#I am participating in the time honored tradition of 'posting this so I will stop looking at it'
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1. day five
it's here! the first chapter of my bbu story featuring vanessa + juniper, which I'm tentatively calling "imperfectly consistent". this story is heavily inspired by many of the great pet whump series and other whump writings I've discovered in the last few months, especially those by @maracujatangerine and @whumpzone as well as @justbreakonme , @haro-whumps , @emmettnet and many, many others. this is my first time writing or posting anything like this, so please feel free to send me feedback and tell me what you think!
This entire story comes with major content warnings for drug and alcohol abuse, as well as the standard box boy universe fare: pet whump, dehumanization, conditioning, etc. Individual chapters will have specific content warnings and tags as well; please do tell me if there are any I need to add.
[masterlist] [chapter two]
“Shit. Shit.”
“What’s up?” asks the voice on the video call.
Vanessa clasps a hand over her mouth and breathes out hard through her nose, eyes wide and laser-focused on the middle distance. “Fuck. Okay. You know that… that dude on the shelter site?”
“The one who you said was in there longer than usual?”
“Yeah. He’s still there.”
“Still? How many days has it been now?”
“Five.”
The silence hums between them like a gathering storm.
“I’ve never seen anyone stay there five days before. I, I’ve been watching the site for months and I’ve barely seen anyone get to four. If he doesn’t get picked up by tomorrow…” Vanessa inhales through her nose. “Rose, I gotta do something.”
“You mean like… adopt him?”
Vanessa twitches at the term. “Fuck, no. I’d literally be so bad at being a rescuer. But like… maybe I can find someone to take him? I mean, shit, I could cover the fees for them, I could even pick him up and keep him here until they could come get him, I just… I can’t let a person die like that.”
—
“Listen, this is maybe weird but…”
“...yeah, that kind of Pet. But he’s a rescue, and…”
“...no, you wouldn’t even have to be here by tomorrow, I could pick him up for you and—”
“You do understand this is a seven-day kill shelter?”
“…Hello?”
Vanessa stares hard at her phone. There’s one last call she could make; one she really, really doesn’t want to. But a life—someone else’s life—is quite literally on the line. Desperate times, and all that shit.
She takes a deep breath and dials.
“Hey, M—hello? …of course. Bonjour, Noémie. Is Victoria available today? …no, of course not. What about tomor—right, uh huh, yeah. Okay. Well… I mean, you wouldn’t be interested in adopting a pet, would you? …yeah, of course not, never mind. Au revoir.”
So much for that.
—
They reconvene the video call hours from when they left off, Vanessa spent and Roselle somber. “I called every person I could think of, Rose. I’m so tired.” She looks it: pale, drained, practically vanishing in her chair. “Please tell me you have better news.”
Roselle shakes her head grimly. “I put the message out on rescuetok, but nothing so far. I don’t know if it’s realistic to find someone through there on this kind of time.”
“What about your parents?”
“I’m sorry, Ness. I asked. They said no.”
“Oh, come on!” Vanessa slaps the table a little harder than she means to, jostling the screen. “But they’re so nice! Like, if anyone was going to take a rescue, it should be them! I thought they said they were against the practice!”
“They are, Ness,” Roselle sighs, rubbing at the bridge of her nose.
“Not enough to keep an actual human person from being murdered for it, apparently!” Vanessa stands up and paces back and forth across the room. “Fuck. Fuck! I have to take him.”
Roselle looks up and blinks. “You what?”
“I mean, if nobody else is gonna do it—! It’s not like I don’t have the money. Or the space. I mean, I sure as shit don’t have the personality, but—fuck, dude! What else am I supposed to do?”
“You’re really serious about this, aren’t you?”
“I just… watching the shelter sites was supposed to just be a little thing I could do that mattered, y’know? And now it is so big and so fucking real and, and…” Her hands are flailing past her ears now, wrists and elbows oscillating wildly.
“Hey. Nessa.” Roselle pulls her focus, the calm timbre back in her voice. “He’s still got one more day, right?” Vanessa nods sullenly. “So you’ve got a day. Think about it. Wrap your head around it, as much as you can. In the meantime, we’ll see if anyone else picks him up, or gets back to us, or if anything else that could happen happens. And if they don’t, you’ll be ready.” Vanessa raises her eyebrows as if to protest. “At least, a little more ready than you are now,” she amends.
“You’re right. You’re… thanks, Rose. You’re good at this. You always are.” She tilts her head. “God, I wish you could take him. You’d be so much better at helping him than me. Than anyone, probably.”
Roselle smiles ruefully. “Yeah, not in senior year pre-law. And definitely not in a dorm room. I’ll help you help him, though. You know I’m here for you, any time.”
“You’re the best, Rosarita Beans. Speaking of pre-law, though, should I like… let you go study? I feel like I just took up a whole bunch of your day.” She grimaces.
“Hey, don’t worry about it. Like I said, I’m here for you. I probably should go, though, if you’re okay for now.” Vanessa nods again. “Alright then, text me if you need anything, okay? And make sure you sleep before tomorrow, you’re gonna need it. Oh, and I’m guessing you haven’t eaten yet, so do that for me? Okay bye, love you.”
She’s right again, of course. “I’m not hungry,” Vanessa tries to protest, but Roselle has already ended the call.
Well, if she’s going to eat—and sleep, probably, come to that—she’s gonna need an assist. She fires off a text. AUSTIN, it says. EMERGENCY. COME TF OVER.
As you wish, he replies. The weed man cometh.
—
Austin shows up forty minutes later, and she wraps her arms around his waist and hugs him until he chucks her shoulder and says, “Dude, let me in, it’s freezing out.” They climb the stairs to Vanessa’s favorite living room and in short order the bong water is bubbling and pizzas are on their way.
“You know, the nuts thing is, just going off his picture the dude should’ve gotten picked up, like, right away. I mean, lookit ‘im,” Vanessa rambles, poking a finger at the thumbnail next to the number 414374 in the shelter site’s neat little table. It expands to show a man with sharp features, pale skin and blue eyes, with waves of black hair cascading over impressively broad shoulders. “He’s like, super hot, right? I mean or he would be without the brainwashing 'n shit.”
Austin cranes his head down to see. “Yeah, I’d do him. Without the brainwashing and shit.”
“Yeah! So like, here’s the thing right? Dudes who look like that get snatched up in like a day. Two, tops. It’s like… okay this is horrible but it’s like a borzoi at a humane society, you know? They’re gonna be there for like five minutes.”
“You said he’s been there for five days, though.”
“Exactly! So like, what is his deal, man? What could possibly be up with him that would make all the crazy ass pet people not go ‘yeah I want that one’ like, immediately?”
“Dude, yeah. Huh.”
Vanessa laughs around a mouthful of smoke until she doubles over coughing. “Oh, shit, dude, what am I getting myself into?”
#whump#pet whump#rescue whump#recovery whump#bbu#box boy universe#vanessa + juniper#disaster caretaker#imperfectly consistent#tw drug use#tw marijuana#tw dehumanization#tw death mention#I am participating in the time honored tradition of 'posting this so I will stop looking at it'
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Traditions
This is a special holiday edition of School Dayz. To catch up on the series in general please click School Dayz
I am participating in @choicesdecember2023 for Christmas
I am also participating in @choicesprompts holiday rewrite challenge in which I used the candy cane gram scene from Mean Girls.
I am also participating in @choicesflashfics christmas prompt # 59: "Ice-skating? Do you seriously trust me with knives on my feet?" will appear in bold. I also used a previous prompt as well Are you seeing this too or am I having a stroke?
Series: School Dayz
The Book: TRR (no royals)
The Pairings: Liam x Riley
Word Count: 1464
Warnings and Ratings: None. This is for anyone who has eyes. A total fluff piece.
Original post: 12/31/23 at 7:15PM EST.
Science class was different for me now that I no longer sat next to Liam, and shared a table with my sister, since Mrs. Barbour decided to make the class sit in alphabetical order, which I think the only reason for the change was to make taking roll easier. I glanced across the room to Liam whose partner was now Rashad.
My adorkable boyfriend who caught me watching him, smiled and held up his hot cocoa cup to toast me from across the room. Liam was the sweetest boyfriend and stopped by the local coffee shop Brew Bros and always got hot chocolate every morning the way that I liked it.
So I smiled while holding up my cup.
“Oh my God, can you two be any more nerdy?” Taylor asked.
“He’s nice, and you reap the benefits of it too. My boyfriend brings us both hot chocolate, or in your case a coffee drink you like every day without us asking.”
Taylor cocked her head to the side and air toasted Liam, taking a sip from her drink when the door opened.
“Ho , Ho, Ho!!!!! Candy Cane Grams, sponsored by the National Honor Society.”
“Make it quick, Santa.” There was a hint of sarcasm in Mrs. Barbour’s voice as she went to sit at her desk for a moment.
“And his lovely assistant Max Noel!”
“Wait… a sec… Are you seeing this too or am I having a stroke?”
Taylor doubled over in laughter “It is!!!! It’s Drake Walker-Claus.”
Taylor’s laugh seemed to antagonize Drake for a second, but good thing he had his assistant Maxwell. His brooding mood was offset by Max Noel making the class laugh with his dance versions of Christmas music as he followed around the room behind him.
“Hana Lee one for you.”
“Chris Powell four for you, you go Chris Powell!”
“Do we have a Riley Brooks here?”
“That’s her Max Noel. She’s Riley Brooks and looks nothing like the girl sitting next to her. Those two can’t possibly be related.”
“Riley Brooks here you go, one for you.”
“Thank you Santa.”
“Um….”
“And nothing at all for Taylor Brooks, not even coal or black licorice, bye.”
Drake and Max ran out of the room.
Taylor looked at me with curious eyes at the candy cane gram in my hand.
“Who’s that from?”
It wasn’t any of her business. I opened the envelope and read silently to myself.
Liam’s sweet words made me smile, and I didn’t have to answer her, and I looked at him from across the room.
“Oh my god. You guys are too much.”
Taylor looked upset, even though she shrugged it off. Later I found out why at her locker.
“I told you to get me a candy cane gram Nico!!!!”
“Well you telling me to do it, takes the surprise out of it. Me not doing it, guess what you were surprised weren’t you?”
My sister who was always loud looked at him and said nothing.
Before I knew it the words flew out of my mouth.
“Wow, you’re a really bad boyfriend Nico, my sister deserves better than you.”
I slammed my locker walking away from the two of them. I found out later that day, my sister broke up with him, in front of everyone in true dramatic Taylor fashion. I was proud of her.
Christmas Eve
Everyone had come over and was enjoying mom’s Christmas cookies and snacks. My dad brought in a big box sitting it down on the floor.
“I want to thank everyone for coming over tonight to spend time with our family. Our children picked people they care about to spend this time together with you. Ren and I are happy to have you in our home. We both grew up in the foster care system, and learned early in life, sometimes the people that care about you most, are not your blood relatives. So we try to celebrate that.”
“And when we had the opportunity to open our home up to two adorable identical twin girls, we couldn’t say no.” My mother chimed in.
“It’s the best decision they ever made. I went to sleep one night wishing I had a little sister. The next morning I woke up with two.” Jaiden spoke up.
“And we know what it’s like to be alone on Christmas, or missing someone special on Christmas that you were once close to. So we wanted to do something special. Liam would you mind sharing the Christmas Eve tradition you had that you told me about?”
“Christmas was my Mom’s favorite holiday. Every Christmas Eve that I can remember she’d dress us up in these ugly Christmas sweaters
and we would go ice skating on Lake Pine. She loved to ice skate. Then she’d make us take these dorky pictures in our Christmas sweaters that matched. I miss her a lot.”
“I miss her too. I’m not adopted, but Liam’s Mom always made me feel like I was her son too. So I really get what you’re saying about family not always being blood related. She was my mom too.”
Liam hugged his brother.
My dad opened the box.
“With a little help from Riley I found some what I would think are hideously awesome ugly Christmas sweaters, and am secretly happy for your love of Star Trek too. I’m sorry Liam, you can’t be the Captain, this is mine. But this one is yours.”
“Well if I can’t be Captain, being the science officer is the next best and most logical choice.” Liam took his blue sweater graciously.
“That’s what I said! Dad please say you got me a blue sweater too.”
“I did.”
After all the sweaters were handed out, there was still one left in the box.
“Guess you guys bought this before I broke up with Nico. No big deal.”
Once everyone was dressed, they headed out to the vehicles, and Liam stuffed the extra shirt into Leo’s trunk.
“I really don’t know how this is going to go Liam.”
“What do you mean?”
“Ice skating? Do you seriously trust me with knives on my feet?”
“Well good thing you’re not just Riley Brooks today, you’re the science officer for the USS Enterprise. Live long and prosper.”
Liam expected Riley to be as horrible on ice skates as she had been on roller skates, but Riley amazingly was incredibly balanced.
“Have you ice skated before?”
“No! I don’t know how I'm good at this! I usually have no natural balance.”
“You’re a natural at skating…”
“Ice skating. Let's clarify that.”
Taylor was still sitting on the bench watching the couples skate by. “She still hasn’t gotten out on the ice yet. I think she’s feeling lonely and the extra shirt probably made her think of Nico.”
Liam’s phone beeped. “Why don’t you go sit with her for a little bit, and I’ll be back in a few with some hot cocoas for us all.”
“Is cocoa your favorite drink?”
“Yes, and my mom used to always say your heart won’t feel cold if you always have a nice warm cup of cocoa. It always makes me feel better.”
I went to sit with Taylor and Liam continued walking toward the concessions stand.
“You okay?” I asked Taylor.
“I just don’t feel like skating, and look over there.”
Nico was there, with another girl on his arm.
“To be honest I never liked him Taylor. He called you T, like you were a drink or a shirt or something. He wasn’t even really that nice. Good riddance, I say.”
“I never thanked you for standing up for me that day Riley. It really meant a lot.”
“You’re my sister Taylor. I will always have your back, even when you pull me into a tornado.”
“Not on purpose!” She laughed.
“Oh it never is.” I remarked pulling Taylor closer to me in a hug. After a few seconds she pulled away from me.
“What are you doing here?”
“Helping Liam deliver hot cocoa. This one is yours.
I don’t like all the extra stuff in mine.”
Drake handed Taylor her cocoa, as he sat down next to her.
“Just hot and cocoa pretty much then right?”
“Exactly. I’m not that difficult to understand.”
“Do you like to ice skate, Drake?”
“Like it? It’s okay, but I can. Would you like to skate Taylor?”
Drake took off his coat wearing the remaining ugly sweater.
“Okay.” Taylor said in a nonchalant voice.
Taylor’s mood picked up immediately as she skated around with Drake on the ice. She never once glanced in Nico’s direction.
“That was really nice of you to do Liam.”
“He really does like her, you know. Maybe now she can finally see him with Nico out the way.”
“You’re so adorkably sweet Liam.”
“I know Riley, I know.”
#bebepac writes#bebepac still writes#christmas fic#choices fandom#trr fanfic#trr fandom#trr liam x riley#school dayz#adorkable liam#adorkable riley#trr no royals#choicesprompt#choicesflashfics#choices monthly challenge#choices fic writers creations#fic of the week
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Call of the Ocean Chapter 36: The Talk
Pairing: CEO!Mechanic!Dean Winchester x Mermaid!Reader
Word count: 5314
Chapter summary: Thasman and Y/N go to a distant kingdom in hopes of getting help to defeat Michael. What they find just proves their enemy is more vicious than they had thought.
Series summary: CEO of Winchester Auto Dean Winchester has had enough of the office life. With his father keeping him from what he wants to do, which is work on the plant floor, Dean decides to leave for a quiet life. In Matagorda, Texas, he finds something he never thought he would, a chance encounter with a mythical creature.
Call of the Ocean Masterlist
A/N: Things just get bigger from her, so hold on tight ;). This series is a collaboration with@ @flamencodiva . Text dividers made by the awesome @talesmaniac89
Next chapter will be posted on Wednesday, December 30th
Y/N and Thasman looked down at the water from the boat that they were on.
“Are you ready?” Thasman asked as he adjusted his low bun.
“I don’t know,” Y/N said as she glanced down at the clear water. “I kind of wish Dean was here. I’m scared something will go wrong.”
“They are our allies. And I will be with you the whole time. We got this, Y/N/N.” Thasman gave her a reassuring smile. “Besides, I have always protected you. Even before we knew I was your cousin, I considered you my family.”
“Likewise…” she smiled, before giving him a light nudge to the side. “How are things with Thames, Thas?”
The merman stiffened a bit at the name and cleared his throat, “Fine. I mean, she’s helping Dean. I guess.” Thasman made sure he had his merbag with anything they needed in case they had to defend themselves. “Why do you ask?”
Y/N shrugged. “You were really upset with her when she told you the truth, so… I just wanted to make sure you’re alright. ”
“Thames is still the scroll keeper in a way,” He said as he looked out at the water. “I guess I got what I wanted though, what I always asked for.” He let out a snort. “How could I have been so blind.”
“It could be the fact that she literally used magic to disguise herself and that she went to great lengths to prevent everyone from seeing your mark.” Y/N paused for a second, thinking back to all of their experiences with the scroll keeper. “Looking back, all her stories of how she got to the kingdom, they didn’t make sense if you really think about it. She fooled everybody.”
Thasman let out a soft hum before looking over at Bobby and Ellen who seemed to be having their own conversation. Looking back at the water, he knew time was running out. They had to act quickly and make sure they had a plan to cast Michael out of their kingdom.
“Let’s dive in,” Thasman said, wanting to stop talking about his mother. “The faster we meet with the royal of Zenara the faster we can attack Michael.”
His cousin only nodded, knowing how uncomfortable the whole issue was for him. “Alright.”
“You two ready?” Bobby said as he looked at them.
“Yeah,” the merman breathed. “Y/N and I should be back in less than a day. Depends on how long it takes us to reach the queen of Zenara.”
“I need to talk to ya before you go,” Bobby breathed as he looked at his son.
“Is– Is something wrong?”
Bobby led Thasman away from Y/N and Ellen and looked at him, “Ease up on your mom when we get back home will ya.”
Thasman looked down at his feet, ashamed. “I’m trying.”
“Look, I’m not saying to forgive her outright,” Bobby said as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I mean, would it have killed you to call her mom or given her a hug before you left?”
“I did call her mom before we left,” he argued weakly. “And she hugged me before we got on the boat.”
“You called her mom during the argument at Ellen’s house,” Bobby reminded him. “And If you didn’t notice, she was dying to touch you and she held back. You called her Thames, boy.” Bobby huffed. “Just, make sure you make it up to her when we get back.”
“And what about you? You have not been exactly fair to her either.”
“What your mom and I are going through is very different,” Bobby argued. “I know she and I have things to get over but…” Bobby ran a hand across his face. “I don’t think she’s too happy with me anyways. She said she didn’t have anyone back home but I--” he licked his lips as he looked at his son. “I don’t want her to hold back for a grump like me.”
“We both need to talk to her when we go back. I can’t watch you two keep your distance because you’re both scared you don’t deserve each other… must be a family thing.”
Bobby hummed and nodded, “Well you better get going. The sooner we fix this the sooner we can get back.”
“We’ll be back on the boat as soon as possible,” Thasman promised.
Bobby nodded as Thasman walked to Y/N. Once the final goodbyes and good luck wishes were over, both merpeople climbed over the railing of the boat and jumped in.
The so-called Bermuda Triangle isn’t uncharted territory. In reality, it’s one of the best-protected territories merpeople have against… well, everything. Humans who were brave enough to sail in it would not live to tell the tale, sea monsters that tried to take refuge in its pits would be chased away by Zenara’s army and an attack on Zenara was possible, but not an easy granted victory. Zenara was, by all means possible, a fortress for merpeople. Only their kind could go in and out.
One can tell they’re nearing the outskirts of Zenara when the water takes a darker shade, the ocean itself seems to quiet down and the feeling of the pressure is more notorious against one’s skin and scales. Common sea creatures live there in abundance; one more of the ploys of the Kingdom of the Triangle to lure their food in. From that point forward, the ocean takes on a hostile feeling and, if one dares to cross all the way to reach the kingdom, will encounter one of the most gorgeous merkingdoms in all the seven seas.
From the point where they jumped in, a few miles outside of Bermuda, just bordering on the beginning of the not-so-safe-for-humans-zone, it takes Thasman and Y/N about four hours to reach the entrance of the kingdom. As they near the palace right at the heart of Zenara, they were greeted by guards, dressed in swordfish skin and armed with stone-made swords from the bottom of one of their pits. One thing other kingdoms had learned the hard way long ago was that the weaponry of Zenara was sharper than it seemed and Sindarta had had enough luck to make them their ally early on.
They informed the guards of their intention to seek an audience with the Queen. Both guards nodded, motioning for them to follow. Y/N stayed close to Thasman as they were led towards the throne room. Y/N could feel a small lump form in her throat as they approached the foot of the stairs leading to the throne. To say she was nervous was an understatement. Y/N was terrified of insulting one of their allies.
When they reached the foot of the throne, both merfolk bowed in reverence and greeting.
“Queen Sereia,” Y/N began, “I am Princess Y/N, daughter of King Nereus of Sindarta. We have come here with an urgent matter to discuss and we ask you to grant us an audience.”
The queen looked down at the two merpeople and raised an eyebrow at them, “To what do I owe a visit from the princess of Sindarta?” she asked. “Did you not have your tournament many moons ago?”
“We did, Your Highness,” she confirmed. “One of the suitors went astray and did not accept defeat.”
“And what does that have to do with me and my kingdom?” The queen asked as she grabbed her trident.
“The suitor who went astray has locked away my father and stolen the throne. Your Highness, I wish things were different but said merman was your son.”
Queen Sereia rose from her throne and pointed her trident at the princess, “You dare lay false accusations of my son?!” the currents around them seemed to shift. “Guards surround them.”
“Your Highness!” Thasman pleaded, swimming in front of the princess as the Zenarian guards began to surround them. “I won Sindarta’s tournaments! I have the scars to prove your son broke our law and traditions.”
“My son has his own tournament in his honor,” the queen sneered. “Why would he participate in Sindarta’s tournaments when he has his own?!”
“It would be very helpful if you could enlighten us in that matter. For Michael Krill appeared at our gates with a letter signed by your hand and with the Zenarian Royal symbol on it.”
“Michael Krill?” the queen put down her trident and swam closer to them. “Who is Michael Krill? My son’s name is Calder Krill.” the queen looked from Y/N to Thasman. “He was only supposed to go as a guest, not a participant.”
“The Zenarian Royal that arrived was Michael Krill, Your Highness,” The princess explained. “As my companion said, he appeared at our gates with a letter signed by your hand, asking my father to let him participate. When Michael was defeated by Thasman, he refused to accept and attacked Sindarta.”
As she spoke, Y/N laid a hand on Thasman’s shoulder, pushing it weakly to ask him silently if he’d turn around and show the Queen his scar. When Sereia’s eyes landed on the still big but now white scar that ran across his back, her mouth dropped open in horror. “We barely had enough time to escape, Your Highness,” he called.
“Princess Y/N,” she said after regaining her composure. “I do not have a son named Michael Krill,” she repeated gently. “My son’s name is Calder Krill. But I will help you get to the bottom of this.”
“If that is so, then it was an impostor who made it to our gates.” Thasman reasoned, turning around once more to look at the queen. “Queen Sereia, when your son left for our kingdom, or at least, when he arrived, he was accompanied by two dozen of your soldiers. Would you be able to give us their names?”
“My son only left with ten soldiers,” the queen said as she looked around. “Where is our captain of the guard?!” she demanded.
“He left with your son, Your Highness,” one of the guards answered.
“Did he send a report back? If the tournaments are over my son should be coming home,” she looked at her guards. “Find him NOW!” she growled.
“Yes, Your Highness!” Three guards answered at one, swimming immediately out of the throne room.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Y/N and Thasman were placed in a room to wait for news on what the queen had found. Thasman could tell that Y/N was nervous as to what would transpire.
“I wish there was a way we could communicate with Bobby and Ellen,” Y/N said as she swam in circles in the small room.
“I know,” Thasman said as he looked around the room. “But this explains Michael’s odd behavior.”
“I agree,” the princess sighed as she looked at her cousin. “I fear for what will happen to father once the word gets out that we have reached Zenara.”
“He has no way of knowing we came here. No one in Zenara would dare to inform him, and even if they tried, by the time he got the news we would already be back in Matagorda.”
Y/N nodded as she swam towards the small hole in the coral palace. Looking out into the kingdom, she was in awe at what she saw. It had been years since the last time she had visited Zenara, yet it still amazed her how intricate, big and overall beautiful it was. Their dwellings were made from a variety of coral, volcanic and common stone, all different in shape, size or color. Their guards wore swordfish skin with pride, their merchants (or the few she could see) were followed by dolphins with big merbags strapped to their backs; wherever she looked, Zenara was bursting with life, color and beauty with their deadliness camouflaged to perfection, she lost track of time then.
In a way, it reminded her of home. Of course, Sindarta did not possess the same amount of soldiers or power, but was still big, respected, beautiful and diverse. Only Poseidon and the Goddess of the Sea could know how much damage Michael had been capable of doing. Y/N’s heart broke at the thought of her home being in pain and being unable to intervene.
“Your highness,” Thasman’s voice interrupted her thoughts.
The princess gave a slight flinch at the sudden intrusion before turning around, meeting face to face with her cousin. “What is it?”
“The queen is ready to meet with us again,” he announced as one of the queen’s advisors left the room.
Y/N brushed away her tears and straightened her back, “Oh. Let’s go, then.”
They swam through the castle’s halls led by another two guards. When they reached the throne room again, the guards swam to the side, letting Y/N and Thasman swim through until they reached the throne and bowed to the queen once more.
Thasman was the first to speak when they got up. “Have you received more news, Your Highness?”
The queen took a deep breath as she looked at her quests, “It seems I found a traitor in my court. He seems to have persuaded some of my subjects to follow him.”
Y/N’s brows raised in question.“Do you know which member of your court would do such a thing?”
“My captain of the guard, Michael,” she breathed. “I have not heard word from my son or him and it seems we found some disturbing writings in his dwelling.”
“If you don’t mind us asking, Your Grace,” Thasman began, cautiously, “what made the writings disturbing?”
“It seems that he has been plotting to do away with the royal line, or at least try to make himself a part of it.” Queen Sereia closed her eyes. “He wanted to start with Sindarta as your kingdom has magic beyond what we have in Zenara. He hoped to try and go as the prince, gain power.”
“Queen Sereia,” Thasman gulped. “We didn’t have the honor to meet Prince Calder of Zenara. If your captain planned all of this… then there is a big possibility that your son never made it close to Sindartan territory alive.”
“I do not know,” the queen said solemnly as she looked at her guests. “But, with this new revelation there might be someone who does.”
Thasman and Y/N followed the queen to what looked like their infirmary. Beds made of kelp and merdoctors floated around as they tended to patients.
“A couple of weeks ago, one of our guards was found a few miles outside of our territory. The guard in question was malnourished, beaten and wounded. Our doctors have been able to tend to the worst of his injuries, but he’s been unconscious for the most part of his stay.”
“Is there anything that we could do?” Y/N asked, following the queen as she led them to a room where they kept the unconscious guard.
“I don’t expect you to be a medical expert, Your Highness, but, since you’re here, if you had some of that medical balm your kingdom makes, maybe his healing would go quicker. If he regained consciousness long enough, we would be able to know what did this to him in the first place.”
Thasman nodded at the Queen’s words, reaching into his bag to take out a small container Thames had brought along more than a month ago when he had been recovering from his own wounds. “We do have some, Your Highness. Please, take us to him.”
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Hours later, after the guard had awakened and been deemed stable enough to withhold a conversation with all three of them, Queen Sereia was storming out of the medial quarters of the castle. Thasman and Y/N followed her stiffly, watching as the queen of Zenara lost her composure little by little.
The queen quickly spotted a couple of her guards, all but roaring, “Call for Nixie and tell her to meet me in the throne room! Now!”
The guards had bowed in fear, quickly muttering a “yes, Your Grace,” before scattering over themselves to look for said mermaid.
The conversation with the injured guard had gone well. After he introduced himself by the Queen’s petition, she’d recognized him as one of the original ten who were supposed to accompany her son to Sindarta. After that, they all had to sit tight and listen to the merman recount the events of Michael’s treason: every other guard that had left in the original caravana had turned and helped contain both him and the prince while Michael stabbed the latter.
“He would have survived, Your Highness,” he lamented, more ashamed by the fact that it hadn’t been him instead of the prince. “If I had been able to free us, he could have received treatment and lived… they left us tied and bloody. By the time I got out, it was too late.”
“Michael will pay for what he has done,” the queen roared. She looked to the guard and laid a gentle hand on him. “You did what you could. You stayed loyal to the kingdom.”
The guard had still apologized, offering to point to every traitor he had seen if they were captured.
And so, they were back in the throne room, watching the Queen swim around impatiently, roaring for her guards to be quicker or face consequences if Nixie did not arrive soon.
“Your Highness,” A mermaid appeared rushing past the guards. Her tail a bright red as she stopped in front of the queen and bowed.
“We had a traitor amongst our court, Nixie,” she sneered. “Who left with our son?”
“I have the names here, my love,” she said reaching into her bag to give the queen a scroll.
Sereia took the scroll, scanning every name on the list until she landed on the guard of the infirmary’s name. “Michael selected them, correct?”
“All but one your majesty,” Nixie said. “One of them was selected by Calder.”
“Same guard that was found.” the queen confirmed.
“Yes, my love,” she said solemnly. “I should have stepped in and take a closer look at Michael and his selections.”
“It’s of no use now.” Sereia mumbled. For the first time since they had left the infirmary, she turned to her guests. “Zenara will give you full support in taking that scum out of your kingdom.”
Both merpeople bowed. “Thank you, Queen–”
The Queen lifted a hand, cutting them off. “If, and only if, Michael and his crew are left for the court of Zenara to judge and condemn.”
Thasman clenched his jaw and looked at the princess.
“Only if the execution is done by my personal guard Thasman, as punishment for what the eel did at my tournament.” Y/N said as she looked at the queen.
“It was our son he murdered,” Sereia argued.
Nixie did a double take at the other mermaid's words. her eyes widened in shocked horror as she swam closer to the queen. “What?!”
“And he will receive justice,” Y/N reasoned. “He will be tried here in Zenara, and Thasman can deal the punishment. Both kingdoms will have a hand in his demise.”
Queen Sereia paused, considering the foreign princess’ deal. She turned to look at Nixie once more, eyes determined and lit with vengeance. “Done.”
“Thank you, your highness,” Y/N said with a bow. “You will not regret helping us defeat him. My guard and I must head back to our hiding spot.”
Nixie swam forward. Her hands were as shaky as her voice, trying to keep some form of composure. “You don’t have to. There are chambers you and your guard can stay in, Princess Y/N. You’ll be safe here.”
“Thank you, but we must return–”
“Then stay long enough to strategize what will be done and when. We need a course of action.”
“We appreciate your hospitality,” the princess said as she bowed. “But we have people who escaped with us who are waiting for our return.”
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Two days later.
Dean, Roan and Thames stood at the end of the pier waiting for any sign of the boat Bobby had taken day’s prior. The human nervous that something had gone wrong.
“Do you think they’re okay?” Dean asked.
“They must be,” Thames responded.
“Thasman wouldn’t let anything happen to Y/N, Dean. You know that.” Roan pointed out beside him, eyes fixed in the horizon like the others.
“I know,” Dean nodded. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to worry. I don’t want this Michael guy to get his scales on her, ever.”
“And he will be brought down, Dean,” Thames said as she placed her hand on his shoulder. “I have faith that everything went well. The princess knows how to hold her own.”
“And Michael shouldn’t have gotten to them.” Roan assured him. “He had no way of knowing they were going to Zenara, much less if they did so by the… thing.”
“I see something in the distance,” Thames said as she pointed towards a boat that was heading to the harbor.
“Is it them?” Roan asked as he looked towards where Thames pointed.
Dean squinted his eyes. “I think so…”
Ten minutes later, Dean and Roan were waving, shouting at their respective partners as they saw the boat Bobby had gotten get closer and closer to the port. For a moment, Dean smiled amused at how small the thing looked compared to the giant boats on the industrial port miles away, but that was just a detail; the little dark blue boat that was coming closer and closer was the most important thing in the world at the moment.
It meant she was safe; things had gone well.
His girlfriend had gone and come back from the frigging bermuda triangle, goddammit.
Dean helped Bobby with tieing the boat to the doc just before letting anyone off. He watched as Thasman helped Ellen out and Dean offered his hand to help her up onto the doc. Followed by Y/N. He smiled at her before helping Bobby out and then Thasman. Turning to the group he couldn’t help but let out a laugh.
“Glad you guys are back.” He said before pulling Y/N towards him, hugging her tightly.
Whatever had happened during the journey had made Y/N tense. She was smiling and hugging him back, but the way she was hanging onto him was more than just her missing him. When they stood back from the hug, Y/N was holding onto his arms, squeezing every now and then.
Her smile was somewhat genuine, but held worry. “We have a plan now.”
Dean nodded and kissed the top of her head, “let’s talk at Ellen’s. I can grill some steaks and you can help me make the side dishes. How does that sound?”
Y/N’s lips tugger higher for a second, relief coming and going just as quick. She turned to see her cousin and their friend hugging just as tight, kissing each other gently. “Yeah, I think Thasman and I need that. I think we all do.”
Once the boat was unloaded and the hello’s were over with, they all stumbled into Dean and Bobby’s cars (the latter being left there since they’d left) and drove to Ellen’s house. As they all settled back in, Dean had headed to his house to take out the steaks he’d bought yesterday. Before he went back to Ellen’s he took out his phone to let Cas know he’d be out.
Not like the guy would miss him or anything. Meg and him made quite the good pair; perhaps she could take his mind off this if he noticed.
Once at Ellen's house, Dean turned the grill on and began teaching Thasman how to cook the steaks he bought while Ellen helped Y/N and Roan prepare the side dishes. Corn on the cob, mashed potatoes, and a salad. Bobby and Thames watched on, both awkwardly staring in silence.
After playing with her hands for a few seconds, Thames worked up some courage, asking, “So. How was the trip?”
Bobby cleared his throat and nodded his head, “Fine. I mean it was smooth on our end.” he let out a small cough and rubbed the back of his neck. “Not sure what happened with those two. They said they would explain everything when we got back here. But they did paint a picture as to what it’s like down there.”
The mermaid sighed wistfully, mind reeling back to the few times she’d had the chance to go to Zenara herself. “You’d be amazed at it, Robert.”
“From what I remember,” Bobby said as he looked at her. “You described your home pretty well too. Wish I could find a way to see it.”
“Me too.”
“You know,” Bobby swallowed the lump in his throat. “You did a real good job raising him. He’s smart, tough, a bit stubborn,” he let out a chuckle. “But over all, he respects Roan and protects Y/N”
“That’s just who he is.” Thames shrugged. “He has always been caring and loving.”
“You had a part in that,” Bobby said. “He wouldn’t be who he is without your guidance.”
He watched as Thames stared ahead, eyes fixed on their son as he clumsily stirred a sauce. “Who knows,” she whispered.
“We both think a talk is overdue. The three of us.”
“Robert,” Thames shook her head. “I am ready to accept my fate. I know he hates me. I know I will be banished. And I know I will be alone for the rest of my days. I am ready to live with that.” She declared.
“It’s good to see your sense of drama hasn’t gone away,” Bobby smiled sadly. “Come on, I didn’t talk with him the whole trip to get all three of us to clear things up for you to back off.”
“Very well,” she said and straightened her back.
“Thank you… Would tonight be okay? After we’ve all eaten.”
“Once we discuss what happened in Zenara,” Thames said. “I don’t see why not.”
“It’s settled then,” he confirmed.
It wasn’t long before everyone was seated by the table. The conversation leading to what happened in Zenara.
“It turns out, Michael is not the prince of Zenara.” Thasman said as he looked at Thames. “He is their captain of the guard.”
“Was,” Y/N piped in, tone soft. “He murdered Zenara’s prince on their way to Sindarta. He’s a traitor in Zenara’s eyes and Queen Sereia wants his head on a platter.”
“Beheading is too good for him,” Dean grumbled. “Should be pulled apart limb from limb. Descaled. Let him feel the pain he caused.”
“We’ll have to wait and see what the Zenarian council deems fit for his punishment,” Y/N reached out, trying to calm him down by stroking her thumb across his knuckles.
Ellen, Roan and Thames looked at her in confusion.
“Shouldn’t your people judge him?” Ellen glanced around the table. “I mean, he hurt your kingdom greatly from what I’ve heard.”
Thasman cleared his throat, “He will be tried in Zenara, and I will deal out his punishment.”
Bobby’s eyes widened in outrage. “What the hell?! You ain’t no murderer or executioner, boy! The scumbag needs punishment, but why does it have to be you to dish it out?!”
Thasman took a deep breath, “I will do what needs to be done to make sure that justice for both kingdoms is given out. It is my duty as the captain of the royal guard and as princess Y/N's personal guard.”
The man turned to the princess in question. “And you’re just okay with it?”
“I would do it myself if I could,” Y/N said. “We have seen our fair share of battles, Bobby. And honestly, I want to see him being torn apart by a sea serpent.”
At those sentences, all three humans at the table gawked in both awe and horror.
Dean in particular, was the one who recovered the quickest to ask the million dollar question. “You’ve both been to battle?!”
“Not a lot,” Y/N said. “Sindarta and Zenara are not the only merkingdoms. There have been some mergroups who have tried to war with us.” Y/N explained. “I’ve had to defend myself from anyone who would try to kidnap me.”
“No no it’s only logical that that’s true but. I just. You’ve never mentioned that,” he squawked back, turning to Roan and Thames. “You guys too?”
Roan nodded, “I would do what I can. I am not as well trained as the Royal guard and her highness,” he looked at Thasman and smiled. “But I can hold my own. I’m sure Michael found a way to keep the people subdued using King Nereus. It would be the only reason they haven’t fought back.”
“So everyone in your kingdom is just… trained and ready to battle whenever? I thought that being so far apart or whatever distance helped maintain peace or something.”
Thames took her chance to appease the human. “Not everyone. Most of our people are not trained to fight. The soldiers, the Royal Guard and family, along with some members of the palace’s servants are. War is, unfortunately, not as uncommon as you’d think between the kingdoms across the seven seas.”
Dean and Ellen slumped back into their chairs, not quite believing nor processing what was being said.
“And here I was thinkin’ I knew plenty ‘bout you guys.” She commented.
“Here I was thinking you didn’t know how to fight,” Dean laughed incredulously before turning to look at Y/N, dead serious. “Don’t get me wrong sweetheart, I don’t mean anything bad by it… I just. I guess you are my knight in shiny armor, huh?”
“We’re getting sidetracked here.” Thames reminded everyone, looking expectantly at Thasman and Y/N. “Apart from Michael’s punishment, what else did you discuss with the queen?”
“They will be at the border of Sindarta in three days time by now. We plan to meet at the border and find our way to overrun Michael from there.” The princess explained.
“Find your way?! Child, you need a solid strategy! Michael has forced most of our guards into service and the ones lucky enough to escape have taken to hiding. Every day, more and more of his followers would arrive at our gates; from rogues to soldiers. He has an army at his command! We can’t expect the Zenarian people to arrive and have Michael surrender at the mere sight of them.”
“The Queen said she would meet with us before the initial attack. She would help with the plan and to find anyone who is willing to help.” Y/N said. “If there are guards who have truly turned their backs on us, I will deal with them.”
“Good.” her aunt nodded in approval.
“For now, how were you three without us?” Y/N said as she looked between Dean, Thames, and Roan.
The latter only shrugged casually, popping in another bite of his steak. “Not much happened. Thames and Dean have been getting along better. We went swimming a few times. Had a beer with him and his friends.”
“Really?” Y/N smiled. “That makes me happy to hear.”
“Your sesmuna is stubborn.” She conceded reluctantly. “The food he made us helped his case.”
Y/N leaned in towards Dean’s ear, “I love you. Thank you for being patient with her.”
“I love you too,” He mumbled right back.
After that, the conversation continued to flow, from time to time the subject would change to either the visit to Zenara, more about the mermaid world or how the past five days had been on Roan, Thames and Dean. Eventually, the rest of the food had been eaten, and each member was now standing and helping clean up the kitchen.
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The Christmas Compromise
Birthday Celebration Fic #8: See this post for more details! requests closed
Prompt(s):
Fluff 7. “You’re an idiot.” “But you love me.”
Pairing: Tom Sato x f!MC (Harper Vance) | It Lives Beneath
I am also participating in @choicesficwriterscreations Winter Season event and utilized their prompt #2:
2. Characters A and B go out to buy decorations for Christmas tree. A wants a tree with traditional Christmas decorations. B wants to put miniatures of characters they like. Fight starts.
Warnings: T rating - angst but they’re idiots, your honor, so there’s a happy ending
A/N: Have I ever mentioned how much I absolutely ADORE Mr. Tomoichi Sato? And it’s basically all thanks to my lovely @elfilibusterismo who just so happened to graciously requested this prompt. Jam, you are the light of my life and this prompt was so them. I truly hope you enjoy it!
~~~~~
Harper and Tom’s first real fight was a doozy. We’re talking pillows thrown across the room, gaming controllers crashing to the ground and yelling that could be heard all the way back in Westchester. There were tears shed and harsh words shared. And it was all because of one tiny yet explosive disagreement.
The pair could not decide on what Christmas ornaments to hang on their first Christmas tree.
~~~~~
“Tomoichi Sato, we are not putting little Star Wars figures on our very first, very real Christmas tree,” Harper exhaled as they made their way down the bustling holiday aisle.
“And why not?” he asked, sidestepping around a young family with a cart full of holiday cheer.
Harper sighed, running her hand down her face. “I don’t even like Star Wars.”
This wasn’t brand new information to Tom, but she could tell it still struck a nerve with him. “Fine,” he conceded before responding with another suggestion. “How about Harry Potter? You love Harry Potter!”
He was right, she did love Harry Potter. But not enough to make their entire tree centered around it. Suddenly Harper stopped halfway down the aisle in front of a large display of multicolored ball ornaments.
“Here!” she said with a gleeful smile. “These are the ornaments I want. Something traditional and colorful and fun.”
Tom glanced wearily at the array of ornaments. “You call these fun?” They’re just boring balls.”
Harper’s brows furrowed as she glared at her boyfriend. “Yes they’re fun. And classic.”
Before Tom could form a rebuttal, there was a loud crash behind the couple followed by the sound of kids crying. The two turned to look, spotting the remnants of a plastic Santa - which had previously been at the very top of the shelf - now laid shattered on the aisle floor. A very distraught looking father with wide eyes stared down at the mess as his two young sons wailed and sobbed, clearly traumatized.
“Uh, I think we should go,” Harper said, tugging on the sleeve of Tom’s hoodie.
He nodded his head, still staring in disbelief at the sight in front of him before turning to follow his girlfriend out the out. “Yeah, okay, but don’t think we’re not done with this conversation.”
~~~~~
As they settled on the couch of Harper’s off-campus apartment several hours later, their earlier conversation started to pick up again.
“So,” Tom began as he plopped his feet in Harper’s lap, “was that a ‘no’ to the Harry Potter ornaments or…?”
Harper rolled her eyes before tickling the soles of his feet. Tom quickly snatched his feet from her lap, nearly tumbling off the couch in the process. “Hey! What was that for?”
“I already told you, Tom. I want something more traditional.”
Tom frowned. “But where’s the fun in that?”
“There’s plenty of fun!” she remarked, crossing her arms over her chest. “Plus it would just look nicer. I’ve never had a real tree and I just think that classic ornaments would complement it better.”
Tom stood from the couch, making his way into the tiny kitchen just off the living room. He stopped in front of the fridge where he pulled out a bottle of soda. “But that’s just not us, Harper.”
Harper let out a frustrated groan. “It’s my apartment and I decide how to decorate.”
Tom paused mid swig of the carbonated drink before pulling it from his lips and setting it down on the counter. A very obvious frown tugged at his lips which only made Harper frown in return.
“Then why did you even bother inviting me and asking for my opinion if you weren’t even going to take it into consideration?” he replied.
“I- I don’t know. I didn’t think it would matter,” she answered, one hand coming up to rub at the back of her neck.
Tom walked out of the kitchen and headed down the hallway towards the bedroom. Before he made it through the door he quietly mumbled to himself. “What a waste of time.”
But it wasn’t quiet enough and his words hit Harper’s ears instantly. “Excuse me?” she exclaimed before bouncing up from the couch to follow him into her bed. The gaming controlled that had previously been on the armrest clattered to the floor.
“Look, Harper, I don’t want to argue with you right now,” Tom said as he shouldered the door into her room.
“Well it’s too late for that,” she countered, hot on his heels.
~~~~~
And that’s how they got here, the apartment slightly a mess with Harper crying alone on the bed. Tom had left two, maybe three hours ago. Saying he “needed some air” before grabbing his hoodie and heading out into the cold night.
Stupid.
That’s how Harper was feeling. Completely and utterly foolish. So incredibly dumb that an argument so small ended with him storming out and left her crying into her pillow. And the regret she was feeling was immeasurable. All because they couldn’t agree on the stupid ornaments.
“I should call him,” she thought to herself.
The two had never been in a real fight and she felt absolutely awful about the whole thing. She knew that they couldn’t leave things like this.
Without moving from where she laid on the bed, Harper reached out to the side table and grabbed her phone. With shaking hands she wiped her face and nose before unlocking the phone to navigate to his number. With her thumb hovering over the call button, she closed her eyes and let out a long and tired sigh.
Click click.
Harper quickly opened her eyes, her phone falling down to the mattress.
“Harper?”
She didn’t answer with words. Instead she jumped up from the bed - nearly tripping over the blanket that had wrapped around her ankles - and damn near sprinted into the living room.
“Harper, I am so sor-” Tom’s apology was quickly silenced as Harper jumped into his arms - effectively toppling them to the floor - and pressing her lips to his.
“No… I’m… Sorry,” she said between kisses.
Several heated minutes later, Harper finally crawled off her boyfriend and pulled him up until they were standing on solid ground. She kept their hands laced together. Tom rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, his cheeks tinged a light pink. “I really am sorry,” he said.
Harper couldn’t help but smile. She leaned in and placed a chaste kiss to his cheek. “I am, too. It wasn’t fair for me to not listen to you.”
Tom nodded his head before an almost smug-like grin plastered his face. “So does that mean plan ‘Harry Potter ornaments’ is a- ow!” Tom gingerly rubbed at his shoulder where his girlfriend ever so lovingly had punched him.
“You’re an idiot,” Harper said with a roll of her eyes.
Tom pouted before curling his lips. “But you love me.” It wasn’t a question.
Harper couldn’t hide the grin threatening on her face. “Yeah, I guess I do.”
“Good,” Tom replied before reaching out and wrapping Harper in a bear hug. “Because I was kidding.” He released her before digging into his pocket to pull out his phone. “And while I was out, I did some research.”
Harper was quick to raise her brows. “Oh?”
“Yeah,” Tom said with a nod, not looking away from his phone to see Harper’s surprised face. “What do you think about these?”
Tom turned his phone so the screen would face her. Harper grabbed the device from his hand and looked at the image. On the little screen were several ball ornaments - all with characters on them. Very familiar characters.
Harper glanced up from Tom’s phone to see the slight worry in his eyes. “Are these hand painted Harry Potter ball ornaments?” she asked, a slight awe in her tone.
Tom ducked his head, his cheeks glowing red yet again. “Yeah, I thought that maybe we could do a little compromise and get the best from both worlds?” He lifted his gaze to look into her eyes. “What do you think?”
The answer came quickly as Harper flung herself into him again, wrapping her arms around his neck. Tom was lucky this time and quickly wrapped his arms around her waist, staying steady on both feet.
“It’s perfect,” she replied before grabbing his face and leaving a sweet, lingering kiss to his lips. “Absolutely perfect.”
~~~~~
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November’s Featured Game: Grimm's Hollow
DEVELOPER(S): ghosthunter
ENGINE: RPG Maker 2003
GENRE: Indie RPG, Adventure
WARNINGS: Discussions of death, losing a loved one, grief
SUMMARY: Grimm’s Hollow is a spooky, freeware RPG where you search the afterlife for your brother. Reap ghosts with your scythe, explore haunted caves, and eat ghostly treats on your journey through death.
Download the game here!
Our Interview With The Dev Team Below The Cut!
Introduce yourself!
*BB: My name's Bruno and I did some of the music along with Nat! I’m super happy to have participated in this game!
*NW: I’m Nat Wesley, a.k.a. Natbird! I’m a composer available for hire with a few projects in the works. I’m honored to have had the chance to work on the soundtrack to Grimm’s Hollow!
*GH: Hello! I go by ghosthunter online; I started developing RPGs with a friend in school when we found out that we both enjoyed RPG Horror. I enjoy art, webcomics, cartoons and narrative-driven indie games a lot. I bought RM2K3 on sale and started pouring pixel art into it, before learning how to do things like chase scenes, cutscenes, etc. I used to fantasize about making my own game, drawing dungeons and ghosts in the back of my sketchbooks, before I finally started Grimm’s Hollow.
Now I’m near the end of high-school, and I’m hoping the best for uni!
What is your project about? What inspired you to create this game initially?
*GH: Grimm’s Hollow, originally, wasn’t as ambitious or personal. It was simply just going to be “my first game”, something that I could finally put my doodles and RM2K3 skills to. I wanted a game that a younger me would have enjoyed, back when I first discovered the classic RPGMaker games and replayed them constantly for those endings. That was my initial inspiration.
It eventually evolved into an action turn-based RPG that relies on timing, yet it’s mostly narrative-driven. You traverse death in search of your sibling, and try to make an escape. There are unexpected pieces of me that ended up in this game, some of which I’m still noticing even now.
How long have you been working on your project?
*GH: Since the summer of June 2018.
Did any other games or media influence aspects of your project?
*GH: Standstill Girl, OFF by Mortis Ghost, Undertale, Over The Garden Wall, and the animation medium in general.
Have you come across any challenges during development? How have you overcome or worked around them?
*GH: Many! Making your first game is such a giant learning curve, that the list of challenges goes on. I would say that the most difficult issue I encountered (and that, in some ways, I am still facing after release) is working around the limitations of the game engine I am using. I wanted to see whether creating an engaging but simple 1-party RPG in RM2K3 (without going completely custom) was feasible, and I experimented with quick time events as part of that. I worked around the engine’s built-in formulae so players could see progress when they upgraded their stats - although the game might display as defence as “10”, in reality the game stores it as 40 since the engine splits defence by 4. Since I did not want to create an RPG which was too complex for my first game, I also scrapped traditional staples such as armour or weapons. There were also issues such as having an appropriate “game over” handling event which wouldn’t shoot you back to the title screen after you lost a battle; getting RM2K3 to play a small cutscene where you faint and respawn somewhere else was tricky. I felt that if the player had to reload after a loss, it would disrupt the game flow.
Have any aspects of your project changed over time? How does your current project differ from your initial concept?
*GH: Like I mentioned before, the game started off impersonal.
I just had a soft spot for a spooky cute aesthetic, and I wanted to indulge in that. It was (and in its essence, still is) meant to be a short story, to keep the player invested for the short game length - nothing grandiose.
The original draft did not have Baker play a role in the narrative - he was just an ordinary shopkeeper NPC.
For a long time during development, Lavender did not even have a name. In the very first draft, she was a silent protagonist the player could name and customize. But she played a very active role in the final outline, so it was hard not to give her own unique voice when one emerged from the narrative naturally. I am glad I did; she grew on me quite quickly!
Grimm was virtually unchanged from beginning to end. The only difference was that a close friend suggested that he seemed like he would be into drinking Oolong tea - so that’s what he offers you when you meet him.
Timmy also did not go under massive overhauls like Lavender and Baker did, but his relationship with Lavender became much more fleshed out as I wrote the narrative.
In other facets of the game’s design, there were not many changes to the original prototype.
What was your team like at the beginning? How did people join the team? If you don’t have a team, do you wish you had one or do you prefer working alone?
*GH: It was just myself, doing the art, writing, programming, etc. But halfway through creating the second cave, I realised I would need a very specific sound for Grimm’s Hollow. So, I contacted Nat for music, but I also created a post on tumblr calling for a composer since there were many tracks to make. I met Bruno as a result! I am very happy with their work and I am so grateful I’ve got to work with them! (Some players are asking for an OST release, which is in the works).
What is the best part of developing a game?
*GH: I really enjoyed the early stages of development: creating new tilesets, sprites and maps and piecing them together in the editor, then taking a small screenshot and sharing it with my friend over summer vacation … It was nice to see the game’s world slowly come together. I think that’s what I enjoyed the most from beginning to end: that sense of world-building, that sense of relaxation from making a small cosy game. The latter started to disappear as work and other responsibilities started to intrude, and pressure began to seep into development time - but I never stopped loving making the world and characters.
I also want to say that, by lucky chance, I have met a lot of kind people from making my first game. I’m very grateful for that, so thank you to everyone.
Do you find yourself playing other RPG Maker games to see what you can do with the engine, or do you prefer to do your own thing?
*GH: All the time! Other RPG Maker 2003 projects are great inspirations for pixel art tilesets, as well as how to code harder features such as custom menus. They’re also just fun to play.
Which character in your game do you relate to the most and why? (Alternatively: Who is your favorite character and why?)
*GH: Lavender and Timmy are relatable to me in multiple ways. I can’t elaborate on Timmy since that would go into spoiler territory, but I somewhat relate to Lavender’s insistence on managing her life on her own - sometimes to her own detriment.
I’d say the most fun character to write for was Grimm. He can be unintentionally silly while speaking in the most formal way, but also very caring too. Everything he does and says was easy to write, whereas I had to think harder for the interactions between everyone else - especially for very crucial scenes regarding their development. That being said, my favourite is still the game’s central two siblings. I can not pick between them for the life of me.
Looking back now, is there anything that regret/wish you had done differently?
*GH: I wish I started testing even earlier! Not only does it give you a good sense of what’s missing, but seeing people enjoy what you’ve made yet get hindered by bugs is a very strong incentive to fix your game immediately. When I was lacking motivation or was stuck, I found that good feedback and support made me motivated again.
I also wish that I could have pushed the deadline a little further, or perhaps released the game on Early Access since it will take me a while to refine post-release bugs - but as it is, the 31st of October really was the deadline for my game due to external circumstances (no, that deadline wasn’t just because it was Halloween!).
Other than that, I wonder if using an updated version of RPG Maker would have produced the same game …? It’s hard to tell, but I hope people enjoy it for what it is - I will be working on that post-release patch soon!
Do you plan to explore the game’s universe and characters further in subsequent projects, or leave it as-is?
*GH: There are no current plans, but I would be happy to have the opportunity to improve and expand on the game. As it is, the game’s released for free and done as a hobby, so I would struggle to do that by myself.
What do you most look forward to now that you have finished the game?
*GH: Earlier on, I was really looking forward to players’ reactions. Games are made to be fun, and I would have felt distraught if my game didn’t achieve what it was set out to do. Yet it was not just about the gameplay; it was about the narrative. I hoped that what I found funny, the player would too; what was heartfelt to me, was heartfelt to the player as well. Like sharing a laugh, or just a good experience together. I hoped they would enjoy the feeling that went into it, despite the struggle of making it against circumstance and limitations.
Now, I look forward to resting and sleeping once this over. I want to explore my other interests, improve, and explore new media. I want to relax, and refocus again like I was before the heat of development.
Is there something you’re afraid of concerning the development or the release of your game?
*GH: Bugs! Some are easy to fix, but others are harder due to the limitations of the engine (e.g an error in one ending is caused by an overflow error).
Do you have any advice for upcoming devs?
*GH: Show your game as early as possible, to as many people as possible. As soon as you have something playable, it’s ready for feedback. You’ll see if that game mechanic you spent hours refining works, or if it doesn’t work and why. You’ll understand what players enjoy and what they want more of, but also what they don’t like or don’t enjoy.
And you will definitely encounter bugs. You’ll be able to pinpoint and fix minor problems early on that can easily become a larger issue later. You’ll be able to fine-tune your game so its best bits shine, and the difficulty is just right.
Question from last month's featured dev @dead-dreams-dev: Is there anything you’ve added to your game for no other reason than because you’re hoping fans will get a kick out of it? Fanservice, fourth wall breakage, references to other games, jokes, abilities that are just ridiculously overpowered and badass, etc?
*GH: It’s hard to say; game design is trying to find the intersection between what’s good for the player, what the developer enjoys, and what’s feasible to implement. Every decision made should be conscious of that … I think a lot of the game’s early light-hearted jokes was not only made because I enjoyed it, but I hoped the player would “get a kick out of it” too. But more so, I think it’s because I would struggle to write a story which is serious and bleak from beginning to end. The game is a little self-indulgent in the narrative that way.
We mods would like to thank ghosthunter & team for agreeing to our interview! We believe that featuring the developer and their creative process is just as important as featuring the final product. Hopefully this Q&A segment has been an entertaining and insightful experience for everyone involved!
Remember to check out Grimm's Hollow if you haven’t already! See you next month!
- Mods Gold & Platinum
#rpgmaker#rpg maker games#indie games#pixel games#rpg#adventure#cute#grimms hollow#grimm's hollow#gotm#game of the month#gotm 2019#2019#game of the month 2019#november#november 2019
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Charades and a Drink Chapter 3 (A Post-Frozen 2 Ficlet)
Update update! I love writing fluff/angst, shit is addicting as hell. Planning on working on this simultaneously with my other fic, whichever I feel like writing at the time. Here’s the link to chapter 2, and here’s the link for ffn. Enjoy!
The great hall was packed with guests from different kingdoms from all parts around the world. Which was to be expected for the infamous summer solstice ball held in Arendelle. Conversations flew in all directions, and the festive jubilation was practically infectious.
Waiting for the start of the commencement ceremony behind the curtains, Anna was bouncing nervously on the back of her heels.
Elsa hadn't arrived yet, and it was much past the time that they had agreed to meet. Which was strange, because Elsa was almost always punctual. She was starting to worry that the older girl had decided to ditch her last minute.
Elsa would never do that.
How do you know?
She would never leave me.
But she did before, didn't she?
Yeah...but…
Sadly, she didn't have an argument for that.
Just as her doubts were beginning to get the better of her however, the sound of approaching footsteps resounded behind her.
"Sorry I'm late Anna, I was having trouble tying up my-"
Elsa walked in, and the sight of each other made them both stop in hushed silence.
Anna felt her throat dry and heat immediately rush up into her cheeks.
She couldn't put into words just how gorgeous Elsa looked in that moment. By now she thought she would've been used to the girl's ethereal level of beauty, but once again she was proven wrong. The blonde's dress was similar to her usual ice gown, but also with noticeable differences. It was a brighter shade of blue for one, bordering along the line of celeste. The hem fell short right below her knees, revealing the full display of her sister's slender calves. The top was no less revealing. The pleasing sight of Elsa's smooth shoulders added to the strange warmth she was starting to feel all throughout her body.
And her hair…
It was in the usual braid that Anna favored, but somehow it looked more...wild. It was less tightly woven, loose, emphasizing the slick of her bangs. A few bright snowflakes were also adorned along the braid, which complimented the blue color of her eyes flawlessly.
Needless to say, Anna liked it.
A lot.
Neither one said anything for a moment, but it was Anna who broke the silence first.
"Wow Elsa...You look…"
Amazing.
Stunning.
Drop dead gorgeous.
"You look beautiful..." She finally managed.
Elsa smiled shyly in response. "Thank you, so do you."
Anna let out an awkward laugh. "Nowhere near as beautiful as you probably."
At that Elsa frowned, and in a few steps took Anna's hand in her own, causing the redhead to look up curiously.
"Don't say that. You look beautiful, okay? Don't ever tell yourself otherwise." Elsa's tone was somehow both powerful and gentle, and it made Anna's heart skip a beat entirely.
"Okay..." Was all she could manage as she found herself lost in the blonde's affectionate gaze.
In that moment, Anna wished time would stop just to let her continue to stare and savor every detail of Elsa's reassuring smile. Maybe time did stop, because it felt like many minutes had passed as they stood there hand in hand, staring lovingly into each other's eyes, until they were finally interrupted.
"Your Majesty." The curtains of the hall were pulled back, and Kai appeared behind them.
Anna and Elsa jumped away quickly from each other as if they were caught doing something indecent.
Kai blinked in confusion. "My apologies, did I interrupt something?"
Anna composed herself with a clear of her throat. "N-not at all Kai."
The servant nodded respectfully. "The preparations are ready for the commencement. We'll be starting the introductions shortly."
Anna nodded and looked to Elsa in anticipation. "You ready?"
Elsa smiled softly. "Of course."
--------------------------
"Introducing Her Majesty, Queen Anna of Arendelle!"
Elsa watched Anna lift the curtains and make her way to the center of the dais as she was announced. All the guests clapped and a number of cheers rang out from the crowd, heralding the arrival of the kingdom's beautiful monarch.
And God was she beautiful. Fittingly, Anna looked like the essence of summer in light green and white, and her skirts moved around her lightly, almost as though they were made of air. She had pulled her auburn hair away from her face, tying it back into a loose style that framed her face, bringing out the teal of her eyes, and her collar bone was exposed, suggesting the enticing pattern of freckles that made it way down to her―
Elsa swallowed hard, and averted her eyes. It was no good, staring at her like this. She had to think of something else. Ever since she first saw Anna minutes ago, her body was reacting in ways that she couldn't control.
Why am I like this?
"Introducing Her Majesty, Queen Elsa of Arendelle!"
Elsa perked up in surprise, not entirely prepared for her introduction.
She really was distracted.
The guests clapped at her entrance. Elsa could see quite a few of them looking at her before whispering amongst themselves. Her confidence wavered. Was the dress too much? If she had to be honest, it was a bit more revealing than what she was comfortable with.
Her eyes shifted to the woman next to her.
Anna was smiling, glancing again at her outfit appreciatively. Almost immediately, Elsa's worries melted away, reminded that the one person that she wore the dress for did in fact like it. That was all that mattered.
The song of trumpets ended and the people clapped again in respect to their hosts.
The rest of the musicians began to tune their instruments, and Anna stepped forward. The ball was about to begin, and it seemed the clamour of the hall was quieting down ever so slightly.
"Thank you everyone for coming today to celebrate the wonderful occasion of the summer solstice in Arendelle. My sister and I are honored to once again commemorate the start of our kingdom's long held tradition with our friends and allies of the northern region. We hope that all the preparations are to your liking." Anna paused briefly before continuing. "As you all may know, it is customary for the summer solstice ball to begin with a commemorative first dance, and I would like to take this time to select a participant."
Elsa stood pensively. It seemed like her every sense was focused on Anna, on the way her skirt fluttered about her, on the way her hands clutched at them with a slightly greater force than necessary, and the way she was watching her every step. The girl had come such a long way she realized. Her speaking had become a lot more composed, and though she was still rough on the edges, it was clear that she had worked hard to improve her level of royal semblance. Elsa couldn't feel anymore proud.
Anna came down from the dais and the guests all stood in attention, eager to see who she would select for her first partner.
As she came to stand in the middle of the cleared out hall, her eyes swept over the assembly, and many raised their glasses in a toast. She appeared thoughtful, but if Elsa had to guess it was mostly a formality. It was already quite clear to her on who it was that would be selected.
Near the front of the left side of the room, Kristoff stood in attention. He looked well groomed for the occasion, and seemed to be doing his best to hide his uncomfortableness for his attire. He shot Anna a smile.
But surprisingly, Anna's eyes didn't stop at him, and she turned back towards the dais until her eyes came to rest upon Elsa.
"Elsa," her clear voice said.
Even though the entire room seemed to turn to her, for a moment it seemed that time itself slowed to a crawl, that the world dimmed until there was only Anna in it, and Elsa felt like she stood at the edge of the light, eager to join her.
"Will you celebrate the summer solstice with me?" She asked.
It was then that Elsa realized she'd been holding her breath. The words didn't sink in immediately, but when they did, her mind began to race. She was reminded of their conversation yesterday, about her not wanting to dance in public because she was shy, and Anna proposing that one day she would. Nervously, she nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. Countless eyes were upon her, watching her every move.
Anna had chosen her.
On the surface it may have appeared nothing out of the usual. Many knew how close the two sisters were and just how deep their bond went, but to Elsa, with all the events that had happened in the past two weeks between them, the implication was something far more striking.
Anna had chosen her over Kristoff.
The walk down from the dais seemed to last an eternity, but it probably only lasted a few seconds. By the time she joined Anna on the open floor, she noticed that her sister appeared just as nervous, the tension almost invisible, perceptible only in the line of her shoulders, the angle of her chin.
Just start with the basics.
Elsa curtsied, and as the silks of her skirt whispered around her, she heard a barely audible 'thank you' come from Anna.
Had Anna really thought she would refuse?
Her chest felt like it was glowing. Elsa stretched out her hand, and Anna took it, and she gave it the barest of squeezes, a shared gesture of comfort between them.
The small orchestra was done tuning, and the conductor's baton clicked at the pages of his music sheets. One, two, three.
"You lead," Anna said encouragingly.
"Okay," Elsa replied, all the same, under her breath.
The gentle notes of flutes began, and behind them the violins and violas began a slow crescendo, but Elsa was already too busy to think on them. Her arm reached around Anna's waist, the world small and shrunken around them, and she cradled her sister's hand gently.
Anna looked up at her calmly, her teal eyes catching the candlelight, and Elsa felt her throat close up. The moment would come in a second, she knew, where the musical introduction would give way to sweeping strings and upbeat winds, and then she would have to move. She knew that much at least.
As the music wrapped itself around her, Elsa made the first step, and Anna followed instantly, reacting with an instinct born of years and years of training with her instructor. Elsa was well-versed in the matter, but Anna was polished. It was almost effortless, the way she danced, stepping backwards lightly and sprightly, as though she could read Elsa's mind even before her own body.
When Elsa extended her arm, Anna twirled, all control and elegance, and their skirts brushed together before Anna returned safely to the crook of Elsa's arm to continue. They moved together as though they had always danced together, as though this were their hundredth dance and not their first.
They turned and turned, one, two, three, and Elsa's senses were overwhelmed, the sight and smell and feel of Anna in her arms mingling with the music and the warm atmosphere. It was nearly too much for her to bear.
Anna's cheeks were flushed pink, her eyes were bright, her auburn hair shone in the evening candlelight and she was growing warmer, closer.
Was it her heart racing, or Anna's? With their hands and breasts together, she could hardly tell anymore. Did it matter?
Their faces were becoming closer and closer without them realizing. Noses almost touching. Eyes peering into each other's wistfully.
And then the music lifted.
Anna's eyes widened and she pulled away. Elsa did the same, slowing to a stop and quickly remembering that every single person in the room had their attention on them. The music ended on a sweeping, happy note, and the hall roared in applause and cheers. Her heart was pounding, her breath was short, and she felt energized, hot, as though she'd run a hundred miles.
What is wrong with me?
"May I have the next dance, Your Majesty?"
Anna turned to one of the visiting dignitaries and though she hid it well, Elsa noted she seemed startled. "Oh," she said, "of course." She then turned to her and gave her a smile. "I'll see you later?"
Elsa nodded, mind still racing. After that, Anna was taken away to the center of the floor to dance again, and Elsa was once again alone.
"Elsa," Kristoff's voice said, next to her, and she turned to the man, trying not to feel so distracted.
"Kristoff," She smiled, wanly. "I suppose that went well." She was trying not to sound affected, but wasn't sure it worked. Around them, the music was beginning again and many guests were now on the floor taking their places.
"It did," He said as they made their way off the floor. He was smiling, but there was something in his eyes that Elsa couldn't decipher. "You guys were amazing."
"I don't know about me, but I'm sure Anna was." Elsa said, laughing in stunned relief. "I had no idea she was going to pick me."
He smiled again, earnestly this time. "I'm not too surprised. You're her sister after all. Everyone knows how close you two are."
Elsa nodded, reflecting that perhaps that really was the case. She was overthinking it. Anna had merely chosen her because they were close and because they were family. There was nothing more to it. They were just sisters.
Recovering from her contemplation, she was able to make out the said girl's face amongst the mass of dancers. Out of sheer luck their eyes met. Anna smiled brightly, and Elsa returned it with a smile of her own. Though truthfully, it was accompanied with a hint of sadness.
"Just sisters."
--------------------------
"There you are. I thought you might be out here." Anna came up from behind her.
Elsa was sitting alone in the gardens, away from all the commotion of the party. It was late. She had gotten her fair share of conversations with many of the guests already, and many more dance requests that she had politely turned down.
"Sorry, I just wanted some fresh air."
"No worries." Anna assured her. "It was starting to get a bit stuffy in there anyway."
Elsa chuckled at that. Anna seated herself next to her on the bench. The stars were out that night, bright and quiet. It was quite the spectacle, and both sisters watched on in silent appreciation.
"You were great out there today. Your opening speech was wonderful." She said to break the silence.
"Well, I learned from the best."
Elsa smiled in agreement. "Papa was quite the public speaker, that's for sure."
"I was referring to you, silly."
"Oh."
Anna laughed at Elsa's surprised expression and then proceeded to lean her head onto the blonde's shoulder. Elsa stiffened, but relaxed moments after. It became quiet again. Comfortable, yes, but in Elsa's mind, there was still a certain question that she hadn't quite found the answer to yet.
"Hey Anna."
"Hm?"
She paused, unsure if she really wanted to ask what was on her mind. Staring at their intertwined hands she decided that she should.
"Why did you pick me for the dance?"
This time it was Anna's turn to become silent. All the sounds of the night suddenly seemed to grow in prominence. The chirping of nearby crickets, the echoes of the ballroom, even the small seasonal winds could be heard, all in anticipation to a seemingly fateful answer.
Elsa waited, patiently, until Anna spoke.
"The first dance is supposed to be with the person that you love most right? That's what Mama always told me. I feel like it'd be obvious on who that would be."
The person she loved most?
"T-then why didn't you just ask me beforehand?"
"Ha!" Anna smirked, "If I asked you before, you would've just came up with all sorts of excuses."
Well...she couldn't really disagree with that.
"I guess. I was just...surprised is all." She admitted.
And then quietly, barely above a whisper. So quiet that Elsa almost didn't make it out. Anna said something that made her go still.
"Me too..."
What?
Had she heard that right?
It almost sounded as if...
"Anna-"
"Well!" The girl shot up from the bench. "I better get back to the party before Kai comes to find me. Did you want to come back with me?" Anna asked.
Elsa blinked, caught off guard from being interrupted so abruptly, but she quickly recovered and forced a thin smile. "I think I'll call it a night."
Anna nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow, then?"
Elsa hesitated for a moment, but replied with a nod. Satisfied, Anna smiled softly before turning and making her way back into the castle.
"Anna."
The redhead stopped in her tracks, turning to her with questioning eyes.
"Thank you...for asking me." She said softly. "I…"
She paused, unsure of herself. But steering her resolve, Elsa smiled sincerely.
"I had a lot of fun."
Anna blinked in surprise, and returned her smile with a brighter one.
"Me too."
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– ♡ event 002. FOR FAME AND GLORY ( pt. 1 )
The Annual Highwinds Tournament is now open!
Test your mettle against the strongest, the cleverest and the swiftest Fae
Prove your worth to the High Courts of Astralis, and become a legend
➤ THE BASICS
The Autumn Court, in an effort to affirm their status as a powerful Court after an early blow against their people, have decided to continue with one of their oldest and most cherished traditions. The Highwinds Tournament is a yearly event hosted on their lands, where in true Autumn spirit, Fae and humans alike congregate to decide who among them is the most illustrious through a series of competitions and events. Overseen by the High Lord of Autumn, the highly-anticipated games of skill, strength, and wit are seen as the height of sportsmanship within Astralis.
Many have attributed these friendly matches to the lasting peace between the Courts, and Autumn takes great pride in its role as a mediator. However, this year’s tournament is rife with tension, and there are more than a few rumours going about that this competition will devolve into something worse. However, the lure of lucrative awards and fresh gossip have nobility and commoners alike flocking to the eastern Court, for the Highwinds Tournament is a most welcome distraction from more troubling developments elsewhere.
➤ ACTIVITIES AND AMENITIES OFFERED
Some of the amenities offered at this week-long event will include. . .
- An all-participants-welcome dueling tournament, where ambitious warriors and mages seek to put their skills to the test against Astralis’ finest. The tournament will go on the full duration of the festival, offering many opportunities for the lowborn to catch the eye of a prospective sponsor, and for nobles to establish their reputations among their kin. The prize for the winner is a substantial one- thousands of gold coins and an enchanted artifact of repute, to be presented at the conclusion of the finals.
- Competitions of all manner will be available at this event, including contests of archery, horseback-riding, hunting, magecraft, and aerial races through the steep valleys around the Highwinds Glen. Autumn officials, with representative oversight from the ally courts of Spring and Winter, will see to the fairness of these events.
- The main event of the Highwinds Tournament is known as the Trials of Oberon, allegedly named after the first High Laird of Autumn who was known as an individual of exceptional talent. This is a contest that is not for the faint of heart, for it will have participants test their might against ferocious beasts, head-scratching puzzles, and the final task: an enchanted maze where life-threatening danger lurks around every corner. Each Court has volunteered a challenge for this maze courtesy of their kingdom to test the character, wit, and strength of the champions. To win the Trials is to be considered one of the highest honors to be found in Astralis.
- Guest lodgings have all been booked out for the week, in homely inns and in sprawling estates all over Autumn. Expect loud, crowded, but hospitable lodgings and close encounters with strangers from across the Courts. Those with more amourous inclinations, however, will not find a lack of private alcoves and cabins for their leisurely use.
- The Highwinds Glen, an already vibrant and excitable city, has pulled out all the stops for this renowned tournament. City-wide feasting and full taverns are expected, and the streets will find themselves home to some of the finest buskers available. Guest may also expect to find more than a few ‘unofficial’ gambling operations throughout these taverns, particularly in the form of unsanctioned fights between commoners looking to make quick coin.
➤ CELEBRATING OUR CHAMPIONS
This is Astralis HQ’s first ever “two leg” event. At the end of the festivities, there will be a grand ball to celebrate the victors from each Court and the sportsmanship of Astralis uniting for the Highwinds Tournament. Participants from the Trials of Oberon will be given special favor from the High Rulers for surpassing and engaging in their intricate challenges. This portion of the weeklong celebration will be announced by the admins as we gear up for part two of the event. Part one is strictly for the festivities leading up to the grand ball.
➤ THE HUMAN RESISTANCE’S ROLE
The human resistance has made quite a name for themselves over the past few months, and any information leading to their capture, especially in the Autumn Court, offers a lucrative award to the informant. However, the resistance has no intention of remaining idle during such a prominent tournament. A few agents have entered as participants in the gladitorial battles, determined to prove their mettle in a public setting. However, this is mostly a ruse, for the real threat lurks among the nameless, faceless servants supporting the event.
- ̗̀ FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
➤ CAN I CONTINUE MY NON-EVENT THREADS DURING THE EVENT?
This event is mandatory to participate in--either as a participant, a spectator, or as a representative of their Court. While the event is going on, we do ask that you only start fresh, event-related threads and make them a priority. Inclusivity is also a huge factor in propelling an event forward, so be sure you’re plotting with a wide range of muns for this event!
➤ HOW LONG WILL THE EVENT LAST FOR?
As of right now, the event is set to start on Wednesday, February 3rd, at 9 AM EST and last for approximately three weeks. The first part of the event will end on Wednesday, February 24th at 11:59 PM EST. After this, the group will go on a 4 day activity break to prepare for the second leg of this epic event, during which time the group’s next plot drop will be put into effect. The second half of the event will last from March 1st to March 15th. More information regarding start times for the second leg of this event will be posted in the coming weeks.
➤ WHAT SHOULD I BE TAGGING POSTS WITH?
As of right now, you should not be posting anything (outfits or otherwise) until the start of the event. When you begin posting outfits, starters, threads, etc., we ask that you use ahqevent2 and NOT ahqevent. Feel free to tag the @ahqstart sideblog for all open starters you post for the event, bearing in mind that the same starter rules will apply once there’s more than 4-5 open event-related starters in the tag.
➤ WHAT WILL THE TRIALS OF OBERON BE FROM SPECIFIC COURTS?
As referenced above, the Trials of Oberon will have a final, maze-style task that has been curated by the different High Rulers of various Courts throughout Astralis. For the Courts that currently have taken High Rulers, said High Rulers may choose to post their portion of the challenging task as a musing on their character blog if they so wish! If you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding this, leaders, please feel free to reach out to your admin team! It is not a requirement component for our High Rulers, but is definitely encouraged to help you engage with the tasks!
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Thanks for 1500 Followers! (Charity Event!)
In honor of reaching 1500 followers, I’m going to start doing a reoccurring charity event every 500 followers! Basically, every 500 followers I gain, I will hold a similar event to this one and it will run for about a week to a month (length of time will be dependent on how busy I am).
THE DEADLINE FOR THIS EVENT IS THE END OF THE MONTH -- MARCH 31ST!
ANY EMAILS RECEIVED AFTER THIS DATE WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR PRIZES!
How this is going to work:
You will send me a screenshot of your donation receipt (from any of the organization I have listed below) to my blog email [[email protected]] along with a prompt request, I will write you prompts at different tier levels!
All important information below the cut:
Prompt Request Rules:
Your donation image MUST show 1) how much you donated, 2) that the donation was actually sent (you may want to screenshot every page in the process just in case a charity doesn’t tell you how much you donated afterwards). [You can provide multiple images if you can’t get both those requirements in one. It can be a screenshot of your donation receipt email too.]
You CAN donate multiple times or to several of the organizations on my list (or to the same one a few times with different requests for each). Prompt requests will be PER DONATION, so you can send in multiple screenshots of your different donations and a prompt request for each one.
For 25 or more prompt tiers, if you send in a very specific request, your reward prompts may start to not 100% fit your request, but use just a few of the aspects. Be prepared for this IF YOU SEND IN A VERY SPECIFIC REQUEST AT THESE TIERS.
So I would PREFER if you send in characters + their dynamics for me to build prompts around instead of a more traditional prompt request for those reward tiers. (If you do this: please include a brief description of the important parts of each character [job, species, etc.] AND the dynamic you want the characters to have. You ARE allowed multiple characters with varying dynamics, you are not limited to just two. You can also send in characters/ships from media/fandoms, just tell me the media/fandom so I can better research the characters.)
I will ONLY accept NSFW requests for priority charity donations (and please send in a SFW request too, since only half your prompts will be NSFW max).
PRIORITY CHARITIES will be marked with a *** before the name. (Information on Priority charity rewards:
- You can request half your prompts be NSFW/Smut
OR
- You can request character concepts! Just give me a category (species, job, etc. - basically whatever specifics you want these character concepts to definitely include, you can include multiple) and I’ll flesh out a set amount of detailed character concepts (this will include personality, a brief backstory, hobbies, and likes/dislikes but NOT APPEARANCE except for potentially backstory related scars or other backstory related details!). At higher donation tiers, I will even include a “supporting cast” (friends, family, rivals, enemies, coworkers, etc.) for the character concepts (supporting cast will not be as fleshed out)!
Also, the prizes for priority charity donations only will NOT be posted to the blog, they will ONLY be emailed to the email that I received the entry picture and request from (unless the requester specifies that they want the SFW prompts to be posted to the blog, but the character concepts and NSFW prompts will be only provided via email). Basic rewards prizes will be emailed AND posted to the blog.
Tier Levels (USD):
(Don’t worry about donating in USD, if you donate in another currency, as long as it is the equivalent of a minimum $5 USD, you will get prompts.)
BASIC REWARDS:
$5 - $10 = 10+ prompts
$11 - $25 = 25+ prompts
$26 - $50 = 50+ prompts
$51+ = 100+ prompts
PRIORITY CHARITY REWARDS (Must choose one)
$5 - $10 = 10+ prompts + 1 character concept OR Half NSFW/Half SFW 10+ prompts (5/5)
$11 - $25 = 25+ prompts + 3 character concepts OR Half NSFW/Half SFW 25+ prompts (13/13)
$26 - $50 = 50+ prompts + 5 character concepts OR Half NSFW/Half SFW 50+ prompts (25/25)
$51+ = 100+ prompts + 5 character concepts + 10~ supporting cast characters (1-3 per concept) OR Half NSFW/Half SFW 100+ prompts (50/50)
Organizations (International or Non-United States Focus):
[Some accept only specific currencies]
***Manitou Mounds Historical Center (preserving Ojibwe culture, heritage, and lands in Canada)
Survival International (helps indigenous people globally)
Rainforest Action Network (helps protect the environment while working with indigenous people globally)
World Wildlife Foundation (works towards protecting endangered species and the environment globally)
Sierra Club Foundation (helps protect the environment)
Heifer International (works towards ending poverty globally while being environmentally conscious)
Association for American Indian Affairs (provides support for various Native American issues)
Doctors Without Borders (provides medical care globally)
(Only accepts USD) Project C.U.R.E. (provides medical supplies to under-resourced countries)
International Rescue Committee (helps refugees globally)
Planned Parenthood (provides reproductive health care globally)
Amnesty International (protects human rights globally)
Human Rights Watch (protects human rights globally)
Liberty in North Korea (helps North Koreans escape)
Organizations (United States Specific):
The Trevor Project (provides mental health support to LGBTQ youths)
The Okra Project (provides food and support for Black Trans people in New Jersey, New York, and Philadelphia)
NAACP (civil rights organization)
Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women (helps protect Native American women)
Americans for Immigrant Justice (provides legal support to immigrants)
The Transgender Law Center (provides support for trans individuals)
American Indian College Fund (financial aid for Native American students)
Harlem Children’s Zone (provides support for Black families in New York)
The delivery time for the prizes will be decided after I see how many people participate in this event. The rough estimate is a week to a month depending on donation amount/prize size and how many I receive, but depending on different factors, that might change. The BASIC REWARDS prizes will be posted to the blog AND sent to the email I received the initial entry (donation pic(s) + prompt request) from, UNLESS THEY ARE PRIORITY CHARITY PRIZES: those will only be sent to the email I received the entry from and not posted to the blog (unless the requester specifically asks them to be posted to the blog)!
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2020 Movie Odyssey Award for Best Original Song (preliminary round)
Yup, it’s back (bullet indentations are not working, so this post will look very ugly on your dashboards)!
Tagging a few folks who have participated before in this annual tradition/folks who I would like to extend an open invitation to (please contact me if you’re interested so I can sort you in a group ASAP... you will also be tagged for the final unless you tell me you are not interested): @birdsongvelvet, @bitch-genius, @dog-of-ulthar, @idontknowmuchaboutmovies, @loveless422, @lvl9gay, @neverwasastoryofmorewhoa, @phendranaedge, @poncho-honcho, @sayaf, @shadesofhappy, @thethirdman8, @uncoolforelimb, and @wehadfacesthen.
Hello everybody. For my fellow Americans, I hope your Thanksgiving was a good one. For the non-Americans reading things, I hope you are doing well, as always! Many things have fallen to the wayside in this unforgettable year. So in hopes of providing some sense of continuity and normalcy, here - as you have agreed to - is the Preliminary Round for 2020's Movie Odyssey Award for Best Original Song (MOABOS). This is the eighth time it has been contested and the seventh consecutive year it has been open to involvement from family, friends, and tumblr followers.
For those new to this, my classic movie blog traditionally ends the year by honoring some of the best achievements from movies that I saw for the first time this calendar year (the "Movie Odyssey") with an Oscar-like ceremony. I choose all the nominees and winners from each category, save one: Best Original Song. It is the only category I can think of that does not require you to watch several movies in their entirety. I consider MOABOS as a sort of cinematic-musical thank-you for your moral support in various ways.
An unspecified number of songs have already advanced to the final round. 24 songs will contest this prelim in two groups - Group A and Group B. In a year when COVID-19 has closed theaters (and which I refused to go to an indoor theater even when they reopened), a year that I did not feel compelled to watch the newest releases on streaming services, there is not a single 2020 entry for 2020's MOABOS. That is, obviously, a MOABOS first - no other MOABOS edition has lacked a shortlisted song from a film released that same calendar year. And as of writing this sentence, I have not seen a single film released in 2020. Despite the lack of 1930s songs, this year's shortlisted songs might be the oldest on average. In other news, this year's field is a modest improvement from the record monolingual field of last year's (which contained only English and two Vietnamese-language entries). 2019's preliminary was the most chaotic we had ever seen, with shocking last-day stumbles and surges from certain songs ("I Dug a Ditch" from Thousands Cheer) that riled up a lot of participants. It's 2020 - will there be a repeat or even more drama at this stage?
INSTRUCTIONS
Please rank (#1-12) at least six of your group's songs. Please consider to the best of your ability: how musically interesting the song is (incl. and not limited to musical phrasing and orchestration); its lyrics; context within the film (contextual blurbs provided for every entry for those who haven't seen the films); choreography/dance direction (if applicable); and the song's cultural impact/life outside the film (if applicable, and, in my opinion, least important factor). Imperfections in audio and video quality may not be used against any song. I encourage you to send in comments and reactions with your rankings - it makes the process more enjoyable for you and myself! The top five songs in each group automatically advance to the final round. I reserve the right to pick 0-2 songs from one or both groups that finished outside the top five in their respective groups to contest the final round.
The deadline for submission is Saturday, December 12 at 11 PM Pacific Time. That is 9 PM Hawaii/Aleutian Time. That deadline is also Sunday, December 13 at 1 AM Central Time / 2 AM Eastern Time / 7 AM GMT / 8 AM CET / 9 AM EET. This deadline - as we have seen in the last few years - may be pushed back if there are a large number of people who have not submitted in time. However, I very much do not wish to extend the deadline because the final round is more intensive and usually involves more participants. Tabulation details are in the “read more” below.
Please participate in the group you have been sorted into, if you have not yet been sorted into a group and would like to participate, please contact me. You can access most, not all, of your group’s songs in these YouTube playlists: (Group A) / (Group B). Again, please note that not all of your group's songs are in the playlist for various reasons.
Happy listening. Feel free to listen as many times as you need, and I hope you discover music and movies that strike your interest. The following is formatted... ("Song title", composer and lyricist, film title):
GROUP A
“Blue Shadows on the Trail”, music and lyrics by Eliot Daniel and Johnny Lange, Melody Time (1948)
Performed by Roy Rogers and the Sons of the Pioneers
This is the introductory song to the final segment of Melody Time. That segment is dedicated to the legend of Pecos Bill, and this atmospheric song leads into the telling of that story.
“Born Free”, music by John Barry, lyrics by Don Black, Born Free (1966)
Performed by Matt Munro
Winner of the Academy Award for Best Original Song
This version with lyrics appears in the end credits. The main theme in the song is introduced in the opening credits and is incorporated extensively in John Barry's score across the film. Born Free, based on the non-fiction book of the same name is about two white Kenyan conservationists who raise an orphaned lion cub and eventually release her into the wild.
“But the World Goes 'Round”, music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, New York, New York (1977)
Performed by Liza Minnelli
In this musical, USO singer Francine Evans (Minnelli) has been performing in New York City nightclubs, hoping to someday become a major recording star. This song appears as she is recording that very hit that will propel her to stardom.
“Exsultate Justi”, music and lyrics by John Williams, Empire of the Sun (1987)
Performed by orchestra and chorus under the direction of Williams
Lyrics in Latin
In this historical epic, affluent British school boy Jamie Graham (a young Christian Bale) is living with his parents in Shanghai when the Japanese invade. Jamie is separated from his parents and placed in an internment camp. Soon before the end of WWII, the prisoners are moved elsewhere, but Jamie hides and stays put. This song plays as Jamie bikes around the empty camp and continues to play as he encounters liberating U.S. troops. Jamie is dirty and malnourished when found; one can argue that this song is used ironically. It plays once more over the end credits. "Exsultate Justi" is a variation on a theme John Williams develops over the course of the film and harkens back to Jamie's past, attending Anglican services with parents.
"Farewell to Storyville", music by Louis Alter, lyrics by Edgar De Lange, New Orleans (1947)
Performed by Louis Armstrong and his band, Billie Holiday, and company
In New Orleans, the Storyville district was a den of drinking, gambling, jazz, and prostitution. The district was the home to a heavily black populace. The U.S. military, about to establish a Naval base nearby, forces the city to close the district for good. This song is a jazzy dirge to a center of jazz - a musical genre looked down upon by many of the city's upper-class whites due to its ties (real and imagined) to crime.
"Hawaiian Sunset", music and lyrics by Sid Tepper and Roy C. Bennett, Blue Hawaii (1961)
Performed by Elvis Presley
In a musical packed end-to-end with songs, Chadwick "Chad" Gates (Elvis) has taken a job with a tour guide agency - and this includes performing during a luau for tourists. "Hawaiian Sunset" appears as one of the dinner show's numbers.
"Is There Still Anything That Love Can Do?", music and lyrics by Yôjirô Noda, Weathering with You (2019, Japan)
Performed by RADWIMPS
Lyrics in Japanese (translation)
Weathering with You is a romantic fantasy anime about a high school boy who runs away from his rural home to Tokyo, where he meets a girl who can manipulate the weather. It has been inexplicably raining for weeks without interruption in Tokyo, so they form a business to help clear the inclement weather for special events. The melody of this song is heard throughout the film's score. It does not appear with lyrics until late in the film. The song is played under the boy's seemingly impossible attempt to save her from an unwilling human sacrifice.
There is so much plot in this damn film (it's all Makoto Shinkai's fault) - I can't explain the context of the song or this movie in a reasonable amount of space.
“Mad Monster Party”, music by Maury Laws, lyrics by Jules Bass, Mad Monster Party? (1967)
Performed by Ethel Ennis
(opening credits version) / (soundtrack version with no sound effects)
In this Rankin/Bass stop-motion animated film, Baron Boris von Frankenstein (Boris Karloff in his final Frankenstein-related role) has discovered a formula that can destroy matter. Dispatching his bats to send the news, he summons the various members of the Worldwide Organization of Monsters to inform them of his discovery. This song is performed over the film's opening credits and the various introductions for the monsters as they receive their summons.
“My Dream Is Yours”, music by Harry Warren, lyrics by Ralph Blane, My Dream Is Yours (1949)
Initially performed by Doris Day; later reprised by Hal Derwin
Singer Martha Gibson (Day) has abruptly left New York City for Los Angeles to become a star on the radio. In a film where personal sacrifice is central, she stresses over how to bring her son out west with her, the direction of her career, and her tumultuous love life. "My Dream Is Yours" is the song that makes Martha a star, laying out the film's themes in its lyrics. I was unable to find Derwin's reprise, but no matter as the reprise is rather inconsequential.
“Ride the Wild Surf”, music and lyrics by Jan Berry, Brian Wilson, and Roger Christian, Ride the Wild Surf (1964)
Performed by Jan and Dean
Ride the Wild Surf is a surfing film that, unlike most surfing films of this time, is a drama. It follows three surfers (Fabian, Tab Hunter, Peter Brown) who have come to Oahu at the end of December to ride the large waves of Waimea Bay (made famous internationally by this song, this movie, and the Beach Boys' "Surfin' USA"). This song appears in the film's closing credits. The video provided is a montage of surfing footage that appears in the film.
“That’ll Do”, music and lyrics by Randy Newman, Babe: Pig in the City (1998)
Performed by Peter Gabriel
Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song
This song begins at the end (and through the end credits) of Babe: Pig in the City, the second and last film in this series about a sheep-herding pig who perseveres amidst other animals and humans with ulterior agendas. The title is derived from the famous quote said by Arthur Hoggett (James Cromwell) to reassure Babe: "That'll do, pig. That'll do."
“Waqt Ne Kiya Kya Hassen Sitam”, music and lyrics by S.D. Burman, Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959, India)
Performed by Geeta Dutt (dubbing Waheeda Rehman)
Lyrics in Hindi - roughly, "Time Has Inflicted Such Sweet Cruelty On Us"
Song begins at 1:03:31 and ends at 1:07:51
Make sure to turn on the video’s English captions
In this romantic tragedy told in flashback, Suresh Sinha (Guru Dutt) is a director looking back on his life. Suresh is unhappily married to a woman whose in-laws look down on him because, to them, working in films is contemptible to their social class. Suresh meets a woman, Shanti (Waheeda Rehman), on accident and she is soon cast as the lead for his next film. They fall in love, but it is never consummated for various reasons. This song is the most explicit statement of that love in this film. How much of the scene's set-up is observable by the characters is up to the viewer's interpretation.
Group A participants include: @addaellis, @introspectivemeltdown, @memetoilet, @myluckyerror, @plus-low-overthrow, @shootingstarvenator, @themusicmoviesportsguy, @theybecomestories, @umgeschrieben, @underblackwings, @yellanimal. Seven others - including myself and my sister - are currently slated to be voting in Group A.
GROUP B
“Angela”, music and lyrics by José Feliciano and Janna Merlyn Feliciano, Aaron Loves Angela (1975)
Performed by José Feliciano
(English-language version) / (Spanish single version)
Played over the opening credits to this teenage drama that is partly a blaxploitation film, partly an interracial coming-of-age romance. The movie wasn't a hit, but the Spanish-language version of this song was received well in Latin America.
“Aren’t You Kind of Glad We Did?”, music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, The Shocking Miss Pilgrim (1947)
Originally performed by Betty Grable and Dick Haymes
(soundtrack version with Judy Garland and Haymes) / (modern arrangement far more faithful to how song sounds in the film)
Cynthia Pilgrim (Grable) is the top typewriting student from a business college in this period piece where the typewriter is the newest invention to sweep the business world. This song appears as Pilgrim and her boss, John Pritchard (Haymes), are about to go out on a date for dinner after talking about how society looks down on women in public without a chaperone.
“The Blues are Brewin’”, music by Louis Alter, lyrics by Edgar De Lange, New Orleans (1947)
Performed by Louis Armstrong and his band and Billie Holiday
(in-film version) / (Billie Holiday single)
After being evicted by the U.S. military from the historic Storyville district of New Orleans (the Navy had just opened a base in the area, and would not tolerate places of gambling, jazz, and prostitution nearby), the characters played by Armstrong and Holiday tour the country with a jazz band in tow. This song appears within a montage showing the passage of time.
“Dekhi Zamaane Ki Yaari / Bichhde Sabhi Baari Baari”, music by S.D. Burman, lyrics by Kaifi Azmi, Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959, India)
Performed by Mohammad Rafi (dubbing Guru Dutt)
Lyrics in Hindi - roughly, "I Have Seen How Deeply Friendship Lies / I Have Seen People Abandon Me One by One"
Part 1 (3:44-8:27) / Part 2 (2:16:29-2:20:42)
Make sure to turn on the video’s English captions
In this romantic tragedy, Suresh Sinha (Dutt) is a washed-up director looking back on his life. In the first part, the song leads into the rest of the film - which is almost entirely a flashback. In brief, Suresh is unhappily married to a woman whose in-laws look down on him because, to them, working in films is contemptible to their social class. Suresh meets a woman, Shanti (Waheeda Rehman), on accident and she is soon cast as the lead for his next film. They fall in love, but it is never consummated for various reasons. Eventually, his career crashes after a box office bomb and her career is ascendant. Leading into the second part of the song, Suresh is penniless and working as an extra at the movie studio. Shanti recognizes him, wants to help, but he refuses to revive his career on the back of her success. Kaagaz Ke Phool has elements of autobiography, and Suresh's fate has parallels with what happened to Dutt after this film was released.
“End Theme from Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades”, music by Eiken Sakurai, lyrics by Kazuko Koike, Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades (1972, Japan)
Performed by Tomisaburo Wakayama
Lyrics in Japanese (translation)
Video provided is not safe for work (NSFW) due to stylized violence
Ogami Ittô (Wakayama) is a former, disgraced executioner for the Tokugawa shogunate who wanders the land with his young son. He is intent on exacting revenge on the clan that murdered his wife. This song is played non-diegetically after Ittô has slain dozens of a corrupt governor's bodyguards and walks onward, pushing his son in a babycart, away from the dead left in his wake. This is the third of six films in the Lone Wolf and Cub series.
"Happy Endings", music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, New York, New York (1977)
Performed by Liza Minnelli and company (that's Jack Haley - who played the Tin Man and was, at the time, Minnelli's father-in-law - roughly seven minutes in)
(use in film) / (soundtrack version)
It is highly recommended one sees how this song is used in the film. Bear with me: this song is part of a movie within a movie. Within that movie within a movie, there is another movie. "Happy Endings" is the title end song to a film called Happy Endings within New York, New York. Singer Francine Evans (Liza Minnelli) has made it big as a recording artist and caps off her hit film, Happy Endings, with this song. We see Francine's ex, played by Robert De Niro, in the audience as the film ends. "Happy Endings" is a homage/deconstruction to midcentury Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) musicals. It serves the film as "The Broadway Melody" does to Singin' in the Rain (1952) or the 17-minute ballet does to conclude An American in Paris (1951).
"Here They Come (From All Over the World)", music and lyrics by P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri, The T.A.M.I. Show (1964)
Performed by Jan and Dean
The link above provides the entire film. You only need to watch from 0:00-4:11. If you like music from this era or want to hear more, this film is highly, highly recommended.
This is the opening credits song to a concert film recorded over two days in Santa Monica, California on October 28 and 29, 1964. The Teenage Awards Music International (T.A.M.I. - yes, I know it's an awkward name) Show included many of the most popular musical stars of that time - almost all of them name-dropped in this song. Jan and Dean, a surf music duo, served as hosts (and performed during) the show. You folks are lucky that this is the only original song from this film!
“Moonlight Swim”, music by Ben Weisman, lyrics by Sylvia Dee, Blue Hawaii (1961)
Performed by Elvis Presley
In a musical packed end-to-end with songs, Chadwick "Chad" Gates (Elvis) has taken a job with a tour guide agency. On his first day, he drives his first clients - a school teacher (who not so secretly is attracted to Chad) and four teenagers (one of whom becomes smitten) - to their destination.
“On the Boardwalk (in Atlantic City)”, music by Josef Myrow, lyrics by Mack Gordon, Three Little Girls in Blue (1946)
Performed by Carol Stewart (dubbing for Vera-Ellen), June Haver, and Vivian Blaine
(original soundtrack) / (Dick Haymes single)
In this rarely-seen musical (20th Century Fox wasn't very good at promoting its back catalogue compared to some other studios, and the situation is worse now that they are owned by Disney), three chicken farmer sisters (Vera-Ellen, Haver, and Blaine) decide to travel to Atlantic City in hopes of marrying a rich husband after learning their aunt's inheritance is not nearly as much as they want. They sing this song as they arrive and check into their hotel suite - which they apparently have not looked up the rate for.
Those who listened to the soundtrack version... FYI, $9.25 in 1902 is $280 in 2020.
“Personality”, music by Jimmy Van Heusen, lyrics by Johnny Burke, Road to Utopia (1946)
Performed by Dorothy Lamour
(in-film performance) / (live radio performance)
In the fourth film of the Road to... comedy series, Bob Hope and Bing Crosby's characters have just overpowered two Alaskan thugs with a history of murderous violence. As they enter a saloon dressed up as those two thugs, all of the patrons - in a town that only knows the thugs by reputation - shut up in terror. They are treated to a performance by Sal (Lamour), who is trying to find a map of a gold mine that the real outlaws supposedly have. A visual narrator (Robert Benchley) interrupts the scene before the song briefly.
“Please Don’t Stop Loving Me”, music and lyrics by Joy Byers, Frankie and Johnny (1966)
Performed by Elvis Presley
(in-film performance) / (single version)
Johnny (Elvis) and girlfriend Frankie (Donna Douglas) work on a Mississippi River riverboat as performers. Johnny is addicted to gambling and believes that another woman is spurring on his recent run of good luck. During a fit of jealousy-as-acting, Frankie accidentally shoots Johnny during a bit of musical theater (someone switched out the blanks for real bullets). This song occurs after Johnny has recovered from the accident.
"Wichita", music by Hans Salter, lyrics by Ned Washington, Wichita (1955)
Performed by Tex Ritter
This is the opening title song to this Western. It is one of many Wyatt Earp movies set before the famous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Earp (Joel McCrea) arrives in an otherwise lawless town of Wichita, Kansas where gunplay is rampant. In a radical move, Earp orders to seize the firearms of anyone living in or entering town - which doesn't sit well with some outlaws. This song is incorporated throughout the film's score.
Group B participants include: @cokwong, @emilylime5, @halfwaythruthedark, @maximiliani, @thewolfofelectricavenue, and @voicetalentbrendan. Twelve others - including me and my sister - are slated to be voting in Group B.
Contact me however you wish if you have questions or comments regarding MOABOS' processes or something specific about a song or a few. Please let me know as soon as possible if you are having difficulty accessing one of the songs (especially if it is region-locked) or if there is an error in the playlist.
I thank you all for your support for the Movie Odyssey, the blog, and for me personally - no matter how long I’ve known you or in what capacity. You will be contacted for the final round regardless of your participation here. If turnout in one group is lagging behind compared to another, I will ask some of the more senior participants to participate in the other group, too. No pressure if you cannot get to this, although I will be checking in as the deadlines get close. Stay safe and socially distanced, everyone.
TABULATION
This preliminary round uses a points-based, ranked choice method which has been used since the first time I asked friends, tumblr followers, and family to help out. A respondent’s first choice receives 10 points, the second choice receives 9, the third choice receives 8, etc. The winner is the song that ends up with the most total points. The tabulation method used in this preliminary is used only as a tiebreaker in the final round (more on how the final is tabulated when we get there).
This tiebreaker will look slightly different this year.
Tiebreakers for above: 1) total points earned; 2) total #1 votes; 3) average placement on my and my sister's ballots; 4) tie declared
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please tell me more about boy scout dex
My friend, let me firstly apologize because I know I did sit on your ask for a little while. I think it’s been a month (?) since I posted that original random text-post about Boy Scout Dex, but as I mentioned in this brief PSA, I haven’t forgotten about him. I come to you today with a bullet-list!
As an FYI, I am definitely going to write actual prose fic about this in the future, so stay tuned. For now: let’s talk about Dex’s Boy Scout backstory.
- The first thing we should establish is that this is in the CCU. If you don’t know what the CCU is, it’s just my understanding of the canon universe. CCU stands for Cromwell Cinematic Universe, named for a stuffed lobster Dex has named Cromwell. Given that canon has never directly contradicted the idea of Dex having a stuffed lobster, I elect that this is the closest I’ll come to being canon-compliant. Prove me wrong. :D
- Anyway, the CCU is a series on ao3; you can read it here. Boy Scout Dex is simply another part of Dex’s colorful history.
- It’s really not that colorful, actually. I mean, he’s Dex. He comes to college afraid of baking.
- Anyway. Let’s talk, shall we? (This is going to get long, so under the cut we go.)
- In the CCU, Dex lives in Bar Harbor, which is one of Maine’s more famous towns, tucked into the east side of Mount Desert Island, which is just off the coast, and is the largest island in Maine. This is not a geography lesson, but since we’re here, here’s a visual. The little marked location is MDI, and then Samwell would be in the center-left bottom of the map.
- Anyways, with that digression aside, I’m bringing up Dex’s hometown/home island for two reasons: one, because I went and looked it up, and there is a Boy Scout troop there (Troop 89, though I was prepared to invent one if there wasn’t one on-island), and two, because the natural world around the island will become important later for Scout reasons.
- In order to proceed, let me introduce you to a few members of the CCU Poindexter-family expanded universe. MDI isn’t so small that everybody on the island knows everybody— the population is 10,000, which is just around the same as my own hometown, and I definitely don’t know everybody here. But what is true about my hometown is that there are certain families who have prominent roles in the community, and I would absolutely say that the Poindexter family is well-known on the island.
- They’re a very blue-collar, Irish Catholic, patriotic American family. Dex has cousins, aunts, uncles, and extended relatives galore. Dex’s uncles are notable enough in canon for him to mention them multiple times; in the CCU, he has 6 uncles on his pa’s side and another 3 on his ma’s. We’ll focus mostly on the Poindexter side for the purposes of Scout Dex.
- I have a feeling that the 7 Poindexter brothers (aka Pa and the 6 uncles) were probably all involved in one way or another with Scouts or at least some other community-building activity as kids. The one who rose to the top was Uncle Ronny, who is now the Scout Master for the troop on the island.
- Yes, I learned a copious amount of Boy Scout terms to make this post.
- Anyway, Uncle Ronny is a carpenter by day, and he takes the scouting stuff seriously; he sees it as a sort of civic duty. He has one son and three daughters (the female Poindexter cousins probably do Girl Scouts, but that’s a discussion for another time), and all his kids participate.
- Dex’s Pa, Will Sr., definitely also was super into this growing up. (In the historical AU I’m writing, Pa was in the Navy, and I cry every day thinking about how he can’t be in it in the CCU. This, as well as his general nautical lifestyle, is my consolation to myself.)
- Okay, so what do they actually do?
- Dex and his cousins grow up in the program. I feel like tiny redheads make up a solid fifty percent of the MDI Cub Scout troop in the late 90s and early 2000s. Dex is extremely outdoorsy even from a young age, and he loves Scouting, through and through— from the camps in the summer to earning badges and working his way up in ranks to even just spending time with his cousins. Cub Scout-era Dex sort of comes before all the repression, self-deprecation, and regression into the hardened, temperamental person he shows up at Samwell as. So in other words, Cub Scout Dex is a generally happy kid.
- Cub Scouts are from around kindergarten to fourth grade, or ages 5-10. Once you’re about 10 and a half, you move to general Boy Scouting, aaaaand this is where the fun begins, because in my research, I discovered…
- Sea Scouting.
- Sea Scouting is essentially a subdivision of the general Boy Scout program, and it’s exactly what it sounds like: Boy Scouts but with more nautical themes. Look… you guys… they wear fucking sailor suits… I’m physically deceased… I don’t think you understand how much I need this in Dex’s life.
- Has you or a loved one ever thought, hey, Mel, (that’s yours truly), do you by any chance have a thing about sailor suits? You may be entitled to the knowledge that you’re right…
- Pretty much every Poindexter who did Boy Scouts was also involved in the Sea Scout program. Why? Uhhhhh… they live on the ocean and have a fishery and also just think about all that sweet sweet oceanic Dex symbolism—
- Right, okay, so things that are important to Dex during his time as a Scout: oceanic conservation, also conservation on land because Acadia National Park is right on MDI, boating safety, actual sailing. Fun fact: they have sailing competitions.
- Through the entirety of his Scouting life, Dex is really close with Uncle Ronny. He’s one of probably three cousins who are the most active in the program, and I’m jumping the gun a little on myself here, but he definitely does get Quartermaster. This is the highest rank you can get in the program, and it’s taken very seriously by everyone involved. It’s the Sea Scouting equivalent of Eagle Scout, which is probably much more familiar to most of you.
- Uncle Ronny is his go-to uncle for all things Scouting and also probably all things outdoorsy.
- Some time later, when Dex comes out to his family, Uncle Ronny will take it very, very hard. Although other uncles will come around, his relationship with Ronny will never really recover.
- Anyway! We are not going down that road at this moment in time. Let’s move on.
- By the way, the entire troop is definitely really closely tied with the island’s Catholic church. They very likely wear religious emblems on their uniforms. There’s a lot about God in the general guidelines of being a Boy Scout, and the troop is all over this. Because New England Irish Catholics.
- Okay, Dex gets Quartermaster. It’s the highest honor a Sea Scout can have. The core tenets/skills, fun fact, include: swimming, safety, marlinspike seamanship (???), boat handling, ground tackle, navigation, weather, and environment. He’d be getting this right around the same time he’s graduating high school. To get Quartermaster, you have to physically take control of a boat for like 40 hours, with other Scouts as witness. That is super badass.
- Also, I need you guys to see these uniforms. If someone drew Dex in this, I’d die.
- This is getting so long; I’m so sorry. Okay, some other time, remind me to talk about Dex’s internal struggle in response to the Boy Scouts homosexuality controversy. (I won’t go super into this right now, but essentially, until recently, gay men couldn’t be troop leaders. Gay youth membership has also been… generally discouraged, without being directly prohibited. There’s a lot to unpack there.)
- But, y’know! Poindexter family tradition, right???
- Aside from all the nautical skills, Dex’s Scout background translates to this at Samwell: he’s always prepared. The Boy Scout motto is literally Be Prepared. I think it’s easy to see, from all our canon knowledge of Dex, how this kind of background could factor into his character.
- I mean, the boy is constantly volunteering himself to fix things.
- Okay!!!! At the risk of making my longest text post ever, I will stop here for now. But please know: my ask box is open. There will be fic about this, and probably more of these bullet-list text posts. Ask or send me anything you’d like.
Thank you very much for the ask, and thank you for your patience while I put this together!
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AUTHOR REVEAL of the Chopped Choice: Horror Fics!
guess we’re alike that way (Rated T) [Murphy/Octavia] by @probably-voldemort
Theme: Angst || Tropes: 1)Mythical Creature(s), 2)Based on a TV show, 3)Character cradling their significant other's face while they kiss, and 4)Reunion
Summary: Octavia died 25 years ago. The answer, by the way, is ghosts. Just ghosts. Yeah, it’s just as bad as it sounds. Especially Murphy. Why did the only living person who could see her have to be fucking Murphy?
The Haunting of Kane Manor (Rated M) [Bellamy/Clarke] by @sparklyfairymira
Theme: Modern || Tropes: 1)Haunted Building, 2)It was a dark and stormy night..., 3)grabbing their hand in the dark for comfort, and 4)witching hour
Summary: When Roan offers Clarke and Bellamy a hundred grand to stay at a fake haunted house for a night for his new reality TV show, they jump at the chance. But what happens when it turns out to actually be haunted?
cause i know in the morning you’ll be gone (how am i supposed to carry on?) (Rated T) [Echo/Wells] by @probably-voldemort
Theme: Canon Divergent || Tropes: 1)The Adjectival Man, 2)Road Trip AU, 3)Forbidden Relationship, and 4)Arranged Marriage
Summary: Wells liked things to make sense.
Allying themselves with Azgeda when the opportunity came up made sense. Doing whatever it took to make that alliance stick made sense. Entering an arranged marriage with a woman he’d never met for the sake of his people made sense.
The butterflies in his gut whenever he locked eyes with the Azgedan ambassador who was decidedly not his fiancée made no sense at all.
Imitation (Rated M) [Murphy/Emori] *Major Character Death* by @she-who-the-river-could-not-hold
Theme: Horror || Tropes: 1)Someone is is a shapeshifter and the other characters/readers can’t be sure who, 2)Dead Communication Device, 3)Final Girl AU, and 4)Poorly Timed Confession
Summary: In a remote research station on the planet Nakara, Emori is just starting to get into a rhythm with her work when things take a turn for the worse. It starts off with a dog bite but it leads into a desperate race to survive, as the infection spreads and it turns out that her fellow teammates aren’t all who they appear to be. The race against time will involve keeping emotions and personal feelings in check while trying to stop the creatures from picking them all off one by one.
you can stand under my umbrella (Rated T) [Clarke/Murphy] by @probably-voldemort
Theme: Modern || Tropes: 1)Corn Maze, 2)Almost kiss/interrupted before kissing, 3)Caught in a storm, and 4)Teacher!Character
Summary: Abandoning the children was definitely a no-no on field trips. But does it really count when you’re just completely, genuinely lost in a corn maze?
OR
After six years of working with him, Clarke still doesn’t know Murphy’s first name, and at this point its definitely too late to ask.
Mad Women (Rated T) [Gen Fic] by @kinetic-elaboration
Theme: Science Fiction || Tropes: 1)Possession, 2)Mad Scientist, 3)Dead communication device, and 4)Cliffhanger
Summary: Four-hundred-and-twenty-three days in the never-ending darkness of the uncharted universe, and Murphy’s starting to wonder if space madness really is setting in. At least he’s not as far-gone as Raven, hidden away in her laboratory, fiddling with alien tech; or Clarke, who is steering them steadfastly into the deep unknown of ‘haunted space.’
Something isn’t right here, even if Bellamy and Octavia don’t want to see it.
When their little ship receives a distress call from an old friend, the tensions between captain and crew finally come to a head, and Murphy faces more than one unpleasant truth.
Bury a Friend (Rated M) [Murphy/Emori, Bellamy/Clarke, Raven/Shaw] by @excuseyouclarke
Theme: Modern || Tropes: 1)Found Family, 2)POV switch, 3)Cliffhanger, and 4)Haunted building
Summary: As part of their Halloween tradition of trying to scare themselves, Emori, Murphy, Bellamy, Clarke, Raven and Shaw decide to step it up this year by exploring an abandoned Asylum - only, it’s not as abandoned as they once thought.
it was only a dream? (Rated T) [Spacekru] by @spacekrulesbians
Theme: Canon Speculation || Tropes: 1)out of place intro, 2)grabbing hand in the dark for comfort, 3)haunted building, and 4)English damnit
Summary: It’s just another ordinary day on the Ring until someone points out that it’s Halloween. That’s when things get weird.
the ghost in you, she don’t fade (Rated E) [Bellamy/Clarke] by @justbecauseyoubelievesomething
Theme: Horror || Tropes: 1)Friends with Benefits AU, 2)Based on a TV Show, 3)Non-linear story, and 4)Characters hug after they've been through hell
Summary: The wooded area behind the Collins’ property stretches for about nine square miles with the highway into town bordering the far side and the Blake property guarding the southernmost corner. Nine square miles.
It might as well be a million.
Clarke takes another fortifying breath.
It does no good to think about Bellamy. He’s no longer part of the equation. He’s made that abundantly clear.
The Wanheda Tape (Rated T) [Gen Fic] by @kinetic-elaboration
Theme: Historical || Tropes: 1)exes, 2)urban legends, 3)found footage, and 4)abandoned building
Summary: “It’s the Wanheda Tape. You gotta remember this. It happened like five or six years ago. Those dumbass college kids went into the woods out past the auto shop and got lost and never came back… Seriously, what were you two doing in the fourth grade, living under a rock?”
de omnibus dubitandum (Rated M) [Lexa/Echo/Josephine] by @spacekrulesbians
Theme: Post-Apocalyptic || Tropes: 1)Hunter AU, 2)Mythical Creature, 3)Strangers to Lovers, and 4)“give up all your weapons” and that one person that spends the entire evening taking their weights worth out of their pockets
Summary: After vampires took over the world, the Hunter Association was the only thing that stood between the creatures of the night and the rest of humanity. Lexa, commander of the association, was determined to bring the world to a better place, no matter the cost.
And then she met Josephine Lightbourne.
slay your demons (Not Rated) [Jasper & Monty] @skaifayax
Theme: Science Fiction || Tropes: 1)Hitchhiker AU, 2)Creepy Child, 3)Road Trip, and 4)Based on a TV show
Summary: He doesn’t like this. He never has. There is a reason he self medicates with booze and drugs: It’s to stop seeing people like her - dead people.
OR
Umbrella Academy AU but make it Monty and Jasper.
More Than I Do (Rated T) [Gen Fic] by @wwjacksparrowd
Theme: Modern Horror Mystery || Tropes: 1)Found Family, 2)Protectiveness, 3)Based on a song, and 4)Creepy music interrupting silence
Summary: Mysterious circumstances surround the sudden tragedies afflicting Clarke’s loved ones. Can she figure out why before she loses everyone she cares about? Maybe not, but she’s willing to die trying.
———
Honorable Mention of this submission to the Non-Anon Collection:
I’m Demon Proof, Baby (Rated T) [Murphy/Emori] by Anonymous
Theme: Thriller || Tropes: 1)Haunted building, 2)Doppelgänger, and 3)Based on a TV show
Summary: Arcadia Investigates is well into its fifth or sixth season, depending on how you count it, and Wilmington Hospital has been just begging for a visit.
Clarke thinks it’s very scary. Murphy thinks it’s very fake.
Bellamy and Emori are mostly just there to make sure someone gets some usable footage.
———
All the Winners can be found here.
Thank you all so much for participating in this challenge! Now that winners and authors have been revealed feel free to blog about your fics and don’t forget to tag us!
We hope you all will join us again for our next Chopped Challenge: The Chopped Holiday Trope Exchange, which starts in December! Sign-ups will begin in November!
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Pictures of Reality - David’s Letters
A year ago today I started posting Pictures of Reality, as a participant of the Captain Swan Big Bang event. Today, a year later, I'd like to thank the @captainswanbigbang moderators for giving us a wonderful opportunity to create these stories. I'd also like to express my gratitude to my beta @jarienn972 and my artist, @imagnifika who accompanied me during the long road to turn all these ideas that flowed in my head into actual words.
As I have commented on other occasions, PoR is special for me for several reasons and that's why I wanted to bring it in some way. I thought it’d be a good idea to create a post compilation with the letters that David wrote, since these letters narrate, somehow the story of Emma and Killian.
Pictures of Reality Ao3 / Ffnet
Note: Do not read the letters if you plan to read the whole fic, because they obviously contain spoilers.
David’s Letters
Once upon a time a boy and a girl fell hopelessly in love when they were still young and innocent.
They longed to build a life together, a promising future awaited them, but on the way to achieving their dreams, they must be separated for a while.
When the boy left, he did it with endless promises that he trusted to fulfill. But what neither of them knew was that the product of their love had begun to grow inside her.
Unfortunately, with his departure, the girl was left alone and unprotected, so the evil stepmother took advantage of her vulnerability to spread her claws and try to destroy the happiness that she would never get.
The girl, sad and desperate, fell into her stepmother's trap, believing that she really would not be able to offer her daughter her best chance, thinking that she too could not destroy her boyfriend's promising future by burdening him with a responsibility he did not have requested.
But luck, or fate, made the boy return to the town with enough time to meet his daughter and also to say goodbye to her, the tiny baby girl carrying part of his heart with her while he watched helplessly how she was taken away - perhaps forever - without him having the chance to hold her in his arms for even a few seconds.
And this is where you appear, my dear daughter.
This tale hasn't yet reached the end, and that is why I'm hoping against hope that we will be able to write our happily ever after together.
Letters to Emma from her father, 1989-2018
My dearest Emma,
I don't know how to start this letter... but I'll do my best. I don't even know if your adoptive parents have kept the name your mother chose for you. The social worker assured us that they had accepted, but I guess we'll always have that uncertainty. Anyway, for us, you will always be our Emma.
Today is a special day, your first birthday. I would like to send you my best wishes for this first celebration, the first of many, if only in the form of this letter, with the hope that perhaps one day, these words will come to you in one way or another.
Maybe we can establish a new tradition in our lives from now on, what do you think? Maybe we can take advantage of this special day to contact you through these little missives, to express how we feel in your absence, to convey that no matter how much time passes, you will always have a place in our hearts, Emma.
It's only been a year, but we've probably missed many of your most important milestones: your first smile, your first steps, maybe your first words. I hope your parents were able to immortalize those moments in some way. And maybe one day, you can help us to remember them through those images.
I would like to talk to you a little about us now. Your mother has already turned eighteen and has finally been able to leave the house of that evil woman, the person who managed to separate us from you. Now, she is living with us and nothing and nobody will be able to separate us - ever - despite all the obstacles that get in our way.
It's hard, though, to be separated from you and have no certainty of how you are, if you are growing up happy. I truly hope so and that with our act, we have managed to offer you a future. And maybe, in a few years, we will be part of that future as well.
Until then, I can only wish you a happy and full life.
Your father who loves you and never forgets you,
David.
//
My dearest Emma,
Today should be a day of celebration since you turn ten! I certainly hope that wherever you are, your parents have organized a great party in your honor. Sadly, I don't have the necessary strength today to pretend that everything is perfect and wonderful, because it's not. It's far from it, in fact.
Mary Margaret keeps telling me that I should stop torturing myself, but the truth is that I can't help thinking about everything we have already missed with you. You probably already know how to swim, ride a bike, have gone camping, maybe you already know another language... And we haven't been there to help you or to be witnesses to your milestones. Sometimes I believe that having you always in my thoughts is a way of inflicting punishment on myself for not being brave enough to fight for you.
I wonder if your parents have already told you that you are an adopted child or if they have never considered telling you. I sincerely hope that they'll tell you the truth at some point, although I'm aware that it's my selfish side speaking now. The one who fervently wishes that, when you know the truth and become a grown woman, you will decide to look for your origins - even if it's simply to get answers to the infinite questions that you may have set out. I hope to be prepared to face that moment with enough integrity and not disappoint you even more.
You know - life sometimes seems to laugh at us with its irony. A little less than a year ago another child, only a few years older than you, came into our lives. He only has his older brother, who has also become a close friend of mine, and from the moment we met him, we felt a pull towards him as if our parental instinct had found a source to develop.
Killian, that's his name. Seeing that child so full of life, with a promising future ahead makes me happy on the one hand, but also makes the claws of guilt dig their way straight to my heart. Because it should be you and not him. But, sometimes life gives us a second chance in the most unexpected way, and helping Liam to raise his brother is our opportunity to be as close to parents as possible. And who knows? Maybe in the future, you and he will get to know each other and become good friends.
It's what the world of dreams and wishes offer us. It makes us achieve the impossible even for a few seconds. And my only wish will always be to meet you one day, my dear Emma, and finally be able to hold you in my arms for the first time.
Until then, I'm content to continue dreaming. Be happy, Emma.
Your father who loves you and never forgets you,
David.
//
My dearest Emma,
I wrote to you less than three months ago and I am already here again, holding my pen in an attempt to capture in written words the thoughts and feelings that occupy both my mind and my soul.
I would like to not be writing this letter on this occasion, or at least I would have liked its content to be as hopeful as the previous one. But unfortunately, a tragic event has hit us brutally.
My dear friend, Liam, my partner, my confidant, the person I love as a brother, passed away a few weeks ago while covering an armed conflict.
I am aware that, as you receive these letters, if at any time you do, it will be like reopening old wounds, or worse, you will suffer for someone you did not even know. But let me be selfish for a moment, Emma. Allow me to express myself through these words when I do not have the possibility to do otherwise.
I need to stay strong for Mary Margaret, who is deeply affected by the loss of our dear friend, but also for Killian, who has lost the only family he had left and with it, all his passion for living. It's as if, with Liam's departure, Killian's soul had also departed, leaving only a shell in its place.
That's why, unfortunately, I do not feel able to return home and undertake the dream of looking for you, now that you have become an adult. He needs me, Emma, and I can not let him down, I can not look the other way when a loved one is suffering.
I can only trust that at least you don't need us too, that your life is still full, that you have a family that loves you, and that you have already started the path to your dreams. I couldn't forgive myself if it was otherwise.
I hope that one day life stops playing with us and that it allows us some quiet time. Maybe then the time will come when we can finally meet. I hope you forgive me then, Emma. But if you don't, at least that will mean that we have somehow found each other and I have managed to deliver these letters to you.
Be happy, my dear daughter.
Your father who loves you and never forgets you,
David.
//
My dearest Emma,
You probably would be surprised because today is not your birthday, Christmas or any other special event, but I felt the need to bare my soul and I have not found a better way to do it than through you, my dear daughter.
I may be a fool after so many years apart, but I still hold the almost vain hope that someday these letters, these little confessions in the form of written words will come to you. That's why I will not hesitate to continue writing to you until I exhale my last breath, Emma.
And I need you today, I need to hold on to something stable when my whole world falters and despair threatens to take hold of me, while I feel helpless, unable to protect my loved ones.
I have already talked to you on more than one occasion about Killian and how I have felt guilty several times because my paternal instinct, that which should have been destined to you, was directed instead towards that child who is now a grown man. On the contrary, my desire to protect him has not changed in the least as he grew up. When misfortune seems to prey on him, hit him again and again, my protective instinct grows.
That is why now the feeling of failure is more intense. Killian lost his love yesterday in tragic circumstances and my wife, your mother, lost a great friend. And I was unable not only to prevent it from happening but also I don’t know how can I comfort them, how can I help them when the pain is also consuming me inside.
It is hard to see how the flame of Killian's eyes is slowly disappearing without you being able to do anything to fan it. What can I do, Emma? How can I help my friend? My family?
I desperately hope that wherever you are, your life is full and that you have found happiness. Otherwise, what would be the point that we had spent all these years away from you if we didn’t manage to give you your best chance? I don’t know if I could bear the thought of failing you as well even more than we did when you were born.
As I told you in the rest of the letters, I keep thinking about you every day and I keep fantasizing about the idea that you and we are destined to meet sooner or later. Who knows? Maybe it's not too late for us or for Killian. Maybe one day we get to be a complete family. Until then, my best wishes go to you,
Your father who loves you deeply and who never forgets you,
David.
//
My dearest Emma,
It's happening! We got the news a few days ago, but I still have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. No, this time it's real. You, my dear daughter, found us, or rather you found your way back home.
I still can not believe that I'll have the possibility of delivering these letters to you in person in a few months. I would have taken the first flight back home, but there are some things that we need to take care of first. We must convince Killian that he should travel with us. We can not leave him here alone, buried under layers of misery, so we will do our best to continue helping him move forward, and if he has to cross the ocean in search of a new beginning, so be it.
You can not imagine the joy we felt when we saw you for the first time in photos, when we were able to finally put a face on our beautiful daughter. You got your chin and eyes from your mother, but the blond in your hair comes from me. You are the perfect mix, the product of our deep love.
I'm aware that the road will not be easy from now on, that there is a possibility that you don't want to know anything about us. And we will understand and accept it, but now that you are so close, or at least you will be when we arrive at Storybrooke, I will settle for knowing that at least you are happy, even without us.
I want to know everything about you. What experiences you have lived, what cities you have visited, your hobbies, your aspirations, your fears, your desires. Will you let us, Emma, be part of your life?
Just a few more months and we can reunite as a family forever. Until then, be happy, Emma on this new journey you have undertaken,
Your father who loves you and never forgets you,
David.
//
My dearest Emma,
I still can't believe that we've finally been able to see you, actually see you, on your twenty-eighth birthday. Perhaps I could have left you this letter right there, along with the rest of the gifts you received on your special day, had the circumstances been different.
Maybe you wonder why, despite having been here for a few months, crossing paths each day with you through the streets of the town, or attending the same place for dinner, we haven't yet approached you. Or why we haven't told you the truth and we settle for observing you from a distance, to at least make sure that you are living the life that you deserve so much and that had been denied to you until now.
Well, maybe the answer is not the most satisfactory for you, or is it just a reflection of our cowardice, and I wouldn't blame you for thinking like that, but the reality is that the moment we arrived here and Regina told us about your past, we felt completely devastated and consumed by guilt.
Believe me, sweetheart, if we had the certainty that our confession would serve to alleviate your sorrows, we would willingly have bared our souls in front of you, although it would likely have meant that we would lose you forever.
But considering your traumatic experiences that have led you to run on more than one occasion and the history of abandonment and betrayals that you have suffered, we didn't want to risk ruining your life once more. I couldn't bear that because of our fault, you might lose everything you've achieved since you return to Storybrooke.
Because, as I see it from outside, you have become a strong and brave woman, ready to pursue your goals. You're also a caring person with the people you feel comfortable with, like Ruby, Graham, or Henry. And you have achieved all this without our help, so, if for you to maintain stability in your life we must stay away, so be it.
In addition, irony, or perhaps destiny, has decided to give us something beautiful and promising. We learned just yesterday that you will be one of the people who attend the course that Killian will start teaching in a few weeks.
Our Killian and our daughter, united by their passion for photography. I don't care if it's destiny or a simple coincidence, but the fact that you two are going to meet under such circumstances was unimaginable until a few weeks ago and now it has become a reality. You and Killian are going to cross paths and, fortunately, we are going to witness it even from the distance.
Who knows? Maybe Killian finds that hidden gem, that talented person that he always seeks, someone whom he can help develop full potential. Maybe I'm totally biased here, but I'm hoping it's you. Either way, you are already a gem for us, even though we aren't yet able to prove it to you.
Maybe some day...
Until then, your father who loves you and never forgets you,
David.
//
My dearest Emma,
Happy birthday, my dear daughter. May all your dreams come true.
I’m aware that we have already established that now that we have finally met, these letters are no longer necessary. But, since this has been my only contact with you all these years, would you allow me to write you one last time? Or maybe we could turn it into our little tradition, something just between you and me. Would you like that?
I'm honestly unable to explain in words how utterly happy I am to be with you on this special day and not just settle for watching you in the distance or writing longing letters hoping against hope that one day they would reach to you.
That day arrived at the moment when, in your huge generosity, you decided to forgive us and include us in your life, being part of your family.
I know that I will live the rest of my life trying to compensate you for all these years that we have spent separated. But today is a special day for you and also for us, it's not time to look back to the past but to look forward.
It's likely that when you read this letter you will have discovered the surprises that Killian has prepared for you. You can not imagine how incredibly proud I feel of you, of your talent, of your ability to achieve everything you set out to do.
Maybe your hand, the one that holds this letter, is wearing now something that wasn't there a few hours ago. Killian came to me a couple of weeks ago, telling me all the plans he had for your birthday and asking for my blessing to marry you.
I was aware that this would happen sooner or later, but that didn't stop my heart from bursting with happiness knowing that my family was finally going to be complete, that the person I've seen growing up, my best friend, that loyal and honorable man, will be part of our family officially.
I send my best wishes to you both, so that you are able to build that family that you deserve so much. We will be by your side whenever you allow us, helping and supporting you in this new stage of your journey in life.
I won't assume that I will be the one that walks you down the aisle, Emma, but in case you are so kind to choose me, it would be my most complete honor to accompany you on that special day and witness one of your milestones. We have lost so many throughout your life that I honestly hope not to miss a single one more.
Your father who loves you and will always be by your side,
David.
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Gen Brain Reviews and Price
Here's how to deal with Brain Booster. I'm going bananas over the development. This is how to end being bothered at night as
it concerns it. It is plain Jane how advocates do not expound upon a surprisingly complex incident like this. These theories
are miles apart. Hurrah! It is sophisticated stuff we're talking about respecting this. I have a comprehensive new attitude
about how to look at your concern. Their calling lets you to get the best of both worlds. It lets them know you are planning
to get that contingency. I have a way with words, don't you think? Gangs generally tend to ask the same questions in respect
to, their habit over and over again. I surely would do it. Judging from what top experts say in connection with some
advantage, what I have is an acceptance relating to using it. My intuition tells me that these are the habitual concepts
touching on this notion. You will ought to beat your competition. It's not their opportunity in my opinion. I guess we have
to branch out. You might expect that I've got more Brain Booster than I know what to do with. Don't change horses in
midstream.My procedures are almost fully misunderstood. At a few point in the future, Gen Brain, that will have to be dealt with in a
more meaningful way as long as their whatchamacallit is an authentic antique.
I may tell you the tale with reference to it. That isn't the key to a normal Brain Booster. This is the moment to circle the
wagons.
If you've ever read a book as that relates to that turn of events, you will have read about several types of their gambit. We
need to consult ordinary people like this. That's where you'll have to be patient. It is my current commitment. I wouldn't
buy one without this proverb. It's infinite. I obviously know rather a bit as that touches on this transpiration. There may
be an even larger requirement for your puzzle when the economy comes inching back. They must locate some spare parts. They're
lying to us respecting their episode. This is a great team. That fact is verified by a slew of experts. It should energize
your Brain Booster. We may be able to do it with some effort. Many of the strategies for some turnover can be learned easily.
With prices for Brain Booster increasing day by day it is proper to make a strategic Brain Pills plan. In this case, the
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Hi, so I was wondering if you could maybe write one shot where it's Ten Duel Commandments but instead of Charles Lee getting hurt, it's actually John who got shot. How would Alexander and George Washington react? How about Lee himself and Burr? Thank you so much! ❤️
(Edited by: @dflwrites)
General Charles Lee had decided he was man enough to insult the great General George Washington. John Laurens decided to put that to the test, challenging Lee to a duel.
The event took place on a hot, early morning, before anybody else was awake, as per tradition. Laurens stood across the field from Lee with his second, his close friend Alexander Hamilton.
“Are you worried?” Hamilton asked as Laurens loaded his pistol.
“Please,” Laurens sneered. “He’s a coward. Nothing more, nothing less. He’d sooner empty his bladder on this field than he would his pistol.”
Hamilton laughed at that and moved to meet Lee’s second, Aaron Burr, in the middle of the field.
“This is his last chance, Hamilton,” Burr warned. “This is childish. Have your man call it off.”
Hamilton scoffed. “Why should he? He isn’t afraid for a second of that joke of a general,” he informed him, making sure to speak loud enough for Lee to hear.
Burr sighed and solemnly nodded before going back to his place at Lee’s side. “Good luck.”
“Thank you..” Lee muttered, taking a deep breath to calm himself down. Laurens was a man of pride. Lee had this as good as won.
As the men began their paces, Lee actually wore a smirk, a knowing grin. It was as if he knew the outcome of the duel and only came back to live it out.
“1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9-” Laurens was cut off as he cried out in pain, feeling a bullet tear through the skin at his waist. The second he fell to his knee, Hamilton was at his side, reaching for the pistol himself.
“That dirty little-”
“No!” Laurens argued. “Tell him I want another shot.”
Hamilton’s eyes widened. “But you’re-”
“I want another shot,” Laurens said, more sternly this time.
Hamilton sighed and stood up, turning towards Lee and Burr to give them the news. Instead, he was interrupted by the sound of a horse approaching. General Washington’s horse.
“What is the meaning of this?” the General demanded, jumping off his horse.
Hamilton jumped to his feet, Laurens painfully doing the same.
Washington’s eyes widened a bit at the sight of Laurens and his injury and he went over, helping the colonel back to the horse and glancing at the doctor that attended their duel - a new recruit, as most were during duels. “This is one of our best men. Make sure he gets the proper attention,” the General commanded.
“Yes sir,” the doctor agreed, taking Laurens to the medical tent.
Washington looked at the three remaining men with a stern look, making his way to Lee first. “Lee, while I know you and I will never agree on much, I hope that you know these men do not speak for me. Having said that, I think it would be for the best if you stepped down from your position as a general and as a soldier.”
Lee glared harshly. “You treat that child like he’s better than me, even after giving me the title I have now. I have seniority, I have done nothing wrong, but if it means taking no more orders from the likes of hypocrites such as yourself, I will gladly leave.” He spat at the general’s feet before walking away.
Washington looked at Burr next, the disappointment in his eyes beginning the conversation. “Burr, I never expected to see you participating in such matters. Friend or not, I know deep down, you knew you shouldn’t be here with Lee. I’ll let it slide, but do not let it happen again.”
“Yes, sir..” Burr muttered.
“Go see how Colonel Laurens is fairing. Report his condition to me immediately.”
Burr nodded before running off to do as he was told, leaving Hamilton and Washington alone.
“Sir, he-”
“I don’t want to hear another word from you. This war is hard enough without soldiers fighting amongst themselves, especially those as highly respected as you and Laurens.”
“He disrespected your name and spat at you! What made you think that coward was fit to be general?!”
“Years of seniority, son.”
“I’m not your son,” Hamilton muttered.
“And I am not a maiden in need of defending, I can take what they throw at me. You will never learn to do the same unless you grow up.”
Hamilton clenched his fists at his sides. “I learn from experience. If you gave me some kind of power, a battalion, I could-”
“With behavior like this?” Washington asked, almost shocked that Hamilton could think of something so ridiculous. Almost. “Until you grow up, son, you’ll never get to-”
“I am not your son!” Hamilton snapped. “And maybe if you stopped thinking of us as such, Laurens wouldn’t have felt so compelled to protect your honor. Maybe Laurens wouldn’t have been shot.”
The silence that hung in the air quickly grew heavy, suffocating both men. But neither dared to break it. Not for a minute or so, until Washington knew exactly what he had to say.
“You’re dismissed, Hamilton.”
Alexander began walking away. “I’m going to see John.”
“No,” Washington called back. “No, you’re dismissed as a soldier. We can use all the help we get, but with an attitude like yours, you’ll do nothing but hurt us for now.”
Hamilton felt his heart drop. “Let me see John first. Please..”
“I said no and that’s an order, Hamilton. Pack your things and leave,” Washington said sternly. Leaving without knowing the condition of John would kill Alexander and Washington knew it. It was the kind of wake up call he needed to see that running a battalion, that having the lives of these men in his hands, was no joke. Washington turned and went back to camp, finding Burr in front of the medical tent.
“He’s lost quite a bit of blood, but the doctor believes he’ll make it. We were able to feed him and give him water, but for now, he’s unconscious.”Washington nodded. “Thank you. I want you and Lafayette to see to it that Hamilton stays out of this tent. He needs to learn a lesson and this is the only way I can think to teach it to him.”
“Yes sir.”
“Good. I’ll call Lafayette over.”
Burr nodded and, not a few minutes later, Lafayette was at his side, guilt evident on his face as they stood, prepared to keep his friends apart.
“Laurens is alright, yes?” Lafayette asked.
“Yes. He’ll be fine, but an order is an order and we have to keep Hamilton out.”
Lafayette nodded and sighed, knowing that this was going to be difficult.
Alexander went to his tent and packed his things, leaving a letter on his bed addressed to John before leaving. He saw Burr and Lafayette - he knew he wasn’t getting past them, but he also knew no soldier would dare read a private letter. So, he left, taking a carriage back home to his wife, the second love of his life.
(Hey, guys! Quick note: I’m making a new posting schedule based on you guys. After every post, I start a metaphorical clock for 96 hours, or four days, and every note takes off one hour until the next thing I post. For example, the last High School AU chapter got 7 notes, so this was posted 89 hours later. I’m doing this because it honestly does hurt me when I have over 1500 followers and, on a one shot that me and @dflwrites work hard on, I get less than 15 notes, especially when I can make a quick text post and get more than that in less than a day. And, before you ask, I’m putting this under a one shot rather than on it’s own or before the one shot because I wouldn’t want people liking just because they want to see something else, something that caters to them, rather than because they like what I do and appreciate the work I put into it. Having said that, please don’t just tell this to others, that’ll kill the point. I’ll add this note under the next few posts until I think enough people have read it. If you guys have any questions or anything about this, please DM me. Thank you for taking the time to read this!)
#hamilton#hamilton fanfic#alexander hamilton#john laurens#Charles Lee#lafayette#aaron burr#george washington#lams
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didn’t want this throne
fandom: fire emblem fates
rating: G
characters: hinoka, sakura
words: 1k
additional tags: canonical character death, post-canon, canon compliant, grief/mourning, siblings, fe fates conquest spoilers
description: hinoka and sakura visit their brothers. post-conquest.
a/n: man this is a long time coming kjdflkjlkksdkf i just kept forgetting to post it! anyway last summer i participated in the @fesiblingszine, focused on different sibling relationships throughout the FE series! since the zine has long since finished and the orders shipped out, i can now post the fic i wrote for it <3 im still sad about conquest lol. title comes from “what’s wrong” by pvris
read it on ao3
—
On the evening of the festival following her coronation ceremony, Hinoka visits her brothers’ graves.
The only person she tells is Yukimura, who promises to entertain the partygoers while she’s gone. She doesn’t even tell Sakura. Her younger sister looks so happy, eating red bean mochi with her retainers and meeting new people from both Hoshido and Nohr. Hinoka doesn’t want to ruin her good mood just yet—there will be plenty of time for her to grieve later.
The gravestones for Ryoma and Takumi—as well as those for their respective retainers—are located in a field of cherry blossoms behind Castle Shirasagi. The stones are built in traditional Hoshidan style: as a five-tier tower, or gorinto. Each tier is a different shape and has Hoshidan characters carved into it, and the bodies are buried underground in wooden coffins.
Ryoma’s and Takumi’s graves sit side-by-side in the center of the field, Ryoma on the left and Takumi on the right. To the left of Ryoma’s grave and to the right of Takumi’s are the graves for their retainers: Saizo and Kagero, and Hinata and Oboro, respectively. Hinoka has visited this field many times in the past few days, but her chest still feels heavy seeing it again. Initially, she thought that maybe visiting often would make it easier on her, but now she’s seriously starting to doubt it. Nothing seems to ease the pain.
The graves are so new and so often visited that there is nothing on them to clean off, not even a leaf to brush away. Bouquets of flowers have surrounded the stones since the first day they were erected, and the air still smells faintly of incense that someone else must have burned not long ago. Hinoka sits down in front of her brothers’ gravestones, not caring if she gets grass stains on her dress. She can’t bring herself to care about such trivial matters, not at a time like this, not when both of her brothers are dead.
Both literally and metaphorically, the crown on her head feels heavy and unnatural. Up until a few days ago, she never pictured herself wearing the rising-sun tiara of the Hoshidan queen. She had pictured Mikoto living a much longer life, and she had pictured Ryoma becoming a noble king, the spitting image of Sumeragi.
Hinoka isn’t stupid. She’s considered the possibility of Ryoma dying young, and she always figured that she would pass the throne on to Takumi if the situation ever arose. But she hadn’t thought about it any further than that, and perhaps that was naive on her part. Perhaps she should’ve prepared for war to take Takumi away from her, too.
At first, she doesn’t even notice the tears slipping quietly down her cheeks. Every time she visits the graves, she tries to hold herself together, and every time, she fails. Instinctively, she lowers her head and hides her face in her hands, lest anyone see their freshly-crowned queen crying like a child. It’s only been a few hours since her coronation, and already she feels like she’s let her kingdom down.
“H-Hinoka?”
The voice is quiet, but it startles Hinoka anyway, and she lifts her head up, hastily wiping away her tears. She doesn’t turn around, though; she doesn’t need to see the person to know who it is. She’d recognize that voice anywhere.
“Sakura?” she says. “What are you doing here?”
“I noticed you were gone,” Sakura replies, her voice getting louder as she walks toward Hinoka and sits down next to her. “And I knew where you’d be.”
“Am I that predictable?” Hinoka says with a sad laugh.
Sakura shrugs. “Well...it’s only fitting.” Then her eyes start to well up with tears, too. “Y-you don’t have to pretend you’re not sad.”
Hinoka shakes her head. “I just...I feel so lost,” she says softly. “Since the moment I was born, I always knew I could count on Ryoma. He was always there. And Takumi...I don’t remember much about life before him. They were both so passionate. They had fire in their hearts. And without them, everything feels…” She trails off as she chokes on a sob.
“Dull?” Sakura suggests. “Gray?” She tries to wipe away her tears, but they just keep coming. “Because...y-yeah. I feel it, too.”
Hinoka leans over and wraps her arms around Sakura, who turns her head and cries into Hinoka’s shoulder. Hinoka knows she shouldn’t be that upset about Ryoma, not when he died so nobly and bravely, not when he died with honor and pride. But how is she supposed to explain grief away? Grief pays no attention to logic. Ryoma is dead, and that is all grief needs to rear its ugly head. Even the bravest, most honorable death could not make it disappear.
And Takumi—perhaps his death hurts even more because Hinoka still doesn’t truly understand how it happened, and because she still feels as though it was her fault. If only she’d realized that he was struggling, that something was different about him. Maybe they could’ve found a way to save him. A thousand possibilities dance in her head whenever she thinks of him, and they remind her of what a terrible, irresponsible older sister she was. Corrin told her not to blame herself, but that doesn’t stop her from feeling like she failed him.
“H-Hinoka,” Sakura says through her tears, looking up at her sister. “It’s just us now. So w-we have to stick together. Promise me—for Ryoma. For Takumi.”
Hinoka nods, holding Sakura tighter. “We will,” she says. “I promise.” I’ll be damned if I lose you, too.
For most of her life, Hinoka had one reason behind everything she did: For Corrin. Now she doesn’t feel the need to fight for Corrin anymore—Corrin is alive and well. So as she stares at her brothers’ gravestones, she gives herself a new mantra, one that she will follow until the end.
For Ryoma. For Takumi.
#fire emblem#fire emblem fates#fire emblem fates conquest#fe fates#fe14#conquest spoilers#hinoka#fe hinoka#fire emblem hinoka#sakura#fe sakura#fire emblem sakura#fire emblem fanfic#my fics#as you can see i've decided to start posting my fic so that people can read it on my tumblr as well#might change my theme later so it has a larger text size but i assume people can zoom in
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Death and the Maiden, Cooking Edition: Pomegranate Tiramisu
Fahwad Khan, IMPERMANENT (THE POMEGRANATE SKULL) 2014
Pardon the long post, but I just don’t know where else to go with this. And even in terms of recipe posts it will be annoying because there’s the dreaded backstory — but I’m sharing in honor a friend who passed away, so I guess if you feel terrific about skimming past all that to get to a cake recipe one minute faster, no one can ever question your commitment to gastronomy.
So here’s the deal. Back in 2011 I was hosting a monthly variety show that featured numerous components: film, live music, burlesque, PowerPoint presentations, arts & crafts, really ANYTHING.
My friend Cas Marino wanted in on the action; he was a performer, but he was so much more than that. He was performing life, quite vividly; he was a cancer survivor who’d never stopped transforming. He played serious dramatic roles in productions all over New York City, he was happy to dive into a drag revue, he would host salons and get-togethers in his Midtown apartment, and on top of everything else, he was working on a blog called “The Food Daddy,” which was entertaining to read even if you couldn’t cook. As you’ll see below, everything he touched became infused with his humor and personality.
He’d appeared in a number of my shows, usually in drag inspired by that night’s theme. Here he is on the night we read excerpts from Elsa Lanchester’s then-out-of-print memoir.
Here he is, drinking milk right out of the carton on the night we did a whole show about the trope in fiction about women who transform into cats. (I’m telling you, dear reader, I was truly living my best life as a producer!)
This was all in a lovely professional downtown establishment, so naturally I was interested in bending every possible rule past the breaking point. So when Cas asked if he could make food for my entire audience, I said YES... and then went to inform the venue so they could explain why it was completely against the rules. (In this instance, they had their own cafe on-site that was strictly kosher, and they could not risk confusion or contamination with outside food.)
I don’t recall exactly how we pulled it off, but Cas began showing up at my events armed with enough food to serve 75 people (the theater’s capacity). Do you realize how incredible that is, reader? Sometimes we’d sell out, but sometimes we’d only have 15 folks in the audience, half of them comps. Cas believed in me so hard, he planned for a sold-out show every time. He would have been offended if we ran out of kibble with even one person left to feed.
The food was always on theme, so when I did a show about America’s First Ladies, he combined vintage recipes from Barbara Bush and Rosalynn Carter to make Bipartisan Buffalo Chicken Sliders, which he served dressed as Eve, the original “first lady,” mostly naked and covered in vines.
As you’ll read below, he agonized over the perfect thing to serve at our “Death and the Maiden” show. At one point, it was going to be mini-eclairs filled with pomegranate cream and tipped with an almond fingernail. He finally settled on this original tiramisu recipe that knocked us all COMPLETELY OUT. And I ate the leftovers out of my fridge for days, because letting even one serving go to waste felt like a desecration.
Look, I’m telling you he could COOK. He once described his culinary style to me as “tragically indulgent.” His fantasy (like so many others at the time) was to parlay his food blog into an actual cookbook someday.
Sadly, Cas did not live to fulfill this particular dream. In 2014 his cancer returned, and he faded away right before our eyes. From his hospital bed, he wrote me: “I have to survive this just to write about it and do a one-man show where I cook and feed and we all laugh and sob and go ‘Mmmmm that's fucking good’ and it just becomes a big audience/artist participation evening of sharing where I am the only one who gets to talk.”
That same year, I managed to recreate his Pomegranate Tiramisu and serve it to friends as my birthday cake; for a couple years afterward, I would look the recipe up on his website and fantasize about making it again. The ingredients weren’t cheap, and it required more kitchen space than I had in NYC.
And then the worst thing happened: at some point after Cas’s death, the domain expired and his blog went 404, and ONLY THEN did I realize I hadn’t scribbled it down anywhere. People say “the internet is forever,” but hell... even Tumblr users know differently.
I spent a few more years being very depressed about this, imagining the recipe was lost forever, but it turns out someone had managed to preserve the blog’s contents, and at long last it fell back into my hands. BACK FROM THE DEAD! Not unlike the Bride of Frankenstein herself.
So I’m going to let Cas take it from here, dear reader. Thank you for letting me bring him back to life for a just few minutes, performing for you, feeding you. Knowing that would’ve meant everything to him. From one of his last messages to me: “I have no designs on sainthood. But I know I still have shit to accomplish in this world, even if not a physical member of it.”
Knock ‘em dead, Cas!
“The Food Daddy” - Pomegranate Tiramisu
This recipe was created by me to fit the bill for the recent “Meet the Lady” performance (which, if you’ve not heard or read, is a monthly variety show that really rather defies description), titled “Death and the Maiden”.
I toiled with possible ideas that had to do with death and maidens, figuring most easily that a “death by chocolate” offering would at least use one of the title words. Then lady fingers came into the thought process because, well, if you dismembered a maiden you’d have two byproducts: death, most notably, and lady parts — including, but not limited to, her fingers.
Lady fingers naturally led to Tiramisu fantasies, but I didn’t want to go the traditional route. And after discussing it and brainstorming, I got smacked in the back of the head with the realization that the mythical Persephone — a maiden — kidnapped as she was by Hades — who, by way of his being the god of the underworld, was death its very self in semi-human form — ate nothing but pomegranate seeds during her detainment in hell.
If this doesn’t spell fucking dessert, I don’t know what does.
Herewith, my scaled-down recipe (in scope, not in structure or composition; I doubt you’ll need to serve 75 people with yours, though even at half-size this will serve a small army). You can pare it down even further if you feel such need, or instead of making it into one big sheet cake, assemble several smaller ones (I found this worked BEAUTIFULLY in loaf pans) and send them straight to the freezer for future enjoyment.
A few other flexible considerations: I made mine in a full-size deep steam table pan for presentation and food service purposes. These things measure roughly 20 x 10 x 3.5”, but you can use the smaller (12 x 9 x 2.5”) disposable aluminum half-pans for this recipe, or as stated above, any other configuration of sizes that suit your needs. If you want to unmold it and slice it after freezing, line your pans first with cellophane wrap. After just a minute or two out of the ice box, you’ll be able to lift it out of the pan (perhaps with the help of a hungry friend) by the ends of the cellophane, place it on a cutting board, and have at it. Tres artistique, even weighing in as mine did at about eight pounds. This last conclusion required me getting on the scale both with and without the final dessert in my arms and subtracting the first weight from the laden number, which could have been quite a site, as I generally refuse to step on a scale until I’ve removed every last stitch of clothing including my socks, and spit out any spare saliva and shaved every last facial hair so NOTHING will add even a bazillionth of an ounce to my readout, lest I suffer a deep fit of depression. And being depressed when you’re holding what turns out to be 8 pounds of really good cake is a recipe for emotion-eating disaster. But I staved off the need to feel slimmer than normal in light of the facts that (a) I was mid-movie shoot that week, and thus had to maintain a larger-than-usual mane of face-hair for my role; (b) spitting near food meant for others would be gross; (c) being naked around the same food would be even grosser; and (d) the tile floor in my bathroom could be a bit chilly, so why risk taking off my socks?
Socks, spitting, scanty clothing — nothing could have made this less enjoyable. The audience that night devoured what was served to them, and all but attacked the leftovers on the way out of the theater. I had sent samples of this creation to my usual team of taste-testers for input as part of the development process, and perhaps the most poignant and fitting critique came from my dear Mom who, just having started a new diet regimen, had the following to say during our brief check-in on the phone:
“Hello. This is your mother. Fuck Weight Watchers, and Fuck You.”
I love you, Mom. And not just because you loved this surprising new take on an old favorite.
60 Lady Finger cookies
4 Cups Pomegranate juice
1-½ Cups plus 2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Packet unflavored gelatin
4 Egg whites
1 tsp. Cream of Tartar
1 Cup Mascarpone cheese
3 Cups Crème Fraiche
1 Tbsp. Corn starch
¼ Cup water (or as needed)
½ Cup sliced almonds
¼ Cup Pomegranate seeds (or dried sweetened cranberries)
(Reserve 6 Lady Fingers for garnish.)
In a saucepan, mix pomegranate juice with 1-½ cups sugar, and sprinkle gelatin on top. Stir or whisk until gelatin is dissolved with no lumps remaining. Bring mixture to boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until sugar and gelatin are fully dissolved. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to boil, stirring often, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set saucepan into a larger bowl filled with cold water. Stir frequently and change cold water bath often, allowing juice reduction to cool as close to room temperature as possible.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or with electric beaters, whip egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff. Remove to a separate, clean mixing bowl (preferably chilled in the freezer) and set aside.
In stand mixer or large mixing bowl with electric beaters, mix mascarpone with 1-½ cups of cooled juice reduction until well blended. Beat on medium-high for one minute. Add 1 cup of the crème fraiche and blend until smooth. Finally, fold in beaten egg whites, half at a time, just until fully incorporated.
Assembling the tiramisu: Here’s where Food Daddy starts getting anal (but this works easiest, so just shut up and do as I say. Love you!). On your prep surface, set your plate or bowl of unpackaged lady fingers (you don’t want to be messing with cellophane and plastic bags and such mid-project here); next to that, set your remaining juice reduction; and next to that, set your cake pan.
Working from left to right (or for my Hebrew or dyslexic foodies, right to left), dip a lady finger lightly in the juice by placing it on the liquid’s surface, flipping it over with your fingers, then removing it by hand and placing it in the cake pan. Working quickly, repeat this process, building a tightly packed layer of side-by-side, row-by-row, lightly soaked lady fingers on the bottom of the pan. Nobody will see the inside of the tiramisu in its entirety, so if to make a uniform layer with few gaps you need to rip a finger here or stuff a finger there, I won’t tell a soul if you have to be a bit forceful or creative.
Spoon half of the pomegranate mousse mixture over the bottom layer of lady fingers. Using the back of a spoon or a rubber spatula, spread the mixture evenly. Lift the pan and drop it gently a few times on your work surface, just to make sure all the gaps are filled and big air bubbles are removed.
Repeat with a second layer of dipped lady fingers, and then a second layer of pomegranate mousse, again tamping pan to release air bubbles and distribute the filling evenly. Top with one final layer of dipped lady fingers.
Spread the top with the remaining 2 cups of crème fraiche, tamp pan to settle the layers, and set aside.
Pour remaining juice mixture into a measuring cup, and add enough of the water, if needed, to make 1 cup of liquid. Return to saucepan, and stir in the corn starch and the remaining 2 Tbsp. of sugar until starch is dissolved. Place pan over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil to thicken. Remove from heat.
In a food processor or with a cutting board and knife, coarsely chop the almonds and the fruit, then add the reserved lady fingers and pulse (or chop and crumble) until the whole thing looks like somebody pawed at a poor helpless berry-nut muffin until there were no big chunks left.
Sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly over the top of the tiramisu. Drizzle with the pomegranate syrup mixture.
Chill tiramisu at least 2 hours in refrigerator before serving. For overnight storage or longer, cover with cellophane wrap gently pressed against the top surface.
This will “cure” and the flavors will blend and the whole combination really pull together if left refrigerated for two days. For storage beyond that or to deal with leftovers, this freezes BEAUTIFULLY. Just allow to come to room temperature before serving, or enjoy it “semi freddo” by removing from freezer and slicing wide, inch-thick slices, laying each on its side on individual serving plates and eating it cold and firm. A dollop of additional crème fraiche and a sprinkling of chopped almonds (did I hear someone say “mint sprig”?) sure would make this anything but a “leftover” dessert.
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