#and how i approach it. which is so cool and fun and neat for me!!!!!!

[kindrewind]

as someone who went to [gay college] for mourning, memory, and expressions of power in the visual and verbal arts (with a focus on iterations of the gothic) dovetailed w/ queer studies do you even understand how, if i'd had been in undergrad during the time of YJ, i'd have been excessively writing on Taissa Turner & Van Palmer and the Hyperbolizing of the FemmeButch Relationship in Gothic Horror

so i GUESS i'll just have to do all of that here in time. but i hope someone out there has been writing those essays <3

[speed-world]

Idea for a story...based off something I saw somewhere else.

Y/n sucked into the cookie run kingdom game and transformed into a cookie and is a complete coward...like cookies, if they want y/n to come with them on adventures, have to bribe y/n into coming...or drag them as they scream in fear. They are terrified of plot because they know what happens in the cookie run story and feel like they wouldn't survive....

Buuuuut then, as they progress through the story, more cookies are revealed to love y/n and their presence in general make the cookies...nicer and more focused on making y/n happy than the plot lol. Like they start making sure y/n has their treats, that y/n is having fun, etc!

Cowardice…Pays Off?!

(Is this self aware? Kinda i guess right?)

You aren’t sure how or why this happened. One moment you were just by yourself, ready to play a newly downloaded Cookie Run Kingdom-The Game. You saw a lot of videos about its story and characters, and you wanted to give it a shot since it all seemed so cool!! Then, just as you started the game up, your game glitched and got stuck. The screen of your phone went blank. Then, like a vortex, it pulled you inside of the game and your entire body composition changed. You were flat, smelled appetizing, and you were a lot smaller than you were supposed to be.

You became a cookie…which horrifies you immensely!

Sure, it sounded neat to be surrounded by the characters that you loved, until you realize that you now have to go through the same story as them. A story that you knew most of the outcomes…

As you finally came to, you heard the crashing sounds of asteroids from outside. You studied your surroundings a bit more until you realized: This is the Final Battle of the Dark Flour War, which surely means-

“This is…Oh no, what a horrible sight.”

“The whole place is covered in Cookie crumbs!”

You heard footsteps of 5 cookies approaching you. You vividly remembered there words as the same words from the Final Battle prologue scene. But of course, you were there. And you noticed that the Ancients immediately froze and changed once they saw you.

“Despite the foul stench and scene, it appears that a Cookie made it after all…”

“Ah! W-wait, I-I’m not s-supposed to uh— p-please I-I’m so scared, d-don’t h-hurt me p-please!!” You freaked out at the realization, and buried your face in your knees. Tears welled up in your eyes as you began to weep.

Pure Vanilla Cookie softly approached you and caressed your back. He sat down in front of you and held your arm.

“We promise you, the last thing we’d ever want is to hurt you! You don’t have to worry, we’re here to protect you with our own lives, you have my word! I’m Pure Vanilla Cookie, may I know who you are?”

With how softly and assuring he spoke, you held his hand and nodded.

“Y/N…I’m Y/N.”

You hugged him out of instinct, which definitely surprised the healer, but he didn’t mind at all. He reciprocated the hug and then hugged even tighter…as if he’s been waiting for this specific hug with you for a while

“A-wait! You g-guys have to leave!! D-D-Dark E-Enchantress Cookie is too strong for y-you all!! Y-you won’t win against her!!” You panicked as you remembered the fate that awaited the Ancients. They all looked surprised initially, but then they all looked more determined than ever.

“While your concern is appreciated, we assure that we won’t back down from Dark Enchantress Cookie. We’ll take her down AND make assure your safety at the same time.”

You looked at Golden Cheese Cookie, quietly pleading with her and the other Ancients to not go and fight this battle. They all do their best to reassure and comfort you, hoping that you understand they can’t abandon this fight. One Ancient however, stared at you differently than the others. She looked at you as if…she actually knew who you were…

White Lily Cookie saw you catch onto her staring, and she shook her head to snap back to reality.

“I-I believe we should get ready! W-We need t-to find Dark Enchantress Cookie before she finds us!”

And then, as if on cue, you all notice the sounds of Cake Hounds rapidly charging at you. The Ancients ready themselves to fight, and you trembled as you got to your feet. You hid behind Hollyberry Cookie, tightly holding onto her for dear life and shutting your eyes…until you felt various Cake Hounds nuzzling your legs. You opened your eyes to the cute creatures smiling at you and not hurting you at all, which confused the Ancients.

“Shouldn’t these Cake Hounds be attacking us? These are Dark Enchantress Cookie’s forces, and yet they’re…rolling around and nuzzling us?!”

“It appears they’ve a fondness for Y/N. We could use this to our advantage, let’s move!”

Dark Cacao Cookie scooped you up with one arm and carried you as the Ancients ran to the castle area where Dark Enchantress Cookie was.

You screamed and pleaded to not go with them since you knew what would happen. Since comforting you didn’t seem to work, two Ancients had the bright idea of bribing you to come along.

“Come now Y/N, I promise to gift with riches beyond your dreams after we win this fight! I’ll even let these Cake Hounds be with you, but you’ll spend more time with me, my closest treasure~!”

“I’ll be sure to grace you with the finest berry juice ever! My treat!! You’ll never have to worry with me around, I promise you!!”

You were more relaxed after hearing the offers of Hollyberry Cookie and Golden Cheese Cookie. After a while, you noticed everyone had stopped moving. You slowly looked up in horror…Dark Enchantress Cookie was waiting there.

“And so, upon the ruins of your home we finally meet. And it would appear…that you brought an uninvited guest~.”

…She was talking about you. You met your worried eyes with hers, but she didn’t look at you with malice. More she looked down at you like a mother would a little child…and you had no clue how to react.

Pure Vanilla Cookie stood in front of you, and had hardened gaze on Dark Enchantress Cookie.

“Dark Enchantress Cookie! What is the meaning of this?”

“Now, now. No need to be so hostile. In fact, I have a…proposition for you lot.”

“Proposition? What nonsense are you rambling about now?”

Dark Enchantress Cookie focused her gaze on you. You hid behind Pure Vanilla Cookie, but Dark Enchantress’s eyes never stopped following your movements.

“I would like to believe that we have a common interest. The Cookie that you’re shielding - Y/N I believe was your name, no? - There’s something about them that’s quite incredible, wouldn’t you say~?”

“What…w-w-what are y-you getting a-at?!” You decided to speak, or more stutter, for yourself.

“I’m saying I believe we’ve all taken an interest in you. Dare I say, we can come to a deal: I’ll cease my own vision for the world in exchange for the safety and prosperity of Y/N. Does that sound alright with you?”

You were very reluctant to respond, mostly because of how much you were taken aback by this. Is this really the same Dark Enchantress Cookie you remember?! Apparently, the Ancients had the same conflicted expressions. None of them truly knew what to say about this ordeal.

“Can we really trust her words? This could easily be just another scheme-“

“I AM serious about this, mind YOU! It’s abundantly clear none of us want Y/N in any kind of danger, and I can see it clearly in your eyes—all of us feel a special attraction to them, despite the odd circumstance~. There’s no reason to lie about it.”

You looked to the rest of the Ancients in anticipation. You had zero idea what the right answer was, if there was one, but you just prayed that you wouldn’t be hurt in any way.

“…..Fine then. For the sake of all Cookiekind, and for Y/N, we’ll trust you. But know this Dark Enchantress Cookie, we will fight you again if you ever back down from your word!”

“Hah, you won’t have to look forward to it~…”

————————————————————————

It’s been a while since then, and you still have no idea how to feel about your situation.

On one hand, literally nothing wants to harm you in any way. Every Cookie you’ve met has been extremely kind and generous to you, even if they’re evil aligned. The Bear Jellies are so warm and welcoming, and the Sugar Gnomes have virtually become your best supportive friends. Not to mention the Cake Hounds being head over heels for you, which you reciprocated the love for them.

On the other hand…there always seemed to be some small layer of tension whenever Dark Enchantress Cookie comes to see you. She’s always super nice to you, giving you immense affection that at times seems out of character.

Of course, the Ancients always get slightly agitated when Dark Enchantess Cookie visits. Especially Golden Cheese Cookie and White Lily Cookie, who really got upset whenever Dark Enchantress took you away from them.

Granted, White Lily made some sense with her relationship with Dark Enchantress.

But Golden Cheese really took offense to whenever you’re attention was taken off of her

In any sense, the most confusing thing was whenever the Cookies wanted to take you on adventures. Mainly the Gingerbrave gang.

You were incredibly scared of going with them, mostly because you knew of the danger of their adventures and thought you’d either be harmed or get in their way.

Whenever a Cookie invites you to travel with them, they always make sure your safety is prioritized. Sometimes they’ll try to bribe you with treats, gifts, or rewards if you tag along.

But sometimes, they’ll abandon their plans just to be with you and make sure you’re comfortable.

This life of yours was so odd and scary, but your fears would eventually wash away with how much the Cookies would treasure your being above all else. You’d grow to enjoy and love the affection and care, even if it seemed to be overwhelming at times.

[vintagerpg]

Allen Koszowski is in A Lovecraftian Retrospective, but a couple years ago Centipede Press devoted an entire volume to his art, Dreams from the Dark Side (2022), as part of their Artist Series, and I thought it would be fun to cover it.

I met Allen K. (as I think of him, because that’s how he signs most of his work) at the 1993 NecronomiCon. He had a table covered with binders, each full of clear plastic sleeves containing prints, some standard sizes, some small, some large. He had stuff for all dollar amounts. In my memory, I spent hours poring through those binders. I bought at least three prints. One is very small and remains in a box of similarly odd-sized prints. The other two — a family portrait from Innsmouth and a view of Cthulhu — have been framed and on one of my walls ever since.

Looking through this book is a bit like reliving that time at that table at Necronomicon. There is so much. Rather than chronologically, pieces are grouped thematically, giant spiders with giant spiders, eyeball monsters with eyeball monsters. It’s neat to see Allen’s approach to similar subjects change across the years. It’s all stippled, which is impressively methodical. He works in a style I associate primarily with ’70s fanzines, developed in the wake of Virgil Finlay, King Stipple. A lot of Allen’s work reminds me of Stephen Fabian.

Another cool thing? Perhaps because of his origins in the fanzine scene, I get the distinct impression that Allen K. draws whatever the heck he wants. I recognize quite a few pieces that wound up on book covers — A Place Called Dagon leaps out, as do a couple Necronomicon Press catalog covers — but they mingle with super heroes, Star Trek characters, Harryhausen monsters, endless Lovecraftian entities. This book collects Allen K.’s art, but I think it is also a collection of the things he loves.

[laswells-ashtray]

Hello comrade (also please tell Orca hi from me), I know you did a wonderful piece on Adler and baby Phil just recently, but I am unapologetically greedy about your writing, so if you do not mind, could you maybe share your thoughts on how they would spend, like, a fun weekend day in the city? Maybe a zoo trip or one of those science museums that have cool interactive exhibitions where you can watch like a tornado form in a glass box by a press of a button and then it explains some physics laws (do I make sense? I hope you get which ones I mean, I am obsessed with them). Or something like that.

In any case, I hope you have a great day/night and remember that you are our very loved comrade and always a delight when you post literally anything ❤️🦍

I'm gonna be honest with you, I'm choosing the zoo because it's easier to describe than sciencey things as someone who enjoys those museums but also failed every science I ever took and doesn't know how to articulate anything involving such. Also, obligatory gorilla conga line: 🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍

It's safe to say, it isn't Russell's traditional way to spend a Saturday. But, he lets the tiny hand in his lead him over to the bear enclosure with a smile because Phil's little legs are moving so quickly that he expects them to spark soon.

It's busy, as to be expected on a sunny Saturday but he manages to secure them a place by the glass so that the four-year-old can see the bear. A couple of well-thrown elbows can get him anywhere he damn pleases.

It's almost comical how close Phil is willing to get to the glass just to look at the bear inside of its enclosure, offering it a wave with his free hand as the bear peers back at them, not a care in the world as it lounges about on the grass.

"Is he grizzly?"

He looks away from the bear, eyes drawn back to the little boy in front of him as Phil squeezes his hand. He shakes his head, glancing over at the sign detailing the animal's information.

"I don't think so, kid. Says she's an Andean bear."

"Huh."

It doesn't seem to deter Phil, his enthusiasm doesn't falter in the slightest as he admires the beautiful creature in front of them. The markings on the bear's face give it a distinct kind of regality over the other animals in the park.

A soft mutter reaches his ears as his son gazes wide-eyed at the bear. "She looks fluffy."

At that moment he knows that when they reach the gift shop he'll be looking for stuffed bears to see if he can hunt down an Andean bear plushie for Phil to keep at his house. His wallet be damned, his boy is getting a bear.

He peers over at the sign, listing every common fact about the bear from her age to her weight to her average lifespan in captivity. "Says she's only seven, her name is Beatrice."

Phil tugs on his hand again, this time with the force that demands Russell meet his eyes. He doesn't even try to pretend that the shit-eating grin on the four-year-old's face doesn't make him smile.

"Beartrice."

And with that, the famed Russell Adler is broken into a fit of laughter by a four-year-old in a Tom and Jerry t-shirt.

He ruffles Phillip's hair with his hand much to his displeasure, messing up the neat blonde style that his mother had insisted he leave the house with. Informing her that they were going to the zoo and not a gala only resulted in her rolling her eyes.

Others start to crowd around them, all desperate to get a look at the "spectacled" bear in all her glory as the animal starts to approach the glass. He briefly considers staying but being boxed in by around twenty or so people is less than ideal, so, he leans down and carefully picks Phil up, planting the boy on his hip.

He hears his son's quiet protest as he walks away from the bear enclosure and he's met with a pout when he spares him a glance, he'd feel bad if it weren't a tactical decision.

"Well, kiddo, how about I make you a deal? We can go look at Daddy's favourite animal and then get some food before we go and look at the rest of the animals. Maybe, if she's still awake we can come back and see Beatrice later."

Phillip doesn't seem convinced, crossing his arms and looking up at him with such a serious glare that it almost feels like looking in a mirror. It'd take less effort to convince Woods to drink lighter fluid.

"What animal?"

He pinches the boy's nose, grinning at his grumble as tiny hands try to pry his own away.

"Well, I was gonna take us to go see the lynxes. They're like a big version of Mrs Petrillo's cat."

The description seems to help convince Phil that the new animal would be worth leaving the bear for. "A kitty?"

"Kind of, yeah. A big kitty."

After maybe twenty seconds of deliberation, Phillip nods and looks at him expectantly.

"Let's go see the kitty."

So, maybe he could convince Woods to drink lighter fluid.

[superstarnaptime]

Hiya Loon Lagoon! 👋

I love the movies you mentioned earlier. “The Secret of Nimh” is a favorite of mine! I’m excited to hear you and Gwen from the daycare enjoy it. I absolutely adore Mrs. Brisby and her bravery.

The summary (and insight!) you gave on “FazRangers in Space” was really neat. I haven’t seen it, since I don’t think I can access Fazbear Entertainment content on the web (to my knowledge). However, I was very interested in all of the character relationships you detailed! It seems you like narratives that center on its characters more than the plot (I’m assuming). Which I’m all for! An action movie can be fun, but it’s even better when you care for the people in the film! Sometimes I think (newer) movies can get too bogged down with cool CGI effects and forget that the audience needs to connect with the characters too.

Princess Bunnie really interested me! I wish I could’ve witnessed how her relationship with the FazRangers (particularly Chica) developed. I am curious about the significance of her true name, “Princess Stella.” Do you know if there’s a reason she had another name?

I am sad to hear about how Freddy’s character was diluted to be more simple for the target audience. I can understand it, but as an avid Freddy Fazbear fan, I would’ve loved to hear that his dynamic traits were utilized. Glad he had his moments though! Even though I’m older than the daycare kids, I can relate to being jealous about losing the spotlight of someone’s affections. It hurts, but it’s nice to know the film approached those complicated feelings well.

Do you write essays and articles about other movies too? If you want to share, I’d be happy to read them! You’re very good at pointing out the plot points and narrative flow in films. Thanks for the info, it was really nice!

(This is a longer one, haha. Don’t feel pressured to reply soon. There is a lot happening right now.)

LOON: OhmyFazbear. Someone who watched the FazRangers series. It’s so hard to find anyone else who still remembers it beyond nostalgia (nothing wrong with that I just want to talk critically about the show but no one can find it online so it’s really hard at this rate I might just reupload my memory file of it but it would be soooo sooo soooo illegal I would be terminated on sight)

PRINCESS STELLA I LOVE HER. I LOVE PRINCESS STELLA. OKAY so I think that Princess Stella had another name to show she actually was trying to be another person the whole time while going through the preliminary stages of friendship. Doesn’t everyone pretend to be a little more palatable when you start getting to know a stranger? I mean for a kids cartoon, this is pretty awesome, but I think I’m reading too much into it. Maybe. Also because I think they had a different design or idea for the character and changed it partway through production but couldn’t scrap it? i read a forum post on this but the forum got taken down because the thread was just arguing.

I absolutely agree that the character driven narrative here was so good for the show. Freddy didn’t get the development he deserves, but I feel like he doesn’t have a lot of room to be given a true and strong personality with meaningful flaws because he’s supposed to be what kids wanna be, right? A friendly, confident, humble, and honest character that helps his friends when they need him! FazBear Entertainment isn’t really into building strong and compelling character driven narratives for kids, since all of our favorite characters get put into episodic shorts, but this film… WOWZA!!

I have written a little ramble about this film because it’s like, one of the only ones I really enjoyed watching over and over in the video corner, but I need to edit and redo it so you can read it easier.

Also, that nickname is so very silly! I love it. Thank you, Friend Omm :)

⭐️ (LOON is happy you asked him about one of his special interests. You got a GOLD STAR. It has a beautiful, sparkling princess on it.)

[heartforsunoo]

INTERVIEW

SUNGHOON: “ENGENE helps me to know who I am”

ENHYPEN ROMANCE: UNTOLD -daydream- comeback interview

2024.11.20

SUNGHOON is like a blank canvas, embracing every color that splashes across the empty white space. And he mentions several times how much he likes the colors he’s been painted in, and the picture he’s been painting, since his debut.

Your face shows up everywhere in drugstores these days. (laughs) You’re currently a model and ambassador for a number of beauty brands.

SUNGHOON: I was fascinated to hear ENGENE and my acquaintances saying my picture’s all over drugstores. There’s even a gigantic picture of me in Seongsu-dong. Now I know for certain that I’m a celebrity. (laughs) It’s actually not easy becoming a brand ambassador or model, so I’m extremely thankful to ENGENE for being the reason I can do all these things. This was an opportunity I was fortunate to have, and I plan to keep working even harder.

It’s also the result of all your hard work, of course. You always work hard to keep yourself in shape and keep your hair, clothes, and makeup perfect.

SUNGHOON: I think basic upkeep is important, so I always try to present a neat and tidy image. I take care of my skin and exercise regularly, but these days, I’m trying to be less perfect and have a more natural, casual style, too. I don’t want people to think I’m overly flawless when they see me. I want to have a laid-back image, too—not that I’ll ever look flawed. (laughs)

You seem to have shifted to more vintage and trendy looks.

SUNGHOON: Right. It feels like I’m moving more in the trendy direction lately though. I bought a lot of clothes with patterns on them, which I wouldn’t normally wear, and a lot of trendy outfits, too. I’ve been wearing military cargo pants a lot lately. Everybody seems to be wearing them these days, so I figured I’d give it a shot too. (laughs) I like them because they make you look rugged.

It seems like you’re into glasses and sunglasses, too.

SUNGHOON: ENGENE loves it whenever I wear glasses. I go out vintage shopping when I have time and now I have around 20 pairs. I’m always looking for new ones since they really add to a look. Horn-rimmed glasses make you look smart and give off a bit of a nerdy vibe, while silver frames and rimless glasses have more of a sexy vibe? And sunglasses are just plain cool! (laughs)

You aim for perfection in both your appearance and your performances. Perfectionists consistently strive for excellence, but we understand that achieving absolute perfection is a rare feat. Have you ever felt that you've truly attained perfection?

SUNGHOON: To be perfectly honest, I’ve never felt like I did something perfectly. What you just said is absolutely true—I always try my best to approach perfection in any given situation. I feel like I’m still a long way off from what I’d consider to be perfect.

You strive for perfection but don’t seem obsessed by the idea of it. There was a minor incident with the lift at Weverse Con Festival, and you just said, “It was too bad that happened, but there’s nothing we can do about it. It is already behind us.”

SUNGHOON: Actually… I’m not the kind of person who can just stop thinking about things that already happened. (laughs) So I try and tell myself “it’s in the past, there’s nothing you can do” a lot. And there’s something fun about something unexpected happening, like the incident during “She Was Pretty” at Weverse con festival, and overcoming it.

What was one thing you worked particularly hard to perfect or feel confident about on the new album, ROMANCE: UNTOLD -daydream-?

SUNGHOON: For me, it’s dancing. I think the highlight of the single “No Doubt” is when we dance with our hands in our back pockets during the hook, which restricted our movement. And since our backs are turned for most of that, our faces aren’t really visible. I spent a lot of time thinking about what I could do to captivate ENGENE and general audiences in the brief moments I’m facing forward. Finding a killer angle that looks as hot as possible? (laughs)

It feels like the entire song “Daydream” is whispered. You must’ve had to work hard to sing with an airy voice like that.

SUNGHOON: It was my first time singing a song like that. It was hard and a little bit frustrating since you need to sing a bit forcefully for a hip hop song but I had to basically be whispering at the same time so I couldn’t be too loud. I didn’t have to hit any specific notes for this song, so I just tried to really get into the hip hop rhythm. I never used to feel confident with hip hop, but I liked the final product when I heard it.

I heard you experiment a lot to find your own vocal style.

SUNGHOON: I think my vocals sound very “clear,” and it’s something unique I can bring to the table. You can especially hear it when I sing in falsetto, and that’s exactly what I did on the single “No Doubt.” I actually never used to like how I sound when I sing high notes like that, but this time the part I sang was a good match for my voice, which was nice.

Both the single “No Doubt” and the track “Daydream” are about how absence makes the heart grow fonder. It’s similar to the relationship between fans and artists, where they love each other but also spend time apart, and at other times don’t know what the other’s up to.

SUNGHOON: I think so too. You can easily substitute the relationship between ENGENE and ENHYPEN into those songs. It seems like it’s about two people in love, but who I was really thinking about while practicing it was ENGENE. I hope ENGENE feels the same way when they’re listening. (laughs)

When do you need ENGENE the most?

SUNGHOON: I always need ENGENE, but especially when I’m performing. When I do a performance that’s exclusively for ENGENE, I’m not showing them a refined version of me but my everything. I can show them my less-than-perfect aspects, and it’s way more chill talking to them—like talking to a friend. ENGENE fills me with as much strength when I see them as I do when they see me. If either of us ever disappeared, the whole thing would fall apart. We’re so important to one another, and a lot of what’s possible for us is only possible because we’re together.

The song “Highway 1009” off your second studio album is dedicated to your fans. What were you trying to say with the lyrics you wrote?

SUNGHOON: When I wrote those lyrics, I imagined going on a journey down an endless road with ENGENE. The words flowed right out of me—maybe because I was being so open with my feelings. I wrote the line, “Promise you’ll hold on tighter,” and some before and after that line, too. My version went, “I’ll meet you again under our destiny / Promise you’ll hold on tighter / So nothing will ever keep us apart again.” I thought it was well written and I said I wanted to show it to ENGENE, but looking at it now, I’m not so sure. (laughs)

It’s clear when watching Weverse LIVE that you’ve developed an even closer bond with ENGENE. In an interview with Esquire, you said, “I don’t have much to do besides work, so I do LIVEs just to hang out.” So interacting with your fans doesn’t feel like “work,” then?

SUNGHOON: It seriously never feels like work. Nobody tells me to do it—I do it because I want to. When I go on Weverse LIVE, I get to see what ENGENE says and share my thoughts. It’s as simple as that, and I love it. Having said that, since there’s so many people watching from all around the world, I am careful to avoid saying anything that could hurt even one person.

Speaking of your LIVEs, ENGENE says you’re unintentionally funny. You also post a lot of somewhat quirky videos on TikTok. (laughs)

SUNGHOON: What I’m going for on TikTok is basically to be silly. (laughs) I’m not into doing any of the stuff you’d expect. I have to do things I find a little funny and amusing so ENGENE can genuinely enjoy them. It’s the same with the 02z: If I see something decent on TikTok, I would suggest it to the others, then every single one of them gets on board. I was the one who suggested the “Attack on Bangtan” video. The composition and the timing for moving out of the frame just popped into my head. (laughs) I don’t know that I’m really trying to be funny, though… I think that side only comes out when I’m with the rest of the group.

The calligraphy photos you’ve posted of phrases like, “Let’s hope everything comes up roses,” and, “You’re special,” make fans laugh.

SUNGHOON: I started doing those hoping it would make the fans laugh at least a little bit, and they really did, so I do more now and then. Seeing words like that gives people positive emotions, and while for some it might just be funny, for others, it could be truly uplifting. I think calligraphy has become a part of my identity now. It’s even come up in other videos, like how I was part of the calligraphy club in EN-DRAMA.

During your closing remarks at the FATE PLUS concert in Seoul, you said, “ENGENE, you’re the only one that’s ever made me cry.” That shows how close you’ve become with ENGENE, considering you once said you’re not good at expressing your emotions.

SUNGHOON: I think when it comes to ENGENE, I’ve really opened up. I think we’re close enough now that we can open up to each other like that. Since I’m not someone who cries easily, even the other members didn’t know at first whether I was actually crying or just joking. (laughs) But I could really tell how concerned they were for me onstage. We’ve been together long enough that we know how each other’s feeling without having to say much.

What moved you to tears like that?

SUNGHOON: I’m the type to let it out all at once, and it’d been a long time since I last cried. There’s little hard moments all throughout the work we do, and those small things slowly piled up until they hit me all at once. I was doing my closing remarks and felt like, “Well, I’ve made it this far,” and then suddenly felt emotional. I felt a lot better after that cry. It’s a bit embarrassing since so many people saw the video of me crying, though. (laughs)

I remember you said, “I feel like I still don’t know myself all that well,” during your closing remarks.

SUNGHOON: It’s hard for anyone to look at themselves objectively from an outsider’s perspective, but I feel like I’m getting to know who I really am through my career. My personality and emotions will keep on changing, and ENGENE always watches out for me and lets me know about that. ENGENE helps me to know who I am.

What do you think of Park Sunghoon these days?

SUNGHOON: In the past, I saw myself as this really quiet person who lacks confidence. I wanted to break free of that. I’m a lot more confident these days and I’m working hard to keep it that way. These days I see myself as someone who chases perfection and doesn’t like when things get complicated, but I feel like I do complicated things, somehow. (laughs)

When you say you do complicated things, it sounds to me like that you don’t take shortcuts.

SUNGHOON: Right. I don’t want to be taking shortcuts. I feel like I always do things the proper way and with integrity. And I like that about myself.

You’re now entering your fifth year since your debut. In the whole time from your I-LAND days and up until and including now, you seem to have consistently put on good performances and kept yourself healthy.

SUNGHOON: I think it was unconsciously in my bones from being a former athlete. You can’t be an athlete for very long if you’re inconsistent. I need to express it more when things get tough, though. But I feel like I’m not very good at doing that, so I’m making an effort to express myself more these days.

So crying during the concert was part of that?

SUNGHOON: Exactly. I probably could’ve held it in, but… No, I doubt I would’ve been able to stop those tears. (laughs)

I see you as something of a blank canvas. As time’s gone on, you’ve been painted with more and more colors. You’ve become closer to and more affectionate with your fans, you express your emotions more, and you’re gone from a smooth dancer to one who can now nail high-intensity K-pop moves.

SUNGHOON: I love it. Being like a blank canvas means I can keep growing and showing different sides to me. I’ll keep painting myself with different colors, and even though I might make mistakes here and there as the painting forms over time, I won’t erase them—I’ll just incorporate them in different ways into my picture. I used to be really hard on myself and find faults only in myself. I’d tell myself it’s because I’m no good. Now, I’m trying to be more forgiving with myself and look at the bigger picture.

You are a perfectionist, but you’re also self-affirming.

SUNGHOON: There are places I can stand to improve and evolve, but I don’t want to lose the original me, either. I want to keep showing that off. I want to be flexible and make a move according to my circumstances. I don’t want to become someone else—I want to keep at it like I am now, adding my own unique colors and giving people what I consider to be the ideal version of me. If nothing else, I want to be cooler. (laughs) I feel like, as an artist, I need to bump up my skill level where singing and dancing is concerned. And I need to be more emotionally strong, too. No big drastic changes—just taking who I am now and reaching a level or two higher should do it.

[thatbxolivia]

You could make daddy jealous Ani, I need something soft and sweet <3.

slight warnings/ creeps but daddy saves the day

🥰 🥰 🥰

you sat on top of your legs as you played outside at the park, the wind lightly blowing, and daddy sat at a bench a few feet away keeping an eye on you. he sat, attention held high, and was ready to protect you from anything or anyone. you pulled him from his thoughts by getting up and walking over.

“daddy..” you mumbled.

“what’s the matter, babygirl?” he asked you, concerned by the change in behavior.

“that guy keeps staring at me.” you said, frowning and jerking your head over in his direction. anakin looked over and, sure enough, there was a young man about your age. sitting, staring. it made anakin uncomfortable as well, but the man hadn’t done anything wrong. yet.

“keep playing, baby. daddy’s gonna keep a close eye on on him, i won’t let him get you.” he said, not wanting your fun spoiled. he smiled at you and you smiled back.

“okay, daddy!” you said, turning on your heel and going back to playing. you sat back down in your original spot, daddy’s eye trained on you, and resumed your storyline with the dolls. eventually, you forgot all about the man, until he approached you.

“hello there.” he told you, crouching down to you. you immediately became nervous and looked back at your daddy, who had turned away for just TWO SECONDS to take a phone call. it couldn’t be a coincidence that as soon as he looked away, the man came over. you were little, you were regressed. not stupid.

“hi..” you trailed off, not wanting to be mean.

“you know, i have dolls just like this. back at my house, wanna see them?” he asked, smiling weirdly. you felt uneasy and shook your head. “really, no?” he asked, surprised.

“i should get back to my … partner.” you hesitated, not knowing how this stranger would react to your regression. also, it was none of his business.

“you mean your ‘daddy’?” he asked, chuckling. “heard ya earlier. you’re one of those littles, right? i think y’all are so cool. you’re just really neat.” he said, shrugging. “come on, surely your daddy tells you to be nice to people and make new friends. i wanna be friends.” he told you. you didn’t want to be mean, and it’s true, daddy did tell you to be nicer to people.

“okay..” you trailed off, awkwardly holding your hand out. he took it and you felt oil on his hand, which was also slightly dirty, and he pulled you up harshly, causing you to yelp. of course, your daddy heard, and he turned just in time to see the man roughly dragging you away as you fought back. his heart sank to his stomach.

“hey! get off!” he screamed, scaring both you and the man. the man immediately let go and tried to run, but anakin began choking him without even touching him. he hung in the air as daddy had his hand raised and grasped at his throat. “don’t you know not to bother people?” he asked in a dark tone.

“daddy! stop it! don’t hurt people!” you ran up to him, pulling on his arm. your daddy didn’t want you to see what he was definitely planning on doing to this man, so he tossed him to the side, having him hit a tree, then turned back to you. in the background, the man ran off.

“why were you going with him?!”

“i didn’t want to be rude…”

“he’s clearly someone who assaults people, y/n, god, think a little!” he yelled, immediately regretting it as soon as the words left his mouth. “i’m sorry, no, i didn’t mean that.” he said. “i’m so sorry.”

“you’re the one who told me to be more open and nice to people!” you cried out, angry and confused. daddy crouched down to your level, his head hung low from shame. he never should’ve raised his voice at you.

“baby, i’m sorry.” he said sincerely, looking at you. “i shouldn’t have yelled. and i understand why you were confused. i’m sorry. but we don’t talk to strangers like that. we always keep our guard up. and we listen to our instincts when we meet new people, if they make us feel funny, maybe we shouldn’t go?” he suggested. he took your arm and began inspecting your wrist which was slightly red, but seemed to have no bruising. “i’m so sorry, little one, i turned away for two seconds. it was an important call- it doesn’t matter. i’m so sorry.” he said, tears forming in his own eyes. he began massaging your wrist, not knowing what else he could do.

“daddy, it hurts.” you sniffled and he stopped.

“i’m sorry, baby, i don’t know what else i can do to help.” he told you. you sniffled again, looking at daddy and seeing the tears. you gave him a hug.

“can we go homes, daddy?” you asked, wanting nothing more than to go home and cuddle with him.

“of course we can, baby.” he said, scoping you up and carrying you back home, not caring what anyone had to say. and as soon as you were back home, you and your daddy took a nice long nap together, cuddling in each others arms, safe and sound.

[alelathedragon]

Broken Peace

@rtv-puzzlevision-studios

Heading to the film department was fun however it was over stimulating, the little guy was already in the back of the group avoiding lots of interaction and now there were staff members trying to interact with them. The group splitting up and going all kinds of directions, the boo's head spun at it all... Of course he wanted to be involved and talk to people if not hang out but he felt like a burden.

He was behind on everything happening, the quick pace of the people doing things in groups. He couldn't just insert himself into a group of people already playing games with Tari, he couldn't just pretend to be a part of the group asking SMG3 questions in order to ask his own. He never did well in big groups..... Because even if he wanted attention, the little guy didn't know how to start and it seemed people were gravitating towards each other, becoming buddies and making groups.

He ended up staying against a wall, doodling in her sketchbook alone until the group reassembled. It was much quieter anyways.

________________________________

(Note) This is 100% in character for the Boo. If I was going to write a response for the Film Depo it likely would have been a much longer version of this lmao

________________________________

On their way to the social media department, the boo noticed how someone who interested them was catching back up to the group. Alone, not in a group... This was her chance.

Approaching the white Squirrel and trying to smile

@niranutcake

" Oooo- your limbs arent attached to your body... Are you a ghost? Thats really neat "

*the creature looked down to his sketchbook and began to doodle the being in front of him, a normal occurrence

"Oh! Only my head and tail, heh. But uhh, I'm not a ghost! Just a paper doodle that somehow became alive, hehe ^^"

The boo tilt his head at that looking very interested

"I assume /you/ are a ghost, right? That's very cool! I really like your tail and fangs! So pretty... (⁠*⁠´⁠ω⁠｀⁠*⁠) "

*Loyboo noticed how the lil guy's eyes observed her with a curious/friendly smile . Cute

" a paper doodle that somehow became alive... Thats.... AMAZING!! " *He cackled mischievously*

" Wowwweie! "

His own tail wagged in excitement as he continued to doodle, he was becoming more visible.... Until the compliment and her blushing made her become transparent once again

" Ahhhh,,, thank you heheh,,, and y-eah I am a ghostie ghoul sksk,,, a Boo! Specifically, only the best species of ghost "

He claimed confidently as he was very VERY proud to be a part of this species

"Ohh, a Boo! That's neat! I assume you can do lots of cool stuff being a ghost ^^"

The squirrel's tail twitched contently, which made Loyboo puff out his chest in stoic manner- YES! The subject turning to be about his species!? Now he can handle that

" Well- me,,, I'm not that special heh, but! BUT! Boos! We are a species to be wrecking with mweheheheh! Power in numbers is an actual tool for us, the more boos around... The stronger we get. Magic spells, playing pranks "

Her own tail was waggling while starting to ramble about Boos, listing off all these cool and silly things they did

The squirrel listened with interest.

"Ohhhh, so cool! Being a Boo sounds so much fun! If only I could go through walls and turn invisible..." — she sighed with a smile.

"The only power I have is altering living beings' bodily functions and even with that it can be quite dangerous, eheh."

The boo opened and shut his mouth... He could help the lil doodle with that dream of going through walls .... But he didn't want to get in trouble! Not now anyways-

But all the sudden the creatures eyes went super wide like a cat that locked onto something it was going to pounce

" Wh- wha- why do you sound so disappointed!?! That's fricking awesome! Like you can make somebody's arm act like. Like "

He thought for a minute

" You can make an arm work like a mouth? Is that the power? Explain explain pleeeease! "

His tail was a whirlwind of excitement at this revelation that sounded badass

The squirrel looked at him in surprise.

Huh. They... Liked her powers? That's... That felt nice actually...

A smile creeped on her face.

"Oh! Well, uh. Not an entire MOUTH, but... Like, I can make any process that your body can do happen right here and now. Like, by touching your arm with mine and using my power I can make it move . I can make it go limp, or hypersensitive, elevate the pain or any sensitivity at all, heal faster, etc... But I can also make it feel pain, bruise, decay, melt the bones, explode all the blood vessels by increasing blood pressure in them... Soo, stuff like that, haha..." — She vaguely moved her hand around while explaining.

But for a moment Nira got quiet and thought. Really thought.

" Hmm. But hypothetically... But only hypothetically, and it'll be very difficult and take a TREMENDOUS amount of energy and brain power... Using the body's remaining stem cells, I can make a sort of an oral apparatus appear on an arm..."

She looked at the floor. Huh... She... Never actually thought about that...

Loyboo was intensely listening to the doodle squirrel, eyes sparkling in awe as he just smiled at her. Lightly stimming his hands as she continued

" OHHHH HAHAHAH!!! THAT'S SICK!! "

he accidentally yelled but quickly hushed himself and bounced in place

" After this whole tour thing is over we should meet up, id LOVE to keep talking with you uhm.... Didnt get your name but .... Explode blood vessels, melt BONES!?!? thats -"

All the sudden there was a gunshot which caused the boo to flinch. Looking toward the scene, the lil guys' ears went back as he saw Mr.Stars falling over onto the ground with a crack in his screen

" M....mr... "

He stuttered a little but shook himself out of it

" HOLY SHIT MR.STARS!! come on we gotta do something "

He started to run over towards the Television he saw as an idol unsure of how he could even help- he could teleport the man to a medical office however the boo didn't even know where one would be and that was part of the process! Knowing where to teleport!!

He noticed how suddenly the fox rushed past him at the name "Nira" being called, she had shouted something herself

'boss'

Loyboo was talking to an employee of the building this whole time and didn't have the slightest clue until this moment. That was, both awesome and kinda embarrassing hahah,,, immediately going up to her and being like 'hey nice floating body parts what are you? '

At least she enjoyed their talk too -w-,,

But for now he focused on Mr.Stars.... and what the security was doing all the sudden- locking them in and treating them all like collateral damage? Erm? Excuse you???

Bah- whatever ... They had to get the television to the medical ward!!! If the security is so sure of itself then it can catch the person who shot his idol.... Even if not the boo trusted the rest of the security team to handle it.

Raising a hand

" If there's a map of this place i could look at... I have the power to teleport, i could warp Mr.Stars there in an instant "

He proclaimed LOUDLY before he was suddenly approached by another animal creature, they did the Shy Boo gesture ... Hm... Guess they know about boos, that was cool and all but he wasnt really focused on them

@Irayasostripes

" I'm Rayas.... Are you doing alright? "

The boo squinted at them a little bit- wondering why she was the one being asked if she was ok but shrugged it off

" thanks for checking on me i think? But we should really focus on the one who's actually hurt "

They seemed nice however he had no time for chit chat thus left their side to approach Lucian, the nice security from earlier that checked in on him just for looking nervous

" hello Mr.Lucian... i dont know if you heard me but... I can help.... If you want me too anyways..... I can teleport Mr.Stars if i had a map "

| AAAAAAAND there we go im caught up YOPPE |

Loyboo is going with the group headed for the Health Depo

[ganondoodle]

i know i said i wouldnt be ranting about totk anymore, but i realized i didnt really count the sage dungeons as story (dont ask me why) so i thought im gonna write a better summarized version of my opinion about totk (i have around 60% of the game, all lightroots, not yet all shrines (missing like .. 20 or so, know the reward), not all krogs (dont know the reward), not all mayoi (half know the reward?) )

(in no particular order)

good stuff (in my opinion)

the. MUSIC! god the music is good, it was good in botw too but now with much more different bosses it really is probably one of my fav soundtracks of all time (most fav are all three phases of the end fight, the pre-fight to that, the build up one before all of those, Frosgeira (wind tempel boss) the glorious mASTER KOGA and more tbh)

the build up and end boss fight(s) are fantastic, i dont think im ever not gonna have my heart racing when approaching it (despite now skipping almost the entire way bc i set a teleport thing right before it) just bc the build up is so well made and the music(again) is such a banger and the fight(s) itself is so fun too, tbh i keep wanting to play it just bc its so fun

i LOVE how many themes play into the music (endfight alone had so many layers, fav probably is ganondorfs classic theme and calamity ganons both in the same piece among much more, and daruks theme in the fire temple)

(edit) YOU. CAN. TOUCH. DA. DRAGONS!!!!

ganondorf

ganondorfs design (x3)

ganondorfs weapon designs

ganondorfs voice (japanese)

everyone elses voice (japanese)

all voices (german)

thE YIGA!!! i love everythign about them and am so happy they got to be more than just some mini mission

(edit) also the fact that they get zonau tech to work without any special ghost powers is so ????

(edit) koga can summon and use zonau tech unlimited?? hes so cool

NO stealth mission!! (as far as im aware)

bosses are very different from each other

main dungeons are not too short and not too long and mostly fun (mostly bc i personally didnt like the gerudo one), i love that you can still somewhat cheese them and do them your way

sages felt like they got a bit more involved

(edit) you gotta do more stuff before getting to the actual dungeons and i really like that, feels less like a fetch quest but that you are actually helping

(edit) each sage is actually there in the dungeon and is required for it, which is great!

each settlement saw a much bigger danger/change (tho that has more impact if you have played botw) and its problems felt much more real

shrines are well varied tho i think overall a little easy (only got stuck on two so far and later solved them easily bc when i first started them i was tired and exhausted, no brain left lol)

NPCs felt less flat + more bigger sidequests that felt like they had more impact

cool new monsters + designs

the underground was pretty appropiately creepy

the sages abilities are neat

you can refight bosses!!

stable points system is a neat way to encourage you using them

weapon fusing is neat

(edit) the forest of the krogs being corrupted like that is both creepy and a neat nod to oot

(edit) the vai gerudo outfit being gone!! (one) evil has been defeated

(edit) the health bar going so far off the middle in ganondorfs second phase is honestly just funny hnjdfdjk unfortunate that you only need the master sword and with a few perfect dodges his health melts like butter in the summer

(edit) the music when dragondorf transforms sounds so sad .. its probably meant as a oh no world is actually ending sad but i like to think of it as a oh god what did he do to himself sad

the scene where rauru seals ganondorf kinda fruity

(graphic, animations and the overall world is still fantastic)

bad stuff (in my opinion)

everything zonau they feel forced into every bit of the world and its history (i know them being somewhat alien is intentional but not like that) it feels crammed into places they werent before and shouldnt be and it makes it all feel very artificial

the glyphs/dragon tears/memories really ruined alot for me, while it gave you insight as to what happened, it felt like it showed you too much and too little at the same time and i think it would have worked better if it was all in text for once if even at all, so the past stil stayed a mystery and youd be left wondering

timetravel .. really wasnt necessary and felt more like an excuse to get rid of zelda + make her the poor little sacrificial girl again + and to make her turning into a dragon as tragic as possible, like nothing but a stepping stone to the big reveal tm

shiekah tech being not just fully irrelevant but practically erased, wiped off the world (i know about the literally last guardian parts in hateno, it feels more like an oversight tbh, purah technically using it ... tho i dont think she ever calls it that, the purah pad is jsut the sheikah stone but worse), there being no good explanation, no remains, nothing as to why it would suddendly stop working and why even the titans and ESPEICALLY the shrine of life would be destroyed, if anything why wouldnt you enshrine it as a memento to history it was such a focus in botw and so well integrated into the world that it being fully gone, not even old overgrown, or visibly reused to build homes etc., or remains of how they built the og shrines in the underground feels like a HUGE missed opportunity (seriously it would have been so easy to make the ancient shiekah base their tech on old zonau tech, without stealign the gocus but buildign a connection)

all of the continuity problems, totk feels like botw didnt happen and the excuse of 'they didnt want to confuse new players' doesnt make a lick of sense in my eyes bc; its supposed to be a sequel, if you want it to be a standalone game then dont call it a sequel- if you start to play a game with the sequel instead of the first part its your own damn fault if you get confused; if anything, it would have been a good opportuntiy to make people interested in botw so theyd buy and play that one too

ganondorfs character is very flat, you basically get to know nothing about him (yuno even calls that out midgame but its never elaborated upon nhgfrdfhkk)

the zonau and their kingdom of hyrule is presented as this so perfectly good thing to such a degree it turns creepy, the end cutscene with mineru going poof was kinda uncomfy to watch tbh

the reward for all shrines being essentially a reveal as to who the hero in the tapestry was and it being, of course, some weird half zonau is the lamest answer to a mystery i didnt want an anwser too, it doesnt feel like it came naturally either (again my point of the zonau being forced into everything)

the shrines (zonau) feel so much more unnatural than the shiekah shrines, alien in a bad way and not in a good way + really are like a bad reskin of them, their sudden appearance and use is so much less logical

back in botw i was doubtful of if the shiekah tech wasnt going to far too modern tech and cause it all to feel like a bad mix of modern tech and medival fantasy, but they balanced it perfectly (tho the eponator zero was very much the limit imo) but the zonau tech .... oversteps that line i think, it really does feel, more than anything else, that it was just bc they wanted the stuff to be in there bc it might be fun to play around with, im not against that kind of stuff mind you im all for fun, but it feels a little like they thought of a box with endless stuff to play with first and a zelda game second (if you get what i mean)

quite a few quests or things in the game seem like they are more and then end in a dead end (the worst of all is impa saying she wants to go research what could help zelda turn back, and i was excited and convinced that shed give me a quest to find some mcguffin that would do that after i beat ganon but there wasnt anything you could actually do; less bad one but disappointing nonetheless the dongos were mentioned and treated like this big awesome thing from alot of NPCs all around the map and then when you find them they are bascially just gem vending maschines)

the way zelda turns back and link gets his arm back is incredibly unsatisfying, none of them even have something like a scar, or mark from it all, zelda spent thousands of years as a dragon (a transformation that was said to cost your soul but i guess that wasnt true) and link had his arm bascially eaten by miasma and he gets it back like it was never lost, zelda returns all intact as if nothing happened, getting blasted by some magic tm by two ghosts that were supposed to be long gone is the solution to all problems!!

(edit) link losing an arm wouldnt just be super intersting but also lend itself well to lead up into the next game where his prothesis is the focus and source of abilities

(edit) zelda got done so dirty, instead of her actual interests and character to shine she just gets shoved into yet another crisis surrounded by strangers in a world that looks like hers but isnt, and all she does is beg the ancient sages to swear to help link and sacrifice herself again (can you call that fridging? bc she sure feels like she got fridged) i like zelda and i dont like how much i didnt care about her and tbh im angry at the game for that

(edit) both link and zelda not even slightly changing in the years btween botw and totk kinda boring, like a haircut can only do so much

(edit) sonia really is the wife that dies to make husband sad thing isnt she? i get that gan had to get his hands on an enigma stone but i feel like there had been better ways to do that, the fact that she dies that easily is almost funny honestly, why does ganondorf even have weapons when he can just one punch people to death (tho i find it funny to imagine he can literally just kill people in one punch but hes too prideful to do it most of the time so he always uses weapons to look more cool)

(edit) so many new characters that you barely get to see or interact with, i really ... couldnt get myself to care much

(edit) zonau tech being so irrelevant to the games story while its also the focus is .. weird, its really just play doh for the players and nothing else honestly

(edit) monsters mining sonanium feels strange bc ... they dont do anything with it? the best thing i can think of is that they were told to do that so link cant .. upgrade his battery thignies? but then again you could just destroy the mines and remaining constructs to stop it .... also you really dont need anything zonau tech related to beat gan?

(edit) ganondorf beign so utterly uninterested in their tech is weird considering how he dealt with shiekah tech (and we KNOW it can get corrupted) he should be a tech nerd tbh

my twitch VoD of the first time beating the game getting muted at the credits despite me talking over it

nitpicks (in my opninion)

(edit) ganondorf should have a bit more of a boar inspired design, as treat, i think

(edit) the enigma stone wandering back to ganondorfs forehead even after transforming is? weird? i guess an excuse for da epic last stabby but still? (how cool would it have been to have to plunge into his mouth and break it there or something)

(edit) the underground gets a lil old after a while, the fact that its pretty much the same everywhere aside from some .. very strange flowing magma is a lil boring

(edit) ganondorf could have gone way more crazy with abilities and all that, imagine hed spwan multiple miasma arms on himself when you get him to a certain level of health

(edit) i miss unique weapons, there arent even normal axes around anymore, everything is about fusing really, i miss the cool shiekah tech weapons

(edit) the forest of the krogs being largely irrelevant is kinda weird

(edit) mineru being the sage of spirit still is kinda meh, the robot is neat but i thought tauro or purah would be the surprise sage tbh

(edit) the bosses were a little easy (i did boldo gohma rather early and did it without even getting hit)

you cant talk to koga normally :(

you cant find koga again after the last fight :(

you cant refight him (to my knowledge) :(

i find it very strange that yuno seemingly lost daruk shield, despite him having inhereted it in botw

the sage powers are not .. very great integrated, while its fun to haven them run around and help you fight, to actually use their powers you have to chase after them, something that in the heat of a battle is very annoying to do, constantly activating the wrong on or them losing their charge up when they get knocked over is like trying to herd a wild pack of geese while a three headed dragon is shotting laserbeams at you

some widlife just disappearing all of the sudden is very strange (like the rhino in hebra)

some new houses or settlements would have been cool, that the material things at the sides of roads are really only for you to play around with and not to build anything that lasts

you cant fight ganondorf (non dragon, even the dragon is locked to that evening sky) in the sunlight, night or rain, i would have loved to fight him at various times of day

their refusal to show any kind of blood is honestly turnign serious scenes into very awkward ones, sonia just getting punched and she dies with not even like, losing some spit from the force or something, or the fact when you defeat ganondorfs second phase he acts mortally wounded but doesnt even look scratched is just :/

amiibo stuff while neat being included its really mostly just bloating your inventory, if i wanted 5 vaguely different link outfits then i would have gotten the amiibo for it

why hide the -now-totally-not-phantom-ganon-armor- behind such a long questline and then .. have that NOT be upgradable

they put in a house building thingy and then not let you have a roof or a tree or something :(

at some point stable points jsut get you more and more of those free staying over night tickets that i maybe used .. once at the very start and now its just accumulating in my inventory

only one new horse coat pattern :(

satori now only being a thingy that shows you caves is kinda boring, i loved the mystery around it in botw (additionally, that it shows you caves you have completed already kinda sucks)

the end of the shrines isnt that cool anymore, speaking to a mummified monk that gives you essentially his last remains of life energy is so much cooler than a statue of the oh so awesome god king and his wife

the many references and reuse of old names is neat but together with timetravel etc. it easily leads to confusing and fighting among fans for who is more 'right' and its just .. tiring

(edit) considering how much of the advertising was about the sky islands i wished there were more and bigger ones, the underground (that was a little one sided after a while, it all looking the same rly) could have been alot smaller if the sky was bigger instead

(edit) i wished there was more of a sense of .. lost life in the ruins you find, from all races, the ancient ruins are jsut some bridged and ceremonial stuff and i wished there were more like .. houses, like people actually lived there and it not being all around beign a platform for you

(edit) the fact that the half zonau hero exists mean either rauru and sonia had kids but those were clearly not important enough to ever show nor mention, or there were other mixing of them before they all mysteriously died out the fact that the ancient hero was half zonau means their genes survided till then but somehow it never came up? the tapestry still exists and impa and purah say like its a well known fact that the hero looked like that (not at all close to any modern species) when you talk to them while wearing it (the fact that the hero armor thingy is very reminiscemt of ganondorf is like some backtreading bc we were theorizing about the hero having been ganondorf once and they wanted to stop that .. but the more funny thing is the HC of its a descdendet of rauru and ganondorf nhjdfknhdgkfnhkfd) (edit to add to the HC; the game being a big battle about child support is funnier than it should be idk if nintendo knew what they were doing adding details like that)

all in all it just feels like missed opportunities, lost potential, and more a game build around some game mechanics they really wanted to get into than telling a neat story, espeically so bc they called it a sequel, most of my complaints wouldnt be there if it was some alternate thing instead

i probably forgot stuff but if i think of more i will add them later with a little note that it was added in an edit (sidenote, i find it funny how much more nuance that whole conflict would get if rauru and ganondorf were bitter exes bfdrjfbdfndk)

[batsplat]

hiiiiiiii i got into f1 last year and have been getting into motogp over the winter and came across your blog and you have so many amazing posts, it's helped make me fall in love with the sport! i am currently working my way through your back catalogue 🫡 and i'm learning a lot! i wanted to ask, what are YOUR favorite ten posts you've made? not the most popular or best for newbies or anything, just your personal top 10, and also why you like them. thank you for all the great work and hope you have an amazing day!

oh that's really nice, hope you're enjoying following the sport and looking forward to the new season! icl this feels like. idk. i am Not really built for saying anything nice about anything i've written. especially since it's not really anything 'creative' like fics or art or whatever, it's just.... meta ig you'd call it in traditional fandoms. i mean it's really just dumb tumblr posts. but well it's such a nice ask so. nyhhh fine

1. the sete post: yeah this one i do still quite like. i haven't properly read it in a while because i'm sure a lot of it would annoy me - less new information i didn't include and more information i theoretically had access to but forgot about... but well. ig it's extensive without being exhaustive. and it's neat that something i really did think would get read by like... two people ended up having such... idk, wide reach is maybe going a bit far. i think it's had an impact beyond the note count though and it did get some people into the rivalry and then others have gone on to post stuff that IS in the mainstream consciousness so it's like. indirect influencer or something. kinda cool! also the last section i do think is actually pretty all right

2. the valentino witchcraft post: idk i do like... working on my writing skills... i think at some point in the relatively near future once key life developments have happened, it's probably going to be a good idea for me to have a blog for professional purposes, and i am a big believer in trying to be interesting in the stuff you write. which, yeah, no shit, but when i read stuff in my field, i often get frustrated at how people can write about fascinating stuff in ways that just feel... rehearsed. idk i just think it's good mental hygiene to sometimes take a bit of a left field approach to things, and this is pretty left field. i did kinda think a grand total of zero people were going to read it so i probably would've cleaned it up a bit more if i'd known slightly more than that would read it. still fun to write

3. the casey/vale similarities post: quick browsing and idt ALL of this is how i'd write it at the present point in time, but it's still the closest i ever got to writing a bit of a thesis statement on that rivalry. which is obviously very dear to me. it clears the 'saying something interesting' bar, which is all i'm really looking for. the best sections are the conspiracy section - the suspicious of structures vs individuals still pretty astute 2 me - as well as the valentino as casey's shadow section. that bit i really like, pseudoscience and all

4. the casey/vale web weave with agassi/sampras words: i had so much fun making it. i love casey/vale as a tennis-coded rivalry, i love agassi/sampras, figuring out how to have the words guide the narrative was a really fun exercise. like everything i do, it probably has too many words, given it's like. supposed to be a web weave. but tbh i don't care. lot of fun Stuff there, like you can kinda hint at conclusions you want the reader to draw through framing without using actual words. but obviously my favourite bit is 'he says i've brought out the best in him but i think he's brought out the worst in me'. obviously agassi meant it in a different way but i'm OBSESSED with that line in a casey/vale context, like idk man it's so true to them and it's soooooo... yeah

5. the jorge/vale 2008-10 post: i don't really like this one, but i respect the effort i made for it. it's the post on this list i spent by far the much work on, kinda a grind compiling the sources and wrestling them into a workable narrative... i kinda got suckered into that one because i made a vague post about how there was obviously a lot of contextual info missing about how those years actually went (including on podcasts from professionals) and i got like half a dozen asks requesting a deep dive essentially. tbh with that one specifically, idt i'd put that much effort into it now because i feel like i didn't have as much a coherent thesis statement as a desire to provide accurate information, but the thing is if you write anything longer it's very unlikely a lot of people will read it, so it's a bit.... eh. fact checking is a fool's errand anyway, it's not really worth it to think that much about how to present facts in a digestible way if you know that's... not what anyone is really here for on this website. still, i do like these posts as writing exercises, and all in all it was good as that

6. the valentino authorial hand post: this is on the opposite end of the spectrum where it's just fun. it's so up my street, like in a way it's a companion to the witchcraft post that takes the mysticism out of it and thinks practically about how valentino went about managing these rivalries. i love sports psychology, i love thinking about tactics and underlying mechanisms for sporting outcomes and all that kind of stuff, i think it's fun picking at stuff that feels like it's almost scripted, too good to be true and just... figuring out where and when valentino created his own luck. very informed by my feelings about tennis, obviously. and crucially clears the 'interesting' bar

7. toxic yuri post: yeahhhhhh again same category, this one's just like. fun. quirky analytical framework. it does work!! and it made me think a bunch about toxic yuri and like... idk i wouldn't go about theorising the genre using motorcycling men but i DO think there's a bit of a gap in the market there, where it's like... what are the actual mechanisms and tropes you usually see in those stories, what do you usually associate with it... i'm obviously a big toxic yuri enjoyer and to me it's a specific genre that's like. not equivalent to just any antagonistic lesbians, like you really want that codependent vicious mean girl-y sauce. you want some gender in there. works for mid noughties motogp what can u say

8. alien pokemon starter post: i LOVE this i think it's so good i think i made five perfect picks. obviously another exercise where you know there's not really a target audience apart from the spirits in your own head, but crucially those are the only beings you've got to please and appease. again, this was fun, i love doing stuff like that and i'm extremely invested in my aliens x pokemon notes in my docs i just like staring into space thinking about it

9. agassi/sampras post: another one where i'm like. okay that did actually migrate over to tennis tumblr so in retrospect i wish that were more tightly edited. but whatever! it's fine! honestly despite people being really lovely in the notes of that one, idt it's particularly good. it's completely carried by the strength of agassi and sampras' own writing about the rivalry, where tbh i'm only doing some very basic guiding of the reader through those flashpoints. i think there's like. one good paragraph in there i wrote, and it's the one on conservatism in tennis. but anyway i have such a long-standing affection for that rivalry i'm really glad i introduced some people to it, very much a passion thing y'know

10. tennis x motogp: a family of posts so i'm not gonna pick one out. the aliens one the sete/vale rivalry one the vale one the current riders one. the middle two are obviously the most extensive... again, super niche, nobody cares about this as much as i do, the valentino one was ofc completely self-indulgent. but i had a lot of fun with it, i have so many thoughts on this and i think it's a great mental exercise to like... translate things between sports like that because it forces you to engage with the sports on a more fundamental level. ughhh i love these they are For Me

anyway. feels kinda weird making this post lol,, i think this year i am starting to do some of this stuff more in my own notes again because... tbh sometimes i think i put a bit too much effort into figuring out how to make something accessible for a mostly imaginary target audience. which is obviously a good writing exercise in communicating clearly!! but sometimes it's also a bit silly. THAT BEING SAID, it's lovely when somebody engages with something more niche - for all my time following this sport pre last year, it's very much been a solitary exercise. which i mostly quite like but sometimes it is nice to chat about this stuff. and obviously reddit isn't exactly the platform for these kinds of essays... this tumblr community also not quite right for it but there probably isn't really a platform where this wouldn't be hopelessly niche and too wordy. probably as close as u can get. have a lovely day anon xx

[scatterbrainedart]

Made this in 2022 with the intention of doing every series, but I just. Got tired trying to work out double life and gave up. And then it's been rotting in my drafts ever since. So here is as far as it went, because I still think it's kinda fun.

Life Series lives markings concepts!

I like the idea that the lives a player have left are visualized as marks on their body, so this is my approach on it! I also decided to handle each season a bit different, and here’s how:

3rd Life

So, for 3rd life specifically I think it’d be pretty cool to have the lives running along their throats (this doesn’t work for last life since the people who ended up with like 6 lives absolutely will not be able to fit them all on their neck, but I’ll get into that later), simply because I drew my life series sona like that and now I’m attached, and I have decided to simply deal with it.

Generally I like the idea that the Murderous Intent™ of the red life is visualised as red vines (or, corrupted veins. A sickness in the blood, making them crave bloodshed. That could be pretty cool) taking control of the player and corrupting them. That would also be the same for latter boogymen, albeit a lot more subtle since it’s all canonically sneaky and invisible and whatnot.

Another general rule of the markings is that once you lose a life, a scar takes its place (preferably somewhat reminiscent of how that life was lost. Got blown up? The scar looks like an explosion. Got shot? Perhaps it looks like it’s shattering or something, I dunno. I haven’t quite thought that far ahead, but it could be fun to play around with).

Last Life

Now, as for last life, the design got a bit more tricky to figure out as, like I said, six lives would not be able to fit on someone's throat! So! I figured putting them along the spine would look really neat, so that's exactly what I did. Behold!

The greens go darker the further up they go, and I also have them shine. Why? Because style, that’s why. Anyways, not all people start out with six lives. So, what does that look like?

Boom! Grayed out hearts. This would be Grian after gaining that one life from Scar. I’d imagine, if the player has some empty slots, that’s where the extra life would end up (what about when they don’t have empty slots then? Like, if someone already has six lives, or if they have used up six ones? I’ll get around to that shortly. First, let’s mention red lifers and boogeymen).

Red life, and the second chance. Just like in the 3rd life version, there’s these red vines or veins corrupting the player, except this time the player can be healed if they’re gifted a life. This is what that would look like. Like I said, the extra life fills up the empty slot and avoids the scar tissue, sort of like a lighting bulb turning on and then breaking once that life is spent. As for boogeymen,

The red life shines far brighter, and is starting to corrupt. The corruption is not yet deep enough to leave scars when healed, and should simply retract once the boogey is cured. If the boogey is cured. Now. About what I said earlier about that seventh extra life.

I’d reckon there’d just pop up a new one under the red life, and if there were even more they’d just continue down. I doubt there’d ever be an issue where someone would have too many lives to fit all their markings, so I don’t worry too much about that tbh. Oh and one last thing before we move on from last life onto everyone’s favourite romantic comedy drama (which will not happen. Curse 2022 me's positive thinking). I think it’d be kinda cool if the neck scars from 3rd life stays. Simply for angst reasons. Tho, they’d be a lot more faded than the scars from the current season ofc, but they’d still be there. Just enough to remind the players of the past lives’ bitter ends. Of the betrayals and the regret, the guilt and the weariness. Because why not.

(Might update with the other seasons. Hmmm)

[whetstonefires]

ask game for fanfic writers: 7. tell us about the plot of the first fanfic you ever wrote (that you remember). OR 11. what’s something neat you’ve learned while doing research for something you were writing? also, how much do you worry about doing research in general? (yeah, I just want to listen to an infodump)

hi!!!!! lmao confession, the time lapse between when you posted that ask game and when i reblogged it from you was me keeping it open in a tab trying to send you an ask, like a polite person. but sending asks is, like watching television, one of those things that ought to be straightforward but which i find astonishingly difficult for no clear reason. so while cleaning out my tabs i just lowered my standards and reblogged it.

7. oh, this is a funny one actually! so this was around two years before i learned fic was a thing, so i'm in like the sixth or seventh grade. i had this really inexplicably intense dream about spiderman. i woke up and it stuck with me, you know.

so i was like, well loads of people write stories about spiderman, i don't need permission, i'll write it down and then it will leave me alone.

naturally i forgot over half the dream before i finished getting it down. but the plot definitely involved being stuck to the ceiling due to inexplicable spider-powers and a very strained conversation with spiderman on one of those external cornices you get on the fancier class of brownstone. i think whatever OC i was inhabiting was mad about spiderman existing and he was increasingly fed up with me being insane, but trying to be patient.

ig there was no plot. strictly speaking.

11. gonna answer these in reverse order.

so first, there's two classes of research for fic, as far as i'm concerned, probably because i spent too long in comics. there's general knowledge about real things, and then there's finding the correct reference points within the canon you're working from.

the first one i'm not that intense about. sometimes there's a thing i really have to Get Right so i go looking, or i'll commit to including something and then need to go read up for verisimilitude, but i generally do not get into the deep factfinding tunnels people talk about.

because i enjoy the process of learning and the process of writing, but i tend to find it very stressful to suspend the act of writing in order to pursue knowledge, so that particular constellation makes both experiences worse. so i'm more likely to redirect the story around a knowledge roadblock so i can keep moving, than really dig in to break through it, and i'm very willing to go 'okay that'll work' and return to the story if i do break for research.

rather than try to track down That One Datapoint, if i'm writing fic that requires or would benefit from knowledge of [subject], i will tend to do general reading on that subject, and then let my improved background knowledge and store of Fun Facts shape where i go with the story.

this is more fun and more likely to come in handy for other purposes later, and the writing result tends to be more natural. same approach with original fiction.

with the kind of research designed to get my fic latched into canon correctly, on the other hand, i keep trying to be more casual about this, especially for fandoms where the canon material is a hot mess, but i also keep regretting that attempt. because it lets me get a fic actually started rather than bogged down in preliminaries, but then i reach a certain point and get frustrated that this is a good fic except it didn't bother to be chronologically coherent and now it's too late.

i didn't write any ffvii fic until i'd played through the original game and taken notes, and i definitely don't regret that!

now, cool things i've found out...the first one I think of, i stumbled across an unexpected gem while browsing to brainstorm night hunt ideas for mdzs fic.

turns out one of the many many many many many archaic chinese words for ghoulies and ghosties, for which it's very unclear what the specific differences between one term and another were in any given usage, is wangxiang. translations proposed include both 'mountain spirits' and 'water demons,' but it's definitely some sort of supernatural entity, and an unfriendly one.

there's a semi-major plot point in the book where, when they were teens, Lan Wangji named a song he'd composed Wangxian, which is also their portmanteau shipname. which by his standards was a romantic declaration. but Wei Wuxian passed out, and didn't actually hear him say it. so whether it would have worked as a romantic declaration remains unclear lmao. lan wangji refuses to tell him again later.

i think a very funny element for an AU would be if he only almost passed out, and just went away believing the song was named 'wangxiang,' which sounds very similar and is a word he's reasonably likely to have relatively high in his lexicon on account of their job is monster hunting and his education is distinctly monster slanted, and was just like, 'what a creepy name for such a pretty song?? lan zhan is so weird lol.'

bonus misunderstanding points if he said it was creepy but didn't explain why and Lan Wangji was like i have been brutally rejected 😢

you aren't actually in that fandom though, so this feels like a lame answer. uhhhh.

for my Earth-3 fics when I put mirror Dick Grayson through a recovery/redemption arc and he was laying low in Europe to avoid both Bruce and Slade ('With Tongue of Wood'), i basically stuck a pin in the map and spun a dial in my head and was like he's in...Romania...working in a...bakery.

so then i had to take a hiatus to research Romanian bakeries and it turns out Romanian cuisine is in possession of many fantastic varieties of fancy pastry, and i want to eat them. it's been what, seven years? but still. curse of knowledge. there are delicious pastries in romania.

[mygoddessmusings]

2025 Ostara Ritual

Hello! Long time, no post! I recently wrote an Ostara ritual which my friends and I had a lot of fun with, and since Ostara is still a week away, I thought others might appreciate some inspo. The intent of this ritual is to lean into the childlike joy of Spring. Since this involved an egg hunt around the house, we did not cast a circle as such, but you might if doing it in a smaller space. This one is more fun with friends, but if you'd like to do it solo, perhaps have a friend or family member hide the eggs for you ahead of time.

You will need:

-Stuffable colored eggs -- we used confetti filled egg shells from Walmart, but if you have some of the plastic variety that would work too. -Affirmations - Write some affirmations on pieces of paper to put in the eggs. Suggested affirmations below. -A music-playing device. -Optional: Bubbles, a rock for each person to hold, a drink for everyone to sip

Ritual outline:

Spring Ritual 2025 

Check-In

If doing the ritual with a group, have everyone say a word or two about how they're feeling.

Intention 

We are approaching the Spring Equinox, Ostara, the time when the Goddess becomes a child again. She can be found in the new buds on the branch, the fresh, green leaves, the squawk of baby birds, and the laughter of children at play. 

This Ostara finds us in fearful times. There are forces, by their own admission, working actively to keep us afraid and overwhelmed, so we become complacent. Which is why it is important now more than ever, to nurture moments of joy, levity, and fun in our lives. Joy is the antidote to fear, and levity the fuel for action and resistance. And our spiritual paths can be an important tool in our cultivation of joy. Spirituality is not only the domain of somber contemplation, meditation and spellwork (though those are valuable, too); it can also be a practice that lightens our hearts when they are heavy. So, for this Ostara celebration, let us be open to joy, fun, silliness, and committing to the bit.  

Opening Chant 

When I Was Young by Beautiful Chorus 

Calling the Elements 

As we turned and honored each of the elements and directions, we did a little activity for each: we blew bubbles of air, rubbed our hands together for fire, took satisfied sips of our water for... water, and held a cool rock for earth. Just speak a little from the heart for the qualities you associate with each element. Be a little silly!

Charge of the Maiden 

Hear the words of the Maiden Goddess, the sound of whose laughter are the sprouts and buds of spring...    I who am the scent of flowers on the breeze and the sting of bark on your palms when you climb trees and the infinite rainbow colors of the world. I call upon you ... to come look at this neat bug I found! For I am the spirit of growth that brings renewal and new life. With me do the young and young of heart set forth to explore the world.    Let my worship be in the making of messes and mistakes for they are the root of all learning. Let there be curiosity and delight, wonder and humor, innocence and wildness, exuberance and passion within you. And you who seek to know me... have you tried looking under that rock or maybe behind that tree? Keep searching for in the seeking you'll find me.    ON YOUR MARK, GET SET, GO! 

Egg Hunt! 

Once everyone has found their eggs, have them open the eggs, quietly read the affirmations they found, and pick a few for the Affirmations portion. If you picked the confetti-stuffed eggs, encourage making a real mess while breaking the eggs open. Advise that after the dance, we will popcorn around the circle, someone will shout out their affirmation and the group will repeat. Say the affirmations with gusto and confidence!

Circle Dance

Play the Hokey Pokey! If you're doing this with a group, I recommend keeping the song choice a fun surprise.

Affirmations

Some examples: I am brave! I am curious! I am open to wonder! I am wild! I am passionate! I am enough! I am always learning and growing! I am confident! I am creative! I am joyful! I am resilient! I am open to delight! I can do hard things! I am good!

Closing Prayer 

As we go forth from this place,  May we be grounded in strength and stability,  May we feel the flow of love around and within us,  May passion brighten our days with creative fire,  May we see the magic and wonder always around us,  Only playing hide & seek, waiting to be found.   The circle is open but never broken.  May the joy of the Goddess be ever in our hearts.  Blessed be. 

[next-autopsy]

A/N: Well, hi there! Please enjoy this offering, I love reading your comments, so feel free to drop one for me. Thanks for reading x

Based on the actors portrayal/hbo show and written with no disrespect to the real life veterans. Also all images found on Pinterest.

TW: hmmm....none really?

Tags: @malarkgirlypop, @panzershrike-pretz

Made of Glass

Chapter twenty four: Perfect Timing 

“Run that by me one more time?” If the whiskey Frankie was drinking hadn’t cost so much, she would've spat it out after hearing those words form Bernadette’s mouth. 

“Don’t be weird about it. Joe and I are just going for a walk or something. I’m only telling you so you don’t think I’ve been kidnapped, okay?” 

“Uh huh….’walk’… sure. Have fun.” Francesca smirked, she did not for one second believe Birdie and Joe were going to end the night with a simple walk.

Birdie waved off her friend, rolling her eyes at the insinuation. The woman made her way back to Liebgott, who was waiting for her right where she left him.  

“Everything good?” He spoke when he saw Birdie approaching. 

“Yeah…” The pair began heading for the door, “So, where are you taking me, Joseph.” They hit the cool outside air and Birdie wondered which direction they should start walking. Was is presumptuous of her to head back to the barracks? Joe turned to the right, so she followed.

“There’s this place down the road, real nice for dancing… I figured you'd enjoy a proper spin and not whatever that guy was doing…” He joked, chuckling before letting his mirth slip, becoming somewhat serious, “You can call me Joe, ya know?” 

“I know… but Joe is Joe.” She was referring to Toye, it was eerie calling them both the same name, especially after realizing she had feelings for one of the men, while the other was like family.

“Well, only my mother calls me Joseph.” Spoken matter of factly. Hearing the formal version of his name after not hearing it for so long was bizarre. 

“Then you can beee….” Birdie thought for a moment, finger on her chin, “Joey.”

“No. No way. No one calls me Joey, that’s stupid.” Lieb looked over at the girl, her bottom lip pushed out comically as she puppy dog eyed him. It took two seconds for him to cave, “Fine, you can call me Joey. But if any of the guys start up that nickname, I’ll get you.” His threat was a joke, he wouldn’t actually do anything. Maybe he just wanted something special between them.  

“Ooo I’m so scared, Joey.” Bernadette taunted, a wide smile plastered on her face.

“Yeah, you should be.” He watched her grinning at him and felt lightheaded, he mirrored her dopey look before abruptly stopping in his tracks. 

“Here, this is the place.” He looked up at the name marked above the door, just to be sure. He had been to this pub a few weeks before with Tipper, Floyd and Grant, who had instantly found women to fling around the dancefloor, while Joe sat at the bar wishing she was here. 

And tonight, she was.  

“Fancy.” Birdie deadpanned. The place didn't look like much, dim and dusty. The entryway was not well kept and while Birdie didn’t typically mind, she enjoyed banter with the man who brought her here and wanted to poke fun at him a little. He understood her jest and smiled at her, 

“Hey, don’t judge a book by its cover and all that.” Joe swung open the door and the muted chatter livened up. As Birdie stepped inside, she heard the swing music more clearly and grinned. She loved to dance, with the right partner, of course. 

“Come on, I’ll get you a drink.” Joe steered her towards the bar, they were both nervous, a drink would help ease them into the situation neither of them ever thought they would be in. 

“Whiskey?” Joe queried, even though he knew the answer. He noticed the southerner would accept most beverages, she wasn't really picky, but if she had a choice, the lady would always go for a whiskey. 

“Neat.” She confirmed, somewhat stunned, how did he know her ‘go to’ drink? “Here.” She offered him some folded up bills to cover her drink and some, but he shook his head.

“You're kidding, right?” Eyebrows raised, “Put it away. I’m not taking your money, doll.” The nickname made her breath hitch. She had not expected that from him, yet it sounded familiar, like it was an everyday occurrence. 

“Doll?” It was her turn to raise her eyebrows. 

“Well, if you're gonna call me Joey, I gotta have a nickname for you.” She didn't argue, the warmth in her cheeks and dizzy feeling in her stomach wouldn't allow it. She could accept the pet name; doll, but only from him.

After sipping away and finishing their liquid courage, Joe extended his hand to her, “Dance with me?” 

She paused for a moment, trying not to seem too eager, before accepting his invitation. 

The music that played was fast and upbeat, Birdie was sweating by the end of the first song, though she enjoyed it more than her previous dance. Joe knew what he was doing on the dancefloor, the steps came naturally to him, like he was born for this.  

Both soldiers were glowing, this place had really brought out a euphoric feeling and it showed. Smiles never left their faces as they spun around each other, stepping quickly and holding hands the entire time. 

Joey and Birdie had sat at the bar having danced through several songs and eventually growing tired. They didn't even order another drink, they just sat and chatted, sharing their pasts, presents and futures. 

Birdie learnt his five siblings' names: Mary, Elizabeth, Anna, Barbara and Stephen. She found out he had worked with his father (also Joseph) at a barber shop and then drove cabs after getting his license, he told her that's what he wanted to do when he got back to the states, driving wasn't just a job for him. Joe really enjoyed it, seeing the streets he grew up on and meeting all sorts of unique people. She knew he lived in San Francisco and was beginning to fall in love with his depiction of the city; she wanted to see it for herself. 

Joe had asked her about her family, which she gladly yapped on about. He understood the closeness she held with her relatives and he found himself wishing he could meet them all one day. Bernadette proudly spoke of her new goddaughter; Gracie and Joe’s heart warmed at the thought of Birdie cradling a newborn. She went on to tell him about her childhood on the ranch, being raised with real live animals in her care gave her a great sense of responsibility. 

It was well past midnight when the barkeep called for the last drink, the music was cut off and patrons started trickling out of the building, swaying their way home. 

Their talk was cut short when the barkeep all but shoved them out, shaking his head at the pair before shutting the door in their faces, muttering about young couples.

Birdie checked her watch, it couldn't have been that late, they had only been there…. Five hours?! How had that happened? It was just past 4AM and neither of them had slept yet. Plus she and Joey had up and left all their friends and disappeared, there were bound to be some invasive questions. Birdie did not look forward to Toye and Guarnere’s reactions nor any of the ladies, especially Frankie. 

“Joey…” She sounded out softly, gaining his attention. He turned to look at her and froze, the only light came from a nearby street lamp and the moon. The silvery glow did wonders for her. Joe wished he had a camera so he could document the events of this night, the dancing, the chatting and now her standing in the middle of a barely lit street with the moonlight reflecting in her eyes; he never wanted to forget it. 

“It’s really late.” She spoke quietly, the world around them was asleep and she didn't want to risk waking it. 

He could kiss her. It was the perfect moment, they had just shared an amazing evening, growing closer. And now, he was looking at her and she was looking at him and all he wanted to do was lean down and kiss her. Feel how soft her lips were, taste her and allow her to do the same. 

He glanced down at her lips and back to her eyes, watching for recognition, did she feel it too? 

Birdie saw his silent inquiry and her eyes widened, pupils dilated. She, too, flicked her gaze to his lips and back up, telling him to proceed.

It was the perfect moment and as Joe moved to lower himself to her, she let her heels raise, ever so slightly, onto her tiptoes to meet him halfway.

“Heeyyyyy. I know y-you guys- two. Both of you two. I know yoooou.” They broke apart, the trance worn out at the interruption, fading into embarrassment. 

Nixon stumbled toward them, missing entirely and toppling over into a heap in the middle of the road. 

Immediately, Bernadette was by his side, picking him up off the floor and attempting to balance the inebriated man. Nixon babbled incoherent nonsense, only one or two words could be understood. Joe would have laughed at the lieutenant but he was still processing the almost kiss. 

She had leaned in, hadn’t she? Did he imagine that, surely not. No, she definitely would’ve kissed him back if only they had a few more seconds. 

“Little help here, Joey?” Her voice called to him. Shaking his thoughts away, he joined her on the other side of Nixon, ducking under his arm and hoisting him up. 

“Where are we taking you, lieutenant?” The question wasn’t answered as Nixon flopped over, unable to give the directions to the house he was billeted to. 

“I know where we can take him. It’s not far.” Birdie told her Joey, and they set off down the road with the drunk held between them, pretending nothing had changed. 

Except everything had. It was all either of them could think about, the almost kiss. 

Birdie was lost in her own world. Should she have allowed it to get that far? They had both been drinking, surely the ability to think clearly had been blurred somewhat. Had he really wanted to kiss her or was he just tipsy and lonely? Did she really want to kiss him or was she just convinced she had a crush on the man? Was everything going to be weird with them now? Had this night messed up their friendship?

The house she was looking for came into view, she pointed it out to Joe and they brought the semi unconscious man to the doorstep, before she stepped forward, leaving Lewis to be held up by Joe and raised a hand to knock. 

“Wait.” Joe whispered, “what if we wake someone?" Birdie gave him a pointed look and knocked at the door thrice. 

“That’s kinda the point, Joey.” He just smiled at her use of the new nickname, that was a good sign. He hadn’t told her to stop using it or started to pushed her away, so maybe whatever was happening between them was still salvageable.

The front door swung open and revealed Richard Winters, he was bleary eyed and in his pajamas. 

“Birdie? What are you doing here? It’s…” He checked his watch, “0440!” He then seemed to notice the two men behind her, one slumped over the other and sighed. 

“Bring him in.” 

A/N: ooo okay things are getting interesting! What do y'all think? Do you like the nicknames? I'm still not sure how I feel about them...

I guess Nixon has some perfect timing... Joe and Birdie- not so much

~ Nex ~

Chapter twenty five: A sleepover

Update: I haven’t been writing for a few days, I will be starting up again soon though so don’t think I’ve abandoned this story! Just having a little break, love y’all!

[eijakushingomel]

Ninjago Dragon Rising Fanfic

Cuz I'm Bored.

And I just watched the latest episode of season 2 Ninjago DR.

I mean, Forbidden Five? Ninjago? Dragon Rising? Kai and Bonzle? Jay in a suit with a gun?

Yeah. Pretty hectic of a cool.

I'm so into this fandom.

Anyway here are my thoughts about them.

Jay got caught up in Ras' business because his boss - the Administrator - like, did some shady business with that tiger man or something. Ras requires someone with great fighting skills, other than Cinder, so the Administrator sent Jay.

But since Jay technically was still under the Administration and clearly not loyal to Ras like Cinder and Jordana, Ras makes sure that Jay never knew the full plan of theirs other than the basic and always put our blue Ninja out from nearly everything. He doesn't even give Jay that wolf mask since the mask only shattered one's goodness in their heart but did not promise loyalty (at least I think it's like that).

Jay was fine with this. Wolf isn't his favourite animal, by the way.

Simply to say, Jay minds his own business, and Ras doesn't bother him except for putting his minimum wage workers to watch over Jay (in case the ex-ninja have some funny plans. Which, not. Yet).

Honestly, Jay doesn't care. He is an amnesiac dude with a shady background (he thinks he does) and works under a ridiculous company with ridiculous long sets of rules with ridiculous people. Working with Ras? Huh. The paperwork in Jay's office seems scarier than this.

So most of the time, except for the training or when Ras is around, Jay would sit in the sideline and play his video game in his console.

But one faithful day, something happened.

That something came in the form of one of the Forbidden Five warriors. Nokt (how do you pronounce his name? Like, Knot? Or Not?).

Nokt spots Jay, who's playing some game (Animal Crossing, Prime Empire, whatever) and like, confused over it. Since, hello~? This is an evil group villain thingy? No one plays video games around. Except for Cinder when he thinks no one is watching.

Nokt approaches Jay, Jay introduces him to video games.

That's it. That's my idea.

I mean, I kinda got this after reading some ideas about Kai joining the dark side, aka the Forbidden Five, and becomes their newest member and other things. Cool ideas. Kai's villain arc. Neat.

And the idea of Jay's villain arc is cool too. Would be fun.

But instead of Jay and Kai's villain arcs, let's talk about the Forbidden Five becoming ipad kids like Arconix had become.

Kinda funny to me.

Jay introduces Nokt video games and lets him play on his Switch.

Kai introduces the rest of the Forbidden Five of the modern era (with his smartphone and Bonzle's iPod).

If we elaborate this up. We got ;

Nokt, who became absorb to play video games with Jay - much to Ras' dismay (and Cinder's hidden amusement).

The unfortunate Kai and Bonzle, who are trapped in complete boredom since the other Forbidden Five, stole their gadgets.

Ras : The tournament is about to begin! Nokt! Be prepared!

Nokt : I can't.

Ras : What?!

Nokt : Not until I beat scrawny kid's record.

Jay : Dude. You can't dig a straight line below in Minecraft.

Nokt : Watch me.

(Nokt beats the Ender Dragon after a month. And that after receiving Jay and Cinder's help.)

●

Lloyd : Ready to get your butt kicked, Nokt?

Nya : Just you wait!

Nokt : Sure. What's your island's code?

Lloyd : ...my what?

Nokt : Your island's code.

Nya : ...what?

Nokt pulls out Jay's Switch, which is a Pikachu Switch version complete with adorable Pikachu stickers and custom-made buttons : You don't play Animal Crossing?

Lloyd :

Nya :

[Later]

Nya : Lloyd, how can his island looks better than yours?

●

Wyldfyre : I don't miss Kai!

Sora : Wyldfyre...

Wyldfyre : I don't miss him!

Wyldfyre : But... It'd be better if he's here, ya know?

Sora : ....yeah. We know.

Arin : Knowing Kai, he must be fighting his best at the other side!

[At the supposed other side]

Kai, talking to the other Forbidden Five : Guys, please!

Kai : I want my phone back.

A Forbidden Five member : What is this... Tinder thing?

Kai : DON'T OPEN IT—

●

[Time skips, showing Jay and Nokt join the Ninja Team fighting against Ras. Nokt's control device had been broken]

Ras : WHY? How could this happen?

Ras, to Nokt : Why are you siding with them? Isn't conquering the realms is your ideal?!

Nokt, in a complete dead serious tone : You haven't level up your Umbreon to level 90.

Ras :

[Extra]

Jay & Cinder : *snort and choking in their laughters in the background*

Cole : That's mess up, dude.

Cole : You can't just abandon your Umbreon.

●

Nokt : Ah! My partner, Shatterer of Serenity, is finally moving onwards to the next level!

Lloyd : Who's he talking to?

Jay : His Eevee.

[fountainpenguin]

Love doing timeline and map-related things!! Needed to commit to a reference city so I could look up dates for "hottest day of the year" to place "Dinosaur In Dimmadelphia" in our New Wish episode timeline.

@zachbrightside and I already have Dimmsdale overruling Los Angeles in our lore (because they have the exact same population as the census of a specific year, it's canonically in southern California, and the Dimmsdale sign is basically the Hollywood sign, it's on the shore, etc.), so the one thing we know is that Dimmadelphia can't go there.

Fun Fact: In my lore, Petropolis was built on top of Dimmsdale's ruins, because it ALSO meets the requirements of Los Angeles, like hills and census data :'D

I'm using the headcanon that Dimmadelphia is in California (hence the sign pointing towards Dimmsdale in A New Wish, plus the OG series seemingly depicting Timmy's parents going there when they're looking for runaway Timmy in "Channel Chasers," plus there's a beach), thus setting us up to identify Dimmsdale's direction if we can gather enough clues to support it.

I used clues from several episodes to figure out which direction we're facing (Sunrises & sunsets from episodes when we know which is which -> City Park gate & Dimmadome Tower as landmarks -> Beach behind tower on Guzman's map -> Signposts near gate) and I've sussed out San Diego as a very likely location for Dimmadelphia in our lore...

... And San Diego, due to special conditions where it's located, actually has its hottest days of the year in September and October, and not in July like you'd expect! Fascinating.

I also researched California school cutoff days to narrow Hazel's birthday a little more, which was fun. I found some people who seem to be relatives:

The girl who uses braces as a mobility aid in "28 Puddings Later" is the same one using a wheelchair in "Dinosaur in Dimmadelphia," which is SUPER neat (I remember noticing her crutches when I compared screenshots of the class photo, so her hair style and yellow shirt stuck in my memory and I randomly spotted her in the background of this episode). -> I THINK I've seen the kid with the blue sweater who seems to be a sibling (Looks like they're taking a family picture), but I'm not sure. I think I caught that kid in a screenshot once because the double eyelashes and body type are standing out in my memory, but I'll have to comb my posts when it's not this time of night! Looks like Jenkins has at least 2 (if not 3) heavily implied relatives - seemingly a mom and a grandma and possibly a dad, with him definitely knowing the white-haired woman since she's driving the car he's in, and his implied mom being the woman who approached Dale on the stage in "Stanky Danky")

- so it's neat to comb back through and see these random details!

Assuming I commit to the San Diego parallel, I'll make a clean, detailed post in the future going through all my notes with screenshots, but I wanted to gush about how cool that hottest day of the year lore is, because I thought for SURE we couldn't make that fit in the school year. Whodathunk!!

This has nothing to do with anything, but it cracks me up that the Dimmadomes also lost power with the rest of the city. I didn't have reason to believe they wouldn't, but I'm glad to know they do.

Also, shout-out to the crashed alien spaceship that apparently just exists outside the city?? What's up with that?