#time for a new layout methinks

[rivensbane]

rivensbane ➵ waterdeep

[sometimesoliloquy]

The Handmaid’s Tale 5x05 “Fairytale”👀

So we have 2 major storylines: June and Luke's ill-advised bowling date, and the miseducation of Ms. Serena as a late in life handmaid-in-waiting. Shout out to the brief but delightful subplot that involved Moira and Lily getting drunk and shit talking, I would totally ship them. I apologize in advance for the snark this quickly devolved into, there may have been wine involved.

We begin with Serena descending down a long staircase, to greet the martha housekeeper at the bottom (wonder where we've seen this before?). I will say, although the Serena/June handmaid parallels this episode are heavy handed—from the stairs and the green juice healthy breakfast to the flashbacks to the very layout of Serena’s room(!)—I actually didn’t really mind because every scene and detail screaming at us that the handmaid's chunky brown boot shoe is now on the other foot was just kind of karmically delicious. Of course Serena still thinks she has power here (at least at first), as she is wont to delusionally believe, demanding requesting to speak with the Commander Mr. Wheeler. Silly Serena, don't you know the menfolk are very very busy with man business? They don't have time for your foolish female prattle! She's able to briefly forget this rejection and her probable indigestion from that smoothie, as Mrs.Wheeler presents her prized pig guest to her gaggle of wanna be Gilead wife friends, who fawn over Serena and her big belly, to her great satisfaction. It's like a good old fashioned Gilead fake labor show but better! (or is it.... guess we'll have to wait and see)

We flash back in time to see Serena and Naomi sauntering their new teal heels through the sterile hallways of an animal children's shelter: they browse the strays through the observation windows but can't quite imagine adopting a mutt into their home, you never know if they're properly house-trained and anyway, they were thinking more of a purebred (they know a breeder). So wonderful we saved these poor children from their ungodly parents to be put in fitting homes!...oh dear, not my home though. Imagine. Serena asks Naomi if she's been approached about a handmaid yet like she's inquiring if she's been asked to prom. Naomi isn't going to prom does not want a whoreful adult stray handmaid in her house any more than she wants one of these illbread brats poor children. She has white couches, for godsake! This scene cemented my suspicion that Naomi 100% never wanted children to begin with. Honestly I felt like this scene was also kind of a irl commentary on the sad fact of so many foster children in need of love and family, especially older kids, too often viewed as "undesireable" or "damaged" Of course there’s the small matter of Gilead causing huge damage to these kids by stealing them, literally traumatically ripping them from the arms of loving parents and families in many cases (which sadly does also sometimes mirror real life). Have to also call out the easter egg throw out line about Chicago rebel forces "they’ll be put down soon”... bitch, we know they’re still fighting like 6-7 years later, so.

Later we see Serena sitting down at Aunt Lydia's trafficking fertility office to pick out a handmaid from their Gilead mugshots. She doesn't look so excited about the prospect anymore at this point (methinks things might be getting strained with Fred at this point, I guess the Gilead honeymoon is over). Anyone else pause their tv to go look super close/upside down at the Handmaid’s files to see if June was in the bunch (or anyone else we know) and also to try and get a glimpse of the first unfortunate “Offred”? Just me? I actually thought the first file she picked up (who also caught Mr. Waterford's eye) looked like June upside down but upon seriously straining my neck was able to determine it was not (then I remembered I could just screenshot and rotate). Maybe Fred really did have a type, though. Ann Dowd’s physical/face acting as Lydia watches over Serena’s shoulder really cracked me up here.

(guess that’s poor nameless Offred the first on the right)

It's time for Serena's business call and Mrs. Wheeler leaves her alone because she couldn't possibly wrap her little woman brain around all that business talk (I kind of love how she manages to fawn over Serena while at the same time throwing shade, it's masterful--or deranged--or both). Joseph gets his first one-liner of the episode in “….You think the Gilead information center... focusing on Gilead... is a mistake?” and of course it's hilarious but fuuuck, he and I may both hate to admit that she’s right, fertility is definitely the best spin Gilead could go with in this fucked up limited supply baby crazy world. Unfortunately for her, it’s once again slipped Serena's mind that Gilead hates women, and she gets a swift buh-bye from creepypants Putnam, who by the way keeps getting creepier by the day. Are they purposely putting pasty corpse-like makeup on that poor actor? Random aside, I wonder if the actor is also like a really nice guy who volunteers and saves puppies or something, like how the cast always would say that Joseph Fiennes is just the loveliest person. Anyway, here we get the first mention of Joe’s pet project New Bethlehem, which Warren promptly shits on. Despite JLaw remaining pretty steadily neutral evil so far this season, I actually felt something from him when he said  “or all of this…will have been for nothing”. His motivations lately have felt a bit ambiguous to me, but I did here feel that maybe he really does desperately need it all to mean something: otherwise it means he will have lost Elinor for nothing.

We end Serena' episode arc with the long awaited welcome from Mr. Wheeler, as she prays dutifully at her bedside for everyone to realize how special and smart and superior she is. Even her room here is uncannily reminiscent to me of June’s room at the Waterfords, down to the placement of furniture, window/window seat and door in the same spot (but like a super lux version). I looked away for like a second at the beginning of this next part and when I looked back did a double take because for a split second when he was silhouetted in the doorway I thought wut, NICK?? (I MEAN)

 until I remembered we are being cruelly deprived of our boy for two long episodes. Can't even say for sure it's because they have a similar build in the dark from behind or if I was just that desperate to see him. Anyway. Then I did another double take because I know this actor from this random 1 season show where he plays a character working at a renaissance faire, and that is not relevant at all here except that I don't know how I'm supposed to take him seriously as a villain now when I know him for shirtless slap fighting in mud and going by the moniker "Sir Pizzle Humpsalot" (it's kind of like when I realized Val from "Working Moms" was one of the very serious Swiss "go-between" people who fuck over refuse to work with Nick and June in s2). So Mr. Pizzler Whizzler gives a nice little condescending speech during which she--and we--get it drilled once again into our/her heads that Serena will not be continuing with her absurd working woman ambitions, because what is important now is her womb and its contents and that these contents are kept safe so that they can be taken from her. Yeah, WE GET IT, but does she? FINALLY? Serena still seems to have a fundamental issue with the thought that to other Gileadeans (and wannabe Gileadeans), she might not be more special than the countless other women she was totally fine with considering nothing more than a vessel for babies for her to steal. This does not compute. She weirdly doesn't seem to like being treated like a pet/property/child, herself, though (bet Mark and his ill-advised puppy crush are looking pretty good to her now). We leave her here, fulfilled of her daily dose of prenatal vitamins, yet still feeling strangely unsettled... to be continued...

(I mean, upgrade, but still) ---

Over on the still Canada side of Canada (for now, anyway), June is woken up from a Hannah fever dream to a call from Mayday Lily (yay, I love her!). June, Moira and Luke pile into the car for a field trip and flip off some nice Canadian protesters politely (at least one sign said please) telling them to GTFO. They oblige for the day and fuck off to the border, only to get the bad news that Mayday's Gilead contact is stuck on the other side and they're SOL. "Not so!" proclaims Luke, the sudden knight in shining armor. "We shall cross the forest of dangers and rescue the princess from the grasps of the evil queen!" Because he can't wait around for Hannah to appear on tv again with Serena... who is in Canada... ok. I mean it's only been 5-7 years since your daughter was stolen and yeah in all that time the bureaucratic paperwork approach hasn't worked too well (also though, Moira, exactly HOW long did you know about the border camp for?) but sure, right now seems like a great time to suddenly go tromping half-assed into Gilead patrolled woods with no gun, no weapons. Honestly I am really confused by how determined this guy seems to be to repeat history by going into another situation completely unprepared to defend himself and his family, with little else than his bravado and ill-advised optimism. June, however, looks proud and moved by this bravery recklessness and I don't know what I expected because I really do not think Luke brings out the best/smartest in her and she literally got turned on last episode by his pretend murder bluff. I sort of hoped that if anything Moira's common sense alarm would have gone off here a bit more forcefully, but unfortunately she was too busy force feeding us cheesy lines waxing poetic on Luke and June's marriage because they apparently have to try and convince the audience what they are not showing us by telling us.

Moira fucks off to drink with Lily (they got the better end of the deal) and off go June and Luke into the danger woods, holding hands (because I guess this is date night or something). We get an ominous overhead shot of telephone wires far above, giving the sense that nefarious forces are listening/watching, and then it is night in the creepy woods. June starts having trauma flashbacks but insists she's ok, because she still doesn't really think Luke can handle it doesn't want to slow them down. They come upon a corpse hanging from a tree with a "rapist" sign hung from the body. Luke is super disturbed (as would be the normal reaction), June is like same old, same old (her normal is a little different these days) but tells him it wasn't done by Gilead because they "don't use words" (that's only Fred when he's creepy scrabble foreplaying). I wondered if maybe June's murderwoods shenanigans with Fred had spread word and inspired some like minded action in NML?? But am now inclined to think it may have something to do with the people at the end of the episode (not to get ahead). Then it's day again and they finally reach the geocache, but before they can unearth the treasure they are accosted by a young guardian with a gun who I think would actually really love Prince had he been given any chance to know who that was, and it makes me sad that I'm certain he doesn't get the reference. I am going to call this character Guardian Timothee Chalamet from hereon despite later learning his name, Jaeden (they said NO NAMES, Luke) because that's literally all I could think of as soon as we met him. Luke is flustered but June, well accustomed to teenage boys in black training guns on her, doesn’t blink. “Beret”, motherfucker.

Timmy Chalamet is a little brusque and a bit suspicious at first, but he  to warms up quickly once they get to his favorite playfort hideout for shirking patrol duties in (don't blame him, it looks cold and boring out there): an abandoned bowling alley that somehow still has power (guess they found a loophole with the electric company), although they still have to reset the pins manually? Timmy gives them some very basic info on the wives schools (like basically the same info June got from Nick with the added episode-themed commentary reassurance that the "Plums" are treated like princesses, at least for the short time they're there before being married off to potentially old abusive pedos anyway (side note: I kind of love that they have slang like the "plums" and it made me wonder what other Gilead slang has developed amongst certain demographics). But never fear! There is a mysterious thumb drive that holds all the answers (ok I am also kind of side-eyeing looking at you on this one, though, Margaret Atwood--#TT #IYKYK). Why do I have a feeling the thumb drive is not going to make it... Anyway, Timmy C tells them they should stay and hang out because it's too dangerous to go back during the day (even though they were just out there in the daytime, honestly, I think the kid is just lonely but can't really blame him). Luckily his youthful charm is so infectious that Luke immediately forgets that he thinks anyone coming from Gilead is automatically an evil monster (replay start of 2x08 bar scene) and becomes bff’s with him, and anyway he's really excited to bowl because he just really loves bowling. I guess they don’t have bowling alleys in Canada anymore?. Ensue very unwise loud competition and man hollering from this bro fest, which makes June understandably disconcerted, as they are hiding out in enemy patrolled territory, theoretically trying not to get killed.

Luke is like June just needs to chill, how about some music and plays some truly absurd old timey songs on the piano that just happens to be there, before doing what he's been dying to do and busting out his falsetto "Let's Stay Together". A variety of emotions cross June's face, ranging from uncomfortable, affectionately amused, contemplative, conflicted, nostalgic, guilty, sad. She sort of looks like she wishes she could jump in with him and surrender to the sentiment whole heartedly, but her heart is not there and she knows it. She can’t quite bring herself to look him in the eyes, looking down when he tries to catch them. Noticing this, he clowns more for laughs and coaxes her to dance with him, and she finally gives in to the (deceptively) carefree feel of the moment, while sweet bb guardian Timothee finds extra mood lighting (cutest third wheel ever). Also, honorable mention to "Did you write that song?"..."yeah I did"... "wow, that's really good" (oh, the innocence!). I left out the part where they ask him about his life in Gilead and he tells them life "before" is "foggy, like a dream", because this was one heavy handed parallel too many on the Hannah front (and yes, I get it, the episode is called Fairytale). Am curious where they guy got beers from though (black market?) and how he smuggled a cooler full into his hideout without anyone noticing.

(which one of these is supposed to be “I’m so in love with this guy singing to me”?)

Then the game's over and they’re taking the scarywoods night shortcut (in hindsight maybe not the best idea but maybe the GROWNUPS here could have sussed that one out). Of course our sweet pure Guardian friend steps on a landmine (we knew from the beginning he was going to be a red shirt, didn't we?), looks terrified but bravely tells them to get back and it's probably fine before he moves a hair and gets blown to smithereens. Just kidding, he just got his leg blown off. He's starting to bleed out and June quickly and calmly goes to work with applying a belt tourniquet (apparently another skill she picked up as a rebel handmaid resistance fighter, or from Youtube) while Luke looks on in horrified shock, a second away from puking (I mean no shade, I'm sure I would, too). Jaeden Timothee Chalament’s guardian friends are calling to him and he White Fang's June and Luke to GTFO so they don't get caught, Luke hesitates and June pulls him up to desperately dash for the border. As she flees, she flashes back--to her and Hannah running in the woods, her running to lead the guardian away in the woods to save Angel's Flight--and this really got me, I found it one of the most (probably the most) genuinely compelling moments of the episode. We end with them surrounded and being dragged away in different directions (foreshadowing perhaps?? who knows). So let us review: every time June gives in to these carefree moments Luke initiates (largely in attempts to win her back as his wife), every time she overlooks her better judgement to concede to his (often ill-founded) optimism, something bad happens. This was the case when Gilead first rose to power and they didn't get out fast enough, and it's still happening now. She lets her guard down, the "old June" starts to seep in, and then BLAMMO, GILEAD IN YOUR FACE, again. Can we just learn the lesson already, June? Honestly, she's already broken the promise she made to Nick like two episodes ago, to keep herself and Nicole safe, because she followed Luke on this half-assed idea to wander into Gilead-patrolled no-man's-land with no gun, no protection and no real plan aside from "find some dude and quote him Prince", so he could "prove himself" or something. To be honest, I actually respected Luke a lot more for doing his thing, that he knows and does well. Fighting with building codes and fundraising  and research file folders and making connections with American bureaucrats. It's certainly not the most effective or quickest way to fight Gilead, but at least it’s something and most wars require multiple levels and strategies of offense and defense. That's his wheelhouse, it's who he is, and he can still be that and also support June in her own way of fighting. And if he really is moved to try her way himself (genuinely, not as some desperate ego driven attempt to not lose her), he needs to get some knowledge because at present he is just not well equipped and is more of a liability than an asset. June may be impulsive and sometimes downright reckless but she at least knows the enemy, she knows the game they're playing and how deadly it is. Luke is trying to play checkers in a game of wizard's chess. His pushing of this mission, in all his inexperience and naïveté , combined with June's natural impulsiveness, her desperation over Hannah AND her eagerness to embrace this new side of Luke that is finally embracing the active fighting side in her, gets them into trouble. And the "fairytale" comes crashing down around them.

[skittycat-autism]

methinks it’s time for a new layout

[lucasneate]

time for a new layout methinks

[ataraxixx]

methinks its time for a new layout but idk what yet......

[nikinui]

Hey there, Shroom! Could I request for cuddling headcanons with Ryuseitai? I hope you don't mind! Good luck! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

ryusetai + cuddling

₍ᐢ･⚇･ᐢ₎ ; but of course! shroom loves all of ryusetai, so shroom is definitely up to write for them aaalll day ♪ shroom wasn't quite sure if you wanted it to be platonic or romantic so they ... just did what they can! alsooo... shroom's got a new layout ! hehe, does it look better than before?

chiaki morisawa

♡︎ he definitely loves cuddling you a lot! chiaki is a person who will just take you in his arms and shower you with so much of his love, you'll be drowning in it until it's the only thing you can feel—of course, he just wants to let you know how much you mean to him!

♡︎ methinks chiaki has a thing for forehead kisses~ just imagine tickling each other and goofing around at the couch and all of a sudden he plants a kiss on your forehead; smiling as if it was the most natural thing to do after tickling someone. your cheeks heat up as you tickle him harder in embarrassment <3

♡︎ his hugs and snuggles are always unplanned. at any given time of the day, he'll just come up to you and start wrapping his arms around you and smiling; aahh~ it always feels so nice hugging you! nyahaha—chiaki might've found his new favorite thing to do!

♡︎ he just loves praising you along with cuddling you. how he's so grateful that you're here with him, and how you're so kind to him… honestly, he feels as if he doesn't deserve you at all! that's why you'll need to watch him closely, alright? he'll be a hero that you're going to be proud of!

kanata shinkai

♡︎ kanata would definitely love cuddles as well! cuddles that last for how many hours, cuddles that are warm and fluffy, cuddles that'll make you drift to sleep… fufufu, shroom's heart is fluttering at just the thought of it!

♡︎ just consider napping together in a cozy couch just after cuddling, with no one to disturb the both of you, just the two of you holding each other in your sleep—ahuhu… first one to wake up will be lucky to see the other one sleeping peacefully for just a bit longer.

♡︎ melting into your arms is what he likes to do! wrapping your arms around him as he just completely melts into your arms with a silly smile on his face—you can't help but smile to yourself either. kanata simply just adores your warm hugs!

♡︎ he's just as fond of you as he is fond of soaking in the pools—but this time, he's sure to tell you; with a smile so sweet and a voice laced with honey, he tells you how much he enjoys your company.

midori takamine

♡︎ midori’s always looking forward to cuddling with you! he just likes the way his head fits right at the crook of your neck, and the way your hands intertwine and lock with each finger perfectly, as if his body was made only to snuggle up next to you and make himself comfy—he’s just amazed by it, yanno?

♡︎ making forts with all his fluffy plushie friends and introducing them to you; he’s just excited about what you’d think about his bizarre sets of friends~ aren’t they adorable? midori just thinks so, and, well, they’re going to be there every time the both of you decide to lay down and snuggle!

♡︎ methinks he's just fond of having you on his lap and resting his chin on your shoulders as he wraps his arms around you—just like how he holds a huge teddy bear~ you're always so soft and warm, you're way better than a teddy bear!

tetora nagumo

♡︎ tetora is always working so hard to become the manliest man, but that doesn't mean he dislikes resting and relaxing every once in a while. in fact, he'd look forward to it, now that you're there to rest with him! he just loves it when you rest your head on his shoulder, it makes him feel more reliable, you know? just like the man he wants to be!

♡︎ he’s always raring to go find things that will make him a man among men, so times like these are especially rare. cherish it, won’t you? make the most of his soft, peacefully sleeping face beside you all snuggled up and cozy… nyahaha, his vulnerable side is adorable! of course, you can’t tell him what you just saw—he’d think he’s still far from being a man~

♡︎ sharing earphones, listening to your favorite songs together and sing along til you get tired—heck, he would even try to compete with you! a duet, he challenges, let's see who forgets the lyrics first! the loser would have to suffer a punishment of… tickles!

shinobu sengoku

♡︎ methinks … shinobu and onesies are just suuuper duuuper cute! having matching onesies and snuggling up together while watching movies and eating snacks, hugging some plushies that you "borrowed" from midori… just be sure not to make a mess, hehe!

♡︎ staying up late at night to share spooky stories or stories that shinobu can come up with, or schemes that will make the both of you snicker in mischief—nyahaha, you sure do take a bit of delight in some fun pranks!

♡︎ he can just get comfy anywhere just as long as it's with you! be it whether under a tree in the afternoon or a cafe couch, just being beside you will make him want to snuggle up to you and take a nap… perhaps maybe, you are his weakness as a ninja..?

[nights-lament]

RWBY Volume 8, Chapter 1 Thoughts and Opinions

HELLO, INTERWEBS!!! At long last, we are back with more RWBY, and with it, more RWBY Thoughts and Opinions! After the absolute roller coaster that was Volume 7's cliffhanger finale, I can not imagine the insanity that awaits us this Volume. So, without further ado, here are my various thoughts and opinions on Chapter 1 of RWBY Volume 8, "Divide"

SPOILERS BELOW:

Hmm, starting off with a mysterious woman scrubbing floors, and...wait, is that...no...

I really like the way they juxtapose Cinder scrubbing with her scratching the chair. Very symbolic.

Yick, something about organic architecture just gives me the willies. I mean, is the whale aware that they double as a building complex? Can they feel the diabolical ongoings of it's rib cage? Creepy stuff.

Oof, outright taking credit for grabbing the relic, Cinder? Yeah, no way that's going to bite you in the ass.

Oh my. Mercury, Emerald, AND Hazel have new looks this season. I'm sure I'll warm up to them eventually, but right now Emerald's and Hazel's aren't really doing this. For Hazel, the outfit is all right, but the hair is a bit boring compared to his originals. Mercury's is ok, but is it just me, or is he basically wearing Yang's V4-6 outfit? I mean, it works, but still.

"Without you, I am nothing." That...didn't sound like the first time she's said that. It almost sounds like something Salem's drilled into her head for years. Cinder may be irredeemable in my opinion, but I do love a good tragic backstory.

You know, I guess would make sense for the crater to be the slums area. Can't imagine living directly under a floating landmass would be considered prime real estate.

Ooh, this old man has badger paws. I don't think we've seen that kind of Faunus trait yet.

D'aaww, Nora gave Oscar a soft hug rather than her usual glomp. So cute ^-^

I'm interested in how Oscar not telling them about Oz is going to play out.

Ok, their is a lot going on in this bar-base worth talking about, but for some reason I am fascinated by the picture of (i'm assuming) the founders in the background. What interesting designs they have. I feel like they have a story, and I would like to hear it.

Penny's dejected demeanor is giving me all of the feels Q_Q

Not sure how I feel about the rift forming between RWBYJNRO, though I guess we'll have to see where it goes. At least we have people like Jaune playing mediator.

I will say, though, I look forward to seeing Ren and Nora apart. As much as I love them as a couple, I'd very much like to see them operate as individuals.

God, Ironwood trying to manipulate Penny like that.

And there it is. Ironwood has truly revealed his true feelings, and his motivation for his attempt to launch Atlas. He isn't making a tactical retreat in order to form a new plan altogether. He's abandoning the fight altogether, leaving Remnant to die so that he and Atlas can live. It's funny, he wanted to avoid becoming Lionheart, but he was a coward too.

"Everything that follows will be on your hands". That motherf-

You know, we don't see a lot of corpses on this show, do we? Penny got better, Amber's screentime ended as she died, Roman got eaten, Pyrrha got an express viking funeral, etc, and a lot of others were only corpses for seconds before we never saw them again. They did a good job selling how proper dead Clover is here.

Ok, I don't know squat about Hospital layouts. Is it normal to have the morgue right outside of an emergency room? I mean, I guess it saves some travel time should things go wrong, but still, seems like a great anxiety generator for the patient, especially with both rooms having windows. "That's where I'll be going next."

I like the new metal arm. The fact that you can see all of the internal stuff makes it feel like it was quickly put together for the sake of urgency, while still looking cool.

Man, that rendition of "Hero" in the background. Chilling.

Is Winter getting a new look already? I must say. I like the look of the braces, and the ponytail is a vast improvement over the bun.

JESUS H CHRIST IRONWOOD!!! I THOUGHT HE WAS GOING OUT THERE TO ARREST THEM!!! THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A PRETTY BIG FASCIST MOVE, RIGHT!? HE JUST SHOT CHAD JAMES IN THE FACE!!!

What really interests me is everyone's reactions. Elm and Marrow are incredibly shocked, Harriet and Winter share their little look of doubt, and then there's Vine who just...doesn't react at all. Either that or it's all in his eyes, which we can't really see from here. Either way, not a huge reaction from him. Methinks the Ace-Ops and Winter might be starting to doubt the horse they bet on.

I find it interesting that Salem doesn't know how the Relic works, but then I suppose it makes sense, seeing as Oz probably placed them into the vaults almost immediately after finding them, so this is probably the first time she's even seen one in person..

Ok, OP time, and buckle up, guys, gals, and nonbinary pals, because this one is going to be a doozy.

-First off, the song sounds pretty good, but it seems like it's going to go through the same cycle as the rest where it doesn't do too much for me at first, but has me headbanging like a metalhead by the end of the volume

- Mantle glitching out between peaceful and wartorn is a wonderful effect. Definitely fills you with a sense of dread.

-The individual shots of Team RWBY are absolutely gorgeous. Conceptually, it's the standard "where we started and where we're at", but the composition is worthy of a chef's kiss. I think I've found my new wallpaper.

-The Ace-Ops appearing on Clover's pin is nice, but what I find interesting is Harriet and Qrow appearing back to back, especially with Harriet looking so angry. Is Harriet going to double down on her loyalty to Ironwood and go after Qrow?

- It seems Robyn is going to be Qrow's main source of support this season, though the bars seem to suggest they might be in custody for a while.

-Oscar seems to be in Salem's stronghold, which doesn't bode well for our farmboy, also, WHY DOES SALEM HAVE DEMON WINGS!? Emerald's Volume 5 illusion wasn't this scary looking!

-I feel like their's symbolism showing Team RWBY's weapons paired together like that, but I feel like it's too early to say what of. Looks pretty, though

-Ren and Nora standing so far apart. It hurts my soul! Interesting how, while Ren looks away, Nora actually turns towards him.

-I didn't notice Winter's change of expression/outfit before passing by Weiss. She went from looking confident and slightly condescending to full with doubt.

-Not a lot to say about the quick shots of Whitley and Willow other then the fact that they both look worried. The image of the Schnee Snowflake shattering, however, is VERY interesting.

-I'm always a sucker for some good ol' chess symbolism. I find it interesting that while Salem's pieces dissolve into creatures of Grimm, Ironwood's simply dissolve, leaving him alone. Perhaps shooting a fellow councilman in the face right in front of his inner circle doesn't play out as well for him as well as he thought it would.

- Speaking of the classics, also gotta love me some reflection artwork. Watts seems to be working behind Pietro's back while Pietro (presumably) works to get Amity running, while secretly worrying about Penny, whose reflection cracks, possibly symbolizing her resolve. I worry for her.

- The snowflake turning into a flower petal in Ren's hand, while a similar petal passes Nora by. I don't know what this means, but I'm intrigued.

- It seems Ruby and Yang won't be completely be at odds, judging by the look they give each other before going into the action shot.

- Hmm, while Cinder pulls a Za Warudo on the fight scene, you can see a dejected Emerald and a pissed off Neo, still moving, among the heroes. Interesting...

-Almost as interesting as Cinder grasping her Grimm arm before being engulfed in flames. Perhaps Salem pulled a Wormtail's Silver Hand with that arm.

-Is this the first time we've seen the Staff of Creation in it's entirety? I remember wanting to include it and the Lamp in my RWBY Vol 7 spritesheet, but couldn't find any images of it's bottom half. I like the little jewel on the bottom.

-Wow, CRWBY went full Kingdom Hearts with the heroes falling through the ice, and I absolutely LOVE IT! This op has some of the most gorgeous visuals the series has ever seen.

-HAPPY EVER AFTER HAPPY? NEVER AGAIN Daaaaaaamn, that's awesome. It kind of reminds me of a line from Red Like Roses Part II, "This bedtime story ends with Misery Ever After". It's incredibly haunting.

-Almost as haunting as the sketchy art style that flashes in between the words, particularly the part that shows Penny's eyes going red before the rest of her does. Did we predict Watts hacking Penny a volume too early?

-The final shot of Crescent Rose alone stuck in the snow. Damn. The theme of this op seems to be "foreboding as all hell"

Damn. Damn! DAMN! This was, without question, the best OP RWBY has ever had. By, like, a lot. The visuals were some of the best the show has ever had to offer, the foreboding is through the roof, and the symbolism is incredibly clever. I don't envy them when it comes time to make Volume 9's, because this will be a very tough act to beat. I am so happy to have RWBY back, and I am both excited and terrified to see what this show is going to do next.

[shadows-twilight]

RWBY Volume 8, Chapter 1 Thoughts and Opinions

HELLO, INTERWEBS!!! At long last, we are back with more RWBY, and with it, more RWBY Thoughts and Opinions! After the absolute roller coaster that was Volume 7's cliffhanger finale, I can not imagine the insanity that awaits us this Volume. So, without further ado, here are my various thoughts and opinions on Chapter 1 of RWBY Volume 8, "Divide"

SPOILERS BELOW:

Hmm, starting off with a mysterious woman scrubbing floors, and...wait, is that...no...

I really like the way they juxtapose Cinder scrubbing with her scratching the chair. Very symbolic.

Yick, something about organic architecture just gives me the willies. I mean, is the whale aware that they double as a building complex? Can they feel the diabolical ongoings of it's rib cage? Creepy stuff.

Oof, outright taking credit for grabbing the relic, Cinder? Yeah, no way that's going to bite you in the ass.

Oh my. Mercury, Emerald, AND Hazel have new looks this season. I'm sure I'll warm up to them eventually, but right now Emerald's and Hazel's aren't really doing this. For Hazel, the outfit is all right, but the hair is a bit boring compared to his originals. Mercury's is ok, but is it just me, or is he basically wearing Yang's V4-6 outfit? I mean, it works, but still.

"Without you, I am nothing." That...didn't sound like the first time she's said that. It almost sounds like something Salem's drilled into her head for years. Cinder may be irredeemable in my opinion, but I do love a good tragic backstory.

You know, I guess would make sense for the crater to be the slums area. Can't imagine living directly under a floating landmass would be considered prime real estate.

Ooh, this old man has badger paws. I don't think we've seen that kind of Faunus trait yet.

D'aaww, Nora gave Oscar a soft hug rather than her usual glomp. So cute ^-^

I'm interested in how Oscar not telling them about Oz is going to play out.

Ok, their is a lot going on in this bar-base worth talking about, but for some reason I am fascinated by the picture of (i'm assuming) the founders in the background. What interesting designs they have. I feel like they have a story, and I would like to hear it.

Penny's dejected demeanor is giving me all of the feels Q_Q

Not sure how I feel about the rift forming between RWBYJNRO, though I guess we'll have to see where it goes. At least we have people like Jaune playing mediator.

I will say, though, I look forward to seeing Ren and Nora apart. As much as I love them as a couple, I'd very much like to see them operate as individuals.

God, Ironwood trying to manipulate Penny like that.

And there it is. Ironwood has truly revealed his true feelings, and his motivation for his attempt to launch Atlas. He isn't making a tactical retreat in order to form a new plan altogether. He's abandoning the fight altogether, leaving Remnant to die so that he and Atlas can live. It's funny, he wanted to avoid becoming Lionheart, but he was a coward too.

"Everything that follows will be on your hands". That motherf-

You know, we don't see a lot of corpses on this show, do we? Penny got better, Amber's screentime ended as she died, Roman got eaten, Pyrrha got an express viking funeral, etc, and a lot of others were only corpses for seconds before we never saw them again. They did a good job selling how proper dead Clover is here.

Ok, I don't know squat about Hospital layouts. Is it normal to have the morgue right outside of an emergency room? I mean, I guess it saves some travel time should things go wrong, but still, seems like a great anxiety generator for the patient, especially with both rooms having windows. "That's where I'll be going next."

I like the new metal arm. The fact that you can see all of the internal stuff makes it feel like it was quickly put together for the sake of urgency, while still looking cool.

Man, that rendition of "Hero" in the background. Chilling.

Is Winter getting a new look already? I must say. I like the look of the braces, and the ponytail is a vast improvement over the bun.

JESUS H CHRIST IRONWOOD!!! I THOUGHT HE WAS GOING OUT THERE TO ARREST THEM!!! THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A PRETTY BIG FASCIST MOVE, RIGHT!? HE JUST SHOT CHAD JAMES IN THE FACE!!!

What really interests me is everyone's reactions. Elm and Marrow are incredibly shocked, Harriet and Winter share their little look of doubt, and then there's Vine who just...doesn't react at all. Either that or it's all in his eyes, which we can't really see from here. Either way, not a huge reaction from him. Methinks the Ace-Ops and Winter might be starting to doubt the horse they bet on.

I find it interesting that Salem doesn't know how the Relic works, but then I suppose it makes sense, seeing as Oz probably placed them into the vaults almost immediately after finding them, so this is probably the first time she's even seen one in person..

Ok, OP time, and buckle up, guys, gals, and nonbinary pals, because this one is going to be a doozy.

-First off, the song sounds pretty good, but it seems like it's going to go through the same cycle as the rest where it doesn't do too much for me at first, but has me headbanging like a metalhead by the end of the volume

- Mantle glitching out between peaceful and wartorn is a wonderful effect. Definitely fills you with a sense of dread.

-The individual shots of Team RWBY are absolutely gorgeous. Conceptually, it's the standard "where we started and where we're at", but the composition is worthy of a chef's kiss. I think I've found my new wallpaper.

-The Ace-Ops appearing on Clover's pin is nice, but what I find interesting is Harriet and Qrow appearing back to back, especially with Harriet looking so angry. Is Harriet going to double down on her loyalty to Ironwood and go after Qrow?

- It seems Robyn is going to be Qrow's main source of support this season, though the bars seem to suggest they might be in custody for a while.

-Oscar seems to be in Salem's stronghold, which doesn't bode well for our farmboy, also, WHY DOES SALEM HAVE DEMON WINGS!? Emerald's Volume 5 illusion wasn't this scary looking!

-I feel like their's symbolism showing Team RWBY's weapons paired together like that, but I feel like it's too early to say what of. Looks pretty, though

-Ren and Nora standing so far apart. It hurts my soul! Interesting how, while Ren looks away, Nora actually turns towards him.

-I didn't notice Winter's change of expression/outfit before passing by Weiss. She went from looking confident and slightly condescending to full with doubt.

-Not a lot to say about the quick shots of Whitley and Willow other then the fact that they both look worried. The image of the Schnee Snowflake shattering, however, is VERY interesting.

-I'm always a sucker for some good ol' chess symbolism. I find it interesting that while Salem's pieces dissolve into creatures of Grimm, Ironwood's simply dissolve, leaving him alone. Perhaps shooting a fellow councilman in the face right in front of his inner circle doesn't play out as well for him as well as he thought it would.

- Speaking of the classics, also gotta love me some reflection artwork. Watts seems to be working behind Pietro's back while Pietro (presumably) works to get Amity running, while secretly worrying about Penny, whose reflection cracks, possibly symbolizing her resolve. I worry for her.

- The snowflake turning into a flower petal in Ren's hand, while a similar petal passes Nora by. I don't know what this means, but I'm intrigued.

- It seems Ruby and Yang won't be completely be at odds, judging by the look they give each other before going into the action shot.

- Hmm, while Cinder pulls a Za Warudo on the fight scene, you can see a dejected Emerald and a pissed off Neo, still moving, among the heroes. Interesting...

-Almost as interesting as Cinder grasping her Grimm arm before being engulfed in flames. Perhaps Salem pulled a Wormtail's Silver Hand with that arm.

-Is this the first time we've seen the Staff of Creation in it's entirety? I remember wanting to include it and the Lamp in my RWBY Vol 7 spritesheet, but couldn't find any images of it's bottom half. I like the little jewel on the bottom.

-Wow, CRWBY went full Kingdom Hearts with the heroes falling through the ice, and I absolutely LOVE IT! This op has some of the most gorgeous visuals the series has ever seen.

-HAPPY EVER AFTER HAPPY? NEVER AGAIN Daaaaaaamn, that's awesome. It kind of reminds me of a line from Red Like Roses Part II, "This bedtime story ends with Misery Ever After". It's incredibly haunting.

-Almost as haunting as the sketchy art style that flashes in between the words, particularly the part that shows Penny's eyes going red before the rest of her does. Did we predict Watts hacking Penny a volume too early?

-The final shot of Crescent Rose alone stuck in the snow. Damn. The theme of this op seems to be "foreboding as all hell"

Damn. Damn! DAMN! This was, without question, the best OP RWBY has ever had. By, like, a lot. The visuals were some of the best the show has ever had to offer, the foreboding is through the roof, and the symbolism is incredibly clever. I don't envy them when it comes time to make Volume 9's, because this will be a very tough act to beat. I am so happy to have RWBY back, and I am both excited and terrified to see what this show is going to do next.

[geraltofriviasleftbuttcheek]

oof time for a new theme layout methinks

[gokinjeespot]

off the rack #1301

Monday, February 17, 2020

 Happy Family Day. I'm grateful for my extended family of fellow comic book aficionados. Sharing the love of our hobby keeps me young and brightens my life. I miss seeing many of you but you are in my thoughts.

 Catwoman #20 - Joelle Jones (writer) Fernando Blanco (art) FCO Plascencia (colours) Saida Temofonte (letters). Mrs. Creel poisons her party guests showing us what a nasty woman she is. Catwoman fights through a bunch of zombies to get some Lazarus Water to save a friend. Selina's final obstacle will be Mrs. Creel. I can't wait for this story to end. It's been kind of blasé.

 Thor #3 - Donny Cates (writer) Nic Klein (art) Matthew Wilson (colours) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). Lots of KRAKKABOOMS this issue as Thor fights Beta Ray Bill. Horseface doesn't have a chance with All-Father Thor boosted with Galactus given power cosmic. Don't build a funeral pyre for Bill yet. Someone comes to his rescue and that person is a surprise.

 The Dollhouse Family #4 - M. R. Carey (writer) Peter Gross (layouts) Vince Locke (finishes) Cris Peter (colours) Todd Klein (letters). Alice and her daughter recover from the horrible explosion from last issue but their survival cost them an arm and a leg. When Alice gets back to the dollhouse, she finds there's a new tenant and she's not nice at all. This horror title isn't horrible. You should come visit.

 Hawkeye: Freefall #3 - Matthew Rosenberg (writer) Otto Schmidt (art) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). This issue explains how Clint can be in two places at one time. It's dumb but I don't mind because this story is kind of dumb. I like it for the guest stars. The Black Widow shows up and the hero on the last page is a favourite of mine. If the new Ant-Man mini had been this much fun I'd still be reading it.

 The Batman's Grave #5 - Warren Ellis (writer) Bryan Hitch (pencils) Kevin Nowlan & Bryan Hitch (inks) Alex Sinclair (colours) Richard Starkings (letters). I don't know if it's just me, but I find that I lose interest in a Warren Ellis story somewhere and this issue might be it. I've forgotten what the mystery is that put Batman in detective mode even though he's following a lead in Arkham Asylum this issue. I like seeing Batman kick bad guy butt as much as the next fan, but 8 pages of it here seems to be padding the story. Methinks this 12-issue story could've been told in 6.

 Savage Avengers #10 - Gerry Duggan (writer) Patch Zircher (art) Java Tartaglia (colours) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). Conan and the two Doctors, Doom and Strange, battle Kulan Gath. Guess who wins? This issue made me laugh out loud.

 Jessica Jones: Blind Spot #3 - Kelly Thompson (writer) Mattia De Iulis (art) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Now this is a much more enjoyable murder mystery than Batman's Grave. I know exactly what's happening because Kelly Thompson recaps as the investigation continues. There's even an extended 5-page fight scene where Jessica and Elsa Bloodstone fight creatures from the Black Lagoon but it isn't boring because they're bantering about the case all the while. The rest of this 6-issue mini can't come out fast enough for me.

 Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy #6 - Jody Houser (writer) Adriana Melo (pencils) Mark Morales (inks) Hi-Fi (colours) Gabriela Downie (letters). Harley and Ivy's adventure comes to an end with a battle between good and evil Ivy. I liked how they left the fate of Poison Ivy a mystery. Who knows how she'll act the next time she sees Harley?

 X-Force #7 - Benjamin Percy (writer) Oscar Bazaldua (art) Guru-eFX (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). This issue features Domino who was rescued from the bad guys recently. The bad guys managed to steal her good luck powers and have transferred them to someone else. This newly empowered individual is an assassin going around killing mutant supporters. Neena's not too happy about that. I wasn't too surprised by the reveal of the assassin's identity on the last page but I'm sure some new fans will be.

 X-Men #6 - Jonathan Hickman (writer) Matteo Buffagni (art) Sunny Gho (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). This issue features Mystique. She's my favourite shape-shifter. She's sent on a mission to infiltrate the space station designed to fight against the mutants. I liked how the flashbacks merged with this story to culminate at the ominous last page.

 The Immortal Hulk #31 - Al Ewing (writer) Joe Bennett (main story pencils) Ruy Jose, Belardino Brabo & Cam Smith (main story inks) Paul Mounts (main story colours) Javier Rodriguez (McGowan sequence pencils & colours) Alvaro Lopez (McGowan sequence inks) VC's Cory Petit (letters). We get into the heads of Scientist McGowan and the Hulk this issue. Matters of the mind shouldn't surprise fans what with Xemnu being in this story.

 The Amazing Spider-Man #39 - Nick Spencer (writer) Iban Coello (art) Brian Reber (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). This issue reminded me of the Odd Couple, Oscar and Felix. Spider-Man agrees to be a guest on Jonah's podcast and sparks fly as the two antagonists butt heads. It's all talk radio until the super villain crashes the party. Next issue should be less talk  and more action.

 Superman: Heroes #1 - Brian Michael Bendis, Matt Fraction & Greg Rucka (writers) Kevin Maguire, Mike Perkins, Steve Lieber, Mike Norton & Scott Godlewski (art) Paul Mounts, Gabe Eltaeb, Andy Troy & Nathan Fairbairn (colours) Troy Peteri, Clayton Cowles & Simon Bowland (letters). This $5.99 US one-shot is tied-in quite closely with what's been going on in Action Comics & Superman. It looks at the consequences of Superman revealing his secret identity and it's well worth reading.

 Doctor Strange #3 - Mark Waid (writer) Kev Walker (art) Java Tartaglia (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). This is a great one issue story if you want to check this new run out. Doctor Strange fights an artistic demon to save lives.

 Gwen Stacy #1 - Christos Gage (writer) Todd Nauck (art) Rachelle Rosenberg (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). I liked this better than The Amazing Mary Jane maybe because it deals with a younger high school aged Gwen. This story takes place before Gwen and Peter become friends and lovers and involves her father Captain Stacy and his investigation of New York's mob. There are a trio of bad guys that you'll recognise but the big deal super villains don't show up until the last page. If they don't get you to pick up the next issue, nothing will.

 Batman: Pennyworth R.I.P. #1 - James Tynion IV & Peter J. Tomasi (writers) Eddy Barrows & Eber Ferreira, Chris Burnham, Marcio Takara, Diogenes Neves, David Lafuente and Sumit Kumar (art) Adriano Lucas, Rex Lokus & Nathan Fairbairn (colours) Travis Lanham & Thomas Napolitano (letters). This one-shot tribute to Alfred shows us what a dysfunctional family Bruce has created. I would have preferred a more touching send off to this beloved character like the one Brian Michael Bendis wrote for Ultimate Spider-Man/Peter Parker. Damian, Tim, Jason and Barbara reminisce about the butler and then Ric Grayson chimes in with a story about Nightwing. Who the heck is Ric Grayson? I thought Alfred deserved better than this.

 Nebula #1 - Vita Ayala (writer) Claire Roe (art) Mike Spicer (colours) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). I'm ambivalent when it comes to this cyborg killer but I wanted to see if that might change by reading this 5-issue mini. She finds a scientist who has built a device that can predict the future and has him implant it so it's integrated into her cybernetic system. The untested tech winds up screwing with her head. I didn't change my opinion of Nebula with this first issue and I can see where the rest of the story is going so I'll leave the rest on the racks.

 Superman #20 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Ivan Reis, Joe Prado & Oclair Albert (art) Alex Sinclair & Jeremiah Skipper (colours) Dave Sharpe (letters). There's action: Superman dukes it out with Mongul. There's drama: The Daily Star is trying to discredit Clark, Lois and the Daily Planet. And there's a surprise appearance of an old friend. There's everything a good comic book needs to grab my attention and want to keep reading.

 Marvels X #2 - Alex Ross & Jim Krueger (writers) Well-Bee (art) VC's Cory Petit (letters). I was fooled by the truck driver who picked up the kid because of the red beard, sunglasses and No Fear baseball cap. I thought it was Matt Murdock in disguise but I was surprised by who it actually was. Daredevil does turn up later in this issue as he and Spider-Man help to keep David safe. The kid's important because he could help find a cure for what's infecting humanity.

[ajanefantasy]

Book Love part 3 - Rum (Brothers Book 1)

Rum was the third book novel in the fantasy world of Dahrè. It was originally meant to be a short story about a member of Golden Boots crew while I tried to figure out what was going on between Sari and Jayd (they were being stubborn at that time, their book, their story refusing to be written). The short story idea didn’t work out. At just over 100K Rum definitely wasn’t a short story.

Rum also became the first book in the Brothers trilogy, because the moment I began writing about Rum and Suede, the more Rum and Suede had to tell me, which meant that Rum’s twin brother had just as much to say and the two of them together had even more to say. But that’s a different book, two different books actually.

Rum and Suede’s story turned out to be may be a tad fluffy. The two of them, each with their own issues, slowly learning of each other with family and friends rooting them on while distant family tried to kill them. The story introduced more of the Boots clan (several of Golden Boots’ brothers, an uncle, a cousin or two, as well a couple of nephews) and brought back Golden Boots himself, Betrys and Rayn, and of course Golden Boots parents, Red Boots and Vylla van Jyn.

With that said:

[Image ID: Image of two, three mast ships, each tied at pier with the word Rum written across it]

Waking up hungover and married to the man he’s been lusting after isn’t what has Rum worried, it’s the folks trying to kill them that’s the problem. Oh, and having to deal with his twin brother’s sudden disappearance isn’t helping. Captain Suede Boots is intrigued by the man in bed with him, even if he doesn’t recall marrying him. Learning that his new husband’s estranged family desires to kill them, awakens a strong desire to protect what is his.                        

Story contains strong language and explicit sex. 102,000 words

Amazon / Smashwords / Kobo / Apple  / BN

A preview of Rum can be found under the cut.

“What do you think we ought do once we find the bastards who tried to kill us?” Rum looked up from the cards in his hands—Suede had summoned one of the card tables from storage for them to use and set it up in the bedchamber to keep others from interrupting their game. He studied Suede’s face, looking for the clues that would tell him if he were lying about the cards in his hands.

Card playing with pirates was a whole different game of chance. When one played with pirates, there was always cheating, but that was the object of the game: to cheat—the one who cheats best and often, wins the game. Now, cheating might be the point, but there was one single rule that was always to be obeyed while at the table: cheat if ye will, but never get caught—it ruins the game and nae one wants to play with a cheater.

“Other than kill them?” Suede still felt a grievous wound to his pride, to his worth as a man for not protecting his husband, allowing him to be injured, nearly killed, on the first day of their marriage. He wished to remove the curs from existence for it.

“’Twould not be proper to kill them upon land. Pirates we are, ‘tis not something we do, aye?”

“Aye, ‘tis so; pirates fight not upon the land, but curs they are.”

Rum rubbed his cheek against his shoulder, ridding himself of an itch. “That does offer us more options.”

“Many options. Doubt I do that Chastain would mind how we removed them from Ganos as long as they are gone.” Suede tossed in two debloo, upping the ante. Despite playing for various favors—some sexual, some not—it would be scandalous not to play for coin. He was certain he had this hand, though he had to admit that Rum was a fine card player and produced very few tells, because of this, they were even in various favors.

“Much thought does this need, though mayhap Red has been thinking of a plan. Now that Mack knows of the situation, he and Red will be conferring and have something when we venture below on the morrow.” Rum matched the raise of coin and tossed in three of his own. Suede had tapped his cards with his middle finger and Rum had noticed that he only did so when he was a card off of a proper hand.

“Mentioned Red did that not only are ye a master navigator, ye are a master tactician; I see not why ye are unable to formulate a plan.”

Rum looked at Suede, uncertain what he should think of that. “Why would he say such a thing when always do I need time to think?”

Suede snorted and added once more to the pot. “’Tis yer lack of confidence speaking and only that. A tactician needs not rush.”

“But upon the sea, one must always be quick upon one’s feet, that I need time…”

“First, my husband, we are upon land and in nae rush. Second, ‘tis a lie ye tell yerself. When charting courses, ye use yer knowledge of tides and currents, weather patterns, aye?”

“Aye, of course.”

“Then what happens when weather suddenly changes, or when there is an attack, do ye say ye freeze? Or do ye make adjustments to the course?”

Rum stared at his cards, but he was not seeing them, the straight flush he was holding, he was searching through the last seventeen years of memories. Had he froze? He could not recall for each instance… “Well, there are adjustments to be made.”

“But do ye freeze, or do ye automatically start adjusting?” Suede could see Rum’s mind working. “The voice of doubt clouds ye, but methinks ye are the sort to rush to adjust. Red would not sing yer praises were ye to be the sort to freeze. Besides, were ye not the one who wished to sneak into the Minister Prime’s bedchamber and hold a dagger to his throat?”

“Aye, but…”

“How were ye going to go about it? A navigator always notes the surroundings, as does a tactician. In that regard, one such as yerself who, as a child and now as an adult, had a need to constantly be looking about them, always searching for the best route to escape, would have seen all the finest routes within moments. Do ye disagree?”

“Nae. Always am I aware of what goes on about me and where I am, at least usually.”

“Do ye then say ye were not serious about that mission, of forcing the Minister Prime to speak?”

“I was most serious.” Rum forced himself to slow his breathing, to control the runaway cadence of his heart. “Aye, a plan I had and only needed a quick scout of the grounds to bring it to fruition. This is different.”

“How is forming a plan to rout the curs different? Ye know the layout of Ganos, ye know what yer aim is, there is nae reason to believe ye are incapable of making such a plan.” Suede held up his hand to stop Rum from cutting himself down further. “All of us have faith in ye, my love. Besides, plenty of time there is to formulate this plan and, aye, the family will have thoughts on how to go about it, but mostly are they there for support.” He used that hand to motion to the pile of debloos in the center of the table. “Do ye match the bet or fold?”

Rum picked up several coins, matching Suede’s bet, and tossed them onto the pile. “To truly formulate this plan, I need know where my cousins are hiding and their usual paths of travel. Once I know that, ‘twill be a simple matter.”

Suede nodded, pleased. “Aye, I agree. Hopefully soon we hear from Chastain and Ilora on their findings.” Suede tapped his cards again wondering what sort of hand Rum held and if he could bluff this match. “Do we now discuss favors? Methinks we have added enough gold to the pile.”

“What do you think of sneaking out of the manor and going to Mistress Horn’s? Desire I do a box of her chocolate custard pastries. Mayhap we can purchase Vylla a box of her favorite sweetbuns while we are there.”

“A sweet tooth do ye have, love?”

He grinned. “One would think you would have realized that when I stole your piece of pie after lunch was brought up.”

“Married I am to a thief.”

“Nae, a pirate!” Rum was pleased with the way playing cards was turning out. Yes, they were mainly playing for sexual favors, but it was also relaxing for they were using some of the favors to ask questions and learn of the other—for instance, he found out that Suede enjoyed cooking and desired to fix them a meal. He also liked that they were naked while playing—’twas the first favor Suede had won and claimed.

“Methinks ye avoid discussing the next favor because ye hold a terrible hand. That ye won the previous hand ‘tis yer turn to suggest—as was agreed upon after the very first hand—but if ye want, gladly will I decide.”

“I avoid naught, you rotten rogue.”

“Then what do we play for?”

“The loser of this hand has to buy the pastries I wish for, plus has to pay for the next three jaunts to the bakery nae matter the time of day and what is ordered.”

Suede laughed, liking the silly request, and tapped his cards one last time. “What of the winner, what does he get?”

“Other than many free pastries?”

“Aye. Recall ‘tis favors we play for.”

Rum tapped his cards against his chin. He had already once suggested tying the other up, but Suede had disagreed. He smiled. “An undisclosed sexual favor with nae expiration. It matters not the time or place and can even be collected in the middle of town. Also, the loser has to comply, nae matter the request. Agreed?”

“Agreed.”

Rum tossed his cards down. “Be prepared to supply me with pastries, my husband.”

Staring at the cards Rum just presented, his jaw slack, Suede was unable to believe he had been out-cheated…again. 

--

© A. Jane

Book Love:  Part 1  Part 2  Part 3 Part 4  Part 5  Part 6  Part 7  Part 8  Part 9

[butterkoob]

ok time to design a new layout methinks

[v-1enna]

new layout time methinks... watch this space 👀

[vspirit8]

Call me an easy-to-please dumbass but...

All the decisions Hanyu’s made in his career thus far have turned out to be practical, and sound ones (even when they didn’t seem like it at first) while remaining exciting. This one is no less so, even if it might seem disappointing at first. Why is this, you ask? Let’s put a few things (28, to be exact) into perspective (I’m not blindly positive, y’all):

Hanyu’s winning pattern has always been one problematic skate, and one redeeming and/or explosive one.

Prior to 2012, his SPs were almost always uh-oh! while his FSes were what saved his ass (even if they weren’t super clean).

Post-2012, but pre-2015, when he skated clean, it’s almost always only in the SP.

When he finally skated *both* programs clean in a single competition, he did it with Ballade No. 1 in its second season and SEIMEI in its 3rd competition–more than a decade since he first started skating competitively.

SEIMEI is also the first FS he’s ever skated clean, like *truly* clean, and the first time he skated it clean was also following a clean SP performance. To date, it remains the *only* FS he’s skated clean more than once, and the only one he’s skated well *twice* despite following a clean SP.

Skating it clean following a clean SP means he wasn’t simply chasing, but he was utterly and purely dominating—that was his very first taste of it and methinks the boy man Likes the Feeling Very Much.

In the 2016 WC, after two clean sets of performances in prior competitions, he reverted to the clean-SP-problematic-FS pattern.

And in WC 2017, he flipped the switch and it’s now back to his whoops!SP and explosive!FS pattern.

If there’s anything he wants more than a second Ollie gold, it’s two clean skates on the Ollie stage (preferably preceded by clean skates in prior comps). Especially so since he’s pulling double duty in going for that 2nd gold *and* proving to the world that he rightfully deserves his first one.

So based on his pattern all these years, he’s only been able to pull off complete dominance for part of a single season, and that’s with a recycled SP and the only FS he’s skated clean twice.

Chances of him skating clean next season, the most crucial one, with two brand new progs: next to 0 (not with his anal retentive fusspot tendencies)

The feelings for SEIMEI he has are so strong, he’s apparently already decided it was gonna be his Ollie program after GPF15, a decision he’s stuck to despite his poor showing of it in WC 2016. I think his fanboyism of Mansai and all the lovely input he’s gotten from the man himself prolly also played a critical part in his choice.

So it’s a good program in his mind that’s left him with unfinished business with it, since he’s essentially never skated it clean in a major championship, national *and* international, a development that basically told him it’s still too early to pack the program in and consider it a perfectly done piece with no more room to grow. Sides, he’s put in so much effort in the making of the program, from the music to the choreography, it stands to reason he’d want to get some more mileage out of it, if he could.

So his choices, as of end 2015, were a brand new SP and SEIMEI or a repeat SP and SEIMEI. Depending on how he performed LGC in the 2016/17 season, it would either be his Ollie SP or it would be something else.

If it leaves him with good feelings, he’ll either use it again or chance a new SP.

Sadly, that didn’t happen and instead, he was left with negative feelings and mental impression for both the program itself and SPs in general, so no repeat of LGC and his mind is telling him his mental focus probably won’t be able to handle a brand new SP in the Ollie season. Not especially if he wants to up his tech further while increasing even more bells and whistles.

At this point, (end of the 2016/17 season), everything is telling him to reuse Chopin and SEIMEI.

But because he is Hanyu and he’s already upped his tech last season, he has to either maintain or up it further.

And because he’s reusing both programs, he’s left with no reason to not raise his tech content level and it’s gotta be way bigger than last season.

All in all, if we want him to skate clean on the Ollie stage while still doing what he always does, well, we’re getting it.

But if we want him to skate clean with one new program just to please us fans despite all the above, then I think we’re asking for the impossible, even from the guy who’s been giving us the impossible all these years.

We’ve got two new and beautiful programs last season. If this were another season, and not an Ollie one, I’m willing to bet we’d have at least one new program.

So let the guy do what he thinks will allow him to win in the way he wants to on a stage he’s been looking to deliver his best on since he was 7. I think he’s proven himself enough to deserve unconditional support in getting there.

Delivering his absolute best is one but, let it be said that we *still* don’t know what his absolute best can amount up to, only the promise of it and that’s already so far above and beyond what everyone else in the field is capable of delivering right now, it’s not even funny anymore.

If there’s anyone who can build something that’ll make the world’s collective jaws drop even further than they did before with the same programs but *better*, it’s Yuzuru Hanyu.

And remember, if he skates clean at the Ollies, for most of the world, it would be their first time going slack-jawed. Especially amidst all the warhorses. SEIMEI is definitely going to make them sit up and pay attention. Because not only is it different (being definitively non-Western), it is bold, it is powerful, and it is fierce. Plus, it oozes a sort of masculinity most have never seen before in men’s FS. And it appeals to a wider range of audience, no matter their culture, because it’s just such an obviously damn cool program. So people who’s always made fun of men figure skating will have to STFU.

If it’s any other skater, this might be seen as lazy and playing it safe, but then I ask myself this: has Yuzuru Hanyu *ever* been lazy? And since when did 5-quads start being considered as safe?  All he’s doing is entrusting his ultimate dream and desire to a *program* he trusts. Not a layout. A program. So that he’d be free to chance a high-flying layout packed to the high heavens with transitions and exquisitely performed elements–without having to kill or maim himself in the process. Which means, the only thing disappointing about it is that it isn’t a brand new program. That’s it. And if I have to sit through an entire season of watching a program I like again to see it taken to never-seen-before heights, as opposed to a brand new program I may not like as much and watching him struggle and make compromises in order to simply *deliver*, and during Ollie season at that, it’s a no-brainer which I’m going to go with.

What Hanyu wants to do isn’t just to win and to wow. He wants to completely dominate and he wants to go down in history doing it. He’s gotten a taste of it two seasons back and wants to make damn sure he gets to relive it again, preferably for a longer stretch this season and most definitely covering the Ollies and perhaps even the WC in Milan. And these two programs are his best chance at achieving just that next season. 

Really, there’s just way too much at stake for him to not do this. Our brains know this, but some of us still can’t help but feel just a wee bit disappointed in our hearts. Still, as long as we know where he’s coming from, those of us who are disappointed will likely come around sooner or later, because we know what truly matters this season and would conclude that we’d have made the same choices if we were in his shoes. If we’re even the teeniest bit invested in him, we won’t even have a choice about it, I guarantee it.

As for me personally, I’m just fawning over the fact that the whole world is finally going to get to know SEIMEI, not just the FS one. And it’ll stand out so beautifully among all the warhorses. SEIMEI is an Olympic-worthy program and in hindsight, no amount of new programs has a more rightful place, especially since it’s proven itself more than worthy once before, and even left its skater room to develop it further.

And get this, it’s not even my favorite program from him. LoL. It’s #3 on my list at best, so I was neither hoping for it nor against it. But now that we’ve got it, I can now see it so clearly for what it really is. Plus, there are bonuses that only SEIMEI can afford. If he skates it clean with higher tech content, he’d be able to corner the judges into giving him scores that at least match what the 2015 judges gave him for the same program. Because imagine the kind of questions they’ll have to answer if they don’t. And with this, he’ll be able to surpass his old scores with his BV. It is the one surefire megaweapon he has against his younger rivals that was cultivated long before they are the threat they are today as well as iffy judging (in a way, I feel that his hand was forced) and it’s time he reaped and harvested the fruits of his foresight, talent and hard work.

So there is everything to celebrate and absolutely nothing to feel disappointed over. Not for friggin’ SEIMEI as the Olympic program for the Yuzuru Hanyu.

(Admittedly, I was a tad disappointed back when he announced he’d be doing Chopin for the third time, but knowing the mess LGC left behind in his mind, I forced myself to accept it and after what he’s shown us of it in FaOI, I’ve come to wholeheartedly embrace it.)

I don’t know if all this will result in gold still, seeing as there are still very human factors involved in the judging, but if he delivers everything clean in PC, I’m going to consider it a win in my books.

And yes, I’d still like to see him make more history with new programs so hopefully he’ll stick around for at least one more season after this and we’ll get to see him doing that.

One thing though…the guy is now a confirmed LIAR. Cos he’s said right after WTT that he has no plans for the Ollie season and here he is claiming he’s already decided SEIMEI would be his Ollie program right after GPF15.

I get that he wanted to dodge those interview questions, and what he said was very obviously a lie (because only a bigger dumbass than me would believe anyone hoping to make it to the Ollies the next year who says they have no plans at least 2636351 years in advance, much less him) and I’m not sure if there’s anything else he could’ve done but flat out lie but it amuses me to no end to be able to loudly call him out as a big fat liar. xxxxD

[allyourdarlingswans]

i'll be seeing you (OUAT 6x11 AU)

When Emma meets an alternative version of Killian Jones, she realizes she has to make her own fate.  For him as much as for her. 6x11 AU, with a different Old Hook.

 ***

 Emma had to admit - though this realm had been created by a wish, every unreal person had been reliably consistent with their counterpart back home. Pinocchio may have had good intentions but he was pretty damn good at getting lost.  They wasted half the day trying to find the Enchanted Grove before he sheepishly explained he didn’t quite remember where it was.

 “I didn’t want to disappoint you,” he explained on their way back to her parents’ castle.

  “I understand,” she gritted out - she decidedly did not – “but really, next time let’s just get the map first.”

 “I have to warn you, that old mapmaker does not like to be disturbed.”

 As though that was the problem.

 “Well too bad,” Emma muttered as they snuck into the castle.  

 It was odd having two sets of memories, to be familiar with the unfamiliar, to know all the hidden passageways with uncertain certainty.  It was even odder to know that she knew the castle this well not because she had been innately curious as a child but because she had been lonely.  It didn’t seem right that she should have been lonely in both realms when in one, she had in fact been abandoned and in the other, she had been loved and doted upon but without any true peers.

 Emma shook her head.  There was no reason to dwell on a parallel realm of loneliness.  She wasn’t lonely anymore.  She had her parents, her brother, her son and her pirate now.  She needed to get back to them.

 “You know, I don’t think I’ve even been in the map room,” she said as she pushed against the plain wooden door.  She knew the whole layout of the castle, had memorized a blueprint as a child, but she couldn’t recall what the interior of the room looked like or if she even seen the formidable mapmaker.

 As such, she was unprepared for the sight that greeted her - shelves upon shelves of neatly rolled up maps, lining each wall, stretching up and up to cathedral high ceilings.  

 “Shit.”

 “I guess we better get start,” Pinocchio said almost cheerily, as though it wouldn’t take several years to unroll and consult each map.

 “No, no,” Emma said, holding her hand out to prevent her friend from taking on another wasteful endeavor.  Emma shook her head - when had she held the line of reason instead of plunging head first?  But she could almost hear Killian in her head.  They needed a plan.  And then Henry following up with an operation name.  Operation Get Home?  Operation Enchanted Wood?  She really needed her son for that.  But maybe she could think more methodically like Killian.  He had a system for everything.  Maybe the mapmaker did too.

 That was it!  She sent a silent ‘thank you’ to Killian for having a damn color coding system even for breakfast foods. Orange for citrus fruits to prevent scurvy.  Brown for grains.  She scanned the shelves, trying to figure out where to start.  She pulled a couple of maps in order and tried to match them up.  Everything looked neat and orderly but she couldn’t make the puzzle pieces fit.  Maybe only the mapmaker knew... “Where’s this mapmaker friend of yours?” She asked looking around, wondering if perhaps he had been hiding in the dust of this cavernous room the whole time.

 “Oh, he’s not a friend of mine.  I’m not sure he has any friends,” Pinocchio defended.

 “Right, well that’s not what matters.  Where else would he be if he’s not here?  We have to find him.”

  ***

 The tavern.  Of course, Emma thought, as she followed a wary Pinocchio, a man brought up by a father’s careful guidance, less susceptible to temptation, less tempted by adventure. If you could call the quaint and well-kept tavern by the water adventurous.  By the eager looks Pinocchio was giving her, she supposed he might.

 She couldn’t help but wonder where Killian was in this realm as they made their way into the rather quiet and genteel space.  Her pirate wouldn’t be caught anywhere near a place like this. She made a face as she thought of him pillaging and plundering his way through taverns and ports more like the ones where they found the past version of him, even if he was unreal in this realm, even though he did not belong to her here.  She tried to turn her thoughts. Maybe he had aged like her parents. Hair grey and longer.  Perhaps the rum had long term consequences on him. She tried to imagine it but Killian was so fastidious about his looks, she couldn’t even bring up a caricature in her mind’s eye.

 Occupied by thoughts of her pirate, she didn’t even realize they had found their mapmaker until she ran into Pinocchio nose first.  “The irony,” she muttered as she rubbed her nose.

 Pinocchio reached back to touch her face.  

 “I’m fine,” she waved him off in reply to his over-concerned look.  Princess Emma never realized her friend was besotted with her but this Emma could tell. Pinocchio was a better person in this realm but he was no Killian Jones.

 They turned back to the man hunched in a dark corner, slid so far back in the shadows she could only see the fringe of his salt and pepper hair dipped over his tankard of ale.

 “We need your help, mapmaker,” Pinocchio said with as much authority as she had ever seen him exhibit in this realm.

 The man barely moved.  “I’m off duty,” he said into his drink, voice rough and gravely.

 “You are never off duty when it comes to the princess,” Pinocchio protested.

 “I’m sorry Princess Edna has lost her tea set but perhaps mummy can buy her a new one, eh?” he replied mockingly.

 “It’s Princess Emma!” Pinocchio cried, clearly offended on her behalf.  

 Emma was actually quite amused and had to bite back a laugh.

 “My deepest apologies, your highness,” the mapmaker threw her way. He barely looked up at her - it was still dark and hard to see but it was enough.  She saw the blue of his eyes.  It was unmistakably Killian.

 Emma’s smile dropped and her heart clenched.  She knew he wasn’t real, and in the wish realm, it was unlikely for them to have crossed paths but it still hurt to see his eyes pass by her without any recognition.  She reflexively gripped at the place where her necklace usually hung, the one with Liam’s ring, but it wasn’t there.

 “Please, this is important.”  I need to get back to the right you.

 “Everything’s bloody important to you lot, ain’t it?  I’d wager choosing the right cape this morning had been important to you,” he huffed before turning away from them, towards the wall.

 “How dare you speak to the princess that way!”  Pinocchio reached across the table and pulled roughly on Killian’s arm before she could stop him.  A notebook under his elbow slid off the table with the movement of his arm and the previously enclosed papers scattered all over the floor.  Killian cursed and immediately struggled out of his chair.  It was clear one of his legs was giving him problems as he stiffly dragged it to the side. He finally managed to push back the chair and drop hard to his knees as he gathered the papers.  Emma was arrested by the frantic and pained look on Killian’s face and it took her a moment to stoop down to help him.  When she did, she understood his expression. There were dozens upon dozens of beautiful sketches of Milah, done up in charcoal, painfully detailed, drawn with care and devotion and knowing him, carried with him at all times.

 In this realm, he never recovered from losing his first love.  In this realm, he lived another three decades without love, without hope, and finally without the will and ability to seek the revenge that had driven him for centuries before.

 She wanted to gather him in her arms, hold him close to her and let him weep.  But here, in this realm, they were strangers.  He didn’t even know her name.

 Still, she reached out and laid her hand on top of his.  He paused and looked up at her. She smiled at him, wondering if he felt it too.  Even in this realm it seemed, there was magic between them, she could feel it in their touch, in the warmth that spread from him to her and back again.  

 But he dropped his eyes, pulled back his hand and resumed his task.

 “I’m sorry for this,” she said as she handed the last remaining drawings to him.

 He barely gave her a nod of acknowledgment as he straightened them with care and reverently placed them back in his notebook.

 She watched him silently, not wanting to interrupt a task far more important to him than helping an unknown princess.  But as always, she needed him as much as he needed her.  So when his drawings were finally secured and he struggled to stand, she offered him a hand.  He glared at her hand for a moment before accepting it.

 “Please,” she said, her eyes meeting his. “I do really need your help.  Will you at least hear me out?”

 Emma could never be sure if it was because in all worlds thus far, Killian Jones was a gentleman or because he had never truly been able to resist her, but she was not surprised by his answer.

 “As you wish.”

  ***

  Killian of course had a system.  It took him all but a minute to locate the map. Emma was disappointed. As desperate as she was to be in her Killian’s arms, she didn’t want to leave this one all alone with his maps and dust and drawings of lost love.  Though he wasn’t real, he was real to her.  

 “I...uh, thank you.”

 Killian nodded his head and wearily leaned back against a shelf.  His right leg, the one that gave him trouble earlier, was bent at an uncomfortable angle.

 “What happened to your leg?” she found herself asking.

 “I thought you had another realm to reach?” he asked, raising a questioning eyebrow.

 Behind her, Pinocchio huffed loudly.

 “Methinks your beau is upset with the likes of me.”

 “Pinocchio is not my beau” she dismissed.  She winced when Pinocchio marched out of the room.  He did try to be a good friend, even if he was not so good at it.

 Killian hummed in response, a familiar smirk flirting in the corner of his mouth.  

 It took no small effort on her part not to lean forward and kiss him there, not to respond to him as she normally would, when he was hers and she was his.  

 He seemed to notice her distraction but instead of throwing innuendos her way, he frowned at her. “Truly, shouldn’t you be on your way?”

 “Really?” she demanded, hands on her hips.  When had he ever turned her down?

 He didn’t meet her challenge, only deepening his frown.  She didn’t think he would respond at all but after a pause, he actually scolded her.  “I’m old enough to be your father.”

 “You’ve always been old enough to be like my great great great grandfather,” she protested.  “Okay, I usually try not to think of that,” she half-heartedly tried to amend.

 “So you do know who I am,” he accused.  “Why even ask about me?”

 “I...I uh know you’re Captain Hook, yes.  But I don’t know what happened to you,” she replied, gesturing at his leg.

 “You mean how I went from scourge of the seven seas to a useless double cripple?”

 Emma’s annoyance deflated.  This was the Killian from Neverland, the one who thought he was too unworthy to be loved again, the one who never found another reason to believe in his worth.

 “I...I just would like to know.”  She softly laid a hand on his forearm.  “Please.”

 He was glaring at her hand again but made no effort to remove it.  “A Crocodile smashed it with a dwarf’s pick. Happy?”

 Emma’s eyes widened at his response.  “But how did he get to you?  He’s been locked up in my parents’ dungeon since I was born.”  No need to provide him the details of the Dark One’s release if this realm was going to cease to exist.  There was no Killian out there that would appreciate it.

 “I went to him.  I didn’t have magic but I had three hundred years of hate and pain.  And the funny thing was, I had hope.”

 “Hope?” she didn’t expect to hear those words from this Killian.

“Aye, your mother.  You know the story, she was an orphan, stripped of her birthright, of everything she knew, fleeing for her life, and yet she managed to defeat the Evil Queen and imprison my greatest enemy.”

 Emma listened with care.  She had never heard him speak of her mother this way but she could understand his admiration, see how much of him was also in Snow White.

 “I thought I could do it too.  I could do the impossible. I could survive my encounter with the Dark One, enjoy my vengeance, let Milah have her peace and...”

 “And...?”

 Killian shook his head.  “It doesn’t matter.”  But it did matter, his eyes lingering on a worn blue blanket, carefully draped over the back of a wingback chair.  She drew in sharp breath; she had seen that same blanket on his ship before. She had joked about it being for babies, it was soft and small, like her own baby blanket, but he had drawn her attention away from it. Yet, it was here, it was still here with him. Did he and Milah lose a baby or had he wanted one with Milah that he never got?  Killian and her had never spoken about children, not yet, but the thought of it warmed her from the inside out.  

 Killian laughed harshly, drawing her attention back to his face. “He got the upper hand. Wanted to make me the kind of man he was.”

 “Your father saved my life,” he bit out, “came just in time.”

 “That’s a bad thing?” she asked softly.

 “I’m a crippled palace servant who never avenged my love, only alive due to the pity of others.  Aye, they should have let the Crocodile finish me.”

 Emma couldn’t help it, she pulled Killian into her arms.  Her Killian had never given up, would never give up.  It was his willingness to live, his persistence to fight, that enabled him to be in the same time and realm as she was, that allowed them to be together, to realize their True Love.  This Killian had nothing to live for, he merely existed beyond his tragedies.

 He patted her back awkwardly with his one hand. “According to your own theory, your highness, I’m not even real, I don’t truly exist.  It doesn’t matter what happens to me.”

 Emma pressed her forehead to his, only tilting back her chin enough to see his eyes.  “What happens to you always matters to me.  I didn’t tell you because I didn’t know how, you are the one better with words, but you exist in my world too.  And you are loved, so much.”

 Killian’s eyes widened in disbelief.  He tried to move back, away from her, but Emma grabbed the sides of his face to force him to look at her, to see the truth in her eyes.  “You are, you are. No matter where, no matter when, I will always love you.”

  Killian studied her with as much intensity as her own Killian.  He wiped a tear with his thumb as softly as her own Killian.  “Don’t worry about me love, I will just disappear when you go away, eh?  It will be like I never existed.”  

 “You exist to me.”  And she realized he did exist, in the future, if the prophecy was fulfilled, if she died. This would be him, this man, this shadow.  He wasn’t just an alternative version in a fake realm, this was Killian, in a future without her.

 As though he was reading her like an open book, he breathed against her lips, “Then don't let myself ever forget how much you saved me.”

 “You saved me too.”  Remember it, remember it always.

 “Then return home, Emma.  Don’t let us be parted any longer,” he cajoled, like the gentleman he was, like the gentleman he always was.

 And then he smiled at her.

 It was same smile she had come to know and she felt a fierce need to see it on her own Killian’s face thirty years later.  And she would, she thought as she tightened her hold on him, she couldn’t let some prophecy take this away from her, take Killian’s smile, his fight, his future, maybe even a baby of their own, she was going back, she was going to fight for them both.  “I’ll be seeing you, Killian.”

 It was a promise Emma Swan was going to keep.  Operation Promise.  She had the power to change her fate, to change Killian’s.  She believed that, she had to.  She wouldn’t let him down or herself.  She took another look at Killian, at the face she would see in her future.  She was going to make her own fate.

 ***

 A/N: This was actually my fix-it for August, not Killian.  I didn’t think August was worthy of this new narrative where he was friend, hero, Swan guider.  I thought Emma could save herself.  She didn’t need a half-friend to keep tabs on her.  (No one needs a half-friend.)  I don’t really have an issue with OUAT’s Old Hook (Colin looked like he was having fun) but I didn’t think it fit Killian’s narrative.  If he never met Emma, it didn’t make sense to me that he would become unkempt and develop a delusional idea of his appeal.  The wish realm didn’t offer any other caricatures, everyone pretty much acted within the (albeit somewhat loose) confines of their changed circumstances (other than Emma for obvious reasons).  Without his vengeance driving him, I saw Killian drowning deeper in his own tragedies.  And Emma is good at putting other people first before herself but in saving Killian, she can put both of them first and it’s in this that she finds the power to believe that she can save the man she loves and herself.  #justsaying

A/N2: @flslp87 and @thetaleofcaptainswan, got inspired...