I think it's important to have days like this, away from the grind of the real world to fill one's head with other things.

Aka reader, I took leave again to watch a movie. I think it's pretty worth it. Despite rushing to the cinema from office, the contrast of the day is pretty important too. I went from a busy real world day to the no less quick but also important world of Kubo and the Two Strings.

I think an important part about animation is when you forget that you're watching an animation. Kubo goes into the realm of Nightmare Before Christmas - a world disjointed from the current one that we live in, but by the end you have bought into it.

( Spoilery details on the movie )

I admit that I was initially iffy heading into the ending as I read spoilers that it did not do narrative justice to Kubo. Far from it. I think we are just so used to stories where the hero dons armour and gains a sword and fights that we feel not getting this sort of story is a cop out.

But Kubo has never been that sort of hero. All this while, we see his strengths has been his lute, his imagination and his capacity to love. That's why his weapon is not armour and sword.

( More spoilers )

I also think the important moral to me is that I should not put on an armor and take up the sword because that is what other people expect. I think it is more important to string my lute and play on, as unconventional as it may be.

In conclusion: WATCH THE MOVIE. So worth it!

I continue to be horrible at updating things. This was posted on AO3 on 9 August, and updated on 15 August. And now it's finally here.

Summary:(Star Trek and Zootopia crossover) Nick knows the rules in Communications, including this unwritten one: never get attached to Away teams. But Ensign Judy Hopps from Security keeps making it back. Missing her check in with Nick just doesn't happen.

Until it does. Now it's up to Nick and the starship crew led by Captain Bogo to bring their Away team back.

Rating: T
Genre: Gen
Warnings for: The potty mouths of foxes, STAGGERING LEVELS OF COMPETENCY
Disclaimer: If I owned both Star Trek AND Zootopia, I would be paying other people to write this.

( washing what you know out to sea )

( A conversation coda. Features kissing if that's your sort of thing. )

I'm sorry I had to.

I admit that I was nervous about this movie from watching the trailers, especially since it seemed to highlight THE ENTERPRISE CRASHES. What this movie failed to tell me that the Enterprise was cracked to reveal the heart within the body - the crew that drives the ship.

What we learned from this: EVERYONE IS COMPETENT AND BEAUTIFUL AND I AM IN FUCKING LOVE WITH ALL OF THEM

( Things I liked with no particular order or coherency. Also spoilery )

Summary: After being framed for a murder in his speakeasy Wilde Times 50 years ago, Nick Wilde has lingered on as a spirit. Judy Hopps, an exorcist set on finding out more about the past, is his chance of righting past wrongs, and uncovering the true cause of why collars were abolished.

Recipe for this fic:
Take the original movie concepts - collars, the 1960s, Judy chasing Nick through Little Rodentia, with more to come. Add to the actual Zootopia movie. Blend well, with a dash of the supernatural to spice.
Rating: T
Genre: Gen
Warnings for: Supernatural elements, mythical beings and vague references to the Chinese Taoist religious system. Lots of references to off-screen character death
Disclaimer: Not mine as I'm not smart enough to think of the collars storyline.

( i am just a poor boy though my story's seldom told )

Nick deals badly with emotions and takes a train.

Wilde Spirit (The Karmic Shuffle)

Summary: What if predators were collared in Zootopia's distant past?

After being framed for a murder in his speakeasy Wilde Times 50 years ago, Nick Wilde has lingered on as a spirit. Judy Hopps, an exorcist set on finding out more about the past, is his chance of righting the wrongs in his past, and uncovering the true cause of why collars were abolished.
Spoilers: Only if you have no idea why Nick and Judy would work together, and if you're not aware of the collared predators storyline.
Rating: T
Genre: Gen
Warnings for: Supernatural elements, mythical beings and vague references to the Chinese Taoist religious system. Lots of references to off-screen character death
Disclaimer: Not mine as I'm not smart enough to think of the collars storyline.

( take a sad song and make it better )

Judy and Nick visit graves

Wilde Spirit (The Karmic Shuffle)

Summary: What if predators used to be collared in Zootopia's distant past?

Nick Wilde didn't ask to die after being framed for a murder in his speakeasy Wilde Times, but he's spent enough years as a spirit to prefer to forget what happened 50 years ago. In the company of Judy Hopps, an exorcist set on finding out more about the past, Nick makes a reluctant walk down memory lane.
Spoilers: Only if you have no idea why Nick and Judy would work together, and if you're not aware of the collared predators storyline.
Rating: T
Genre: Gen
Warnings for: Supernatural elements, mythical beings and vague references to the Chinese Taoist religious system. Lots of references to off-screen character death
Disclaimer: Not mine as I'm not smart enough to think of the collars storyline.

( memory is a powerful thing )

Wilde Spirit (The Karmic Shuffle)

Summary: What if predators used to be collared in Zootopia's distant past?

Nick Wilde didn't ask to die after being framed for a murder in his speakeasy Wilde Times, but he's spent enough years as a spirit to prefer to forget what happened 50 years ago. In the company of Judy Hopps, an exorcist set on finding out more about the past, Nick makes a reluctant walk down memory lane.
Spoilers: Only if you have no idea why Nick and Judy would work together, and if you're not aware of the collared predators storyline.
Rating: T
Genre: Gen
Warnings for: Supernatural elements, mythical beings and vague references to the Chinese Taoist religious system. Implied off-screen character death
Disclaimer: Not mine as I'm not smart enough to think of the collars storyline.

( why are we at Cliffside again? )

I promised my friend my reaction, so here it is.

Captain America: Civil War is a well-designed standalone movie that ties up loose ends nicely. A little too nicely. As if it were a well wrapped present that you open up to find a spoon in it and then you put it in a drawer with your other spoons and then forget about it. Something completely utilitarian, even though it's finely made.

Basically Captain America: Civil War is a wall in Marvel's house. Even though it's a well-built wall, and holds up the structure well, it's still a wall.

Spoilers will explain exactly why.

( We fed ourselves eye candy instead of dinner on a Friday night )

Watch the movie just to marvel at how well it's crafted, then put it away and forget about it. If there's a good adaption of Civil War, this is it, but don't expect to leave wanting more.

Everyone has a change of heart.

Exorcist Blues (Wilde Spirit Remix)

Summary: In a Zootopia where animals and spirits dwell side by side, some animals turn into guardian spirits. Some go dark. Some types of animals go darker than others.

Judy Hopps should know, since she wants to be the first exorcist in a long line of rabbit mediums.


Or: A Zootopia remix in which Judy Hopps is an exorcist that specialises in hunting dark spirits. And Nick Wilde is dead, but not gone.

Spoilers: Entire movie, since this is a remix
Rating: T
Genre: Gen
Warnings for: Supernatural elements, mythical beings and vague references to the Chinese Taoist religious system. Implied off-screen character death
Disclaimer: Not mine as I'm not smart enough to think of the collars storyline.

( Stop talking stop talking )

Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3|...|Part 5 || Part 6

The fun continues with an appearance by Nick Wilde.

Exorcist Blues (Wilde Spirit Remix)

Summary: In a Zootopia where animals and spirits dwell side by side, some animals turn into guardian spirits. Some go dark. Some types of animals go darker than others.

Judy Hopps should know, since she wants to be the first exorcist in a long line of rabbit mediums.


Or: A Zootopia remix in which Judy Hopps is an exorcist that specialises in hunting dark spirits.

Spoilers: Entire movie, since this is a remix
Rating: T
Genre: Gen
Warnings for: Supernatural elements, mythical beings and vague references to the Chinese Taoist religious system. Implied off-screen character death
Disclaimer: Not mine as I'm not smart enough to think of the collars storyline.

( One jumbo pop please for my granddad )


Part 1 |...| Part 3 || Part 4 || Part 5 || Part 6