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#unmute the flute
knightofleo · 11 months
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(source)
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resssistance · 1 year
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thank you @an-odd-idea 🙏
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feral-soup · 1 year
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Ugh tiktok is the worst. There's no more videos of cute animals that are just the video of the animal. It's always gotta be overlayed with some shit like "Dancing Monkeys"
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alexa-crowe · 2 years
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how much do you wanna bet they don’t care about kim
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practically-an-x-man · 2 months
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Please assign a musical instrument to your OCs... To represent the sound of their voice.
Ooooh interesting! Thank you!
Rae: To represent her voice? Hm... I'm actually gonna go with a panflute. Her voice is a little raspy, and that's the first instrument I can think of that captures the same sort of tone I imagine for her.
Robin: She actually gets my beloved principal instrument, the French horn. I love their tone, they've got this beautiful soft sound but can also generate a lot of power, and they've got an incredible playing range. This definitely feels fitting for her, as an opera singer with sonic abilities.
Madison: Hm... I'm actually getting a muted trumpet from her. Sharp and brassy, but a little softened from the unmuted sound. But don't assume muted means quiet - if you do, you must not ever have met a trumpet player
Ophelia: I'm thinking bass clarinet or euphonium - lower, with that sort of regal but darker tone, not often noticed by non-music folks but can make a hell of a presence if you know what to listen for
Jasper: Hm.... fiddle. Not to be confused with the violin, though they're physically the same instrument - the playing styles are completely different, and Jasper is undeniably a fiddle. Representative of the South but equally placed in some badass rock songs, fast-paced and dynamic.
Katherine: I'm giving her the flute, and not just because she plays the flute herself. The chipper, bright sound is something I really see for her, and I can really hear a dancing flute run a la The Magic Flute or Peter and the Wolf in her voice when she gets excited/passionate about something.
Kestrel: I'm getting either a reed flute or a clarinet - the reedy, natural sound, something that's very distinctive and striking without being obtrusive. I also get a sense of control from them, they choose their words very carefully; if you've ever played the clarinet, it takes a lot of precision to keep it from squeaking.
Quinn: Hm.... I'm getting either bassoon or cello from them. Those are the vibes I got from Mason Alexander Park's voice when I watched the Sandman, and while Quinn speaks a bit sharper than Desire does, the tone of their voice would be the same
Eris: Kalimba, rebab, or oud - something historic, outside the typical Western model of music, with a bit of that harsher and almost metallic sound.
Nikoletta: Pipe organ. Elegance, darkness, slower-paced but in a way that undeniably commands the room. Organs have a very powerful but somehow languid sound, and that reads to me like Nikoletta commanding the halls of Belle Reve with only a few words.
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refinedbuffoonery · 3 years
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Flawless (7)
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Con Artist AU. masterlist. 
Content Warning: swearing, PTSD, violence, sex
Before we get started here, you all need to know that Flawless will be going on a mini-hiatus. This chapter is the end of my original outline, and I need to spend some time planning out the next plot arc before I write the next chapter. 
(Also, shoutout to the lovely humans who translated the line in French. Y’all are the real MVPs.)
Anyway, this is it. The chapter you’ve all been waiting for. The heist. It feels so surreal to finally write it. As always, thank you for coming on this wild ride with me. ❤
*****
In the shadow of its brightly illuminated landmarks, Paris hummed to the tune of debauchery. 
Paparazzi gathered around the Louvre’s glass pyramid, waiting to capture a clear picture of a celebrity guest entering the afterparty. Riley shielded her face with her clutch as she walked in, careful to remain unidentifiable in the barrage of photos. The gold buttons on her emerald jacket-dress caught the warm light emanating from the pyramid and the bright camera flashes. She was well dressed, but not enough to stand out. Tonight, Riley needed to blend in. 
She ran a hand through her hair, making sure the loose curls covered her earpiece. For the sake of stealth, the team’s comms were skin color, but they were Nikki and Cage’s skin color, not Riley’s. 
Riley was half-tempted to throw her comms into one of the fountains out of spite. 
She was the last of the Five Eyes to arrive. They staggered their arrivals to avoid being associated with one another, as a precaution. Pulse thrumming in anticipation, Riley bounced on her toes slightly as she waited in line to check in. The Louvre security team meticulously checked each guest’s ID against the guest list; there would be no party crashers tonight. 
It had been all too easy for Riley to add the Five Eyes’ cover identities to the guest list a week ago. Now, she handed the stone-faced security guard a drivers’ license bearing her face and the name “Danika Jackson.” Returning her ID with a nod, the security guard stepped aside, allowing Riley to enter the party. 
Everyone is responsible for their own entrance and exit. That was her new rule. She got everyone’s names added to the guest list, but her assistance ended there. If someone ran into trouble, it was on them to bail themselves out. 
Riley had learned that rule from her mentor when she first dipped her toes into the world of two-faced schemes and nimble-fingered cons, but she never truly understood it—or saw the need to enforce it—until she felt the bite of handcuffs digging into her wrists. 
It was a mistake she’d never make again. 
Riley strolled through the hallway bearing massive Italian paintings, slowly making her way to the room containing the most overrated painting of all time—and the rendezvous point. 
The Mona Lisa room was empty aside from a blonde woman in a beaded, blood-red cocktail dress standing much too close to the glass-encased painting. Riley stood to the woman’s right and studied the painting as well. It was underwhelming. 
“You’d think the most beautiful woman in art would be wearing a prettier dress,” Nikki remarked.
Riley snorted, crossing her arms. “Says the woman who just bought a four-thousand-dollar cheetah print pantsuit.”
Nikki feigned offence. “You’re just jealous because you couldn’t pull it off. Anyway, quiz time. What year did da Vinci paint the Mona Lisa?” 
“1503,” Riley answered easily. “And the woman’s name is Lisa del Giocondo.” Nikki’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “What’s that look for?” 
“I didn’t think you actually listen when I talk about art.” 
Riley offered her friend a small smile. “I’m always listening to you.” The sound of heels clicking down the hall made them pause. When the coast was clear, Riley murmured, “Is everyone in position?”
“Yeah. Desi and Sam should be inside already, and Jill checked in a few guests in front of me.”
“How did that go?”
“Easy peasy.” Nikki glanced at Riley and softened her tone. “Are we sure Jill is ready for this?”
“We’ll find out, won’t we? Don’t forget, it was your idea to recruit her.”
Nikki turned back to the Mona Lisa. “You know, you really do suck at pep talks.” 
“Oh shut up.” Riley rolled her eyes. “Are you sure you want control room duty?” 
Nikki spared her a sideways glance. “I’ll do it. You did it last time.” Her second sentence hung heavy in the air, a reminder of the job gone horribly wrong. And a reminder of all the things they still hadn’t talked about. 
Riley brushed it aside. They could talk after they were each forty million dollars richer. 
Pulling a flash drive hidden inside an old lipstick tube out of her clutch, Riley instructed, “Plug this in, and it’ll do half the work for you.” 
“Thanks.” Nikki put the tube in her own purse. “See you on the other side.” 
“Don’t get caught.” 
“Don’t get caught,” Nikki parroted, and Riley strode down the hall toward the party.
She followed the pulsing music and the stream of guests to a room in the far corner of the museum, passing the employee door Nikki would sneak into along the way. Crossing the threshold, she couldn’t conceal her gasp. Riley had seen plenty of opulent rooms over the years, but the Galerie d’Apollon was something else entirely. Gold moulding framed the dozens of paintings covering the walls and the arched ceiling. Display cases containing the French Crown Jewels formed a line down the middle of the rectangular room. Despite the party’s couture dress code, the bedazzled guests looked entirely underdressed compared to the grandeur of the gallery.
She only let herself be awestruck for a few seconds before getting to work, marking the exits and security cameras. Riley didn’t like how deep the gallery was in the museum—and how far she would have to walk to make a clean escape with the jewels. 
She would be the one walking out with them. No one else. Riley had made that crystal clear during the team planning meeting a few days ago. 
Draped in black fabric, the case containing the designer jewelry sat in the middle of the gallery. A security guard stood by it, no doubt to ward off nosey guests wanting a sneak peek. 
A wave of nausea passed through her, reminding Riley that the closest thing to a substantial meal she’d eaten all day was the two pastries she ate a few hours ago. She slipped through the crowd with practiced ease, heading for the snack table. Jill was already there, gorging herself on bread and cheese. Eyes wide, the blonde froze as Riley sidled next to her, evidently thinking she was in trouble. 
But Riley simply reached for a piece of bread and asked, “Which cheese is the best?” 
Exhaling audibly, Jill pointed a manicured, light blue nail. “That one.” Riley tried it. Jill was right; it was delicious. 
“You ready, Blondie?” Riley asked, lowering her voice. “There’s no job unless you get this right.” 
Jill rolled her shoulders back, snarking, “No pressure or anything.” There was a bite to her words, one Riley noticed only came out when someone, namely her, pushed the blonde a little too far. 
“Sorry,” Riley said, and she meant it. “You can do this. Don’t second-guess yourself. Commit.” 
Jill merely nodded, swallowing another piece of cheese. 
Riley wandered off, not wanting to stay with Jill too long. With her back to a wall, she scanned the room in search of Desi and Cage. When she didn’t see them on her first sweep, Riley furrowed her brow. Where the hell were they? 
A bright laugh carried across the room—Cage. There you are, Riley thought. She spied her teammate enjoying the spotlight in the center of a group of models all cooing over Cage’s pale pink dress. It suited Cage, with its billowy sleeves and flowy skirt that hit just below her knees. Cage giggled again, putting her hand on a woman’s shoulder a little too boldly for the gesture to be casual. 
Predictably, Desi wasn’t far away, staring daggers at her shameless flirt of a girlfriend. 
Riley unmuted her comms. “Easy there, Des. It’s just an act.” 
“Doesn’t mean I have to like it,” she snapped. Even from a distance, Riley could see Desi’s tight grip on her champagne flute. 
Riley cooed, “So jealous.” 
The woman wrapped a proprietary arm around Cage, clearly welcome to the blonde’s advances, and Cage beamed at her. 
It was enough to push Desi over the edge. “Don’t forget whose bed you’re sleeping in tonight, Samantha,” she snarled. “And I don’t remember agreeing to share.” 
Cage excused herself from the group. “My love, did it ever occur to you that I’m making you jealous on purpose? Because we both know—”
Nikki cut her off, rescuing the team from whatever filthy thing was about to come out of Cage’s mouth. “Don’t be gross, you two.” Riley stifled a laugh. She and Nikki had been subjected to many things they didn’t want to hear over the years. This would hardly faze her now.
Focus. They needed to focus. 
Riley finally spotted the sharp-eyed assistant she noticed at the runway show. Always two steps behind the designer, the young woman obediently trailed him as he floated from group to group. The assistant finished her drink, setting it on the tray of a passing waiter, and strode toward the main hallway in this wing of the museum. 
“I think she’s going to the bathroom,” Jill said. “Do I follow her?” 
Snagging a drink of her own, Riley answered, “No. Bump into her when she comes back.” She watched Jill make her way toward the far side of the gallery, ready to intercept the assistant and steal her keys. 
Everything was going to plan. Jill just had to steal the keys, and then all they had to do was hurry up and wait for the big reveal. Eight o’clock, Riley was told upon arrival. The designer would commence his speech at eight, then reveal his masterpiece to the world. 
Riley checked her watch. Thirty more minutes. 
She knew she’d been standing in this spot for too long already, but Riley was loath to give up the relative safety of having a wall at her back. The twinge of fear she’d felt earlier at the runway show came raging to the surface, rooting her stiletto-clad feet in place. Leaving the wall meant having people in her blind spot. No one’s going to hurt me, Riley promised herself. This is a party, not a prison. 
Her legs felt like lead weights, but Riley forced herself to re-enter the crowd, one agonizing stride at a time. She made it as far as the nearest display case before she had to stop, and her eyes landed on a tiara resting in the center of the display. Countless tiny diamonds formed flowery swoops and swirls, with a handful of emeralds scattered between them, filling what would otherwise be empty spaces. In the center, the diamonds framed a large, round emerald, mimicking the shape of a flower. 
It was exactly what Riley would have stolen had the Five Eyes agreed to rob the Louvre itself, rather than this party. Maybe she’d come back for it, one day. 
Using the case as a pseudo-wall, Riley took a deep breath and re-scanned the room in search of Jill. Unsurprisingly, Jill was exactly where Riley had last seen her.
She kept an eye on the recruit, knowing Desi and Cage were doing the same. Riley was impressed; Jill had quickly figured out how to linger without being obvious she was waiting for something. Jill mindlessly pushed up her glasses—the only visible sign of her nerves—and the movement drew Riley’s attention. 
But not to Jill. 
To another blond head, far behind her. One Riley desperately hoped to never see again. 
“We have a problem,” Desi said. 
“I saw.” 
Nikki’s ex-boyfriend stalked into the gallery, a taller, older man at his heels like a shadow—the same men who chased Riley, Nikki, and Jill through the taco shop a few weeks ago. 
Fuck.
Ducking her head to avoid being spotted, Riley hissed, “Nik, get your ass to the control room and lock the door behind you. We’ve got company.” 
“Already here. Accessing system controls as we speak. Whoever designed the security system in this place should be fired, because this is ridiculously simple. I should’ve left it in French just to keep it interesting.” A pause. "Who's here? Wait. No. Let me guess. Interpol? The mob? That bitchy designer I once robbed point-blank?" 
"Your ex." 
"Oh."
"You didn't tell him about our dream job, did you?" The words came out a little too accusatory, but Riley didn't care. She needed to know. 
"No! Of course I didn't. He— Look, I don't know why he's here, and we can figure that out later. Right now, you need to keep him busy. He's smart, Riles. Maybe even smarter than you. Be careful." 
Riley scoffed. "Smarter than me? We'll see about that." 
"I'm serious, Riley." 
But Riley ignored her, instead giving instructions of her own. "Cage, you watch Jill. Des—" 
"I've got the big one." Classic Desi, never letting her finish a sentence and yet always knowing what she was going to say. The habit was obnoxious at first, but over time Riley learned to appreciate it. "See the bulge on his left side? He keeps touching it." Desi said. "He's armed." 
“He’s what?” Jill exclaimed. 
Chuckling, Desi said, “Now look at my left side. We match.” A small, terrified squeak was the only response. “Well, what did you think I meant when I told you I’m the team’s exfil specialist?” 
“Not that!” 
“And Nik’s ex?” Riley asked, redirecting the conversation. 
“Seems clean.” 
“He is,” Nikki confirmed. “Mac hates guns.” 
“You know,” Riley said, studying the larger of the two men, “The other one kind of looks like a guy who dated my mom once.” 
“Really?” Desi asked. “Think he’s the same guy?” 
Riley took a closer look. He was tall, with broad, muscled shoulders and a buzzed haircut, and considering how often he fidgeted with his tie, he didn’t get dressed up often. He smiled at a passing waitress. He had an open, friendly smile, which totally contrasted with the systematic way he scanned the room. “Nah.”
Jill squawked, “Wait! Are we really still going through with this? Didn’t it just get a whole lot harder?” 
“You say harder, I say more fun,” Cage said. “Just stick to the plan. You’ll be fine.” 
Jill, it seemed, wasn’t so easily reassured. “Am I the only one who sees this is a trap?” 
“It’s only a trap when you don’t know about it. When you do, it’s a challenge,” Riley said. 
“But what if the plan goes wrong? Then what?” 
At the same time, all four women answered, “Improvise.” 
Riley muted her comms as she approached Nikki’s ex; Jill didn’t need the added distraction. Help her, Riley pleaded with the universe. You owe me. 
Pushing her concerns about Jill to the back of her mind, Riley studied her target. There was a champagne flute in the spy’s hand, but he didn’t drink it—not even a sip—and his methodical gaze swept the room, no doubt making note of each guest and who they interacted with. 
He was cute, she had to admit. Definitely Nikki’s type. 
Purposefully not watching where she was going, Riley collided with him, narrowly avoiding sloshing his drink onto her shoes. She pretended to stumble, and his free hand caught her waist, ensuring Riley stayed upright. “Oh! I’m so sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going. Pardon me.” 
His hand left her side. Frowning, he asked, “Do I know you?” 
Don’t lie. Evade. Her former mentor taught her that. 
Riley smirked. “I bet you use that line on every beautiful woman you stumble into.” 
“Only when I’m too blown away to say something original.” He winked. 
Maybe this would be easier than Riley anticipated. “Care to wander the museum with me while you practice your next line?” 
“Normally I would, but I just got out of a relationship, and I’m not looking to start anything new.” 
So much for that plan. 
His honesty, however, was surprising. 
“Not even a little fun?” she goaded, but Nikki’s ex declined once more before excusing himself and vanishing into the crowd. 
At least Desi had better luck keeping the other spy occupied. She had him cornered, her body carefully angled to prevent him from seeing the slight bulge from the gun hidden in her dress. The plunging neckline had two purposes—easy access to the gun holstered at her side while providing a distracting view of her chest and intricate tattoos. It was just enough to snag wandering eyes and keep them focused on the front of her body, rather than the side. To the spy’s credit, his eyes remained pointedly fixed on Desi’s face. 
“Got the keys,” Jill announced. Perfect timing. 
Riley breathed a sigh of relief. “Good work, Blondie.” 
Now, all they had to do was wait.
*****
While the designer yammered some pretentious bullshit about fine jewelry as the centerpiece of fashion and art, Riley slowly pushed her way to the front of the crowd gathering for the reveal. A few feet away, Cage did the same. Across from them—closest to the still-covered jewelry display case—Desi and Jill took their places. None of them were particularly interested by the designer’s speech, but Nikki would be hanging on every word if she were here. 
The designer rambled on, explaining how particular pieces among the French Crown Jewels influenced the designs of his own work. It was awfully arrogant, Riley thought, comparing his own work to such timeless pieces. The longer he spoke, the more Riley disliked him and didn’t feel even an ounce of guilt for robbing him. 
Lingering on the edge of the crowd, Nikki’s ex and his partner seemed content to remain out of the way. For all Riley cared, they could stay there all night. 
The gallery lights flickered once. A few guests glanced up nervously, but the majority remained transfixed on the designer. 
Nikki’s voice crackled through the comms. “Everyone ready? Nod once if you are.” Riley nodded. One by one, so did everyone else. “Alrighty then. Lights out in five…”
Riley counted the number of paces between her and Cage—six. 
“Four…”
Paces from Cage to the jewelry case—eight. 
“Three…”
Paces from the case back to her original position—ten. 
Two…
Closing her eyes, Riley waited. 
“One.” 
Several women shrieked when the lights went out. 
Riley opened her eyes, and before they’d even adjusted to the dark, she strode toward Cage. Six steps. She collided with Cage, dropping her purse on the ground and taking Cage’s identical one, containing replicas of the necklace and earrings. 
Cage shouted that someone stole her purse, causing a scene. She’d chatted and flirted with enough people throughout the night for her voice to be easily recognized, and a murmur broke out among the agitated crowd, creating just enough background noise to cover the sound of Riley’s heels clicking on the floor. 
Eight steps to the back side of the jewelry display. Riley could just make out Jill and Desi unlocking the case with the assistant’s keys. She braced for an alarm to sound, but there was nothing. Atta girl, Nikki. 
Riley opened the purse. Carefully, Desi replaced the real jewels with the fakes, depositing the real ones inside Cage’s purse. 
Jill locked the case and replaced the cover, and Riley returned to her original position among the crowd. The designer and his assistant remained oblivious to what transpired behind them, even as Jill slipped the keys back into the assistant’s dress pocket.
“Lights on in three,” Nikki warned. 
Emergency lights flickered on, casting a harsh white light over the murmuring crowd. A man angrily questioned what happened, followed by a chorus of “Yeah, what he said!”s in a variety of languages. The assistant urged the crowd to remain calm, promising everything would be sorted out shortly. 
Riley looked over her shoulder, searching for Nikki’s ex. He was nowhere to be found. She narrowed her eyes, but with two hundred million dollars worth of jewelry in her hand, Riley decided she didn’t particularly care. 
The woman Cage flirted with the longest stepped forward, picking up the purse Riley had tossed near Cage’s feet. “Isn’t this your purse?” she asked Cage. 
Riley’s teammate feigned embarrassment, gracefully reclaiming the purse. “Yes, that’s it. Thank you.” 
Just as an outraged Cage exclaimed the purse was empty, Riley melted into the dispersing crowd, slowly making her way toward the museum’s exit. That was the plan. She’d leave first, and once she escaped with the jewels, everyone else would exit as well. 
Riley retraced her steps, heels clicking on the hardwood flooring of the museum’s endless long hallways. She didn’t look at any of the art as she passed, not even a single glance. Art had always been more Nikki’s thing than hers. 
Weaving her way back to the exit, Riley prayed Nikki hadn’t missed any of the cameras. She was supposed to loop them all, allowing Riley to leave the museum unseen. But with each additional camera—some obvious, some not—Riley’s anxiety rose. 
Nikki knows what she’s doing, Riley reminded herself. She won’t let anything happen to me. 
Two years ago, that reassurance would’ve been enough. 
Now, her distrusting brain shot back, Are you sure? 
Riley didn’t dignify it with a response. 
Passing the museum’s security checkpoint, Riley smiled at a bored-looking security guard. “Vous partez déjà?” he asked. 
Riley hoped the security guard asked why she was leaving so soon. She never did get around to brushing up on her French. “Oui, I have a flight to catch.” Not a lie, although the flight wouldn’t take off until early tomorrow morning. 
The crisp night breeze prickled Riley’s bare skin. She took a deep breath, letting the cold air fill her lungs. For the first time that night, Riley finally felt her body start to relax. The vast, empty plaza felt so much safer than the packed gallery. Still not safe enough to let her guard down, but safer. Riley slipped her hand into the purse, fingers closing around an earring. It was surprisingly heavy in her palm. 
Another flawless job. The Five Eyes were back in business. 
She was halfway across the plaza when Nikki started cursing, but Riley didn’t slow. Everyone is responsible for their own exit. The job was done. No turning back now. 
There was a distinct male voice in the background, but Riley couldn’t make out what he said. 
“What do you mean, ‘I had a feeling you’d be here’?” Nikki demanded. “We haven’t spoken in months, Mac, and I know you didn’t track me here on your own.” 
Her ex’s voice was nothing more than a low, indiscernible rumble. 
“What?” Nikki whispered, her voice breaking mid-word. 
As much as Riley wanted to know what he said, she kept walking. But that didn’t stop the others from hissing Nikki’s name, demanding to know what was going on. 
Nikki yelped, and then the male voice purred, loud and clear, “I know you’re listening, Riley. Why don’t we go on that little walk now?” 
With a cold laugh, Riley said, “In your fucking dreams.” How did he know her name? As far as she knew, Nikki never mentioned her. 
Still, she kept walking. Everyone is responsible for their own exit. No matter what. 
Riley muted her comms, and Nikki’s piercing shriek filled her ear. A muffled grunt followed.
Then nothing. 
Please be okay. Please be okay. Please be okay. 
“Riley, you need to come back,” Jill pleaded. “Nikki needs help.” 
She didn’t answer, clenching her jaw with the effort to keep silent. An airplane flew overhead, and Riley tracked its path across the sky. Every step brought Riley closer to her own flight home—and the freedom that entailed. Turning around now would only put that in jeopardy. 
But every step also took her away from her best friend. The woman she once believed she’d do anything for. 
Jill was overreacting, Riley reasoned. Nikki was more than capable of getting herself out of a bind. Riley lost track of the number of impossible situations she and Nikki had found themselves in over the years, and they always found a way to escape. 
“Sam is getting Jill out,” Desi said, slightly out of breath. “Riles, I don’t think I can get Nikki out on my own. Jill is right. You need to come back.” 
Riley faltered. If Desi thought there was a problem, then something must’ve gone really, really wrong. 
Maybe Jill wasn’t overreacting after all. 
“Des—” Cage started. “They opened the case.” 
“So?” 
“They know the jewels are fake. If Riley comes back, it won’t just be Nikki going to prison.” 
Prison. 
Riley didn’t think she was breathing. Heart thudding wildly, her stomach tied itself into knots, and her clothes became damp with sweat. The sense of safety she’d felt earlier was gone, and Riley fought the urge to run. Every little noise—traffic, pedestrian chatter, a siren in the distance—was coming for her, ready to drag her into some dark hole she’d never emerge from. 
Nothing was logical anymore, like the part of her brain capable of rational thought had gone to sleep. She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head, trying to wake up, but it was no use. 
Run, while you still have the chance, her body screamed. 
Everyone is responsible for their own exit, her brain repeated. 
She needed to turn around. Nikki couldn’t go to prison. 
Two years ago, Riley had gone to prison in Nikki’s stead. She let herself be arrested to protect her friends. Her family. 
If Nikki went to prison now, then Riley’s sacrifice would be in vain. 
But Riley’s body refused to turn around. Her worst memories from prison flashed before her eyes—ones Riley desperately wanted to forget—like a cougar crouching in the shadows, waiting for the exact moment she was at her weakest to pounce. 
She couldn’t go back there. She couldn’t go through that again. 
She wouldn’t survive it twice. 
“Riles,” Nikki pleaded, her voice barely above a whisper. “Where are you?” 
Run, that voice in her head said. Don’t look back. 
Her steps were slower now, less sure. But Riley didn’t stop. She couldn’t. 
“I need you.” 
Save yourself, girl. 
“I’m sorry,” Riley whispered, but her comms were still muted. With a shaking hand, Riley unmuted them one last time. 
It’s better this way, the voice promised. You’ll see. 
It was all too easy to slip into the brutal, emotionless persona she’d built while in prison, the process having become instinct. It was necessary then, to keep her safe and alive. Now, it did the same, preventing Riley from making a mistake every cell in her body knew she wouldn’t come back from. 
In a cold, unflinching voice, Riley said, “Everyone is responsible for their own exit.” 
She threw her earpiece into a nearby fountain, and the click of her stilettos echoed in the night. 
~ Tag List ~ Want to be added? Send me an ask.
@macrileyedits / @hellishrose / @losingitovermacriley​ / @mylifequotesshowallofthem / @thecarrieonokay / @holbytlanna​ /
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lovewillthaw-j · 4 years
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Frozen 2 Score breakdown - Northuldran village scene
This long scene showcases many of the musical themes in Frozen 2. I love this score to bits and I want to share it with you. If you want more, look for my posts tagged “Frozen 2 score” or you can read my mega post on the themes.
1. Peace theme
This beautiful, gentle theme starts in A major. The harp plays the accompaniment to the piano’s melody. 
This scene takes place after the turmoil of Elsa fighting Bruni the Fire spirit, and after the Northuldrans have “initiated” Elsa and Anna into their tribe with the Vuelie song (nanana heyanna) so I think everybody is at “peace” here, sitting around fires, drinking tea, kids playing with Olaf.
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Then it transposes to F# major, where the flute takes over the melody.
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2. The Next Right Thing motif
This is a very early foreshadowing of The Next Right Thing. Christophe Beck intentionally inserted it early, subliminally into our minds. It plays when Lieutenant Mattias and Anna speak about “what do you do when life throws you onto a new path?” - answer: do the next right thing. 
It is played beautifully by a solo horn.
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3. Elsa’s theme
This is the iconic theme for Elsa that is usually loud and intense or majestic/heroic. It appears here in a very soft and subtle, gentle form, played by the harp.
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4. All is Found - short reprise
Elsa and Honeymaren sing a line from All is Found. If you listen closely to Idina singing “Dive down deep into her sound”, her voice is so warm and tender here, exactly how Kristen Anderson-Lopez describes Idina’s low range.
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5. Earth Giant’s theme
Boom! The Earth giant makes his formidable appearance. The fujara (Slovakian overtone flute) is part of the iconic Earth giant’s theme. It is “overblown” to create this haunting, distorted sound. 
Note: the transcription I have made is not exact but you get the idea.
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6. Bruni’s theme
The Earth giant’s theme is interrupted briefly by Bruni’s theme, played when Bruni appears for a quick comical moment with Olaf. 
This short theme is not found in the deluxe CD track “Earth Giants”.
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7. Sisters theme
The sisters theme is the most beautiful theme in F2, in my opinion. We hear it every time Elsa and Anna have a heart to heart talk. It is not very long here, but it is there, subliminally. 
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As always, kudos to composer Christophe Beck!!
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galwithalibrarycard · 3 years
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Tagged by @sonseulsoleil thanks for the tag, friend! :)
Nicknames: My name is only 2 syllables so I never needed one.
Zodiac: Scorpio 🦂
Height: 5′6 but my doctor apparently has it down as 5′5 as I recently learned
Last thing I googled: DFTBA (to look at the Drawfee merch)
Song stuck in my head: Fight the Dragons from Big Fish (been listening to showtunes lately)
Number of followers: 897 (thanks all!)
Amount of sleep I got: I think about 8 or 9 hours, which is good for me. But I did have to sleep in to get it :p
Lucky number: 4
Favorite song (at the moment): I don’t know. At this moment I’m listening to In A Crowd of Thousands from Anastasia, it’s not my favorite song ever but it is beautiful.
Favorite instrument: I’m not a musician, so I don’t really know. I played flute in high school, and I like how much range you get from things like guitar and piano.
Dream job: I want to always work with words. Being an editor is working well for me right now.
Aesthetic: the whoosh of pages flipping from a few stacks over in an empty library
Favorite author: Laini Taylor
Animal noise: can I just say every cute little noise in those baby animal videos you see online with the caption “OMG UNMUTE THIS NOW” or whatever <3
Random: I’m currently (finally) catching up with Wynonna Earp on netflix and I have a lot of feels. I just got to the beginning of season three and I am Very Sad about what’s happening. Also this is the first year where I’ve actually wanted to start the Christmas season in mid-November, because we all need stuff to be happy about.
tagging: @acelandonkirby @nbrosalind @aninfiniteweirdo @amaliabalash @thesummertimeproject :)
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shirubiaowo · 3 years
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My upperclassmen told me to unmute during a flute zoom breakout room
Then I said, if I start talking I would go on a rant about mcyt
They told me to mute...
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symphonic-scream · 4 years
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Online Symphony is the funniest part of my week now because like, the whole Symphony is muted, the conductor is playing a recording through the call
And after aevery section we play together he just says "that sounded great :)" as if we just played it for him
"just the flutes and clarinets at 100 please, I wanna hear them, but don't unmute please guys" like hello???? I'm dying laughing he can't hear us why is he picking sections out this is killing me I'm trying not to laugh obviously on camera cause our conductor is so sweet but like ohhhh my godd this is funny as all hell
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Link
clickthrough AND UNMUTE
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tavi-hayes · 4 years
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practice challenge ~ journey to the palace
((whoopwhoop, idk how i managed to write this (given it’s quite long and i usually never ever write stuff this long) also please excuse me again for any spelling/grammar errors i try. alsoooo thanks to these wonderful girls: Bethia @h-hart​, Kat @clara-choii​ and Pia @brookelynnsanders​!))
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It was silent at work today. The only sounds were the flipping of pages and the ticking on keys of a computer, followed by a frustrated sigh occasionally.
“Maybe we should get some more flutes?” I said, “they’re not that expensive and they won’t take up a lot of space here.”
Lola, being distracted by her laptop, showed no sign that she had heard what I just said.
“Helllooo, Lo are you there?”
“Huh, what?” she ran her hands through her hair as she looked my way.
I lifted the catalogue to show her the flute page.
“No Tavi,” Lo leaned her head on the back of the chair, doing the accounts must have tired her. “We already have flutes, and no one is ever interested in them. They have been here for decades.”
I rolled my eyes, “maybe that is why no one is interested. They look grim.”
Lo refocused on her laptop, and I flipped another page of the catalogue.
Oeh, the bass guitars. My favourite part.
I ran my finger over the page, paying a lot of attention to each one.
There were electronic bass guitars, but also the semi-acoustic ones. Some were very modern-looking with the brightest of colours, while others go for more of a vintage look.
I don’t know if I would ever be able to part with my own baby. The bass guitar, that I now owned, had been eyeing me every day since it had arrived in the store. It had been love at first sight.
But it was such a big investment and I just didn’t have that kind of money.
A part of my earnings was needed for us to make a living, pay the rent and do the groceries for example. And the other part that wasn’t needed for that, entered our savings jar.
We had been saving money since the day my dad was put behind bars. For whatever reason those bars had been in St. George. Freaking St. George.
The province didn’t even have direct borders with Denbeigh, Ottaro was right in between.
That made a simple, but still long, car ride impossible. Not taken the problems that come with the snowy climate into account.
That same climate also caused issues for our only transportation option.
Denbeigh’s climate was hard to predict at times. It could be a beautiful day with sunshine and a clear sky, but then you wake up the next morning to a thick layer of snow.
And because those snowfalls could happen in at least 8 out of 12 months, a lot of planes got cancelled in those months. The only airport anywhere near Winnipeg was privately owned. So the owners could literally ask the prices they wanted for the plane tickets. And boy, they were only focussed on making a profit.
For a simple family of Fives, those prices were unpayable. Hence why we had been saving money for 6 years now, still nowhere near able to pay for tickets. My mom would need a ticket, Daniel and I would too, and we just can’t leave little Aria and Arlan. My dad should be allowed to see them as well. That’s means we already need the money for 5 tickets. But if we include Daniel’s family, with his wife and little Melody, then that would equal 7 tickets.
So yeah, I would never have been able to buy that bass guitar.
Until Lo had a brilliant idea. They would give it to me as my birthday present for the upcoming 10 years. At first, I couldn’t accept that kind of gift, knowing it would have been a huge investment for the Wood family as well. But they insisted, hinting that they would get an employee discount anyway since you know Mr Wood owns the place. So, the price dropped, and they ignored me, so I had to give in and accept. It was the best gift I had ever gotten.
The stores door busted open, “GIRLS!” Gina’s voice took me back to earth. “they’re about to do the draw!”
“What draw?” apparently Lo shared my confusion.
Gina rolled her eyes and grabbed Lo’s laptop from the table. “Wait, I was working! Save it, save it!”
The laptop was put right on top of the catalogue I had just been looking through. Lo ushered over as well.
“Let me just,” Gina had opened an internet page and started typing in the website address of Winnipeg’s number one news channel, WTV. Such an original name.
The news anchor, some middle-aged woman with very fake looking blond hair, appeared on screen. “What is she wearing?” Lo asked, disgust and confusion both showing on her face.
“A track suit, it’s part of her image,” Gina unmuted the laptop, the crow-like voice of the woman filling the room, “now shush, I wanna hear this.”
“… Cameron Porter has been selected for the Illéan national ice hockey team. The star of Winnipeg’s very own ice hockey team, the Winnipeg Belugas, will accompany the national team to the world cup, taking place later this year in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Last week’s draw concluded that Illéa will have to face the German Federation and New Asia in the group stage. The national team’s training will start next week.”
Lo and I shared a look, “this is what you wanted to see Gina?”
“Since when do you care about ice hockey?” I asked, this was something new.
“Urgh, you guys are intolerable,” she silenced us with her finger.
“… and now we will switch to the royal palace in Angeles, to watch the live draw for Prince Arin’s Selection.”
The draw, of course that was what had sparked Gina’s interest. For some unknown reason, the entire Selection had slipped from my mind.
Nevertheless, I felt a little flutter in my stomach. Nerves. Looking over to my friends, I noticed the tense looks on both of their faces. Lo’s hands were clasped together, while Gina’s had disappeared in the pockets of her cardigan.
“Welcome,” some weird voice-over called.
With that the camera focussed on the prince.
“Urgh,” I rolled my eyes.
Lo poked me in the side, laughing, “oh Tavi your distaste is showing.”
“I don’t understand how you can hate someone who is that good looking. I mean have you seen that jawline? Perfection.” Gina had had a crush on the prince for as long as I had known her.
I rolled my eyes again, “I don’t hate him.” The drawing began before I had time to explain myself further.
“From Allens … Idalia Moretti.”
“He doesn’t look very happy,” I couldn’t help but comment, “or comfortable.”
Gina sighed probably annoyed that she couldn’t listen to the show properly, “his engagement was called off not that long ago. That is a pretty hard thing to deal with.”
“Yeah, I see, it’s so hard that he’s having a Selection. Shouldn’t he like get over the other girl first?”
My friends ignored me.
“From Angeles … Emily Rose White.”
This thing was going to take forever. I just wanted to look at the catalogue again, not at that prince, “he’s making me feel uncomfortable, just by watching him.”
Again, no response from either of my friends.
I took that as a sign to remain silent, knowing very well my friends wouldn’t reply anyway now that their eyes were locked on the prince.
“From Dakota … Brooke Lynn Sanders.”
Gina let out a breath she was holding, “okay now is Denbeigh,” she took our hands in hers, “fingers crossed it’s one of us.”
Her hand palms were sweaty, she must really want this.
“From Denbeigh … Octavia Hayes.”
We were all silent for a minute. Then Lo started screaming, Gina joining her. “Oh my GOODNESS!”
“Tavi! You’re going to the palace! You’re going to meet the prince!”
“Yeah,” I was absolutely lost for words. Meeting the prince hadn’t been the first thing that came to my mind, hell it hadn’t even been the second or third thing.
The first thing I thought was: I’m one step closer to getting my dad out of prison. I will be in that freaking library day and night looking for the book that is going to help me. There must be something somewhere about a second opinion on a court order, or something else to annul the judge’s decision.
“Ohhh, I’m sooo jealous of you right now. You are going to meet the prince! And there’s a chance he will fall in love with you and you’ll have beautiful babies.” Gina pulled on one of my curls, it bounced up and down as she let go of it.
“Uhm, I think that particular chance can be redeemed to zero.” I bit my lip, not even in my biggest dreams had I imagined my name would be drawn.
“Tavi, listen. I know you only applied for those laws books, but you need to be friendly to the prince if you want to stay,” Lo insisted, “or else you will be eliminated.”
“And I have to interact with him?”
“There are girls who would kill for a chance of even being in one room with him,” Gina took over, she sounded very serious suddenly. “You’ll meet him that’s for sure, and if you actually try you might make it far enough to earn a date. Just at least try to be nice, okay?”
“Just don’t insult him,” Lo added, “or his family, or the country. Okay, don’t insult anyone.”
The way my best friends were looking at me brought me right back to the good old school days. That was exactly the way teachers had looked whenever I had done something naughty. Which had basically been at least once every day.
“Do you promise?” Lo asked when I didn’t respond.
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll try not to insult anyone.” I sighed, this is going to be so much harder than I thought.
All of a sudden a lot robot-like voice yelled “BREAKING NEWS”.
It just scared the living shit out of me. We turned as one towards the laptop again.
On the screen was that fake blond woman in her tracksuit again.
“Prince Arin just completed the draw for his very own Selection. Some famous girls will be joining him at the palace. Our very own province will be represented by Octavia Hayes. You might have heard of her, given that she is some meekly Five. But her father’s name will ring a bell. Octavia’s father is Caspar H., a dangerous convict in prison for murdering Winnipeg’s beloved mayor Wilfred Wallis. He might have very well passed the criminal gene onto his daughter. Not only is she definitely not a good representative for Denbeigh, but the lives of the royal family might all be in danger.”
“Damn it!” Stupid news anchor. Why couldn’t they just stay out of my family’s business. Now the entire country will be aware of this. My dad’s arrest did make the headlines of some newspapers when all that had gone down. But that had been 6 years ago and I had hoped no one would remember that.
But now it was out in the open. Again.
It didn’t even matter that my dad was innocent. He had already been suffering for it by being locked up far away from our family.
“Tavi,” Lo put her arms around me, “that’s just bullshit, no such thing as a criminal gene exists.”
Gina joined our hug, “you can’t take anyone seriously who wears a tracksuit on live TV.”
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*** Couple of days later ***
Dear dad,
My name got drawn for the Selection, I’m going to the palace and meet the prince. Some palace person is coming to pick me up anytime now so I can’t write a lot. Plus, if the mail has already arrived then you will have to wait another month before you get this anyway.
I asked Daniel if he could start writing a monthly letter as well, maybe he can even add a little picture of Melody so you can see her for the first time. He said he will take care of mom, Aria and Arlan as well. Molly will just cook dinner for more people, which she doesn’t really mind doing. At least that’s what she said.
Anyhow I will write to you from the palace.
Lots of love, 
Octavia
Zohl wzw, R’n hxzivw. Tlrmt gl gsv kzozxv, z dslov mvd vmerilmnvmg dsviv R wlm’g pmld zmblmv. Ovzermt nln, vhkvxrzoob mld gszg rg urmzoob hvvnh orpv hsv’h gibrmt gl orev ztzrm. Zmw dszg droo gsv xlfmgib gsrmp lu nv. Droo R gfim rmgl zm lfgxzhg? Zxxliwrmt gl DGE R’n tlrmt gl hozftsgvi veviblmv rm gsv kzozxv, yvxzfhv lu blfi ‘xirnrmzo tvmvh’. Yfg gsv kvlkov dsl olev blf droo zodzbh yvorvev blfi rmmlxvmxv, vevm ru gsv dslov xlfmgib hvvnh gl gsrmp lgsvidrhv. Qfhg pmld gszg dv nrhh blf wvziob. Zmw R droo gib vevibgsrmt R xzm gl tvg blf ivovzhvw. Qfhgrxv zodzbh kivezroh.
*** At the airport ***
The car journey all the way from Winnipeg to somewhere in Sota had lasted for ages. Even though I hadn’t really been aware of that, since I fell asleep as soon as they closed the doors behind me.  
A frustrated voice had woken me up, “can you please stop drooling all over the leather upholstery?”
My eyes flew open, saliva was indeed smeared on the seat. I quickly wiped it off my face, where it had been present as well. “Sorry,” I mumbled, I then realized we had arrived at the airport, I quickly opened the car door and jumped out.
What I immediately noticed was the rain puddle I had landed in. My shoes and socks were soaking wet. Great.
“Maybe you should try to act more lady-like?” the driver said with a very disapproving tone, looking me up and down. He had already taken my guitar case out of the car and was about to put it right onto the wet street. I quickly grabbed the case out of his hands, clutching it close to my body.
The driver sighed, “there’s the entrance to the airport. Inside it will be clear which directions to follow.”
I made my way towards the entrance he had pointed at when I heard him mumble to himself, “why did I had to drive a barbarian?”
As I turned around, the car’s engine had been running again. I wasn’t sure if he could see me, nor I did I really care. I showed my middle finger to the car anyway. Asshole.
Never had I seen an airport before. It was freaking massive, people walking in all possible directions. Some carrying luggage with them, others with balloons that read “we missed you” or “welcome home”.
One day, my fam and I will be waiting at the airport, carrying one of those dumb balloons around. Coming to pick up dad.
I snapped out of my daydream by someone tapping me on my shoulder. “Miss Hayes, please come with me.”
Nodding, I followed the person not really having another choice since I had no clue which way I had to go. Maybe this is some insane kidnapper.
My heartbeat increased; did I just make a stupid mistake?
“Only one girl has arrived so far. You are to wait for the others before you can board the plane.”
Okay, no insane kidnapper then.
Unless.
This is a complete setup created by his crazy brain.
Panic filled my body, damnit how will I get out of this situation.
Okay, if I just push the person onto the floor, that will give me a chance to run for my life.
One. 
Two.
Three.
I took a deep breath in, ready to make the push. But at the last minute the person side stepped which caused me to lose my balance. He looked at me in a very funny way, “please take a seat, the flight attendant will come get you in a few minutes.”
My cheeks turned very very warm, the redness might very well have equalled the red colour of a traffic light.
Trying to calm myself down, I slumped down into a chair. Yikes, only now became I aware of it again. My socks were still wet and cold. Sigh.
After taking a few deep breaths in and out, I noticed the other girl.
“Oh hey, you’re also a Selected?” I started, realizing it wouldn’t be a bad thing to talk to someone.
She turned towards me, “I am Brooke Lynn Sanders, but just call me Brooke please!”
Not knowing what else to do, I waved at her a little awkwardly. “hi Brooke, nice to meet you. My name is Octavia, but please call me Tavi.”
“Nice to meet you Octavia. Did you have a good journey?” I could already tell she did have the lady-like manners I had been lacking.
Oh god, I couldn’t possibly tell her about the drooling situation, so I decided to stick to a vague answer. “Yeah, it was alright thanks. What about your own journey? Which province are you from?”
“My send off from Dakota was a bit bumpy but I am here now. I wish they would have let me take the train though...”
Another girl arrived, also looking very much like someone the prince could end up with. Compared to these two, I was more of a rag doll.
Pushing my feelings behind that wall deep inside me, I waved her over, “oh yeah hi, please join us.”
We chatted some more for a bit, until Haven arrived.
The way she was walking, the only person I had seen walking like that was Long-Beard Logan, the homeless guy who could often be found near New Wave Records. He walked the same way, but he had one wooden leg.
Then Haven opened her mouth, a weird voice coming out, “hi.”
I noticed Brooke shared my confusion, “uhm hello?”
She took out her phone and typed something, it read ‘I’m Haven’.
My confusion hadn’t ebbed away, “are you alright?”
She typed some more, ‘yup:)) just got a bad cold! what are your names?’.
As a response to that we all introduced ourselves again. These girls didn’t seem to be that bad, hopefully the other Selected at the palace were the same. But the chance of that being true was small. Also, why did I care what the other girls were like? I wasn’t there to make friends, with them or with the prince. I had applied for the thing I needed most. Access to the royal library.
“Have you guys ever been on a plane before? This is all very new to me.” I admitted, trying to ease the nerves that had been building up inside me ever since my name had been picked in that draw.
Brooke had a very strong opinion on planes. Private planes more specifically.
Which came as a shock to me. The private plane part. I didn’t know what I was thinking but taking a private plane had never crossed my mind.
In the meantime, Brooke started talking about the CO2 emissions.
“How else would we get to the palace without having an endless journey? It’s not like there’s a teleportation device, right?” I said a little more vicious than I intended. The higher castes used planes all the time, if anyone had a cause in the destruction of our planet it was definitely them.
Brooke definitely had thought of it all, as she mentioned the outstanding quality of the Illéan train system. Clara chimed in to agree with her.
I decided to not mention my exact thoughts about the higher castes, given the fact that I had promised my friends back home not to insult anyone. So I just nodded my head, “yeah okay I understand your point.”
We were able to board the plane shortly after that. Brooke sat down in a window-seat and Clara nestled herself in the seat next to Brooke’s.
I took a chair on the opposite side of the plane, trying to create some sort of privacy for myself without being rude.
Haven sat down in the seat next to me and smiled at me.
The entry door closed; I could no longer contain my nerves. “Here we go I guess.” I tried to calm my breathing, but it didn’t really help. I tried to think of my family back home in Denbeigh, didn’t help either. I heard my dad’s voice in my head, it was like he was actually talking to me, “You are a strong girl, the flight will be over before you know it. Octavia, you can do this.”
A weird sound whisked my dad’s voice away, I looked over towards the source of the sound. It was Brooke choking on her drink. “Please don’t die,” I said. Her dying here would be a shitty start to this whole adventure. Besides, Brooke actually seemed like a nice person.
She coughed, “I am – I am trying.”
Haven mentioned her sibling, how they were close and stuff. She then asked if we had any siblings ourselves.
This provided me with the perfect distraction. I turned towards her, “yeah, I have three siblings. One older brother, a younger sister and a younger brother as well.”
Normally I would never share such personal information with someone I had just met but talking about them was the distraction I so desperately needed from this whole plane situation.
The others talked some more, but I just realized the one and only thing that would get me through this.
Music.
“If you guys don’t mind, I’m gonna listen to some music.” I said as I took my earphones out of my bag. “Haven would you like to join?” I asked her politely, given that she was sitting right next to me and it would have been quite rude otherwise.
She smiled at me and nodded, so I handed her one of the earphones. “I do have a very mixed taste in music so you’re in for a treat.” Maybe I could even make her listen to our own music, you know casually extending Five Whispers’ audience.
As a reply, Haven winked at me, “I love a girl with mixed music taste.”
Oh who would have thought, I had something in common with another Selected. I too liked people with a diverse music preference, since music says so much about a person. The quote ‘You are what you listen to’ was on one of the walls of New Wave Records music store. It was also my own personal life motto.
Clara and Brooke continued chatting, but I didn’t listen anymore. The music had taken a hold on me and it had only released me from its grip when the plane hit the ground in Angeles.
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beautyofnight · 4 years
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MIDNIGHT RENDITION::JITUSHMANN [OS] It's 1 am in the morning, Jitu lying in his bed but with no sleep in his eyes at all, picks up his phone yet again to check his social media. Once again, his social media is filled with love and appreciation filling his heart with warmth. Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan has indeed been a life changing experience for him, on both professional and personal level.
He is just scrolling through messages when he gets Insta notification showing that Ayushmann is live. Without wasting a second he clicks on it and suddenly he can see a studio, he taps to unmute and his silent room is now filled with beautiful instrumentals preparing for the song. Soon it fills with Ayushmann's humming and Jitu's heart beating fast. He knows this song, one of his favourite song by Ayushmann - 'Chan Kitthan'.
Forgetting everything else, Jitu concentrates on the live stream eyes and ears glued to his phone. First the camera showing almost everyone in the room on the screen but Ayushmann's only voice filling the room as he starts singing. Just the first line and Jitu is lost in it, no matter how many times he heard this song on loop but it's more magical and beautiful hearing him live. Jitu is enjoying the melody when camera turns and here he is, looking as perfect as ever in those big glasses which make him look ever more hot, singing from his heart, each of his expression is matching with lyrics and there it is, the smile, Ayushmann's smile is one of most beautiful smiles Jitu has ever seen. His smile is so contiguous that Jitu is unable to stop himself from mirroring that smile.
Even during SMZS there were many times were Jitu got lucky enough to witness Ayushmann singing or just even humming and secretly Jitu would look forward to times where he would catch Ayushmann humming 'Chan Kitthan', and it became his favourite after that. There is something about the way Ayushmann sings this song it just hits your hard and it was his most favorite song by Ayushmann, until of course 'Mere Liye Tum Kaafi Ho' came along, making it to top of his list bringing 'Chan Kitthan' down to number two.
Jitu feels himself losing into the beautiful voice and the words, unable to take eyes away from Ayushmann, the camera moves again, going around the room showing how everyone are in sync. His eyes close themselves, head slightly nodding to the tune. After a moment his eyes open again and Jitu's heart almost stops, breathing stuck in his throat because Ayushmann looking directly at him with right hand gestures to come closer while saying 'Kitthan guzari raat oye.'
If this was bad for Jitu's heart what comes next his heart almost couldn't handle. Up close and personal Ayushmann directly staring at him (or rather thousands of his screaming fans but for Jitu right now none exist except them two) while repeating 'Kitthan guzari oye. Chan Kitthan guzari oye.' Almost feeling as if he asking this to Jitu who also wishes he was there in that moment.
The song comes to an end despite Jitu hoping it was longer, thinking it'll end but the live video keeps going when Ayushmann asks what to play the next and then placing his phone his left side and just staring at it so lovingly, reading all the messages and hearts which keep popping up on the screen. That smile and the side look he is giving before taking sip of water, is driving Jitu mad because he keeps thinking Ayushmann is looking at him and is able to see the goofy smile, blushing lovesick look on his face before reminding himself sadly it's not him alone, it's a live video and he is sharing this experience with his fans.
Before next song Ayushmann tells fans of his upcoming concert in Chandigarh for which they are preparing right now at 1am in the morning. Soon after he begins new song 'Ik Mulaqaat x Mashup' and Jitu enjoys it, especially the flute used in this version.
Jitu cannot help but to marvel at this man, a breathe of fresh air in Bollywood. Versatile, multi talented, amazing singer with a heart of gold - Ayushmann Khurrana. Jitu had one of the best experiences working on SMZS, especially working with his co-lead. Jitu knew he is in deep trouble when they started shooting SMZS and he could not help himself from forming a crush on him. It wasn't sudden and he shouldn't be surprised because knowing Ayushmann it is almost impossible for anyone to not fall for the guy.
Jitu being Jitu keeps a lid on it and hopes it will fade slowly but he was wrong. Shooting ended, movie came out, the entire press tour was done and now they were back into their own lives and feelings were still going strong so he does one what is best, stay silent and stay away until it goes away.
His chain of thoughts breaks when Ayushmann is speaking again, talking about re-rehearing this song. Jitu takes deep breathe pushing away all thoughts and enjoying the live.
He doesn't know what comes over him but in impulse he responds to live video saying 'Mere liye tum kaafi ho gaa do'. He face palms himself, seeing everyone were requesting he just sent his request too. He knows Ayushmann has seen his comment because he was the one holding the phone and soon he starts to sing 'Illahi' but that look with cheeky smile Jitu feels as he has been caught, blush getting deeper. Shaking his head Jitu focuses on the performance; he can see Ayushmann is tired but still keep practising which such an amazing energy and smile never leaving his face.
Song after song, they all keep on going and Jitu looses track of time, truly feeling part of the band as they keep going and in midst keep discussing over the songs and performances and then Jitu is not feeling alone anymore.
By the time live stream comes to an end, keeping that beautiful face and smile safely tucked in his eyes and in his mind Jitu goes to sleep with a soft smile.
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refinedbuffoonery · 3 years
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Flawless Snippet (7)
A bright laugh carried across the room—Cage. There you are, Riley thought. She spied her teammate enjoying the spotlight in the center of a group of models all cooing over Cage’s pale pink dress. It suited Cage, with its billowy sleeves and flowy skirt that hit just below her knees. Cage giggled again, putting her hand on a woman’s shoulder a little too boldly for the gesture to be casual. 
Predictably, Desi wasn’t far away, staring daggers at her shameless flirt of a girlfriend. 
Riley unmuted her comms. “Easy there, Des. It’s just an act.” 
“Doesn’t mean I have to like it,” she snapped. Even from a distance, Riley could see Desi’s tight grip on her champagne flute. 
Riley cooed, “So jealous.” 
The woman wrapped a proprietary arm around Cage, clearly welcome to the blonde’s advances, and Cage beamed at her. 
It was enough to push Desi over the edge. “Don’t forget whose bed you’re sleeping in tonight, Samantha” she snarled. “And I don’t remember agreeing to share.” 
Cage excused herself from the group. “My love, did it ever occur to you that I’m making you jealous on purpose? Because we both know—”
Nikki cut her off, rescuing the team from whatever filthy thing was about to come out of Cage’s mouth. “Don’t be gross, you two.”
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lovewillthaw-j · 4 years
Video
Wind instrument in the Earth Giant’s theme
(please unmute!)
I’ve been fascinated by this sound in the Earth giant’s theme since I got the soundtrack in November. It occurs at least 8 times in the show (4 pairs) and I’ve captured all of them in the video edit. 1st pair - at the mist; 2nd pair when the giant visits the Northuldran village; 3rd pair when Anna and Olaf encounter the giants on the river in the ice boat and 4th pair when Anna wakes up the sleeping giants to break the dam.
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I’m about 95% sure this instrument is a Fujara (pronounced Fuyara) - a Slovakian overtone flute. You can read about it here: Wikipedia or in this older website Fujara.sk. Some youtube videos here and here
It is a fascinating instrument, because of the sound it makes, and because it is so large, only has 3 holes and it can produce a range of notes by altering the force of blowing. (for a better understanding of overtone flutes, check Wikipedia) Note: Fujara is not the only type of overtone flute.
Firstly, if you follow my previous posts, I’m so sorry I made a mistake by telling everyone this was a Gemshorn. This instrument is not a Gemshorn. The Gemshorn is used in Frozen 2, but not here. (it is used characteristically for the Northuldran theme which you hear very early on in the movie when Agnarr tells his story to the girls)
Secondly, I want to share my journey in searching for this instrument and why I’m 95% sure it is a Fujara.
1. A simple google search of Frozen 2 score will bring up a number of interviews given by composer Christophe Beck. In one of them he mentioned the Gemshorn and that was why I mistakenly assumed this is a Gemshorn initially. 
2. I listened to Gemshorn performances on youtube and did some research and realised the Gemshorn cannot produce this harsh distorted sound that you hear. I learned that this is called Overblowing. I confirmed this by asking a Gemshorn seller (via email)
3. I have asked a lot of musical experts on YouTube (via email) what they think this instrument is - didgeridoo expert said it’s not a didgeridoo, Shakuhachi expert said it’s not a Shakuhachi, flute player said it’s not a flute. The Shakuhachi expert suggested that it’s a Fujara.
4. At this point you may wonder why I didn’t just ask Christophe Beck himself. Well, I had previously reached out to him on Twitter and email to ask a different question (to express my admiration and whether he would consider releasing ALL the music in F2 - there’s a sizeable chunk that is not in the CD, I might make a post on it) and...it’s now April and I still haven’t heard from him, so, that’s why I didn’t bother to ask him about the Fujara directly.
5. In despair I started reading his interviews again. And then I chanced upon an interview in which Beck mentioned a certain Chris Bleth. 
“And luckily, after talking to my favorite woodwind player, a guy named Chris Bleth here in LA, he auditioned a few things for me”
6. So I emailed Chris Bleth and he replied within hours! This is his first reply (I stupidly forgot to attach the soundclip)
I do not see an attachment but can tell you that the bass gemshorn is the only unusual wind instrument that was played live throughout the score. Maybe a sample of something if not that. Some of the cues were in the wrong key/range so some pitch shifting had to be done for those.
And after I sent the soundclip:
Ahh, that IS a fujara ; I don’t remember playing it so it was probably something they had on a drive somewhere. I have a coupe of them and they are very useful for those types of effects
So there you have it. I wouldn’t commit to 100%; I would only be 100% satisfied if I could A) check with Christophe Beck himself B) or a producer of the score or C) the actual fujara player who played those very notes. Also, the more I research, the more I find that there are MANY traditional overtone flutes out there (many of them are European) and many of them are able to produce this overblown sound, so I don’t want to commit to 100%. But I think the fujara is the best fit =) let me know if I’m wrong please.
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Photo
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mostly lesser
text version below
mostly lesser the
perception through thought 
a drowning flute’s muted notes 
sinking deeper 
subconsciously levelling out
embedding itself the
memories growing 
from thought forming
mostly lesser than 
that unmuted venture
of life 
Prompted by a @poetryriot prompt: mute
This picture post was originally a text post (see mostly-lesser) and was automatically converted to a picture post. Contact and follow @wizard-of-posts for more information if you find this concept attractive.
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