#...****** era aj must have been so Something...

[onlyangel4]

number 30. liv morgan. smau

liv morgan x diva era!reader

synopsis: ten years ago you were on top of the woman's roster. the must see name. a world champion. but an injury caused you to have to give that up. now you are cleared enough to appear at the royal rumble and coach on lfg. in doing so you get particularly close with one liv morgan. confusing the internet because you are the biggest babyface the wwe has ever seen.

faceclaim: sarah drew

wwefan

liked by user1, user2, user3 and 192,723 others

wwefan: as it is the day before the rumble i thought i would throw my predictions for female returns out into the universe. i know these three names get thrown about all the damn time. but nikki attended the raw on netflix premiere. y/n has been spotted at the performance centre a couple times and punk gave that interview that hinted at aj. who do y'all think is gonna show up.

view all 8,740 comments

user1: i'm convinced we are gonna get an alexa bliss return

user2: if we get a y/n return i'm going to scream

user3: like five years ago when asked who she most wanted to work with liv morgan said, "i would love to get in the ring with y/n, even if it is just for the rumble. it has been on my bucket list since i got here", so liv would lose her mind if you are right

user4: i really don't think y/n is going to return that spine injury is not something you bounce back from

wwe posted a story

written: some very exciting surprises coming tonight

wwe

liked by yaonlylivvonce, y/ninsta, americannightmarecody and 731,092 others

tagged: y/ninsta

wwe: surprise! y/n y/ln is back and entered 30th in the royal rumble. her first ever rumble match. she made it to the final three before being eliminated by bianca belair

view all 21,982 comments

user5: i screamed so loud when that music started

user6: i'm so glad you kept her old theme

user7: i actually started crying

yaonlylivvonce: if i had to be eliminated i'm glad it was by her

user8: liv being nice, what has happened?

user9: liv has gone on record a million times saying that the one person she wants to share a ring with but hasn't it y/n. girl was probably stoked.

user10: i'm new to wwe will someone kindly explain the lore

user11: y/n was huge back in the divas era, her feud with charlotte fed generations. but in a match with charlotte she dislodged a vertebrae in her spine and had to retire

y/ninsta

liked by alexa_bliss_wwe_, yaonlylivvonce, itsmebayley and 981,924 others

tagged: yaonlylivvonce. alexa_bliss_wwe_. itsmebayley. natbynature.

y/ninsta: thank you guys for the best weekend ever.

now i keep on getting asked what brand i'm going to be working on and sadly i'm posting this to say none of them. i turned forty two a month ago. and my back is still not 100% and it never will be.

but this is not the last you will be seeing me, i am going to be a mentor on legends and future greats. i am also going to be writing for the red brand. you may see me in a handful of matches throughout the year but i am not going to be back fulltime.

view all 28,017 comments

yaonlylivvonce: it was a dream come true to share the ring with you

y/ninsta: it was lovely meeting you

user12: liv will only ever be nice to y/n

alexa_bliss_wwe_: us in the same ring, have we gone back in a time machine

y/ninsta: straight to 2016

user13: i'm so excited to see you as a mentor omg

user14: i cried so much when that music started

y/ninsta posted a story tagging yaonlylivvonce

written: look who came to see me (she mostly came to see alfred)

yaonlylivvonce posted a story tagging y/ninsta

written: i can't believe i get to hang out with u

wwefan posted a story

written: since y/n's return she has been seen with a lot of superstars but none more than liv morgan. no one could have predicted this pairing.

wwe

liked by user15, user16, user17 and 298,183 others

wwe: BREAKING: raquel can not compete tonight. meaning that liv morgan has to find a new tag partner to defend the titles against bayley and lyra valkyria

view all 12,923 comments

user15: who would pair with her, you can't trust the judgement day

user16: maybe naomi?

user17: what if it is y/n

yaonlylivvonce

liked by y/ninsta, finnbalor, dominik_35 and 672,918 others

tagged: y/ninsta

yaonlylivvonce: this is me proving that i don't hate everyone. i got to fight alongside my dream tag partner this monday and i am still on cloud 9, y/n is someone that i have admired ever since i fell in love with this business. i am buzzing that i got to work the ring with her. and because of her we are still tag team champions.

also massive congrats on the announcement that you are in the 2025 hall of fame, i have been campaigning for you since the day i joined the company.

view all 12,928 comments

y/ninsta: thank you for letting me join, i missed tag action

yaonlylivvonce: i will have you back any day

user18: this is such an odd pairing but i kind of love it, y/n brings out liv's softer side

user19: i know liv was screaming when she found out she got to work with y/n

user20: not the biggest babyface of the 2010s working with the biggest heel of the 2020s

wrestlersinthewild posted a story

written: liv morgan arrived for this week's monday night raw, sources say she travelled with y/n y/ln

y/ninsta posted a story tagging yaonlylivvonce

written: exploring with miss liv

gaytimes

liked by user21, user22, user23 and 628,918 others

tagged: yaonlylivvonce

gaytimes: we got very lucky to sit down with wwe superstar liv morgan, liv has mentioned in the past that she is part of the lgbtq community but we got an exclusive.

"well in storyline i am dating dom but in reality i have a girlfriend. she actually doesn't care about the storyline with dom she has been in the same industry as me before so she just gets it. even if she does sometimes get a little jealous"

view all 11,922 comments

user21: i had no idea she was queer wtf

user22: her girlfriend is the luckiest person ever

user23: i know it is none of my business but i am desperate to know who she is dating

y/ninsta posted a story

written: fit for joining the hall of fame

yaonlylivvonce

liked by y/ninsta, finnbalor, dominik_35 and 928,272 others

tagged: y/ninsta

yaonlylivvonce: just me and my hall of famer girlfriend

view all 32,283 comments

y/ninsta: so glad i got to share this moment with you my love

yaonlylivvonce: forever your biggest fan

dominik_35: i'm so glad this out because i am so scared of y/n

y/ninsta: you should be

user24: we knew liv's girlfriend had wwe ties but i never thought it would be y/n

user25: somehow this makes so much sense while also making no sense at all

user26: today the world changed

[alex-wrestling]

I’ll get into the political stuff eventually because that’s also pissing me off but what I want to talk about is the…gentrification(?) of wrestling.

The average wrestler in the 80s (and I’m not talking about the Hogans, Flairs, or even the Dustys, but the people who wrestled in the territories. The Mid-South wrestlers, the AWA wrestlers, the WCCW wrestlers, basically the wrestlers in the territories before VKM not only bought the territories out but bought the company from his father) wasn’t that much, at least for the time, and the ticket prices for events reflected that.

Wrestlemania tickets in the 80s were $50 (about $200 today). The cheapest Wrestlemania tickets I can find for both nights is over $1,000. That is an insane increase, even adjusted for inflation. Hell, even during the attitude era, the biggest boom period ever for the WWF/E, you could get a front row seat for about $300 (or $568 today), which is still half the price of the cheapest tickets I could find for Wrestlemania 42.

This, I believe, ties in with both who is wrestling and how they’re paid.

First, I’ll start with how they’re paid. The average wrestler, a Zoey Stark or Ludwig Kaiser type, someone who only wrestles about once a month on TV and doesn’t win any championships, gets paid about $300,000 a year, which is way better than it used to be. And to be clear, I believe this is a good thing; wrestlers have bills to pay as well, as well as potential health issues, and regardless of what you think about their skills, they do risk their lives each time they step into the ring, plus they do the untelevised house shows. It’s much higher than what the United States (which is where the WWE is located, so I’ll be going off of that) average is ($50-60k/year). However, a champion or top babyface/heel like Cody, Gunther, Rhea, etc gets about $6 million/year, which is a lot of money. Randy Orton gets around $12 million. I’m not sure if that includes merch sales or not, I don’t think it does. Which, again, they’re doing a physically demanding job and more media appearances than the lower card people.

However.

The people I just mentioned (Cody, Gunther, and Rhea) have been fans for years. Hell, Cody’s father is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. People like AJ Styles, Seth Rollins, CM Punk, Lyra Valkyria, and so many others started on the indies getting paid next to nothing so they could maybe, potentially, get to the WWE. Damian Priest was almost 40 when he was finally signed. These people all have the passion for the business, and they want to see it do well.

And it must be horrible to see someone like Logan Paul or Travis Scott, who don’t have the passion, who’s eyes are completely soulless, who are only there because it brings awareness to their brand and they get a fat paycheck out of it, get so many opportunities that nobody else is.

Celebrities have been part of wrestling since the 80s. Mr. T, Cyndi Lauper, Mike Tyson, even Snooki had a match at Wrestlemania. There are criticisms to be had about all of these, but the intent was to bring eyes to the product, and at least for the first few, it succeeded.

(And yes, I’m well aware that despite being an “alternative” to the WWE, AEW also does this. I’ll make a post when they have some influencer actually winning a title.)

How many viewers are Logan Paul and Travis Scott bringing in? What prestige are they adding to any title they hold? How many people genuinely want either of them here in any aspect? Are they even wrestling regularly?

The best comparison to Logan Paul (not Travis Scott, at least not yet) I could possibly make would be David Arquette.

In 2000 in WCW (of course it was), David Arquette won the WCW world heavyweight championship, something that fans loathed and often cite as the downfall of WCW. In fact, Arquette himself even said that he didn’t want to win it, thinking that fans wouldn’t want a non-wrestler to win, but Vince Russo (ugh) insisted that he win because it would be “good publicity” and good for the company. (My source is Wikipedia)

At least with Arquette, he knew the fans wouldn’t like it and didn’t expect them to. He even donated the money he got from appearing to the families of Owen Hart, Brian Pillman, and Droz, and only held the title for less than two weeks. He even wrestled on the indies for a little bit.

Logan Paul isn’t donating shit. He’s never going to the indies. He’s never acknowledging what the fans want because he’s not a fan and therefore will never know. Plus, it doesn’t help that he’s also just a piece of shit, and Travis Scott isn’t much better.

Where am I going with this? WWE is no longer for the normal, working-class fan. Meet and greet prices are $600 for two people, rich men with fuck-off amounts of money are wrestling to scratch it off their bucket list of things that will make them filthy rich without making it through the indies and clawing their way up like everyone else, the company is moving to the right and leaving most of their fans behind in the process (or just flat out ignoring them), and they probably won’t stop.

[thlayli-ra]

Which 5 fics you've written are your favorites or most proud of?

Ooh! Thank you Anon for slipping into my askbox with a lovely little question. Must admit, this was hard! I'm proud of most of my fics so whittling it down to just five was tricky but here goes;

1. Flint and Steel - I feel like this is the best writing I've ever done. I wrote it back when I had bags of time to edit and re-read what I'd written previously so it's a better coherent story. I love the world-building, the imagery, the harsh but beautiful love story. This is probably still my best work to date and I really hope to finish the series one day and do it justice!

2. Would You Offer Your Throat To The Wolf - This one just feels... special to me. It's the most brutal, graphic and depressing fic that I've written and my first foray into pure horror but was very liberating to write. It also felt like something of an event at the time - I'd been building up towards it here on Tumblr so when I finally posted it, it kinda had its own little following. It's also a fic that has prompted so many incredible comments and feedback from readers, many of which said it inspired their own writing and that is just so cool to me!

3. When We're Alone - Of all my fics, this is probably my own little personal favourite (and one of my least popular 😂). It's a silly, little Underpunk fluff piece set in the Valetverse AU. I just loved writing a hopelessly un-domesticated Punk trying (and failing miserably) to nurse Taker back to health while he was injured. I usually write Punk as very intense and moody so having him in more of a comedy role was a lot of fun (although he's still very moody!)

4. The Moon Rises Red Tonight - My other unloved little baby! It's a close second for my personal favourite fic. It's utter self-indulgence - I wanted all four of my faves to fuck! That's it! That's the premise! But, because it's me, and I'm god-awful at writing smut, it somehow turned into a porn with plot fic, focusing in on politics, corruption, and trauma, whilst also being rather light-hearted and wholesome. And filthy too! It's a weird bag! I adore the au, I adore all the flawed characters and their self-discovery throughout and I want to draw and write more for it in the future.

5. The Chain - Sometimes, a moment sticks in your head and magic happens. That Smackdown where Drew carried a bloody Punk to the ramp and dumped his carcass for all of his hometown to see was....... [local dogs start barking]. I had to write something for it! Originally it was going to be another headcanon essay talking about a motif I'd used in several fics of Punk and AJ being connected by a chain with hooks embedded in their chests when it dawned on my to actually write a fic about it, resulting in this twisted soulmate au. To me, it's a perfect little fic, a beautiful gemstone in my collection and I'm very proud of it.

[Honourary Mention - Yes, I'm cheating here but I couldn't not mention my most popular fic The Valets of WWE. Despite it easily being my worst in terms of writing prowess, it's a huge personal achievement for me. It had a massive cast and was heavily influenced by reader requests and input so I had to think on my feet for every chapter and change things up on the fly sometimes. I also had to write for characters I didn't know very well during an era that I admittedly didn't really watch (no, I'd never seen any Legacy or Social Outcasts footage until writing this fic!!!) so that was a bit nerve-wracking. But despite the challenges, I managed to create this huge, intricate soap opera, that had so many interlinking storylines and plot threads, that had characters bouncing off each other constantly and even if it reads more like a script than narrative, I'm still very proud of it and I always look forward to returning to the valetverse for more!]

[antebellumite]

philadelphia has gone to war...

the crown prince economist who pleased the gods banking institutions of the united states

[anthonysstupiddailyblog]

Anthony's Stupid Daily Blog (1118): Sun 20th Apr 2025

I stayed off my phone all day long so I wouldn't have the results of WrestleMania night one spoiled for me. I'll be honest WWE has only been in my peripherals for the last few years since I decided to start supporting AEW full time (and since Vince turned NXT into the new New Generation era) but I still check out the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania every year to give them a chance to win me over and this year…it was a decent show but not enough to get me to switch back. I know that Jey Uso has become so big over the last few years since his rebellion against the Bloodline and his "Yeet" catchphrase but i'll be honest I just don't ger what the fuss is about. I'm happy for the guy as it's literally every wrestlers dream to get the fans behind them in the way that Uso has but I think that in a couple of years he'll be back in the midcard. LA Knight and Kofi Kingston had similar fanfare a few years ago and now they're the kind of wrestlers who don't even make the final four of a Royal Rumble match so while I wish Jey all the best I think this is just going to ba another flash in the pan push. In the main event Paul Heyman turned on CM Punk and Roman Reigns in order to join Seth Rollins which was a great visual and in terms of storyline purposes could open all sorts of avenues but…I'm sick of CM Punk. I have no interest in watching the guy in WWE just because of how he behaved in AEW. I thought he was a much better asset to that company and I think if you strapped him to a lie detector he'd admit that he would rather things had worked out with AEW and he was still there rather than having to return to WWE. The fact that he interpereted something Hangman Page said off the cuff to be a personal dig at him and used this to puplically bash the company and torpedo his career with them showed me the kind of person he is. Did he honestly think if his UFC career had taken off the other fighters wouldn't have said unscripted things that were a bit mean to him? Why didn't he just go backstage and ask Page if this was referring to him allegedly getting Colt Cabana moved to ROH in exchange for him coming into the company? Speaking of Hangman, AJ Lee must be sick of waking up in the middle of the night to find her husband scrolling the dirtsheets to see if Hangman said anything that he can make fun of.

[bones-sprouts]

SELF INDULGENT APOLLO JUSTICE ACE ATTORNEY AU BECAUSE IT BRINGS ME JOY ( SPOILER WARNING ⚠️‼️)

@burnoutandbookworms-ohmy you wanted to be tagged :>

okay so the cast would be as follows

apollo - tommy

phoenix - wilbur

trucy - tubbo

klavier - ranboo (this one's ambitious but hear me out-)

kristoph - dream

ema - techno

lamiroir - kristin

zak - phil (F in chat for mr minecraft 😔)

and then all of the filler characters would be various other smp members (suggestions?)

so then the plot would go as follows (we're bullet pointing this bitch you better run)

°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

• so tommy arrives in the courtroom with dream, and he's nervous as hell, because not only is it his first trial

• his client is wilbur fucking soot

• world renouned defense attorney, now disbarred for forging evidence

• but tommy is 110% sure wilbur is innocent

• because wilbur is his HERO

• and then dream introduces them and damn he looks like shit

• i'm talking full pogtopia era get-up, plus a ratty beanie that has wilby painted on it and a crown pin

• so wil spouts the standard cryptic bullshit you'd expect from phoenix

• and tommy does an early smpe earth 'i am so cool and not at all starstruck' type act

• and they head in

• you meet the judge, who i didn't replace bc it's the judge

• tommy does his chords of steel, but with significantly more swearing then apollo would use

• and dream seems to be just a bit off

• and he goes on this big tirade about blue cards

• the case goes smoothly, until

• tommy feels something akin to a burning from the compass he's kept as a necklace for as long as he can remember

• and he just knows that the witness is lying

• it's like he can see the tiniest of tells that tip him off

• dream doesn't quite understand it, but wilbur looks like he knows exactly what's going on

• before he calls this out, though, a recess is called

• wilbur and dream have a chat, so tommy's left to his own devices

• and this boy about his age in a green magician's outfit runs up to him

• and he looks like an older version of the picture of wilbur's kid that he showed off in court beforehand

• and he hands tommy a (bloody??) playing card and poofs away

• then the trial resumes as normal, with tommy grilling the witness and eventually accusing her

• but it just doesn't seem right

• he knows she's not lying about being innocent, her tells would have tipped him off if she was

• but dream pushes and pushes him to formally accuse her

• until wilbur fucking soot interjects with an OBJECTION!

• while tommy geeks the hell out, wilbur asserts that there must have been someone else in the room

• and accuses dream.

• tommy's confused, and the both of them argue back and forth for a bit, until wilbur starts explaining his theory with evidence from tommy along the way

• but it's seeming like they don't have any non circumstancial evidence

• until wilbur has tommy pull out the playing card

• (i haven't been explaining the case but it makes sense i promise)

• they win the case, with dream never faltering or showing emotion, even after being taken away

• tommy's shaken up, but happy, all things considered

• but before he can ponder on what's just happened, wilbur takes him aside to talk

• and admits the card was forged

• tommy's shocked, and he's sad, and he's angry, because how could wilbur fucking soot forge evidence??

• and he punches him in the face

• wil smiles and gives him an offer to work at his office, since tommy's boss is kind of in jail

• tommy leaves

• but he comes back a few months later, only out of desperation

• he's greeted by the boy from the trial (wil's kid?)

• who demands to know his name and his 'talent'

• tommy says he's a lawyer and introduces himself

• the kid says his name is tubbo and that the building hasn't been a law office in a long time

• tommy asks to see wilbur

• so they go to see him

• in the fucking hospital

• he managed to get hit by a car, which sent him flying 40ft back into a telephone pole

• and he sprained his ankle

• he's very lucky apparently

• so from there, cases 2 and 3 play out (i'm gonna skim though these bc if i write them out ill end up rewriting plot points and i don't have the energy)

• along the way, they meet a few interesting people

• ranboo, a prosecutor who's dream's younger brother and the guitarist for a popular band, that tubbo immediately gets along with and tommy despises

• dispite seeming cocky, he's impressively awkward outside of court

• technoblade, a detective who's fairly standoffish towards tommy and tubbo alike, but has a soft spot for wilbur (do they have a history)

• kristin, a singer with a past she can't remember (unbeknownst to tommy, his compass tends to point towards her and tubbo. odd)

also before we move on to the final case, a quick summary of the dynamics and other small shit bc seritonin

• though wil adopted tubbo, they have much more of a sibling dynamic, and cause general mayhem

• wilbur does actually warm up to tommy fairly quickly (beanix and apollo dynamic, my abbhorrent) and while tommy still doesn't 100% trust wil, they do end up getting pretty close as time goes on

• tubbo and ranboo IMMEDIATELY hit it off, much to the dismay of tommy, and the two of them act like the dummy named micheal that tubbo uses for magic tricks is their son

• tommy acts like he hates ranboo's guts, but that won't stop him from trying to sweet talk his way into getting evidence from him (it always works, ranboo has no spine.) he also, like in canon, vents to ranboo whenever he needs to, and ranboo ends up knowing more ab him then even wil and tubbo

• jack is eldoon. they all go to his noodle shop constantly and tommy always complains about them being too salty. jack hates him with a passion but adores tubbo and wil

• instead of snakooos, techno deadass just has entire bags full of raw potatoes that he eats like chips, this is terrifying to everyone except wilbur, who acts like it's completely normal

• instead of pretending to be taken hostage in case 2, tubbo deadass pretends to have a nuke and threatens to set it off unless a recess is called. after things calm down they go back in and he just,, doesn't get arrested. the law is fucked

• after case 1, dream wears a smiley mask in order to not show his face, paranoid that tommy or someone else like him will know his secrets though his tells

okay now final case here we go

• wilbur tells tommy and tubbo that he's been working on a special trial with the jury system, and that he needs them to defend

• they agree, and go to meet the client

• things generally go like any other investigation, but there's just something about it that feels game changing

• and as they power though the first part of the trial, they start to uncover that there might be someone pulling the strings from behind the scenes

• tommy clocks her tell (chewing her nails) and they start to make progress

• but before they can uncover answers from her, she passes out

• a recess is called, and so are paramedics

• it turns out she's ingested the same kind of poison as the victim, coming from her nail polish

• tommy and tubbo are shaken up, and they go to wil for help

• he decides they need to know the full truth, but he knows that some of the evidence is lost at this point

(and holy shit stay with me here i promise that as out of left field this is the original game made significantly less sense)

• he phones a friend that he knows is the only one that can help them

• karl

• he explains the situation, and karl agrees to help them

• and they fucking time travel

(again, the game makes even less sense i promise)

• they chat with the victim and defendant from seven years beforehand, right after wil was disbarred

• they watch the trial wil got disbarred over, where he defended tubbo's bio father, phil

• and they see a much smaller tubbo hand wil the forged evidence, saying that a kind man told him to give it to the man with the bright blue hamilton suit

• and they watch wil present it, only to be shot down by a much younger ranboo, who proves it's fake

• and they find out tubbo and tommy are bio siblings, which they're shocked about but decide to talk about later (fuck canon tommy and tubbo get to know)

• and they go visit dream in prison

• at this point wil is CONVINCED dream is behind everything, they just need the right evidence

• so they head to the cell, only for it to be empty

• naturally, they start snooping

• wil finds a letter, and opens it to reveal exactly what they need to win the case

• but before they can leave, dream, equipped with a smiley mask, stops them

• they exchange a few words before they leave, letterless

• luckily, wil has a trick up his sleeve, and reveals that his crown pin has a built in camera

• they examine the contents of the letter, and wil hastily makes a replica, and they head off to the trial

• since they're experimenting with the jurist system for the first time, they can't afford to wait for the defendant to heal, so they proceed

• they call dream to the stand

• they grill him for quite a while, with the help of ranboo who refuses to protect his brother, getting him to show his true colors, and then pull out the letter

• and he says that it's a fake, which the judge unfortunately agrees with

• so they don't have their evidence

• and even though they've shown pretty much everything and dream had practically admitted to bring a murderous bastard and the one who gave tubbo the fake to give to wil

• they don't have enough to convince a judge

• tommy and tubbo are crushed

• but wil is happy

• because they don't have to convince a judge

• they have to convince a jury

• and they win

• dream shatters along with his mask, going completely off the deep end

• their client is safe, and so is wil

• kristin also reveals to wil that she's tommy and tubbo's bio mom, saying that she'll tell them when she's really

• so things come to a close

• for now, anyway

so yeah, thats AJ but dsmp, to anyone who didn't play the game, i'm so sorry this makes no sense, and to anyone who did, you're cool as hell can we be moots 👉👈

[spatort]

I’m at my parents’ house and I have too much time on my hands apparently, so it’s time for a trip down memory lane! More specifically, a trip into the weird world of 1990s for-profit teen idol RPF, such as this beauty:

No, I did not find this at my parents’ house, I bought it second-hand specifically in order to make this post because I’m a person who enjoys studying fan culture in her free time. So, if you’re wondering what the hell the monstrosity pictured above is, and why it exists, don’t worry, I’m about to answer that question extensively.

LONG (AND HOPEFULLY FUN & INTERESTING) POST UNDER THE CUT

Let’s start with a bit of history: In the pre-internet era, fan culture differed from today in a few key regards. Although fanfiction existed, without the internet it was much harder for fans to share their stories with each other. Large fandoms such as Star Trek did have fanzines where fanfic could be printed, but all in all it was a much more niche thing than it is today with millions of fics accessible on AO3.

Fan culture in general, however, was a big thing in the 90s – particularly when it came to pop acts that appealed to teen (and tween) audiences, such as the Backstreet Boys, the Spice Girls, or (mostly in Europe) the Kelly Family. When I was in elementary school, you basically had to pick whether you were a BSB or an NSYNC fan – and god forbid you were a Kelly fan like me, then you were the lowest rung on the social ladder and the target of relentless mockery. Like many German kids in the 90s, me and my sister would religiously read teen magazine BRAVO, cut out every single bit of material about our faves and collect them in folders and self-made fanzines. We created fan art and fanfiction without having words for these things. Without the internet and social media, fans did not have a constant stream of content about their idols, and were left with no other choice but to cling to every bit of information they could find in magazines, on TV shows, or on the radio.

Enter a savvy businessperson who comes up with the perfect merchandise product to sell to these popstar-obsessed teens: fan novels! These books, featuring taglines such as ‘The novel for all Backstreet Boys fans’, typically revolved around a relatable female teenage protagonist who is a fan of the celebrity or music group in question, and usually ends up meeting their idol or, gasp, even becoming romantically involved with them. As far as themes go, they look pretty much exactly like your classic self-insert RPF. Except there is a big difference setting these books apart from ‘actual’ fanfiction: Rather than being written by real fans to express their ‘fannish’ feelings about the subject, fan novels were most likely commissioned works created by professional romance authors purely to profit off of actual fans. There is very little background information available about this ‘genre’, but I did stumble across an academic work on Google Books which featured a passage about these fan novels (translated into English by me):

There are several commissioned works by professional authors, which could be mistaken for fanfiction. Especially in the 1990s, when lots of boy bands were on the market, many books of this kind were published. […] These are fictional stories for fans [redacted].

Jennie Hermann: Backstreet Girl. Projektionsfläche Popstar - Wenn der Fan zum Schriftsteller wird (2009) [Popstar as Projection Surface – When fans become writers]

One of the things I find most intriguing about this type of commercially published fanfiction is the question of personal rights. Obviously, the celebs in question or their management must have consented to using their names in the story, their pictures on the cover and so on – because a profit could be made with this. Especially with the fan debate around RPF allegely being unethical, I wonder if the celebrities themselves were aware someone was writing these stories about them, putting words in their mouth, and if they had any clue what exactly happened in these novels. Now, I’ve read a couple of them in my own youth. Some of them deal mostly with the state of being a fan, e.g. I recall a novel about a girl who is so obsessed with Leonardo Di Caprio that she doesn’t pay attention to real life guys at all, only to learn that her actual dream boy has been in her life all along! This story did not feature Di Caprio himself as a character, it was more about the protagonist’s arc of realizing your idols are not all that matters in life. Others do describe fan encounters with teen idols, and some even feature (hints at) romance with a celebrity. When I decided to purchase a vintage copy of one of these books, I opted for one of the latter category, precisely because of the popular argument that writing romance stories featuring real people is somehow ‘wrong’. For only a couple of euros, I was able to get my hands on a weird and wonderful relic of fan culture: Mein Frühling mit Nick (My spring with Nick) by the likely pseudonymous Maxi Keller, heralded on the book cover as ‘the novel for all fans of the Backstreet Boys’.

The story revolves around 16-year-old musical prodigy and designated wallflower Katharina, who lives in a German small town and cares about nothing else than playing the organ – certainly not about boys, let alone ones that are super-famous American pop stars. This means she is not initially a fan of the Backstreet Boys, which I guess is something of a trope itself – the protagonist meeting a celebrity by chance without knowing who they are and the celeb being thrilled that someone doesn’t just like them for their fame. Anyway, the boys visit Katharina’s hometown while on tour in Germany because band member AJ is doing some research on his German ancestors who happened to live in this very town. Katharina runs into them, she and Nick (who was only 17 himself when this was published in 1997, so it’s legal) fall in love at first sight, she helps them dig up information on AJ’s ancestors and finds out the two of them are related, the boys invite Katharina and her friend Saskia backstage after their show and … nothing happens. The book is 200 pages long and Katharina doesn’t even get one kiss with her boy band sweetheart, even though they mutually crush on each other right away. Perhaps that’s as far as the band or their management agreed for the novel to go – a hint at romance, but no trace of any on-page action, no matter how innocent.

That said, the book is so hilariously poorly written that it was still very entertaining to read. Although I could not find out anything about the author Maxi Keller, and therefore assume this might be a pseudonym, their writing style very much suggests that their are a professional romance author who usually writes for an older audience (plus, the book was published by Bastei Lübbe, who also publish a range of cheap romance novels known as ‘Romanhefte’). The language is extremely flowery at times, and even teenage characters speak with an eloquence that is hardly age-appropriate, with some 90s teen slang peppered in at unfitting times (such as the overuse of the English word ‘girl’). Often the novel loses itself in pointless detail that does nothing to move the plot forward (such as an extensive description of a house party hosted by Saskia’s rich parents, with minute details of their luxurious lifestyle and assets, even though Saskia is only a supporting character in the overall plot). It appears as if the author is desperately trying to fill the pages with meaningless drivel so they don’t need to write too many scenes featuring the presumed main attraction, the boys themselves.

If Keller was indeed merely hired to write this, and is not a fan themselves, one must still admit that the author did their research when it comes to the band. Whereas fanfiction typically assumes that the audience is already familiar with the characters and often skips any introductory descriptions of their appearance or personality, Keller makes sure that even a reader who is completely unfamiliar with the Backstreet Boys can keep up. The author delivers extensive descriptions of the boys’ appearance and demeanor, even spelling out their full names repeatedly, and frequently peppers in ‘fun facts’ such as ‘Kevin was raised on a farm in Kentucky’. While an actual fan might do so to prove how knowledgeable they are, and earning their status as a ‘true fan’, in this case it only seems like Keller really wants to show off how much research they did – as if not a single piece of information they took in must go to waste by not being used in the novel.

When it comes to the question how realistically the non-fannish author replicates the way the boys act and speak, there are two barriers to delivering a well-founded answer: Firstly, I was personally very young when BSB were popular and I really don’t remember too well what each member was like. Secondly, the elephant in the room: the language barrier. All of the aforementioned fan novels were written in German, and the problems posed by writing about an English-speaking band interacting with German OCs (and teenage ones at that) are addressed poorly, if at all. Pretty much all dialogue is written in German, and the audience is left to assume that everyone is actually speaking English whenever the boys are involved – except the novel does nothing to explain why two 16-year-old German girls would be able to express themselves so effortlessly in a foreign language. (Remember, the internet was not a thing, so German kids were not exposed to the same amount of English in everyday life as they are these days.) It would have been easy to make one of them a language nerd who gets straight A’s in English class, and give the other a British parent and make them bilingual. Instead, Katharina initially even worries about the prospect of having to talk to boys at all, and in English on top of that! But when she actually does, the language barrier never comes up again. The suspension of disbelief expected from the reader is therefore immense. The language barrier also gives the author an easy way out when it comes to imitating the way the boys speak in real life – there is no need to take into account idiolects or regional differences (such as ‘you guys’ vs. ‘y’all’) if the boys’ speech is essentially translated into a foreign language. However, I wanted to give you guys (or y’all, if you will) a taste of how Keller attempts to write a scene where AJ and Nick discuss the latter’s crush on Katharina:

I would argue that this sounds realistic enough for what it’s worth, if a little cheesy, which is excusable in this genre. Perhaps a true 90s BSB fan would beg to differ, so if you happen to be one, feel free to drop me a message. But in my semi-professional opinion, this most likely holds up for readers.

So, to answer the initial question that drove me to purchase this book: Do fan novels like Mein Frühling mit Nick count as fanfiction?

If we assume that something is only a fanfic if the author themselves is a fan of the subject matter, then I would argue no, Maxi Keller is probably not a fan themselves and therefore this work of for-profit real-person fiction does not qualify as fanfic. However, fan novels definitely have a (however small) place in the history of fan culture and fan-adjacent works, and I personally found reading this relic both entertaining and insightful!

[raveneira]

Since Yashahime is such a dumpster fire Im just gonna rewrite the sequel to what I THINK would have been the better alternative to the whole SessRin situation and also some story elements that could really be improved and would make this series alot better.

For starters, if we HAD to go the SessRin route then I would make it take place 21 years after the end of final act, Kagome was 18 when she returned to the feudal era and 3 years had passed at the end of the final act which made her 21, Rin should have been about 11-12 at that point, if we count 21 years from then, Kagome would be 42 while Rin would be 32-33, meaning when the twins were born Rin was 18-19, I know that might make ppl a bit uncomfortable still but atleast she would be a legitimate adult where you can atleast say "alright...Im KIND of ok with this, I still dont like it but atleast she is technically an adult capable of consenting and not a literal child being taken advantage of"

Thats if they HAD to go the SessRin route, then I would atleast make it done tastefully where it doesnt promote pedophilia, plus the old gang being in their 40s wouldnt be that big a deal because they'd still be capable of fighting.

Now for my PERSONAL take on how the sequel should have taken place, SessRin wouldnt happen at all, because the beauty of their relationship stemmed from this ruthless cold hearted demon who hated humans, learned to love and care for a small child to the point of nearly crying when he thought he lost her for good, there are all different kinds of love and the love Sesshomaru had for Rin was pure and innocent. He was someone she adored as her savior and caretaker and she was someone he cared for and wanted to protect, to me that bond was far more impactful and meaningful than anything romantic or sexual building up between them, but simply two people whom the other simply cannot live without because they mean THAT much to eachother. Such a pure and sweet relationship did NOT need to be twisted into a romantic and sexual light. Rin could have continued to adore Sesshomaru and he could have continued to check up on her and bring her gifts as he did in the final act until Rin decided she wanted to travel with him again.

Now onto the rewrite, as I stated SessRin WOULDNT happen and their bond would remain as it was in the OG series, so who would be the twins mother? well if we HAD to go the half demon route to show Sesshomaru's development full circle, and we didnt wanna undo Kagura's death because it was a critical moment for Sesshomaru's development, there were several other routes that could have been taken.

1 Create a new character and develop her over the course of Yashahime through a series of flashbacks as we unravel the mystery of what happened to everyone through the girls travels. If you want to go the angsty route you could have her die giving birth and have Rin raise them as a sort of surrogate mother figure, kind of like Clementine with AJ.

2 Use an already established character, one possibility being Nazuna, a human girl that debuted back in the early OG series, she had black hair and black eyes but as we see from Yashahime, the girls clearly didnt inherit their mothers looks as in the OG series Rin's hair was black and her eyes are brown while Setsuna's hair is brown and she has blue/purple eyes while Towa has red eyes, features that neither of their parents have. They also have a random red streak in their hair for some reason. 

So based on this, Nazuna would be a good possible candidate as she was a teenager in the OG series and would be an adult by the end of the series when she would give birth. [Correct me if Im wrong about her age but she looks like a teenager, but if Im wrong then I would just adjust the timeline to where she would be an adult at the time she gives birth]

Another potential candidate would be Momiji, true she may have been anime only but since this is an anime only sequel she is a plausible candidate. She has red/auburn hair which would explain the strange red streak in the twins hair. Like Nazuna, she was a teenager in the OG series so she would also be an adult by the time she'd conceive and give birth.

Another candidate would be Kaname Kururugi, a game exclusive character, but the fact that they went through the trouble of creating a complete OC and fleshed out her backstory to such a degree and allowed her to build relationships with established characters, including Sesshomaru, its safe to say they could have incorperated her into the anime canon considering they already had an established foundation they could have just built off of and meshed it into the anime. Plus she has brown hair and blue/purple eyes just like Setsuna.

Now that we have all the potential candidates, who's the one that seems the most plausible? In my opinion, I would personally go the Kaname route because she has such a deep and fleshed out backstory and they actually took the time to even animate scenes specifically for this game, so she does TECHNICALLY make an appearance in the anime, just not in an actual episode. And just like Kagome, she could have grown fond of the feudal era as well and wished to go back and somehow found a way to do so at the end of the Final act or maybe a month or year later after Kagome returned.

So going with the Kaname route, I'll begin my rewrite.

Being as Sesshomaru hasnt seen her since she was 15 like Kagome and vanished for several years, when he finally sees her again she will now be 18-19 when they reunite and a relationship would start to build and ensue.

Continuing where the game left off, Kaname would continue on with her normal life as Kagome did and eventually graduate when she is 18. She would still often think about her time in the feudal era and miss all the people she spent time with and bonded with there, one person specifically being Sesshomaru.

^ A refresher for those who forgot the Sesshomaru ending.

As she comes home from graduation, another Doll Festival of Wishes is being held and it reminds her of Sesshomaru whom she wishes to see again, she goes and buys one of the dolls and writes his name on it as she did when she first returned home, thinking to herself that its no use and is probably a waste of time, but with what little hope she has left, she does the ritual anyway.

Afterwards she goes over to her father to help him with the festival, who like last time asks her to go get something from the storehouse. As she enters the storehouse, the hole in which she fell through before has been patched up, as she walks through the storehouse, she walks on the patched up floor which caves in when she walks on it and she is once again transported to the feudal era.

She once again lands in a forest not far from where Kaede lives, as she wakes up, she is greeted by Sesshomaru, who had saw her unconscious on his way to visit Rin and watched over her till she woke up. Overjoyed and also in disbelief, she hugs him which surprises Sesshomaru who isnt used to recieving this type of affection but he doesnt push her away, nor does he reciprocate by hugging her back.

As she lets go she tells him how much she missed him and everyone there, then, noticing Rin wasnt with him, asks him where she was, worried that something might have happened to her. He reassures her that Rin is fine and that he was just on his way to visit her at Kaede's village which relieves Kaname. She goes with Sesshomaru back to Kaede's village where she reunites with everyone much to their surprise but they are all very happy to see her again.

Anyway Im not gonna do a play by play step by step storytelling so Im just gonna mention the main story beats and you guys can fill in the blanks for yourself.

Anyway after the happy reunion and catching up, Sesshomaru prepares to leave back on his travels which saddens Kaname who had longed to see him again and only got to be reunited with him a short time. Reluctant to be apart from him again, she asks, or rather insists he allows her to come with him on his travels. He tells her that if she comes with him it'll be a dangerous journey for her, she replies confidently that she can take care of herself and promises to not be a burden to him. Reluctant but not willing to argue, he tells her to do as she wishes and flies off. Kaname hops on A-Un and soon follows, and the two begin their travels together.

Thats pretty much how'd we leave off the final act, atleast a month or two after, you can decide your own timeline.

As for what happened on their journey and how their relationship developed will be shown through a series of flashbacks over the course of Yashahime as we solve more of the mysteries.

In episode 15, we'd get the same flashback but with Kaname being the one to give birth to the twins with Rin, Kagome, Sango, and Kaede there for her as support. It is said that when Sesshomaru and Kaname found out she was pregnant, he brought her back to the village where she could have a safe pregnancy and birth. Of course Sesshomaru isnt the mushy type to stay there with her through her pregnancy, but he does visit from time to time when giving gifts to Rin but also goes to check on her and see how she’s doing, although he doesnt admit thats what he’s doing.

After the twins were born, everything plays out relatively the same, but instead of just taking the twins without a word to her, he atleast reassures her that he's taking them someplace safe from harm, although he cant explain to her right now what that harm is, Kaname says she trusts him.

As I said, things play out relatively the same after that.

As for Rin, what exactly happens with her? well if we MUST pair her off with someone, it should be Kohaku, someone she has an established relationship and bond with that is closer to her age. Whether or not they have kids I'll leave up to you to decide, but I like the idea of Kohaku having a little demon slayer son to carry on their legacy. It would be interesting seeing his bond with Setsuna since Rin would essentially be like a sister figure for the twins although they dont remember her, it would be interesting and sweet to see Setsuna develop a bond with their son who for the sake of simplifying things, we'll call him Korin.

Korin, if we want Rin to be an adult at the time she gives birth, would be 4 years after Kaname gives birth to the twins when Rin is 18-19, making Korin 10 in the present. Like the twins, Korin has no memories of his mother since she was sealed away in a tree for whatever reason, so the only mother figure he's ever had has been Setsuna, which would be an interesting dynamic to explore since it would be similar to how Sesshomaru filled a parental role for Rin who didnt have anyone at the time.

Moroha would NOT be this uncaring about her parents, infact she would be insanely curious, maybe even furious wanting to figure out why they abandoned her and vanished without a word since nobody seems to have told her anything that happened. She would want answers and wouldnt stop until she gets them. The OG crew if we MUST have this mystery drawn out, would tell her that it would be better if she found out the truth for herself and that any answers they give her wouldnt be the answers she wants. So Moroha's driving force in the story wouldnt be about some stupid bounty hunting debt, although she could still be a bounty hunter, but her main motivation would be trying to discover the truth about her parents and why they abandoned her.

Also this BS with Koga giving her up would NOT happen, it just wouldnt, that is BEYOND OOC for him to do and I will not be having it. Instead, Koga would be IN character and not let Moroha out of his sight, he would treat her like kin like the rest of the wolf demon tribe, maybe even give her special treatment because of her connection to Kagome. Koga would train Moroha himself, not going easy on her because he wants her to be strong enough to fend for herself, concerned because of her being a quater demon and having her demon powers sealed, he’s hard on her to toughen her up to not have to rely on it. 

If we must include Yawaragi, then she would be sort of a bodyguard assigned to watch over Moroha by Koga for when he cant. The storyline of the rat armor would still relatively be the same but instead of selling Moroha off to some shady bounty hunter which Koga would never allow or forgive her for doing, she simply introduces him to her as a long time friend, Moroha would take interest in the bounty hunting business as an opporunity for training, and potentially finding info on her parents since Jyubei seems to have alot of connections and intel that’ll be useful in her journey. Yawaragi instead of pursuing the key alone would bring Moroha with her when they are approached by the shady demon whos name I cant be bothered to remember, he blackmails her with the key telling her to fight Moroha if she wants it, Moroha scoffs at this telling him that she wouldnt do that and that they’ll both fight him together to get the key instead, but to her surprise Yawaragi attacks her.

Everything plays out relatively the same, Moroha is hurt at her betrayal and lashes out at her. Yawaragi, like in the episode uses this fight as one final lesson for Moroha, with full intention on dying by the end of it. Moroha is hesitant to fight her because she still cares about her as she was like a second mentor and somewhat mother figure to her. So to get Moroha to fight seriously she lies to her by saying that everything was a lie and that she never cared about her etc I wont go into a ton of detail, Moroha is reluctant to believe her but is eventually convinced when she attacks her full power, seemingly with the intent to kill her. This pushes Moroha to fight seriously as well, remembering what she taught her about using her clever thinking and successfully strikes her down. 

After this she goes over to her and Yawaragi admits to lying to her so that she would fight because she knew chances are the shady demon wouldnt have given her the key and since the rat armor was close to killing her anyway she decided she would rather die by Moroha’s hands rather than being crushed to death by the armor. Moroha would be devestated and guiltridden since she is the reason she was in the cursed armor to begin with, but Yawaragi reassures her that it isnt her fault and that it was her own negligence to see through the trap that resulted in this outcome. As a reward for defeating her, she gives Moroha her sword [yes Moroha wouldnt have her sword until now] and tells her to get stronger with it so that she wouldnt have to rely on her rouge, but win using her own strength. Moroha promises her that she will and Yawaragi passes away shortly after that. Everything plays out relatively the same after that.

As for the twins their motivations can mostly stay the same, but they also wouldnt be so uncaring about their parents, or specifically Towa wouldnt. Towa would be furious at her father and want to find him and maybe even kill him for abandoning them and causing them to be separated with seemingly no regard for their safety. Setsuna can maintain her non caring attitude, but given Towa's upbringing in the modern era, it makes sense for her to be furious at her birth father's neglect after experiencing what a loving home and father feels like.

As for what happened to Kaname, like I said you could go the angsty route where she died giving birth, or you could have her be kidnapped and used as a bargaining chip to blackmail Sesshomaru into doing the enemies bidding. You could have it where Sesshomaru was able to prevent Rin from falling into the enemies hands but not Kaname. Or maybe Kaname sacrificed herself for Rin, agreeing to go with the enemy in exchange for them sparing Rin, which is what leads Sesshomaru to sealing Rin in the tree to prevent them from potentially coming back for her. You guys can come up with your own conclusions there, these are just some scenerios off the top of my head. But for the sake of the rewrite we'll go with Kaname being kidnapped and used to blackmail Sesshomaru.

I’ll make an actual rewrite in a separate post with how I would PERSONALLY make the sequel, this post is just me tweaking and making slight alterations to the way Sunrise chose to write the sequel, the separate post would be how I feel the sequel could have played out instead for the better.

[rivalsforlife]

i've always found so interesting that phoenix not being in contact with friends in the 7yg is a thing in so many people's hcs/fics, bc even when i first played aa4 i just assumed the choice to not bring up old trilogy characters was just bc they wanted to focus on the new ones, and considering some writer comments about worrying that new games will spoil old ones (which like, wild when it prevents addressing plot points lol) + how quickly they addressed it in new games, does seem to be the case+

+ and like, as you said, considering the end of the trilogy and that some of aa4 events happen right after it, it does feel weird that he'd cut contact/they'd cut contact with him just like that haha

I only joined this fandom a couple of years ago so I wasn’t around in that six-year wait between AA4 and DD... but from what I’ve heard, it was preeeetty common for people to think Phoenix had cut off all contact, and also a lot of people assuming that AA4 was just the end of the series. So no statement on what anyone’s up to now, or if any of them have ever talked to Phoenix again at all, just... nothing. And I think that the apparent complete lack of mentioning a lot of the characters (like Miles, and Gumshoe, etc) led to a lot of people trying to come up with headcanons for why that would be the case, hence why if you’re willing to dig far enough into ao3 (or the older fanfiction . net, though I haven’t been there much because I’m on constant high alert about the lack of tags) you’ll see a lot of fics where Phoenix and Miles had a huge breakup/fight or Miles went to permanently live in ~Europe~ somewhere or something like that, or Phoenix in distress over disbarment forcibly cut everyone out. A lot can happen over seven years, and I guess that a bunch of people assumed all those friendships disintegrated over that time; it can happen, I guess, as upsetting as it is to think about.

(It’s also cool to read these fics to see how much of current fanon and/or fan interpretations of characters are influenced by the investigations+DD/SOJ games (since the fan patch of investigations 2 didn’t come out until 2014, from what I can see?) and it’s actually pretty neat. A Turnabout Toast is probably my favourite of the fics I’ve read from this era and some of the things it handles about post-AJ era are better than the actual games.)

I mean now we have DD which tells us that Phoenix+Miles were in contact over the gap and that Miles flew him over to help on cases sometimes, and it says that Trucy+Pearl were close so there must have been contact with the Feys, and it has letters from Maya implying regular contact, and SOJ with its few offhand lines saying Gumshoe’s alive at least... but none of that was really there before.

I’m pretty sure Takumi’s intent was just as you said and didn’t want to bog down the story with the older characters whose arcs were done, and the only reason Phoenix is even there is because he was told to bring him in somehow. (Who wants to bet that capcom exec was kicking themselves for that one after seeing people get so upset over disbarred Phoenix.) But then of course 56 went back on that by bringing back the old characters whose arcs were done anyways...

The thing about old games spoiling new ones seems to be pretty recent, actually, since the original trilogy had much more focus on older plot points + the second investigations game talking a lot about DL-6, but it actually did a pretty cool thing with this by talking about the old plot points without spoiling them. For instance, the second investigations game mentions DL-6 a lot and mentions MvK but never does the full connection of MvK being the one who killed Gregory, or that Miles thought he did, or a lot of those details that are the big twists in Turnabout Goodbyes. (It does make things weird sometimes, though.) ... And thinking back on it, I may be wrong, but I don’t even think JFA mentioned that MvK was the one who killed Gregory. Also all that with Morgan (you know she’s in jail but I don’t think they go into detail about why) and Mia’s death having a big part in T&T although the details of that case aren’t explored. 

I think it’s a good approach since this way there’s still stuff to experience if you played the games out of order for whatever reason, but you can still build on old plot points and they’re actually addressed instead of each game feeling isolated in its own little universe with the same cast (cough cough 456.) That particular comment one of the writers made I think was specifically about Thalassa, and that’s a tricky thing to do, since Apollo and Trucy being siblings was one of the big twists of AA4, and there’s no way to kind of... smoothly integrate that without spoiling the game.

[impala-dreamer]

Are you a Cas, a Sam, or a Dean? Do you make the references, roll your eyes at them, or just plain not get them?

Let’s put it to the test, shall we? 

Welcome to The  I DO UNDERSTAND THAT REFERENCE SPN WRITING CHALLENGE!

Hosted by @impala-dreamer​ and @deanwanddamons​!

Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to guide Dean, Sam, and Cas through another terrible French Mistake event! They’ve magically been zapped into a movie or show that has been referenced on SPN and now they have to get in and out… with your help. How they got there and what they do is up to you! 

Below is a list of movies or TV shows that have been referenced in some way on Supernatural. Obviously, it’s not everything, but who has that kind of time? We have chosen all types of movies/ TV shows from all different eras and genres so there will be something for everyone.

Now, mind the rules, pick your film and get to work! 

RULES AND REGULATIONS:

Should be following one (or both if you like awesome) of us. 

Please be over 18 as our blogs are over 18 only anyway. 

Only TWO writers per prompt- so choose wisely, and check the list before you send in your request. 

For this round, we are only playing with Dean, Sam, and/or Castiel. (And a reader, if you choose!) You can use one or two or all three. You can have side characters, and characters from your choice of film should be there too, but the main story needs to be written around TFW. 

Send an ASK to either @impala-dreamer​ or @deanwanddamons​ with your choice of film.

Reblog this post for a boost (to be nice)

YOU MUST: USE A KEEP READING line after 300 words or we will not reblog your entry.

YOU MUST: tag us in the a/n (both of us) so we can see it

Please make your fics between 500-5K words…

Keep them true to character. This is like French Mistake on crack. It’s our guys in AU movie worlds. Literally put Sam, Dean or Cas into your movie. Have fun with it!

Smut, Angst, Fluff, Crack, whatever you want. Just have fun and make it real. 

PLEASE NO: ABO. Underage stuff. Toilet stuff. Samifer. Sabriel. (just not our thing…)

PLEASE TAG ALL WARNINGS APPROPRIATELY. You no taggy, we no rebloggy.

Entries are open until all films are taken. 

Your fic is due no later than SEPTEMBER 1, 2020. A masterlist will be posted on that day. 

THE REFERENCES:

The Shining @unmistakablyunknown @holylulusworld​

Die Hard

Batman @talesmaniac89 @stephaniecanfield96us​ 

Back to the Future - @missjenniferb

Thelma and Louise

Good Morning Vietnam 

Seven

Harry Potter - @jay-and-dean​ @emilyshurley​

Star Wars

Star Trek - @reigningqueenofwords

X- Files

Ghostbusters

Bambi - @deans-baby-momma

Cool Hand Luke

Game of Thrones @leahxx129

Wizard of Oz

The Walking Dead - @emoryhemsworth @because-imma-lady-assface

Rosemary’s Baby

Twilight - @zpandaqueen  

Titanic - @kittenofdoomage @whatareyouosearchingfordean 

Buffy The Vampire Slayer - @there-must-be-a-lock @wingedcatninja

Lethal Weapon

The Omen

Lord of the Rings - @fancat-not-fangirl

Karate Kid

Dirty Dancing - @hella-aj-the-tricksters-son​ @storiesfromtheimpala

Frozen   @superfanficnatural @rhysmybaby

The Exorcist

Finding Nemo @ELLIEWRITESFIX05 

Cujo

Christine 

American Werewolf in London 

Blazing Saddles

Carrie

Jurassic Park - @67midnightwriter @i-make-questionable-choices​-

Doctor Who - @crashdevlin @imjustadrummer

 Raiders of the Lost Ark - @nickelkeep 

Silence of the Lambs

The Goonies

Tombstone - @missjenniferb

The Lost Boys

The Hunger Games - @dontshootmespence @idksupernatural

This is Spinal Tap

Weird Science

Kill Bill

Forrest Gump

Amityville Horror - @stephaniecanfield96us​

Ferris Bullers Day Off

House of Wax - @moosekateer13 

Gilmore Girls - @waywardnerd67

Jaws - @kickingitwithkirk 

The Matrix - @myinconnelly1

Spiderman

The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle

Misery

Magic Mike - @banshee1013​

Psycho

I Love Lucy

Transformers 

Ghost 

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!

[aion-rsa]

20 Underrated Wrestling Games

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Whether you don’t know the difference between a mark and a bump or you can name the main event of every WrestleMania, you’re probably aware of at least some of the absolute best wrestling games of all-time. Titles like SmackDown: Here Comes the Pain, WWF No Mercy, and WCW/NWO Revenge have transcended the popularity of professional wrestling itself and have become a part of many gamers’ fondest memories.

Yet, there are some forgotten wrestling games that are still worth remembering. While it’s true that there are well-defined tops and bottoms in the wrestling game hierarchy, there are also a few titles somewhere near the middle that have been unfairly lumped together even though some of them deserve a spot near the top of the card with the undisputed legends of the wrestling game scene.

So join us as we look at 20 of the most underrated wrestling games of all-time:

20. Super Fire Pro Wrestling Special

1994 | Human Entertainment | Super Famicom

Super Fire Pro Wrestling Special’s status as one of the earliest wrestling games with a substantial story mode is noteworthy enough. However, what really makes this one special is the fact that one of the game’s scenarios writers was Suda51: the legendary game director known for some of the weirdest games ever made. 

True to form, this game is weirder than you could ever imagine. I can’t think of another wrestling game that ends with the protagonist killing themselves after realizing that their championship win is hollow due to the pain and losses they suffered along the way, and while I’m grateful no other game has tried something like that, this title’s dark and bizarre story should at least make it more talked about than it typically is. 

19. Natsume Championship Wrestling

1994 |  Natsume  | SNES

This is hardly the best wrestling game on this list (clearly), but it does represent a fascinating turning point for wrestling video games that is sometimes overlooked. 

This game combined two eras of wrestling games by featuring the more simplistic arcade style of many early console wrestling titles with a few concepts (such as an advanced fatigue system) that would go on to help shape the more complex wrestling games that would define the years to come. If you like that classic style of wrestling game, this is one of the best ways to revisit it. 

18. Wrestling Revolution 3D

2014 |  MDickie  | Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, Mac, Ouya 

Let’s be clear: this is a very bad game. It’d go so far as to call it objectively bad in many ways. However, it’s the fact that the game is so bad that makes it so much fun. 

Considered by many to be maybe the only example of a “So bad, it’s good” wrestling game, Wrestling Revolution is slow, awkward, broken, and clearly made with love. At a time when so many of the recent yearly WWE games end up being glitchy messes anyway, there’s something to be said for a game that embraces its glitchiness and usually leads to a lot of laughs. 

17. WWE ‘13

2012 |  Yuke’s  | PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360

As suggested above, there’s a point where it’s hard for all but the most hardcore WWE game fans to distinguish recent WWE titles from one another. Maybe that’s why WWE ‘13 is sometimes forgotten when we’re talking about the best relatively modern wrestling games. 

This game’s best feature has to be its “Attitude Era” story modes which let you relive some of the best moments from WWE’s most beloved period. More importantly, this game benefited from pretty good animations and a hit detection system that made it feel good to play years before the clutter of this series’ engine would drag these titles down. 

16. WCW vs. The World

Given that PlayStation gamers spent years lamenting that N64 owners got to play WCW/NWO Revenge and WWF No Mercy (two of the best wrestling games ever), I’m shocked that we don’t hear more people praise WCW vs. The World. 

Essentially the predecessor to those brilliant N64 games made by AKI, WCW vs. The World is by far the closest PlayStation gamers came to getting a wrestling game on the level of the best N64 titles. It’s pretty rough compared to those titles, but I can’t help but think of the years I spent missing out on this true gem.

15. WWF War Zone

1998 | Sculptured Software, Acclaim | PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Game Boy

Granted, it’s not nearly as good as the best wrestling games of its era, but at a time when WWE (then WWF) was enjoying an incredible popularity resurgence, WWF War Zone allowed fans to live out a truly special era of wrestling.

War Zone’s roster is a time capsule of that era that includes a fascinating blend of big-name stars and notable novelty acts. Its gameplay could have been much smoother, but the game’s presentation and graphics made it feel special. It’s still one of the better PS1 wrestling games of its era and is sure to invoke a strong sense of nostalgia.

14. Legends of Wrestling II

2002 | Sculptured Software, Acclaim | PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, Game Boy Advance

Legends of Wrestling II’s appeal was (and always will be) its roster. This game’s roster of legendary wrestlers includes some names that still haven’t been included in modern WWE titles. The list of superstars in this game includes Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Mil Mascaras, Bam Bam Bigelow, and many more legends.

The game’s appeal goes beyond its roster, though. The game’s territory-based story mode, which lovingly recreates the structure of ‘80s wrestling, is one of the most inventive ever featured in a wrestling game. It even lets you recreate the famous feud between Jerry Lawler and Andy Kaufman.

13. TNA Impact!

2008 | Midway Games | PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Wii, Nintendo DS

TNA Impact was not a great game. Its roster was thin, its gameplay needed a few more months in development, and it just didn’t have nearly enough modes and features to compete with WWE titles. However, the one thing TNA Impact did have was the benefits of the TNA name.

It turns out that counts for quite a lot. Developed during the arguable peak of TNA’s talent level, Impact allowed you to play as everyone, from Christopher Daniels and Samoa Joe to AJ Styles and Abyss. On top of that, the game benefited from its impressive presentation and a surprisingly deep story mode. It was far from perfect, but it was and is a must-have for any TNA fans.

12. MicroLeague Wrestling

1987 | MicroLeague | Commodore 64, Amiga, DOS, Atari ST, AmigaOS

MicroLeague Wrestling is arguably the most obscure, odd, and fascinating game on this list. Released for Commodore 64, Amiga, DOS, and Atari ST, MicroLeague was actually a professional wrestling strategy game that allowed you to decide matches and careers through a series of turn-based commands.

It may feel hopelessly outdated today, but MicroLeague Wrestling was a surprisingly advanced concept at a time when wrestling games were dirt simple. It would be fascinating to revisit this concept through some kind of modern wrestling management game.

11. The Main Event

1988| Konami | Arcade

You’d think that a wrestling game released by Konami in 1988 would be better known, but The Main Event has somehow managed to mostly escape the scrutinizing lens of history. That might have something to do with its unlicensed roster that was only vaguely (and hilariously) based on actual wrestlers.

Still, The Main Event should have been a stepping stone for bigger Konami arcade wrestling games to come. It featured deep wrestling gameplay (for the time) that served as a preview of some more notable wrestling games to come.

10. WCW Wrestling

1989| Nihon Bussan | NES

The NES wasn’t exactly known as a haven for great wrestling games, but WCW Wrestling still deserves to be remembered above most of its console contemporaries. Somehow, though, memories of it remain relegated to the few that played it and are not always as fond as they should be.

WCW Wrestling not only offered WCW fans the chance to play as some of their favorite wrestlers of the era, but it included features such as an expanded ringside area and customizable move sets that were ahead of their time. This game certainly remains one of the most playable of its generation.

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9. WCW Mayhem

1999| EA | PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Game Boy

It’s generally agreed that the N64 got better overall wrestling games than the PS1, but it’s simply a fact that the N64’s WCW games were better than those featured on the PlayStation. However, WCW Mayhem did offer PS1 gamers a taste of something pretty good (especially if they missed out on WCW vs. The World).

Granted, Mayhem was a poor man’s version of the WCW N64 wrestling games (its canceled sequel was going to be developed by the same team that made those N64 games), but it was unfairly overlooked by many PS1 gamers who were burned by too many bad wrestling games over the years. Of course, the game’s N64 version was less impressive in comparison to its direct competition.

8. Power Move Pro Wrestling

1996| Yuke’s | PlayStation

Power Move Pro Wrestling was originally based on the NJPW promotion, but it seems that fears over the international popularity of that promotion (at the time) caused the NJPW stars to be replaced with generic wrestlers with NJPW move sets. That decision stands as this game’s most glaring weakness.

Otherwise, this is a solid wrestling title for its era. Power Move Pro Wrestling was released on the cusp of an incredible generation of wrestling titles, but even though it lacks some of the refinement and features of those games, it does boast some admirable 3D gameplay that was head and shoulders above many other wrestling games at the time.

7. WWE Raw 2

2003| Anchor Inc. | Xbox

The WWE Raw games for Xbox were generally not as strong as their GameCube and PS2 counterparts, but they have been unfairly swept under the rug by fans that feel that they had very little to offer.

WWE Raw 2 actually boasted a few features that would soon become standard. The most notable of those features is the game’s “Create an Entrance,” which not only let you create custom Titantron videos but even let you import your own music. Raw 2 also featured an interesting RPG-lite story mode that complemented its more arcadey elements.

6. Fire Pro Gaiden: Blazing Tornado

1994| Human Entertainment | Arcade, Sega Saturn

Fire Pro Gaiden: Blazing Tornado was a 1994 Arcade/Sega Saturn game that combined elements of Saturday Night Slam Masters, Street Fighter, and more “traditional” pro wrestling games. It was a strange hybrid that was sadly overlooked by too many gamers.

Blazing Tornado is more of a fighting game than a wrestling game, but the ways that it incorporates grappling and other pro wrestling elements make it one of the more notable games of its kind. Its visuals are also enjoyable in a cartoonish kind of way.

5. WWE WrestleMania XIX

2003| Yuke’s | GameCube, Wii

While WrestleMania X8 and XIX would eventually be spun into the overall superior Day of Reckoning titles, WrestleMania XIX deserves to be remembered both as the forerunner of that series and for its wonderfully absurd story mode.

WrestleMania XIX’s story mode saw you seek revenge on Vince McMahon by fighting regular employees and other wrestlers across construction sites, barges, malls, and other random locations. The goal is to cause enough havoc to ruin WrestleMania. It’s a glorious piece of “who came up with this?” game design.

4. Wrestle Kingdom 2

2007 | Yuke’s | PlayStation 2

Wrestle Kingdom 2’s release date is notable not only because it’s the newest game on this particular list but also because it was released at a time when major wrestling games were veering more into “simulation” territory, a time when wrestling games stopped catering to more casual players.

Well, Wrestle Kingdom 2 happens to be “arcadey” and accessible in all of the right places without sacrificing depth. Its gameplay is deep enough for genre masters, but can also be picked up fairly quickly. The fact that it so happens to feature some brilliant tournament modes along with an impressive collection of Japanese stars is just the bow that tops this gift to wrestling.

3. WWE Smackdown! vs Raw 2006

2005| Yuke’s | PlayStation 2, PSP

“Underrated” might be a bit of a stretch in this instance considering that those who love this game place it alongside the greatest wrestling games ever made, but the fact remains that not enough gamers know that this is an absolutely brilliant wrestling title.

In fact, some believe this to be the perfect middle ground between SmackDown: Here Comes the Pain’s lovably ridiculous gameplay and the more grounded games that would follow in this series. SvR 2006 includes an unbelievable number of match types, a very welcome general manager mode, and pick up and play gameplay that some at the time compared to the timeless WWF No Mercy. It deserves to be remembered as a classic.

2. King of Colosseum II

2004| Spike | PlayStation

While there are quite a few Japan-only wrestling games that would qualify as underrated in the West, many consider King of Colosseum II to be the crown jewel of that particular crowd. With its massive roster, deep grappling system, and incredible create-a-wrestler mode, this game is often thought of as the closest we’ve come to a 3D successor to the Fire Pro Wrestling series (it was made by the same team responsible for many of the early games in that series). It’s a shame that it was never exported to the West.

1. Ultimate Muscle: Legends vs. New Generation

2002| AKI Corporation | GameCube

Many people know that AKI Corporation, developers of those classic N64 wrestling games like WWF No Mercy, went on to develop the first two excellent Def Jam titles. What fewer people remember is that AKI also developed this absolute gem of a wrestling game.

Essentially an anime wrestling game, Ultimate Muscle: Legends vs. New Generation sees good and evil wrestlers battle across the universe. Bolstered by AKI’s all-time classic grappling gameplay, Ultimate Muscle proves to be a wonderfully over-the-top wrestling game that’s just as fun to watch as it is to play. Imagine if DragonBall FighterZ and WWF No Mercy had a video game child. This is what you’d get, and it’s better than you can imagine.

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[darkarfs]

My 10 Favorite WWE Matches of All Time (updated)

10: The 2001 Royal Rumble No matter how daft and stupid the product gets, I will never not stoke my head in around January. The Royal Rumble is my favorite match, but this one is my favorite favorite instance of that match. The pacing, the beautiful endurance of Kane, the hardcore interval (which Kane just decides to destroy), the Big Show returning after 4 months just to get shit-canned a minute into his run. There is so much to love about this mess. The preview of Rock and Austin that year for their Wrestlemania showdown. The fact that 4 or 5 of them (Rock, Austin, Kane, Undertaker, even Rikishi) could have been main event contenders. The best midcard in WWE history. Scotty 2 Hotty having the worst night of his life. Drew Carey just showing up. Bradshaw just cliffing everyone, because he's gotta get his shit in. Good Rumbles are like a 3 course meal, and this one is like all your courses at once, and then dessert is a treat you could die on. 9. Tyler Bate vs. WALTER - Takeover Cardiff Crowds make a lot of matches for me (thanks, 2020) but this crowd is especially electric, and for 24-year-old Tyler Bate, who is taking on a TANK, and that tank's name is WALTER, a TANK. But I will never not be a sucker for a David vs. Goliath story, and it was never better told than the boy made of thighs vs. the destroyer made of shattering palms. It is SO CARNY, so many feats of strength, so many OOOOOFS AND UUUUUURGHS that make this so great. Tyler was a hero on this night, but everyone knew he wasn't ready to win. Every feat is a magnificent reach. And it all means something to everyone. Make them what they know SHOULD happen and still surprise them with it. His "refusing to quit!" only to get shut down by a fucking chop. HE STANDS but is immediately ruined. It makes me. This shit fucking makes me. 8. Sasha Banks vs. Bayley, 30-Minute Iron Woman Match - Takeover Respect Most of this is just a remix of their epic and warranted classic in Brooklyn. but then Sasha takes the headband off of Izzy. And then they both stepped it up and were *amazing*. We somehow lost Bayley's "RAAAAAH'S and that's sad for me. But then they RAMP IT UP. NOBODY LIKES YOU. FUCK YOU. WE'RE HAPPIER NOW. (WE'RE NOT.) But seriously, Sasha taking Izzy's headband and then THROWING IT AT HER started something special, something grand. THE OUTRAGE. The bastion of heel heat. And then the match got better. They hugged at the end of their encounter in Brooklyn, but then they started poisoning one another. And it all started with this amazing match. (Also, Bayley's amazing red and gold robot tights.) 7. Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels, Wrestlemania 21 Listen. HBK's 'Mania outings with the Undertaker are solid "match of the decade" contenders, piss-easy. They are peerless, they are in a league of their own. But saying they're your favorite? Unless you are an actual wrestler, that's like saying "UH, MY FAVE BAND IS THE BEATLES." Ya boring, ya basic, and we can all do better. And seeing how I'm in my late 30s, I understand wrestling a little different than I did when I made this list in...2016??? Christ. I bet AJ Styles vs. John Cena was on it that year. Two of the best performers, both in their prime, and looking back on it, I just prefer the mix of character dynamics at play. Angle is easily one of the best in the world, but he has such an inferiority complex, because he's an Olympic gold medalist who is told *nightly* that he sucks, and he CAN'T best Michaels. He keeps coming back, and he's so charming, so effortlessly good at this whole "wrestling" thing, and it's slowly making Angle, who SHOULD be all of those things, absolutely *spare.* And that informs so many spots and story moments in the match itself, specifically when Angle LOSES it and starts shouting at him, only to have a superkick partied under his face. Angle is one of the best ever because his wrestling acumen served his character, never once defined it. 6. Vince McMahon vs. Shane McMahon, Wrestlemania 17 I haven't gone back to watch the whole of Vince vs. Shane THAT many times. What I have done is watch the finish about 65 times. There is something so addictive and magical about that one pop, when Linda stands up from her chair, and the ENTIRE crowd stands with her. And I'll 100% agree that Vince's comeuppance - one slap, one hoof to the balls, a Mandible Claw and a Coast-To-Coast dropkick - is not NEAR the actual comeuppance he should have gotten for some of the deplorable shit his character got up to from around the Rumble to this match (two of which they've done their very best to scrub from history, they're THAT bad.) But it's the purest example I can think of, of that pantomime aspect of wrestling. Vince McMahon is a deranged bastard. He likes dumb, cruel, crude things, but his commitment to being the world's 2nd-worst lizard man makes some of the stuff that happens to him more richly rewarding than almost any retribution in any medium, ever. The final 4 minutes of that match, the crowd is a fireworks display. They rise, they explode, they rise and explode, over and over. And again, shoutout to my boy 2020 for making me miss a crowd THAT big having THAT good a time. 5. Adam Cole vs. Johnny Gargano - 2 out of 3 falls - TakeOver New York Now look, I'm not saying that NXT is essentially perfect for me, in terms for what I look for in wrestling. What I will say is that when it cooks, it combines the very best of indie stamina, choreography and stunt work with something WWE sometimes gets VERY right, and that is unabashed, unironic emotion. And it's not even that the intimacy of NXT being a smaller promotion has a denser, more specifically passionate fanbase. It's just the fact that NXT understands that so often, nuance and drama in wrestling doesn't come from promos, or swerves, or endless escalations of said drama, but from getting the FUCK out of the way and letting two of the best in the world *wrestle.* NXT is so good for providing context for the acts of jealousy, pride and entitlement, and then laying out a match that touches on all of these emotions throughout. This main event, built in two weeks, after a terribly-timed Ciampa injury, is actually VERRRY clever booking...disguised to look really simple. Cole starts the match as the crowd favorite, because he's the cool tweener everyone likes (with a catchphrase) to Gargano's unironic Disney prince. Over the course of Cole going all out, making subtle references to Johnny's feud with Ciampa, Gargano fighting from underneath, total fuck-off bastardry from the Undisputed Era (making poor Mauro Ranallo yell "YOU SNAKES!!") Maybe Cole WAS the better choice, but by the end of it, you didn't care. On that night, Johnny refused to lose, and the constant, exciting, *involving* wrestling dragged you to that emotional place. Damn right, you deserve it. 4. CM Punk vs. John Cena, Money In the Bank 2011 It might be a simple choice, but also, sometimes, it's really really gratifying to see a crowd who wants something get what they fucking want for once. A hot crowd makes a good match great, and a great match THIS. A crowd united, either for one guy, and against another, and in this case, BOTH. It makes every. Move. Matter. Trying to find a new angle on this match is like trying to find a new way to say fire is warm. And this crowd created a CAUSE. The no-sold pinfall, the attempted rehash of the Screwjob. Point out the botches if you must. The angle, the promo...it got my friends back into wrestling, a reason to care until the Shield. It's not the best, but it deserves to be. There is no wrestling crowd I wish I was more a part of. And I was at King of the Ring 1998. 3. Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar, 60-Minute Iron Man match, Smackdown of September 18, 2003 It MAYBE was a bit of a "hipster" choice to name this my number 1 in 2016. But you know what? Bloody holds up. Two performers who feel "destined to do this forever," like a Triple H/Shawn Michaels, or a Kevin Owens/Sami Zayn. Possessed of freakish physical charisma, could go for days if pressed. Brock Lesnar, literally at the time ONE OF THE BEST ATHLETES in the WORLD being a lazy fucker and taking DQ points, laying the foundation of what Brock Lesnar would come to be known as. And Angle, in that rare position of everyone knowing he's the best thing going. Brilliant Lazy Asshole Brock and Certified Wrestling Machine Angle are two of my unironic favorite characters in all of wrestling, and it's a buffet of THAT. Like a Royal Rumble, only it's just two dudes, being the best they've ever been. 2. DIY vs. the Revival - 2 out of 3 falls - TakeOver Toronto "Tag team wrestling?" says main roster WWE. "What is this...tag team wrestling?" Well, this is it, at its absolute best. It's up there with Rey Mysterio and Edge vs. Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle from No Mercy 2002 for just brilliant, rock-solid tag team psychology. There are more story opportunities when there are more rules to break, how can WWE *not get behind that?* In terms of chemistry, both between opponents and between teams, in terms of callbacks like Johnny muscling through the exact same inverted figure four that lost them the belts in Brooklyn. It is a perfect match. Not an ounce of fat on it. And that closing sequence, of each member of DIY locking the Revival in their signature holds, and the men now known as FTR clinging to one another. It's probably the best tag match in the history of the WWE, and considering the caliber of tag matches on TakeOvers, is FUCKING saying something. 1. Daniel Bryan vs. Brock Lesnar, Survivor Series 2018 This match is everything I always hoped for. For the longest time, after the 2015 Royal Rumble debacle, when Reigns won, when simply everything we knew about storytelling said "no, of course it should be Bryan," I wondered what that 'Mania match would look like. If it were anything like this, I would have died a happy man. But then again, what makes this match so GOOD is that Bryan had just come back from an early retirement caused by head and neck surgery, and here he is, being dropped on his head and neck by Brock Fucking Lesnar, aka what would happen if the concept of "not giving a shit" gained corporeal form and starting shilling for Jimmy John's. The match gets really ugly, really fast, and Bryan takes us to uncomfortable places with his selling. It wasn't just the retirement angle, it was also the fact that Brock had turned out some REALLY lazy shit by that point in his career, so we had all mentally prepared for another finish-spamming early night. And then. AND THEN... Bryan hoofs him in the walnuts, hits the running knee, gives us the absolute closest 2-count of the decade, and then the fight is fucking on. Bryan went, over the course of 2 minutes, from never having a chance against Brock Lesnar to it being an *absolute certainty* that he was going to BEAT BROCK LESNAR. Anytime you visibly leave your seat every few seconds during a match, you know it's a special one. Again, it took me away, had me absolutely *screaming* at my monitor, elated, invested, and I don't know what more your favorite match can ask of you. But what happens when your favorite match isn't a match at all? No. 0: The Firefly Funhouse - Wrestlemania 36 I'm not kidding, it actually might be my favorite thing. It could be just my brain latching onto the Cult of the New, but I don't think so. It's not a match, I get it. It exists in a weird null-void outside of time and space, but mostly I am floored that they would broadcast something so virulently anti-WWE. Like, we talk of CM Punk and how WWE let him get away with all his little jokes and cut his little Pipebomb promo. But then WWE signed off on Bray Wyatt tearing the soul out of their business. Burying the biggest star of this generation, skewering and laying bare all of terrible WWE's terrible priorities, and also celebrating insider knowledge, wrestling history, and I just...love it. Right now, it's my favorite thing WWE have ever put out, because it did something they've never done before, told a story I didn't think they were capable of telling. And sure, it was Bray who told it, but I still can't believe it aired. But I am endlessly thankful that it did.

[daleisgreat]

WrestleMania 35

As of this writing, WrestleMania 36 is set to air in two days, and due to the fallout from the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, will be airing taped from an empty arena a couple weeks prior, and over two nights. I have been advocating for two night ‘Manias since the WWE Network era of PPVs have caused WrestleManias having bloated cards and lasting nearly SEVEN hours when factoring in the pre-show matches. Since it is WrestleMania week, I am here to continue my annual tradition of watching the previous year’s installment on BluRay and break it all down here. I broke up watching the nine-ish hours of BluRay content over a few days, which lead for a more non-overkill experience, and I ended up enjoying the overall show exponentially more this way as you will soon read on. Now even though the BluRay has around nine hours of content on the disc, the cumulative total of content the BluRay unlocked for me was about 12 hours by including a digital copy of not only the PPV, but also a digital only copy of the Hall of Fame ceremony that preceded WrestleMania a couple days prior. For the second straight WrestleMania BluRay, the Hall of Fame is not included on the disc, and is instead replaced with the following night’s RAW in its entirety, which here is just over two hours when taking out all the ad breaks.

The Hall of Fame ceremony this year saw Jerry Lawler replaced as the host with Corey Graves & Renee Young, complete with grimace-caliber jokes of the stereotypical award show variety. The 2019 ceremony also saw a different setup with a ring in the center of the arena where all the speeches were delivered, and while it provided a nice visual, it also made it easier for an overzealous fan to run in and attack cancer and stroke survivor, Bret Hart during his speech. I recall getting the faintest look at the guy before cameras cut away and at first thinking because of the goofy hair that it was Enzo again up to shenanigans a few months after dancing in the front rows of the crowd at Survivor Series, but was then further perplexed to find out minutes later that Enzo and Cass did a worked shoot run-in at the G1 Supercard concurrently taking place. It turned out it was a fan with mental health issues, and obviously WWE cut out the run-in on the final Hall of Fame video cut, and the only thing apparent of something happening is that after a cut to the crowd, Bret Hart’s hair is suddenly tangled up. If you have not witnessed that brazen fan run-in, click or press here for fan-phone footage of proceeding to get pounced by countless wrestlers almost instantly. Bizarre fan attack aside, it was a much brisker ceremony (only three and a half hours!) thanks in part to no Hillbilly Jim speech this year (which was deservingly poked at this year), and a couple inductees not having inductions either, and the ones that did must have had strict time limits because I do not recall an inductor going longer than five minutes. Honkey Tonk Man set the stage with the fun-gimmick from the Rock ‘n Wrestling years, with a groovy entrance and exit, complete by singing his song on the way out and doing a noticeably better performance than Double J the year prior. Torrie Wilson’s speech felt more of a Ted Talk, but still heartwarming and inspirational and I will give her all the benefit of the doubt considering her father and former on-screen talent and Dawn Marie love interest, Al Wilson passed away two days prior. Also pleasant was seeing Stacy Kiebler break her 13-year WWE absence by inducting her.

The legacy class of 2019 had another ten inductees with brief 20-30 second video pieces on each. Most of them are more classic pre-cable TV era wrestlers, but some are more recently noteworthy and remembered like SD Jones, Bruiser Brody and Luna Vachon and in my opinion more deserving of traditional inductions. I hope if WWE keeps this up they will at least have a family member do a separate video induction and include it on their website for a more proper way to remember these legacy stars. The Hart Foundation was the next inductee, with Natalya accepting for her father, The Anvil. Bret and Naddie gave the successful Rock ‘n Wrestling era tag team a fitting induction, filled with classic stories from their days in one of the most successful periods of tag teams in WWE history. Brutus Beefcake gave a surprisingly good speech for his induction, as did the Hulkster for inducting him as he laid out how he broke Brutus into the business. Kind of surprising it happened considering the recent disparaging comments between the two with Brutus’s tell-all biography from a couple years earlier, but maybe it ‘was all a work brother!’ Props to Brutus for giving the Doctors who saved him from his terrible parasailing accident their kudos, and for calling out Shawn Michaels for still owing him for his barbershop window! The Warrior Award went to Sue Ajtheson, a backstage WWE official who is largely responsible for their Make-a-Wish efforts. Dana Warrior and John Cena gave heartfelt, genuine inductions for her, and Sue was a gem enlightening us about her philanthropic accomplishments.

Harlem Heat got inducted next, and after Booker T gave his brother Stevie Ray an outstanding tribute, it was then time for Stevie Ray sharing several stories of the trials of Harlem Heat breaking in before they finally found success in WCW. D-Generation X headlined the Hall of Fame, and as expected it was lengthy with X-Pac, Road Dogg, Billy Gunn, Shawn Michaels and Triple H all giving speeches. They unleashed some vintage DX humor to start off with. Other highlights include giving Chyna her proper acknowledgement, Billy Gunn getting razzed for being with the new competition in AEW, X-Pac getting super jittery in his sea of notes and all of them busting out Super Soakers and dousing their colleagues in the crowd, especially Baron Corbin. Now onto the 16 match WrestleMania 35 card (guys….I am sorry, thank you so much for sticking with me!). If you have yet to watch WrestleMania 35 then before reading this recap, I recommend breaking it up into a two part watch, and give this strong recommendation of preferred matches for each night to make for a better experience that I guarantee you will not struggle to stay awake through: WrestleMania 35 – Day 1 Watch Order: Tony Nese vs Buddy Murphy, WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal, Seth Rollins vs. Brock Lesnar, SmackDown Tag Titles Fatal Four Way, Miz vs. Shane McMahon, Triple H vs. Batista, Elias/John Cena ‘Concert’, Finn Balor vs. Bobby Lashley, Kofi Kingston vs. Daniel Bryan WrestleMania 35 – Day 2 Watch Order: Zack Ryder & Curt Hawkins vs. Revival, Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, AJ Styles vs. Randy Orton, Women’s Tag Titles Fatal Four Way, Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre, Samoa Joe vs. Rey Mysterio, Kurt Angle vs. Baron Corbin, Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch Four of those matches were on the pre-show and are included on the BluRay as extras. In a rare move, WWE had the local have a feel good moment with Tony Nese winning the Cruiserweight Title from Buddy Murphy in a nice hybrid of strong style and high-flying that got the crowd hot by the end. In the WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal, Carmella played the surprise last second sneak-in card to eliminate Sarah Logan and win the ‘prestigious’ hip/leg trophy. In a surprising second feel good hometown hero story, Curt Hawkins snapped his 269 match losing streak when him and his fellow bro-ski, Zack Ryder won the RAW tag titles from The Revival when Hawkins got the surprise inside cradle for the electric pop! In the final pre-show match, Braun Strowman won the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal by eliminating celebrity entrants, SNL’s Colin Jost & Michael Che. A lot of hype on RAW built up the SNL stars, but the two hid under the ring until the end of the match in their failed efforts to surprise eliminate Braun.

In the official WrestleMania opener, Seth Rollins won the Universal Title from Brock Lesnar. Their follow-up match at SummerSlam is leagues better, because all there is to this is Brock getting an early attack on Seth and brutalizing him outside the ring for a few minutes, and then only a couple minutes into the actual match Seth low blows Brock and hits a few stomps for the victory. Last few years something about Randy Orton has made his stock rise higher for me. I appreciate his ring IQ and psychology that allows matches to breathe, and Orton’s skills blended perfectly with AJ Styles with some convincing sequences before Styles hit a Phenomenal Forearm for the win. The first of two four way tag title matches occurred next with the Usos, The Bar, Rusev & Shinske Nakamura and Aleistar Black & Ricochet vying for the SmackDown straps. All four teams brought it, and did not appear they were there for an easy payday with the creative spots they unleashed with an innovative tower of doom spot and Cesaro’s countless swings to the crowd’s approval until the Usos hit their double top turnbuckle splash on Sheamus for the W. I loved the buildup for The Miz and Shane McMahon’s Falls Count Anywhere match. Miz gradually won over Shane’s trust all in the name to win his dad’s precious approval, only to then see Shane turn on Miz and attack Miz’s dad! I was not disappointed with how they got Miz’s dad involved in the match with Shane shaming Miz’s dad’s ability to fight. The two had a pretty solid brawl all over the arena that ultimately saw Miz deliver a suplex from the tech area scaffolding onto a crash pad, but saw Shane conveniently laid out barely over Miz to nudge out a three count for the fluke upset. The newly established Women’s tag titles were on the line with Sasha Banks & Bayley defending against the Iconics, Nia Jax & Tamina and Natalya & Beth Phoenix. A lot of controversy was reported on the champs throwing a tantrum backstage hearing they were losing the titles, which happened when Billie Kay stole a pin with a blind tag on Beth Phoenix after she hit a top rope Glam Slam. Minus a handful of moments, Sasha and Bayley’s main roster runs have been beyond disastrous compared to their rise up the ranks in NXT.

‘KofiMania’ emerged when Kofi Kingston vanquished that vile do-gooder, Daniel Bryan to become the first full blooded African American to win the WWE title in its near 60 year history. There were a couple of extended hold sequences in the front half that overstayed their welcome, but the back half amped up big time with some creative reversals, near-falls and clever use of the New Day and Erik Rowan on the outside. I was just as happy as the WWE locker room shown celebrating for Kofi after he hit the Trouble in Paradise to win the championship. He had a killer half year run as champ….until Brock Lesnar waffled him in seven seconds for the gold and Kofi immediately went right back to the midcard in his happy-go-lucky pancake thrower days of yore and acted like his championship run never happened. Samoa Joe finally got his overdue WrestleMania debut match against a recently returned Rey Mysterio. I presumed the two had an epic match lined up, but Rey got hurt the RAW before and was only capable of performing for about a minute before Joe locked in his trademark Kokina Clutch for the submission victory. Roman Reigns was up next in his first singles match coming back after overcoming a second bout of Leukemia for the heartwarming win against Drew McIntyre. I recall dreading the buildup for this because Drew had a variety of ‘you may have conquered cancer…’ type promos and hyped himself up as deadlier than cancer, when naturally everyone knew Roman was going to win, and that is exactly what we got in a formula Roman match. The read in the ardent fan crowd throughout the match was readily apparent, they were no longer booing Roman out of the building like they normally would, because what kind of person can boo a cancer survivor (please do not answer that)? However, there was no overwhelming crowd going wild reaction either, but more of a tempered, altruistic applause instead. That has primarily been Roman’s reception for coming back since, and that is kind of how I feel too.

Elias performed a one man ‘concert’ next complete with other hologram Elias projections playing in conjunction with him until John Cena interrupted. John came out in throwback Dr. Thugganomics form and laid down some rhymes before hitting a F-U to the crowd’s approval. The presumption going in by most was that Undertaker would make his requisite WrestleMania appearance here, but 2019 marked the first time since 2000 that Undertaker did not appear or wrestle in any form on a WrestleMania. Strangely enough, Undertaker did interrupt another Elias performance the next day on RAW. Triple H and Batista squared off in a No Holds Barred brawl next, and I recall being burnt out by this point in the card and nodding off throughout it. Match held up incredibly better on second viewing with the two busting out a wide variety of weaponry in too many gruesome spots to dissect, other than that grotesque nose ring spot that reverberated throughout everyone in the crowd. The finish saw Triple H hitting probably the slickest looking sledgehammer shot ever with some added trajectory by leaping off the stairs, and following it up with the Pedigree for the pin. Kurt Angle hit the end of the line in a few months of ‘farewell tour’ matches against Baron Corbin here. I was worried for Angle as his previous few matches saw him struggling to go through the motions, but a few weeks of added rest benefitted him here with him looking remarkably better and capable of several of his vintage suplexes and throws, and even busting out an impressive moonsault….that missed and lead him walking into an End of Days that netted Corbin the pinfall. Finn Balor faced Bobby Lashley in the penultimate match of the night, and the two delivered a short, but high energy match to help inject some energy into the understandably deflated crown by this point. Balor hit his Coup de Gras for the pin.

The 16th and final match of the night saw the women headline WrestleMania for the first time ever with the Women’s titles for both RAW and SmackDown on the line in a triple threat between Ronda Rousey, Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch. All three laid it in strong style in easily one of the hardest hitting women matches I have ever seen. All three were decorated with battle scars, especially Ronda’s leg! However, one significant botch tarnished the match, and unfortunately it happened right at the finish when Lynch countered Rousey’s Piper’s Pit slam with a crucifix for the pin. Rousey inadvertently popped her shoulder up during the pin, and the ref did not restart his count and continued with the controversial three count. Even the announcers did not turn a blind eye to it and questioned the ref’s call, and it turned out the ref was later fined for blowing the call. I am not going to recap the following night’s RAW, but I did watch it and will give a couple key takeaways since the RAW after WrestleManias are notorious for returns, and unpredictable fan reactions suffering from wrestling burnout. Rollins and Kofi teased a winner takes all title match, but it quickly morphed into a tag match after The Bar interfered to the crowd’s rightful disgust! The controversial Lars Sullivan debuted on the main roster, Sami Zayn returned and turned heel after nearly a year away from double rotator cuff surgery. Dana Brooke and Mojo Rawley both deliver bizarre backstage promos. There was the aforementioned Undertaker attack on Elias and finally Dean Ambrose’s final televised WWE match that did not officially get started because he brawled outside the ring with Bobby Lashley before getting sent through a table. There is one last BluRay bonus that has footage from after RAW went off the air, where Rollins called out Roman and Dean and brought them to the ring for one last curtain call from The Shield.

That puts a wrap on the yearly monstrous WrestleMania recap. Once again I give my heartfelt gratitude for sticking with me the whole way through this. It was a chore to get through the whole show live in one shot, but it definitely helped spacing it over a few days this second time around. Again, if there is any upside with WWE having to switch up their WrestleMania plans with the global pandemic currently happening, it is that them having WrestleMania transpire over two days will make it vastly more watchable, and decrease the burnout of trying to watch wrestling for seven hours straight. Throw in the wild cards of the empty arena and undisclosed filming locations for the gimmick matches, and well….check back with me here next year to see how it all played out.

Past Wrestling Blogs Best of WCW Clash of Champions Best of WCW Monday Nitro Volume 2 Best of WCW Monday Nitro Volume 3 Biggest Knuckleheads Bobby The Brain Heenan Daniel Bryan: Just Say Yes Yes Yes DDP: Positively Living Dusty Rhodes WWE Network Specials ECW Unreleased: Vol 1 ECW Unreleased: Vol 2 ECW Unreleased: Vol 3 Eric Bishoff: Wrestlings Most Controversial Figure Fight Owens Fight: The Kevin Owens Story For All Mankind Goldberg: The Ultimate Collection Hulk Hogans Unreleased Collectors Series Impact Wresting Presents: Best of Hulk Hogan Its Good to Be the King: The Jerry Lawler Story The Kliq Rules Ladies and Gentlemen My Name is Paul Heyman Legends of Mid South Wrestling Macho Man: The Randy Savage Story Memphis Heat NXT: From Secret to Sensation NXT Greatest Matches Vol 1 OMG Vol 2: Top 50 Incidents in WCW History OMG Vol 3: Top 50 Incidents in ECW History Owen: Hart of Gold RoH Supercard of Honor 2010-Present ScoobyDoo Wrestlemania Mystery Scott Hall: Living on a Razors Edge Shawn Michaels: My Journey Sting: Into the Light Straight Outta Dudley-ville: Legacy of the Dudley Boyz Straight to the Top: Money in the Bank Anthology Superstar Collection: Zach Ryder Then Now Forever – The Evolution of WWEs Womens Division TLC 2017 TNA Lockdown 2005-2016 Top 50 Superstars of All Time Tough Enough: Million Dollar Season True Giants Ultimate Fan Pack: Roman Reigns Ultimate Warrior: Always Believe War Games: WCWs Most Notorious Matches Warrior Week on WWE Network Wrestlemania III: Championship Edition Wrestlemania 28-Present The Wrestler (2008) Wrestling Road Diaries Too Wrestling Road Diaries Three: Funny Equals Money Wrestlings Greatest Factions WWE Network Original Specials First Half 2015 WWE Network Original Specials Second Half 2015 WWE Network Original Specials First Half 2016 WWE Network Original Specials Second Half 2016 WWE Network Original Specials First Half 2017

[thelionmutters]

THE JOURNEY OF QUEER EYE IN MY LIFE

“The original show was fighting for tolerance, our fight is for acceptance”

This line uttered in Netflix’s Queer Eye, highlights not only the different approaches used in both iterations of the show but also the different times they exist in.

When I was between the ages of 11 and 13, I remember how just before supper I’d be sitting in front of the TV, as a family while waiting for our daily soap opera to come on, there would be an episode of the show Queer Eye for the Straight Guy that would play.

In South Africa, the show would be on in the late evenings while families were getting ready for supper, and I found the show fascinating. I did not know what queer meant then -other than thinking it meant odd-, and I didn’t really examine the premise of 5 guys who would makeover someone every week. However, I really enjoyed the show.

The show existed in the era where reality shows were growing and becoming popular. In our household, we really liked makeover shows and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy really fit into that genre.

It was just another makeover show in my young eyes.

It’s quite humorous when I look back at that and realize, that the original show with food and wine specialist Ted Allen, grooming consultant Kyan Douglas, interior designer Thom Filicia, fashion expert Carson Kressley, culture expert Jai Rodriguez was my very first experience of gay men and queer culture.

That show had been my unknowing introduction to what gay men looked like, and I only realized this fact years later while watching the Netflix reboot of Queer Eye – especially as an openly gay brown man from South Africa.

Queer Eye for the Straight Guy was that show that made me laugh and smile.

It was the show that was so exciting to see the transformations that people went through and just how it impacted them.

Years later, having gone through my own inner transformation, as I watch the brilliant reboot from Netflix, I marvel at the love and heart that is poured into the show.

There have been episodes in this reboot, that have left me wrecked, and have left a mark on me.

The new Fab Five food and wine specialist Antoni Porowski, interior designer Bobby Berk, grooming consultant Jonathan Van Ness, fashion designer Tan France and culture expert Karamo Brown reflect the strength and courage that is necessary when you’re gay.

They go into areas where they are sometimes the first and only representation people have of what gay men look like, and it noticeably affects them too. The new reboot is phenomenal in how it fits in with the times.

Queer Eye for the Straight Guy was the fun, glam and light makeover that showed people what gay men looked like.

Queer Eye is the emotional, healing, and introspective show (that’s damn hilarious too) but really digs into the human experience in ways that force us to examine how and why we are the way we are.

These new Fab Five, are men with their own pain, their own challenges, and that is what makes this new iteration so powerful is that the show doesn’t hide away from it. The show is having really difficult conversations.

In Season 1 I felt my heart break when the show tackled a gay black man named AJ dealing with some of his internalized homophobia, something I still heavily struggle with, and how difficult it is to come out to those we love.

The show also really made my heart stop by showing Karamo, a black gay man get pulled over by a police officer, and how traumatic that experience can be. While the show did play it for laughs, it was still one of the most terrifying moments, especially in light of knowing how often those situations end up in death for black men.

The conversation that happened between Karamo and a white police officer was one of the most profound and affecting conversations to witness. You have two people who could not be more different talking about their respective views and managing to reach a middle ground.

In Season 2, Pakistani-Brit Tan France is speaking to a transgender man and he is not scared to explain that he has been ignorant of the Trans experience and some of the struggles that they face.

That chat had been one of the most honest conversations I’ve seen happen between queer men because it shows that not everyone within the queer community is aware of the struggles that other people in our community face.

In many ways, their talk has mirrored a conversation that has been happening in my life with one of my friends. As a cisgendered homosexual man, I’ve recently learned from my trans friend, and how he said that it does get tiring having to answer people’s questions, but so long as it is respectful and comes from a place of wanting to learn, he doesn’t mind.

As a gay man, I grow tired of having to educated people on the gay experience, I can’t even imagine how tiring it must be for him as a trans man to have to constantly educate people because there is more ignorance around trans issues in general.

It’s crazy looking at the mark Queer Eye for the Straight Guy left in my life, and how that is tying in with the new Queer Eye. 

The show has existed in my life in the same way that Tan explained:

“The original show was fighting for tolerance, our fight is for acceptance” 

Queer Eye for the Straight Guy was fighting for tolerance, not only in how it was teaching straight people to be more tolerant of gay men, but also in how it was showing young boys like me, who didn’t even realize they were gay, that they were not alone.

The new Queer Eye, in just two seasons, has had me fallen in love with the beautiful and powerful way that acceptance is being shown. Queer Eye isn’t just about showing people acceptance of the LGBT+ community, but also acceptance of themselves.

We’re all works in progress, and we all have to learn how to handle that.

I really did not expect or was looking for a show to make me think and examine my own emotions in such a way, but I’m glad it did.

TheLionMutters. Over and Out.

[switchbladegoddess]

Chapter 8 of naito’s autobiography which is about his time in mexico

USA TNA participation In S where will you base your base? Although it was a TNA expedition of gthr month, it was mainly three months and a half to America but during that time I stayed at the hotel in Orlando in Florida for a long time .. TNA is a venue within Orlando's "Universal Studios Florida" So I was recording games for TV taping. I think that it is probably about 1000 people not to enter probably because it is only the side from the main camera that the audience seats are made by making the audience seats and entrance gates in the place like the exhibition hall and placing the ring. Take a game of about two days and four weeks a month at a stretch here. We feel like one game a day. After that there was a PPV shooting with regular broadcast at about 1 a month, otherwise it was somewhat live show at other venues. That's why T does not exist. I was surprised that the number of games was quite small compared to New Japan, but in the NA era of Team 3D that was close to the hotel, I went through a total of 10 games and practiced a bit.D dojo is Brother Ray & Brother, Di ↓ "Youm 3D Academy" which was then the 1 WGP Tahugu champion then! Because there was a ring there, I played a game with young players at week 3, and Ray and Deepon were not about that content, but I could hardly understand almost (lol) I was instructing that my father seems to be a hot blooded foster, and have a rumbling dumbbell. He seems not to be a former wrestler, though. Well, the number of games is small, but I did not feel uneasy especially at that time. 11 TNA also learned Okada athletes and learned to be aware of the position of the camera during the match at the site, how about that? That is the same for me. Often it is said that millions of people are watching over the main camera r that TNA's erotic person ". It may be hard for Japanese customers to understand, but since TNA is mainly televised, it was playing while thinking about the camera's ancestry somehow. It is part that thinks attractive game, and this experience is living even after coming back to Japan. Even though I am watching Okada's game, I do not think she is conscious of the camera NO LIMIT won the MCMG with a non-title title in the first game of TNA, made a good start, I think that the reaction of customers was also good, is not it different from Japan? I bet he probably did not know who we were, but I think he was surprised at the movement of Koch. However, the ring of hexagonal system of TN A characteristic was hard to do anyway. Running at right angles to the opponent, basically it is necessary to run in the oblique direction of the opponent without having a corner, so, that is why, that was not used to the end at that time +2 «u was big names such as Sting, Cart, Angle, Kevin Nash etc in the American matte world, but what about doing research by watching the game? Or, I have not seen much of it (laugh). I think that I am interested in observing it now, but I was a wrestler over there and I had a bit of contact with Tama Tonga before coming to New Japan ... I saw it in the 3D dojo several times . When Tiger Hattori came to Orlando, we all went to eat rice, including Tama's father Mr. Ki Gaku, and Mr. Haku had seen the game left in fan days , "When you first met," Are you the one who was up to Arai Japan? "I thought after. It was Scott Steiner that I met a bit with the TNA and after all I was amazing at Steiner Brothers in New Japan in the 1990's, so I hit it with Patru Royal only once, so I got him over over the top rope I was dropped. At that time TNA had a lot of athletes, but I thought that the quality of the game was high is MCMG and AJ. I only watched their games. TNA is getting into the venue early in the day, it has been time to leave and slept in the waiting room. Because it is at 18 o'clock but the competition must be at 10 o'clock. Well, I guess I have only to go to bed. (Laugh) "11 As a result, from the surroundings I took a GOOD NIGHT and Nightwear," GOOD NAITO. It seems to have been called (laugh). r, what is this Japanese? (Laugh) "TNA had luxurious catering so much in the day and night, but basically I slept except to eat meals, but I occasionally play cards I had it mixed with AJ. It is rare for me to take that kind of behavior from myself, but it was 1 ton by crushing the ruins while playing cards with AJ and the opponent of the staff. I did not know the game, but I got taught somehow, I, sap and ase as "I am playing with uu, me, A J -." (1 夭) "When traveling abroad, are you also concerned about the trend of New Japan Matt? Will you be forgotten?" I was checking the news that I did not have when leaving Japan on the net. I was particularly concerned about the location of the 1 wGP junior tag. MC challenged in the United States and lost, MCMG did a defensive game with Ap o 11 o 55 in Japan, but even then you absolutely win! Because I was thinking. If it is not, there is no meaning that we got into America. 11 Especially what hard work did you have in the field? Because I thought, it is a barrier of words after all the words. We need English to appeal something before, during and after the game, we can not do that at all. Even when taking a promo, the TNA side did not have to speak r so much "It was like a feeling (bitter smile). No matter how good the game is in the United States, I understand it painfully that I can not succeed unless I can appeal in my business. Come to think of it, I also made Mike practice at the 3D dojo. Yujiro was doing his best in English in katakoto, but I can not speak at all, so what am I going to do. If you do that, you can do it for Japanese"I was ordered, Tetsuya Naito, my favorite food is a monster! I remember saying something like "(r)" It is delicious when you add mentaiko! It is great to eat while drinking a cola! "While saying" While I can say only this, there is a meaning to practice microphone I thought, 'Wonderful?' However, perhaps the outcome of the exercise at that time may be demonstrating now (laugh) In this TNA expedition it was the biggest match for NO LIMIT that was done on April 19> At MCMG 1 wGP Junior Tag with wire mesh 3 WAY Th e L atin A me ri can 2 change (It was a game that fulfilled the challenge with Homicide & Sean Hernande. In this house show about 2 days ago, Alex Sherry and Tag When I got involved, I got dislocated from his throwing technique and dislocated his knees.I was so swollen that I could not move at all.When on the day I hit a pain stop and tightened to tighten in the taping, the throne Although I tried to force it out because I could not shake the opportunity of war, it was not that sweet, TNA has also learned a lot, but I get back the belt Vivid debut with Mexican stews NO LIMIT went through the TNA expedition for three and a half months and wrestled Mexico CMLL from the end of May 2009 wwar What is this background? Originally, I planned to return to Japan in about two months after I regained IWGP junior tag from MCMG. It is just bad even if I go back to Japan as a result of a series match in the title match 4 It is feeling that I changed the ring to fight in the sense of breaking the state that er 勐 H was. If you are successful in CMLL, you can raise the value of NO LIMIT. - ICM LL is a naive group with the oldest history in the world. However, there are images that anyone who experienced a noise experience players who traveled to Mexico, but did not resist? I was worried about what kind of country in advance, but it is a dangerous place to investigate anywhere. To honesty I wanted to change the fighting environment, I honestly thought "I do not want to go for a while" (laugh). K, Funi, I watched the CMLL relay on Samurai TV in the era. At that time Mistico was a big There was no ater in Rucha as it was happening at , and the packing of Arena Mexico continued. Because I liked faster game development rather. However, there was prepared that I can not do it because I went to Mexico and I could not return home live (lol) "Yujiro leaked complain about Mexico entry, r ah, I never ever I had never been to go back to Japan and both of them would have enlarged the belly without any souvenirs.It will be impossible to return to Japan and the first round of CMLL will be on May 29th at the Arena Mexico Tournament Semi.Le Junior & La Sombra with a trio with El · Ifjo de Dos · Crows (Dos · Kaktor · Garza & Vorado · Ar-ú del Rio which becomes 33-ancu-ame to ena-se) Three people also participated in the New Japan later, and it seems that about 10,000 people were in the venue when I thought that it was awesome cards Japan and the United States It is totally different, the most way is to support, Mexico does not have a habit of flying calls to players together.If you like to blow a rumble that is like Vuvuzela, I mean, we were Ruud, but the response of the venue was not clear at the time It was a big boat. According to what I heard later. The guys who were near-tag champions come! It seems they had pretty much promoted it, like the advertisement like - u6 ga ga garasa down by ca at Stardust Press Garza decided to make a relentless debut with Canceled CMLL side I feel that syuji and this one became a big branch point for NO LIMIT. I decided Stardust Press at first, and KO the top players. Without this impact, the name could also be sold with a single shot, and the future of NOLIM ︼T after it seems to have changed a lot. I think that it was also connected to Ross Ingo Perna Breath after that. Did you recognize the players of R>? No, not at all in this first battle. However, as for Dos · crow, r has a little rim. He has been to the general competition in Japan several times, is not it? At that time, I got a ticket to a group of Hamaguchi gym and went to see the convention of the Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium (01-8: 18 = .DEEP 2001 In YOKOHAMA). At this time, Dos Crows threw the over mask to the audience seats before the game, but I caught it (laugh). I also wanted to tell him this episode But at that time, Spanish was also clear, so it was regrettable that I was not able to tell it, but when I was z ^ it seemed that I was staying at Eji Hotel all the time, but what is the life base in Mexico? I entered Mexico and 2 ^ 3 = was staying at a hotel next to Arena Mexico, but later I moved to a Japanese-owned pension found by Yujiro. After that I heard that Tanahashi Rider and middle 3P. It seems that he stayed there even when it was expedition to Mexico. Because it is for Japanese people, it seems that 4-point safety was guaranteed (laugh). But I also had dangerous eyes. I did not get stabbed, but I was scolded by a knife. Something, when I got on a taxi, the signal was stopped by a man who took a hand with a knife from the pick and r knife while swinging! What? Talk to me (laugh) "Because it was a strange eye, it may be that I was using an obscene medicine, then at that time the taxi driver got angry," Take that dirty hand back. It scolded and scolded away like me, but it was also!) "It is also nice (laugh). Speaking of a taxi, did not you do it? It is a routine event in Mexico. However, because it is not a big bait for the Japanese yen, it is said that it seems stupid SAZws fun is stupid "After two months or more - diarrhea continued and Kana In the stage immediately after entering the locality, I thought that "Tacos is Mexico is speaking" and I ate the guy who was selling at a stall in front of Paku, but that is a lucky stick "strong straw As it stops for a moment, I will be back soon again so when I go to Mexico it was over 100 kilometers over the 10 kilometers in that two months I did not want to go out much It was a mistake that I made it easily in front of the pension (laugh ).Area · Mexico's Luca classroom _ BUSH - This pension is the reunion in the selection? BUSH belonging to all Japan then - NO LIM 08 I went to Mexico since November but when I went to the preview of the pension it happened that I met Battari earlier than BUSH au T. I feel like each other? Since Hamaguchi Jim, I have not contacted Mexico all the time since that - it's BUSH when I first met! It is a fat image, but when I saw him in Mexico I was fluffy. With Mexico doppli and feel familiar. At that time impressive CAP who was accompanied by us] teaching Mr. Hattori, BUSHI takes care of you well · I will introduce sightseeing sites, teach the main shop, maybe the tie is , Boston's strength is the strength of BUSHI later (laugh) "It may be related to this transfer in 0, BUSH! The player has gone up to a different organization instead of CMLL at mexi n"? I went to a very far place. When I go to the venue with this taxi, it is a nightmare of CMLL! I guess it's gonna be like that. That's why it was 80% of what I would like to be harvested. (Laugh) - That was all that CMLL was broadcasting in a good time of terrestrial broadcasting, and I gained a sense of recognition at a stroke with a single shot that sent Gulfa to tanka. For me, Mexico is more indie group like iw RG than in the US It was a place like about 1 o'clock, but I was also enjoying having a lot of excitement going to see the game so far . - BUSH - It seems that it was a relationship held in the field. Certainly BUSH 1 took care of me, I am BUSH! I guess you'd feel like trying to give the ogle to you, BUSH! I came from Guy Guy (laugh) "I was not interested in organizations other than New Japan, and at that time he was a member of all Japan, so I did not feel like getting along well. One medicine. But, BUSH! Before I go anywhere I take the initiative I know something nice: with. It seems that half of the returning week seems to have taken me to a barbecue shop. Do not say the presence or absence when the slip comes in! "Offering to the cotch (laugh). Well, BUSH! I got a consultation when I made costumes and ring shoes in the field and he was selling it making original shirts and goods, but also support "Naito san also should do it" doing for me. Collectibles are irrespective of the permission of the group, it is feeling that each player is doing it without permission. Rather, if you do not do it yourself, it will be made without permission and sold at the shop (bitter smile). 111 Rights relationship is in an uncontrollable state (laugh). I was also Ogow, but CMLL was fight money so much! . Basically anything is ants, so that country. If you look at selling merchandises of Japanese maskmen around the venue still, you absolutely do not have permission, do you? I think (laugh). Also, BUSH! He gave me a variety of ingredients from Japan, so make curry and make rice balls for your lunch. I was able to rice well in the morning "and came to wake me up. Right now, his role in J. ru CA, in fact, it was exactly like a wife..What kind of pace was the CMLL? TNA has a small number of games, but CMLL has some permanent venues, and when I was there, Monday was around 3-4 per week from the beginning Arena Puebla 9. We are holding a tournament every week here, Tuesday is Arena · Mexico 冫: name - 1 and Arena ·, Coliseo · Guadalajara (C squirrel NE) 2 places. I wonder if it was Arena Mexico or Terrahara on Sunday. Clerical IT of CMLL It was too early to become familiar with IT Ruta. CMLL is closed on Wednesday and Thursday, Friday is on Arena Mexico on Saturday and is closed on Nácoliseo - + - a na ,, - 1, Arena · Coriceo · Guada once a week, I'm going to check out, but the games were organized on the main semi semi - NO LIM. That's why Yujiro has taken over the Japanese style battle. Whether Mexico did not suit, Rucha classroom which I am presiding also came only about the first time. _ cMLL holds a course to teach Lucha, from young people aiming for Lucha doll to active players. There are many classes, and what to do by the teacher is different. I was not forced to attend at Arena Mexico, but I was taught to the former athlete who took a break. There was not srer from the staff y; +0 so it is tires and 41 people. Q-. 'ther, r ___ ___ ___ ___ 0 ___ ___ 0 ___ ___ 0 ___ ___ ___ 0 It is practice of e to say that there were a lot of basic 6. So when you sleep after the 2 hour practice is over and go to the gym train to the gym from the evening when there is no match → + 6, honest Where in Luchi + 4 the room is quite quite quiet on the CMLL 's top, but the first places I sold originally did not come, but in my case I will stay there Because it was great that I became acquainted with other Ruchador because I was in trouble Temple helps you - What kind of lechado did you learn together? If you are familiar with Japanese fans, mascara, Dorada, or a race that is over 20 years old Probably it was before and after the CMLL debut.What is the same physique as me R "I became a partner well in the practice of becoming a pair of two people. Other than that, Sombra 6 gave a voice to me, but Jimbra was a different class. If you meet in the venue or in the street, feel free to talk about the original members of Ingo Berna Press, you tas. La I feel that the connection of has been used later. Everything is "Tranquilo" Is it also in Mexico? zo ー ー MIT was basically a separate action except on the ring, but I met only with the huge 1alar hand at the venue almost .. At the time of TNA was still in the same room at the hotel but in Mexico Because it was a separate room at Pensin, so much else. Well, I did not mention much about the pension itself, though. Unlike in the United States for some reason, I personally got hooked on Mexico. I made friends of Rucha d'Or and local colleagues, and I was imprisoned in the Mexican house unexpectedly. Back to the pension is when you are going to pick up your luggage, at that timing you feel like going out to eat rice with BUSH-. So, say "Ok then" I will return to my friend's house (laugh). 11 At that time, Naito was particularly good friends Ruchadoru? Angel de Oro 12 years rSUPER! Will you join? And then that older brother, Angel De I also know Soprano · Junior who came to 193 Plata (4th? DC) - "CMLL FANTASTICA MANIA" aw ru, war) since he was young. Because I lived behind the house of a good friend of mine. Is not the best reason why Mexico fitted was nonbillion. Everything is called "trunk-t" or CMLL officials said, "Because there is a TV coverage, we are gathering at Arena Mexico at 10 am", no one came by on time Yes. So when it comes around eleven o'clock or around twelve o'clock, it will come without worrying (a bitter smile). At the beginning I was with Ira, but the feeling that one can not be bound by that time has become fit for me. It was very free air. So, I did a lot of things that I do not do in Japan. Unlike Japan, there are no acquaintances in the venue, and even if we get in line, I do not understand it in Spanish, so it was said that it was an easy environment to do such things. For example, regular people sitting in the front row of the audience seats every time, but I was pretty much pleased. So, Mexico is tired easily because Mexico is thin, so I went to those people during the game, got a bee ,, aru or popcorn and played a game while nutritioning tu IICMLL requests and restrictions on games Did you have it? CA (laugh). It was said quite strongly that the weapon was not good. After that the pile driver is banned 194 It is cheerful, because it will be suspended when you use it, it seems that there is a license of Ruchador certified by the Mexican Federal District Commission beyond, so it seems that we can not do it together We are a special border from abroad , I got a license not to take a test, I always had one. "It was vulnerable. 6 · There was never been checked at the venue, well, well, basically if you pay for money it is what makes it the country. If there is no license for the car, the trial and Rucha · Libre competitor association (laugh). (Laugh), because it seems to buy with gold Na Nao is 8 patterns, Naito is posing positively with his index finger and thumb with his left eye Abre el ojo (AN - H Leo 4) J (REP Open your eye) It was born on an expedition this time, is not it? That's right. At first, after being afraid of being an oriental person, it is pretentious, but (uzuEre Japanese Ruchadoru) "What are you saying?" OKUMURA ​​player "Orient people are making a fool of opening their eyes. Because it is thin ". Certainly there were audiences who pulled out the edge of the eyes to narrow down the field, so on the contrary, "I see, you can open the cotch?" I started doing that gesture. After that, the reaction was big from the beginning, and it quickly penetrated as a trademark of self-sufficiency. As I walked through the city, I heard that I opened my eyes saying "Nait It is cheerful, because it will be suspended when you use it, it seems that there is a license of Ruchador certified by the Mexican Federal District Commission beyond, so it seems that we can not do it together We are a special border from abroad , I got a license not to take a test, I always had one. "It was vulnerable. 6 · There was never been checked at the venue, well, well, basically if you pay for money it is what makes it the country. If there is no license for the car, the trial and Rucha · Libre competitor association (laugh). (Laugh), because it seems to buy with gold Na Nao is 8 patterns, Naito is posing positively with his index finger and thumb with his left eye Abre el ojo (AN - H Leo 4) J (REP Open your eye) It was born on an expedition this time, is not it? That's right. At first, after being afraid of being an oriental person, it is pretentious, but (uzuEre Japanese Ruchadoru) "What are you saying?" OKUMURA ​​player "Orient people are making a fool of opening their eyes. Because it is thin ". Certainly there were audiences who pulled out the edge of the eyes to narrow down the field, so on the contrary, "I see, you can open the cotch?" I started doing that gesture. After that, the reaction was big from the beginning, and it quickly penetrated as a trademark of self-sufficiency. As I walked through the city, I heard that I opened my eyes saying "Naito!" Because there were many people who showed Bose, but in fact, it was not like ifa strings Gttee, Yujiro player ab, were you outraged? (Well, that poise came in, there are also many farming associations receiving interviews from various media on the site and it is said that in the talk show like r konko in Japan " I had been out, but because Spanish was the main thing so basically I just did a pose that opened my eyes all the time (laugh) "Were you playing with iR! 110 at that time? I was cheerful but I did not come to the scene on the day (bitter smile). Even though I take it one, I think that Mexico did not suit me. "OKUMURA ​​Even though the players are careful, Even if you are looking at by side whether you are watching by side, the feeling that you are having fun in the United States has been communicated, so Hirouji Shiro is nothing more about what will happen in Mexico, how it will be formed after coming back to Japan Thinking about it 41 On the contrary, I was thinking about Japan about returning to Japan n 40 and thinking that it was not the top in C MLL. "Did there be any difference in the popularity of NO LIMIT at the site? I think that it was so, like the cheers in the game, the venue 0, the rate I can call out when I get out Since I was watching the sun at Arenamakebi m and being playing well, it was Shokufuku, and in Rude ai - u the loss of Ross, Guerrero slug Nero 's missing! Timo Greero who did it was that boss and it was more noticeable as it was characterized by an aggressive attack. For Technico "r»: a 5, "The popularity of Stiko and Polador is terrible, and it is as the continuing after that, Sombra, about twenty years old, gathered attention and supported it, and to Japanese fans I suppose it will not be familiar, but I remember well the season like Tuscano and it is not a player with big features, but because I was the opponent who won the hair cut match. 111 Hair trimmer match, the Arena mehi nva hosted the big match r Infinno on July 31, 2009. It is a battle against 15 crowded wire gauze Cabella in A-L-Ring. It is er. As a fighting game, the man who escaped from the wire mesh is overwhelming, and at the end it became a single fight with Toscan EN, and I was dangerous whether it was late running away and being a booby penalty (K) 7-11 Last Naito fought at the Dragon Soup Rex and Toscano became a full-bodied figure! This and the first Tiger Mask Sayama on January 16, the Japanese won the match against Caberajer at Arena Mexico 79 A year ago, Alphon? Danthes. Since I made it a tea ceremony, it was the first time in 30 years that I gathered aw and collected It would not have been transmitted to Japan, but the locality was blown up by mecha kuchiya. In the first place u himself was winning Mexicans at the main of Arena Mexico, it was almost impossible almost impossible, so at the moment I won, the fireworks came up in the hall and confetti snowed. In that victory, I thought that the fire was more popular, listening to the name of the chief - Tiger is also legendary in the field, but rather I was called Raigel You're a Ryger player. When we were in Mexico, big linger players also joined in short-term expedition due to the appearance of Hisabisa in Mexico, but it was a hot topic. Ryger has participated in CMLL for about two weeks from September 11, 2009. I'm going to pick up Ryger at the airport, but not a local specialty magazine or a sports newspaper but a great number of media gathered from general magazines to television. Even when NOLIMI T entered Mexico, the number of TVs was one or two, but it did not compare with that one. -NO LIMIT is a quartet with Riger player and 0 KUMURA ​​players and Guelero & Atlantis & Garza & Black Warrior at the annual maximum event of CML on September 18 r Anniversary Salio " I won pairs and left the impact. At that time Arena Mexico was buried gissiri from end to end and it was awesome excitement, so its impression is stronger than the game. Mexico is strongly patriotic, so booing was focused on nch as expected, but when I came up with the Riger player at CMLL, I realized again that "Riger 's awesome popularity is reality. In my CMLL my popularity is higher "I thought. However, I was confident through this expedition as much as "I am not a device for Liger." The feeling was really strong. In the middle of November, during the expedition of Mexico in the war against Cabella, Mr. Sugiba president (currently · 0 and Tiger Hattori visited the site, having a meeting with the representative Francisco Alonso, the work of both groups The partnership was officially announced.CMLL It was thought that because NO LIMIT played an active part in Mexico that it became a solid relationship to that. Prior to that, Tanahashi player, Nakayashi Cho, Taguchi player and Goto players. Many Japanese Rises to CMLL. I only have and only months we have continued to rise to E main or semi because we are the only ones we had business collaboration announced during our expedition and it will be the success of NO LIMIT . I went up to the ring of Denipur Saorio and felt the rousing enthusiasm of Luca with skin, so I thought, "Japanese fans do not know this fever but I want to tell you by our active activities." So it was a pleasure when I heard the alliance. And at this time, President Suginbayashi gave NO LIMIT a 1.4 Tokyo Dome plan for the next 10 years. However, because NO LIMIT is an important time to dig into the CMLL 's top front line, "I want you to prepare conditions, positions and guarantee that we are convinced if returning home," then -2. This is totally real intention. It is a waste to let go of the position built with our power. In the place that it is set as the summit of Mexico a little more, I am lost about what I have to go back to Japan. That was the kind of feeling that I do not want to get out of New Japan before I go out on a trip abroad, but even though I felt the possibilities and responsiveness as my wrestler in Mexico. About TN when I was concerned about Japan, but after going to Mexico that CA It is not even. So, rather than returning to Japan, I was thinking how to deliver the situation that is active in this CMLL to Japan more. , At that time, NO L-MIT is CMLL and El Terrible & Tejano Jr.'s Tag Team · Iho de Apelo. And had developed conflict. Tejano is trying to challenge the 1 w GP junior heavyweight championship held by Mr. Minoru in 2007 and · Terrible later collaborated with BULLET CLUB, both of which are related to New Japan, but what kind of Do you have an impression? CMLL is a lot of lightweight players who are good at airborne killing, but terrier and Tehano obviously have a body deck .. There is not much flying skill and ordinary Japanese heavyweight players Feeling close to us, we were mutually mutual, but CMLL was losing as soon as we inflated a foul, so it was unexpectedly batting in a straight game. And, both teams will play Capelli 2 races at the main of December 4, CMLL's Last Big Match Jin Sarida '. At this time, it was done with three games, the third one greeted one on one, Naito ate after eating a 1 and Teribre visited the diving body press and was defeated and fought. sat, zo, MIT is becoming a shudder "to the key point (bitter smile)" The shopkeeper of Life = 3 degrees That was a humiliation 4 "It was as small as memorable vs, t2% It was yelled at the Makabe player and turned down by Mr. Masaru, Mr. Hirasawa (bitter smile)" It was the third time in my life But, in the first place the game you played in Mexico is the final settlement, or the title match is like a battle. So during this expedition period I and Yujiro also rounded Luchador. That is how I left the track record and fought at the front line of CMLL, but when they lost and became a shudder r ah, it ended up "I became a feeling. That 's why the things we built are close to the feeling of collapse. It is only a few minutes to cut it, but I thought about various things. Although it is Ruud vs Rude, as it is a graphic expression of Mehi ng Ha Pon や, it is exciting when the other side won over us no matter what kind of hands, because we used to make the Mexican shoulder until then Basically think that "Zamami kan Raw" was air - At the end of this game NO LIMIT will return to the country, but is the game still unforgettable? In many ways it seems ... ... Actually, I was in physical condition with a shock when I was invited to Mr. Sugabayashi to talk about my return home in November. Something, r, ever Mexi

[maniacalmole]

My First Fanfic

Thank you @sous-le-saule for tagging me! I love this idea. Looking back on the first fanfic I ever posted has reminded me of what it was like at the time, sharing my writing with a LOT of people for the first time, having people actually RESPOND, SO NICELY, and being able to share a story even more, precisely because it’s fanfiction and we already love these characters. I felt like I’d found something I had been looking for for a long time, and that was really special. So thanks for reminding me of all that :)

I would like to read @lvslie ‘s and @staubengel ‘s if you guys want to reminisce and share! And I second that @not-a-space-alien tag!

Technically I’ve written ‘fanfiction’ for a long time. Before I even knew it was a thing, I wrote a really long Hogwarts fanfic with my own characters in middle school. I wrote part of a SPN fanfic that I never finished. But this is the first thing I posted. I put it on Ao3 in February 2016, about the same time as you, sls! But I think I posted it on tumblr around September 2015, so it’s been almost three years that I’ve been doing this.

It’s a pretty short one, about Crowley feeling insecure (so some things never change). Lol @myself for rating it T, it’s definitely fine for general audiences, I just was nervous posting it for the first time XD

Eggs Without Salt

(on ao3)

    AJ Crowley woke up in his bed, cold. He had kicked the sheets off of him, and they were tangled around his legs. He was lying on his stomach, one arm crushed underneath him, the other stretched out across the rest of the bed. He stared at it, and his open hand, looking like it was reaching for something.

               He’d blown it all, this time.

               With a groan, he pulled in his arm and used it to push himself up, just enough so he could turn his head and look around the room. Definitely empty. Just white walls and cold white sheets. On the bedside table there was only one pair of glasses, and they were dark. Crowley grimaced. He grabbed the sunglasses and crammed them onto his face, then dropped himself onto his stomach again, letting out a sigh that turned into a low hiss.

               Aziraphale was definitely gone, then.

              Humans had invented a story about a little boy who cried ‘Wolf’. The demon wished he had never heard it. How many times had he gotten the angel to do something under false pretenses? It was in his job description to always have an ulterior motive. He couldn’t even blame him for not trusting the good intentions of a demon. Good intentions weren’t usually allowed.

               Crowley’d told him he wasn’t doing sleep the right way. Aziraphale’s bed was a small twin shoved into the corner of the back room of his bookstore, which was also mostly packed with books and collectibles. The mattress was decades old; it could hardly even qualify as a mattress by the modern era’s definition. The angel had discovered sleep but preferred using his nights for reorganizing his collections of old combs and vintage watches. But you can’t call that sleep, Crowley had told him, the day before. Not on that old thing. You need something with space to spread out. Memory foam mattress, sheets with a high thread-count. Come on, I’ll show you. Humans have invented sleep with style.

               Ulterior motives. Aziraphale was not stupid. He must have seen through it. He had probably woken up, realized Crowley had tricked him, and flown the coop first thing. Before Crowley would have the chance to tell him why he had wanted so badly to trick him into staying over.

              Aziraphale had waited until the morning, though. That was what Crowley did not understand. Last night, he had stayed. Crowley had not exactly given him ‘space to spread out’, but the angel had gone to sleep, anyway. Close to him, with one hand in his hair. Crowley could still remember the feeling of the atrocious beige sweater against his face, rough and scratchy. He had never slept so well.

               Now, he felt the sunglasses digging into the side of his face and brow. He could not be bothered to move.

               The worst of it was….The worst was, that he had not done it that way this time. He had started out edging around what he really wanted, tempting instead of just asking, the way he always did. When he had gotten Aziraphale to his flat, though…he had really told him everything.

               He just wanted him nearby. A bit nearer than nearby, if that wasn’t too much. He enjoyed spending time with him. All the time. He just wished he was there more often than he was.

               He had thought he’d understood, that the angel had known he meant it. But now…

               A sound came from the kitchen.

               Crowley pushed himself up instantly. His glasses fell off his face as he moved into a sitting position. He listened.

               There was another clanging noise. It was followed by more sounds of metal hitting granite countertops. Slowly, Crowley slid off the end of the bed and walked to the door. The glasses remained sitting on the stark white sheets.

               Crowley walked into the kitchen. Every pot and pan he owned was spread out across the counters, along with a lot of flour, which was odd, because he smelled eggs. Standing with his back facing the demon, some of the flour stuck in his curly hair and all over his sweater, was Aziraphale.

               Crowley watched him wordlessly for a while. The angel seemed to be having trouble with the stove. At last he got it working, and he turned to get one of the pans. When he did so, he spotted Crowley. He gave him a smile.

               “Ah, there you are.” He grabbed the pan and started shuffling the others about, creating another floury dust-cloud. “Tell me, how do you like your eggs? As soon as I find the salt….” He found it at last and held it up with a triumphant grin. “Aha!” He looked back at Crowley.

               Crowley was staring at him with his mouth slightly open. Aziraphale gave him a quizzical look, adjusting his reading glasses.

               “Now, I know you used to swallow them whole—“ He turned back to the stovetop. “But that was millennia ago, and I had rather figured your tastes would have changed, somewhat.”

               Carefully, Crowley took a seat at one of the stools by the counter. Aziraphale looked at him over his shoulder. He seemed to be reading him. He put on a gentle expression that was somewhere between a smile of amusement and a frown.

               “Now, really, my dear,” he said. Crowley met his eye. He stared back at him for a few seconds.

               “Over-easy.”

               Aziraphale smirked and turned back to the stove. “I suppose I can’t very well ask you to say your ‘please’s and ‘thank you’s, can I?” Despite his expression, his voice sounded cheerful. Almost affectionate.

               Crowley just pulled himself closer, rested one arm on the counter, and smiled.