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violetandstarlightgirl · 1 year

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My Favorite Songs I Discovered in 2022

Hoo boy, haven't done this in three years. Thought I'd start doing this again especially since I found some really good songs this year!

As with the previous entries, nothing's in any particular order, and not everything was released exclusively this year. There's also a bonus list at the bottom of some of my favorites from 2020 and 2021 as well, since I still wanted to mention them.

Here's the old lists I've done so far: 2017 , 2018 , 2019

Honey I'm Home- Ghost (Honey I'm Home, 2019)

This is definitely the black sheep on this list this year.

I found it through a beautifully made Hollow Knight animatic by Icelandin, and something about the spooky insectoid imagery and intense instrumentals stuck with me. Not to mention the lyrics and the story they tell! (the artwork in the original music video is gorgeously disturbing)

Once I can find the peace of mind and the free time, I'd love to make an animatic with this song!

Windy Summer- Anri (Timely!!, 1983)

Since I found out about Dress Down, I have been fascinated by what I now know is the "80's City Pop" subgenre from Japan. I found a whole playlist of songs near the start of the year, and I fell in love with Anri's Timely!! album. This song in particular is featured because it's my favorite from the album, with Remember Summer Days being a close second.

I absolutely love the summer vibes from this song, and I like listening to it while driving. I even set it as my wake-up alarm for when I'm having a nap or my routine-app alarm isn't on for whatever reason. It's just a lovely upbeat song great for when you need to get stuff done!

Not Your Father's Son- JT Music, featuring Andrea Storm Kaden (Not Your Father's Son, 2022)

I received Hades as a birthday present last year and I have loved every second of it. The artwork is stunning and I'm captivated by the story, but one of my favorite creations related to the game is this fan-song made by the same talents behind the Elden Ring fanpiece, Solo.

I love the Greek inspired instrumentals that play throughout and the message in the chorus; you might be divine but you'll find you're not your father's son. Zagreus is his own person and needs the opportunity to forge his own path, and the chance to learn the truth about who his mother was.

On the Nature of Daylight- Max Richter (The Blue Notebooks, 2018)

A really somber instrumental piece here, I love the gradual addition of each instrument as the song progresses (kind of like In The Shape of Longing, one of the songs from my very first songs of the year list!). I don't know a lot of the context for the piece, but it makes me think of a tragic event that inspired a person to change for the better.

Desert Rose- Peter Hollens and Alaa Wardi (Covers Vol III, 2017)

As a young kid I've always been fascinated by the original version of this song by Sting, but at the start of this year I also found out that one of my favorite cover artists, Peter Hollens, had covered the song within the last few years.

Peter's acapella style adds something new to an already stellar masterpiece and keeps to the Middle Eastern roots that inspired the original with the inclusion of Alaa Wardi (a gifted singer in his own right!). It's a neat reminder of the beauty that can come from collaboration between cultures to make new things.

Judas- Gemyni (Judas 80s ver., 2020)

I've discovered a fun genre of cover styles this year, where people take pop songs from the 2000s and later and turn it into dark synth 80s (go check out Izzy Perri's cover of Toxic you won't regret it), but I wanted to highlight Gemyni's absolutely haunting cover of Lady Gaga's Judas on this list.

I enjoy that the tempo is slowed into something sensual (it's been used in a couple of thirst trap edits for a good reason) but everything still nods to the original. Even Gemyni's vocals are reminiscent of Gaga but it is still uniquely her own.

Dark Seeks Light- Yui Ninomiya (Dark Seeks Light, 2021)

My husband is a big fan of the isekai subgenre of anime (reincarnating with some or all knowledge from a previous life and achieving great things in the new life) and a favorite of both of ours is The World's Finest Assassin (Gets Reincarnated in Another World as An Aristocrat). One of the biggest selling points for both of us is the opening theme and the title sequence it plays in (check it out here!!)

It's a gripping and fast-paced song that keeps your attention and gets you pumped for the action. The lyrics even hint at the themes of the story; seeking light in darkness by snuffing out corruption from its festering source.

Brutus- The Buttress (Brutus, 2016)

As with a few of the songs on this playlist, I discovered this one while I was searching for stuff for a character playlist. I hadn't listened to anything by The Buttress before, but I'm definitely a fan of this piece.

I can easily feel the vitriol and rage pouring from the character as the song plays, and I love the touch where eventually their voice raises from a whisper to a shout. The character is psyching themselves up to commit fratricide, motivated by many things none the least of which is envy ("please know that my actions are not motivated only by envy", "I don't want what you have, I wanna be you").

It's a powerful piece and I love the detail of the nonsensical words spoken by the chorus in the background.

Devil's Backbone- The Civil Wars (The Civil Wars, 2013)

This was a song suggested to my by a friend for another character playlist. As a lover of folk music, I love the strings and the vocals in this one! The lyrics are also emotional and powerful; a woman praying for the soul of a man with a dark past whom she loves dearly. It's short, but absolutely sweet.

The biggest pull for me is the connection I made to this song with my Monster of the Week character, Tabby Green. Tabby is in a romantic relationship with Julian Darling, a troubled man with a checkered past. Without going into too much detail, I feel like the lyrics adequately describes her feelings about the situation.

Under the Heavens- Tony Anderson (Under the Heavens, 2022)

One of my best friends has sent me a few of Tony Anderson's pieces over the years, and this one is definitely one of my favorites he's ever done to date!

It's kind of a weird way to describe it, but it feels like you're listening to a sunrise. The sound that those first morning rays feel on your skin as the day begins.

Bonus!!! Stuff I Discovered in 2020 and 2021

In Dulce Jubilo- Mike Oldfield

A beautiful Christmas instrumental that I'd love to use in an animatic someday, introduced to me though a YouTube video by Caddicarus where he talked about his first videos on the site.

Wishbone- nervous_testpilot

A funky tune that gives me ENA vibes, overall just a fun song to chill to and have in the background when I'm doing things.

The Foyer- Drab Majesty

Something I found when looking for things to put in a character playlist for a Goth vampire who was turned in the 80s. Listening to it makes me feel this intense nostalgia even though it's less than a decade old.

Song for a Siren- The Jane Austen Argument

A beautiful modern sea shanty I used as major inspiration for my triton rogue (whos campaign concluded in July!)

Sleeping in the Cold Below- Keith Power, Alan Doyle, Damhnait Doyle

Space-shanty that I fell in love with when I got to that part of Warframe.

Drown in Pale Light- Andreas Vollenweider

An absolutely serene piece of harp music that puts my soul at piece. Worth mentioning because it was my #1 song played on Spotify this year (in the bonus segment because I discovered it in 2021)

#fun moosic #my random life #musical year in review

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thehorsedispatch · 2 years

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New Post has been published on https://horsetoloan.com/heartland-tv-show/wanda-cannon-val-stanton-heartland/

Wanda Cannon Val Stanton Heartland

Who Is Wanda Cannon? 6 Facts About the Val Stanton Actor on Heartland

Wanda Cannon is the actress who plays Val Stanton, the mother of Ashley and Jesse Stanton, in Heartland. Her character is a tough woman who is easy not to like but adds some necessary drama and animosity to the show. It is also the hallmark of a great actress to play a character that is unlikeable like Val is– and to do it well!

She was born in Kitchener, Ontario, and mainly grew up in Saskatchewan. She then lived in Toronto for many years before moving to her current home in Vancouver. Wanda was born in February 1960 and is a Pisces. Read on for some more facts about her!

Other quick links:

Fic tag guide

My previous recommendations (mostly danmei + fanfics)

List of novels/fics that I have already read

#recommendation #danmei #danmei recs

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zeta-in-de-walls · 3 years

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Hey guys, I was having thoughts on the meta-side of the Dream SMP. Okay, so we know that Technoblade has done much of the scripting for this present arc, Tommy, Dream and Quackity have also done some in collaboration, presumably doing each of their own characters and motivations, and Tubbo and Fundy have also been involved too. Uh, this will be rambly as it’s a lot of unsorted observations.

Obviously these are my thoughts, and ideas purely based on my observations as a viewer but you can definitely tell that they’re all very aware of the fanbase and are likely very influenced by them. I could see this even in the Pogtopia arc where Tommy started reusing phrases before when debating ethics with Wilbur, eg ‘let’s lose as winners, not win as losers.’ or something along those lines and how Techno made a callback to his only universal language is violence speech in his wither monologue.

But wow, the scripting is definitely becoming a lot more obvious in this new season of the SMP. Not a bad thing at all, by the way, it’s just a difference. Clearly they’ve gotten more detailed plans and are more ambitious with what they convey in minecraft, with more players taking inspiration from Wilbur after how well he executed it. It’s also the difference in how the various people write, I’m sure.

Tommy and Tubbo have streamed the SMP for the longest and have very gradually evolved into the roleplaying and their respective approaches to it are very interesting. Tubbo’s streams are typically chill and usually involve him working on some sort of project - he’s very chaotic when with other people but is usually very reactionary when it comes to the roleplaying - doing most of his best stuff when bouncing off Tommy, or occasionally Quackity. On his own he doesn’t like to lead bits but is among the best at making other people’s bits work. Same with the RP! His character’s in a weird spot right now as the other writer’s seem to be writing him in quite an unflattering way and he doesn’t do solo, emotional performances all that much meaning he’s less sympathetic right now then he really should be. Like, Tommy garnered loads of sympathy during his exile as he gave a very expressive performance where Tubbo’s character also presumably feels very isolated and alone and he’s being manipulated by the people around him but he gives a lot less. This has made it easier for the audience to start siding more with Technoblade, the literal mass-murderer, over the traumatised kid who was manipulated into exiling his best friend and continues to face terrible choices with no good options.

While I can of course make less meta theories on why Tubbo should be appreciated more and what it says he’s got no real support and is compartmentalising his problems, in the end it’s how his streams work. Tubbo does plot related streams, and he does streams where he simply vibes - and even in the serious streams, he can joke around and cheerfully lampshade the goofiness by doing things like joking about wanting a good review from Techno while kidnapping him - that stuff is priceless and does not fit into the melodramtic scripts but it adds so much to the SMP and why it is so much fun to watch. Tubbo’s really good at making content better! He’s not afraid to look ridiculous, he will also unapologetically avoid engaging in too much melodrama himself when he doesn’t feel like it. I consider his character highly underrated in the plot right now.

Tommy knows what he’s doing. Even before the roleplaying really took off, Tommy liked to play a character and lead bits and the SMP shifting in a more scripted direction suited him exceptionally well. Tommy focuses heavily on streams with lots of content, only rarely doing more chill stuff - especially more recently. He has always approached streams with a plan - but usually their extremely loose and he has said that he’d sometimes just come up with an idea 10 minutes before the stream and improvise from there. Tommy’s good at improvising and seems to work best with a very loose plan. Where I think Techno likely came up with the plan for Tommy to get exiled from L’Manburg and then join forces with him, Tommy likely filled in how to play his character and - wow.

Tommy’s writing seems to be incredibly simple - each exile stream had no major plot points or anything and the plans that are there don’t even make logical sense (let’s throw a party in one day and let’s invite everyone but have Dream not send out the invitations so no one shows up - and I’m going to do this even with Philza and Fundy literally in the call.) but Tommy pulled every one of them off very well and proved to be compelling enough that no one cared at all whether the plot made sense nor did Tommy make much effort to justify that sort of thing - ‘cause he knows how the SMP works and how much the audience will go along with it. And instead, Tommy focused entirely on his characterisation and spent all his time exploring it. That’s how Tommy works - very simple plans, then improv in character into an engaging bit. He’s managed to pull off the most ridiculous things like that, and has confidence that the other streamers will support it - that’s how he’s prepared to try insane things like pretending to be Clarencio the llama. And, like Tubbo, he’s always willing to throw for content.

Then there’s Technoblade. He’s streamed the SMP a lot less - though he’s done so much more recently - but he’s spent a lot more time playing on the SMP, doing tons of grinding. He here for the RP but is also committed to playing the game itself very optimally. He seems to have a much larger view, taking in the bigger picture, of the story where Tommy has a very personal view. His approach to content is all about the fanservice.

He’s always trying to create big epic, moments, that both look and sound awesome. Like the butcher’s army plotline which let him both seem like an underdog, a victim against a mean group, and also an incredible badass figure who outplayed them all and came out as victorious. The butcher’s army were really given an antagonists role there, and were really made to seem unlikeable. Then he met up with fan-favourite Tommy and suggested a team-up with him. (This is also leading to the ultimate fanservice that is the Sleepybois team-up.) Techno’s got a very, dry self-aware sens of humour too and he’ll often make simple meta observations about the SMP - like noting that the pacing’s fast or teasing in the chat in the middle of wars. He’s also made himself into a bit of a meme what with logging just to say his name and leave.

I don’t know how much it’s just Techno of course, but the plot really seems to be heading in a direction that suggesting that Technoblade was Right. L’Manburg’s seeming corrupt, and Tommy is being seen as Theseus. At the time Techno first made the Theseus speech, I felt like the comparison seemed unfair - but now it’s like the plot itself has bent over to make the comparison make sense, and Techno’s one of the writers of the script. Techno also of course, prepared a vault to show Tommy so he could say ‘welcome home Theseus dramatically - total fanservice as fans were indeed talking about how cool saying a line would be, and then he absolutely did. The way Techno calls his viewers chatting as the voices in his head is also fanservice. It’s not like actually true, as Techno ignores the chat if they tell him information his character doesn’t know and meanwhile all the streamers interact with their chat too - so all chats have always been a part of the story and calling them canon is absolutely meaningless. Not a bad thing though - it is nice and makes the fans happy and makes them feel included. I don’t know if this sounds critical by the way - it’s not meant as such at all - all the streamers love engaging with the fandom, and Techno’s approach to giving lots of fanservice by providing so many epic moments is great. I just wanted to highlight it.

And those were some meta thoughts on the SMP right now and its writing. I don’t really think I had a point or argument. I just wanting to make some observations and my impressions. If you’re curious I am course a Tommy fan first. I love how he’s evolved with the SMP most of all and I appreciate his character-driven storytelling. His main weakness is probably getting too into bits and going too far and it’s so nice that the SMP is a place where even his weaker ideas are supported rather than shut down. I like how he’s able to improv so well and simply how he streams. Perhaps unsurprisingly, I love Tubbo best when he’s with Tommy as they bring the best performances out of each other. I find Techno interesting as a contrast to both of them, as he approaches so many things in such a different way.

#dream smp #tommyinnit #tubbo #technoblade #meta #analysis #long post #i don't know what this was #i should just ask for asks #so i can ramble with more direction #like i have a lot of thoughts #but they're not all as coherent as i'd like

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lifeofkaze · 3 years

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When Stars Ignite - Chapter 5

HPHM Rockstar AU

A/N:

General Warning: This whole fic has a general warning of being NSFW / 18+. We will give specific warnings for every chapter in itself, but several adult themes will be more or less present in every chapter, may it be explicitly or in mention. These include sexual topics, drug abuse, (ab)use of alcohol, smoking and a whole lot of cursing.

Specific Warning: Language, reference to smoking (cigarettes), allusions to NSFW topics

~~~

Find the masterpost here, the previous chapter here and the next one here. The songs featured before every chapter can be found on this pretty badass playlist here.

~~~

This work is a collaboration with @the-al-chemist

Taglist: @slytherindisaster @carewyncromwell @night-rhea

Gettin' sold, second hand

That's how it goes, playin' in a band

It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock 'n' roll

~ AC/DC - It’s A Long Way to the Top ~

Halfway through their first week back on tour, their time in London was slowly drawing to an end. Lizzie couldn’t quite believe how fast the days seemed to fly by, each one a blur of tiredness, boredom and the addictive rush of adrenaline when they were on stage. Every day and night was like the one before and totally different all at once.

It felt like only yesterday that she had stepped from the plane back from America; at the same time, being surrounded by all the familiar faces and living in long established routines, her break from the hustle and bustle already seemed like an eternity away. Lizzie could still feel the last traces of jetlag wearing her down sometimes, but at least her shifted rhythm helped her stay energised during the shows; not that she was getting much sleep afterwards either.

Wrecked from her chronic lack of sleep, Lizzie had missed her alarm this morning. When she arrived at the largest dressing room of the O2 Arena, she found the rest of the band already assembled.

Merula and Everett were sitting at the huge table in the middle of the room, Everett scrolling through his social media accounts while Merula was painting her nails in a dark violet colour. Skye was slumped onto one of the sofas at the back of the room, a magazine spread across her lap. She looked up from the colourful pages as she saw Lizzie enter.

“About time you’re showing Jameson; thought you’d gotten lost somewhere. Where’ve you been?”

Lizzie sat down on the arm of the sofa Orion was sitting on; he lifted his head briefly and smiled before bending over his notebook again. Lizzie tried catching a glimpse of the lyrics he was scribbling down but he covered them with his hand. With a shrug, Lizzie turned her attention to Skye.

“I overslept and then ran into Charlie. Murphy and KC are gone somewhere, ‘having a meeting’ apparently.”

“That’s what they’re calling it these days,” Merula muttered under her breath, making Skye snort with laughter.

“Anyway,” Lizzie chuckled, “they’re not here to show the new pyro girl around. They left the job to Charlie, but apparently she’s late and no one knows how to reach her. He’s a little grumpy about it.” She furrowed her brow in concern. “I hope that doesn’t make for a bad start. Charlie had better behave, from what KC told me the newbie is promising.”

“A female pyro tech, just when I thought I’d seen it all,” Everett scoffed. “I mean, how good can she even be?”

Merula arched an eyebrow at him, her eyes sparkling dangerously. “You have a problem with a woman on the job, or what?”

Everett blatantly ignored her, however. “Hopefully we’ll have something to look at this time, right Orion?”

Orion was trying not to roll his eyes. “What we portray on the outside pales in comparison to what we carry in our hearts; as long as she’s a good person who is sure of what she’s doing, nothing can go wrong.”

“Getting along with Charlie would help, too,” Lizzie added.

A grin tugged at Orion’s lips. “It would indeed.”

Everett looked at him sceptically and shook his head. “Listen to you, as if you didn’t care about looks as well.”

Now Orion finally looked up from his notebook for good and frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Stop acting all innocent, everyone knows you’re getting your fair share of groupies as well,” Everett laughed, obviously finding the thought of someone preferring Orion to him hilarious. “Hotel room walls aren’t the thickest, you know.”

Lizzie almost choked on the bottle of water she had helped herself to. She was trying her hardest not to blush as her eyes flickered to Orion. Their eyes met for the briefest of moments before she busied herself with the lid of her bottle, hopefully looking more innocent than she felt. She could tell by the way Orion was trying to keep a straight face that Everett’s remark came just as surprising to him as it did to her.

Clearing his throat, Orion replied levelly “I have no idea what you’re talking about. It’s a wonder you’re able to hear anything over the racket you’re making most nights.”

Everett shrugged. “At least I’m open about it.”

“As much as I hate to say it, but Ev has a point,” Skye chimed in all of a sudden. She was waving her magazine through the air. “According to the Daily Mail, you’ve had at least six affairs ever since we’ve been to Spain. They mark you down as quite the casanova.” Same as Everett before, the thought seemed to amuse her to no end.

Merula rolled her eyes at Skye. “Why are you even reading that shit?”

“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer,” Skye shrugged. “And it’s fucking hilarious.”

Meanwhile, Lizzie had regained her composure. “Well, don’t keep us on the rack. What’s the latest news?”

Skye cleared her throat before scanning the pages. “After things got frosty between us in Poland, Lizzie and I have apparently decided on an open relationship. Good for us,” she looked up and blew her friend a kiss, which made Lizzie giggle. “They’re still taking bets when Merula is going to come out of the closet -”

“What is this bullshit with me being gay all the time,” Merula snarled.

“You just give that vibe, I know what I’m talking about,” Skye shrugged indifferently before carrying on. “We already had Orion being a ladies’ man and Ev… “

Skye trailed off as she read the paragraph again and looked up after she had finished. “There are pictures of you with Rita Skeeter in here, what’s that about?”

“None of your business,” Everett answered brusquely.

Lizzie saw Skye’s face darken at his tone and quickly snatched the magazine out of Skye’s hands. Just as anticipated, Skye’s attention immediately went to her as she tried to get it back.

The potential fight being dissolved before it had begun, the mood was gradually calming down again. It was an almost relaxed atmosphere in the dressing room, when the door opened and Ethan walked in. He looked very tense and as the door fell shut behind him with a bang, the muscles around his mouth were tight. He exhaled slowly, his hands running over his lessening brown hair.

Skye was disconcerted to see her father looking so unusually stressed. “Dad, what’s wrong?”

He held up a hand to silence her before producing a crumpled package of cigarettes from his pocket. Flicking his silver lighter open, he held the flame to one of them. “I’ll explain in a minute.”

“You do realise that there’s smoke detectors in here?” Lizzie pointed out apprehensively. “I don’t know about you but I don’t care much about getting soaked.”

Ethan took the glowing cigarette out of his mouth again and put it out against the nearest table. “Fucking rules,” he muttered. “Nobody gave a shit back in my days.”

Orion looked up from his notebook, his dark eyes unreadable as they took in Ethan’s nervous demeanour. “It’s clear to see that you’re agitated, but a pain is shared is a pain halved. What’s the matter?”

Ethan sighed, wistfully closing the packet of cigarettes before stowing it away in his pocket. “I had a few calls back and forth with the label over the last few days.”

“So?” Skye urged him on.

“They’re not particularly impressed with what the press is writing about you at the moment. They’re considering cutting the budget for the next album by half.”

His words went down like a lead balloon in the silence spreading throughout the room; no one could believe what they were hearing.

“Why the fuck would they do that?” Skye finally managed to croak out. “The next album was going to be our biggest production so far.”

“Why are they even thinking about it?” Lizzie agreed. “We’re playing to a full house every night. We’re doing a great job, if I may say so, and the reviews have all been really positive so far. The press has been good.”

But Ethan shook his head. “No, Lizzie, the press hasn’t been good at all. People don’t care about professional reviews in respectable magazines anymore. Everything the public sees is what’s written in those goddamn tabloids.” He was eyeing Skye’s copy of the Daily Mail with a grim face. “And they’re having a field day with you; have been for a while now.”

His look darkened further as his gaze swept the round of musicians assembled in front of him, resting particularly long on Everett, who didn’t budge in the slightest.

“Some of you are taking this whole ‘rockstar’ lifestyle too seriously. What was fun and games in my time doesn’t work today anymore. I’ve been told that the label had to fork out a good amount of money to get some positive stories about you out, counter the negative attention you’ve been getting.”

His words were met with icy silence, none of them feeling personally addressed by Ehtan’s barely hidden accusation.

“Listen,” he continued more placatory, “I know sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll are all fun to do, I’ve been there myself. But these days, people aren’t as easy about diva behaviour and trashed hotel rooms.”

Again, he was giving Everett a hard stare. “Cleaning up behind you costs the label hard cash. Cash they’re now cutting from the production budget.”

“That is very unfortunate to hear,” Orion spoke into the ensuing silence. “Is there anything we can do to make them reconsider their actions?”

Ethan’s face lit up with enthusiasm. “Good that you’re asking! I already designed a battle plan for us, we won’t have them compromise our work that easily.”

He placed both of his hands on the table where Merula and Everett were sitting, tapping the smooth surface with his fingers. “I’m thinking about going all out on the charm offensive. We’re going to be doing more interviews, more meet ‘n’ greets, fan events, charity bullshit, more of everything. You name it, we’re going to do it. We have to show the public you’re not some off-hook dickheads but still the old friends with a fucking heart of gold like you were when Equinox started.”

Merula snorted derisively. “Nice thought, but I doubt that will impress the guys from the label. You said it yourself, they’re all about the money, they don’t care about this sentimental bullshit.”

“You’re right,” Ethan said, “that’s why I struck a deal with them.”

The way he was avoiding Orion’s eyes was boding ill on Lizzie. And sure enough, Orion’s shoulders were tense as he spoke, his voice noticeably cooler than before. “What kind of deal?”

“They want to know if your new material is worth the huge investment. We need to prove that we’re still the best horse in their stable and they should place their bets on us instead of the new blood they recently signed, like that Winger guy.”

He ran his hand over his dark goatee as he met Orion’s eyes. “Some representatives are going to come to one of the shows in Manchester, see whether what you’re doing is still good enough for their full support.”

He raised his chin in a commanding gesture as he continued. “And they want to see how the crowd reacts to the new songs.”

Lizzie involuntarily held her breath. Orion was particular about his music; Ethan could have just as well asked him to set down his guitar and never touch it again.

And sure enough, his answer to Ethan’s proposition was simple. “No.”

But Ethan wasn’t about to acknowledge defeat so easily. “Yes. If we give the crowd and accordingly the label a taste of what’s to come, they’re going to see that we only deserve the best of the best once we’re ready to hit the studio again.”

Orion, however, remained unimpressed. “No.”

Ethan blinked, clearly irritated at the refusal to cooperate. “Why not?”

“None of the songs are ready to be shared. You don’t serve your guests a half-cooked meal and neither do you hang a picture missing its colours on the wall.”

His eyes narrowed as he looked Ethan straight in the face, the look in his eyes unwavering. “I won’t have my unfinished work being sold for profit; that’s not what this is about.”

Ethan glared at Orion, but instead of a sharp remark from his side, Everett spoke up. “We could play my stuff.”

Clearly surprised at the unexpected offer, Ethan turned his attention to the singer of the band. “You got songs of your own?”

Everett shrugged nonchalantly. “Sure I do. Just promise me they’ll be featured on the album and they’re all yours.”

Hesitant about giving Everett the confirmation he was asking for, Ethan focused on Orion again. “‘No’ is your last word?”

Lizzie had heard some of Everett’s songs before. They weren’t bad by all means, but they were lacking the finesse Orion’s music brought with it. She knew Ethan would take whatever he was offered, but that wouldn’t be in the band’s best interests.

“I know you're protective of your work,” she told Orion quietly, giving him an encouraging smile, “but you showed me what you’ve written so far, and some of the songs are almost there. They’re the best you’ve ever done, believe me. Everyone’s going to love them.”

Orion held her gaze for a moment, searching for the affirmation he needed to agree to a deal he didn’t want to make, but knew he had to in the end.

When he finally tore his eyes away from hers, he looked at Ethan and sighed. “Fine, have my songs. Under one condition,” he added, nipping Ethan’s victorious grin in the bud. “Until I’m completely satisfied with them, I’m going to sing them.”

“Excuse me?” Everett bristled up, “Am I the singer of this band or you? Get out of my fucking spotlight.”

Orion shook his head. “You misunderstand; I’m not trying to fight you for your place in the sun, my friend. But I wouldn’t know how to explain to you what I want the songs to sound like until they’re really finished.”

Ethan snorted. “Stop being a diva, Orion.”

But Orion was adamant in his resolve. “I’m not. All I want is for the people caring about our music to get what they deserve; and they don’t deserve some unfinished songs that aren’t even played the way they’re supposed to be.”

Both Ethan and Orion were staring at each other for a moment longer, before Ethan threw his hands up in exasperation. “Fine, have it your way then.”

Not believing what he was hearing, Everett stood up from his seat. His aggressive energy seemed to fill the room, making it feel a lot smaller than it actually was.

“Are you for real?” he snarled at Ethan. “I’m the frontman of this band, not him! It’s bad enough that his songs are the only ones that get played when mine are easily as good.”

He turned to Orion, eyes sparkling with anger. Lizzie, who was still sitting next to him, tried not to shrink back before him, but Orion met his gaze as calmly as ever. However, this seemed to anger Everett even further.

“You always said you didn’t want to sing, you were perfectly happy with doing background vocals if you had to. Why now all of a sudden? Tell you why, you’re not happy there’s someone else who knows how to write a decent song in this band. Do you consider me a threat to you or what?”

Everett’s voice had risen considerably. Skye and Lizzie were sharing a worried glance as the two male members of their band were glaring at each other, Merula just looking to and fro between them with a bored expression.

Not wanting things to go south even more than they already were, Ethan stepped between Orion and Everett to break their eye contact. “Ev, calm down. There’s no need -”

He was interrupted by a sharp knock on the door. Taken by surprise, it took Ethan several attempts to make the strain disappear from his voice. He cleared his throat one more time before calling to whoever was waiting on the other side of the door.

“Come in.”

#hphm #harry potter hogwarts mystery #hphm au #rockstar au #orion amari #skye parkin #merula snye #lizzie jameson #when stars ignite #besties collaborate

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argumentl · 3 years

Text

The Freedom of Expression Ep 38 - Discovery of new geoglyph in the Nazca lines.

K: Hi, this is Dir en grey's Kaoru with this week's episode of The Freedom of Expression. Joe san, Tasai san, welcome....

J: Ask me about it..haha

K: Wha..?

J: Ask me about it.

K: .....Today..

J: Haha, no no no. Hellooo? *points at Tokyo Sports hoodie that he is wearing* Look, look, look, everyone. Tokyo Sports have...actually, where are you selling this again?

T: Don Quijote.

J: Its a collaboration with Don Quijote.

T: Yeah.

J: Have a look. *Shows off hoodie* 'UFO caught in power lines'. I don't know why this scene has been chosen for it though. I've put it on straight away.

K: I've got one too. Its cute, right?

J: It is cute!

T: Oh, that makes me happy.

J: Anyone can get this if they go to Don Quijote?

T: Yep.

J: By the way, how much is it?

T: Its about ¥2000.

J: This is..

K: Its good.

J: Yeah it is.

K: Its good for this time of year.

J: This is great for just going to the convenience store.

Kami: Its cheap.

K: But isn't ¥2000 a bit expensive for Kami?

T: haha

Kami: Well, its cheap.

J: Honestly, its a bit loose in the body.

K: You don't have to say that.

J: Hahaha

T: No matter when it gets dirty..

J: Its okay? kinda thing?

K: On the otherhand, its easy to wear.

J: Easy to wear! Thats it. Easy to wear.

K: Yeh yeh.

J: Ah, its thin so its easy to wear, haha.

K: Great for when its just a bit chilly outside.

J: Just right for that.

T: Exactly.

J: So by all means, everyone, this is currently on sale at Don Quijote.

T: Thank you very much.

J: This is a super hot item.

T: Thank you.

K: Speaking of Tokyo Sports news, this week's story is..

T: Yeah. A new geoglyph in the Nazca lines has been discovered.

J: I've been waiting for this!

T: Another mystery to unfold.

J: Yeh, a mystery.

T: On the 16th of this month, Peru's Ministry of Culture announced that a group of archaeologists doing maintenance work in an area of the Nazca lines discovered a new geoglyph measuring at 37 meters. Its from an earlier era than any of the other geoglyphs that we know of. It hasn't been visible up to now because it was drawn on the side of a steep slope. But it has become possibe to get footage of it using drones etc, which means more discoveries like this might also be made from now on.

J: Its amazing, isn't it?

T: Did you see it?

J, K: Yeh yeh.

J: It looks like a cat.

K: The moment I saw it, I thought it was a fake.

J: Hahaha. Out of all the topics so far, your enthusiasm for this one is kinda different, right?

T: Its crazy, right? A cat...

J: It looks like that giraffe that Tasai drew recently.

K: haha, yeh.

J: I wondered if Tasai had drawn it.

T: Yeh, like presenting my own work.

J: Yeh yeh yeh. But then you probably didn't have time to go to Peru and do a 37 meter drawing.

T: Well, yeah. Looking at the design of the cat, Im not sure whether ancient people drew this.

J: What do you think, Kaoru?

K: Well, when I first saw it, I thought it was fake news.

J, T: Hahaha

J: It looks like it, doesn't it? It looks like a joke.

T: For sure.

K: It makes you think, 'Eh? Really??'

J: Yeah. Maybe they left it there as a joke.

T: The other designs in the Nazca lines, the birds and things, are drawn very precisely, aren't they? This one has a different touch to it.

K: This one is older than those though, isn't it?

T: Yeah, its older.

K: Maybe it all started from there.

J: Yeah. Its like the very beginning of the Nazca lines. It could've been like a practice attempt.

T: So like, it started from there, and became many different designs?

J: Yeah, that kind of thing, maybe?

T: I wonder.

J: But its said the Nazca lines have loads of mysteries about them. These days, in terms of technicalties, you would draw a small image first, and while looking at that, like when making a map, go equally to various places and leave stakes in the ground. And then gradually make it bigger. If you increase the size by the same amount, no matter what the angle, it eventually turns into that kind of shape, right? But to make that kinda of image back then, with all the obstacles that they faced, there is the theory that it could have been aliens. Its quite a deep rooted theory. What is Tokyo Sports' theory on this?

T: Well, there is the aliens theory, but also former AKB member, Kojima Haruna....Kojiharu, right? She drew a picture of a cat at some event back in 2015, or was it a tiger? It was a tiger. It looks exactly the same as this.

J: Hahaha

K: *looks at pic on Tasai's phone* Well...

Kami: You're talking about Kojiharu's drawing?

T: Yeah, like did she draw this?

Kami: Oh right. Um, I also..A long time ago, I drew a picture at Tottori sand dunes with a friend.

J, K, T: Ehh?

Kami: It was like a male symbol..I competed with my friend over the size.

J: Kami, how did you draw it, this male symbol?

Kami: Well, I got a tree, and trees are kind of thick, right. I found a really thick one, and went back and forward with it many times. We were saying to each other, like 'Mine is bigger'. Stupid, right? Haha.

T: Kami's type of fun is interesting.

Kami: Yeah, we went to Tottori sand dunes, it was fun though. I wouldn't be allowed to draw it now though, that type of thing.

J: Ah, is it banned there?

Kami: Well, these days its all about public decency. Maybe that was my fault.

K: Definitely.

J: Yeah. Its due to your excesses, Kami, now it has become like this.

Kami: Yes.

J: Stop it!

Kami: Its like as a god, I was the creator of these new rules.

J: Haha

T: I see.

J: Yeh, I see.

Kami: Yes.

K: He puts it very well.

J: He does. So, what do you think about this Kojiharu theory?

T: Well, we got a good response from her. She said something like 'Tokyo Sports, stop being stupid', haha.

K: Tokyo Sports gets about doesn't it?

J: Its great isn't it? haha. Imagine Kojiharu speaking out to them about the Nazca lines.

T: Also, the Major League player, the pitcher Maeda Kenta (Maeken), there has been talk that it looks like it was drawn by him.

K: Basically, the picture is not very good then.

J: Haha. So, Tokyo Sport's conclusion is that this geoglyph is old, but in terms of skill, its not that good?

T: Yeah. Well, because aliens did it to help them relax.

K: Ahh, I see.

J: Like, a drunk alien drew it or something?

T: Yeh yeh.

J: Ah, there are many possibilities.

K: Its great that there are still others that havn't been discovered yet.

J: Yeah.

Kami: Um, will it be said that I drew it if they find a vulgar drawing?

K, J, T: Hahaha

J: Hang on, you're a god, so it wouldn't be strange to say you were alive when the Nazca lines were made, right?

Kami: Right.

T: It wouldn't be that odd to find one or two vulgar ones would it?

J: Well, as I said earlier, they could start with a small drawing, and then gradually extend it, but the question is what did they make these for? I can understand that kind of big bird being related to a religious custom or something, but I'm interested in what this funny cat was made for.

T: Yeah

K: Well, I don't mean big ones, but they are a lot of small ones like this, done by people a long time ago, right?

T: Ah yeh.

J: Ah, I see. Yeh yeh.

T: It wasn't that unusual for ancient peope to draw random doodles, like symbols or religious images and stuff.

J: Ah, yeh. Its interesting.

Kami: Joe, I really understand what you said about expanding the drawing equally bit by bit.

J: Oh really?

Kami: Yeh, at Tottori sand dunes, the picture I drew was only circles and a line, but i made it bigger in the same way.

J: Oh right, yeh.

Kami: Yeah, I did.

J: So does that mean you really knew how to draw?

Kami: No, I didn't know how to at all. It just came naturally.

J: Naturally?

Kami: Yes.

T: Incredible.

J: Of couse, you are a god. I somehow wish you'd drawn something more decent. Haha

Kami: Well, I have a knack for that type of thing.

J: Haha, do you? Like, this is you?

Kami: Yes. Im just a vulgar guy.

J: Ah, you're vulgar? A vulgar god.

Kami: Yes.

K: Well, anyway, it will be interesting if they find any more of these.

J: Yeh, im looking forward to that.

T: I wonder if there are any more?

J: Oh, there will be more.

T: Hmm, yeh.

J: Well, I don't remember exactly, but in the place where the Nazca lines are, there is a characteristic type if soil quality, like if it rains, or is windy, the geoglyphs don't disappear.

K: Well, yeah.

J: If you drew a picture in regular ground, it would disappear when it rained, right? So, did these ancient people knew about the soil quality in this area, and draw them there deliberately to preserve them, or did they draw them in lots of different places, and only these ones have survived? Im not an expert, so I don't know, but it makes you imagine things when you see them.

K: Yeah.

J: Isn't it great?

T: There must be more..

J: Yeah.

T: Mysteries in this world.

J: Yes, I think so.

Kami: Isn't there any theory about them drawing graffiti with friends?

J: Well, there may be that kind of theory.

T: Yeah.

Kami: Is there?

K: We just don't know what happened.

J: Right, we don't know. Yeh.

T: That cat does just look like a prank.

J: Yeah.

T: There is no message in it.

J: No, there isn't. Haha.

K: How did they draw it though?

J: As for that Tokyo Sports Tshirt, I wonder if anyone holds copyright for the Nazca lines images?

K: I don't know, haha.

T: How about that? Hmm.

K: I don't know.

J: If its a press photo though, you can use it anywhere as long as you credit it, right?

K: Well, in that case, Tasai's drawing is better..

J: Oh, that?!

T: Hahaha

J: Lets make it!

K: Hahaha

J: How about that with 'The Freedom of Expression'.

T: That sounds good.

J: Kaoru did not seem to agree, haha.

K: No, lets just think about it a little more.

J: Yes, ok.

K: Ok, well lets finish here. Please subscribe. Thank you very much.

#the freedom of expression #tfoe #dir en grey #kaoru #薫 #nazca lines

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officialinuyasha · 3 years

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Yashahime Original Sountrack Translation

Yashahime Original Sountrack Translation Corrected

Pictures of the Soundtrack Booklet was provided to me by Jessica Rich. I typed this all by hand and made grammatical/name/localization corrections. I went to four different people for answers to ensure proper translation corrections: Ayuuria, Eerie, Juli and Kari.

Rules: You must only link back to these posts (Tumblr or Facebook) or reblog/share. You are allowed to talk about any information from this post with credit.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OfficialInuYashaGroup/permalink/1310193236015428

Yashahime Original Soundtrack Kaoru Wada: It has been 10 years since "Inuyasha: The Final Act" concluded with a grand finale.

Even before that and still today, there is an ongoing friendship among staffs and cast members, as well as the original author Rumiko Takahashi (we even went to a certain tropical Island together!). From this great teamwork the idea of a sequel to "Inuyasha" arose naturally, but I never thought it would become a reality...! I first hear about the project while attending Anime Boston held in the United States in 2018. Coincidentally, Michihiko Suwa, the producer of Yomiuri TV (at the time), Hideyuki Tomioka, the producer at Sunrise and the screenwriter Katsuyuki Sumisawa were also attending the conference, and we had a lot of fun talking about the project. "Wada-san, we are counting on you on the music!" - when I was offered the opportunity to work on this project, my imagination started to grow even before the story and characters were developed (laughs). Then the time passed, I heard that the production team led by Mr. Sumisawa was struggling to giving birth to the original story, but when Rumiko-sensei drew the characters of Towa, Setsuna, and Moroha, the production made a huge progress all at once. In the spring of 2020, I received the specific script and synopsis, and the door of "Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon, which inherited the DNA of "Inuyasha", opened in front of me. Main characters are the twin daughters of Sesshoumaru and the daughter of Inuyasha and Kagome. Their births and backgrounds are veiled in mystery and they must follow a rather fateful path in the story. Inevitably, I had a feeling that the music will be quite important. Generally, when the animation is based on an existing story, there is already the original comics available when the animation is being developed. We created the anime around it, so we would have ideas of the world and how the story develops, but the animations with original stories do not, so I often wondered when I was creating the music inside my head. In the end, I asked a few questions to Mr. Sumisawa, and after repeated consultations, I was finally able to find the worldview. Definitely giving birth to the music was difficult as well, but as the new characters succeeding to "Inuyasha" were gradually being drawn up, the motivation to write music also increased. Musically speaking, in keeping the musical DNA of "Inuyasha". Japanese musical instruments such as shinobue, nohkan, shakuhachi, biwa, koto, and also ethnic instruments are incorporated into the orchestra. All of the songs are newly written and recorded, but the story required songs from "Inuyasha", as well, so I made some amendments to the original score and made new recordings of them. In terms of songs, unlike adventurous, action-packed tone of 'Half-Demon Inuyasha', I made the main theme 'Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon fateful and epic. It meant to hint the fate of Yashahime, and to present the meaning of the song which connects generations. Similar to "Inuyasha", there are many different characters in this story. The Yashahime - Towa, Setsuna, and Moroha have theme songs as well as Demon Slayer, Jyuubee, and Takechiyo (please refer to my comments to each song). In particular, the main theme and themes for Towa, Setsuna and Moroha are played by Japanese instruments, while the orchestra adding colors. Antagonists such as Kirinmaru, the Four Perils, Riku, and as the enigmatic Zero are also characterized their personalities through music. Since I recorded the songs during the Covid-19 pandemic, the recording procedure was different from my usual style. The total number of musicians performing in the orchestra, playing Japanese instruments, ethnic percussions, piano and synthesizers accumulated to 50, but if we were to record at the same time, the studio became too crowded, so we had to divide the recording session into four sections. This method is not unique, but personally I like this old-school method of in-one-take recording! As for the music menu, which are discussed in the interview with the director Teruo Sato and sound director Yasushi Nagura, the total number of songs became nearly 60 songs, and if you add different versions, the total number became 76 songs recorded for the first "Inuyasha" was about 40 songs, so it is almost twice as many songs! We wanted to bring you as many songs as possible, so this album consists of a main disc and a bonus disc. The main disc consists of the original pieces for "Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon", while the bonus disc contains trailers and new recordings of the original "Inuyasha" pieces. We also designed the booklet rich in content. And as a special treat, the album cover was illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi! In order to make the best out of the illustration, we made the album into an LP jacket packaging, and I think you can even enjoy the art by displaying the album in your room. By the time this soundtrack album is released in March, the story has reached its climax, and we all have sweaty palms over what happens to Towa, Setsuna and Moroha. As the composer, I would be very happy if you can enjoy this album while remembering the story so far. I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude to everyone involved in the music production of "Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon", the successor to "Inuyasha", and especially Rumiko Takahashi who willingly illustrated the jacket artwork. Kaoru Wada

Teruo Sato (Director) X Yasushi Nagura (Sound Director) X Kaoru Wada (Composer) -First of all, please tell us how you all came to be involved in "Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon". SATO: I've joined the team through directing "Inuyasha", and I was asked by the producer to be a part of this anime. I worked on Inuyasha: The Final Act as an assistant director and was told "How about making a new series inheriting the worldview (of Inuyasha: The Final Act)?". I gladly accepted the offer. NAGURA: I was working as a recording engineer on Inuyasha. The cast and crew of "Inuyasha" got along very well and met regularly every year. We always talked about doing a story beyond "Inuyasha". I was a little surprised to be asked to be the sound director. Since the story was not for "Inuyasha" but for the next generation, I decided to accept the job. I probably wouldn't have accepted if it were "Inuyasha". But actually, when I was working for "Inuyasha" I was working not only as a recording engineer but also a curator of the music, around the time of "Band of Seven" series. In that sense, I was involved one step further from the recording in this series, so I was able to take it straightforwardly without much pressure. Although I was told that this anime is about the next generation, since the first episode was almost like "Inuyasha", I thought, "Shouldn't the sound director of the first episode be Youta Tsuruoka (who worked on "Inuyasha" and "Inuyasha: The Final act")? (laughs). SATO: Tsuruoka-san visited the recording session of the first episode (laughs). NAGURA: That's right. That's how we enjoy working on this anime as a team (laughs). WADA: Since "Inuyasha" had such as agreat teamwork, I was also able to continue my participation with my trusted friends. Michihiko Suwa (of ytv Nextry, who is working on "Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon" as a planning collaborator) was the initiator of the idea, and I have heard about this anime from him at a very early stage. Initially it was called "Inuyasha 2", but after some twists and turns, the series became a new story that inherits the world of "Inuyasha". Even so, many of the actors and staff continue to work on the series, so we feel the series is connected to "Inuyasha".

- This projected was made possible because the bond between the staff and cast of "Inuyasha" still existed. WADA: Yes, when the "Inuyasha" team gets together, staffs from Sunrise, the actors and staffs worked on the series, staffs from Shogakukan, and of course Rumiko Takahashi, the author of the original story are all present. That's why we are quick in many ways (laughs).

-What do you find attractive about "Inuyasha"? WADA: After all, I think Rumiko-sensei's original work is just wonderful. The character and worldview that Rumiko-sensei created, the beautiful ending of the story of "Inuyasha" have an incredible power. The inspiration from that was a huge part of the music as well. That's why making the music for an original series "Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon" was so difficult (laughs). SATO: The fact that you have to start from scratch is both fun and difficult, when it comes to creating an original series. I am completely relying on others (laughs). The worldview of "Inuyasha" is so special that when I was to direct the series, I said "If possible, I would like to ask the staffs who worked on "Inuyasha" on the design, music, and audiography. There are a lot of characters from "Inuyasha", and it takes time to tell new staffs about them from scratch...in order to eliminate the need for explanations, I wanted the same staff to join me as many as possible (laughs). But it seems that everyone had heard about it from some rumor in the wind and had been planning to do it, and they all came together when Suwa-san said, "let's do it." NAGURA: The characters in "Inuyasha" are very attractive, aren't they? Of course, they are very attractive on Rumiko-sensei's manga, and when the manga was made into an anime, the way the characters were directed, the way the actors put their voices on the characters, made them even more attractive. I believe that the charm of these characters is what makes "Inuyasha" work as an anime. And then there is the music by Wada-sensei. In a way, I think this is the strongest line-up. That's why I decided not to aim for "Inuyasha", when I was working for "Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon". If I chase after it, I won't be able to catch up, so I decided to just do my best and have fun with the young actors. I mainly think about how to make the characters in "Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon" more attractive. WADA: After all, one of the biggest differences between "Inuyasha" and "Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon" is whether there is an original story or not. Whenever I work on a new piece, I try things around and always wonder if it's good enough or not. That's exactly what happened with "Inuyasha" when I first recorded it in 2000. As a result, we were able to create something that fit the series, but that was largely due to the fact that we had the original comics. This time, since there is no story to begin with, we don't know what will happen next, so we really feel like we are creating the world. It was quite afflicting and difficult. I actually had a lot of secrets meetings with Mr. Katsuyuki Sumisawa (chief writer), asking him for information about the characters and the story (laughs).

-How far as the scenario finished when you were writing the music for "Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon?" WADA: I've heard the rough idea of the overall direction, but it kept changing and changing, and I think I had the final draft up to episode 7 or 8. SATO: It was in the single digits. The cutting (editing) process was completed up to episode 3 or 4, and that is all the information we had to ask him to create the music. WADA: There are a lot of characters, and if you just read the summary, you wonder like "Why are these twin sisters separated from each other? Where are their parents? "Why is Moroha alone?" I'm sure the viewers watching the show feel the same way, but at first, I too had a lot of questions (laughs). I heard that there were weekly scenario meetings, and even some major changes and shifts were made. NAGURA: When we ask Wada-sensei to compose the music, I first make a list of songs and ask the director to review it. After receiving the approval from the director, we handed it over to Wada-sensei and held a meeting. This time, I remember trying so hard to gather information from the plot to create the list. I wasn't attending the scenario meeting so I was searching for any small information from what I had (laughs). WADA: This is big birthing pains, isn't it? In "Inuyasha", there were character themes for the unique characters such as Inuyasha, Kagome, and Kikyo, so I wanted to keep that approach and made character themes for Towa, Setsuna, Moroha, and for other characters this time as well. But then I can't stop contacting Sumisawa-san again (laughs). SATO: That's how the number of meetings increased (laughs).

-So you asked Mr. Sumisawa directly "why does this character act this way?" and use that as a hint for writing the songs. WADA: Yes, also there was a part of me that wondered, "Where is this story going?". Although the music is not an answer to the story, but "Half-Demon Inuyasha", the main theme of "Inuyasha", is what we call swashbuckler-like music. But this time it's a little different. "What will happen to the three princesses in the future" was a major key to the motif of the songs, so in that sense I couldn't write without knowing the story.

-Based on Mr. Sumisawa's story, what was the motif in composing the main theme of "Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon"? WADA: I can't tell you that at this stage because it would be a spoiler... (laughs). From now on, Towa and Setsuna will have a big mission and destiny waiting for them. That's what this song is about.

-I see NAGURA: By the way, the number of songs has increased quite a it since I initially asked Wada-sensei. That's because after Wada-sensei talked with Sumisawa-san, he came up with saying "Don't you think we need a song for this character?". But I thought "I'm sorry there are so many songs" even when I first handed the list (laughs). SATO: But it came back with even more songs (laughs). In the beginning we asked for 45 songs, which I think is still quite a lot for a 2-cour series. But then, the number of songs increased by 1.5 times. WADA: I don't often write many songs in other projects. I would rather say, "I want to cut down" (laughs). However, when I talked with Sumisawa-san and learned about the future storyline, I thought, "Right....We should make a song for this character...." (laughs). That's how we ended up with more. NAGURA: I will be grateful for the opportunity to use them. SATO: I want to use them to the full. -The film score of "Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon has an atmosphere that follows the worldview of "Inuyasha." Do you have a formula for music that is unique to "Inuyasha", such as "using this instrument will give it Inuyasha feel"? WADA: Since the story is set in the Sengoku period, the concept from the begining was to use a lot of Japanese traditional instruments. When you think of Japanese traditional instruments, you might think of traditional music like Noh or Kabuki, but that's not the case, I wanted to introduce them into the orchestra withot feeling uncomfortable. That worked so well in "Inuyasha" that I carried it over to "Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon" as well. While "Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon" as a work, is not a position to be called a sequel to "Inuyasha", but it is a sequel in terms of music. SATO: That's what I ordered, too. I wanted the atmosphere of "Inuyasha" for sure however, it is a new series so I want the music to evolve as well. WADA: By the way, 'Half-Demon Inuyasha', the main theme song of "Inuyasha", was played in the first episode, but that was the newly recorded 2020 version. NAGURA: 'Half-Demon Inuyasha' was initially written in 2001, so about 20 years have passed since then. That's why I was concerned that if I mixed the music of "Inuyasha" in it's original form, with the newly recorded music of "Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon", they wouldn't fit in the same palette. So, I had an intention to ask to have the minimum number of songs necessary from "Inuyasha" re-recorded. SATO: When the first episode was aired, the fans responded, "It's from Inuyasha"! WADA: After all, I think fans were expecting it. The way Nagura-kun used the music was really superb. NAGURA: No, no, I had no choice but to put it on in that scene (laughs). WADA: The first episode was really a "then and there" story, just like a buffer from "Inuyasha" to "Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon". I think that 2020 version of 'Half-Demon Inuyasha' worked well to create a beautiful bridge.

-Earlier, Director Sato said that "I wanted the atmosphere of "Inuyasha" however, it is a new series so I want the music to evolve as well", Mr. Wada, how would you describe this "evolution"? WADA: My film score is basically orchestral, and I mix in various Japanese traditional instruments ad use special performing techniques to build up the worldview. It's the same method as last time, but the biggest part is to consider each character and directions they will take in the future. As in the case of "Inuyasha", there are many variations of one theme, and Nagura-kun chooses the music to suit the situation. I think it will change in the future, depending on the development of Towa and Setsuna's story, and the situation of Moroha.

-As the story unfolds, the way songs are heard is likely to change as well. When you write songs for each character, do you have a kind of main instrument for each character? WADA: Yes there is. It's just an image, but the main theme is basically biwa, shakuhachi and flute, just like in "Inuyasha". As for each piece, Towa is flute-based, Setsuna has koto, and Moroha has percussion and flute. Setsuna's song, Demon Slayer Setsuna, is kind of cool, kind of lyrical, like she's carrying something on her back. Moroha's song, Beniyasha Moroha, includes a djembe, an African drum, and various ethnic instruments. This was also the same in "Inuyasha", but I wanted to expand the sonic world a bit more by adding ethnic elements without focusing entirely on Japanese instruments. By the way, in the Inuyasha era. I also used the Chinese instrument erhu for Kikyou's theme. One more thing on the subject of composition, Moroha's theme is actually a variation of Kagome's theme. The image is that she inherited her mother's blood. I didn't include the theme of "Inuyasha" because no matter how I did it, people would know it is from "Inuyasha" (laughs).

-So there's a parent-child connection built into the music as well. By the way, what about Towa and Setsuna? WADA: As for Towa and Setsuna...It's a little difficult to inherit the motif of Sesshoumaru (laughs). SATO: Right, it could be a bit too stoical (laughs). WADA: I did not include it in Towa and Setsuna's themes because it was too much for the story to develop. Actually, Sumisawa-san once asked me if I could include the theme of Sesshoumaru somewher, but I said, "...I can't" (laughs).

-(laughs) Did Director Sato or Mr. Nagura give Mr. Wada any orders? NAGURA: No, what we have told Wada-sensei is basically just the original song list. This time, our request were quite rough. Not like "We are going to use the music in this particular scene, so please make the song in this direction", it was more like, for example if it was about the main theme, we would say, "this is the main theme" (laughs). Wada-sensei absorbed the concept around it, and we are grateful to use what he came up with. WADA: We can do that because of this team, and also because the story is inherited from "Inuyasha". NAGURA: In particular, for Towa's theme song, "Towa, the girl crossed time," I asked him to write about "The daughter who live in the present age, the puzzlement in the Sengoku period". I'm afraid I've left all the work to Wada-sensei...other than Towa's theme, I asked to write songs with concepts like "strong-willed, sense of justice, martial arts, fighting" and "determination, resolve, faith," so I had a certain image in mind to these songs. On the other hand, "the daughter who lived in the present age, the puzzlement in the Sengoku period"... (laughs). But I thought this would be the themes of Towa. It would be different if the song only reflected the puzzlement side. Wada-sensei was really good at handling this. SATO: In fact, this song helped us a lot. NAGURA: Yes it did. Especially in the beginning of the story, this song worked very effectively. WADA: I think that Towa is the closest to the viewer's point of view. In that sense, Towa's motif has the most arranged versions. I wanted to make them so that they could be used on various perspectives.

-Next, I'd like to talk about the recording process. I think the recording of this album took place during the coronavirus situation. Did you have any difficulties? WADA: The recording took place around the end of July. The orchestra consisted of about 50 people, 4 types of Japanese traditional instruments, ethnic instruments, and synths, as usual. I couldn't use the traditional recording method of "one take" because it would have been too dense for the Corona disaster. So we used the "section recording" method, where we recorded each section separately. The time required for the recording simply doubles, so it was a lot of work. There are more people doing it that way these days, though. But around April, when the state of emergency was declared, many studio musicians said they were too scared to go to the studio. If the session was in that time of year, I am sure I couldn't record such as a large group, no matter how much infection control measures I had taken. SATO: I believe it was about two months from commissioning the songs to the actual recording. I was wondering if you had enough time. WADA: I worked pretty hard (laughs). But for the main theme and themes of three girls, I was thinking about the motifs for a long time. What was difficult to see was how much music was needed for characters like Riku and Zero. Actually, at first, we were talking about writing songs for each of the Four Perils. But as more and more songs came out, we had to stop that.

-What did Mr. Sato and Mr. Nagura think when they listened to Mr. Wada's music? SATO: I was like, "This is Wada-san's songs!" (laughs). I felt so sure that the mixing process would be just fine. When the music was added to the first episode, it really created a worldview, and I felt the power of music after all. NAGURA: As soon as I heard the main theme, I thought, "We've won!" (laughs). In "Inuyasha" there is a big main theme called 'Half-Demon Inuyasha' which is still in everyone's ears, and this time we asked for a song corresponding to that song. Of course, works can never be compared in equal terms, but I was very relieved to have the song "Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon" which is very ear-catching. It's very helpful for me to be able to create a solid story flow of Yashahime.

-Is there anything you do to make Mr. Wada's music blend in with the dialogue and sound effects? NAGURA: I don't have to think too much. The sound engineer is Kenji Furukawa, who is also a member of the Inuyasha team, and he's done a very good job of making the scenes stand out. When you put the effects and music together as they are, they sound like they're coming out with a bang. There was no need for me to say, "I can't hear this part so let's do something about it." I'm very grateful for that.

-That's also where the teamwork comes into play. Now, please tell us about your favorite song in particular. SATO: For me, I have to say it is the main theme 'Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon'. As Mr. Nagura mentioned earlier, we asked Mr. Wada to "Write something equivalent to Inuyasha", which is quite an unreasonable request. The song 'Half-Demon Inuyasha' is so well known that it is still played on variety shows about the Sengoku period. But Wada-sensei did his best to respond to such a reckless order. As Nagura-san said, the biggest thing for me was that we felt "We could now express the world of "Yashahime: Princess Half Demon". Of course, I like all the other arrangements, but the fact that he was able to create that song made me realize the amazing talent of Wada-sensei once again. WADA: Thank you so much. From my point of view, all of the songs are my cute children, but if I had to pick one... surprisingly, it would be 'Setsuna's Lullaby' with Setsuna's violin. I still wonder, "Why the violin?" (laughs). I am sure there is a development to it, but I was surprised when I first heard it. SATO: It was quite a sudden order, "I want you to play the Demon Slayer song with the violin" (laughs). WADA: In episode 4 there is a scene where Setsuna was playing and there is also a reminiscing scene, so the song wouldn't work if it was edited, so I asked the director "how long are you going to use the song?" (laughs). SATO: We showed him the film in advance, and he made the song to fit to that scene. The writing process was similar to theatrical films. For this song, Nagura-san was concerned about whether it may give a different meaning. If you use it in various scenes and attach too much meaning to it, you won't be able to get rid of that image when you use it in a different development. He said, "I think only Sumisawa-san knows". NAGURA: Right, it's not just the scene where Setsuna plays the violin, but there is a part of the song where I want to put Setsuna's feelings on it. So I asked him, "You're not going to use it differently in the future, are you? Suddenly Moroha can play the violin too..." (laughs). SATO: I don't think so. (laughs). WADA: (Laughs). Setsuna can't sleep, but this song is actually Setsuna's lullaby. I play the piano myself. The scene where mama Moe played in episode 4. Personally, I hadn't played the piano for a long time, so it was quite a challenge. If you listen carefully, you'll hear that piano not so great but even though mama Moe is a world-class violinist, she's probably not that good at playing the piano (laughs). Because of these memories, 'this song is a bit memorable. NAGURA: I like all of them very much, but my personal favorite is 'Deathlight'. It's one of the songs used in the battle scene, and it's in 6 beats instead of 4. I love how the increased 2 beats expresses the sense of fear and oppression. I'm tempted to use it in the beginning, but every time I do, I will try to hold back a bit. WADA: Battle music is the key to any action series, so it's quite a struggle to figure out what to do this time (laughs). But on the other hand, the most interesting songs to make are the battle songs. The pictures also move the most, so there is a synergistic effect that makes me feel good. As in the case of "Inuyasha", I've been trying to change things up a bit, by using not so ordinary beats, or by adding contemporary music-like elements. Even though it was difficult, I had fun creating battle music for "Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon"

-So you express a sense of urgency in that aspect. WADA: That's right. For example, the theme of "Mission Impossible" is in 5 beats, and when you listen to that rhythm, you feel that it's a suspense story, right? By using such a sense of rhythm, not as it is, but with a slight twist, you evoke a sense of rhythm that is ingrained in your body. So, the composer has to come up with more ideas in that regard. SATO: Is that related to the fact that Wada-sensei is a disciple of Akira Ifukube (composer)? WADA: Ifukube-sensei also specializes in rhythm in many of his works. There are a lot of odd time signatures in his special effects works. Originally, I didn't have many 4-beat songs in my life's work, only odd time signatures. When you listen to it in loops, it doesn't sound so strange. It's just a lot of work to edit (laughs).

-Thank you very much. Lastly, please give us your comments to those who purchased the soundtrack. SATO: For "Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon", we have asked to write a lot of songs. I would like to feature as many songs as possible to the series, and at the same time, I would like people to listen to the soundtrack and immerse themselves in the world of "Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon". In addition, I would be happy if you could listen to the soundtrack of "Inuyasha" and feel the "world of Wada-sensei's music". NAGURA: If you want to use music in an animation, you will have to edit the because of the time. Actually, every time I do it, I feel like, "Wada-sensei, I'm sorry, let me cut it off" (laughs). However, when the soundtrack arrives in your hands, you will be able to understand the songs in their original form and enjoy them as songs. I hope you will enjoy the album from a variety of perspectives, either as a companion piece to the series or as a separate piece of music by Wada-sensei. WADA: This time, there are quite a lot of songs, so the album is a gorgeous 2 CD set. In the modern age, digital distribution is the mainstream, but I think it would be nice if people could enjoy the album as a physical object, looking at the pictures, reading the booklet, and imagining various things. As Director Sato and Nagura-kun said earlier, I would be happy if you could listen to the soundtrack and immerse yourself in the anime world again. By the way, you can now listen to the soundtrack of "Inuyasha" on digital platforms as well. I hope you will enjoy both of them.

#yashahime #inuyasha

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drsilverfish · 4 years

Text

Nine Minutes to Midnight

5x21 Two Minutes to Midnight

Nine episodes to beat God, and fifteen years since Kripke pitched his original On The Road fan-fiction meets folk horror.

I’ve had a lot of fun in this little corner of Tumblr SPN fandom, over the eight years I’ve been here. I arrived as a newbie in 2012, and people already here were kind to me. I’ve seen people come and go, get disillusioned with SPN and move onto new fandoms, or arrive latterly into this one, brimming with excitement.

This is a weird social media platform, and I doubt it will be around forever, as one of its joys is how singularly bad it has been at integrating advertising.

Some of my favourite things here have been;

Comments in the tags, often funny, thinky, joyful - love this element of Tumblr.

Coda fic - this short-form story-style, which leaps into the fan-fiction gaps, loud silences and lacunae of the text - what a joy.

All the different roles people take on in fandom, as labours of love - gif makers, fic and meta writers, artists, vidders, archivists, signal-boosters, enthusiastic readers and beta-readers, art-lovers, networkers, collaborators, question-askers and answerers, and participants of all kinds (introvert and extrovert).

Completely unrelated to SPN, posts which are full of puns and hilarity, from “lik the bred” to Brits vs Americans on the subject of drinking tea. I still love Tumblr’s collective sense of humour; it’s witty and charming.

The language of gifs; those delightful comtemporary hieroglyphics of emotive expression.

The diversity - English is the shared language, but gradually it’s apparent that despite US dominance of the site, there are people from all over the world here, whose native tongues range from Russian to Italian to Brazilian Portuguese.

The collective meta experience - sharing “live” textual analysis has been huge fun. Viewing a text in a hive mind this way always shows you something you’d have missed on your own. It’s like holding up a crystal to a thousand lights and watching all the different refractions happening at once.

Again, not SPN specific, but experts in various subjects, from Egyptology to Medieval History suddenly emerging from the depths to provide a passionate and erudite exposition on their topic. Often prefaced with, “My time has come...”

Fandom has a dark side. It can be a coping mechansim, for many, in a healthy or less healthy way. There are unfortunately, always the formation of various “in-groups” and “out-groups”, ship wars, harrassment (of other fans, cast and crew), entitlement, and wild unpleasantness. And, that scourge of the internet in general; performative outrage (otherwise known as the outrage economy) which turns up the dial on provocative statements and negative emotion because that acts as catnip for engagement. A lot of people act out their shadow-selves online, projecting their own internal stuff onto others, from behind the screen.

Almost no media texts get to run as long as SPN (fifteen years) but my first fandom was (and is) Doctor Who and that has been going for over 50. It has some absolutely horrendously toxic spaces and places online, and many of pure joy. My advice is - find the joy.

Stories, by inviting us into the shoes of others, teach us at their (and our) best, the invaluable gift of empathy.

Take care of yourselves. Endings are hard, no doubt.

Special shout-out to fellow LGBTQ+ fans - hold onto your hearts.

It can be complicated loving a story telling its queer (romantic/ erotic) love story implicitly (i.e. in subtext).

Don’t forget (as I always say in my tags) subtext is part of narrative - meaning, the totality of a text contains its explicit and implicit elements; its text and its subtext, just like Metatron (aka Robbie T) told us in 9x18 Metafiction.

I wasn’t in the fandom myself, here on Tumblr, but I saw some of the fall-out from BBC Sherlock S4, and it was particularly distressing to see so many young LGBTQ+ fans feeling deeply hurt and even suicidal, because they’d read all the (extensively crafted) queer subtext in that show as a promise which would, inevitably, lead to an unequivocal queer “coming out” for John and Sherlock.

Those queer fans weren’t “self-queerbaiting” - they were just reading the totality of the text. And after all, why not read the subtext that way, as a promise? Being of a generation who’d already gotten to see many explicitly out queer characters on-screen; why not dare to imagine the subtext was a slow-burn romance with an inevitable “out” climax? Especially because Mark Gatiss (one of the writers) is out and queer himself, young queer fans were even more certain that his Sherlock would be the first “out” queer Sherlock on-screen (The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, 1970, which Gatiss is on record as being a fan of, had previously queer-coded Holmes, as indeed does Downey’s version, in Sherlock, 2009, and Sherlock 2: A Game of Shadows, 2011.)

Of course, the corporate and production politics were no doubt complex behind the scenes at the BBC, and Gatiss himself (apparently) saw things differently saying (in an interview in Oct 2010):

“No, I don’t think I’d make a kind of gay programme. It’s much more interesting when it’s not about a single issue. And equally, I find flirting with the homoeroticism in Sherlock much more interesting.” (Buzz Magazine Oct 2010: p10).

All of which, is why I’ve been adding a disclaimer to my readings of SPN’s queer subtext for a while now - namely, that reading the subtext doesn’t promise a rainbow of obviousness at the end.

As I said, take care of your hearts, lovelies.

Perhaps we shouldn’t need the narrative closet any longer.

But, we are walking between worlds, an old one and a new, both of them currently existing simultaneously, especially in a globalised world.

Queer audience fractions are, generally, more attuned to queer subtext, because it often uses codes derived from queer culture (although reading cinematic/ television subtext of all kinds is a learned skill, and no one is born with text-reading gaydar). So, whilst queer subtext may appear “loud” to some audience fractions, it remains invisible to others. That is, historically, by design, because, whilst “out” queer characters have gradually emerged on-screen since the 1950s [and the end of the Hays Code in Hollywood] queerness was, and still is (depending on where one is in the world) subject to legal penalty, state censorship or corporate production censorship.

A contemporary kind of state censorship is e.g. in China, where overt LGBTQ+ themes and characters cannot be depicted on-screen (hence, the queer subtext in The Untamed). A contemporary commodity kind of censorship might be e.g. notes from the Network, or TPTB at Marvel Studios with an eye on box-office. Queer subtext has the ability to slip past the censors, or be tolerated by them; because, now you see it/ now you don’t. A character with a straight “surface” reading and a queer subtextual one may (depending on the film/ TV product and its market etc,) be seen to pose less risk as a commercial product, whilst being able to appeal to different audience fractions simultaneously. For example, Captain Marvel (2019) and, as above, BBC Sherlock (2010-2017).

And yes, it’s complicated, because in the midst of that still extant censorship, which queer writers and other creatives on set may indeed be trying to work around by using queer subtext, we can see another world is possible. More out queer stories are being told. And, although we may love to see implicit queerness rather than no queerness at all, and indeed although implicit queerness may (arguably) have the freedom (still) to tell less boundaried or stereotyped stories than explicit queerness (with powerful effects on the audience fractions, both queer and straight, who do “see” it) we can’t deny that it does suit corporate entities, in some cases, to be able to appeal to a dual audience without the perceived “risk” of “outness”. A form of “queer-sploitation” which leads to the charge of “queer-baiting”.

The issue is, perhaps, particularly one surrounding male hero characters in Hollywood (and here in the UK) a) because “queer stories” are (still) often, not seen as likely to have universal appeal for broader audiences, whereas “straight stories” are not framed as “straight stories” but as universal ones, and b) because of the persistence of the prejudiced belief in particular that “queerness” undermines masculinity, especially “heroic” masculinity (here we have diverged markedly from the ancient Greeks). It’s somewhat different for female characters, but that’s another post. Fantasy, in the on-screen medium (if less so in fiction or comics) appears to be a more regressive genre than, say, comedy, in terms of the depiction of “out” queer central (rather than side) characters, with the exception of the Wachowskis’ Sense8 (2015-18) in which pretty much everyone is queer. I know there’s Ruby’ Rose’s Batwoman (2019- ) which I haven’t had a chance to check out yet, and we’ve got some queer Marvel (side) heroes upcoming, apparently; Valkyrie in Thor: Love and Thunder and Phastos in The Eternals - let’s see how that goes.

Moreover, queer subtext doesn’t have an exact analogy i.e. a “straight subtext” equivalent. Yes, many films and TV shows imply romantic/ sexual tension and interest between M/ F (pre)couples before it is “confirmed” they’re into each other in the text. However, because straight is the default assumption, audiences may muse and disagree about the potential for a M/ F romance at the implicit stage (as they have done in SPN fandom re Sam/ Rowena) but they don’t ask - “Does this mean they might be straight ????” It is assumed. Queerness, on the other hand, in order to be widely recognised (rather than solely by the subtext-reading audience fraction) must “come out” in some manner, explicitly, in the text (I don’t mean graphically, but “beyond reasonable doubt”). In other words, as painful as it is, we are not starting on a level playing field. It’s not fair, but it is the deal.

That doesn’t mean we can’t love contemporary queer subtextual stories, just that it’s important to acknowledge it can be painful, for some, to do so, and just as it’s important to acknowlege it’s OK to find them too painful to love, also (historical texts obviously operated under different circumstances).

Queer audiences are not homogenous. We can, and do, see things differently from one another, perhaps particularly across generations.

It is the case however, I think, that the structuring of a story by the narrative closet, as SPN has been structured by the narrative closet (up to this point, mid S15) (by which I mean its queerness is transparent to some, invisible to others, by design) cannot help but remind many queer audience members of our own struggles with the real world closet. Indeed that may make the story attractive, or unattractive, to different folk.

Incidentally, which is why I avoid it, I think the “it’s canon”/ “it’s subtext” debate is a false dichotomy and a bit confusing, as there are two, perfectly legitimate (within their own terms) definitions of “canon”. In the fandom sense, where “canon” means a romantic/ erotic pairing explicitly confirmed in the text, Destiel (meaning romantic/ erotic orientation between Dean and Cas) is not “canon” (as at 15x11). It is implied. Of course, it is explicit text that they care deeply for one another - “You’re my family. I love you, I love all of you” (12x12 Stuck in the Middle with You), “You’re my best friend” (15x09 The Trap). The exact nature of that relationship remains, however, deliberately, ambiguous.

In the literary sense, in which “canon” means “the official body of work”, SPN’s official body of work contains a metric tonne of implicit romantic/ erotic Dean/ Cas, so, it is part of the SPN “canon” in that sense - “subtextual canon” if you like. Although, of course, because implied, therefore open to interpretation.... deliberately transparent to some and invisible to others.

Despite all this complexity, and, indeed despite other elements of the SPN narrative which I have struggled with personally (the early seasons’ misogyny is off the charts sometimes, the brutally insensitive manner of Charlie’s death) I have loved this story, Supernatural, truly, madly, deeply, in large part because of its (implicit) queerness. And for may other reasons additionally, from its folkloric beginnings and dark initial cinematographic palette, to its melodrama, to its, eventual, Ourboros structure, and its Jungian alchemical journey marrying the cosmic to the earthly.

Reading the show without the queer subtext remains possible, but oh boy is that analogous to only considering the above sea-level portion of an iceberg.

I would prefer a rainbow of obviousness at The EndTM, but I don’t expect one. What I expect is continued, deliberate, ambiguity. Something I am sure we will be debating the ethics of, long after.

I could be wrong :-). But I am taking my own advice, and taking care of my heart.

For now, it’s nine minutes to midnight; let’s see how the story ends.

And afterwards, however the chips may fall, the characters will (as this most meta-narrative of seasons has been busy telling us) be set free of “Chuck’s” control. They will belong to us, in a thousand thousand fan-works, for as long as we care to keep on loving them.

#Supernatural #SPN meta #Meta #5x21 #Two Minutes to Midnight #Endings are hard #Who am I kidding #Fandom is going to go wild #Whatever happens #The great queerbaiting debate #Reading Subtext #Dean is bisexual #Destiel #Still subtext #But subtext is part of narrative

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putschki1969 · 4 years

Text

Hikaru//’s Free Writing Vol.#1 English Translation

『I went to the UTA☆PURI exhibition♪』

〜Hikaru//'s Free Writing Vol.#1 〜

Hello, I am Hikaru//. My everyday job is to sing as an artist under the name of my solo-project『H-el-ical//』. However, for this occasion I will be writing a column.

I hope that all of you will be enjoying my column whether you are a long-time fan or a newcomer. My first edition is gonna be a “report”! I'm really excited since it is my first time writing a report in a column like this, I will do my best so it’s fun for all of us. For this report I visited the exhibition 『Uta no☆ Prince-sama♪「Another World 〜WHITE & BLACK〜」』 which is currently held at Tokyo Dome City Gallery AaMo.

『Uta no☆Prince-sama♪』 is a popular franchise that started out as a game and has since been adapted as manga, TV anime and theatrical anime. You are playing an aspiring composer who enters a prestigious performing arts school made up of students who are either vying to become an idol or a music producer. For your project you must team up with another student as an idol-producer team, and if you are successful, you will be able to join their agency after graduation.

I have played the mobile game and watched the anime. The day before going to the exhibition I also watched the BD of the theatrical release 『Uta no☆Prince-sama♪ Maji LOVE Kingdom』.

As soon as you enter the venue, this main visual can be found on the right side. You immediately get excited!

Despite knowing that the main cast will change between WHITE SIDE (first half) and BLACK SIDE (second half), it is still special to have all idols together on this visual...!

One cannot help but stare at the image, you really want to take your time and enjoy it but remaining too long in the entrance area will irritate the people entering behind you so let’s continue ahead!

In this fantastic crystal passage, there are photos and profiles of each idol. Passing through this space you will gradually be entering Another World that is awaiting you. The anticipation will have you super excited ♪

Finally enter Another World!

I'm thrilled to visit an exhibition that showcases the worldviews and stories of new songs and allows us to experience what it is like to be in the dressing rooms or on the stage side.

Dive into this new world while listening to the words of your idols!

There are displays left and right. I have no idea where to start ... I think I will start with my bias. So let’s go with the right side first. *laughs*

In this world all kinds of items related to the WHITE SIDE idols are on display. You can get a glimpse of the idol's personality and daily life, your knowledge of your favourite idols will surely expand.

Of course I will also check out the left side.

Here you will find an art board filled with lots of text. Looking at all the words will make you think "Oh, this is a popular dialogue", "Oh, these words touch my heart"! You will inevitably start imagining your favourite idols saying these words.

There is an amazing photo spot in the back! I was a little adventurous and tried dressing up as one of the idols but I guess it’s better to just take a picture dressed as a normal fan *laughs*

Right next to the spot is a miniature world ...Ah, I should have brought one of my plushies with me! ... I missed a great opportunity but it’s not too late for you. So everyone, be sure to bring your own plushies when you come here!!

We continue to the backstage area. First, the waiting room. There are lots of items that the idols would usually use in front of their mirrors, you can see notes and such, it almost seems like they were there just a minute ago.

Then we continue to the stage sleeve. There is a great arrangement of t-shirts for each idol ... ahh, this looks amazing!! I was mesmerised by the arrangement and couldn’t stop looking.

Then!! Their stage drinks!! Water! Someone has actually been drinking from them! *faints* Masato, Ai, and Len took a few sips ... ahh...I can’t take it!! Thank you so much for this!!

Turning to the other side and continuing ahead I discover interviews with the BLACK SIDE idols! Awesome! Such an awesome display! Be sure to check every detail without missing a single word!

Well, it is no exaggeration to say that this is the main event of the day: time to enjoy the video for the new song “WHITE GRAVITY” projected on a big screen. While listening to "WHITE GRAVITY" you can watch your idols in full size on the large screen and enjoy them to the fullest.

Finally, let’s head to the merch corner.

They have a system where you write everything you want on a sheet of paper. I am having a hard time deciding what to buy *laughs* Samples are also displayed before the checkout area! Think about what you want to get as long as necessary, just take your time, let’s all buy the things we love!! To show our gratitude for the franchise!

We have walked through the entire exhibtion. BUT! We have not reached the end of this report yet!

Apparenty every restaurant in Tokyo Dome City has collaboration menus inspired by the idols. So of course I HAD to check them out...That day I decided to go to MLB cafe TOKYO.

I ordered Natsuki's recommended "Shinomiya Farm Collaboration Pizza" and Cecil's recommended "Agna Palace Soup". The green cream soup is perfectly seasoned and delicious with a bit of bread. The Cream cheese x maple dessert pizza has a magical taste that combines sourness, saltiness and sweetness. When you order a collaboration menu, you will get one sticker for each item!

Satisfied after enjoying fun and delicious collaboration menus, my visit to the exhibition 『Uta no☆Prince-sama♪「Another World 〜WHITE & BLACK〜」WHITE SIDE』is finally coming to an end. While my main goal was to get material for my report, I tremendously enjoyed this exhibition *laughs*

There is a lot of attention to detail, you really learn to understand why people love Uta ☆ Puri (Uta no Prince Sama ♪) so much! Of course fans will have a blast visiting this exhibition but I think people who are not too familiar with the work can also have a great time. That’s why I thought, “why not whet your appetite with this report?”

And since WHITE SIDE was so good, I am now super curious about BLACK SIDE with a different cast...! I wanna go. I wonder what the next column will be about…?

I don't know yet, but I'd like to talk about it freely just as the title of my column suggests.

Last but not least, here is a random picture... of words that resonated with me.

Well, until next time!

#kalafina #hikaru #hikaru//#helical #helical//#h-el-ical//#otaku #Hikaru//'s Free Writing #Hikaru//の自由綴文 #Hikaru no Jiyū Tetsubun #spice column

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sevenincubistolemyheart · 5 years

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Contrivances Chapter 4

Au: Yandere!

Tag List: @xsunnyhoseokx @amiraclerenee

Rating: M

Potential Triggers: Lots of violence in this story and explicit gore and manipulation. Please be aware there is yandere themes. Thank you.

Pairing: BTS x Reader/OT7 x Reader

Genre: Drama, Romance, Angst, Hurt & Comfort

Length: 1k

A/N: This is in collaboration with @jooniescupcakes @girlmeetsliv3 @smileyoongle @likeamourningglory @junglekookbook @seven-souls, please check out their blogs as the story will be continued there and we're all writing together!

Waking up the next morning was anything but fun for you. But you did it nonetheless as you always did. Namjoon’s appearance last night had affected you far more than you’d like to admit and you reluctantly dragged yourself out of bed and to the shower to properly get ready for the day. You had to meet up with Jimin at that new restaurant that just opened up to go over what happened at the police station yesterday.

Even with prepping as much as you could, he saw through you anyway the second he laid eyes on you. The perks of being friends since childhood it seemed.

“Y/N! Did...Did you not sleep well last night? Your eyes are puffy…”

You gave him your best smile as you waved your hand in dismissal.

“I’m fine!! Yesterday just shook me up a bit is all, it’s only natural that I’d look a little worse for wear.”

Jimin’s slight frown told you that he didn’t buy your story but he seemed to deem it not worth a fight as you were led further into the restaurant and to your seats.

You made yourself comfortable and felt peace sweep over you for what felt like the first time in days as a soothing piano melody greeted your ears; a contrasting background track to the chaotic mess your life had now become.

“So...do they suspect you? Are you all cleared?”

Jimin’s concerned voice brought you back to your surroundings and situation both as you bit your lip to hold back your sigh.

“I wish it was that simple. I don’t think I’m a suspect but the interrogator did keep me for as long as they could before releasing me.”

You closed your eyes and swallowed back your nausea at the bloody scene that had haunted your nightmares last night.

“Not to mention the pictures he showed me of Benji...God. It was horrible Jimin.”

Your eyes teared up and you clutched your chest as with every beat of your heart it seemed a deep emotional pain flew through your body along with blood.

“He may have been a vile, disgusting Human being...but he was still a living breathing person. No-one deserved what he went through.”

Jimin frowned deeply, reaching out and gently taking your hand in his in a show of comfort.

“I can only imagine. I’m so sorry Y/N. You know you’re always welcome to stay at my place if you don’t want to be alone right now.”

You almost flinched at the warmth of his hand on yours but instead forced a shaky smile as you opened your eyes and quietly squeezed his hand in silent thanks. Jimin was the one constant you could always rely on to be there these days it seemed. You couldn’t be more grateful to have such an amazing friend to be with you through school, to your break up with Namjoon and now was comforting you after you’d witnessed a murder.

God, he was really something else.

The thought made you smile suddenly and his eyes crinkled with happiness as he smiled gently back at you.

“There’s my favorite smile. Now; pick out what you want to eat, will you? I didn’t eat lunch in preparation for this so I’m starving. And I have got to tell you about these clients of mine…”

He changed the subject to one you were used to and you fell into habits of the past that served as an easy distraction from the horrors that seemed to be plaguing your life lately. Your food arrived and you ate as you talked; enjoying the food with a grin,

Jimin suddenly popped up just as he was finishing up his meal with a pout on his face and a groan fell from his lips as he turned his apologetic gaze your way. You already knew before he even opened his mouth.

“Go ahead you nerd. I know you’ve got people to help and you’re understaffed.”

You said fondly giggling as he pulled you out of your seat to kiss you on the cheek and pull you into a near bone-crushing hug before beaming at you and rushing off to pay for his section and head out. You shook your head with a caring sigh. That boy was too loving for his own good. He’d worked all day only to get called in for an overnight shift. They better give him off to make up for it. He cared about his clients too damn much.

You were making your way up to the doors having left your share of the tab and the tip on the table already for another night unwinding at home only for a familiar sound to reach your ears.

The piano again. You found yourself moving towards the sound and realized it was emitting from a black-haired young man currently playing towards the back of the restaurant. You couldn’t help but approach; once again feeling overwhelmed with the peaceful feeling that washes over you as you politely waited for him to finish the piece before gently tapping him on the shoulder and offering him your name before voicing your thoughts.

“Hello there! Forgive my intrusion I just wanted to say that your playing really affected me. Music hasn’t gotten to me like that in quite a while and I really needed it tonight. So thanks.”

He turned to look at you, piercing dark chocolate iris’s scanning you initially with cautious curiosity before a small genuine smile gradually turned into a large one as you spoke, letting his gums show as his eyes sparkled with happiness at your sincere praise breaking his initial cold appearance to something warm and interesting.

“I should be the one thanking you. I haven’t had anyone talk about my music like that in...too long. I’m glad I could offer you comfort. Would you...want to meet up for coffee tomorrow afternoon? I’d love to hear your honest thoughts on a few other pieces I’m working on. The name’s Yoongi by the way.”

Something in your gut told you to decline, felt something prickle at the back of your neck. But...you refused to let your paranoia rule your life. The murder was a fluke and it was a horrible accident. It was all said and done.

So instead your smile almost matched his with wideness and pure happiness as you replied.

“...I’d love that.”

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takashimasubuchi · 4 years

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Interviewed by Zoomin’ Night

by Zhu Wenbo and Zhu Songjie 2020/5/18

1．Maybe you could introduce yourself first. How old are you? When did you start playing guitar, and when did you start playing this kind of music? I mean, quiet, with blank and some special skills, beautiful improvisation music.

I was born in 1984. I have been living in Tokyo since I was born.I started playing guitar when I was in junior high school. I don't remember why started.Maybe I wasn't interested in anything else. Pelktopia that I played with Hironobu Shimazawa is my first carrier to play this kind of music as you say. We had been playing for 2 or 3 years and released some LP, CD-R, and cassettes. This unit played by half composition and half improvisation with Folk, Blues, and Minimalism feeling.We had a common language of music and similar aesthetic sense for sound.So we were able to develop music constructively. I still think the music in this unit was great.Many of my ideas for improvisation were born at this time. After that, I started to play as a solo player. At the beginning of my solo career, I was playing drone music with many pedals. But I think this was a big failure for me. I was just turning the knob and just fun pedal's effect. It is the best way to fill in time and space. But that’s just it. I got too far away from my roots and physical myself. I felt I had to create the sound more fundamentally in a primitive way. It was around 2015 that I started to have the current style.

2. Before playing this kind of music, what kind of music did you play? What kind of chance made you decide to change at that time?

First. I started playing as an electric guitarist in some bands, I mean something like a Rock'n'Roll guitarist. I guess every guitarist will yearn for it when young. At the same time, I was obsessed with a lot of black music. especially I love Blues like John lee hooker and Son House. I learned what is free for me back then and making space in music from them. I was also absorbed in jazz and copied mainly Wes Montgomery and learn the method by self-taught. But I couldn't play it properly. Also, I felt cramped in the chordal system. I feel that It was a necessary experience to identify what is important for me. But I eventually stopped playing in band and electric guitar. Because I felt it is difficult to play primitively and genuinely. I felt dishonesty with electric instruments my own. I want to be physically involved in my instrument without any knobs and cables. Fortunately, I don't get tired of playing acoustic guitar. There are still many discoveries from playing.

3. Maybe you could share some details about guitar. Do you have any special or personal interests on guitar playing? Such as special tuning, microtone, objects on preparing, or some other special playing skill…..

I have been trying many open and irregular tuning. Thereby I can find a new sound and resonance from the guitar. I'm really into my main guitar which is Martin D-28 Authentic 1931. I want to bring out all the possibilities of this guitar. Sometimes, I try a prepared guitar and some objects. For example, I was rubbing a metal bar on the fret to make overtone and drone on 2527's Track2. But my main focus is playing by fingers of both hands just normally. This is the best way to express subtle elements.

4. Most of your performances are improvisation. What do you think about in improvisation concert? Or maybe the question could be, what do you try to keep the notice on normally in your performance?

I'm thinking about "music" When I play as a solo.I mean like phrase, scale...or Whether I'm doing well what I practiced. especially I am interested in polymodal. I want to combine some scales to connect to song myself or something like a story. Free or not free, something new or already done in the past. these are not big subjects for me. These are meaningless to think about. Because I feel like a dead-end no matter where I go. I think it should be democratic when I play with other players, like our social ideals. We have to construct something good through conversation in music. As many say. a really good situation is not to think anything during performance.

5. What kind of music do you listen when you are driving? Last time I took your car, you played Morton Feldman’s piano box. But don’t you think Feldman is too quiet for traffic?

No. I don't think so. My car is very quiet. It's easy to listen to Feldman's music.

6. So maybe you could share us your music taste. What is all-time favorites? Maybe you could give us a top 10 choice. And what do you listen in these days?

This includes music that I don't listen to anymore. But I listened to often. In order I listened 1「Electric Ladyland」Jimi Hendrix 2「Live at Sugarhill」John Lee Hooker 3「Original Delta Blues」Son House 4「The Complete Live At The Plugged Nickel 1965」Miles Davis 5「Olatunji Concert 」John Coltrane 6 「Riley: The Harp Of New Albion」Terry Riley 7 「In Bern」Loren Mazzacane Connors + Jim O'rouke 8 「Semi-Impressionism」Tetuzi Akiyama + Toshimaru Nakamura 9「For Bunita Marcus by Stephane Ginsburgh」Morton Feldman 10「Dead Pan Smiles」Riuichi Daijo

My recent favorite is below. Some of them are not recent releases.

「Bending Contumax」Jean-Luc Guionnet Jean-Luc Guionnet is saxophonist and organist. I didn't know him until recently. this is amazing enormous work by improvisation from 2008 to 2014. I feel this is very structural in spite of early intention feeling. Published by No School Recordings run by Masahiko Okura.

「Memoria」Takumi Akaishi Takumi Akaishi is a Hardy Gurdy player who lives in Tokyo is very unique. This was made from Hardy Gurdy and field recording with his great poetic sense. Published by Art Into Life, a Japanese record shop and label in Tochigi prefecture.

「Œuvres Électroniques」 Eliane Radigue This was bought during my 2019 European Tour in Basel at Plattfon Records. This is a box of 14CD. You can know her pursuit of sound but need time to listen to everything!!

7. Please tell about Straytone. You told me that you have a long and deep collaborations with him. How many years did you play together? What is the collaboration based on? Compare to other musicians, is there any special meanings of playing with Straytone to you?

We have a different idea about music and playing. Straytone attaches importance to the context in music more than me.I'm gradually becoming less concerned about context. On the other hand. I think He does not attach importance to improvisation more than me. We can complement each other for making music.

8. The cassette remind me of Tetuzi & Toshimaru. Actually at the first time I saw your performance I found out Tetuzi’s influence. And for Straytone’s sound, I have to say, it is very closed to Toshi’s nowadays sound, though they use different instruments. I think in this cassette, Straytone’s sound does not sounds like most modular synthesizer musicians. So how do you think about Tetuzi & Toshimaru? Do you try to reference, borrow or avoid some idea from this classical Japanese duo?

I think that Tetuzi Akiyama and Toshimaru Nakamura are The most important improviser.「Semi-Impressionism」is the earliest music I've ever heard of improvisation music that's not jazz. This is my opinion on them. In particular, I was directly influenced by Tetuzi Akiyama as guitarist. His greatness is flipped over the concept of all avant-garde. It's like a dadaist but more based on his intuition and honesty. Toshimaru Nakamura is a very important person culturally of electronics improvisation scene. But he does not hesitate to break the culture himself and constantly update himself. He seems to be challenging himself at every concert without any attention to appearance. They play universal language and techniques in spite of based on very personal interest without systematized academic methods. They paved the way by this attitude especially for players without musical education or career. There have been groups with similar concepts in the past like AMM or Musica Elettronica Viva. But they are based on more western values or academism.

In the past, if we want to play with someone we had to learn the methods and languages that are already. Like Jazz, Classic also Rock music. Maybe It's also included "Free Improvisation". But They proved that we could play using each personal interests, techniques, and ideas without systematized academic methods or languages. It doesn’t mean there is no need to learn or practice. We got an environment that we can pursue what we feel really important to us individually. At the same time, we can communicate in music in any country, musical background, and culture. We can express each identity and exchange ideas in the music directly.

9. The cassette title is 2527. What did the name come from?

It is a secret.

10. Please also tell us about Permian, the venue you run. Could you describe it? How is the neighborhood and how does it looks inside? When did you start running this place? Why do you want to run a “only improvisation” venue? Sorry that I have never been to Permian before, next time I will, I promise!

Permian started in 2018. Running by me,Riuichi Daijo and some musicians. We often talked about almost venues have a lot of superfluous things for the concert. like bar counter, records, and BGM. We don't provide any drink, food, and BGM to concentrate on the concert and playing. An audience can choose admission fees between 1,000 to 3,000yen of every concert. By this, the audience can determine the value of the concert with independence. There are many cafes and bars nearby. But finding an improvisational audience is difficult. Improvisation is primordial practice and starting point of all expressions. It is should be open to more people. I hope that we always try to re-grab music from zero by each concert.

11. If you have to choose 3 favorite improvisation musicians, who will it be?

Tetuzi Akiyama John Tilbury John Coltrane

12. In the description I found about your album "R, R, R", it was mentioned that some of your guitar playing has the feeling of John Fahey. Do you agree with this statement? Has John Fahey's music influenced your listening and playing?

Of course, I listened to a lot of albums of John Fahey. But I’ve almost never copied his guitar. I am strongly influenced by what is called American Primitive, just like him. But I think I'm not the same lineage or context as him. I have big respect for traditional music but maybe I'm not interested in inheriting. It's not my role. As I said, I copied a lot of guitar from the 60's Rock group, Blues and Jazz music when I played electric guitar. But my acoustic guitar style is Almost self-taught.I've almost never copied someone's play except some Blues. Sometimes, I try to copy Morton Feldman's piano piece by guitar.

13. Are you more focused or relaxed when you play? Do you think there is a big gap between your performance and recording? In which state(relaxed or focused) do you prefer when making music?

To be honest, I want to relax and play. If I try to concentrate, the feeling runs away.

#article

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featuristicfilm · 5 years

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Movies of Fall/Winter 2019 (and 2020) that I’m really excited to see

With awards season kicking in, the movie release slate is about to bring us some incredible pieces of cinema. There are many films this year that sound fun, interesting, profound and promising so here is a shortened list of the ones that get me giddy with most anticipation. TOP 5 let’s go! (and a few honourable mentions)

5. Lucy in the Sky (Noah Hawley, December 6th, 2019, UK)

Randomly stumbling upon its trailer on Youtube, I was surprised as to why I haven’t heard anything about this film at all because it actually looks super intriguing. Even though the notion of a space movie can feel fairly worn-out, and there is only so much originality you can bring to that kind of concept, Lucy in the Sky looks like it’s going to be a completely shifted take on space dynamics and exploration. In fact, it seems it’s going to be a story fully centred around one character’s individual, self-reflective, very personal journey, with space acting only as a narrative device that creates the background, rather than it being at the forefront of the film’s events. Natalie Portman seems completely in her shoes in this trope of a study of a character who’s deeply damaged and emotionally transformed by whatever trials she undergoes. The trailer is put together so perfectly as well. It tells just enough information for us to understand what is the movie’s premise while also creating a dramatic and suspenseful energy. Also, to me the imagery feels very grounded and serious but also kind of weird, daring and eccentric in some shots, so if the creators managed to balance a kind of art-house approach with some epic, grandiose visual elements it is going to be one hell of a film. To be fair, I was kind of excited just ‘cause it’s Natalie Portman but the more I think about the story the more interesting and promising it sounds. Unfortunately, it comes out October 4th which means its going to have a biiiiit of a competitor in the box-office in the form of Joker.

4. Jojo Rabbit (Taika Waititi, January 3rd, 2020, UK)

This one exhibits several traits that make the film very enticing. First of all, of course, the subject matter. I think it’s fair to say that a little boy interacting with Adolf Hitler in the shape of an imaginary friend is as crazy and amusing an idea as it gets. And, of course, many of us have our understanding and reaction towards the people and events of the WW2 era but to have that portrayed in a comedy genre is definitely going to cast a whole new light on the subject, at least as seen on the big screen. This will most likely be a story exploring harsh realism through imagination and fantasy but also through the earnest and innocent eyes of a child and it will likely be a surprising take and not what anyone expects it to be. Due to many reasons, it is, obviously, going to be a widespread conversation piece and for that alone I have to see it. The other thing that perfectly complements the idea of this project, is the man himself, Taika Waititi. I don’t think a better combination between the material and the creator can emerge because it is hard to imagine someone else taking on such a bold proposition. He’s just the type of writer and director that is so unique in style and taste that you just believe anything he makes is going to turn out special in one way or another, and having creative will and freedom and integrity might be exactly what made this whole thing possible in the first place. Plus Waititi himself is playing Hitler which, I’d imagine, just raises the scale of humour and energy and dynamics of the whole piece.

3. Jumanji: The Next Level (Jake Kasden, December 13th, 2019, UK)

I know, a not so popular of a choice. Compared to the way every other film is awaited based on their technical and creative merits, with this one I am so genuinely eager to experience the fun. After all the amusement Jumanji: Into the Jungle brought to the franchise, I don’t see why anybody wouldn’t be excited about this next instalment. I absolutely loved that film, it was so so so funny and entertaining! The story was really great because not only did it bring that fantasy and adventure aspect once again but also the way the avatar/game player narrative approach was incorporated was so unique. So, after seeing the trailers for this sequel, it sparked even more excitement to see how else can they possibly spin that concept. With that in mind, bringing in Danny DeVito and Danny Glover, well regarded comedic figures and over all talents, to the mix is genius. Them trapped in the bodies of Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart is, honestly, a hilarious thought and having old guys interact with the other teenage friends and deal with challenges in the desert, jungle, mountain tops will be no less than a thrilling journey. I think this is going to be just the right film to kind of step back from all the serious and deep dramas that will be in full motion for Oscar season at the time, and switch to some good-old light-hearted cinema. With holidays coming up during its release (December 13th) - nothing better than to go see a fun family movie. And if the playfulness and humour combined with the fond spirit of the story lands at least the same way as it did with the previous film, it’s going to win over people’s hearts and probably the box-office. Can’t wait to just fully enjoy the action and immerse myself in the wonder of this adventure all over again!

2. Joker (Todd Philips, October 4th, 2019, UK)

I have to admit, while initially I was very interested in this new iteration of Joker purely on a general movie-goer level, it was maintained and gradually piqued as time went on largely due to everyone talking about it so much. The sheer amount of hype and anticipation this announcement has managed to create is baffling. Every film coverage outlet, magazine, blog was discussing it. And maybe it’s just that I follow a lot of superhero genre loving people and maybe the idea of this film, in fact, doesn’t concern the general viewer as much, still it has kept many eagerly waiting. The thing that gives it an edge, though, is the fact that this is not simply going to be your general superhero action blockbuster but rather an intense psychological drama reflecting on certain societal issues applied to a familiar mythology. The character everyone knows as a rival to Batman here seems to be a troubled man, beaten down literally, as well as emotionally due to social injustice and his own mental complications. Therefore, this film will probably not rely on epic showdowns and comic tropes as much but actually will give the concept of an ‘origin story’ a different meaning. It’s exciting that DC took it upon themselves to make a bold and creatively charged version of their beloved character, and with Joaquin Phoenix as the lead and Todd Philips as director I think they can be confident about their vision. Whether it is going to be received well or not, that’s the question. While it did already receive heaps of acclaim, including the Golden Lion in the Venice Film Festival, the early audience reviews are quite widely mixed. Nonetheless, it is very intriguing. I have to say, it’s shaping out to be one of those films, and performances, in particular, that have the ability to stay in the minds of the viewers long after. Not long to wait now and we’ll finally see if it lives up to what it set out for. ‘Cause let me tell you, the standard’s high, for sure.

Knives Out (Rian Johnson, November 29th, 2019, UK)

For the longest, this film and Joker were up to par for the number one place on my list of the most awaited movies of the rest of year. Every trailer amped up the excitement so much more and, ultimately, when I felt that I could’t stop thinking about Knives Out, counting days ‘till it’s release, I knew which one has won me over. No surprise, though. I absolutely love whodunnits!!! There’s just a certain thrill to a mystery or a detective style film that cannot be found anywhere else. There’s always so much room for exploration of characters and narratives and the story can take so many directions. If a screenplay for a murder mystery is done right, and all the twists and turns are unexpected and smartly placed, it’s just the best. I also love the interactive aspect of it. Even though I know I can’t change the way it all plays out, I have the ability to have my own reasoning and conclusions that I can apply in my head as the events role out. So with this film I was instantly hooked. Chris Evans’ attachment to the project definitely helped me discover it, though. I’m a huge fan of his and I was curious already to see what kind of role he is about to take on next after the culmination of his journey as Captain America in the MCU. Since I find him to be a very intelligent actor, I think I can trust his judgement on what kind of material is interesting to explore and what kind of people are worth collaborating with. That in mind, this cast looks absolutely incredible! Some really experienced ‘veterans’ in Toni College, Jamie Lee Curtis, Christopher Plummer, a big big star Daniel Craig, as well as some less known but promising names such as Ana de Armas and Katherine Langford, for example. And that’s just to name a few… Wow. With the nature and genre of the story, given it’s a suspenseful mystery but with a comedic flare, a good ensemble of performers is crucial, as is their dynamic. Hopefully, writer/director Rian Johnson has managed to create a rich, powerful and unique film that will entertain and won’t disappoint. I do believe that will be the case, as that much talent on screen and behind the camera is usually a recipe for success.

If not for the short list… I have so many other films that have caught my attention and that will absolutely have me in the cinema seat on opening night. These include Bombshell whose team is worth an applause for that amazingly well put teaser trailer; Just Mercy, for a true story that will no doubt have an impact on me and for what seem to be astounding performances by the lead cast; and Marriage Story because it will make me cry… Stories about family, love and relationships always hit close home, this one might break my heart but there’s pain and joy in life all the time, I look forward to seeing the often difficult reality reflected on screen.

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innerpostmentality · 5 years

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Prelude - Aeneas & Sarissa

Four thousand years ago gods and magic shaped and ruled and were plentiful in the world. Man and all magic diminished and the things of science took precedence until magic became a myth tucked away safely in children’s fairy tales and skilled entertainer’s parlor tricks. It’s been the creatures were shaped and marked by it. Then things began to change. Gradually those things of a thousand years of progress unmarked by true magic. Things are about to change.

This fic is part of a collaborative AU created by my talented friends @tornbetween2loves, @kennaxval and myself. This part was written 50/50 by myself and @tornbetween2loves.

Disclaimer: all original TRR characters and references belong to Pixelberry, however we are claiming their beautiful children as our own creations. Please see the Series Master List here: Arcana Unbound Series Masterlist Word count: 4800 + Warnings: mild angst, pretty PG-13 for this part. Future parts will be erotic and deal with some serious problems.

Tags: @darley1101 @gardeningourmet @speedyoperarascalparty @hopefulmoonobject @bobasheebaby @carabeth @sawyeroakleyscowboyhat @riseandshinelittleblossom @stopforamoment @teamtomsato @furiousherringoperatortoad @indiacater @sirbeepsalot @alesana45 @strangerofbraidwood @museofbooks @eileendannie @furryperfectionlover @ao719 @blackcatkita Her intent when she told Leo she might just shoot some pool after he showed off his horse was to get a little time to think and kill time while Xiphos and Calais did… whatever. Now as she stood before the door into the billiard room alone, light seeping below the door, the last thing she wanted was to possibly interrupt, whatever.. so she cupped her ear and listened at the door for a moment. She heard what sounded like someone breaking to start a game of pool but no conversation. She thought to herself that it must be Aeneas. The future king. The king that she would most likely protect one day. She hesitated at the door as she contemplated if this was a good idea. Sure, they had grown up together, and attended a lot of the same parties and events. And they had spent a decent amount of time together but always in the presence of Calais or Xiphos or both. Never alone. She could not think of a single instance when she was alone with the crown prince.

She suddenly felt nervous. What would she say to him? Would they even be able to hold a conversation? She sighed, suddenly in need of a drink. She raised her hand and knocked lightly on the door.

He was surprised as he leaned over the table and heard the soft knock. "Enter" he called as he made the shot before he turned to the door. His eyes widened in surprise. "Sarissa? Hey, are you okay?"

She smiled at him. “Yes, I’m fine.” She glanced over at the bar. “I was hoping to have a drink. Care to join me?”

He smiled. "Sure" He set his cue stick back in the rack. "What is your preference Sarissa?

She smiled at him as she noticed for the first time how good-looking he was. She didn’t know why she hadn’t noticed before. Hell, she hadn’t noticed anyone before. “I’d love a vodka tonic, please.”

He lifted a brow and grinned... "Vodka tonic eh?" He poured her drink and put some ice in a glass and poured some black label whiskey over it for himself. "So what has you drinking vodka tonic tonight?"

She sighed deeply and narrowed her eyes at him with a small smile. “I think you already know the answer to that, Aeneas.” She took the drink from him and took a long swig. “But if you don’t mind, I’d rather not talk about it. Let’s talk about something more pleasant.”

He searched her dark eyes for a moment before he nodded. "Very well. What is your favorite hobby, Sarissa? I have known you forever; but I think this is the first time you have ever come to talk with me. So tell me about what you like?"

“I like to read.” She suddenly felt very shy as she tried to think of something else. Her face grew hot. “I’ve never talked with you before because I was never sure it was appropriate. Please don’t take it personally.” Her eyes shifted downward to avoid his gaze.

"Hey," he lifted her chin gently to look in her dark eyes. "I am not offended. And reading takes in a lot of territory. What do you like to read Sarissa?" He grinned and studied her as he contemplated her with his amethyst gaze. "Mystery?"

She smiled as she gazed into the violet swirls of his eyes. In that moment, she found him mesmerizing. “I definitely find mysteries interesting. I also enjoy true crime stories. And I’m a sucker for the classics. Anything written in the late 1800s to early 1900s.”

“What about you, Aeneas? Do you like to read?”

He grinned and his eyes were bright. He nodded. "Oh yes. I love reading... well not so much reports about minutiae." He crooked his finger at her, "I can tell you a secret. But you can’t tell..."

She leaned in a bit closer with a sly grin on her face. “You can tell me. I’m great at keeping secrets.”

"I love to read really good cookbooks." He whispered low in her ear his breath warm on her cheek.

She couldn’t help the laughter that escaped her at his confession. “Cookbooks? Really?” She chuckled and gulped down the rest of her drink. “That wasn’t exactly what I was expecting.”

"Shhh,,," He looked around like the walls might be listening. Then smiled. "Seriously a really great cookbook is like travelling with the added benefit of some amazing recipes and stories about their origins." "You have a great laugh, Sarissa."

A slight blush crossed her cheeks. “Thanks. And I must say, you are more fun than I thought.” A moment later, she realized that he might have found that offensive. Her eyes grew wide as she slapped her hand over her open mouth. “Oh, I’m sorry, that was so rude of me. I didn’t mean to imply that you aren’t fun, Aeneas.” She looked away from him, cursing vodka tonic under her breath.

He shook his head. "It is fine. I might be a little tipsy. You would not believe … Well you might. Just please do not Highn ASS me and we will be fine. And I give you official permission to remember when it is private please just let me be Aeneas."

She smiled at him as relief washed over her. At his mention of it, she realized she hadn’t referred to him once as ‘your highness’ or ‘your royal highness’ or even ‘sir’. The thought truly never crossed her mind once she entered the room. She studied his eyes, she found the violet pools captivated her to the point where she couldn’t break their gaze. She swallowed hard as she battled her nerves which were normally made of steel. “So what do you do for fun Aeneas?”

"Fun? What is this foreign language you speak?" He grinned as he teased. "I make horrible messes in the kitchen trying to make some of the things I have read about. Hand spun sugar and sugar work are especially messy. Even when they go right. I play guitar and sing... mostly in the bathtub. Sing that is not play guitar. Oh... and I play billiards and pool. Billiards mostly to think. Pool mostly to beat my little brother."

She smiled at him, her eyes danced with amusement. “I didn’t know you could sing. Or play guitar, for that matter.” She smiled as she leaned in close to him again. “Will you cook for me sometime, Aeneas?” She knew somehow that she might wake up tomorrow and be mortified about this conversation. But in this moment, she didn’t care. “I guess I won’t challenge you to a game of pool then. Leo beats me all the time so I’m sure you would totally kick my ass. I would need lessons to prepare.”

Aeneas nodded and smiled, "I would be happy to cook for you. Or with you." His eyes were intent but he seemed happy and relaxed as he leaned toward her. "There is a secret with pool as well. You really want to know how to get a good break. It is all in the wrist. It is not how hard you hit it but rather how much spin you put on it." There was a soft knock on the door and Aeneas laughed as he looked up at the door. Then he grinned at her and whispered, “Quick, who do you think that might be?" He was close. Close enough she could smell his fresh woodsy cologne and faintly the whiskey he'd been sipping.

Her heart pounded in her chest and she wished whoever was at the door would just go away. She flashed Aeneas a smile as she rolled her eyes. “I’m guessing it’s our two favorite people. I wish we could hide and not answer it.” She nuzzled a bit closer to him as she breathed in his scent to commit to memory.

"Do you?" He looked in her eyes a moment then grabbed her hand and pulled her over to the cue rack. He reached down and pressed the molding and there was a faint click. He opened the panel into darkness and stepped in tugging her hand for her to follow him before it closed. It was almost pitch dark and he was right behind her, warm against her back. He whispered softly in her ear. "We have to be quiet. Calais knows this is here. If they hear us we are stuck."

She leaned into him, the warmth of his body against hers. His whisper in her ear sent shivers down her spine and she trembled just a bit. She sighed and hoped he didn’t notice. Her voice was barely a whisper. “I don’t think they’ll try too hard to find us anyway.”

A moment later they heard Calais voice, "Sarissa?" "Well she's not in here now, Xiphos. But there are two glasses still on the table and there's ice and ... whiskey still in this one. Aeneas doesn't usually leave a mess. Leo?... " The room got quiet. Aeneas shook against her back as he tried to keep from laughing out loud at the mystery they had posed for his sister and Xiphos. After a moment he whispered, "Give me your hand and follow me." His hand was warm and large as he held hers gently and led her through darkened passages. After a few moments he paused not letting go of her hand and feeling around on the wall. He pressed a button and a light at floor level came on illuminating stairs going down. "My dad used to tell stories of him and Uncle Drake playing hide and seek in the tunnels. Apparently, your dad was the only one who could regularly find them." He led her down a couple of flights of stairs and then paused at another panel that from this side looked like another doorway. He listened intently for a moment then opened it with a small lever. It opened into a large well stocked pantry. Aeneas smiled broadly enough to show his one dimple. And bowed to her. "Mi Lady your pantry awaits... Let's get some ice cream. They may find us but hey... we will have ice cream."

“Mmmmmm ice cream. Now you’re speaking my language.” She followed him to the freezer as he opened the door to display the flavors. She tapped her index finger to the side of her cheek as she contemplated the selection of favors. “I think I’ll stick with plain chocolate.”

He smiled at her as he got two bowls down and scooped a couple scoops into each bowl. She watched him as he served the ice cream. She smiled at the way he stuck his tongue out of the corner of his mouth as he concentrated on scooping the ice cream. She never realized there was an actual person behind the stoic demeanor he presented to the public. She was curious. She wanted to know everything about him. He finished and put the ice cream away then turned to her with a smile, holding out a spoon. She took a spoonful and held it up to him. “Ice cream cheers?”

"Wait!... " He dug around in the fridge side for a moment and came up with a gallon sized jar of maraschino cherries and put one on each of their spoons before clicking them together. "To mischief managed?"

She smiled as she clinked her spoon against his. “Yes. Managed is the word.” She giggled as she shoved the spoon in her mouth, savoring the feel of the coldness as it flowed over her tongue. “Mmmmm.” She gazed into his eyes intently. “This may be the best ice cream I’ve ever tasted.”

He was grinning, "A true culinary masterpiece. It's the cherry on top." He looked at her as a mischievous sparkle appeared in his violet eyes. He lifted one brow and then touched the back of his spoon to her nose leaving a little chocolate there. "Tag!" He dashed off into the kitchen as he chuckled.

“Hey!” She giggled as she wiped the chocolate off with the back of her hand and took off after him, spoon still in hand.

* * *

After they didn’t find Sarissa in the Billiards room Calais led Xiphos up to Leo's room. They could hear the drum solo being played before they even got halfway down the hallway. Calais grimaced. "I'm going to murder him." She went to his door and didn't bother knocking because he wouldn't hear anyway. He had headphones on one ear as he listened to a track and was very, very much into his playing, no Sarissa in sight. She closed the door and led Xiphos upstairs to her own room and pulled him into the elegantly appointed room. "I give up. Any ideas where she might be?"

Xiphos furrowed his brow as he shrugged. “I think she’s somewhere with Aeneas. They’re messing with us.” He wrapped his arms about her waist and kissed her softly as he looked around the room. He raised an eyebrow as he glanced in the direction of the bed. “We could just let them have their fun....”

She smiled up at Xiphos. "If we really, really want to find them we have several options. We can call or text them. Even if Sarissa is angry I know Aeneas has his phone connected to his royal jewels and will answer me. There's one more place we could look... Aeneas’ personal hang spot... Or I can poke the guard and ask him to locate them." She grins. "How much trouble would you like to cause?"

* * *

In the kitchen, Sarissa took a moment to glance around at her surroundings. The room was dimly lit with lots of shadowy corners to hide in. She slunk into a dark corner and surveyed the room. This was her area of expertise. She could be quiet and stealthy. She disappeared into the corner and waited for him to reveal himself. After a few moments she saw him reappear in the middle of the room with a puzzled look. “Sarissa?” His voice was a loud whisper. She waited until his back was turned then crouched low behind him, until they almost touched.

Aeneas chuckled.. oblivious to her behind him. "Saaaa rissaaaaa…. I'm going to eat your ice cream...."

* * *

Xiphos returned her grin. “Normally I would be all about causing trouble. But considering we’re both in the dog house with my sister; and Aeneas and I aren’t exactly on the best terms, maybe we should just keep this on the down low?”

Calais ran her hands up Xiphos’ chest and kissed him again then pulled out her phone and texted Aeneas. ….. Hey, have you seen Sarissa? A worried look crossed Xiphos’ face. “I hope she’s ok. She’s used to hanging out with Leo, but she hardly knows Aeneas. I know we’ve all hung out together a few times, but she has always insisted on maintaining a professional distance between her and Aeneas. She feels it’s unprofessional to be close to the future king she aspires to guard. I just want to make sure she’s okay.”

"Hey... Aeneas is pretty gentle. He's just oblivious to things sometimes. But Love, if she's hurting he'll do his very best to help her. Trust me."

* * *

Sarissa couldn’t help herself. She chuckled softly right by his ear. “I’m right here Aeneas.” He turned around to face her and she quickly touched her spoon to the tip of his nose. “Tag!” She took off and ducked back into the pantry before he could react.

He laughed. "I'm glad you are on my side." He opened the door to the pantry. "I have to go reload..." He went back into the kitchen and grabbed a can of whipped cream from the fridge on his way back to his bowl of ice cream.

Sarissa stood on the other side of the pantry as she ate her ice cream. Aeneas walked into the room, obviously holding something behind his back. She put her spoon back in her bowl and took on a fighting stance. She knew he was up to something. He moved closer to her. She started to giggle. “Aeneas, whatever your planning, don’t.....” Just then his phone pinged.

Aeneas’ face transformed and he instantly turned serious as he set the cannister of whipped cream on a shelf and pulled out his phone. He looked at the text and smiled again. "It's Calais wanting to know if you are with me? Shall I tell her to join us for some ice cream tag?"

* * *

Xiphos grumbled. “I wouldn’t exactly call our conversation gentle.” He sighed deeply as he pulled Calais close into his chest. “That’s really not fair. I said a lot to provoke and anger him. I knew how he’d react.” He kissed her softly then pulled back with a questioning look. “When he and I were having our discussion, I asked him for permission to court you. He in turn asked for permission to court Sarissa. I thought he was joking and I laughed at him.” He sighed again. “He insisted later after we calmed down that he was serious.” He looked deep into Calais’ dark eyes and stroked her cheek softly. “What do you think about the two of them together?” Calais hugged him and considered for a moment seriously. "Your sister can be pretty stubborn. I think it depends a lot on if she decides she wants Aeneas. Not the future king, the man that is beneath the crown. I think she could get to him. But it's going to take a lot of stubborn."

Xiphos sighed and stroked Calais’ cheek. “Then let them be. She will find us when she is ready.”

Calais smiled at Xiphos and plugged her earphones in to her phone and offered him one and put the other one in then selected Ed Sheeran’s 'Perfect' and held her arms out to him. "My dad taught me to waltz to this song. It's older than I am but I still love it. Dance with me Love."

Xiphos smiled down at her and his emerald eyes sparkled as he wrapped one arm around her waist and took her hand in the other. He pulled her close and they moved around the room in perfect unison as they gazed into each other’s eyes. Enchanted with each other so much more than they would have thought possible in one night.

* * *

Sarissa’s mouth dropped open and she laughed as she realized what Aeneas was about to do. She eyed the whipped cream playfully. When he mentioned Calais’ name it was as if a dark cloud passed over her.

The joy left her face and she looked away from him. “No. I do not want her or my brother anywhere near me right now.” Her eyes stung with hot tears as she turned her back to hide her face. She knew that Xiphos was probably concerned. She cleared her throat. “Please just tell her that yes, I am with you and I am fine. Ask her to tell Xiphos I will find my own way home from the palace.”

Aeneas looked puzzled. Then closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he dropped his phone back in his pocket and pulled her against him into a hug. "Sarissa… help me out here. What happened? I am sorry I hurt your brother. He caught me off guard and I was honest with him. Why are you upset with them? He asked me if he could court her. And I thought if we were being formal I should ask his permission. I am a bit dense at times according to Calais. I know I should have asked you first." He stroked her back as he held her close.

A confused look crossed Sarissa’s face as well. “Aeneas, I am not upset about what happened between you and my brother. I don’t really know what happened, I can only make educated guesses because everyone just keeps me in the dark.” She cast her eyes downward to hide her tears again. It was unlike her to show weakness like this. “I’m upset because Leo and I walked in on them in the stables and interrupted a passionate kiss.” Her voice was soft and shaky. “Calais is my best friend. How could I not know she had feelings for my own brother?” She hesitated for a moment, her face buried in his chest. She pulled back to look into his violet eyes. “Wait. You asked his permission? You should’ve asked me first? Maybe I’m the dense one here because I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about.”

"Welcome to my world, Sarissa. I feel like I have been on an alien planet most of the day. Since my sister walked in my room upset about the social season and told me she didn't need a social season because she already liked someone. She did not tell me who. And I knew she had not told them. So I sort of threatened her. She knows me. She knew I would find out who. I want her to be happy. The next thing I know Xiph is texting me he needs to talk. He has been like an older brother to me my whole life so I was completely caught off guard... " He shook his head. "When you came in and told me I knew why you were drinking Vodka I thought it was because I had asked Xiphos' permission to court you rather than asking you." He frowned. "I am sorry." He held her gently. "Xiphos was seriously kissing Calais?"

She looked up into his violet eyes, caught off guard by what he just said. This was the last thing she expected. She felt like she should pull out of his embrace, but there was something so comforting in his touch. Her brother and best friend were suddenly the furthest thing from her mind as she absorbed what he just told her. “Y-you asked Xiphos’ permission to court me?” She didn’t know how to feel. Flattered? Angry? Hurt? Excited? Lucky? Her head was spinning. This was so unexpected. This was the future king she was supposed to protect. Yet here she was, wrapped in his arms, and it felt like the most natural thing in the world. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe she wasn’t meant to protect the king as a member of the royal guard. Maybe she was supposed to protect him as his queen. She looked up at him almost hopeful. “And what was his response?”

Aeneas smiled, "Well he gave me permission and told me good luck because you were going to guard the crown. Then I opined that you might prefer my brother, who is honestly the better catch. Then he said that wasn't funny and things went downhill from there..." He frowned. "You deserve better, Sarissa. Truly."

She looked at him with a shocked expression. “I deserve better than the affections of the crown prince?” She shook her head in disbelief, then searched his eyes. “I think you have more in common with your brother than you realize, Aeneas.” She hesitated for a moment as she tried to think of what to say next. She felt as if her entire life path could change in this one moment. Her grey eyes swirled with emotion as she gazed at him and she knew she needed to choose her words carefully. “I am not so special, Aeneas. I am just a girl who thought she knew exactly what she wanted in life. But really I know nothing. My brother was not wrong, I’ve always had aspirations of following in my father’s footsteps. That’s the only dream I’ve ever had. To guard the crown.” She sighed deeply. Her voice was soft and quiet. “That was so much my dream that I had blinders up whenever I was around you. I felt I had to keep a professional distance.” She looked up into his eyes. She whispered softly as she stroked his cheek. “Tonight the blinders came off. I didn’t realize what I had been missing.”

He took her hand and delicately feathered circles across her knuckles with his thumb. The brilliant amethyst of his gaze met her beautiful dark eyes. And for a longtime he just lost himself in her gaze. He finally closed his eyes a minute and sighed. "You deserve someone who can devote themselves to you. Not divide their attention to you with the attention that the Crown demands. You deserve someone who doesn't have to be fair and subject you to the cattle show of a social season. You deserve someone who can wrap their arms around you and kiss you on the street corner, or on the beach, or on a park bench and doesn't have to worry about which paparazzi outlet may capture a photo." He shook his head. "It's likely the most selfish thing I've ever done asking to court you, wanting to court you.."

She looked into his eyes and smiled. “Aeneas, you are worthy and deserving of all those things too. I understand the demands of the crown. Probably better than any of the other girls who will be at social season. You deserve happiness too. You deserve to be loved.” She looked deep into his eyes as she thought for a moment. She spoke softly, her voice full of emotion. “I give you permission, Aeneas. Please don’t push me away.” She shifted her gaze downward, then looked back up at him. “We will never know if we don’t try. And if you choose not to court me, I will be here anyway. Ready to protect you with my life. Always wondering what could have been in the back of my mind. Watching the queen and wondering what made her good enough when I was not.” She turned her head away suddenly as her voice cracked with emotion and tears welled up in her eyes. She took a few deep breaths to compose herself, keeping her hand clasped with his. She looked up at him with sad eyes. “You’re not being selfish. Wanting a true connection with someone who can know who you truly are beyond the crown is not selfish. It is brave.”

His eyes searched hers in turmoil as a deep desire to kiss her raged through him and waged war with his resolve. Finally his voice deep and soft he managed, "I am honored Lady Sarissa." He bowed over her hand as though to kiss her knuckles but turned her hand and softly kissed her wrist, then unable to quite let go smoothed his thumb across her palm and planted another kiss there. He stood up straight, shoulders square, composed crown prince and offered her his arm. "It is very late my lady. May I get you a car to take you home?"

Sarissa’s breath hitched as Aeneas’ kisses on her wrist and palm sent electricity up her arm and straight to her core. She trembled slightly as she threaded her arm through his. “I’m sorry. Am I keeping you awake Aeneas?” She knew it was late and her 8 am class the next morning was the furthest thing from her mind at the moment. She never thought that he may have an early day as well.

His eyes flew to hers with a flash of startling intensity. His voice was very low and flowed through her. "It is a certainty that you will Sarissa." Then he blinked. He laid his hand over hers on his arm and escorted her back to the hallway. He smiled at the first guard they came across. "Tevi, could you please call for a car for Lady Sarissa?" The man gave him a short bow and spoke into his headset. Aeneas turned to her and smiled softly. "I have enjoyed this evening tremendously, Lady Sarissa. Might I call on you tomorrow?"

Sarissa smiled up into his violet eyes. “Please do, Aeneas.” She smiled shyly and broke their gaze as she glanced downward. “This is the best night I’ve had in a long time. Thank you.”

#arcana unbound #choices trr #aeneas x sarissa trr au fanfic

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texastheband · 5 years

Text

Sharleen blows her cool

By Nick Duerden Taken from Heat Magazine - 11-17 November 1999

She's our most succesfull pop star and she gets to cavort on beds with male models. So why is Sharleen Spiteri in a bad mood? "Fucking flu" she tells Nick Duerden.

It is a cold, crisp day in the north, and Sharleen Spiteri is suffering from a lack of sufficient sleep. Last night's hotel had an air conditioning system that didn't know its hot from its cold. So the Texas singer tossed and turned throughout the night, one moment sweating, the next freezing. "I thought I had the fucking flu or something," she says.

Nevertheless, she looks delightfully rumpled today in the kind of manner only ever truly achieved by the rich and famous. She strides into a Manchester eatery under an artfully created birds' nest of black hair, and is wearing worn Jeans that are decadently fashionable and, doubtless, very expensive. She is the liveliest of company, picking delicately at a plate of hummus, but insisting on a plate of sausage and mash for heat as a hangover cure. Mash, it seems, is good for soaking up alcohol in the stomach. "You're bringing out my maternal side," she says. Later, she will reveal a fondness for Robbie, and refer to his one time bandmate Gary Barlow as "fuckface". Apparently, on an Italian pop show recently, he accidentally cracked her head open with his guitar, then blamed his attendant security. "If it wasn't for them," says the woman who stands at 5ft 5", "1 would have had him." Texas are here in Manchester halfway through a sold-out UK tour to further promote a very succesfull album. Following the four-million-selling, career-saving White On Blonde, The Hush has already shifted over three million copies in just six months. They are one of Britain's biggest bands, about to set their sights on America which they confidently believe they will crack. This is all a very different story from just three years ago. Back then, Texas were on the brink of ruin. Their record company were threatening to drop them, and they themselves were considering splitting. Since the top ten success of their 1989 debut single, I Don't Want A Lover, and the album Southside, Texas had been on a gradual downward slide. Their second album, Mothers Heaven, performed disappointingly, and very few people even noticed when they released a third, Ricks Road. With the exception of France, who still considered them splendid, Texas were uniformly regarded as a band dull enough to render even Del Amitri as rock gods. But then a very peculiar thing happened. Texas became hip, seemingly overnight. Purportedly steered by her journalist boyfriend, Ashley Heath (then editor of fashion magazine Arena Homme Plus), Sharleen became a sex siren, the band's sole focal point, and someone most adept at pouting provocatively before the camera lens. While the often exotic photo shoots looked like she was selling perfume, she was in fact selling the band. It worked wonders, too: suddenly, Texas were everywhere. And now look at them. Huge. Sharleen Spiteri, svengali boyfriend loitering somewhere in the shadows, has mounted the most successful make over in recent pop history.

How does it feel to have sold upwards of seven million albums in less than three years? How does it feel? It feels very secure. [Laughs] But I also feel incredibly grateful for it, because we were lucky enough to get a second chance. That doesn't happen much these days. I still find it hard to believe that we broke big on our fourth album. Nobody from the record company will admit to it now, but even when we delivered Say What You Want (White On Blonde's first single), no one was particularly impressed. We loved it, but I think they were simply no longer interested in us. It was like they were waiting for the record to fail so they could get rid of us. Instead, however, we sold an obscene amount of albums and suddenly they love us. I tell you, becoming very successful gives you an awful lot of power. Why was the album such a success, given Texas' then somewhat dull image? Simple: because it was a great record. We'd made the best music of our lives, and people were responding to it. The image reinvention certainly helped though, didn't it? I find it funny the way people are so obsessed about my supposed "reinvention". We've been around for ten years, so of course we're going to reinvent ourselves. It's called progression. True, but the suddenly glamorous image seemed very calculated towards making you quickly famous. Everyone is convinced that the record sold because I draped myself all over the press to plug it. In actual fact, I didn't start appearing on magazine covers until the second single, Halo, was already in the charts. We were becoming successful, so there was a demand for interviews, and I gave them. Were the rest of the band happy to take a step back? Absolutely. It took all the pressure off them. Let's face it, an attractive woman in a band is a pretty effective focal point. We were convinced we'd made a great record - the best of our career - and we wanted people to hear it. And the way to do that is to promote it. So I did. Is it true that your boyfriend had a guiding hand in the makeover? Not really. Obviously, having a boyfriend that works in journalism helps to give you an insight into how the whole business works, but I used to be a hairdresser, so I know a fair bit about image myself. We did talk about how to present ourselves because we knew that initially people wouldn't be interested in Texas and we wanted to change their minds. The whole music business Is a game in that respect, and we played it. Wouldn't you have done the same? Wouldn't anyone? Had you always wanted to be famous? No, never had. Still don't, in fact. I've never been bothered with it, to be honest. It doesn't interest me at all. Anyone can be famous. You can be famous for wearing high-heeled shoes, or blowing off presidents. I want people to say I'm a great singer, a great songwriter, that's all. If I simply wanted to become famous, then I would have got my tits out long ago. And I never have. Never will, either. Did it ever feel slightly foolish to be rolling around on exotic beaches like a supermodel merely to sell a band that used to wear woolly jerseys and hobnail boots? No, I had a great time, and they're great photographs. I'll keep them forever and show them to my children so that they can be proud of their mother. Everyone likes to look good in pictures, and those pictures make me look fantastic. Ten years ago I was very selfconscious about the way I looked, but I'm almost 32 now, and I've accepted that I've got a giant nose and other blemishes. But am I going to get major surgery? Nah, fuck it. I'll just ask photographers not to accentuate it and to light me in a flattering manner, that's all. Subsequent collaborations with Rae & Christian and Wu-Tang Clan also seemed like a very determined effort to suddenly become chic. Were they? I met Rae & Christian ages ago through my boyfriend, and I spent years namechecking the Wu-Tang Clan because I was a fan. Both came to work with us because they knew we were good at what we did musically. I've never been interested in being chic or trendy or cool. I just want two things: to make good music and work with people I admire. Did any members of the WuTang Clan come on to you? [Aghast] Absolutely not! But I know what you mean. If you put any man or woman in a room together there's bound to be something, some kind of spark. When they were first told that we'd love to work with them, they were like [adopts cheeky American drawl], "Hey, is that the chick with the funky red dress from that video [BlackEyed Boy]? I like her! ", but they were very respectful towards me. I was in awe of them. They're all huge guys, and they kept calling me "girlie". But then they heard me sing, and they were convinced I was black! [Fondly] Method Man is a lovely guy, you know. Do you feel sexy? Not first thing in the morning, I don't. I can look very rough indeed. But I don't want to be obviously sexy. I try to think what I find sexy in women - and it's not Pamela Anderson - and then work on that. I think the sexiest word in the English language is "no". It makes perfect sense, because everyone wants what they can't have. If you actually look at all the supposedly steamy photographs I've done, I'm actually revealing very little flesh indeed. In the video for Summer Son, you effectively dry-hump a handsome man in bed. Did he leave you, um, tongue-tied? Very funny. I'll tell you why I did that video. It was to suggest that it is possible to be unbelievably sexy and keep all your clothes on. That video was all about the power of suggestion, but ironically it wasn't allowed to be shown on television before seven o'clock because it was too raunchy. What hypocritical bullshit. All I ever see on MTV are women in ridiculous push-up bras, cleavage everywhere, and touching themselves. I wanted to make an alternative, but keep it just as sexy. It is also, presumably, fairly good fun cavorting with a male model of your choice? Well, I have to admit, it's a pretty good way to spend a day. [Abruptly changing subject] Incidentally, did you know that Summer Son has just broken us in Germany? Which is good news because Germany is the third biggest market in the world. We're massive there now. Not bigger than David Hasselhoff, surely? Germany, after all, is his stronghold. Do you know what? I think we're even bigger than him. How about that? Congratulations. Thank you, very kind. You exude confidence the way a teenager does testosterone. Does it ever spill over into arrogance? When I was a hairdresser, people thought I was really arrogant. Now, because of the band, I'm almost allowed to have an ego, but most people tend to think of me as level headed. Well, that's what they tell me to my face, anyway. Put it this way, I've not changed at all. I'm very ambitious, always have been. There are still a lot of people out there who don't like us and probably hate me, but I don't care about them. We're a band who sell a lot of records. That brings peace of mind and, yes, a certain arrogance. But, y'know, we've worked hard to get into this position. I'm not about to apologise for it. One more thing. What, if anything, turns you off in a man? Beards. When they get as big as that bloke's in The Royle Family, bits of food get stuck in thein. Disgusting! My father [a seaman] used to go off to sea for months at a time and come back home with a bloody great bush of a beard. Me and my sister would go after him with the scissors, screaming like banshees.

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