks of the fireflies. he goes on every mission he can, and chaeyun knows he's gone too. his body never comes back somewhere between the 10th and 20th mission. L + ratio + skill issue!

eyes turn to her, then, to carry on his legacy. problem is, she just... doesn't want to. she's happy chilling in the qz, being a silly little 21-year-old teenage girl.

a demented old lady accosts her randomly. the same shit's spouted, but this time w a twist! she's got shit astrological fate that kills the people around her. the lady's family pulls her away and apologises for her, but it lingers in the back of chaeyun's mind.

* she entertains the idea a little more than she should, and thinks everyone around her in the qz might die. has nothing more to lose (besides a delusionship over someone who barely looks her way) and if she does something useful in div4, then maybe she deserves to live.

sorry 2 everyone on the mission, 'cause she's in her terrible twos and so goddamn annoying. like, pretending to convulse and zombify annoying. pull a gun on her and she'll be like omg wow rude..... what did i ever do to u! if u can look past the chronic unseriousness then she's alright. just ur typical gen z-er.

her one strength is bouncing back from just about anything. like, she's been through. a lot. but everyday she wakes up and decides its a new day to choose violence <3

her dog is a malinois named potato (chip). better trained than her, and she loves that stupid dog so bad. classic case of tiny girl & big dog. potato sideeyes people a lot but also. is very excited and gets the zoomies 24/7 when he's not on duty. rolls over for belly rubs way 2 easy.

misc. chaeyun tingz: always has chocopies on hand. don't ask how or where she's getting them. u think she's finished the one box she's brought.. but she just keeps pulling them out. is her bag doraemon's? / very prone to nosebleeds. no reason why / keeps talking about fast food. misses mcdonald's ice cream so much. / hums under her breath. either chopin or 2016 kpop girl groups. what can she say, she's got range /

a couple plots i would like to have wld b found family.. of course. show & teach her that fate can be changed. we will all have these bitches become found family. / someone who knew her in seoul qz. can tell she's different now somehow... but can't quite put their finger on how (it's death babes x), though i'd love to brainstorm & fill any of ur wcs!

[dangerous-advantage]

(yagi-no-eda here~)

Totally would circle back /pos. I’m also pretty new to the fandom!

My wife has liked Usagi Yojimbo and associated stuff for years but it’s only this summer that my brain has allowed me to really get into it, and make it past the first 2-3 comics. Not for lack of trying - it was just never the right time in an ADHD way*. Something always would distract me. I’ve inhaled all the comics I can in just the last couple of months and yeah, Stan came at me with a steel chair too. I did not expect …this whole situation. I’ve been a fandom lurker since 1999 and yet suddenly I have blog I use near daily, a sketchbook, and bunch of fic WIPS...

Mainly because I am Unwell over UY.

I have accepted my fate. This is always going to be a Thing now.

Though I did admittedly also inhale TMNT 2003 and Rise.

Travels with Jotaro is one of my favourite volumes, but I’m also weirdly into Bridge of Death rn and just….in general having a moment over Usagi’s time with Mifune. To the point I’m doodling intros for a fake show called The Mifune Years. He had this whole expected future and friends - denied.

* to be fair this is also the summer I found out its def ADHD driving this media analysis machine I call a brain

Hope this was an okay way to get back to you! /lil anxious

Feel free to network (or share thoughts) in my tags anytime, I love hearing what other people think. Also happy to chat anytime. Or feel free to tell me to back off and that's chill too :)

(been waiting to answer this for when i had more time but gave in; should be working on my fic(s) but you know how it is lmao. stay tuned for a very long post, because i love talking about things with people, especially things i like haha

very cool to see another person very passionate about this series! i grew up on 2003 (and the 90's movies-- my parents had the third one on cassette and i remember i wore that fucker out lmao) but it was always more of a "scattered interest" rather than something i was fully pulled into

i started getting into rise (read: The Algorithm came for me) probably mid-July of last year, but didn't fully fall into it until after the movie came out. it renewed my interest in tmnt overall, and i've been here ever since!

i did attempt to watch the usagi chronicles a couple of times, and i remember thinking they were fun but not really my thing. (i definitely want to revisit it, even though i know it won't hold a candle to usagi yojimbo. it does look fun in a silly way, which i can get behind.)

i knew vaguely about how big usagi yojimbo was, and that it was a commitment, but i'm surprised how quickly it sucked me in. i've never been super interested in stuff within the genre, but damn if it doesn't satisfy the autism. entire chapters devoted to infodumping about the edo period of japan? sign me the fuck up!

i especially did not expect how much it would make me feel. like. wow. ouch. usagi is just Some Guy but he is also so well characterized and you really feel for his internal conflict, 10/10.

i've been looking for series with older protagonists, especially those more focused on the familial/platonic aspect rather than romantic (i am just an nd queer on the interweb, can you blame me for yearning for found family?), but hadn't found any i really liked other than the tarot sequence by kd edwards (very good read, would highly recommend.)

also not to be a nerd but ohhhh my god i am so obsessed with the plot with mifune.

like i know the series takes place after that, and after the fallout of that, but just. wow. imagine devoting your entire being to another, to the point where you would readily die for them and their word, and then they die. they die, and you did everything you could to honor them in that death, but they're still gone.

like... that emptiness stays with you. you don't just get over that. maybe it's the "being raised in a cult" but wow, do i empathize with that.

idk if we explore more about the fallout/exact history with mifune/immediately following mifune's death but there is so much writing potential there. if i was not embroiled within turtle hell and 50,000 words deep in a multi-chapter fic already, i would absolutely write something for it.

like. this is adjacent to your interest in the topic, but can you just imagine (/rhetorical /general you.) as far as we know, he spent five days on the battlefield before he made it out to the tangled skein.

(which is one of my favorite additions like good god holy shit. that is so cool and angsty. your lord, days after dying, appears as a fucking ghost and saves you. like, if i were to be silly and funky, i would absolutely headcanon that as the reason that he was able to stand up and continue on. because i mean... what else? what else could motivate you to stand up once more after something like that?)

(well. honor. but mifune is the physical manifestation of honor in the narrative, so same difference? it's like both thematically significant and emotionally significant and-- ok im shutting up now. but i could talk for days, istg.)

but like. how do you reconstruct yourself from that? we see him holding tight to this sense of honor, even after his lord is gone, sent reeling (adrift in the waves) with only his soul and moral compass to hold to.

which makes it hurt so much more when we see these ideals of honor-- this ghost of a man, of a life, still haunting him years after the event-- still woven through the narrative, made to specifically conflict his deepest wants.

i joke about it a lot on my fic discord (i have a whole channel called 'father-material' devoted to just pictures of him hanging out with/taking care of kids), but something that seems very important to him is wanting to be a father figure, and wanting these connections to family and friends.

but that is contrasted against these ideas of honor, the very thing he built and rebuilt his foundation off of after it was torn away from him. and it's just so incredibly painful but also it makes sense, because he can't just give up the side of himself that is a samurai. too much of his person, his characterization, is built off of this.

to see it constantly clash with this want to settle down and finally rest, devote himself to his relationships/family rather than the code of bushido-- the very essence of honor itself-- ourgh ourgh ourgh its so good

(put aside the fact that he once said he could never serve another lord, and we know from the story that the idea of a "lord" can be more than just a person... he never stopped serving mifune, not truly. he still upholds the ideas of honor that mifune stood for/represented. as if his lord never truly left him.)

...i was going to say more, but then i realized this turned into a whole-ass mini-analysis, so i'm forcing myself to stfu. but basically: i have feelings about this series, man (/gender neutral).

anyway. if you ever do put something together, i would love to read/follow it! if i ever wrote something, it would probably be exploring the direct fallout of losing mifune, so hey, different niches but similar (:

also: never be anxious about talking to me ever in any way possible. i will probably be even more annoying than you in tags/asks/everything under the sun, and i do genuinely love talking to people who share my interests (typically about those interests.) i like to pretend i am an internet Cool Guy, however, it is a flimsy veneer to hide all the cringefail swaglessness and unending mental illness about my blorbos

(...i am so tempted to just invite you to my og turtle discord server so i can annoy you about usagi on the regular. also about what my reimagining of yuichi would be, because i have so, so many ideas.

i will refrain, but if you would be interested, it has been kinda dead as of late, so it would be nice to enrich the ecosystem a little by slowly collecting other usagi-interested individuals and slowly taking it over, one by one (/j /lh).)

anyway, same thing goes for me with my posts/asks/reblogs/messages/whatever. i am so very earnest, so if that puts you off, that's very chill and fine. however, as long as you're down to vibe, i am similarly down to vibe >:D

i once more apologize for this monstrosity of a reply. i would say it won't happen again, but my reading comprehension apparently does not extend to the "all things in moderation" maxim. instead i choose maximalism (to the max)

(sorry for that joke. yeah that will also happen again. sorry. /lh /pos)

[swaglordyoongi]

✟ 𝓐𝓼 𝓐𝓫𝓸𝓿𝓮, 𝓢𝓸 𝓑𝓮𝓵𝓸𝔀 ✟ { Intro }

A/N: After a long hiatus, I've decided to introduce a new series I will be working on. It's lightly proof-read, so don't judge it too hard. Hope you enjoy <3 P.S. This holds no value to my own views and is not meant to offend or attack any group(s). Purely fictional! <3 Pairing: Angel!Namjoon x Demon!Jungkook Warnings: Religious talk/Reference, Moral disconduct, Sexual thoughts/actions, Infidelity. Snow trickled down slowly, but surely from the sky. The flakes would dance within the soft winds before littering the streets of Seoul, covering the pavement in blankets of white. Cold temperatures bit at the busy bodies scurrying down the roads - most enjoying such weather. Laughter, conversation all filled the atmosphere. Jungkook felt like he was going to puke. The thick black coat he wore did nothing against the chills crawling over his body. The fluffy black hair he had tucked under a beanie did nothing to rid of the pins and needles nipping at his ears. This sucked! "God blessed us with snow today~" A older lady had cooed to her elderly husband as they worked their way up the sidewalk.

'Blessed?' The young man couldn't help but scoff at such a thought. God? The mention of such a deity was enough to have the handsome male's soul burning. 'What a joke' he thought as his gaze locked on the aged woman. She had to of been in her 60s with the grey consuming the color of her hair and the fine lines accenting her skin. Walking the line of sin, constantly had proven to Jungkook only that 'blessings' were nothing but a mental figment of human's imagination. They allowed it to fit whatever narrative they wanted to build for themselves. After all, he had been referred to as that "blessing" a time or two, when it truly couldn't be further from the truth. Jungkook was a demon. Not one of spirituality either. No, those pathetic creatures held no light in comparison to the young creature. He was very real and tangible unlike them who appeared in nothing but the shadows. His one purpose to walk these streets was to ensue chaos. And ensue he would. As the couple had walked towards him, the Jungkook couldn't help the thoughts that wracked his brain. It wasn't until he watched as the lady's phone had slipped from her pocket, that he decided how to approach it all. Bingo. Increasing his pace into a jog, Jungkook was quick to scoop the phone up from the snow, dusting it off. He then turned towards the elderly couple. "Excuse me," he spoke, catching their attention. Closing the distance, he decided to speak again. "You dropped this," the young male claimed, holding up the elder lady's possession.

The woman gasped in shock, "Oh my. I didn't even notice. Thank you so much. What a kind boy," she rambled, holding her hand out for the phone.

A smile pulled on the handsome male's lips as he set the phone down in her hands, but he didn't release it just yet. He wasn't done. No, no. Jungkook wouldn't of went through all that trouble just to return the woman's phone, and - from how quickly her husband's shoulders had tightened - he knew his plan was on track. Leaning down, the male lowered his voice to whisper to the lady, loud enough so only her (and maybe her husband) could hear. "I'm not a boy," he purred, his gaze mischievous and playful. "Maybe if you were with a man like me, you wouldn't have to worry about anything like this.." He stood, letting go of her phone. The woman was dazed, as if she was in a trance. Her hand clutched the phone as she gazed up at Jungkook. The demon snickered. "We're a little more.. attentive-" he winked, "if you know what I mean." And with that, the man was off back down the street again. "Don't lose it again!" he claimed, as he stuffed his hand in his pockets, the fake smile he was sporting, gone. Instead it was replaced by a sinister smirk as he heard the old man hollering after him. Surely, he was livid by a young man rousing up his wife in broad day light. Oh well, not his problem.

"Still a blessing?" he wondered, to himself.

Bzz, Bzz.

His lightly chapped, but pink lips pressing onto a scowl. With a small, but gruff grunt, he looked down at his phone, eyes locked on a text rather than the trail in front of him. The handsome male's lips curled into a smirk as he gaze at the screen. Hook, line and sinker. Jungkook had been buttering up a nun of a local church, and it seemed to be paying off thanks to the "Come get me." text he had just received.

Just as he was about to return the text, he was hit by a random burst of water. His eyes blew wide, the scent of cleaners and filth in the water working quickly to rile him. Did someone just throw mop water on him?! "What the fuck?" The man growled out, his eyes snapping to the perpetrator.

Jungkook froze.

Standing beside him, looking equally as shocked, was probably the most handsome man the demon had encountered walking about this world. "Oh! I'm so sorry!" The man began, quickly setting down the bucket. "I was tossing out some water, and I didn't see you, I'm so sorry. Here, come in. I can get some clean clothes for you-"

Hearing the apology seemed not to do much for the shorter man though, as he stepped forwards to grip at the other's apron he wore, gripping it into a tight fist. "You really expect me to believe it was a fucking accident?" The younger grimaced, his eyes dark, swirling with nothing but anger. What really surprised him though was how easily the man pried his hand away, holding onto Jungkook's fist, easily engulfing it in his own hand. Was this man some giant or something?? Why was he so strong? And why was Jungkook's hand burning? The demon chalked it up to the cold which had been assaulting him since he left the warmth of his little apartment. The man's touch was extremely warm, so it would make sense.

"I don't." The worker, answered. "But, I wouldn't be offering you clean clothing and some tea to warm you up if it was intentional." There was a pregnant pause as Jungkook genuinely debated the man's words. They were fair enough. Plus, he did not want to waltz around in a sopping jacket that now smelt like soil and lavender.

"Fine." The younger grumbled out, ripping his hand from the other. Tingles rumbling over his skin once the contact was broken. "You're paying for dry cleaning too though."

And that was how he met Kim Namjoon: the man who took his current life and shattered it.

Originally, their meetings after the situation were purely coincidental. He'd be on his way to a club or even just to near by event when he'd cross paths. It happened so frequently at one point that Jungkook debated whether or not Namjoon began to stalk him. That was ridiculous of course. Eventually, Jungkook had put a target on Namjoon's back. The older male was a perfect victim for someone like Jungkook. The man was so righteous that the demon's hair would stand up on ends. His body physically cringed at the male's holy than thou presence. Plus, the rosary that Namjoon sported about his neck hadn't gone unnoticed by the younger. It had became a goal for Jungkookto get the seemingly perfect man to slip. Yet, this time, the demon's plan did not go as planned.

At first, it went too well. He easily had snaked himself into the man's life. Just a couple coincidental "passings" by the same floral store they had met at, and soon the man had easily invited the demon in his home time again and again. Jungkook spent a bit of time gaining the man's trust, but even that wasn't enough!

It was like the man held an inhuman moral code. If Jungkook asked him to go to the club, he'd retaliate with the idea of having some wine and dinner. His sexual or flirty advances were completely missed by the oblivious man. The time he tried to get him to go gambling, the older gave him an hour lecture for fucks sake! Hell, Namjoon had even soiled his plans with the nun! Who would of known that the church the woman worked at was one that Namjoon attended and that the woman would be so comfortable with the man to talk about the situation. Ultimately being convinced by Namjoon that it was human to have such thoughts, but to stay with God and not to commit such a sin. Despite it all, Jungkook felt like he was hooked on Namjoon like some kind of drug. The lines behind his motives had surely blurred long ago. While he - if asked - would say he was just around Namjoon for the sake of corruption... There was something else deeply buried in him that knew he would be lying. As time grew, so did their relationship. For the first time in his life, Jungkook had given up on tainting someone. Instead he was able to just be himself about the man. The older became almost a safe-haven for the handsome male, away from all the chaos and trauma he created. Whether or not he would admit it, Namjoon had fell off of his books for his tasks and had became the first and only person Jungkook socialized with just because he wanted to.

Today, hadn't been Jungkook's best day. He had convinced some rich actress to bed with him, despite her having a partner. Work was work. To his luck, right before they got to the good part, her partner had came home and decided that instead of taking it up with his girl, he was going to end up in a brawl with the demon.

Obviously, it hadn't ended well for the woman's partner, but the fact that the idiot managed to land a hit to Jungkook - especially on his face - had the other livid.

In the last numbering weeks, Jungkook had felt.. weak. He had spent a good chunk of his time with Namjoon, so his only explanation for the sudden drop of power was the fact that he wasn't as active in his duties as he been before. Now, it had ended with him being hit by a mortal. Hard enough to bust his lip open too!

Pushing into Namjoon's floral shop, he wiped the remnants of blood off of his lip onto the leather jacket he wore. "Hyung, I'm hungry." He called grumpily as he walked in.

In moments said man was in front of him fawning over him thanks to the injury. "What happened? Why is you lip bleeding?" The older male fussed. While Namjoon knew Jungkook put himself into a lot of rather dangerous situation, this was the first time he came back with any injuries.

It didn't take long before the store had been locked up and the man was ushering the younger to his apartment that sat above the store. He treated Jungkook's wound, but not without a lot of complaints and whines from the other.

"Jungkook sit still. I cant disinfect it if you keep moving." The man chastised. He had boxed Jungkook in his spot, sat atop of the bathroom sink, yet the younger seemed to have no interest in holding in one spot until his wound was handled.

"It stings!" The tattooed man whined, turning his head away to avoid the cotton ball touching his lip any longer. "I'll be fine."

"Please, look at me." Namjoon ushered.

"No." No avail.

Fed up with Jungkook's general disobedience at the moment, the older's hand shot up to cup the other's chin, forcing him to turn his head and keep it there so he could finish caring for the busted lip.

This seemed to subdue the younger enough, seeing how he didn't move or fuss. It was a little startling how quickly the skin Namjoon held took on a red tinge. He hadn't gripped that hard. Maybe his skin was a little sensitive?

Yet, no complaints fell from Jungkook. Instead, his eyes had fell locked on the florist's lips. "Hyung.." He suddenly spoke, gaining the elder's attention.

"Kiss me."

"Jungkook- wh- what are you-?"

Before anymore could come from the older, the demon had pushed forwards, hand hooking around the back of the man's neck, pulling him forwards to connect their lips. Hot pains flashed through Jungkook, yet they felt so good. His eyes were fluttered shut as his lips moved against Namjoon's who was slowly giving into the kiss.

The demon's hands were soft as they moved up into Namjoon's hair, and a small smile pulled on his lips when he felt the other's hands sitting on his waist. The soft grip they provided sending his heart ablaze.

It wasn't until Jungkook's tongue swiped across the other's plush, bottom lip that Namjoon pulled away. The sight that greeted him though, was one that made his heart drop. Jungkook was sat on the counter infront of him, panting. His eyes were hooded, sinfully and he looked so fucked out, despite it just being a kiss.

The sight would of been arousing for the male, if it wasn't for the blood red hues that had replaced Jungkook's once chocolate irises. There was small horns twisting off his head now setting it all into align for the older.

Jungkook was a demon.

"Get out." Namjoon's voice boomed.

The younger froze, his hooded eyes slowly rounding wide as he stared up at the older in disbelief. He was unaware of his attributes showing. After all, it had never happened before. So to him, it was confusing. Was the man mad he kissed him? Why would he return it then? "Wh-.. What?" He asked, his hands now shaking.

"Be gone." Namjoon shakily repeated, his heart aching. Had Jungkook approached him this whole time only to corrupt him?

He couldn't believe it, but with the new information on the younger's identity, the man couldn't find another reason. Yet, why did Jungkook look so surprised? So hurt?

The demon needed not be told again; his body reacted before his brain at the words. Slipping off the counter, he ignored the way his joints ached. "You're an ass." Was all Jungkook said, before exiting the bathroom.

Namjoon was in pure astonishment. He was a jerk? How? Wasn't it Jungkook that was here to try and throw him into the pits of hell?

Unless -- thump.

"Jungkook?" Rushing out, he was greeted with the younger's figure slumped weakly on the floor. Wings had now sprouted from his back, black as night, yet tattered. His skin had lost the warm color, quickly paling and his breathing was nothing but heavy.

What the-? He had only banished him. Why was he like this? Namjoon was at a complete loss. Nothing like this had ever happened around him, and it was as if his feet were glued in their spot on the floor.

"Hurts.." Jungkook whined. "It hurts!" He hissed as a golden glow began to shimmer off of his body. The balls of light were beautiful in their own way, but Jungkook's curdling cries showed they were anything but comforting. It was like a million balls of lightning were dancing about the man, zapping his skin soundlessly as they grew in size. Jungkook curled in on himself, his now long, black nails digging into the flesh of his arms, taring at the skin. "Fuu-!" He hissed as the light consumed him, flashing with a burst of feathers before disappearing entirely, leaving an slumped Jungkook. His horns were no longer, and the wings had disappeared, leaving nothing but the mess of feathers behind. The male was silent now, his eyes shut and breathing scarily slow.

Rushing to to young male's side, now that his shock had worn off, he shook him "Kook.. Kookie, please. You.. " His heart screamed. What had he done? Yes, he had banished the kid, but it shouldn't of done this. It only should of made him leave!

Slowly, the younger's eyes cracked open. Once again, they were the beautiful, warm brown color they typically bore, yet this time they quickly filled with fear.

"Wh-Who are you?" The male pushed himself up to sit, a groan coming from him as he moved. "Where..am I?"

[lesbiansforboromir]

Just saw the post for the LOTR MMO, I remember watching a "Is It Still Worth Playing?" video a while back, and sadly it didn't got too much into the narratives. From your endorsement, it seems the writers had fun with making new lore. Any quests or moments that stuck out as particularly cool? I admit that bit about the Orc narrative sounded interesting.

Yes even though that video was pretty positive, it actually got a few things wrong and the fellow only played a little bit so he never grasped the massive scope of the game but OH LIKE... like there are so many, I'm going to summarise ones I remember just in a sentence to try and avoid spoilers but there are 1000 I have forgotten that were just as cool, this is in no particular order;

High elf intro; You experience the Last Alliance first hand, gain an emotional connection with a boss that is 100 levels in the future and take a nap.

Experience Arvedui's ghost and become involved in Lossoth politics.

Help the Chiefwatcher of Bree deal with those pesky Dunadain Rangers and realise why people don't trust them.

Literally every single aspect of Mordirith's plotline that I won't even spoil for you but that spans 130 levels and nearly your whole journey through Middle Earth and ends so fucking satisfyingly.

The instance where you play the breaking of the fellowship from both Boromir and Frodo's perspectives and how fucking heartbreaking it is.

Fight in the battle at the fords of the Isen and fucking cry when Theodred dies, truly an agonisingly heartbreaking one that one is too.

Literally just coming over the ridge and looking into Rivendell for the first time, the landscape is so beautifully crafted.

Experiencing the fall of Minas Tirith with Denethor, trust me okay it's so good.

THE BATTLE AT THE BLACK GATE HOOOLY SHIT

Being haunted by visions of Sauron as Annatar whilst you explore Eregion's ruins.

The way they make you fall in love with Forlong and his wife and the way he and Hirluin are old friends and just this achingly sweet moment before their deaths that again I won't spoil.

Walking into literally any of the meadhalls in Rohan they're all so unique and lovingly rendered.

Trying to break the blockade on Dol Amroth and advising Lothiriel in the defense of the city when her father and brothers are gone to war.

VIZNAK MY LITERAL GOBLIN CHILD he's literally- he's my friend it's- I can't talk about it I just love him.

Saruman at the auction and the whole plotline of trying to defend Dunlending communities from him and his servants.

The instance where an easterling 'enemy' challenges gondorian assumptions and defends his people with this chilling snapshot of what fighting Sauron had gotten them.

Finding the corpse of the fell beast in the brown lands!

Finding the corpse of the balrog on the slopes of Caradhras!

The little story about this poor hobbit fellow in yondershire who is trying to get over the death of his friend, it actually hit me so sweet and sad.

DIS aaa fuck I nearly forgot, just hearing Dis speak about her brother and the dwarven race's fate in general.

Just the entire Azanulbizar map and this sense that you're really helping in a proper war, watching the pyres of all the dwarves that died and Thrain's pain! The characterisation of every dwarf king!

The mysterious ghost town in the midst of southern mirkwood and trying to discover why they have been cursed.

Meeting an old dwarf named Atli Spiderbane when you're literally level 1 in Combe and meeting him again in Mordor and going with him to hunt shelob 115 levels later.

Travelling with a scholar throughout the vales of Anduin and learning all the created history for the northmen!

Meeting the lost community of hobbits in the Enedwaith!

OH Old Nar in the enedwaith, discovering his story and why he's up here.

The introduction to rohan where you know things will go badly but it still hurts anyway.

OH thE MYSTERY OF HYTBOLT, discovering who's behind it all and delving into how Theoden's illness and lack of leadership effected his people.

GOD GRIMBOLD and his marital issues... I can say no more.

Theodred sword!!! Eowyn and!!

Uniting the north downs and meeting Gildor Inglorion!

DISCOVERING WHAT THE WITCH KING'S THREAT OF 'THE HOUSES OF LAMENTATION' ACTUALLY MEANT.

Mordor Politics! All Sauron's servants are without a dad and it's absolute chaos, trying to coordinate with the Nurnoth and free them!

RECLAIMING GUNDABAD!!

Travelling with the rangers through Dunland to help them get to Aragorn in time and the absolutely brutal journey that is.

Falling for Denethor's sisters (me specific I just love them)

Eowyn's hilarious ability to camoflage herself so well even her fiance doesn't know it's her.

Exploring what elven friendship with mortals means and how they (don't) deal with it well in the Angle of Mitheithel.

Rangers and Dunlending racial tensions in Mithiethel too!

FIND OUT ALL ABOUT THE CURSE ISILDUR LAID UPON THE MOUNTAIN MEN, THAT SLAPPED FORREAL.

Entering the paths of the dead.

I have literally run out of time to keep typing there's so much more I just have DND but!!! aaahhh!! Cannot overemphasise the sheer size and scope of the game's narrative development for the books!

[jeremy-queere]

Oh wow - I just realized I should be advertising these here.

So, a friend Venus (aka V aka @nyx-bait) and I have been roleplaying for several years now. I got permission to post our RP logs on ao3 for archival purposes. But if anyone else is interested, it is Good Readin'.

The plot is a crossover between Be More Chill and a mobile game called Uta no Prince-sama - a rhythm game about Japanese pop idols. We wrote a scene of Jeremy meeting Ai, an android created to be an idol, at one of Ai's group's internationally-touring concerts. We weren't sure if they would get along or not.

But... they turned out to have the best chemistry of any couple I've ever written. So we kept writing. And writing. And writing some more.

The first chapter of the first fic about these two has an explanation on how to read roleplay logs if you're unfamiliar, as well as clarifying expectations.

For the most part, we've written Jeremy/Ai in that original universe discussed above. But we've also messed around with some AUs, including "Jeremy, an undergrad exchange student working as an intern, comes across Ai in his early-development stage as an AI" (coming soon) and "Ai's creators want to investigate this illicit tech on the market, sending Ai undercover as a high schooler in New Jersey to catch Jeremy, fully SQUIPped and spreading the pills as quickly as he can."

For those of you who enjoy my writing of Jeremy, Michael, and the SQUIP, I encourage you to check out "Is It Weird to Date the Evil Robotyrant in a Nerd's Body." (Venus is solely responsible for these great titles.) Like most RP logs, it's an unfinished story. But like I wrote in the intro notes, I really think it's worth reading for some fun asshole brainwashed Jeremy, undercover detective Ai, and SQUIP-truther Michael. Here's a taste:

Pay attention, the SQUIP snaps.

Jeremy takes a shaky breath and tears his gaze away from the guy he's been staring at intermittently for the last ten minutes of homeroom. It's not his fault, he thinks. That bright blue hair would capture anyone's attention. It's a good thing, too. Jeremy is relieved at anything that gets the school's focus off of him. What are the odds that this random high school in Newark would get two brand-new transfer students on the same day? Pretty low, Jeremy figures. It's even weirder that they'd both be drop-dead hot. 

Jeremy can think that about himself now. It's not even an ego thing. It's an objective fact. The SQUIP has gone through every square inch of Jeremy's physical appearance, restructuring it from the bottom up and eliminating as many imperfections as is physically possible. Jeremy's hair is conditioned and gelled, his skin blemish-free, and the SQUIP gives him a little shock whenever he smiles crookedly. He's been trained to give a movie-star smile instead, one that shows off his bright white teeth. 

This other student, though? He definitely doesn't have a SQUIP or they would have synced up the moment the guy stepped into the classroom. Either he was born with those good looks or he's got some amazing beauty-routine tricks up his sleeve. He's not even basking in the attention that he's earned, either. His thick lashes are brushing heavily against his cheek with every blink, his chin resting on a hand as he watches the teacher at the front of the classroom. He scans the room every now and again, and he's definitely locked eyes with Jeremy at least once. The SQUIP had Jeremy tilt his head with a devilish little smile instead of averting his eyes with a blush like he was inclined to do. It's a social faux pas to keep staring, but... damn.

Jeremy is sure it's the bright blue hair cascading down on one side of the guy's head with all the unchecked wild beauty of a waterfall that keeps distracting him. What else could it be?

Stand up and wave. Offer a tentative smile, but keep your back straight and your shoulders back so you look confident. The SQUIP's order seems to come out of nowhere, but Jeremy knows better than to question it. He obeys immediately, actually tuning in to the teacher as he stands. 

"And our other transfer, Ai Mikaze," the teacher is saying with a gesture at the hot guy.

Sit, the SQUIP says. Like a dog hearing a command, Jeremy sits. He almost turns his head to look at Ai again, but his neck doesn't turn like he expects it to. The girl beside you is interested in you already and she's a valuable social contact here. Think of her like the Newark version of Jenna Rolan. Remember Jenna? You're going to want to sleep with her. Once upon a time, Jeremy would have gotten flustered at hearing the SQUIP say that. Now it just feels routine. Initiate meet-cute flirt protocol. 

Make eye contact fleetingly, give her a cocky smile when he catches her staring, drop his pencil at the SQUIP's command, brush up against her hand when she reaches to pick it up for him. Yeah, he knows the drill. It's as easy as breathing nowadays and twice as boring.

Jeremy, the SQUIP says in irritation. He blinks at Ai dumbly before he remembers that if he's looking at Ai, he's not looking at the new girl. Ugh. He's somehow still so bad at this.

[philosopheme]

[Review] Fortress Festival

I went to Fortress Festival in Scarborough this weekend just gone and had a blast. Here’s a little review of some of the bands I saw.

Friday

Friday kicked off at 2pm with English BM band Andracca and what an opener it was.   Crowd was disappointingly light for them and I felt a little bad but it was the very first set of the entire festival. They still earned some new fans, myself included. Great energy and intensity.

Next came another English BM band - Andartar. Heavier than Andracca but similarly great intensity. I knew I'd stumbled upon a brilliant festival already at this point. Another pic. Lighting was great throughout the whole fest.

Slight change of pace next with Devastator, a black thrash band from Derby. First pit of the weekend starts, even if it only consisted of around 6 people. They got a great reception and put on a good show and their set was 30 minutes, same as the two before.

Then we get to our first jaw drop of the festival. The Sun's Journey Through The Night. One man band from England recently nominated for Metalhammer's Song of the Week. Incredible performance and highly recommend them. Nice theatrics with the horned skull mask and just fantastic energy from everyone involved. I also got a drumstick from them, cheers!

Wode come next. 40 minute set this time. Manchester black/death metal. Loved his vocals.

Then we have Finnish pagans Havukruunu. Setting the 'atmospheric' tone for the rest of the evening with a nice intro. Place was looking full now, though it was amazing how spacey the room felt. Should also note the crowd was really chilled and friendly. Great set, loved the bassist's bullet crown.

Time for the headliners. I say headliners because they both played for the same amount of time and both felt like they had the right to finish the first day off. So - an hour's set from the magnificent Can Bardd from Switzerland. Beautiful atmospheric folky black metal, many people said they were their favourite band of the weekend. Great set and, as you can see, the place was really alive. Popped out for a smoke and thought 'what a place'.

To finish off, Saor from Scotland. First time hearing electric bagpipes which was a fun experience. Just like every other one that day it was a brilliant set, the crowd were really into it and I especially enjoyed the flute(?). Frontman Andy engaged spoke with the crowd a few times. Nice view leaving the spa. 

Saturday

Back  to Scarborough Spa - which was once again looking ravishing - just in time for the post-black metal openers from Birmingham, Lunar Mercia, at 12:30. Really nice sound and lovely vocalist who I'd spoken to the day before.

Next we have Nemorous. Basically Wodensthrone v2 as it's made up of mostly ex-members. Started amazingly, finished amazingly, but suffered a very unfortunate snapped guitar string in the middle that seemed to take an AGE to restring. The crowd was totally sympathetic but you could feel the frustration from the entire band, I can't imagine how disappointed they were. Think they only managed around four songs but they did a great job and I went and bought a t-shirt afterwards. Visceral vocals and first keyboardist of the festival.

My personal highlight of the weekend came at the end of Nemorous' set. Just before they started I checked in at the Panopticon stand and got myself a copy of Kentucky. £80 on Discogs currently but they were selling them for £35. That alone made me very happy, but, whilst watching Nemorous, I noticed a familiar face. There was Austin Lunn from Panopticon, the reason I bought the ticket to this festival, going ham at the barrier (the guy with the hair, obviously). Once the set finished he very kindly signed my copy of Kentucky after I frantically searched for a marker pen and got a photo with him. He stuck around to chat for a few minutes and was one of the nicest musicians I've ever met. So enthusiastic and asking loads of questions.  My weekend was made and absolutely nothing could've ruined it at that point.

After a short break and a few beers I got back in time for Ard. Described as 'Monastic Northumbrian doom', Ard is the project of Mark Deeks from Winterfylleth. As a one man project he was naturally assisted by the rest of Winterfylleth! This was a real change of pace from the black metal we'd been listening to since early Friday afternoon and he did thank everybody for sticking around for him 'even though there were no blast beats'. Really enjoyable set.

Next, Ante-Inferno, from Scarborough itself, with the drummer being the organiser of the festival, Gary. Really been enjoying their most recent album 'Antediluvian Dreamscapes' and they were a class act. In case you haven't caught on, everyone at this festival was fucking great. Really loved the vocals here.

Here we have one of my biggest highlights of the weekend and a band I've not stopped listening to since I left Scarborough.  Afsky, from Denmark. They rendered me absolutely speechless. Sure, the wood and the torches and the industrial fan were a nice touch, but they played with an intensity I hadn't seen to this point. The sound was amazing and the screams were just top drawer. As you can see in this video, it was way busier on the Saturday. Room was packed but, like Friday, far from cramped. I've listened to them every day since Saturday and I finished one of their albums on the drive home.

It was getting real misty at this point. Eldritch powers or smoke machine, who can say?

Penultimate act of the day, English black metal darlings Winterfylleth. Mark Deeks from Ard back behind the keyboard this time. I'm a fan of Winterfylleth and it was my first time seeing them but I wasn't really blown away. They were good, I think I just expected them to be better. Or maybe it was the anticipation of Panopticon around the corner... either way, there was a better pit this time as well as a few corpse-painted balloons floating around. Very kvlt.

Finally, my time had come. I bought my ticket for Fortress the moment I heard Panopticon were there. One of my favourite black metal bands, with Kentucky being one of my favourite albums of all time. At this point, around 21:30, I hadn't had a pint for about 2 hours to avoid needing a piss and losing my spot at the front. I got right to the barrier, which was insanely easy, and waited it out. Soundcheck took a little while and the whole fest was probably running a solid 15/20 mins behind. Think Austin Lunn spent more time trying to balance his 'Commonwealth of Kentucky' flag on his amp than actually doing the soundcheck, not that I was complaining.

And then we were off. They were fucking amazing in every way. I was emotional. So much Kentucky material, including the wonderful little folky bits. Austin wasn't satisfied with the sound at the start and kept asking for more guitar, not that it interrupted his flow at all. Though, the string instrument they were using (fiddle? violin? idk) could've definitely been a bit louder. Austin's vocals were fantastic but I was utterly blown away by their keyboardist, who's name I don't know. Guitar work was fantastic and at times it sounded just like the studio album.

Austin did an impromptu meet and greet afterwards, just jumped down from the stage and started to chatting to people. Really phenomenal set. Sadly it was the end of the road for me, as I couldn't stay for Sunday's lineup due to work, but I had had an incredible time and finishing with Panopticon was a moment I'll never forget.

I heard Sunday was also good, though I think it would be fair to say the lineup was slightly weaker. Heard great things about Abduction and Cenotaphe, though I've heard a few things about Bolzer having a nightmare with soundchecking (as in it took fucking ages and he had a go at the sound engineer - and someone may have heckled him?) but I can't say much more as I wasn't there. A friend did say they were really good once that got out of the way.

Favourite sets: Panopticon, Afsky, The Suns Journey Through The Night. In that order.

Final thoughts

Fortress is one of the best festivals I've ever been to. Not because it was flashy or had the best lineup or anything like that (though Panopticon puts it up there for me), but just because it was so well organised and chilled. Everyone was super friendly, there was zero hassle, the venue was incredible, and all the bands delivered. 

They've already confirmed they're going again for 2024 and they're moving to the bigger room at Scarborough Spa which holds 1800 and looks awesome. It's going from 3 days to 2 days (Saturday and Sunday).  Here's their Facebook page and there's a forum with plenty more pictures and discussion and links to other black metal gigs in the UK, worth joining.

Thanks for reading.

[beautiful-songbird]

there's a bunch of different interpretations of the music video but i think this is about the gist of it (kinda long, sorry!):

so seokjin is an astronaut from another planet and is new to earth (symbolizing army) and he doesn't really know the earth that well. the intro to the mv is him looking at his blazing spaceship struck into the earth and he's just kinda here now. (he's sitting next to a bike helmet he had with him, which will be important later.)

in the house, he's chilling and doing a cross-word puzzle, but he's frustrated and can't figure out the rest of the words at all. he looks at a child's crayon drawing hung on the wall, which has an astronaut, a little girl, and a mom and dad all holding hands.

but soon, from his window, he sees a large beam of light shooting into the sky. it also says on the news "mysterious beam of light spotted". this is from jin's spaceship telling him it's time for him to leave earth (army). this is symbolizing that it's time for jin to leave bts and army to go to the military. so he puts on his suit, puts on his bike helmet and leaves the house, leaving his crossword behind.

when he walks out, he's greeted by this little girl (the one from the drawing) with a bike, which she doesn't know how to ride, and he puts his helmet on her. this lil girl is the representation of army and the bike is armys' individual journey. armys have hard time learning to go about life smoothly, since there are many rocks and bumps. and jin puts a helmet on her to make sure she doesn't hurt herself in the process of learning to ride her bike. again, the bike is important and so is the little girl.

jin looks at back at his house for a moment, before running down the road towards town. he's clearly in a daze, as he doesn't realize the many people bumping into him in the bustling city. he stops though, when he sees an astronaut suit standing in the middle of the sidewalk. this is the same on from the drawing, and jin sees his reflection in the shiny helmet. he probably sees himself in the astronaut.

but now, he's riding his own bike in a desolate, desert-like place. while riding, he has flashbacks to teaching the little girl how to ride her own bike and how to balance and watch for obstacles. and she eventually learns and rides along the road without him, and seokjin smiles at her with happiness and pride. this is representative of him being happy that army can now ride through their lives, and finally leaned to ride smoothly even through rocky bumps and obstacles in life. he's happy army will be able to do this when he'll be gone. (i'm crying now lmfao)

he parks his bike, and approaches the spaceship, which the beam is still sparkling into the sky, he looks at the beam thoughtfully, and he has more memories of playing with the little girl (army). things like playing in the sprinkler in the front of their home, drawing, taking pictures together, and the little girl pinching jin's cheeks while he looks at her with playful annoyance (lol).

he snaps out of it, and the beam disappears, and the spaceship starts lifting off the ground. he looks behind him, away from the spaceship, realizing what he'll be leaving behind if he really does leave. he turns around and walks away from the ship, deciding he won't leave to go back to his planet. he wants to stay and live on earth. the ship lifts of the ground and waits for jin, but he doesn't turn back.

he hitchhikes a way back home, sitting on the back of a pick-up truck. he smiles with relief, pride, joy, and maybe more. he's just happy that he'll be able to stay at home with the little girl and be on earth for a while longer. another memory shows with him with another crayon drawing: jin pushing the little girl on the bike on planet earth, with the house in front of them. he titles it, "home".

i think a time skip happens here, when he does go to the military, and comes back. now, he's finishing his crossword puzzle, the word he was stuck on. he finishes it with "family." realizing even though he's not from the earth, everything that matters to him is here, even his new family. the girl rings her bike bell from outside, calling for jin, and he smiles. even though she knows how to ride her own bike now, she still wants to be able to play and ride through life together with him. to be a family with him on earth. just like him and army are family.

in conclusion: i am not ready for when he leaves oh my god

I…am going to have to read this later 😂 I saw how long this was and my brain started buffering

[marinaers]

@sentinaels : tell me more about pradeep and ann chief

thank u thank u i never want to shut up abt them actually but i'm gonna have to pick the highlights or i'll be here all night

they are best friends. i said this in their intro post but i'll say it again. best! friends!

it's hilarious that ann and ravi dislike each other so much because they are the same person in different fonts. pradeep befriended both of them for the same reason and they would both have an aneurysm if he told them that.

the reason being that he saw two people who would fully rather die than admit to having An Emotion, lonely and homesick and missing the people they love, and dealing with it by isolating themselves and being insufferable, and decided someone had to do something about it.

pradeep is the youngest of three ( an older brother and sister ) and ann is the oldest of five ( four sisters ).

pradeep loves his siblings very much, but he'd be lying if he said part of the appeal of the job wasn't getting out from under their shadow a little. he may not be the first one to get a phd ( his brother, archaeology of the lunar colonies ) or to leave their home planet ( his sister, political correspondent for an up-and-coming martian news site ), but he's damn well gonna be the first one to travel beyond the known galaxies and document the microbiology of previously-unexplored planets. not that he's competing.

ann and her sisters were brought up by their grandparents. by the time she leaves, her grandfather's been dead for a few years and her grandma is already very old; it's a very real concern for ann whether her grandma will still be alive when she gets back, especially since nobody can contact her during the mission.

ann's little slice of life vlogs for her sisters? pradeep is usually the cameraman.

never mind your watch, you can set the ship's entire calendar by pradeep mishra. he knows the major holidays people are likely to celebrate and makes sure they're always observed — decorations, food, music, whatever it calls for — but he also finds out the little things that are important to people, too. lesser-known holidays, cultural traditions, variations that spread among human planetary colonies. he believes everyone should have some connection to home if they want it.

pradeep vc: i would follow ravi into hell i just wish he'd stop going there

ann's role as a paramedic means she gets to go planetside a lot in case anything goes wrong on expeditions, and it's unequivocally her favourite part of the job. sometimes someone will get hurt, but often it's just research teams collecting data and she gets to chill. take photos of the places they explore. record some more vidoes to take home. sit there and experience the wonder of being on a planet so far from home they don't even know its name. she fucking loves it.

i repeat: they're best friends and they love each other SO much.

team karaoke nights? the two of them always duet.

look, was ann wrong to be concerned about pradeep falling for ravi? not really, she loves her friend and doesn't want to see him get hurt by someone who's seemingly made it their mission to ruin any ounce of good will extended to them. but pradeep is very capable of taking care of himself, more than people would assume from how chill and nice he is usually. he will not take anyone's shit, he won't let himself be treated like shit, and he's not afraid to be vocal about it.

even though pradeep and ravi were kind of, sort of, together, if things in general hadn't gone so horrifically wrong, i think pradeep would have broken things off. not in a forever way, but in a find me when you're really ready for this because i deserve better rn way.

ann farthing vs the utter inability to truly leave someone alone when they're struggling because she's a GOOD PERSON and she was RAISED BETTER THAN THAT but jesus christ some people test her patience and she can hold a grudge like nobody's business so yes she once spent twenty minutes muttering angrily to herself in the kitchen at 2 am ship time as she made a grilled cheese ( it didn't take that long but she needed the extra time to finish her angry little soliloquy ) so she could bring it to ravi because nobody should be crying alone in a deserted common area in the middle of the night. but she's gotta keep some sense of normalcy so she also flipped him the bird on her way out.

insatiable gossips. both of them.

when everyone is dead, and ravi finally brings himself to move the bodies so they're not just sitting where they died, he puts the two of them next to each other.

[castle-dominion]

c1x5 chill goes thru her veins

I feel bad for the stunt actor. Why are those lights turning on?

Beautiful intro <3 with her ring & gun & stuff. (but she just keeps it in a drawer...? No surely that drawer is locked... gun laws in the usa can't be THAT lax...) Beautiful red coat. We need more of that in later seasons. She should shave her head, but like in a sexy way. For the leabians.

JE: Why can't they find bodies between 9 and 5? KB: Well, early bird gets the collar. *castle running around before beckett can even drink her coffee* JE: He was here before I was.

Poor lanie, she's there just as early as anyone. XD cold case LP claims she's frozen solid, but let's just make a note of that. Captions say mid-40s & i'm assuming that means 40-50 f not negative 40? That's what like 12 degrees c? Nope, 40f is 4c. not quite cold enough to freeze, not solid, even with wind. Lol ruby slippers Ok but bodies float in concrete Maybe the killer is just really flaky like me. Or maybe they killed her & didn't know what to do so they froze her until they came up with a plan.

I'm watching s4 with my family rn & the technology is booming. Reminds me of s2 when the fbi came in. Legit made me laugh out loud when castle made that wilford warfstache face. This seems like a good time to remembe MMIWP; missing & murdered indigenous women/people. It is literally an ongoing genocide, idk much abt the USA but indigenous people are disproportionately represented in cases like this in canada. Indigenous men are actually more at-risk for murders than women, though women are more at-risk for disappearances & sexual abuse. They are even overturning things like ICWA, FNMI kids are already overrepresented in the foster care system, forced genocidal assimilation is happening under our noses Right Now. Everyone is an ally until it is time to do some ally shit.

KR: Sure they do. Quantum physics, alien abductions, Schrödinger's cat. One minute, you're getting a hot dog in the park, the next you're fighting off Sleestaks on the far side of a dimensional rift. BRUH??? Reminds me of the alien episode in s2 or s3. Oh woman I remember in Range class we had our turkeys out all weekend & they were still frozen

KB: Okay, I'm on my way KB: Lanie's got an ID. So u don't need to look thru missing persons anymore right? RC, to rysposito: You'll take care of these? *leaves* JE: Hey, Ryan, can you, uh… Thanks. *also leaves poor ryan to go through or put away the files* Poor Ryan, he's just staring at espt leave with such hurt, his eyes just moving all over the table & room, & his mouth slightly open. He's left to deal with this. They really are treating him like the new guy even tho he really is not he's been there long enough in canon.

WOAH FIVE YEARS IS A LONG TIME BABES

Steals his coffee Ofc he's a speedreader. I like how later they use that skill again. ok but she disappears often, she's gone for weeks at a time occasionally, the guy probably wouldn't have called in until seven days after she's gone Flirting with her lol. He probably thought she ran away for the first six months then figured she was gone for good or passed away.

R u using a 5yo file? Oh. Yeah five years. So new york "idc that the previous tenant was murdered, it keeps the rent low"

JE: Well, four years between murders? One's a popsicle, one just got popped? I love castle's shirt texture, I just want to feel it. KR: I don't believe it. RC: Give me 250 pages, I bet I could make you. KR: *chuckles* But he's right. "250 pages is 125 000 words single-spaced or 62 500 words double-spaced. Typical documents that are 250 pages or more include full-length novels."

CASTLE I could call it, "A Chill Runs Through Her Veins." ESPOSITO Ooh. I like that. [Castle and Esposito five-five.] CASTLE "Bam" said the lady, another best-seller for me.

(https://scriptline.livejournal.com/18916.html for my quotes, it's so much faster than typing them out. sometimes.)

You know, ppl ship caskett (obv, & then it eventually eventually finally becomes canon) & ppl ship rysposito (I can see why, plus if caskett is together obv rysposito would be together) but tbh I like castito or casposito or castlesito or estle or espostle or espositle or javick rickvier or whatever their ship name it. Probably casposito.

Hmmm. Homeless, White Plains. Homeless, White Plains. JE: both kinda creepy

I love him with his kids (possibly spoilers) I think I know how it ends, I feel like the parents will end up having done this & the kids will end up parentless & then grandparentless. Or maybe the husband did it & then the grandparents killed the husband bc screw you for robbing my daughter of her life & my grandkids of their mom & I'm not letting my grandbabies be raised by a murderer (unless they become murderers in which case.... you lost your point)

drinkin coffee in a bar. I mean he's right ig but at the same time screw you & acab. Oh war vet? Yeah no hun cops feel more brotherhood with soldiers than they feel responsibility to their jobs. The entire system is crap. I want to say "than they feel responsible for the ppl they are meant to protect" but... they aren't really "meant" to protect them. They are meant to police them.

That's why u like castle. He spins crazy theories instead of making things fit into a box. (except he still says "that's not how I would write it") Castle sherlock holmes moments.

JE: A couple of bucks jogged his memory. Yeah man Already have their little handshake uwu Reminds me of ochoa/herve doing the big handshake. I feel like castle wrote a cool handshake (made it up) for roach & then they put it in the movie but castle didn't actually know how to do the handshake.

Oh gosh this poor man. Only this time, all I find is a freezer plugged into a light outlet -- which, by the way, is totally illegal. So valid bestie. (I love him so much.) One time I had to make a mini model of a house for math class but it was my best friend & me & we were both disabled so we handed in the simplest project we could & got in trouble for it. Then our parents helped us out, they put in the water heater. Paul said "lets use this little pill bottle, we can glue it to the wall here" but then my dad chips in 'That's a Code Violation, man!' as if code violations matter in our little model. Both dads cracked up. It was funnier when it happened... (& whenever we go to tour dream homes dad points out the code violations. & ofc count how many secret rooms we can make. Not that we'd ever live there.) Oh fun fact, if you make a double male extension cord you can power your neighbour's apartment if they forgot to pay their electrical bill, JUST so they can like, keep their fridge running so their food doesn't spoil. Some anarchosocialist cyberpunk for ya. I mean the man's right. I see why he did what he did. People are really good at not seeing homeless people.

Man kept the freezer? ofc it's cash. every six months, plus three months of grace. Two months after the man is dead! So valid bestie, keep the footage of the last two weeks, but who has space for more than that?

If not x, then y. if not her, then him. If not sam, then whoM? Him=whom, he=who. Who did it? He did it. It was whom? It was him.

Mmm leftovers. That's a heck of an empty freezer. Hey self cleaning oven, sort of like that episode in s3! Did you know you can jerry your oven open during self clean mode to make it into a pizza oven? Don't do it tho. AC: Did I stop, or did something stop me? I love her RC: It's family moments like these I will never forget. AC: With a good therapist, hopefully, I will. DSAFHDSJHADSKJH

I like beckett's coat. This Wyler fellow seems neat. I like him. Man remembers the bf's name?

This boy looks like someone I've seen before. Maybe that actor/directer, gary sinus I like his shirt. Seems like a nice prison uniform. This fellow seems neat. Oh. I love & respect this man. I love him sm. This is tragic.

Sometimes I'm very "guy" but other times I am so obviously raised female, but I was also raised catholic. Nice pride flag lol B'y I think it's a bad idea to tell these children what happened to their mom, at least in any detail. They're kids. Or at most tweens.

What if GARY killed sam? He wasn't dead for four years or so, you could have come forward. he WAS dead for the past year, you could have come forward w/o fear.

Ooh this is the coolest & sweetest thing. I love their laser tag gear. RC: Mom! We are totally doing battle on the field of honor. MR: How old are you? RC: Old enough to afford the top-of-the line laser tag. You know that's what they tell addicts. The only fun you had was drinking & now you don't have that hobby? All your friends do drugs so you're out a community? Do what you wanted to do when you were a kid, now that you are an adult with adult money. Buy yourself an easy bake oven, go play laser tag, take that gymnastics class you wanted to do all throughout elementary. RC: I'm dead! MoOm! 

I like how castle doesn't try to make himself look like a presentable adult, he opens the door & shoots his laser gun. Poor beckett. She knocks on his door & then gets laser shot by a novelist she was a fan of who is now shadowing her on crime cases, then his daughter comes out from behind him, also wearing all this laser gear (including the fact that she is a responsible adolescent), & then his mom comes in from the side with a towel on her head & a mask on her face. "Pehtikwe"

Is this the first time she has been in his house? Or did she arrest him here once? She is indeed a comic fan, remember the vampire episode? It's like a murder board. Lol jinx. I like castle's sweater here.

See? Most ppl don't own a car in a city like that. Point for the adhd castle headcanon. Goes on a tangent like that. Plus, he's very childish sometimes, very childlike /pos sometimes, he procrastinates a lot, then he hyperfocuses & bangs out a novel, he can think inside or outside the box but he threw the box away so he doesn't know if he's thinking in or out, he is not very good at following instructions lol (you know i was diagnosed with ODD & recently I found out & thought "that's just what they diagnose you with when you don't understand things & so you ask questions or refuse to do things or you don't like being a child treated like you are not a person; that's why so many ppl grow out of of" & I Was Right, BUT that's only the misdiagnoses, ODD is actually a mood disorder, which might be why I kind of got over it when I went on mood stabilizers. Fun fact for ya)

It's late at night they just went to his house? Or maybe it's the next day.

ROGER They told me he was shot in a mugging. And now you're telling me, he was killed here, in my apartment?

CASTLE Not him. His wife.

ROGER His wife? What kind of family was this?

CASTLE Alright. So, you and I are married.

BECKETT We are not married.

CASTLE Relax. It's just pretend.

BECKETT I don't want to pretend.

CASTLE Scared you'll like it?

BECKETT Okay. If we're married, I want a divorce.

ROGER Are you two like this all the time?

CASTLE and BECKETT Yes.

(usually they give opposing answers. JE: yes; KB: no; RC: I wish; KR: ...??? Ok!)

Castle puts down the pan but beckett still has the pot *closes door on roger* *hands the pot back to roger*

Need to go to the eco station? Call your buddy with a truck.

I still respect this guy to a degree. I love the way his voice is breaking. This poor fellow.

Cap's right. what goes around comes around.

I remember how it ends. Not five years ago. Plainclothes. Melanie's dad. He did his own detective work & I'm proud. I know what you mean castle but you kind of can't do that.

I feel really bad bc he's just trying to be a good grampa, he is raising his grandkids, he solved his daughter's murder & paid justice to sam. Tho he probs could have gone to the police. Also why do those kids look native? Melanie & her parents are white af. IG we've never seen sam's body/picture so maybe he was native or a poc.

Dad, they probs don't have the evidence to convict you. Don't confess & you can get away with it. Ah I see why he did it now. R u allowed to bring back a service weapon? Good on him, he said a father MIGHT be justified. Never said he did it.

Oh beckett sharing her story!

We were supposed to go to dinner together - my mom, my Dad, and I, and she was gonna meet us at the restaurant, but she never showed. Two hours later, we went home, and there was a detective waiting for us. Detective Raglin. They found her body. She had been stabbed. She still had her money and purse and jewelry. And it wasn't a sexual assault, either. They attributed it to gang violence. Random wayward event. So, just like in Melanie's case, they couldn't think outside the box. So, they just tries to package it up nicely. And the killer was never caught.

CASTLE Why do you wear the watch?

BECKETT My Dad took her death hard. He's sober now. Five years. So, this is for the life that I saved. And...

[She reaches in her shirt and pulls out the necklace with the ring on it.]

BECKETT (CONT'D) this is for the life that I lost.

Oof, so good. So good. I love them.

CASTLE Until tomorrow, Detective.

BECKETT You can't just say "night?"

CASTLE I'm a writer. "Night" is boring. "Until tomorrow" is more hopeful.

The second cree word of this post: Wapaki. It means "tomorrow" but cree words are long. It means more like "if the sun rises tomorrow" & it implies that we have FAITH that the sun will rise tomorrow, we can't actually tell the future. We are just doing what we can. If, if the sun rises tomorrow.

& she doesn't lock her gun in her drawer.

Esposito & castle & getting the file & how did he convince espt to do this.

[41:50, INT. PRECINCT, RECORDS ROOM - NIGHT] Esposito enters, followed by Castle.

[Esposito leads him past rack after rack of file boxes, until he comes to one and opens it. He pulls out a file and hands it to Castle.]

ESPOSITO Remember, this never happened. I was never here.

CASTLE You have my word. Thanks.

[Esposito clears his throat]

ESPOSITO If you tell her I did this, I'll make you bleed.

CASTLE Understood.

ESPOSITO Good luck.

[The name on the file: Johanna Beckett. Castle takes a seat at a table and turns on the desk light as Esposito leaves, dousing the overheads. Lit by the light of the lamp, Castle looks down at the case file. He takes a breath, and opens it.]

I should do some chores.

[menemennpastirma]

Ren - Hi Ren

Lyrics: [Intro] Ooooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooooh Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooooh Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooooh Ooooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooooh Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooooh Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooooh

[Verse 1] Hi there Ren It's been a little while Did you miss me? You thought you’d buried me, didn't you? Risky… 'Cause I always come back Deep down you know that Deep down you know I'm always in periphery Ren, aren't you pleased to see me? It's been weeks since we spoke, bro, I know you need me You’re the sheep, I'm the shepherd Not your place to lead me Not your place to be biting off the hand that feeds me Hi Ren, I’ve been taking some time to be distant I’ve been taking some time to be still I'vе been taking some time to be by mysеlf since my therapist told me I'm ill And I've been making some progress lately, and I've learnt some new coping skills So I haven't really needed you much, man I think we need to just step back and chill Ren, you sound more insane than I do You think that those doctors are really there to guide you? Been through this a million times Your civilian mind is so perfect at always being lied to Okay, take another pill, boy! Drown yourself in the sound of white noise Follow this ten-step program, rejoice! All your problems will be gone! Fucking dumb boy Nah, mate, this time it's different man, trust me I feel like things might be falling in place And my music's been kinda doing bits too Like I actually might do something great And when I'm gone, maybe I'll be remembered For doing something special with myself That's why I don't think that we should talk, man 'Cause when you're with me, it never seems to help You think that you can amputate me? I am you, you are me, you are I, I am we We are one, split in two, that makes one, so you see: You got to kill you if you wanna kill me I'm not left over dinner, I’m not scraps on the side Oh, your music is thriving? Delusional guy! Where's your top ten hit? Where's your interview with Oprah? Where are your Grammy's Ren? Nowhere! Yeah, but, my music's not commercial like that I never chased numbers, statistics or stats I never write hooks for the radio They never even play me, so why would I concern myself with that? But my music is really connecting And the people who find it respect it And for me, that's enough ‘Cause this life's been tough so it gives me a purpose I can rest in Man, you sound so pretentious! Ren, your music is so self-centered No one wants to hear another song about how much you hate yourself, trust me You should be so lucky, having me inside you to guide you, remind you to manage expectations Provide you perspective, that thing you neglected, I get it You wanna be a big deal, next Jimi Hendrix? Forget it Man, it's not like that Man, it's just like that, I'm inside you, you twat! No, it's not, man you're wrong, when I write I belong Let me break the fourth wall by acknowledging this song: Ren sits down, has a stroke of genius He wants to write a song that was not done previous A battle with his subconscious, Eminem did it Played on guitar? Plan B did it! Man you're not original, you criminal, rip-off artist The pinnacle of your success is stealing other people's material Ren, mate, we've heard it all before Oh, "She sells seashells on the sea shore" Fuck you! I don't need you, I don't need to hear this 'Cause I'm fine by myself, I'm a genius! And I will be great, and I will make waves, and I'll shake up the whole world beneath us That's right, speak your truth! Your fucking god complex leaks out of you It's refreshing to actually hear you say it! Instead of downplay it “Ugh, music is all about the creative process and if people can find something to relate to within that, then that's just a bonus” Fuck you! I'ma fucking kill you, Ren Well, fucking kill me, then! Let's fucking have you, Ren I'ma do it, watch me prove it, who are you to doubt my music? ‘Cause I call the shots, I choose if you die Yeah, I call the shots and so I choose who survives I'll tie you up in knots when I lock you inside

[Bridge] News flash I was created at the dawn of creation I am temptation I am the snake in Eden I am the reason for treason Beheading all kings, I am sin with no rhyme or reason Sun of the morning, Lucifer, Antichrist Father of lies, Mestophales Truth in a blender, deceitful pretender The banished avenger, the righteous surrender When standing in front of my solar eclipse My name, it is stitched to your lips, so you see I won't bow to the will of a mortal, feeble and normal You wanna kill me? I'm eternal, immortal I live in every decision that catalysed chaos That causes division I live inside death, the beginning of ends I am you, you are me, I am you, Ren!

[Verse 2] Hi Ren, I’ve been taking some time to be distant I’ve been taking some time to be still I’ve been taking some time to be by myself and I've spent half my life ill But just as sure as the tide starts turning Just as sure as the night has dawn Just as sure as the rainfall soon runs dry when you stand in an eye of a storm I was made to be tested and twisted I was made to be broken and beat I was made by His hand, it's all part of His plan that I stand on my own two feet And you know me, my will is eternal And you know me, you've met me before Face to face with a beast, I will rise from the east, and I'll settle on the ocean floor And I go by many names also Some people know me as hope Some people know me as the voice that you hear when you loosen the noose on the rope And you know how I know that I'll prosper? 'Cause I stand here beside you today I have stood in the flames that cremated my brain and I didn't once flinch or shake So cower at the man I've become When I sing from the top of my lungs That I won't retire, I'll stand in your fire Inspire the meek to be strong And when I am gone, I will rise In the music that I left behind Ferocious, persistent, immortal like you We’re a coin with two different sides

You might also like MOTTO NF Sick Boi Ren Screech’s Tale Ren

[Outro] Ooooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooooh Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooooh Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooooh Ooooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooooh Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooooh Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooooh...

[Spoken Outro] When I was seventeen years old, I shouted out into an empty room, into a blank canvas that I would defeat the forces of evil And for the next ten years of my life I suffered the consequences... With autoimmunity illness, and psychosis As I got older, I realized there were no real winners and there were no real losers in psychological warfare But there were victims and there were students It wasn’t David versus Goliath, it was a pendulum Eternally swaying from the dark to the light And the more intensely that the light shone, the darker the shadow it casts It was never really a battle for me to win, it was an eternal dance And like a dance, the more rigid I became, the harder it got The more I cursed my clumsy footsteps, the more I struggled So I got older And I learned to relax, and I learned to soften, and that dance got easier It is this eternal dance that separates human beings from angels, from demons, from gods And I must not forget, we must not forget, that we are human beings

#music #guitar #ren #hiren

(via https://youtu.be/s_nc1IVoMxc)