#yes this is about Para Bellum

[pilferingapples]

everyone talks about rarepairs but whooo boy it's 1000 times more exciting to find someone else has recognized the rare Found Family relationship

[simplepotatofarmer]

para bellum (john wick) au and dream cut off contact and his relationship with george and all his other friends because he thought it would keep them safe but george was hurt and while he never actively sought out dream, he did linger in places he thought he might be.

and one day he sees dream with techno and assumes the worst.

[strong-with-the-sarcasm]

DP x DC prompt #3:

Many people believe that Pandora is the ghost of an Amazon, the guardian of hope trapped in her box. This is all true, but they’re missing something very crucial about her- she’s the Ancient of Peace.

Is it ironic? Yes. Is it Apt? Also yes.

The Amazons do not desire war, but they train all their lives to fight.

Pandora embodies the Latin phrase:

Si vis pacem, para bellum

If you want peace, prepare for war.

Peace was never in the box, because Pandora is the concept of it given corporal form, much like the Ancients of Time, Weather and Dreams.

Hers is just a bit harder to figure out past first glance.

Prior to being given her box, Pandora excelled at diplomacy, because she was raised to believe that drawing a weapon should be the last resort, unlike her modern day sisters. Given that brawling is a way of bonding with ghosts, it’s become skewered, that belief. Yet, Pandora never raises her weapon first.

When the Justice League demands a meeting with the King’s council… well…

[nenyabusiness]

Writer Asks

Tagged by @myfavouritelunatic and @cliffdivingsblog, thank you!

How many works do you have on AO3? 24 on one account, 43 on another. (I'm telling you, I'm juggling two hyperfixations.)

What's your total AO3 words count? 201,385 on my reylo/haladriel account, 123,964 (100k redacted because of a fic-turned-novel publishing deal) on my Final Fantasy/JRPG/anime account.

What fandoms do you write for? Currently, Tolkien (Rings of Power with touches of Silmarillion) and Final Fantasy XIII (fine, @shadowmeowth, accept that we're more or less co-writing now, FINE).

What are your top five fics by kudos? - A reluctant compromise (reylo, force bond smut) - Whatever It Takes (reylo, WIP that will probably never be finished, I'm so sorry) - The Wolf (reylo, post TLJ-smut) - You'll Be Mine (reylo, force bond smut) - se vis pacem, para bellum (haladriel, John Wick AU) I was on a roll with the reylo force bond smut there for a while.

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not? I didn't use to until about half a year ago. Until then, I didn't see writing fanfiction as being a part of a community the same way I do now. I recognize most of my commenters now, so it feels more natural to turn the comment section into a place for dialogue. (Yes, anyone-who-have-commented-on-a-fic-more-than-a-handful-of-times, I do remember you and I'm always happy to see you come back!)

What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? This made me laugh, because in a different lifetime in a different fandom (okay I'm talking hope/light 2012), I was called "the Queen of Angst". I was still struggling a little with writing in English, so I relied a lot on the same kind of writing that you guys see from me today in my ficlets. Short, straight to the point, and packed with emotion. Easy way of getting around that little issue of, you know, not being able to describe things. It's hard to choose from those, but I remember people being really upset about this one: - The nameless soldier In this fandom, most of my ficlets are pretty angsty, but I think this one might be one of the most tragic: - but still the door is closed

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? I think Four Hours a Day wins the race here, even if se vis pacem, para bellum is a close second. Four Hours a Day might be the only fic I've written that's pure feel-good.

Do you get hate on fics? Back in the FFXIII fandom in 2012, that was just your everyday morning news. The shipping wars were ruthless. Pretty intense from time to time with reylo too. I've only gotten hate twice in the haladriel fandom, and one of them made me laugh so hard because the thing they decided to dunk on was actually taken straight from John Wick.

Do you write smut? If so, what kind? Yes, yes I do. It used to be limited to M+ territory, but I managed to cross the threshold into proper E with Four Hours a Day. I've always been more intrigued by sexual tension and buildup rather than the actual mechanics, but I'm in an experimenting phase.

Do you write crossovers? If so, what's the craziest one you've written? Do I even have to say it? I'm going to say it: se vis pacem, para bellum. John Wick x Rings of Power x some Silmarillion. When I first got the idea, I thought it was so bizarre that I would probably be its only reader. I was proven wrong. Good times.

Have you ever had a fic stolen? Yes. A lot of FFXIII fics were scraped and reuploaded on a different site a couple of years ago, but we managed to get them removed.

Have you ever had a fic translated? Yep! The fic that I later rewrote into an original work was translated into German and French, and one of my reylo works have been translated into Russian.

Have you ever co-written a fic before? I have. I wrote a scene together with @youwearfinethingswellwriter a couple of months ago, and I'm currently in some kind of symbiotic writing relationship with @shadowmeowth.

What's your all time favourite ship? I can't choose between haladriel and hope/light. I just can't. I've got two hyperfixations and neither seem to be willing to let me go. (And one of them has had a hold over me for 13 damn years.)

What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will? Definitely Whatever It Takes. I didn't have an outline when I started, and then the project just grew too big. I knew, ish, where I wanted it to go, but I didn't know how to get it there. I'm really sorry about abandoning it though, because I had so many lovely followers. (Fun fact: I actually got to apologize for that, 7 years later, when one of those followers started commenting on my haladriel fics. The reylo/haladriel venn diagram is a circle.)

What are your writing strengths? Thanks to the editors I worked with when I got my novel published, I learned a lot about writing action scenes and how to control the pacing. I'd like to think that at least some of it stuck. I'm also good at writing short. It's not necessarily an altogether positive thing, but I do know how to get something across with as few words as possible. (Oh, the things you do to avoid describing things when you're writing in your second language.)

What are your writing weaknesses? Second. Language. Writer. My prose is efficient, but it will never be pretty or effortless. And I'm really, really slow.

Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic? Unpopular opinion? It's a pet peeve. If it's already established that a conversation is held in a certain language but written in English, there's no need to add phrases from that language to the dialogue. For me, it just makes it look like the characters were speaking English all along. Just... pick one. Full translation or plain English.

First fandom you wrote for? Final Fantasy XIII. Never left.

Favourite fic you've ever written? It's a tie between se vis pacem, para bellum and Four Hours a Day. Para bellum was a four month commitment. I followed an outline from start to finish with barely any alterations at all, and it turned out exactly as planned. 4h/d was the complete opposite. I got an idea, and then I wrote the whole 12k monster of a one shot in like two days. It reawakened my love for music, and I still reread it sometimes when I need to get a music kick. Damn. That was a lot. My usual suspects seem to have been tagged already, so I'm leaving that open. Thanks again!

[always-a-joyful-note]

Okay but in honour of Artistic Partisan being released on engstars, I'm going to be very self-indulgent and talk about how Hell Screen (source) coded it is. And yes I'm talking about Akutagawa Ryunosuke's short story about the (spoilers to come) painter obsessed with art and his beloved daughter who got sacrificed in all sorts of ways (then died) in order to inspire him to paint a scene of the Buddhist hell at the commission of his shady patron.

I mean, maybe it's just me but I think Artistic Partisan perfectly captures that line between obsessive creation and passionate artistry, flip flopping back and forth as the line "si vis artem, para bellum" (play on the latin "si vis parcem, para bellum" if you want art/peace, prepare for war) is chanted in the midst of it all. Like how could that not capture the artist's desire for eternity, longevity, beauty while also having the both threatening but invoking intense melody that gives it that edge of action and danger? It's so Hellscreen in the way that Hellscreen is a very bleak depiction of the battle that is art (with questionable beauty being produced but a definite masterpiece of expression regardless). Yes, the artist wants to live forever but, be warned, because the world of art is not one of peace. It is filled with blood and sacrifice and battles. Artistic Partisan is the warning song (but also a praise, almost, of art), Hellscreen is the story of the song ignored (but still proof of how war really does create art).

Just....man. They went hard on this one. If you want art, prepare for war indeed.

[morgana-ren]

Sic Infit

“Si vis pacem, para bellum.’ Fight me if you will, courier. You can have your little war. If a power struggle is what you desire, I will deliver one-- and you will lose.”

Vulpes Inculta/Courier

Yes, I am acutely aware no one gives a shit about this horrible, despicable man on here (and we are better for it), but I know there’s one or two folks who enjoy him, so here you go. Had this one kicking around for a while. It sucks, it’s wordy, and I wrote it high off my gourd. Enjoy.

Warnings: Dubcon, cruelty, sadism, noncon mentions, typical legion dickery, forced kissing, sexual harassment, bad bargaining and as per the usual, dreadful writing. Reader is courier or your OC is courier or whatever you want, I left it vague. Fuck I hate this guy.

Thin, cruel fingers dig into the hollow of her cheeks, a bruising hold on her jaw as she struggles against his iron grip; He yanks her head to the West- to the glittering city of New Vegas- forcing her eyes to the tide of crimson that advances like an endless wave against the gates of the strip. Their arrival is a harbinger of ruthless slaughter and carnage. This is only the calm before the storm-- A preemptive death rattle.

They haven’t broken the gate yet, but the courier has seen enough to know it is an inevitability. Only a matter of time with a slight tilt on sheer luck. Legion vanguard are felled by the Securitron defenses but for each that sacrifices himself, two more take his place until the machines are dogpiled and hacked into scrap metal by freshly sharpened machetes and spears.

The silence of it all from the tower he’s trapped her on is deafening. Fear is tangible across the landscape, the air stagnant and rotten and vibrating the low, dreadful hum of unmistakable terror. Behind the wall, civilians chant their prayers to lost Gods that long ago turned their back on the wasteland and cower behind pleas of mercy that will fall on deaf Legionary ears.

No, it won’t be a battle. A battle implies there are two sides in a war-- That there is, in some form, a fairness to it. A chance.

It will be a massacre.

Death comes on a pale horse but his armor is red.

To her back, Vulpes Inculta inhales hard, nostrils flaring as his mouth slashes a jackal’s grin. “Do you smell it too, little courier? Of course you do. You’ve been on the opposite side of it enough to be familiar, haven’t you?” He hisses into the shell of her ear the way a lover might, and a shudder rolls her spine at the sheer malevolence of it. “The scent of a war already won.”

The gaudy Caesar’s armor that adorns his chest digs into her back as he holds flush against him and the warm breath that moistens on her nape curdles her stomach into blossoming nausea. She doesn’t need to see him to know the smug expression he wears. The same snarling smirk he presses against her temple now is the very same he donned at Nipton: Cruel in his ill-gotten victory and every bit as arrogant in it.

“The dying screams of your city will be the death groan of the West. A town of ghosts and spectres--” He muses beneath a slight chuckle. “--that are already dead but too foolish to know it.”

She offers him no banter. He always did like to hear himself talk.

“The arrival of my Legion heralds the swan song of your little attempt at civilization.” He continues, undeterred by her lack of engagement. “This absurd little experiment you’ve spent years protecting is no sturdier than the shifting sands of the Mojave, courier. While you and your little friends were playing at greatness, I was rising to it. These heretical monuments to greed and lust you fought so vehemently defend will crumble all the same as the rubble beneath the boots of my army. You know it to be true as well as I do.” He twists her arm when she doesn’t respond once again, practically purring at her quickly stifled cry of pain. Hate burns an agonizing hole in her throat and the urge to tear him apart with her bare hands is overwhelming, her vision blinking black with bloodlust. Frustration sits thick in the fog of it all because no matter how she struggles, he is bigger and stronger and faster than she is, and he has no qualms about using that against her. Without her gun, she’s as helpless as a babe in his arms. Close quarter combat is not her strong suit; It’s his specialty.

“You are despicable.” She spits, if only so he will stop abusing her arm. She’s no use to anyone with crippled limbs. “Don’t talk to me about shit like greed and the ‘sins of the dissolute' as your army murders a clear cut path through the land and enslaves the innocent. Your Legion is nothing but indoctrinated boys running rampant under the guise of some twisted take on manifest destiny, and you yet another despotic, tyrannical man doing what men have always done best! Watering the ground with blood and then wondering why nothing will grow!”

“Innocent?” His chest bubbles with cold laughter as his hand finally releases her forearm, sliding up to plant firmly around her neck. “My sweet courier, how can you call anything raised in the brutality of the waste innocent? The Mojave makes monsters out of men. This is an immutable truth that you cannot deny. The difference is I give those monsters a duty-- A true purpose. I use their destructive urges for the betterment of man while you encourage them and let them fester and putrefy behind your glimmering walls of vice and sin.”

“New Vegas has its faults, but how dare you pretend you’re better than me when we all know what happens behind the gate at Fortification Hill. The violence, the brutality, the rape-”

“My officers are given wives. It’s not wanton debauchery like you believe it is.” “Yes it is! You take women as slaves and throw them to your officers like a piece of meat! And those are the lucky ones! I’ve seen your slave pens, seen what happens after you take a town! You crucify the men and let your contubernio run rampant on the women! Some of them don’t even make it out alive!”

“I cannot deny my men the spoils of war from a victory hard earned. As the blood of your people runs cold on the streets, ours pumps hotter than ever, just as Mars intended.”

“You might be able to fool your men with that bullshit about Mars and the divine right to conquer, but drop the act with me, Vulpes. You and I both know you’re too smart to actually believe old Caesar’s Roman gimmick. He’s dead now.”

“Perhaps.” He considers. “Maybe it all is a lie, but the sight before you isn’t. It raised the finest military the new world has known, and will give way to the most successful empire in history. You judge me, courier, but the ends justify the means. Finis coronat opus.”

“Oh, fuck that--” “And what of your lies? You’ve spent the better part of the last five years batting away the NCR and telling your beloved New Vegas that you could keep them safe; They could be independent and free despite being beset on all sides by threats. You knew this day would come, you simply didn’t know if it would be the bear or the bull with blood on its teeth.”

“I--” She starts, the dam breaking open with the swelling of guilt. “I had a plan! I--” “You know what they say about good intentions, and I think it’s fair to say you’ve paved the path to Hell in pearls.”

“The Legion was supposed to die!” Her voice breaks, cracking in the face of her failure. “After Caesar-- After Lanius--” “But it didn’t, did it?” He sets her jaw loose, brushing away a strand of hair from her face as she tries to crane away. “It united under me. ”

“I should have killed you at Nipton when I first laid eyes on you.” “But you didn’t. You showed mercy-- Weakness . And here we are.”

“No matter.” She shoves it down deep into the pits of her gut, stoppering the emotion before it can crest. “Don’t talk down to me when your damned empire is built on the backs of boy-soldiers and the women they violate to breed your disgusting slave army.”

“Their desire is righteous, dear girl, as is mine--” Vulpes tightens his grip on her throat, constricting her airway just enough to assert his dominance over her. “--and I will take what is rightfully mine. Just as I have taken the Legion, just as I am about to take your precious city. There is so much that is ripe for the taking--”  His thumb caresses her pulse-point and he revels in the spike in her heartbeat as she realizes the soft lull of his voice does not lend itself to a swift and merciful end, but rather something much more sinister. “--including you.”

Her adrenaline skyrockets, her vision whirling into a black-edged tunnel that feeds on the pooling dread of his implication. She claws at his grip, tallies of flesh that trail her fingers flushing white and into red as she rakes her nails down the pallid skin of his hand in an effort to pry herself free. He doesn’t relent, even as little bubbles of blood begin to form in her wake. Instead, he laughs as if it’s the most adorable thing in the world.

A wandering hand brushes against the hem of her pants in a manner purely meant to taunt and it breathes new life into her struggle. “I would rather fling myself from this goddamned tower than let you have me, you filthy fucking Legion mongrel!”

“If you intended to do so, you should have done it the moment the sun rose above the horizon on the day of my grand victory. I warned you that this fight was futile, yet-- stubborn little thing that you are-- here you stand. Though soon, you will kneel before your new lord.”

Her gut churns as she contemplates his words, realizing now that his lingering gazes and suggestive threats over the years were more than a simple gambit to make her uncomfortable and knock her off her game. Under the late Caesar, he was a rabid dog, but he yielded obediently to the master who kept him tight on a leash pulled taut and firm by a heavy hand. He would not act without the permission of his Caesar, no matter how he wanted to; No matter how he longed .

She had freed him from this final cage of restraint by hunting down his overlords and now she and the entire Mojave would pay the price for it.

“You will be my consort.” He strokes the rounds of her neck possessively, saying the words matter-of-factly as if simply speaking them is enough will them into existence. “And then, when you learn to behave-- and you will-- you will take your proper place at my side as my wife.”

“I would rather die than marry you!”

“And how many will die too, courier? How many sacrificed at the altar of your pride? Your hubris will bring so much unnecessary bloodshed.” He leans closer, coaxing her again toward the city with a nudge of his chin. “You’re a smart girl-- it’s part of why I chose you-- so think about this pragmatically. You can save them-- Save them the anguish and humiliation of defeat and the cruel fate of the cross.”

This gives her pause. Legion men swarm the gates, and it’s only a matter of time before his army overruns the city. Her heart pounds in her chest; She is running out of time.

“The profligates listen to you. Convince them to lay down their arms and yield to the Legion.” He sings his blasphemous whispers into her ear, silken voice soft and seductive. “Be my Venus; Sit by my side and be the voice of my mercy. Spare your people much unnecessary misery and keep their blood off of your hands. You are responsible for the surge of hope they feel. You must be the one to snuff it out for their sake.”

He inhales sharply against her scalp, taking in the scent of her, desire pulsing a hot course through his veins. She recoils away, her disgust only serving to amplify his need. “Or has the beloved courier finally run short of that legendary selflessness?”

“Spare them death only to usher them into slavery? They trust me and you ask me to hand-deliver them into servitude and tell them to be grateful for it after I promised them freedom and then add insult to injury by pledging myself to the very man who enslaves them.”

“That was your folly, and a mistake you must own. You have my word they will be fed and sheltered.” He vows. “I cannot spare them pain, but it is more than you could ask of any other invading army, and more favor than I give to most because of my fondness for you.”

“You ask me to deliver them to a fate worse than death!”

“Is it truly worse than death?” He asks, motioning toward his great army once more. “You have seen the death the Legion offers. The crows will pick from their carrion, the sun bleaching their bones. I will leave them rotting in the streets as a lesson to anyone else who defies me. My men will ravage the weak and leave them to bleed. The strong will be bent until they break. I will adopt the young into our army and raise them as my warriors, brought up to revere Legion values.”

She had seen the children of the Legion army. They trained with machetes from the age they were old enough to hold one and were ruthless and single-minded in their devotion to the cause by the time they reached adulthood, already adapting to the cruelty of war before the onset of puberty. She has seen the slaves they take with their blackened eyes and broken, bloody bodies. The empty stares and blank expressions, devoid of all light or hope. This is the salvation he extends to her as an olive branch.

Yes, they would be fed and sheltered because he is true to his word, but at what cost? Perhaps the mercy of death, even a prolonged one, was better than the hospitality the Legion offers.

“I can’t, Vulpes. I won’t. I won’t do that to them.”

“Then they will die.” He states without a hint of remorse. “Senselessly and violently and without mercy. I will let loose the hounds of hell from their leashes and you will see what a devil war makes of men. I will take you into the throng of death and you will be made to watch and forced to listen to their screams and you can tell them as the light leaves their eyes that they suffered because of you .”

Vulpes is a monster, but he is a monster of his word. If he tells her he’ll do something, he will see to it that it’s done. If he says he’ll make her watch, he will pry open her eyes with his own hands.

“Kill me with my people, then. When your bloodlust is satisfied, end me with them. I won’t betray them. Or just throw me off of this damn tower right now.”

He does something akin to a giggle and it is extremely disconcerting. “Oh, I don’t think so. Your fate is sealed, no matter which path you choose. I’d have you willingly, but I welcome a challenge all the same.”

Revulsion curdles her gut. “I’ll not be your whore, Vulpes! Kill me-- Shoot me, stab me, nail me to the dam, whatever. But I will not idly by your side while you rip a new hell and ravage my city.”

“You will obey me because you have no other choice.”

“There is always a choice, and I am telling you no!”

“It is not your choice to make.” His arms enclose around her, slipping to her waist and squeezing her against him even as she tries to squirm free.

“They’ll fight you-- They will!” She snarls, all ferocity and iron will. “You will get nothing from us. The people of New Vegas would rather die on their feet than serve on their knees.”

“Lucky you.” He chuckles at his own morbid humor. “You get to serve on your knees.”

“You foul, repugnant, repressed little cunt of a man!”

“You should be honored by my proposal, courier.” His voice is liquid velvet cloying down her throat: Suffocating and smooth. “I find you worthy.”

He arches over her, hands sliding down to grip ominously at the low of her stomach. “Your body will bear the sons of a God-King. Demigods-- Conquerors. From your womb, the rise of a new nation. A powerful, unending empire-- The warriors birthed from your hips and my seed will be legendary--”

Bile rises in her throat as she is forced to imagine bearing Vulpes’ children. His spawn, every part the cunning, cutthroat killer their father is-- Being made to watch as they grow up ruthless and amoral and cruel, practically born with a machete in one hand and the throat of the world in the other. “You’ll not touch me or I’ll cut you from navel to neck--”

“You are most certainly welcome to try. I always liked a bit of fight in my women. Yet another reason I’ve wanted you-- Why I turned down every wife Caesar tried to cast my way. I have waited for years for you. To have you; To taste the woman behind all the sand and armor. I will not be denied now that I finally have you.”

“You do not have me! I said I’d rather die and I meant it!”

“Si vis pacem, para bellum.’ Fight me if you will, courier. You can have your little war. If a power struggle is what you desire, I will deliver one-- and you will lose.”

“Fuck--” “You will bend for me, or you will break .

He whirls her around to face him, grating her back to the wall and pressing himself firm against her in a show of force. He is so close that he can breathe her air, smell her, inhale her rage and righteous indignation and sate himself on it. His feral warrior woman; His courier. She is the mercy of the Mojave, a swift death incarnate trapped in a cage of his limbs and she is all fangs and fury and fear as he backs her into a corner.

“I will have you. This is inevitable and there is nothing you can do to stop it. I will have you when and where I want, when I want, and how I want. I have been patient and plotted every move painstakingly over years at the mere memory of you and today my plan culminates in a glorious triumph, and you will be my prize. There is no other way. You belong to me. You have always belonged to me. Since the moment I laid eyes on you, you have been mine.”

“You are out of your fucking mind--” “Call me what you will. It does not change the truth.”

“Saying something is true doesn’t make it so!”

“Acta non verba.”

He shoves his mouth against hers so hard it hurts-- a clash of teeth and bone that leaves them both aching. She tastes of blood and rage and scalding hatred that sings to him, passionate and unrelenting. The promise of her was enough to keep his fire burning in the dark years that followed Caesar’s death and now that she is finally his , he refuses to waste a moment of it, relishing in every little bit she offers up to him.

Her kiss is as raw as the desert sand and twice as unforgiving. Brutality unrivaled: Snapping and biting and fighting him every step of the way in a heated expression of her hatred until her energy runs dry and she relents to his advances. Somewhere along the way, her disgust transforms into a beast of a different breed and she finally lets his tongue slip past her teeth, allowing him inside of her to indulge in her taste. She absolutely despises him but she was made to be his and on some level she must understand this, he thinks, because she eventually melts into him, mewling in the low of her throat.

Her infuriated hits against his chest with her furled fists slowly lose their strength until she is clawing him closer, her fingers twisting into the cloth of his tunic to draw him near and devour him whole with equal fervor. Her teeth sink into the swell of his bottom lip until he tastes copper in her wake and he groans, primal and animalistic against her. He returns the favor but a few seconds later and she exhales a ragged moan into his open mouth, chest heaving and puffing for air.

“I’ve waited so long for you--” He growls deep in his chest between sloppy, open mouthed assaults . “--Needed you-- Dreamed of you-- And now you are finally mine--”

“Not yours--” She shakes her head vehemently, still dragging him near as he wraps his hands around the back of her thighs to hike her legs up around his hips. “--Never yours--”

“ Yes -- You are-- Give in to me, woman--” He pants against her, the pressure building at the base of his spine to unbearable levels. “You have-- no-- other-- choice--”

She whines as he pulses his hips to emphasize, silencing whatever protest she may have been forming. It doesn’t stop her trying to pull her head away, but he doesn’t allow for it.

Two titans locked in a struggle for dominance with each other overlooking the blood red horizon at the crossroads of impending battle of their conflicting worlds: The Monster of the Mojave and its Caesar’s Wife. “Call off your army.” She heaves, whooping in air as she pulls away from him. “Call off your men and I’m-- I’m yours. Take the Mojave, take the Nevada, I don’t care-- But leave New Vegas and the freeside. Let me keep my promise and I’ll keep one to you in turn.”

“A beacon of freedom in a sea of Legion red-- My sweet little courier, I thought you were so much smarter than that. You must learn to think more than two steps ahead if you are to be my equal.” He coos derisively, trying to tame the fire thrumming in his blood and regain control of himself once more. If he doesn’t, he’ll have her here and now. “Do you intend for your people to live packed atop one another? Because once the Legion advances beyond New Vegas, vagrants and stragglers will come from near and far to seek shelter behind your walls, and you are too wea-- soft hearted to turn them away. Resources will run thin and quality of life will drop, people suffering and dying because of your shortsightedness.” “I’d find a way--” She tries to unweave her legs from around him but he doesn’t allow for it, keeping her tangled against her will. “On top of attending to your wifely duties?” He practically purrs. “I think not. I don’t need your attention divided from me.” “Wifely duties? Are you mad?” She shoves at him hard and he crows as he stumbles back, dropping her back to her feet.

“New Vegas exists in its current form because it is exclusive. It carries a high price to even walk the streets, and that isn’t counting the caps needed to enjoy the services. When you let everyone in, you destroy the illusion that separates the elite from the common, and New Vegas becomes another filthy hovel refugee camp.”

“So be it!” “Those at the top of your totem will not take kindly to that, and you’ll have a civil war on your hands. A war you will not be present to preside over, as you will be at my side at the capital where you belong. Your streets will run red with blood until your untethered beast tears itself apart with its own teeth and claws with me. I’ll not even have to lift a finger to destroy it.”

“I--”

“But hypothetically, for the sake of argument, let’s say you somehow do manage it through some miracle of fate. You think I could stand for a profligate capital in the middle of my territory? The men are faithful and strong, but they are still men . The temptations of your New Vegas would prove too much to resist. They would sneak inside and corrupt their bodies and minds, causing cracks in the foundation of my army that I cannot abide.” Her eyes on him are sharp and calculating, but he does not miss the sheen of helplessness to them. She already knows. She is railing against the inevitable. Howling her sorrow to an uncaring and cruel moon. “If your men are as disciplined as you claim them to be--” “Men are human, and to be human is to be imperfect by nature. There are many that would stay true, but even a single soldier is not a price I am willing to pay for your foolish play at anarchy.”

“It’s a city of free people and you would destroy it! And for what? Pride? Glory? What, Vulpes, explain it to me! Make me understand!” “For the sake of progress and the only true chance at civilization. It’s a small price to pay, my dear wife, and in time, you will come to see I am right. You are a clever sort, and once you see the true power of my Legion-- the life and the fulfillment only I can offer you-- You will devote yourself to me wholeheartedly and unquestioningly.”

“You’ve lost your fucking mind! You’d enslave countless people-- families, women, children, everyone in New Vegas and beyond-- for your bullshit delusions of grandeur, and you’ll murder them if I refuse you! I could never understand such a sadistic, greedy need for power and I don’t want to! You-- You are a monster! A despicable, empty shell of a human. I could never--” “In time you will. You will see. As I’ve said, you don’t have another choice.”

“Like hell! Not good enough, Inculta. No deal.” She spits clean at his feet, wiping angrily across her mouth as if she could erase him from her flesh. Her lips rise in a vicious snarl; A whirlwind of disgust and self loathing and impotent rage as she glowers at him with a renewed contempt. “First chance I get, Vulpes, the very first and I am bolting. You look away even once and I am gone and you can send all the goddamned Frumentarii after me that you’d like, I will die rather than come back to you. You might be able to manhandle me off of this tower and let’s suppose you even manage to get me back to your shitty capital and chain me to your fucking throne. I will never be your wife in more than title and I will never-- could never-- love you. Never. ”

“We will see.” He says, sounding so certain in it that it rattles her to the core. His eyes are aflame with lust, heart pounding behind his ribs as he reaches for her again, unable to stop himself any longer. A cacophony of screams begins to rise to the west as the gates of New Vegas finally crumble at the hands of the Legion bombardment. The sounds of his warriors' battlecries reaches his ears and his very soul sings with delight. As with all things he wants, his will becomes real.

“And I suppose--” He pinches her chin straight back to him as she turns in abject horror to witness the slaughter, kissing her softly once again as the tears slip down the curve of her ruddy cheeks. The sliver of hope she held so dear falls in defeat at his hands and so too does her beloved city. “--I best not look away then.”

[mfs-research-institute]

I know this is not the case, I mean until this point the information we have got from the series is that Alder may be responsible for the surge of the spree but not directly. Yet isn't it a little bit fucked up that in someway Alder ( or the witches in general) needs the spree and the caramilla to justify their existence, like if they don't exist, if there is not a tangible enemy, witches are not necessary and sometimes I think that Alder plays a major game manipulating the perception of these enemies with the purpose to keep the army necessary, cause civilians are the true and biggest enemy of witches and maybe ALders the only one who knows exactly what happens when civilians turn against witches.

Oooof this is a loaded question! Let's see what people are thinking:

-----

Dan on our Discord: My first instinct is that isn't that the basic vibe of all major conflicts? Both in the MFS Universe and our own timeline? Armies only exist to 'protect' nations from other countries and vice versa, which only in turn creates more conflict in its own fucked, self-sufficient cycle.

--

@Jalehh: Yes, Alder and her actions in Liberia (forcing dodgers to conscript, them resisting, Alder deploying Sgt. Nicte Batan's new work and making surrendered people kill themselves) seem directly responsible for the formation of the Spree to me.

It also seems like America in this 'verse still has colonies (the showrunner called the conflict in Liberia a colonial war) and is a major player in world politics with India and China being at different stages of rivalry. Even if there aren't open wars among nations, and no asymmetrical conflicts like with the Spree, a well-maintained military will help to secure a powerful position on the world stage... plus you never know who wants to be the next bully on the world stage. Si vis pacem, para bellum. Pretty sure there would be enough to do for witches... even if it's 'just' training exercises or civil aid works done by the military or some 'good' old gunboat diplomacy.

Of course, it would be nice to prepare for peace and maybe transform the witch army into a peace or technical relief corps. But, being the Army/Armed Forces seems to have given at least some witches quite some power - Alder and Petra Bellweather come to mind and with the past they had (Burning Times) - and anti-witch sentiments still very widely accepted, I understand why they would be afraid to give that up. Plus, witches in the army are organized and no longer scattered all over the land... which makes them a bigger target, but also allows for a strength and unity that would otherwise be lost.

--

@baby-horse: Same coin but different side - I wonder if the civilians want to keep the army around, purely because it puts (almost) all the witches in one spot; easily handled. I think it's mutually beneficial, but not necessarily for the obvious reasons.

That kind of answers the question as to why the civilians don't just abolish forced constriction for witches, since they're so upset about their 'daughters' being taken. Because the obvious answer to "not our daughters" is to just get rid of that law. But once you do that, then witches would be in the community, which is Bad News.

I guess the question of 'what happens when the world discovers they no longer need witches' is being answered this season. Spoiler alert = it's not good for witches.

--

@crazyintheeast: Personally, I was wondering about a different direction. If civilians would actually be in favor of witches. We know little about the general attitude of people. Yes of course there is the Camarilla and we know of others bigots like the guy who got into Tally's face. But we have also seen another side. The man who proudly gave Tally his ticket, the women who came to Raelle for healing and were extremely grateful, the large parades in honor of witches. Even with the protest against them I felt that only some of them were actual bigots while the others merely hated the army and didn't want their daughters enslaves.

I would find it really interesting if a significant portion of the civilian populace is actually in favor of witch liberation. Some out of moral principle because they oppose slavery but also many out of purely practical reasons. Imagine if instead of being limited to the military they had Fixers in every hospital who could save countless lives. We already know that witches assist in disaster areas but they could do even more if allowed. Witches actually being a part of society instead of being isolated in the military could be something that many want.

But also, I was left with the impression that China and not Spree are the main adversary and not all nations are in The Hague. I am not exactly sure, but I always saw Spree as merely assisting local witches in various countries rather than leading themselves. Similar to how CIA would train various guerrilla fighters and try to destabilize countries.

But I could actually see a full-blown civil war emerging. The current situation in the MFS strongly reminds of the historic situation of the Ottoman Empire where their slave army had become so powerful that they had serious influence on all rulers. And when new technology emerged the Sultan used the new tactics to attack his salve army and eliminate it.

Although, considering the existence of the Hague, this may even grow into a World War if Wade is removed from Alder’s influence and Silver becomes president. Maybe he’ll try to use the Camarilla and other troops to eliminate US witches? And without nukes to go full MAD this could be a massive war that has been building for a long time.

-----

Thank you for the ask! As always, if you would like to join the conversations on our Discord, please shoot us a DM for an invite!

[unlikecharlie]

tagged by my love @mwagneto <3 thank you, baby

why did you choose your url? "si vis pacem para bellum" is the title of a Seether album that i adore, and "para bellum" is from John Wick as well

any sideblog? oh yeah, 4; one is for random shit i dont want on my main, one is for depression venting and stuff, another is for most exclu discourse i dont want on main, and the other one is sth id like to keep to myself akdjfsbdjkgbsd ide use it anymore so ill probably delete it anyway

how long have you been on tumblr? since 2013, but ive only been using it actively since 2015

do you have a queue tag? i did once when i was in the marvel fandom but i havent queued things in ages so no

why did you start this blog in the first place? i heard from someone that tumblr was a good place to find nice, aesthetic pictures so i created an account akdfjbsdkjfbs but i soon got into fandom and stuff and learned to properly use tumblr

why did you choose your icon? oh, my beautiful and talented love, zoe, aka @budgiepaws drew it for me and now ill never use another icon ever again <3

why did you choose your header image? although it's not visible on my blog any longer, my header image is the fallen angel by alexandre cabanel and i chose it because it's one of my favorite paintings :)

what is your post with the most notes? technically, i deleted it but it's this one

how many mutuals do you have? i honestly dont know, and i dont really feel like counting it sorry

how many followers do you have? 2,489

how many people are you following? 53 :) im very selective about who i follow but i also follow a lot of people i dont really have fandoms and stuff in common with simply because we're friends/mutuals

have you ever made a shitpost? one might argue everything i post is a shitpost, but yes i have

how often do you use tumblr? unless im working or otherwise busy with reading/watching something that has my full attention, every day, almost all day akfjadkjfdjkf

did you have a fight/argument with another blog once? love, i was in the marvel fandom, and i was a tony stan at that, what do you think?

how do you feel about the 'you need to reblog this' posts? i fucking hate them, loathe them with my whole being. if you convinced me to reblog your post through the content and then slapped that at the end, i can guarantee you i will NOT reblog no matter how much i agree, simply out of spite

do you like tag games? i adore them and i always love being tagged in them, unless it's games where i have to rank or choose favorite things, cause im usually at a loss and the stress of not only thinking of sufficient things to rank/choose from, but also actually doing it makes me not do them

do you like ask games? i do, i just wish people engaged me in them when i reblog them, thats why i tend not to anymore, its a bit awkward reblogging them and not getting any attention lmao akhsfbadkf

which of your tumblr mutuals you think is famous? not really a mutual since he doesnt follow me back (side eye) but @mwagneto

have you ever had a crush on a mutual? yes, i tend to have crushes on all the people i get to know well, and all my friends, i had a brief crush on chris, as well as zoe akdjbfadjkfbdjkf and another mutual i no longer talk to

tagging: @tinynebula @fronknsteen @selflesslovingdean @1812ad @tennet @bi-scottsummers and ofc everyone else who sees this and wants to do it

[theredhairedmonkey]

So, I don't want to say anything rude, but why does Ez up and decide to burn a bunch of soldiers alive when he made such a big deal about making peace just a few episodes ago? Isn't that a little hypocritical?

No, I wouldn’t call that hypocritical at all, because (1) Ez’s devotion to peace remains unchanged throughout the story (yes, even in the Battle of the Storm Spire), and (2) I think what you said encapsulates a major lesson that Ezran learns during s3.

To the first point, Ezran returns to Katolis with a firm conviction to break the cycle and achieve peace with Xadia.

Ezran: “My father made choices to keep fighting battles that started hundreds of years before he was born. To punish enemies for crimes their parents committed. I don’t want to be that kind of king.”

He takes a very forceful and deliberate stance against the ordinary course of business for Katolis. He makes it clear that his journey to return Zym home had changed him. He values peace above war, and whether he’s on the throne or at the Storm Spire, he never falters from this attitude.

It’s true that he flies on the back of a dragon and leads an entire flock of them to incinerate Viren’s army. But what was that army doing there in the first place?

That’s right, attempting to capture and/or kill Zym and his mother. So, using violence in that circumstance seems justified as an act of self-defense, no?

A big (and in my opinion, absurd) assumption about peace-loving people is that they must oppose violence in every circumstance. That’s patently false.

Ez would do everything he can to prevent violence (even letting himself be arrested to avoid letting his soldiers die). But when there are no other options, he’ll stand his ground, much in the same way as how Rayla, Callum, Amaya, Corvus, and many others did as well.

The entire point of the Battle of the Storm Spire was that sometimes battles have to be fought in the name of peace…which leads to my second point—Ezran’s major lesson this season was learning how sometimes one must take up arms in order to lay them down for good.

Ezran was very averse to sending his army to fight Kasef and his forces, even if it could prevent a larger war in Xadia.

Ezran: “Each one of these pieces is 500 people. Five hundred men and women. Some are moms and dads, and have kids waiting for them at home. All of these are sons and daughters. Sisters, brothers, friends. They’re real people, Bait. And after the battle…how can I let this happen?”

Ez is a very empathic person, and thus wants to avoid bloodshed at all costs. Which is why he was eager to take up Saleer’s proposed solution, and switch places with Viren.

Yet all it did was let Viren get stronger, obtaining a kingdom and four armies at his back with which to invade Xadia.

But in 3x08, Ezran learns a valuable lesson from, of all people, Soren.

Soren: “My dad is a villain. And he’s only gonna get more powerful, and the more powerful he gets, the more people will listen to him, and believe him, and follow him. So, maybe we could run, and we’d be safe for a while, but he’s not gonna give up. It may seem hopeless, but our only chance is to fight him here. While we’re together. The only way to stop this is to look evil in the face and say, ‘No more.’”

So, in the end, Ezran still has the same resolve for peace that he did at the beginning. But now he’s going to fight for that peace. He’s not going to duck his head and get out of the way just to avoid violence, especially when violence happens anyway. He won’t give an inch, let alone a mile, to a bully like Viren just because it seems peaceful in the short term.

So no, what he does is not hypocritical. Ez realizes that, in the long run, if he wants peace, he’ll have to fight for it. He’ll have to take a stand to break the cycle.

This closely mirrors an ancient Roman saying that goes “si vis pacem, para bellum.”

Which roughly translates to “If you want peace,

prepare for war.”

[dilfweyoun]

imma put this out here and say- i think i know some reasons why i like (& relate to) certain ops more than others. i'll make a list.. so sorry if it's a bit of a read!

Attackers:

•Glaz - he is an artist/sniper. i used to be an artist, and really love snipers lol

•Blitz - it's canon that he uses humour to make people feel better in bad situations. i personally use humour like that as well. (one of the reasons he was my main, cause of his voice lines)

•Montagne - the mountain, the shielder, the protector. he's all of them and more. irl, i'd be considered like him as well. you can rely on him. he has your back (and front!)

•Thermite - we all know he has a thing for nukes/fire/blowing things up. his elite makes him have fire come from his hands! i like fire and explosions n what not too ;)

•Thatcher - y'all already knew i was gonna have him on here. lol anyway. he has an interesting backstory (family was more or less dockworkers), and me personally coming from Alaska- i understand it more. he also has a bit of an aversion to electronic stuff cause it's considered a crutch. while yeah, i use a computer/phone a lot- i can go without them for a decent peroid of time. lived half of my life without them in the first place haha

•Buck - ah yes, my French-Canadian boyo. i think what i like (relate?) the most is- he's from Canada and has a dmr. irl- my grandpa is from Canada and i've used guns similar to a dmr. also Buck was the first dlc op i got (had Ash, Rook, Pulse, & Buck for my first couple weeks of having the game)

•Capitão - we seen his elite reveal, right?👀 looks exactly like my late father. except my father was an Italian/Irish-American. not from Brazil haha

•Hibana - uhm. all i really can say is, she looks a lot like my Alaskan-Hawaiian-Japanese friend. like..it's a bit uncanny😂

•Jackal - mah Spanish boi has insomnia..well, so do i. that's one of the main reasons i can relate to him..also losing family members

•Nøkk - we don't know what she looks like. little to none of my friends know what i look like. when her HEL is active, we can't see her on cams. i'm rarely in photos as well👀 spooky

•Kali - uHhHh. remember what i said about Glaz with the sniper thing. same can be said with my gril over here

towards the end there, i wasn't getting that descriptive haha. sorry bout dat :p anyway

Defenders:

•Tachanka - pRaIsE bE! iT's ThE lOrD!! i'm joking..or am i? ;) in the past, my friends and i (from Alaska) would give each other roles for our 'roleplays' we'd do..mostly on Minecraft haha, and i ended up getting the "Lord" role. so it stuck for awhile lol

•Bandit - dis boyo is like a human Pikachu. i'm a sucker for lore...oof. so when his elite came out, i got interested and immediately bought it haha. we know the story behind it, it's what he looked like when undercover. and i've had some experience doing undercover work. not government official, but still undercover. yknow?

•Jäger - everyone knows he's a pilot, right? whale, some of my family was in World War II and were pilots. it's one of the reasons why i'd say i can sorta relate to him. also the whole mechanic shtick haha

•Doc - for the longest time, i wanted to be a nurse, but my absolute fear of needles has ruined it. (also brain surgery vids make me sick oof :v) but our lil French boi here makes up for it. so i'll play him when i'm in the mood to be a medic person

•Castle - can we get some love for my guy? if i'm being honest tho- he has to be one of the more useful ops, even if people rarely play him. tho he was used a lot when ranked still had hostage mode. cause you use his barricade on the one room in Kafe👌🏻

•Smoke - we knew i was gonna make a bit for him too👀. a bit of a fun fact- i didn't unlock him until Para Bellum / Grim Sky i believe? (got game at end of White Noise) anywho, he's reckless and a thrill-seeker. i'd have to say, i'm a bit of both as well. and we know of his spawning lines, one of them being "This reminds me of the time my uni burned down." which my high school didn't burn down, but the 5th floor of it was destroyed (and parts of the other floors). so i'd say, i somewhat relate haha

•Ela - i don't got much to say other than she looks like my mother. especially in her leaked elite. i showed it to my mother and she agreed. the hair structure, hair style, hair colour (more specifically the Twitch Prime headgear hair colour)

•Vigil - he doesn't know much about his family. and i could say the same as well. i don't know anyone from my late father's side. it wasn't until recent that i found out i have a half-sister and half-brother. both of which..don't know about me

•Maestro - he's Italian. i'm Italian. b o o m (i would've added Alibi as well, but she's actually from Libya)

•Kaid - how do we pronounce his name again? "cayde/cade"? "kai-eed"? however you wish to refer to him as. i took a liking to him because of Kincaid Park in Alaska. the resemblance in names were too similar imo, so whenever people speak of him. all i can think about is the park i'd go to every winter. (almost died there once, but that story is for another time lol)

•Mozzie - yknow..we share the same birthday, except he's 18 years older than me.😅 he's a daredevil and also reckless. and like i said with the Smoks bit, i'm also reckless!

•Warden - kek, his last name is McKinley, and me being from Alaska. his last name reminds me of home. cause we have a mountain called Denali (pronounced as 'den-al-ee', NOT 'den-awl-ee'. thank you very much!!) or known as... Mt. McKinley ;)

all in all, this has been a long post. i'm sorry for all the reading you gotta do. but if any of you want me to post similar things like this, i will! :)

side note- i realise now that i made a lot of mentions of my home..heh, for those who don't know, i lived in Alaska for the first 14-15 years of my life. then i moved to Tennessee (17 now). big oofs

edit: cause i'm lazy af, this post took 2 hours to make instead of less than 30 minutes

[weasley-gal]

Cindy’s Top Ten Movies of 2019!

Ahhh...2019. In the interest of building suspense, I could be all cagey about this countdown, but let's face it: For me, 2019 was the Year of Rocketman. As lousy as the real-world year was, it was salvaged by Rocketman. Someone suggested in jest (maybe?) that Rocketman should be numbers one through ten on my year-end list, and that would be fair enough; HOWEVER...I did like some other movies this year, so I'm gonna give you--yes YOU, dear reader(s)--ten of my favorites. Just know in your hearts that the other nine fall way behind number one. Way, WAY behind.

The usual disclaimers:

A movie's position on my year-end list does not necessarily reflect its original Weasley score. Some films age well, bear up, and even improve under repeat viewings. Some...well...some do not. Also, I live in a rinky-dink town, so great movies like JoJo Rabbit and 1917--pictures that almost certainly would have found spots here or gotten very close--have not made themselves available to me yet. This is disappointing, but unsurprising. I'd hung my entire holiday break on the prospect of seeing 1917, only to discover on Christmas Day that its Christmas opening was limited release, and I have to wait until January 10th. Humbug. Finally, I think three or four of these movies already made Variety's "worst of" list for 2019, so kindly do not be too shocked when I diverge from The Serious Critics (TM).  

Without further ado, presenting my top ten films of 2019:

TEN

"The most important qualification for any leader is not wanting to be leader."

THE TWO POPES

2019 threw me a nice surprise on its way out the celestial door, with the Netflix original The Two Popes. It's a deliberate, thoughtful, and timely film carried by a pair of the year's most exquisite performances: Jonathan Pryce as Pope Francis and Anthony Hopkins as Pope Benedict XVI. While the subject matter is weighty, this movie is an absolute delight.

NINE

"I'm glad I'm a revelation and not a disappointment."

DOWNTON ABBEY

This big-screen adaptation of the popular television series Downton Abbey, is, in fact, something of a revelation. A totally new story in the familiar and much-loved setting, with just the right amount of fan service, it is a joyful exercise that hits nearly every note perfectly. Making its case for the big screen are breathtaking costumes and production design...and Mr. Barrow finally seeing a bit of happiness doesn't hurt, either.

EIGHT

"We're gonna bury Ferrari at Le Mans."

FORD V FERRARI

At a glance, Ford v Ferrari might seem like a film appealing exclusively to car enthusiasts; however, that assumption does a great disservice to both the film and the viewer. Ford v Ferrari is an inspiring story about people. It's a nail-biter from start to finish, it has heart to spare, and it's fronted by great turns from Matt Damon and Christian Bale. Beautifully filmed race action makes this one to see on the biggest screen you can find.

SEVEN

"It always fits...eventually."

SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE

Technically, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a last-year movie, but for me it's a this-year movie, and--despite its being the very first film I saw way back in January, 2019--it's far too great to leave off my best-of list. A Marvel property in the hands of Sony, Spider-Verse is smart, funny, touching, and better than the entire Avengers catalog combined.  

SIX

"This is a twisted web, and we are not finished untangling it, not yet."

KNIVES OUT

Knives Out is a great piece of original cinema crafted from artful twists, clever humor, and terrific performances, layered with a gorgeous Gothic setting and an ominous score. Written and directed by Rian Johnson, this perfect murder mystery is a huge creative and financial win for the cinema, and I recommend it without hesitation or qualification.

FIVE

"This is the worst...and best...and most terrible...excellent thing that's ever happened to me!"

THE KID WHO WOULD BE KING

Hands up if you missed the Kid Who Would Be King at your local cinema? Yeah, I see you, ALL of you. The good news is that one of the year's most wonderful pictures is now available for streaming and download, and you shouldn't make the same mistake twice. The Kid Who Would Be King is a charming movie, great fun for people of all ages. Truly one of the year's best.

FOUR

"Si vis pacem, para bellum."

JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 — PARABELLUM

The John Wick franchise has become quite the phenomenon, and deservedly so. Continually upping the action ante in Fast-and-Furious-like fashion, these movies are so much more than just your garden-variety shoot 'em ups and beat 'em ups. John Wick is the role Keanu Reeves was born to play, and Parabellum raises the stakes for Wick while doubling down on masterful fight choreography and stunning cinematography. Here's to many more adventures for John Wick!

THREE

"Bruce is the direct line to all that's true in this world!"

BLINDED BY THE LIGHT

Blinded by the Light is another terrific picture that didn't exactly set the box office on fire. Inspired by the true story of one Springsteen superfan, and built on the Boss's epic catalog, it's a hopeful tale about overcoming prejudice and the limitations set for us by ourselves and by others, one of the year's most inspiring movies.

TWO

"Tell the truth to everyone, whenever you can."

YESTERDAY

Yesterday is yet another of 2019's under-appreciated gems, a beautiful, unique movie fashioned around the timeless music of the Beatles. Himesh Patel is a delight in the lead, and--while the premise requires suspension of disbelief--Yesterday is a charming picture that captivates with its "what ifs?" as well as its iconic soundtrack and enchanting cast.

ONE

"You were never ordinary."

ROCKETMAN

My number one movie of the year, and of the decade, was set on May 31st, when I saw Rocketman for the first time. I saw the movie at least twice a week as long as it was at my local cinema. I've watched at least part of it every day since it became available for home viewing. Outside of a week or so around each of the wonderful concerts I saw this summer, I've listened to nothing but the Rocketman soundtrack since the end of May. My phone and all my desktops have Rocketman wallpapers. I've joked (hmm?) that I only speak Rocketman now. The truth is, I'm not interested in speaking anything else. Pre-Rocketman, it had been a decade since a new movie made its way into my all-time top ten. Then there was Rocketman. Pre-Rocketman, my favorite acting performance hadn't changed since 1993. Then there was Taron Egerton's astonishing turn as Elton John. Pre-Rocketman, I was finding reasons to stay away from the movies. Then there was Dexter Fletcher showing us the beauty of real imagination. Rocketman is more than just a well-crafted film that reflects on an iconic artist's inspiring life. It is a film that uses Elton John's art to tell his story in fantastic, creative fashion. It is a film that uses exquisite detail in its styling and costumes to further its vision. It is a film that draws something sparkling and new out of a classic discography. It is a film that is not bound by dull, linear timelines or small minds. It is a film that surrounds a performance for the ages with others that bear it up. It is a film that shows, however dark the times, you will find the light. In doing all these things, it is a film that is saving lives. Rocketman is a film that is, in every way, magnificent. Thank you, Dexter Fletcher and company, for giving us this beautiful movie. Whatever the critics say and whoever wins the prizes as Awards Season bears down upon us, nobody has done anything more valuable this cinema year.

A few Honorable (and Dis-Honorable) Mentions:

While Taron Egerton deserves all the awards, all the time, for his work in Rocketman, there were some other performances this year that also gave me life:

Jamie Bell (Rocketman): Without Bell's Bernie Taupin as his stalwart cornerstone, Egerton's Elton could not have flown. It's a lovely, understated performance that has been grossly underappreciated.

Tom Holland (Marvel Cinematic Universe): Holland is a real gem, a standout who consistently steals the show from bigger names who get weightier work in the MCU. No matter how good, bad, or painfully bloated the movie, Holland is an absolute delight.

Renee Zellweger (Judy): Who knew it was even possible for me to stop hating Renee Zellweger? Well played, 2019.

Rebecca Ferguson (The Kid Who Would Be King/Doctor Sleep): There was little I enjoyed more this year than watching Ferguson chew her way through this pair of pictures. Oh, and if I start walking around wearing a hat, don't ask, m-kay?

Chris Evans (Knives Out): God, I love seeing Chris Evans do *anything* besides Captain America. Bonus points if he gets to be funny. He's really funny, despite his obscenely gorgeous mug.

John Boyega/Oscar Isaac (Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker): These two, individually and together, draw joy out of what's otherwise a fairly mundane exercise. If Finn and Poe somehow jumped to another saga in the Star Wars universe, I wouldn't complain.

The Cast of Jumanji: The Next Level: Top to bottom, a perfectly cast film, and a lesson in how the right actors can elevate any property.

As a matter of interest, if you watch the Irishman and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood back to back, you can effectively calculate how many hours you'll wish you had back when you're on your deathbed.

I would like a word with Gary Oldman's and Sebastian Stan's agents, please.

Cats: Make. It. Stop. Please, just...make it stop.

As this most challenging year winds to a close, I wanted to offer a sincere thank you to everyone who takes the time to read my reviews, and especially those who engage on any of our various platforms. Special thanks to Daniel for allowing me to be a part of his great page, and for tolerating my unceasing randomness. (Hotel Transylvania 4 in 2021, my friend!) I take no one's support for granted, and I’m ever grateful for you all. I wish our readers many blessings as this festive season comes to a close and we roll into 2020. See you at the movies!

[pilferingapples]

An Ongoing Effort to Index This Blog

You’re probably here for reference material! Here’s a tag list to hopefully make finding that easier!

Before I get into the tag lists, a note on my Editorial Policy, such as it is:  I truly appreciate corrections, warnings about bloggers/writers operating in bad faith, etc! But if you’re contacting me with actionable info please come off anon or leave me some other way to get hold of you, so I can follow up if I need more info! I don’t post or reblog incorrect or hateful material on purpose, which means if I missed something I probably need more information!  I’m happy to keep a convo private if asked, I just need to be able to verify my sources. 

That out of the way! The tags!

(I had all these linked before accidentally deleting this post once; it's going to be a While before I can repair those links. If you want to find any of these , just go to pilferingapples.tumblr.com/tagged/name of tag and it should work!) Les Miserables Specific: -BrickClub: former readthroughs - LM X.X.X (as in: LM 1.2.3): chapter specific tags -Fandom 101: stuff that’s hopefully useful for people just starting to look around ; if there’s something not here you think would be useful, let me know! -Fashion,or:  Canon Era Fashion : what it says on the tin - Les Misereference: a general tag of all kinds of things , if you just wanna binge canon-era reference - (Character) relevant: references and commentary specifically relevant to one character.  Note that this includes “barricade relevant”, “Amis relevant” as a group, and, yes, “sewer relevant” - (character) talk: discussion of a character/concept , like “ Grantaire Talk”  or “sewer talk”  -what’s the meta for:  a general catchall tag for analysis discussion; mostly older stuff- Paris in Canon Era:  historical info for the True Main Character ; incl. sewers, schools, etc  - maps : They Are Maps - FRev :  goofy fannish stuff and silliness about the French Revolution - FRENCH REVOLUTION: actual historical/ analytical posts about the French Revolution (NOT when Les Mis is set, but hugely influential!)  -Women in the Revolution: what it says! historical /analyses stuff about women in various revolutions and uprisings, though mostly the 1830s and the Frev.  Romanticism Specific:  - Actual Romantics : stories and histories on members of the French Romantic movement -Four People and a Shoelace: specifically about the Petit Cenacle/Jeunes France crew -Hugolania: trivia and random Hugo homages/commentary/fandom stuff. Because Hugo always  had a fandom. more, doubtless, as I think of them! Adaptations: - Les Mis Stage : things about /from the stage musical  -Les Mis Dallas, Dallas Les Mis :  the 2014 Dallas Theater Center modernized production -Les Mis 2012 : things about/from the 2012 musical movie  -Shoujo Cosette: the 52-episode anime; characters from this sometimes just get tagged SC(character)  -Les Mis Arai:  the multivolume manga - Other Adaptations : what it says on the tin , including other musical adaptations, movies, and tv shows  Fanwork Specific -(Character) art:  exactly what you’d expect  - Canon era fic :..again… - Modern AU : rarely needed, but sometimes! -Fic Rec, Ficrec-what it says  Character/ Group/ Ship/Pairing tags, when not just a character’s name : - The Pontmercy Friend: Marius  - All of Them : the Amis as a group -Most of Them: ALMOST all the Amis as a group -Poetry Smash: Bahorel and Prouvaire  -Justice and His Tutor: Enjolras and Feuilly  - Bini!, Bini:  Joly and Bossuet  - OMST3K: J/B/M, for reasons - Power Trio: Enjolras, Combeferre and Courfeyrac  - Party Trio: Joly, Legle , and Grantaire -To Watch Faith Soar: Enjolras and Grantaire Ships Ahoy:  any content focused on romance  (these are NEVER EVER Ship Tags): - Owl and Wren : Valjean and Cosette - Para Bellum: Bahorel and Gavroche

[thedragonsarealive]

I was tagged by @r6shippingdelivery​, thank you darling for keeping me entertained! <3

Rainbow six thing?!

Name: Diana/Dragons/YellowMcDucker, I have so many names my child. 

Nationality: Mid-Eu 

Pc or console: PC

Time played: Uhhh, 511 hours at the moment, but I’m literally just about to play :’D

Highest rank: I think Gold 2, but I don’t really care about it. We do it for challange, but if its bad, so be it! *shrug*

Defense or attack: Attack. Yez. 

Mains: 

Attack: Hibana, Thermite, Thatcher

Defense: Alibi, Bandit, Frost

Favorite female voice: Alibi

Favorite male voice: Bandit, Maestro

Favorite character: Bandit. All time fave.

Favorite ctu: GSG9

Favorite gun: Oh my gosh... 9mm C1 (Frost’s c:)

Favorite gamemode: Quick Game, doesn’t matter which mode! 

Season started in: Operation Para Bellum! It was a good time for a rookie.

Favorite ship: *eyes emoticon* Well, I... Uhm... *thinking* I have an armada of ships, ask @r6shippingdelivery, or anybody, who knows me. Some of these are TachankaDoc, ThatcherLion-LionVigil-ThatcherVigil-ThatcherLionVigil, for funsies, KapGlaz, TachankaKapkan... Uuhh...Yeah. I have darling GoyoJäger in the pocket, and some ThatcherBuck, which is darling too <3

Least favorite ship: Uhm. Well. BanditJäger, BlitzRook. Don’t-end-me. The um...”canon couples”. I mean, I don’t see Pulse and Hibana working, not for a second... Sorry :’) 

Do you write about r6? If so, who and what?

I do, actually, yeah! I write hurt/comfort, because I love it. I love to write Bandit, so everything is based on him most of the times. My own challange, whet I gave to myself is to write Bandit into everything I do, because he is just so good in starting conflicts and stuff.

Do you (want to) do cosplay? If so who?

I like cosplay, and I already did some when I was younger. I was playing with the idea of Ash or IQ and IQ still sounds lovely, but I don’t really think that I will make it.

Do you draw r6? If so, what?

Only doodles! ONLY DOODLES.

Do you use vc ingame?

Yes. When I get angry and I need to shout. Most of the times its just so... um... not scary, but like... being a woman, and sometimes being even good in the game makes it harder. So yeah. Sooometimes, when I have nothing to lose :’D

Do you cope with stressfull situations well?

Yes.

Do you rather play solo or with friends?

Both is good for me!

Do you do anything special with others in the fandom?

Writing events? Side by side with @r6shippingdelivery.

Do you have a r6 oc? If so give a short bio!

I have two actually. I could talk about them for hours, but it’s past midnight, so umm... Yeah :D I need to sleep. DM me if you are interested.

Tag some of your fellow r6 pals!

@freedert95 of course, and @kiruuuuu if you have time, sweetheart! <3 Also @ee-vvaa too. 

Smooches! 

[musicin68]

Totally Disco, Issue #8

Episode 8: Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum

"If you want peace, prepare for war."

Stamets just called Tilly "Captain"? Yes! She will be a captain. He sees the future. Time twisting spores do your thing! Save me a Georgiou. I know. I know. I realize that it just isn't going to happen, but I wiII just keep wishing because as long as there is technobabble it is possible. I think that’s the definition of all Star Trek science...technobabbically possible.

Another episode that really feels like Trek! That's like... two in a row. Is it because we're on a planet? Is it because there is finally a strange new world and a new civilization? Is it because the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one?

Is it because Lorca got killed over and over again last time and this time we barely see him? Lol, maybe.

Yay! Cornwell is alive! Or was briefly? Yay? L'Rell wants to defect after she offs Kol? She's a spy girl though. Her motives are definitely suspect. Where the hell is Pippin? He has to be Tyler except how the hell does he know about freshly caught trout? He can't possibly be that good an actor. Pippin knows Michael killed his savior, no way he lets an opportunity to kill her go by. So he's somewhere in Starfleet? And L'Rell is looking for him? Why now? Gah. Too many dangling plot threads.

Michael and Tyler. Okay, it's going to be a thing.

The noise of the planet is ubiquitous. Is it also mendacious and polyglottal? Lol. The Expanse has ruined those words for me forever. Donkeyballs!

I love Saru. I approve of the twist on the usual 'under the influence of aliens' and I appreciate that he does it all on his own. I mean I don't approve of his actions, but his heart-wrenching description of being without fear for the first time got to me. Isn't that what we all want really? To be able to live without fear? And what do we sacrifice to have that?

Burnham will sacrifice her freedom to end the war with the Klingons and give others peace. I don't think she believes she will ever have it herself. Tyler wants peace, but doesn't know if he can give up his anger his desire to make the ones who hurt him suffer to have it. I don't think Saru knew he wanted it at all until he had it.

But is it okay to live without fear completely? Look at what Saru does. Is that the lesson? Is fear necessary to keep us from acting on our worst impulses? Morality cannot coincide with inner peace?

I don't think so. I think the danger comes from living in fear constantly. (Hello my life since about 2016). Saru lies to us, lies to himself. His actions are absolutely born of fear. He is afraid of losing his newly found peace. And he might have killed his colleague out of that fear. He is afraid of loss. We all are. Violence, hatred, the worst actions of humanity all stem from fear. Fear of losing something. They're going to take your jobs. They're going to take your security, your home, your guns, your money, your rights, your life. Scary shit, isn't it. The quote is wrong. It isn't the desire for peace that causes war. It's fear.

The essense of Star Trek has never actually been about space exploration or the science of the future. It has always been a reflection of our present. A mirror, if you will, that we can take a good look at ourselves in. This episode was everything I love about Star Trek. Thoughtful, reflective, and poignant...well done Discovery.

Now, about that mirror...

[onceuponaprincessworld]

CaptainSwan One-Shots Recs p.16

Hello CS Fandom, with the final day of shooting once being today,  I thought to make a new list to honor our lovely couple. This One-shot list have some incredible intresting stories. As always hope you enjoy!

If you are intrested you can find my other lists here.

See That Smile, @lifeinahole27

Killian is the charismatic lead singer of a band known for making weddings unforgettable. That is, until his own wedding is cancelled and he vows to never sing at another one. Years later, he meets Emma, a bartender at the event hall and woman planning her own nuptials. But in the process of helping her plan her own wedding, he discovers that he does still have the capability to feel again, and it all starts with the way that Emma smiles at him. Of course this would be his luck.

One More Yes, @hollyethecurious

Emma and Killian are dating but the have a fight and Emma thinks that Killian is going to break up with her. They meet at a party and she speaks with Liam and Elsa and they are both looking at her left hand for some reason. They talk and make up, with a bit angst and a happy ending?

With a Little Bit of Luck, @welllpthisishappening

She’s not sure why she agreed to do this.

She didn’t really agree. She offered. And so did he. Because they’re good people and true love conquers all, including overbearing mothers and wedding impossibilities and maybe she doesn’t really mind spending time with him.

That’s not really part of the schedule.

Just her dumb, stupid luck.

poker night, @rouhn​

a F.R.I.E.N.D.S crossover drabble.

Along Came You, @writemyanchor​

Killian Jones is a jaded NYPD detective who has been on the force for nearly ten years. He doesn’t do emotions and he certainly doesn’t do relationships. Enter Emma Swan. She’s never been one to back down from a challenge.

The Day After Valentine’s Day, @mayquita​

Something Extraordinary,  eight_0f_hearts

Emma is a contestant on MasterChef. Killian is the celebrity chef who comes in to mentor for a week. It turns out they have far more in common than they ever expected.

this mark isn’t on the run…, @startswithhope

Modern AU + bail bondsperson Emma + that dress from the pilot and smutty smut.

Here’s the Thing (or, How Emma Swan Learned to Appreciate Football), @shireness-says​

Here’s the thing - she didn’t mean to fall asleep on Killian Jones’ shoulder during the Nolan’s Rose Bowl viewing party.

May the Tide Wash Away Our Sins, @hookedonapirate

Emma Swan is the sheriff who takes up jogging along the sandy shores of Storybrooke. Killian Jones is the town priest who enjoys his morning dips in the ocean. She’s a woman of the law and he’s a man of God. Their love for the beach initially pulls them in, but their duties and beliefs keep them apart. Until they don’t. A Sheriff!Emma and Priest!Killian AU where temptation leads to broken laws and broken oaths.

Unhappy Beginnings, @laschatzi

During the peaceful 6 weeks after Gold’s banishment, Emma is determined to find out more about Killian’s beginnings

Prompt, @sherlockianwhovian

Killian is a doctor and Emma is his wife but she was in a car crash and Killian wasn't allowed to help with surgery (too emotionally involved and all that) and afterwards when Emma's awake they're like snuggling in the hospital bed becuase he was worried and just fluff!

Never Kiss The Man Of Honor, @hooklineandswan

It was an honor to stand beside your best friend when she married the love of her life. The only problem was, she despised the man of honor. Especially since the chemistry between them wasn’t something she could ignore. No matter how hard she tried.

Para Bellum,  @mahstatins

If you want peace, prepare for war.

Stay, @sambethe

Maybe this is the time they get it right.

More Than Enough, @pocket-anon

It's been five years since they were married. Five years of trying. Five years of disappointment. Emma's starting to believe she's never going to get her second chance. But her pirate husband has a way of saying what she needs to hear. And life still has a way of surprising them both. (Captain Swan one-shot post 7x02. CS Baby. Angst & Fluff. Canon Compliant. Rated T.)

On Outstanding Roommates, @effulgentcolors

Based on this tumblr prompt: "you've been sleeping at mine because your house is being renovated and we aren't even dating, yet every time you wake up to the baby crying and sigh, "i'll go" i feel like we might as well be married."

The National Pi Day Meet Cute, @whimsicallyenchantedrose

When Mary Margaret Blanchard finds out her grandson has a very single, very handsome math teacher, she devises a way to create a sweet little meet cute between her daughter, Emma, and said math teacher.

Take the Weather From Your Heart, @ohmyohpioneer

CS Neighbors AU. Emma finds herself in possession of a cabin in the wilderness of New England with only one neighbor: a certain Killian Jones.

[bi-badass-geek]

E3 part 5.

Fifth conference was “Ubisoft” aka how they going to dissapoint us with another AC but we got nice surprise.

“Beyond Good & Evil 2” prequel aka everyone wondering why Jade is evil. We know very little about story (not surprising): You're space pirate captain that going to galaxy near the end of 24th century. Can play either solo or co-op. Interesting thing about this game is that you get a chance to get your art put into the game (by it i mean music, art like paintings etc.) and it's going to be collaboration not simple putting it like it is so people with great ideas but without skills have a chance too. In the end Gabrielle Shrager when she was walking off stage gone "we nailed it" the funniest shit ever that they forgot to get mic off.

“Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege” aka if you don't play it you don't care but still needed to heard about this because it just started. They going to add new operation "Para bellum" and esport going to be alive soon-6 months long action. First Major Paris in August 13-19, next Pro League November and then Invitational in February 2019.

“Trials Rising” aka Antti Ilvessuo getting near stage on bike then destroying prep shit and think he's funny. What can i say still Trials with the difference that players were involved in making the game this time so it's pretty neat tho we will see if it pays off in the playthrough. For interested the closed beta will be available later this year.                  Release date : 20.02.2019

“Tom Clancy’s The Division 2” aka let's make another game when we didn't even finished the first one. Story is that you’re the only one who can save America...it happens in Washington D.C... I really couldn't care less. This time they added specializations: Sharpshoter,Demolitionist,Survivalist and from what i gathered it will give you set of unique skills and determined what weapon you will be using. Another company that thinks with constant content in years to come. The first year is supposed to throw at us 3 DLC for free aka story in Episodes. Also the thing we didn't get before 8p raids. Release date : 15.03.2019

Now instead of talking about the game let's perform aka composer and band on stage and video in the background that doesn't say anything other than characters that we will meet there. Turns out it's just DLC but they still couldn't make longer title “Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle - Donkey Kong Adventure”. I think the title saying everything that there is to know. Release date : 26.06.2018

“Skull & Bones” aka “Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag” or “Sea of Thieves” anyone? There will be something called fortunes : Cataclysm, Weather and Conflict. You will have a chance to rob alone or gather allies. Release date : 2019

“Transference” VR game that had few seconds on the last E3. Elijah Wood was talking about it so everyone was just thinking Frodo on stage! Your task will be getting out of corrupted mind you will switch between members of the family. Release date : Fall this year.

“Starlink: Battle for Atlas” aka game that using fucking figures 2.0 Skylanders but this time you putting it on your controller. The story happens in Atlas star system that is 400 light years away from Earth. Nintendo Switch folks will get exclusive DLC "Star Fox" so if you’re his fan and play on another console life sucks for you now.                        Release date : 16.10.2018

We got to see “For Honor” aka game that you could get for free on Uplay in weekend of the E3 but for us potato PC's players it doesn't mean a thing because the space you need is +60GB. DLC "Marching Fire" aka China new faction + new multiplayer mode "Bridge" will be available soon. The funniest part of this was that Ramon Campos-Oriola switched shirts in between.  

“The Crew 2” aka still the same but better. We will get more cars than before + other vehicles like planes, boats and motorcycles. Still big push for multiplayer but you can play solo. Release date : 29.06.2018

“Assassin's Creed Odyssey” aka Ubisoft killed friendship and we can finally get laid in AC. I'm not going to lie the best part for me is that you can choose your character either play as male "Alexios" or female "Kassandra". Whoever you choose you can romance regardless of gender which already got me (see ya soon ACO). The story will happen this time in Greece aka Sparta vs Athens. Another studio that also going with choices matters (how many times we heard that and got shit..The Walking Dead ring any bells for example? But we will see) One of few games on the press conference that we saw gameplay so from what we can gather you on start get special spear or some kind of weapon that can ignite. Can either charge or try to use stealth. Missions are on the land but also on the sea. There is clue system some kind hard to say something more. What making Odyssey so different from the previous AC's is that now you get an option to lie for example meaning you create your own path not like they gave you one like before it's up to you if you going to be neutral towards something or take actions. Also we will get something called  Conquest Battle in which for win you need to kill selected enemies. Release date : 05.10.2018

I going to be minority with what i’m about to say but for me Ubisoft won E3 ok and yes it’s because ACO so it’s obvious that I choose this game as fave. The shittiest title goes to “The Division 2“ like duh.