#"All Prop

[the-quiet-youve-been-longing-for]

Okay time for another small (I hope) analysis on IWTV, mainly the way it's written and its place on current television. I'll try my best to format this so it's not ramblings all over, I promise.

IWTV and plot points

I watched a good amount of television in my time, and one thing I noticed here is the fact that it doesn't hold your hand. It doesn't tell you "hey, this thing x is important, now we will tell again why x is important, now here see x being used, the important thing we talked about so far, did you remember, audience?".

Let's take as an example the "don't drink the blood of the living" thing. It's said to a young Louis (telling also to the audience in the 2nd episode how vampirism in this setting works) and then every time it's brought up it's indirectly (Lestat spitting out the sick man's blood, we see Claudia buying Laudanum and we know what it will be used for, but they don't tell us "Hey, Claudia is planning to poison someone so that Lestat drinks it, because remember audience, dead blood kills them"). Sometimes not only it doesn't hold your hand, but shoves you in a different direction, especially in S2. It contradicts himself, backtracks and then it's up to you to spot it.

For example, attentive viewers may have noticed that Sam was in 2 places at once in the trial, one episode before the actual reveal. It isn't a gotcha they came up with in the finale to give more gravitas to the revelation. When they tell us Lestat mass manipulated the audience, it makes sense for the storyline too because we already saw him do that with the soldiers, we have a previous example to refer to, Armand never used that particular power.

In a time where we see so many social media adopt the "short videos" gimmick, like reels and shorts etc, having a piece of media that references back in this way is super refreshing.

2. Character complexity

Complex characters are the backbone of this show. It's easy to place a character in a box and leave them there. You see it with the stereotype of the villain, the best friend, the hero. Some tv shows may have the character shift into a different box, but it's almost never permanent (think of the times where a hero gets corrupted by the Evil Power, but then reverts back to their hero status after Defeating the Evil Power because they remembered the Power of Friendship).

We have Louis, well meaning vampire who is capable of horrible deeds when pushed to the brink. Lestat, who feels so much to the point it hurts the people around him. Armand, whose trauma and fear bring out the need to control, but at the same time he needs to do that without actually controlling. They are all these things at the same time, and it's impossible to see them in a black and white perspective.

3. Details

A line almost always has its parallels to another line in the show, gazes always mean something, props are detailed and shown (I made a post looking at Daniel's notes in 2x05, which were shown for a second only, but you can also think about Claudia's diaries, all handwritten, or the astonishing amount of folders that were in Daniels computer from the Talamasca. That is all prop work done to be shown for a few seconds at most).

4. Analysis

This is more of a fandom thing than the show itself, but I was suprised by the amount of deep analysis that people here on Tumblr did (but also on other social media). Long essays on the meaning of a scene, or on the many many topics the show brings to light (the fallacy of memory, the impact of trauma, the meaning of free will and agency).

Similarly lots of people said that the show brought them back the urge to start creating, whether it's gifs, video essays, edits, fanart, fics, what have you. I started going back to Tumblr after years (last time I was here was during S4 of Sherlock).

And I feel like this is only possible if you give your audience something to work with, something to talk about and to dissect, rather than simple "entertainment".

5. Final thoughts

Of course, this isn't to say IWTV is error free, all perfect, without flaws. Nor is it the only one that has had this amount of labor and impact. But it's still miles ahead from most media we have available at the moment in my opinion, and I really hope its success brings other showrunners or directors to want to try and dare, to trust in their audience, to avoid shortcuts and to pour love in their creation.

If you got this far, I just want to thank you for taking the time to read my ramblings again! Have a cute Louis as a reward, and see you next time :)

[broadwayfangirl222]

one, their little smirks are funny. Also this moment honestly raises a really interesting question about their actual power and influence. Not even just Vox but the Vees in general. They're set up in a way where they all prop each other up. They all heavily rely on each other and their respective industries. Genuinely how successful and powerful would they be if they were on their own? How would they actually function if one of them was gone?

VELVETTE likely helps with their publicity and PR. Making sure they & their brands stay relevant and up to date with current trends and fashion and stuff ('cause while they both are pretty current, Vox and Val are from the 50s and 70s, there's bound to be this generational gap to a degree) I'd say more on her but there's only so much canon stuff we know/see about her.

VOX essentially is the salesman and tech guy out of the group. He sells their products and supplies them with top of the line equipment for their work and keeps their respective businesses/industries consistently moving forward. He basically keeps this all cohesive and organized as one unit operating together in sync. As well as making sure they all maintain the image Velvette likely spearheaded in making for them in the first place

VALENTINO I'd say helps keep all their employees "in line" (Like Vox saying he'll send that month's lowest earners Val's way so he can shoot them) and helps both Vox and Vel's industries by incorporating more sex appeal into them. Sex sells after all. Not to say Velvette and Vox aren't powerful in their own rights or can't hold their own but Val is the one we see brandishing weapons all the time and is easily the quickest to get physically violent out of the 3 of them. Like if they wanted someone dead Val probably would want to take care of that personally meanwhile I just get the vibe Vox and Vel would rather just save their time/energy and just get someone else to do it for them (unless it's obviously a personal thing like Vox's rivalry with Alastor)

Just with how they're talked about and operate as a group makes it genuinely difficult to gauge how powerful, successful and influential they'd be on their own. Like how did they first form this team? What were things like when it was just Vox and Val before Velvette showed up, or how did they all do before they even met?

[poisonouswritings]

Last legacy where everything is the same but mc has a gun

I know that the intro mentions Ayanna having a gun in the original game but no one in the story ever has one or mentions one so we're just gonna pretend no one in Astraea knows what they are

GN!Reader, guns and stuff that goes with it we're just gonna say you can summon the Astrolabe at any time but you have trouble actually using the magic aspect of it, Color Rule (Felix, Anisa, Sage), always follow proper gun safety!!

We'll assume you already have experience with a gun. Maybe you own one, or you grew up with parents or family that did and you grew up learning about them. You obviously didn't bring a gun with you to the convention, though.

So you're looking at the poster and you hear a clatter and you look over and see this ornate, golden pump-action shotgun. You can tell from a glance that it's a prop (although it doesn't have the 'fake weapon' tag that all prop weapons get when you check into the con, so that's a little weird...) but you make sure to stay away from the muzzle anyways when you walk over to pick it up, going to check the safety.

And then you get transported. Thanks, Felix.

When you tumble into Astraea, your immediately priority is to keep your finger far away from the trigger and check the safety. You just barely manage to find it (it's already in the ON position, thank fuck) when you get grabbed by the distraught wizard that just teleported you here.

Once Felix does calm down and realize you aren't Rime, he turns his attention to the As- what in seven Hells did you do to it?? He's never seen it take a form like this. What the hell even is it? Luckily you seem to know how to handle it. He ends up poking around it a bit. It's sort of,, like,,, a super big-ass wand? What's a trigger? What's a safety? Those are magical terms of sequential orders, not physical things!!

He'll have to look at it more another time, because the guards are pounding on the door. You sling the rifle over your shoulder with the handy strap and hop on through.

Then you're in Anisa's office and she's pointing a sword at your chest. Since the drop through the portal was a little rougher than you expected, you reflexively reach back to secure the rifle on your back. There's a soft glow and it transforms into a double-action revolver. Which uh. Does not go over well with Anisa because Now You Have A Handheld Magic Weapon!! She starts to grab it from you but pauses because What The Hells Even Is It??

On one hand, she's significantly more convinced you're an assassin. On the other hand, when you explain you're from Earth, she's quicker to believe you.

She! Has!! So!!! Many!!!! Questions!!!!! About Earth weapons. You give her a very basic safety lesson (don't point it at anything you don't plan to shoot, never have your finger on the trigger unless you're going to shoot, make sure the safety is on every time you pick it up, even if you 'swear' you had it on before, always handle it like it's loaded and live just to be sure, etc). The gun is so light you assume it's unloaded but you double-check anyways. And. Huh. There are these pellet-sized little balls of light magic in place of bullets. That's... Weird. You triple-check the safety and decide to investigate more later. Like, maybe when you're not in a closed room with a curious half-cat girl who's never seen a gun before?

Anyways Felix gets brought in before Anisa has a chance to ask more questions, though you promise you'll tell her more some other time.

Now it's off to the Saucy Gull to try and track down the mysterious Sage Lesath!

Anisa and Felix both suggest having your weapon on hand because the tavern you're going to is pretty well known for constant brawls. You're a bit wary about using it just yet - these clearly aren't normal bullets and you don't want to risk doing serious damage. You turn your prop sword/staff holster into a makeshift gun holster, secure it to your side under your cloak, and press on.

Then Anisa manages to start a fight in about a minute by pointing out the illegal rat racing going on in the back over there. It's way too crowded in here to even think about firing a shot, so you rely on dodging, ducking, and throwing random utensils - up until you get cornered against the bartop. Now you have a problem with three different choices;

Use your gun. You have one target at a point-blank range. You won't miss. But you have no idea how strong the magical bullets are so you have no idea if they'll go through the body and potentially ricochet or hit someone else. So that's out. And besides, when you're this close, your opponent can easily just knock the gun out of your hand, so it's risky to begin with.

Shout for Anisa and Felix. They're busy in their own battles, though, and there's lots of other shouting in the tavern, so there's a good chance they won't hear you.

Kick this dude in the shins as hard as you can and run the hell away. You're not sure you have enough room for a real wind-up, though.

You're spared from making a decision when your opponent gets knocked in the face from left field by a big 'ol neko. When he offers to bring you to safety, you agree, making sure your gun is still in it's holster because You Don't Actually Know Who This Large Strong Man Is and it's better to be safe than sorry. So onwards you go.

He's flirtatious. Sexy-dangerous, as he puts it. But you don't think he's a danger, so you relax a bit; up until the voices from the other end of the hallway that Sage identifies as bad news. On reflex you reach for your gun only to find it's once again morphed, this time into a semi-automatic pistol; faster and holds more rounds than the revolver, much tighter and less powerful than the shotgun. That should work if it comes down to blows.

Sage's first question is Why Were You Cowering Against The Bar If You Had A Weapon??? Second question is Can He Hold It (Not In A Kinky Way)? Obviously you're not letting him touch it because He Will Play With It Like A Toy, but you do very quickly release the cartridge to let him look at it (and to double-check the bullets - they're still those glowing magical balls). Then you slide it back into the pistol with an audible click! and Sage's tail starts wagging. And y'know? I think he's a little flustered when you have it on your hip like that because,, like,,, y'know how he totally got turned on when you had a knife to his throat? Well he imagines you pulling out the gun and cocking it and. like.

Idk. Idk. I just think Sage likes being threatened and doesn't fully understand what a gun does (at least not until he actually sees you shooting at some targets)

You ultimately decide not to escalate the situation, though, and let Sage scare the guys off.

-----

As you settle into life in Astraea, you learn about your weapon. From what Felix helps you learn, the Astrolabe changes it's shape depending on what you need it for in the moment. The ammo is magical so it's both infinite and fluid, meaning it's strength changes more or less in accordance with what you want.

You're able to get a sight on it,,, a laser, specifically. You don't get to use it very often because as soon as you turn it on, Anisa, Sage, and Stella all go into cat-mode and chase it.

You do eventually let everyone try it out, albeit after a very in-depth safety lesson (or multiple, if we're being honest).

Felix isn't a huge fan of it. It's kind of cool to look at but he prefers his spellcasting. He does enjoy getting to help you test the complexity of the bullets, though. Can you enchant them to do different things, like turning whatever it shoots to water or making it a flamethrower or something?? You guys don't know, but you're gonna find out!!

Anisa has mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, it's super cool! She loves learning about Earth technology and weaponry, and she appreciates the creativity involved for how humans have managed to adapt without magic. On the other hand you tell her about all the various atrocities guns have been used for and she's,, a little less enthusiastic. She likes target practice, though.

You have to knowingly keep it away from Sage because he's liable to just start messing with it. It's shiny and it makes funny sounds and sometimes there's a laser?? Instant cat toy for him. At the very least he understands religiously checking the safety and never aiming it at a living thing. He doesn't understand the concept of not touching the trigger until he nearly shoots himself in the foot. Then he gains a healthy level of respect. Now he's a little worried about you accidentally shooting yourself, though...

[mermaidsirennikita]

What other books do you have with the heroine not being in bed while being eating out?

Just imagine me cackling and going "yes" like a Ursula from The Little Mermaid

The Duke Gets Even by Joanna Shupe has one of my favorites because they're in a pool and he has her sit on the edge. Very funny because after she hops into the pool and is like "your turn" but he tries to be very gentlemanly and is all "please, it's fine, it'll deflate". Literal word is "deflate". (She makes him get up there anyway.)

Charlotte and The Seductive Spymaster by Grace Callaway has him bend her over the breakfast table for it. Among other things.

Second Duke's a Charm by Kate Bateman has it happen in a carriage...

As does Sarah MacLean's A Rogue By Any Other Name.

The Duchess in His Bed by Lorraine Heath has her sit on a pool table while he does it.

The Rogue of Fifth Avenue by Joanna Shupe has a similar thing--she's on a table, I don't know if it's a pool table, but it's there.

Confessions of a Dangerous Lord by Elisa Braden has him do it in the kitchen.

When a Girl Loves an Earl by Elisa Braden has him go for it on the couch with her on her hands and knees.

Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage by Jennifer Ashley has the whole "breakfast while we just put various spreads on each other's body parts" scene.

The Many Sins of Lord Cameron by Jennifer Ashley has it happen in a carriage I think? I mean, I think ALL OF IT happens in a carriage lol.

Her Wicked Marquess by Stacy Reid has it happen in a solarium. I think A Rake's Vow by Stephanie Laurens also has it happen in a solarium. In the "We're in a SOLARIUM, Patience, I don't know what you expect".

Scandal's Bride by Stephanie Laurens has them do everything basically everywhere. At one point he's all "prop your leg up on the nearby trough, I need to do something". He refers to her as his "snack" and if he doesn't have his "morning snack" he gets very ANNOYED. She pretends to be all outraged but inwards is like "DEUCES".

Pippa and The Prince of Secrets by Grace Callaway has it happen with like, WITNESSES. I think they do it basically everywhere tbh. Per Grace Callaway rules.

Duke of Midnight by Elizabeth Hoyt has him put her in a chair and do it VERRRRY worshipfully, in a scene I absolutely lOVE because it's like, him ceding power for a moment. Which is great with a hyperalpha like Maximus.

The Wolf and The Wildflower by Stacy Reid has Wolf Duke do this in the woods, I think.

Non-historical moments as a treat:

Contemporary:

Priest by Sierra Simone has him do it with her bent over an altar, among other things. Salt Kiss also has him do it with her in a church, bent over.

Nobody's Baby But Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips has it happen when they're parked in a car. Impressive, as he's a near-retirement quarterback who definitely has seen more flexible days.

Lush Money by Angelina M. Lopez has it in a car and then THE PAPARAZZI CATCH HIM IN THE MIDDLE OF IT AND HE'S BEING EXTREMELY ENTHUSIASTIC. Amazing.

Fantasy:

Bound to the Battle God by Ruby Dixon has him put her in a chair and eat a very juicy piece of fruit while he does it so that the juice is like, running down her chest and stuff while he.... also has that happening...

Paranormal:

A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole has Lachlain do it mID CHASE after he catches Emma and puts her on her hands and knees in the grass. He like, slides under her to do it. It's amazing. Never forget.

Pleasure of a Dark Prince by Kresley Cole has Garreth (brother of Lachlain, the MacRieves are soooooo legit tbh) do it while Lucia is bent over a stone altar because them finally banging it out is so momentous that they of course have to do it on a stone altar... in a storm.... And the altar breaks because she's been mystically bound to chastity for centuries lmao.......

MacRieve by Kresley Cole (not those MacRieves, THE MACRIEVE, of the Clain MacRieve, the Artist Known as MacRieve) has them do it like, under a tree, in the grass, and it's the first time he's ever done it because due to intense trauma he has severe intimacy issues, and then of course it all goes to Hell shortly after BUT HEY!!! UNTIL THEN IT'S LOVELY. (And I still love it after that but lmao MacRieve and Chloe EARN that happy ending.)

Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole. Rydstrom ties Sabine to a tree and does it because he needs to get EVEN. This has some of my favorite dubcon because she's all "THIS IS HORRIBLE I CAN'T BELIEVE IT" but he'll point to the ground and she'll huff and lay down.

Dark Needs at Night's Edge by Kresley Cole. Conrad goes for it in the shower and it's GREAT.

Dreams of a Dark Warrior by Kresley Cole has Declan Chase (DC!) do it (and it's a mutual situation iykwim) in the mud after Regin absolutely beats his ass. It's honestly an amazing scene.

The Fake Mate by Lana Ferguson has this happen in the woods, I believe, after he chases her down (I love a chase).

[anemoi-i]

Let's all prop up one of our legs and do not tell Kazuha.

[anniezsecretz]

Replacement ★ (Ch 2) OC x Simon "Ghost" Riley

here's the second chapterrr :) i had it written up already, just had to edit and fix it up a bit before publishing ^^ you can find this chapter of replacement on ao3 here

first chapter ★ prev ★ next thank you for reading!

★★★★★★★★★

chapter tags: // sparring, tension, older brother price, captain OC, OC x Simon “Ghost” Riley, light trauma mentions, OOC Ghost (for a reason), spiteful Ghost, enemies to lovers (enemies), vague mentions of death, canon deviation, prick ghost

★★★★★★★★★

bite-sized synopsis: trick’s first training session with the squad goes competitive and tense.

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★ The boys filed into the training room I designated one by one. MacTavish and Sanderson seem the most drowsy, each had wrinkled training gear compared to Garrick and Riley’s put-together appearance. I even got John to wear his gear for the day, watching him uncomfortably pull at the collar of his shirt against his muscles.

“A’igh, ev’ryone here?” I called out for confirmation from our officer, Ghost. Just to make sure that he was paying attention.

“Yes, Captain,” he replied. I nodded my head and looked down at the clipboard in my hands, biting the inside of my cheek while I think. My plan today was simple: assess all of their individual abilities despite how seasoned they are. Laswell encouraged me to do this, saying it was the best idea to do during my first week. She also said to whoop their asses and knock their egos down a few times.

I put my clipboard under my armpit and fixed the sunglasses that I wore underneath my new Australian cap. Garrick was the one who got it for me to get on my good side, saying it was so he and I could match. As much as I can smell the ass-kissery, he was a standup guy. But with that aside, today I get to really test them each. But I am especially interested in seeing how Seargent MacTavish does. For a chatty guy, I have seen him make good on his word against some recruits challenging him to spar.

“Thank you, Lieutenant. Attention, please.” I straightened my back out while watching them all prop up and stand straight instantly, a pleased smile across my face underneath the mask. “Well boys, today is trainin’ day. I’m gonna do the Aussie Physical Fitness Assessment on y’all times 4, plus a mile run. Your standard for the run’ll be 6 minutes, ‘n Price will be the one helping keep track o’ y’all’s scores with me while I also participate in this trainin’ day. Just to be fair.” I take in a deep breath.

“So, ev’ryone, get yer asses on the mats ‘n get ready to do 60 push-ups. Go!” 

Watching them all skitter to the mats across the room was hilarious. Riley was the fastest and in push-up position first, the last one being Sanderson who got crushed under a mat because MacTavish accidentally moved it too much while Sanderson was gettin’ away. 

I handed off my clipboard to John as he clicked his pen a few times, and I got on my mat next to the boys. Waiting for Price’s cue and then we were off. First to 60.  ★★★

“Wooo! 60! N’ in what, fucken 50-ish seconds?” MacTavish asked out loud to John who was writing down his time. 

“49 seconds,” John said matter-of-factly while writing down Garrick’s and Sanderson’s times too. Meanwhile, Ghost and I were still at it at an insane speed. I heard MacTavish’s mumbled whispers to John before his low reply. “They’re both at 108. I’ve been countin'.” ★★★

Ghost groaned out of annoyance when we both got up. My muscles were sore and I was just going off adrenaline but that didn’t stop my victory cry while giving Ghost a pity pat on the back. I grabbed my sunglasses on the floor and hook them on my tank top. “Price, how many pushups was that?”

He and the other boys were staring at the two of us with the most jaw-dropped expressions I’ve seen on people. MacTavish was pleasantly shocked, his eyes darting between Ghost and me. I could see Sanderson's widened eyes, that's the only tell sign I got from him. And then there was Garrick, staring mostly at Ghost, his expression slightly unreadable to me. “... 328 for Verdano, 326 for Riley," Price chimed in.

I whooped again, flexing my arm muscles goofily. “Fan-fucken-tastic! Thanks, Price.” MacTavish runs to me to join in on my celebration, cheering along.

“Amazin’ job, capt!” The scot said while nudging me. We haven’t talked too much, but I sure as hell knew he was the hype man of the group. I laughed with him before straightening myself out. 

With a shake of my head and a heavy sigh after all of that physical labor, I stared up at Ghost and gave him a nod of respect. One that he half-heartedly gave back. “Next section should be sit-ups, then a shuttle run, n’ finally the mile run. I hope you boys got yer roos on tight because this ain’ gonna be easy.”

I even made John do the training with the rest of the group unless I really needed him counting. But every time we did something, Riley and I were competing. The best of the best, eh? And we both were really challenging that, pushing ourselves to the brink just to outcompete each other. I beat him on the sit-ups, and he beat me during the shuttle and mile runs.  But by the time I was standing at the front of the group again, we were far from being finished. I stared down at each and every one of the boys with a knowing smile before taking in a deep breath.

“A’igh, ‘n last one of the day. Sorry I didn’t tell you ‘bout this one earlier, but we’re gonna do some sparrin’ real quick.” With my hands on my hips, I started to pick out my first prey. “Hm. John, you n’ I am sparrin’ first. The rest of you pair up n’ when someone taps out you’re finished.”

John and I walked toward a corner of the training room. “One-on-one time, eh?” He laughed a bit while commenting on it. “You ‘n Simon really do go at it, I haven’t seen someone best him of all people quite yet. Good on you, Annes.” He gave me a pat on the back before we both got into crouched positions across from each other. 

Then we lunged at each other, his hulking mass coming right towards me until I sideswiped him, practically on his back like a jetpack while I dragged him down by forcing his back to give out. Of course, putting him in a chokehold with my legs when we drop to the mat. He was trying to grab at me, scarily close to succeeding. I got off and let him recover momentarily to protect myself.

“Well, thanks, John. Y’know I like pushin’ myself to the absolute limit, even if it means I’m kinda nauseous right now,” I half-heartedly admit before getting tackled and put into a submission position, John using his full weight to pin my hands above my head and putting himself between my legs.

With his brows furrowed with concern and his eyes full of focus, he asks me, “Do you need the infirmary?”

I roll my eyes at him before using my complete leg power to kick him off by the chest, rolling myself on top of him and pushing his head to his right shoulder. “Nah. I’m all good, I ain’ lettin’ down that easily viejito.”

Before he used his other arm to grab me and flip the position. “Ah, you sure Anne? I don’t want you gettin’ hurt now. Well, y’know, ill kind of hurt.”

With struggling breaths, I grimaced. I was stuck in this hulking man’s strength, but I managed to worm my way out and catch him off guard with a knee to the stomach. I put my right leg over his waist and a reverse choke hold to hold him down. “I’m sure, John.”

He struggled to get up, barely even able to talk or breathe. Eventually, he was tapping my arm to yield and I let go of him with heavy pants while he put his hand over his neck. ★★★

Next was Sanderson and I, both of us greeting each other before I tackled him. I had him in a submission I had Priced in earlier, his shoulder to his balaclava’s cheek.

“Well, we ain’ talk that much either, hm? Price says you like playin’ COD in the dead of night, n’ honestly? Same.” His eyes opened a bit, already tapping out and sitting up to look me straight in the eyes when I let go of him.

He was definitely a little awkward. Or a little more than just awkward, but I could work with that. We just kinda stared at each for a second with a mutual feeling and knowing of the kinds of things we witness and hear in that game. 

“After this, do you wanna play a few games with me?” He asked me, and I considered for a second.

“Y’know what? Sure. I bet I could whoop kids with you, aye!” I gently jabbed his shoulder playfully, but we continued to talk anyhow. “How long have you been playin’ COD? Or better yet, which ones do you play?”

He tapped his chin in thought, the balaclava covering his mouth. “Probably err… 2003, since I wus smaller. Usually, I play the originals. They’re classics fo’ a reason, eh?” I took note of his accent. This motherfucker was British, just like the rest. God, why am I surrounded by Brits? Except for the Scot MacTavish, he’s fun.

I chuckled. “Yeah, you’re right on, Sergeant.”

With a inhale I watched him nervously inch his hand to me to shake. “Just call me Gary– or my callsign, Roach.” 

“N’ you can just call me Anne. Just not Annie, y’know.” I took his hand in a firm shake. “Do you like insects? Is thas why you have antennae like a cockroach?” 

He gently shakes his head and then lightly bobbed his head from side to side. Now I noticed some antennae were sewn onto his balaclava. Hey, that’s a cute touch! I find myself pleasantly surprised before I noticed he was actually responding. He takes time to think questions through, but I’m patient. “No, I survived an explosion. My plane was shot down ‘n I survived it. So now they call me Roach.”

I let out a low whistle while I lean on my arms, both of us sitting across from each other on the mat. “Well, that’s quite a story. You really did embrace it, didn’t you?” I felt my smile widen while thinking about it. “I think it suits you, Gary.”

Then Gary leaned forward, his chest to his knees while we conversed and waited for everyone to be finished. “Why are you called Trick? Price said you were called Viper too.” His voice was soft when he asked as if asking a question was like questioning authority, poor guy.

“I was called Viper like… shit, 3 years ago or somethin? I was named that because I was a hacker. I slithered in the systems like a Viper n’ struck just as fast as one.” I explained while biting the inside of my cheek. “I’m called Trick because my late wife’s callsign was Treat, ‘n it’s said I’m always trickin’ people.” 

I can tell his eyes softened when I said late wife. His brows furrow underneath his balaclava and I try not to stay on the topic of Xio too much. Especially since Axel was busy taking a break outside while I was training, I didn't want to risk anything. “Can I sew cat ears on your hat?” Roach chirped.

Blink blink.

“Whaddaya mean?” I questioned with a tilt of my head.

“You have the cat skull and… well, I think it’d fit with your aesthetic.” 

A smile spread across my face as I smiled. “Yeah, you can. Just after trainin’, maybe when we meet up after this to play some games.” But it took me a second to fully process that he tapped out so early. Neither of us has even broken a sweat. “Uhm… why did you tap out so early?”

He shrugged. “You’re scarier than Ghost. I’d hafta be bloody mad to actually challenge you.” Then we were separated to switch partners again. ★★★

Oooh boy. Garrick and I, neither of us said much until he had me pinned. “Well well well, Garrick. You have some moves I didn’t expect.” Then we flip the position again, his arms constricted with my legs and my arms holding him in a chokehold. “But I think I can do well.” 

He chuckled. “You wearin’ the hat I got you?” He asked with a slight strain before breaking from my hold, now picking me up and practically throwing me over his shoulder.

“Well, yes I ams, ain’ I? ‘M not someone for wearin’ a gift, but I like this one.” I managed to jetpack him as I did with Price and pull him down to the mat, and I heard the air from his lungs escaping.

Garrick got up and out of my grasp but managed to pin my wrists over my head and get himself between my legs. Just like Price had done earlier in the day, he was probably watching that. “Well, thank you! I appreciate it, Captain Verdano.” He smiled. It was a cute sweet smile, making me tilt my head a bit before retaliating. With my legs, I flip him onto his side and then his back before securing him into an Americana/V Arm-lock submission. I didn’t typically do this on Price because of his size, but Gaz was short enough for me to.

“Of course, Sergeant. Feel free to call me just Anne instead, never Annie.” He seemed a bit awkward with the introduction just like Roach, but he and I managed to at least have a pre-established companionship. 

“Uhm… Gaz is fine, and Kyle.” He was slightly bashful about it until we changed positions again with him somehow sliding out of my Americana, then I decided I should pull an old finisher on him.

With a polite smile shown in my eyes, I nodded. I ran behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist. “Nice to meet you, Kyle!” I shouted out before fucking suplexing him onto the mat behind us. I watched him tap out in a daze on the mat, he didn’t even realize I had already let go of him! How endearing this team is. ★★★

Good ol’ MacTavish. He was definitely a little taller than the other two, with a blinding smile. “Aye, cap’n! I dinnae you like a brawl,” he said cheerfully with a twinkle in his eyes that I find fascinating. He was always so optimistic throughout all this training when the others were groaning about the running.

“Ah vuy, MacTavish. No need for cap’n if I’m ‘bouta beat yer ass, just call me Anne! Never Annie.” MacTavish smiled.

“Mmmm… can I call you bonnie, Anne?” He asked with a dumb smile. Was this drongo cunt really flirting with me? Before I whoop his ass?

I weakly groaned and rolled my eyes, deciding to use some of his slang against him. “Oh bile yer heid. Use it sparingly, sarge.”

“Yes ma’am.” He laughed before we started.

Our sparring session was tense. He was able to pin me down more than I expected, being super observant of my actions and how I was observant of his. We exchanged small quips here and there before he brought up an interesting topic and our session started to go a little longer than I had expected. 

“Y’know, cap’n, I ain’ evah seen L.t thas fucken competitive. Usually, he follows the orders strictly, y’know.” It made me raise a brow before he put me in a submission pose, my face smooshed into the mat below us and my wrists pinned against my lower back.

“Well, him ‘n I don’t get along well. I ain’ shocked if he’s tryna one-up me. For some reason, he was offended that I wassa Captain ‘fore him.” Using sheer leg strength, I put in all my weight when kicking him away, ending up having a slight rumble when we were face to face again.

Johnny (as I now “affectionately” call him) was probably taunting me with his captain story. But he had a small laugh after I said that. “We’ll see, Ms. Anne. Want me to tap out so we can all see what happens when you go against Ghost?”

“Well, it would be a cheap win but…” I had him V-pinned within a minute, trying to keep my amusement covered when I watched him tap out. He looked at me knowingly, knowing something that I obviously don't know.

We both stood up, me lending him a hand and some light praise about his form before I was face-to-face with the mysterious Ghost. He towered over me and I suddenly felt smaller than I ever was. I felt like a gnome compared to him, and the hard glare he gave me did not soothe any nerve in my body once. But despite doubts slowly infiltrating my mind, I took a deep breath and straightened my back. "Well, ready?" I asked with a false sense of security.

John could feel the tension between the two of us and put himself in between. “Everyone, to your next mat!” I put a firm hand on his shoulder while I offered a kind smile with my eyes creasing, and a slight tilt of my head as well.

“Price, it’s a’igh. Let’s make this into a demonstration o’ sorts. I can only assume we’re both undefeated as of right now, we oughta make this into a small competition.” I stared at Ghost hard. Before sticking my hand out to shake, doing my best to keep a warm feeling. A true leader.

But a true leader puts their lower ranks into their place when they need to. 

Ghost and I were on a training mat, on display for all of the boys to see us. “See boys? I’m approximately mmm… 160 centimeters, give or take. ‘N 52 kilos. Meanwhile, Ghost here is about 1.90 meters, 100 kilos. ‘N you’re gonna watch two skilled individuals go at it, one with quite a few pounds on ‘im!” He glared while the boys did their best to stifle some laughter. “So, let’s be nice while you watch Ghost get his–” I could already see him trying to pick up and put me over his shoulder, from where I sidestepped him and kicked him in the back. He only lightly stumbled, but it proved my point a bit. “-- ass beat. As I was sayin’ before bein’ interrupted.”

Now we started an all-out brawl, the boys being forced to witness a power struggle between us. Two strong minds, one of agility and the other of strength. A lot of the time, it was one of us just barely managing to put the other in a submission position. Other times, it was one of us barely dodging the other.

My hand slipped past his chest so many times. His thighs grazed my face so many times. My own chest betrays me and grazes past his hand above me, and I can see the look of recognition on his face every time it happens. To the point that the second he does that and is in shock for a second, I get him into a submission position. 

“Listen up, boys. Despite tha enemy being taller, ‘n much bigger, doesn’t mean you can’t put up a fight. You never give up!” I strained out while holding my position with Ghost, a V armbar. He was straining to get out, I was straining to hold it. Fucking hell, does this dude never give up? It’s been 5 minutes of fighting, tussling, tossing, and neither of us are ready to give up.  "Fuck!" I curse while falling onto the mat, my hand outstretched to try to soften the fall. But the instant pain I got was insane, all of my weight put onto my wrist trying to save me in time. I tried moving it while I was down and it hurt like hell. Most definitely sprained or broken at this point. Yet in the end, I do not care. I do not give a single shit about if I were hurt or not. So I stand up and stare at Ghost in his beady dark eyes that were darkened by the eyeblack around them.  "Hey, Anne? Are you injured?" Price chimed in with concern thick in his voice, but I just shot him a look.  Even he knew not to test me when I'm pissed off. He knew I'm as stubborn as a mule, and it was amplified by how I went back at Ghost to grapple on his shirt and drag him down.

We kept trying to get the other to tap out, no punching into submission, just pure pinning as much as we could. Until one last time when Ghost had me pinned, his chest against my back while holding my waist down by my hips. But I wasn’t gonna budge now.

“Verdano,” he started with a husky voice, “just drop the act. Yield. We can accept a captain who admits their flaws.” He whispered into my ear, but all that did was make me even more pissed. I could practically beat his head in with a rock if I so wanted to, but I didn’t. Instead, I socked him in the cheekbone with what little strength I had and stumbled up. The beads of sweat that ran down my face underneath the mask felt like fire, beads of lava.

Then the second he recovered himself, I was stealthily behind him and curling my arms around the waist.

What the boys saw was devastating. Well, devastating for Ghost’s ego and his back. They watched me pick him up with all my strength and suplexing him, just like I did to Gaz but worse. I let him go after three weak taps on the mat, stumbling up while the world spun around me. I just barely had the energy to make a quip, the pain in my back and in my wrist finally catching up to me as the adrenaline wears off.

“‘N thas boys, is how you fuck up yer L.t.” I was nearly about to pass out until I heard a scoff from Ghost who put a gentle yet firm hand on my shoulder. I felt like I was about to get yelled at by my brother for what I said.

He takes a moment to catch his breath before talking. “‘N your captain is 20-fucken-8. She’s the same age as Gaz, bloody hell. She's far too young 'n inexperienced compared to the rest of us.” Ghost stood up straight and I felt the burning eyes on me again, but I was looking ahead at the squad’s reaction. It was confusion, concern, and overall what the fuck . “She’s barely mentally stable to the point she needs a service dog—”

Price steps forward. “Now Simon, calm down here.” But he was cut off.

“No, Price. She is clearly unqualified for a position as co-leader for both her age and her mental stability by themselves. Also, she's an immigrant from Las Almas! We know the extent Valeria would go just to get back at us. Her brothers are in Las Vaqueros, but so was Valeria at some point!” He barked at John, and my heart stopped. I stared at Ghost with some bit of betrayal. He really brought my brothers, my past, and my hometown up just to prove a point that I'm distrustful. Who the fuck is Valeria anyways?

I thought that would be the end of me from the way that the squad looked at me. They believed Ghost over me, but why wouldn't they? I'm the new captain leader and everything he said was true. I am an immigrant, I am from Las Almas, and my brothers are a part of Los Vaqueros. But John. He glared at Ghost and gave me the nudge to get next to him.

“Lieutenant Simon Riley, are you questioning who I choose for my team ? Captain Verdano is a wonderful leader that I chose personally after years of knowing ‘em. They’ve been through the worst heartbreak someone could go through ‘n yet, here they are.” He puts a hand on my shoulder. “Their age, background, and immigration status is not an excuse; she is the squad’s co-leader.” I can feel the others’ eyes on me, some of their hot breathing on my neck while I got their Lieutenant to get his ass chewed out by John.

I was so out of it I barely heard half of their back and forth, I was just staring at Ghost’s expression going from furious, to confused, to just… upset. I had sympathy, of course. I know a younger miss getting a higher position over you could hurt a lot, I know. But I can’t just let it slide. ★★★

I was in the infirmary afterward, my wrist wrapped in bandages with a splint after we iced it for a while. Johnny had come with me to watch me and check if I’m okay, especially after that little outburst of Ghost’s.

“Well, didn’ I tell you, bonnie? He’s pissed at ya, ‘n don’ ask me as tah why.” He sat next to me on the foldout bed with a comforting heavy hand on my shoulder, I felt his thumb run against the skin over and over. I even slightly leaned into him. I would’ve never thought my officer was that mad at me for just being chosen for my position– I didn’t choose it! 

“Agh. Tha hell did I do? Be born after ‘em? Be fucken– I ‘unno un Mexicana? I'm proud o' who I am, his ass needs to shut it.” I vented out my frustrations momentarily to Johnny. Then took in a hard sigh while wincing at the pain of my wrist. “I ‘unno. I just hate being disliked for somethin’ I can’t bloody control. ‘N I feel bad too for not bein’ who he wants me to be, which is the worst part. Plus John– Price arguin’ with him about it!”

He squeezed my shoulder. “Anne, you don’t gotta worry ‘bout Ghost, he takes a woile to warm up tah. ‘N besides, we’re a’ Jock Tamson’s bairns!” Johnny enthusiastically said with a light chuckle. “O’ in English, ehm… we’re all the same. We ain’ too differin’ from one anothah, we’re all really on tha same level. Ghost is just bein' a bampot, y'know? Just actin' up because of somethin'.” 

I lightly nod in agreement. “Thanks, Johnny. Would’ve been fucken worryin’ my head off all night if you hadn’ told me that. I knew he was a tough nut, but jeez. Even a roo couldn’ kick a nice comment outta him!” We both laughed at the image of Ghost getting kicked in the stomach by a kangaroo. God how that’d hurt.

“Well, again, cap’n. I ain’ seen Ghost with a spark in ‘em like thas. He woulda burn te place down if he didn’ say anythan. He woulda been a furnace all week too.” 

Ffffuck. And I can’t get rid of this guy, especially since I sleep in the same barracks as him. I just hope we make up before bed tonight. ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

thank you for reading chapter 2!!! <3 here's to more chapters in the future, ^^ i'll try to get an actual schedule going, probably every two days or when i have the chapter ready.

also NO not racist ghost, he's just a prick in this chapter because of what happened in las almas in the game :)

[dismaltouch]

♡  muse  ↝ lilith rogers

♡  closed for  ↝ @atvrvxia continued from here. ( 1/?)

"I DON'T blame you. i think that requires way too much dedication to your job anyways. i don't think brain surgeons have any free time at all. prop brains are so much cooler than actual brains as far as i'm concerned . . . not that i've ever seen a regular one. i have no desire to." she didn't know how people became medical professionals, she certainly didn't have the stomach required for it. "the ... the butcher of longsdale?" she asked, shock evident in her tone. her brows furrowed slightly as she let the words really register with her, she wasn't quite certain how to react to his bombshell. she found herself reaching out a hand towards him, offering his hand a gentle squeeze with her own. "well, i don't know what you went through, and i'm really sorry for whatever it was, but i'm um ... i'm really glad that you're here with me now. that you're alive."

[a-vicious-faithless-angel]

You think Simon would play Minecraft

He tries redstone fails and dies

David constantly dies either in a really stupid manner or they pause for a second to look at the cat and bam died by a creeper

Sophie would stay up for a couple nights fighting mobs, see the phantom and either run tf back inside or try to fight everything and everyone at the same time

Simon gets the stuff for the house, David starts building (yes sometimes the houses are absolutely horrendous but sometimes it just be like that) and Sophie decorates with flower pots, lanterns, paintings, item frames carpet the whole go to

They all prop fuck with each other with TNT

[richardlickhole]

I stole this from my bluesky account

This will be very boring and very granular, but I am here to talk about California's proposition 33. Everyone calls it a rent control law, which it technically is. However, it is not a rent control law in the sense that it is proposing strict price control throughout the state. It is much more complicated and boring. Prop 33 only calls to repeal the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act and add wording to the California constitution that prevents the state government from limiting any rent control cities or counties wish to have. The Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act was passed in 1995, doing main things in addition to a bunch of smaller limitations. It prevented counties and cities from enforcing rent control on certain kinds of residential properties as well as apartments built after the bill passed. It also strictly prohibited vacancy control, letting landlords rent units at any price after a tenant had moved out or had been evicted (typically market price) instead of maintaining the price of the unit between tenants. Prop 33 does not guarantee rent control, nor does it make it something the state can do. Instead, it moves who can make the decision from state to local governments. There is no guarantee that if Prop 33 passes, you will benefit at all. That is simply up to your local government. All prop 33 allows is that option for local governments to enforce rent control. For example, San Francisco will not suddenly become livable in price because it will never pass rent control laws because of how strong the NIMBY culture is there. But you may be able to get your city to enforce rent control

[fundedtrader]

How to Evaluate and Select the Ideal Forex Proprietary Firm

If you are a novice trader, you probably know how essential it is to select an appropriate trading platform or company. Prop companies, or forex proprietary trading firms, give traders special access to resources and assistance to help them advance their trading careers. All prop companies are not made equal! To understand more, let’s examine what forex prop trading firms are, why they are becoming more and more popular, and how potential traders can profit from them. Read more!

[propmone]

Find Out How To Use Prop Money Legally

Watch out for excessive pricing compared to market value, as this may indicate that someone is trying to sell prop money for more than it is worth. Recognize that not all prop buyers are professionals and that they may not recognize fake prop money UK. As with any other prop, you must have an expert, such as a seasoned coin vendor or actor with years of expertise in the business, examine your prop money before using it on set.

[broadwayfangirl222]

Spoilers for Hazbin Hotel Episodes and my thoughts/initial reactions:

Episode 1:

I adore the opening narration, it genuinely feels like a fairytale being told to a kid and I get the vibe Lilith and Lucifer were trying to help Eve by giving her the apple. And for people worried about her being Stella 2.0 It comes off more as Lilith taking over since Lucifer became low key depressed and while there might be issues between them it might be more communication issues than anything else

Husk's voice sounds a bit gruffer than it initially came off as in the trailers and I really like how it sounds

Angel brings up good suggestions of having a celebrity be a selling point for the hotel and why can't Alastor use his connections to bring more people to the hotel

and their answers (of Charlie not wanting to exploit him and people needing to choose to be there, not be forced to be there) were also really great points

I feel low key dumb for thinking Adam was actually there, he wouldn't bother to bring himself down to their level

Charlie's realization this asshole is her mom's ex is hilarious

Tbh I would've wanted to see more of them making the commercial but it was so much fun to see and I love how Alastor only agreed to put genuine effort in the commercial if he never had to do anything related to TV again

Niffty zoning out when the camera is on her just game me hypnotoad vibes (dumb and obvious comparison but that's where my mind went)

Wow...what the hell, they really are cutting the time in half just as a "fuck you" to Charlie and her idea?! Really harsh and just this whole thing works to show they're not so different than the demons

Is it just me or is there weird audio mixing issues with Brandon Rodgers' audio as Katie Killjoy?

Ohhh interesting the 6 months thing is cause an angel managed to be killed and it's a cover up! I'm genuinely curious where this goes

Episode 2:

Good point with this being something that could make people be willing to hear this idea of redemption out

Omg of course Niffty is into Pentious. Also interesting she didn't know who the V's were.

Vox in the trailer sounded like seth rogan to me but he sounds way more gameshow host to me

VELVETTE'S BRITISH?!?! Also kinda cool to see her being a bit more business focused and not just kinda high energy chaos

OMG! Finally we get to hear Valentino! It's kinda cool how his accent is partly there, like it's thicker when he talks in some parts than others. It's done in a way that's less the VA dropping the accent and more it being a deliberate thing for the character

For Vox and Val's relationship we got this idea of Val being the one in charge and mistreating Vox but Vox trying to calm Val down feels like him and Velvette just let Val think he's the one who's in charge of the V's while Vox is actually the one to plan stuff through

Fun little bit of Val poking fun at Vox's obsession with Alastor and I kinda like it's all of them kinda snapping at eachother and messing with one another

I've seen thumbnails for this song on youtube and i've been trying to avoid it and I'm so glad I can finally see it. This song and Adam's songs were low key my faves of these first couple episodes.

One thing that stood out to me in this song is two lines from Alastor is "Is Vox as strong as he purports or is it based on his support? He'd be powerless without the other Vees" (and cute little bit of Val and Velvette looking kinda smug at that line) Cause it does raise an interesting idea: The Vees essentially all prop each other up, how would they handle being purely on their own

"And here's the sugar on the cream, he asked me to join his team, I said no and now he's pissy" Oh so basically he tried asking Alastor out and didn't take the rejection well?

Is that a robo fizz?!?!

I actually appreciate Angel wasn't the one told to be the spy on the inside but rather Pentious. It's a good way to get him involved with this and just isn't the more obvious plot choice

With Angel feeling jealous and insecure I'm actually really glad there isn't that thing where this new character is suspicious and one character points that out but they keep getting dismissed by everyone else and just accused of being jealous

Poor sir Pentious...And honestly this moment is just really sweet and honestly Charlie's design with her hair and Pj's are so adorable!

[kb85lazy]

ALL OBER WORLD DREAM

BFOR MU BIRTH

VISHNU KB

FOOD NO MY DAD GOD BLESSD

ALL PROP TKN 1.2 YRS

SAME

RAINFL LNDSLID EARTH

HIGHST EVER EARTH MBMT

OIL URAN COAL PAPRR RUBBR ETC

HRD IT UNIMAAGN RISE I STOP for fun

Same wt my son rip

[boaterstop1]

Attwood Prop Wrench Set - Fits 17/32" to 1-1/4" Prop Nuts [11370-7]

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Offers multiple sockets to fit from 17/32" to 1-1/4", allowing consumers to service multiple props

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[prop-firm-passing-service]

How to pass a forex prop firm challenge

If you are an aspiring forex trader who wants to trade with a larger capital and share the profits with a prop firm, you might have considered taking a forex prop firm challenge. A forex prop firm challenge is a test that evaluates your trading skills and performance under certain rules and conditions. If you pass the challenge, you can get funded by the prop firm and start trading with their money.

But how do you pass a forex prop firm challenge? What are the tips and tricks that can help you succeed and avoid common pitfalls? In this blog post, we will share with you some of the best practices and strategies that can increase your chances of passing a forex prop firm challenge.

Choose the right prop firm and challenge for you. Not all prop firms and challenges are created equal. Some may have stricter rules, higher fees, lower payouts, or different trading styles than others. You need to do your research and compare different options before you sign up for a challenge. Make sure you understand the terms and conditions, the evaluation criteria, the risk management rules, and the profit split of the challenge. Choose a prop firm and challenge that suits your trading goals, skills, and personality.

Prepare yourself mentally and emotionally. A forex prop firm challenge is not only a test of your trading skills, but also of your mental and emotional resilience. You will face pressure, stress, uncertainty, and volatility in the market. You will also have to deal with your own emotions, such as fear, greed, frustration, and overconfidence. You need to have a strong mindset and a positive attitude to overcome these challenges. You need to be disciplined, patient, confident, and adaptable. You need to have a clear trading plan and stick to it. You need to manage your risk and money wisely. You need to learn from your mistakes and improve your performance.

Trade according to your edge and style. A forex prop firm challenge is not a time to experiment with new strategies or indicators that you are not familiar with. You need to trade according to your edge and style that have proven to work for you in the past. You need to focus on quality over quantity, and trade only when you see high-probability setups that match your criteria. You need to avoid overtrading, chasing the market, or forcing trades that are not there. You need to respect the market and follow its direction, rather than trying to predict or fight it.

Track and review your progress. A forex prop firm challenge is a learning opportunity that can help you grow as a trader. You need to track and review your progress regularly, preferably on a daily or weekly basis. You need to keep a trading journal that records your trades, results, thoughts, emotions, and lessons learned. You need to analyze your strengths and weaknesses, your wins and losses, your performance metrics, and your feedback from the prop firm. You need to identify what works and what doesn't work for you, what you can improve on, and what you can replicate.

Celebrate your achievements and enjoy the process. A forex prop firm challenge is not only a goal, but also a journey that can be rewarding and enjoyable. You need to celebrate your achievements, no matter how big or small they are. You need to acknowledge your efforts, appreciate your progress, and reward yourself for your hard work. You also need to enjoy the process of trading and learning from the market. You need to have fun, be curious, be creative, and be grateful for the opportunity.

Passing a forex prop firm challenge is not easy, but it is possible if you follow these tips and tricks. Remember that it is not a sprint, but a marathon that requires consistency and perseverance. If you are determined, prepared, and disciplined enough, you can pass a forex prop firm challenge and become a funded trader, but the best way to pass a forex prop firm challenge is to use a prop firm passing service.

[helloalasdair]

Oppo, 31st May

Transadministrativaganza

New material (it's Oppo, you know the drill)

I am not a prop comedian. Honest. I've threatened it in the past (a binder made of fuzzy felt for custom nipples? I stand by it, conceptually) but never followed through. And I still haven't, arguably, because doing your deed poll on stage is all prop and no comedy.

There are certain things I need to force myself to do in certain ways, and admin is one of them. I got the idea at Boyz Nite, where Izzy the sound tech did theirs at the end of the show. I thought 'you know what would help me do mine, nine months after coming out? Scheduling it to be done at a certain time and place.' Given that my two witnesses were Sam and Tom, Oppo seemed a natural one. And on stage, because Oppo is for subjecting audiences to ideas I've had in the small hours for no good reason.

Ably MCd by Sam, I did a few minutes of new (on being perceived, which feels like a richer vein every day I exist) and then got my witnesses on stage for the signing. Given that Tom was on next, this meant he effectively did a lap of the room coming off stage to go back on. Such is the Oppo vibe, and I wouldn't have it any other way.