Inception-specific thematic list: Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien
Here's the second entry in my Inception-specific thematic list series of doom.
What is more Inception flavored than Edith Piaf's amazing song, Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien, used as the method of waking the sleepers from their dreams.
I've tried to bookmark every fic I came across that specifically incorporates Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien. This list is by no means comprehensive, so if you have any additions, recommendations or suggestions, let me know! This is definitely a work in progress.
Inertial Propulsion by recrudescence (PG-13)
900 words | Arthur/Eames | gen, angst, dark
Written for the prompt: While Arthur is sleeping, Eames plugs in his headphone into Arthur's ears. He quietly plays "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien." Arthur freaks out.
Quote: He does it with the same gleeful mischievousness that earned him disciplinary measures through every last year of his top-notch schooling. Eames can do stealthy very well, dazzlingly well, and doing it for a living doesn't mean he can't also do it for play.
Warning: I'm not particularly fond of the concept of this one; one character purposefully trying to freak the other out.
je repars à zéro (or at inception_kink here) by sparkbyspark (PG)
713 words | Arthur/Eames | angst, dancing, drama, limbo | Warning: Character Death ?
Prompt: Dancing. Preferably to Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien by Edith Piaf
Quote: Arthur's struck by how absurd the situation is anyway -- a collapsing building, certain limbo and all he can hear is Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien.
Regret Something by concinnity-blue (PG)
1,733 words | Arthur/Eames | angst, totems
Prompt: Arthur is heading somewhere by himself when Non, Je Regrette Rien comes on. Cue hiding himself in a small space, compulsively rolling his die, traumatic "Ho shit, is this reality?! Is someone trying to wake me up?" and then, you know, when he realizes it is, it's more of "...reality is so fickle. One day it might collapse like that." Whereas Eames...was heading to Arthur's place/where ever he was going and finds him. Hurt/comfort ensue...
Quote: The first part of the song was always like a sweeping wave. It built from nearly nothing, flowing in time to build into a crescendo, an overwhelming, floating weight. They had chosen it because it built that way. It could sweep in nearly unnoticed, the roots of a tree cracking apart the stone fortress of the dreamworld, and pull them out into the daylight beyond.
Till Human Voices Wake Us, and We Drown (or at inception_kink here) by old_blueeyes (G)
1,470 words | gen
Summary: Five times each of the team members questioned reality.
Prompt: I know there was an Arthur/Eames prompt kind of like this, but I want 5 separate occasions where Ariadne, Arthur, Cobb, Eames and Yusuf were in a public place and "Non, je ne regrette rien" started playing. Like... each character on their own when it happens, not together. Cue questioning of reality, totem-use, etc.
The Unforgettable 720 (or at inception_kink here) by oneeye66 (PG)
737 words | Arthur/Eames | angst, dancing | Warning: sad
Prompt: ...some Arthur/Eames. Dancing (or something) to Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien...
Quote: Arthur blinks as Edith's words suddenly cut off, his eyes easily finding the presence seated beside him. Eames seems to consider the MP3 player in his hands with a small smile. "You always did like this song."
untitled by anonymous (PG-13)
800 words | gen | drama, totems
Prompt: Saito doesn't stop dreaming after the Inception job. He's addicted to it like he's addicted to his carpet. He comes to a point where he needs a totem.
Quote: The third time Saito was standing outside a trendy coffee store waiting for his latte when the strains of ‘Je Ne Regrette Rien’ floated through the speakers of the store’s sound system. He closed his eyes, waiting for the kick, and narrowly avoided being crushed by a convertible that had taken the narrow corner too quickly and mounted the gutter, striking the tables and chairs that had been set up on the footpath. As concerned onlookers asked him if he was okay and if he needed to sit down, all Saito can remember thinking was that in reality, his assistant always fetched his coffee.
untitled by anonymous (PG)
105 words | gen | fluff, humor
Prompt: Arthur wants to change Edith Piaf to Frank Sinatra.
Quote: "No fucking way," Eames says, taking the stylus off of the Piaf record.
"Oh come on, we need a change of pace," Arthur is carefully ripping the needle from his wrist.
"Change of pace?! This horn stuff is bad enough, can you imagine what big band would sound like while we're under? It'll be like a whole fleet of evil fog horns. Evil fog horns that are harmonizing with each other."
"It wouldn't be big band," Arthur said exasperatedly, "it would be something slow, dignified. Like...'Wee Small Hours of the Morning.'"
"Great, so after I kill myself, I'll wake up and want to kill myself."
untitled by anonymous
715 words | gen, Arthur/Eames | angst
Prompt: While Arthur is sleeping, Eames plugs his headphones into Arthur's ears. He quietly plays Non Je Ne Regrette. Arthur freaks out.
Quote: Arthur dreamt in blackness and insensibility, which is to say he did not dream at all. He would sleep and he would wake feeling rested, but there were no memories in the interim, and that was how he would know he was *truly* asleep, not sharing someone else's dream. No one dreamt of blackness, unless they were an extractor, and if an extractor dreamt of blackness, they knew they were themselves.
And, as a bonus, here's a vid comparing the song with Hans Zimmer's iconic brmmmm, brmmmm in the movie score.
Inception Music Comparison
"This occurred to me when I came home after seeing the movie, and was listening to Hans Zimmer's score. Yes yes, I know this doesn't make me special, and I have been informed that this may have been mentioned in an interview with Zimmer. I'd like to be able to confirm the theory."
More thematic lists yet to come!
ETA 11/17/10: Added "Till Human Voices Wake Us, and We Drown" by old_blueeyes
What is more Inception flavored than Edith Piaf's amazing song, Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien, used as the method of waking the sleepers from their dreams.
I've tried to bookmark every fic I came across that specifically incorporates Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien. This list is by no means comprehensive, so if you have any additions, recommendations or suggestions, let me know! This is definitely a work in progress.
Inertial Propulsion by recrudescence (PG-13)
900 words | Arthur/Eames | gen, angst, dark
Written for the prompt: While Arthur is sleeping, Eames plugs in his headphone into Arthur's ears. He quietly plays "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien." Arthur freaks out.
Quote: He does it with the same gleeful mischievousness that earned him disciplinary measures through every last year of his top-notch schooling. Eames can do stealthy very well, dazzlingly well, and doing it for a living doesn't mean he can't also do it for play.
Warning: I'm not particularly fond of the concept of this one; one character purposefully trying to freak the other out.
je repars à zéro (or at inception_kink here) by sparkbyspark (PG)
713 words | Arthur/Eames | angst, dancing, drama, limbo | Warning: Character Death ?
Prompt: Dancing. Preferably to Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien by Edith Piaf
Quote: Arthur's struck by how absurd the situation is anyway -- a collapsing building, certain limbo and all he can hear is Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien.
Regret Something by concinnity-blue (PG)
1,733 words | Arthur/Eames | angst, totems
Prompt: Arthur is heading somewhere by himself when Non, Je Regrette Rien comes on. Cue hiding himself in a small space, compulsively rolling his die, traumatic "Ho shit, is this reality?! Is someone trying to wake me up?" and then, you know, when he realizes it is, it's more of "...reality is so fickle. One day it might collapse like that." Whereas Eames...was heading to Arthur's place/where ever he was going and finds him. Hurt/comfort ensue...
Quote: The first part of the song was always like a sweeping wave. It built from nearly nothing, flowing in time to build into a crescendo, an overwhelming, floating weight. They had chosen it because it built that way. It could sweep in nearly unnoticed, the roots of a tree cracking apart the stone fortress of the dreamworld, and pull them out into the daylight beyond.
Till Human Voices Wake Us, and We Drown (or at inception_kink here) by old_blueeyes (G)
1,470 words | gen
Summary: Five times each of the team members questioned reality.
Prompt: I know there was an Arthur/Eames prompt kind of like this, but I want 5 separate occasions where Ariadne, Arthur, Cobb, Eames and Yusuf were in a public place and "Non, je ne regrette rien" started playing. Like... each character on their own when it happens, not together. Cue questioning of reality, totem-use, etc.
The Unforgettable 720 (or at inception_kink here) by oneeye66 (PG)
737 words | Arthur/Eames | angst, dancing | Warning: sad
Prompt: ...some Arthur/Eames. Dancing (or something) to Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien...
Quote: Arthur blinks as Edith's words suddenly cut off, his eyes easily finding the presence seated beside him. Eames seems to consider the MP3 player in his hands with a small smile. "You always did like this song."
untitled by anonymous (PG-13)
800 words | gen | drama, totems
Prompt: Saito doesn't stop dreaming after the Inception job. He's addicted to it like he's addicted to his carpet. He comes to a point where he needs a totem.
Quote: The third time Saito was standing outside a trendy coffee store waiting for his latte when the strains of ‘Je Ne Regrette Rien’ floated through the speakers of the store’s sound system. He closed his eyes, waiting for the kick, and narrowly avoided being crushed by a convertible that had taken the narrow corner too quickly and mounted the gutter, striking the tables and chairs that had been set up on the footpath. As concerned onlookers asked him if he was okay and if he needed to sit down, all Saito can remember thinking was that in reality, his assistant always fetched his coffee.
untitled by anonymous (PG)
105 words | gen | fluff, humor
Prompt: Arthur wants to change Edith Piaf to Frank Sinatra.
Quote: "No fucking way," Eames says, taking the stylus off of the Piaf record.
"Oh come on, we need a change of pace," Arthur is carefully ripping the needle from his wrist.
"Change of pace?! This horn stuff is bad enough, can you imagine what big band would sound like while we're under? It'll be like a whole fleet of evil fog horns. Evil fog horns that are harmonizing with each other."
"It wouldn't be big band," Arthur said exasperatedly, "it would be something slow, dignified. Like...'Wee Small Hours of the Morning.'"
"Great, so after I kill myself, I'll wake up and want to kill myself."
untitled by anonymous
715 words | gen, Arthur/Eames | angst
Prompt: While Arthur is sleeping, Eames plugs his headphones into Arthur's ears. He quietly plays Non Je Ne Regrette. Arthur freaks out.
Quote: Arthur dreamt in blackness and insensibility, which is to say he did not dream at all. He would sleep and he would wake feeling rested, but there were no memories in the interim, and that was how he would know he was *truly* asleep, not sharing someone else's dream. No one dreamt of blackness, unless they were an extractor, and if an extractor dreamt of blackness, they knew they were themselves.
And, as a bonus, here's a vid comparing the song with Hans Zimmer's iconic brmmmm, brmmmm in the movie score.
Inception Music Comparison
"This occurred to me when I came home after seeing the movie, and was listening to Hans Zimmer's score. Yes yes, I know this doesn't make me special, and I have been informed that this may have been mentioned in an interview with Zimmer. I'd like to be able to confirm the theory."
Click to viewMore thematic lists yet to come!
ETA 11/17/10: Added "Till Human Voices Wake Us, and We Drown" by old_blueeyes