#//4 more posts til 2000 >:3

[roseworth]

Rose Wilson (pre-flashpoint) Reading Guide :^)

hiiiiii i need everyone to love her and talk about her all the time

this isnt everything, this i just what i think you need to get a pretty good idea of who she is <3 if you want more this list has most of her pre52 appearances (EDIT: and i have a post-flashpoint reading list now too!!!!)

all the important issues for her story are in bold and my personal favorites are italicized. in all honestly you can skip a lot of the bolded ones but i WILL take it personally if you skip my favorites

Deathstroke v1 #15 (her introduction!!)

Deathstroke v1 #45-46, #48, annual #4, #51

New Titans #126

Titans v1 #27, #33, #37

Teen Titans v3 #0.5

Teen Titans v3 #8, #12

Batgirl v1 #64

Nightwing v2 #112-115

Nightwing v2 #117

Teen Titans v3 #34-35, #40-41, #43-46, #57, #60, #71, #88, #90-91, #98-100

Batgirl v2 #2-4

Titans v2 #13, Teen Titans v3 #70, Vigilante v3 #6

Teen Titans v3 #77-78

Faces of Evil: Deathstroke

Teen Titans v3 #72-76 & #79-82 (second feature)

now unfortunately i love to explain myself so i gave my reasonings for everything i put under the cut:

welcome to the annotated version <3

Deathstroke #15 - this tells the story of slade meeting lillian worth, rose's mom, and then shows rose for the first time <3 honestly this one doesnt do much for rose other than saying that she exists but it still matters

Deathstroke #45-46 - before this, rose is kidnapped and escapes but i didnt include that in the list because shes not doing much until these issues. but she has things to do in these and has great moments of lili trying to protect her. dont bother reading any of the actual deathstroke stuff because i do not care what hes up to

Deathstroke #48 - rose meets slade for the first time!!! it does not go well

Deathstroke annual #4 - shes not in this til the last few pages but i get the content of rose mourning her mother where i can bc it does not get brought up for like 20 years after this. also rose being a badass is always welcome to me

Deathstroke #51 - this one is almost entirely rose's pov!!! granted shes not exactly the center of the story but still! it also starts showing her meta abilities and precognition which is so slay of her

New Titans #126 - this is the first time she gets like. an actual personality. and its great. i lov her dynamics with the other titans and i love kyle and donna kind of trying to parent her. and also shows a little bit more of how she feels about her mom hehe. in the issue before this she puts a gun to someones head which i think is also worth reading that moment of her however. its a one page scene and it never gets brought up again so i didnt bother including it

Titans #27, #33, #37 - honestly i think that roses entire time nannying lian is worth reading but she doesnt do a Lot in each issue so i felt bad including the whole thing sdjafhadsf but she has scattered appearances from #25-39 and theyre all FANTASTIC. one of my favorite eras of rose for sure

Teen Titans #0.5  - this is her joining her father :( terrible hate kill but its a very important part of her story. also she has a random family here which ??? i mean sure i guess. love that everyone was playing hot potato with rose for like 10 years though

Teen Titans #8 - calls herself ravager for the first time so its kind of important. honestly though i wasnt even gonna include this at first but decided that it was important enough to throw in. shes only on the last page of this though

Teen Titans #12 - this is where she loses her eye (see: takes her own knife and stabs it out) so its pretty significant. also bart reaching out to her and trying to help her is sweet :) i dont really care about brother blood at all though so i didnt include the rest of this arc but it starts at #9 if youre really interested

Batgirl v1 #64 - this one is extremely biased im gonna be real. i just love batgirl 2000 and this issue was really good for both of them honestly, its the two of them fighting and does a good job showing rose's relationship with her dad during this time and showing her skills 

Nightwing #112-115 - this one was just so much fun. i wouldnt call it 100% in character but theres a lot of good stuff about rose wanting a family and its rly sweet :( its also hilarious to me and its so fun to read it

Nightwing #117  - leaving her father!!! she really only shows up on a couple pages here but you know. its pretty significant. 

GENERAL WARNING FOR TEEN TITANS: a lot of teen titans was written by geoff johns and. i dont know how to put it other than that hes VERY geoff johns about it. there are bits of misogyny and racism in pretty much every issue. even after johns stops writing it still has some extremely iffy parts. so just be warned :(

EDIT: since making this list i have made yet another list of her tt03 appearances and whether or not they should be read so u can check that out if you’re interested <3

Teen Titans #34 - her intro to the team!! talks a little about how she got there and what shes doing etc. also wlw hostility with cassie

Teen Titans #35 - this one originally wasnt even on the list because it comes with HEAVY disclaimers. this issue includes rose trying to rape tim, which i consider to be the worst moment in that entire book, and probably the most out of character thing rose has ever done. thank you geoff johns. HOWEVER this issue also has a lot of really nice moments with rose and eddie that i really enjoyed :( so just. disregard the first few pages if you read this

Teen Titans #40-41 - you will quickly find out that i am a sucker for rose and joey being siblings. in all honesty i know very little about joey but i DO know that he and rose have rly sweet moments in a lot of these

Teen Titans #43-46 - a lot of deathstroke stuff. mostly boring but rose does get to fight her dad here :) and also some more rose & joey moments. though do be warned as a cassandra cain fan these issues did send me flying into a blind rage because she is so out of character

Teen Titans #57 & #60 - precognition!!! rose being a badass!!! my love!!!!!! this is a good issue. it does go back on a lot of what its already gone over by saying "ooo rose is so murderous and dangerous!!" but. whatever. i like it when shes murderous. these are all part of an arc that goes from #56-60 if you want the full story but these two are the ones that rose has the most to do in. then #60 leads into Terror Titans which. um. was not good. very out of character for rose and just not an interesting story at all. but i mean if you want to read it she is in it

Teen Titans #71  - rose-centric issues my beloved hehe :) this issue is pretty good and sets off her story in the second feature starting in #72

Teen Titans #88 - rose rejoining the team!!!!! which i have mixed feelings on because it was clearly a "the writer wanted her there but didnt want to do the work to put her back so they just threw her in" situation which is fine i guess. it ignores a lot of whats already happened though :/ but!!!! lillian worth mention!!! woo!!!!

Teen Titans #90-91 - damian and rose's dynamic is so fucking funny and i love it. they are iconic together its amazing

Teen Titans #98-100 - final teen titans arc!! rose isnt specifically doing a lot but she does have some really good moments here. also she has an interaction with mia for like 2 panels so i need to cut those 2 panels out and frame them <3 but be warned. the writer was clearly going in the rose/conner direction for some reason which. um. hm.

Batgirl v2 #2-4 - ICONIC. i have issues with cass's characterization in this but rose is wonderful. she can be patricidal as a treat <3 shes planning ahead and shes a good fighter and shes murderous. what more do you need.

Teen Titans #70, Titans #13, Vigilante #6 - these are all part of a bigger crossover, Titans #12 and Vigilante #5 come before these but rose doesnt have anything to do there and i did not read them because i dont really care about the story of this one. but oh my god. this has some FANTASTIC rose & joey content. all of their interactions in this killed me esp the last part :(

Teen Titans #77-78 - oughghggogugughggh this one was so sad fr. i love it when rose tries to kill her dad but there were so many parts in this where i was full of pain. but also joey and rose moment hiiii !! but most importantly lili is revealed to be alive here!!! yippee!!!!

Faces of Evil: Deathstroke #1 - hiiiii im actually adding this one to the list nearly a year after i originally made it lol <3 but i love this issue so much and i cant believe i never added it. most of the reason i like it is because i like it when she commits patricide and like half of this comic is dedicated to her kicking his ass then getting her ass kicked. god i love her

Teen Titans #72-76 & #79-82 - FRESH HELL MY BELOVED <3 greatest rose story of all time <333 the writer is clearly weird about rose but who am i to judge. lots of good moments of her struggling with morality and finding out who she is and its a pretty good story and im pretty sure there was one part that made me cry

and there we go !! i know most ppl dont add their opinion to their reading lists however i mostly made this for my followers and i am the god of this list and i do what i want

[paxesoterica]

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury reminded me that I actually do enjoy watching anime, and since I have a bit of a backlog of ones I’ve either watched a few episodes or haven’t started at all, I was inspired by this post to make a scorecard of anime that I intend to watch over the course of this year.

My self-imposed rules are I will not start any other anime before I have finished these 16 (with the exception of Witch from Mercury, see below), I will be watching them with Japanese voice acting and subs, and that, gvien my experience with watching Witch from Mercury on a weekly basis, I won’t try to binge and instead watch an episode or two each day, since that will fit better into how busy life can get, and also give me more time to really think about what I just watched before moving on.

The shows above are listed in chronological order of release (1979-2023), but not the order I’ll necessarily watch them in (I like having the freedom to pick and choose), with additional notes below:

1.) Mobile Suit Gundam (1979; dir. Yoshiyuki Tomino): A more experienced Gundam fan who is also fond of Revolutionary Girl Utena recommended this and War in the Pocket (see below) if I was curious about other Gundam shows. Since I’ve been meaning to watch some older anime for awhile anyway, this seemed like a good series to start with, especially with its historical importance to the medium. I have previewed the first episode and I think it holds up well so far. I will only be watching the 43 episodes of the original anime at this time, so not the movie compilations or the sequel series like Zeta or ZZ (yet).

2.) Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket (1989; dir. Fumihiko Takayama): I mentioned that I would permit myself freedom to choose the watch order, but since War in the Pocket is a side-story set around the same period as Mobile Suit Gundam, I feel it would be better to watch the former after the latter, so that I’ll have a better understanding of the setting.

3.) Goldfish Warning! (1991; dir. Junichi Sato): Goldfish Warning! has an interesting history, in that it’s something of a predecessor to Sailor Moon: the latter would reprise the former’s timeslot, much of its staff (including the director and his assistants, among which was a young Kunihiko Ikuhara), and a similar style of slapstick comdey. As a bonus, I’m 99% certain that one of the leads, Chitose Fujinomiya, would serve as inspiration for the Revolutionary Girl Utena character, Nanami Kiryuu. I will be watching both the 45 episode anime series and its accompanying film.

4.) Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995; dir. Hideaki Anno): The thing that piqued my interest in this show was a short review that I read years ago (don’t remember when or where), and that may have been translated from Japanese iirc. The review talked about how gender roles in Eva were inverted compared to mecha shows that came before it, such as how Shinji acted more like stereotypical female characters from such shows, while Asuka acted like what you’d expect from stereotypical male characters. I don’t know how true that observation is, but it stuck with me, and I’ll be keeping an eye out for that. I will be watching the original 26 episodes as well as the End of Evangelion film. I’m debating if I also want to include the Rebuild of Evangelion films, but I’m currently leaning towards watching those sometime later.

5.) FLCL (2000; dir. Kazuya Tsurumaki): I watched the first four episodes at a con, but never finished, so I’ll be doing a rewatch from the first episode. I’ll be watching the original OVA series, but leave the sequel seasons for another time.

*6.) Princess Tutu (2002; dir. Junichi Sato & Shogo Koumoto): I needed to watch this anime after watching an amv of it titled Dance of Death (it’s got spoilers, including for what I’m assuming are the last episodes, but if you don’t mind that or have already seen it, I highly recommend giving it a gander). I watched ‘til around episode 16~ until real life interrupted, so I’m starting over and watching it from the beginning. This is the first of the three shows I’m currently watching, and up next is Ep. 02.

7.) Michiko & Hatchin (2008; dir. Sayo Yamamoto): Multiple reviewers I trust said it was good, the setting and premise sound pretty different from anime norms, and I’m intrigued by the bit of trivia that apparently the director made it explicitly for office ladies to enjoy after coming home from their shift.

8.) Star Driver (2010; dir. Takuya Igarashi): Pretty sure I learned about Star Driver from this chart tracing the work of some of the members of Be-Papas (not *everything* anime-related comes back to Revolutionary Girl Utena, but a lot of it does, yeah  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ). I’ll be watching the series, but I’m not sure about the movie since apparently it’s a compilation film, so I’ll have to think about it.

9..) Penguindrum (2011; dir. Kunihiko Ikuhara & Shouko Nakamura): I’ve heard mixed opinions on this one, but it’s an Ikuhara-directed anime so I want to watch regardless, and form my own opinions about it. I’ll watch the 24 episodes, but I’m not sure about the Re:cycle films that came out recently.

10.) Mob Psycho 100 (2016; dir. Yuzuru Tachikawa, Takahiro Hasui): Someone made a vhs recording of the show’s first OP that ran on loop, and that was apparently enough to lodge itself in my brain. I watched the first season and a couple episodes of the second, until real life interrupted, so I’ll start fresh and watch all three seasons, plus the two OVAs that were apparently made.

11.) Sarazanmai (2019; dir. Nobuyuki Takeuchi & Kunihiko Ikuhara): Another Ikuhara-directed anime. I was halfway through before real life interruptions, but watching 11 episodes should be relatively easy.

12.) Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle (2020; dir. Mitsue Yamazaki): In retrospect, I slept on this show, as I hadn’t realized it was another comedy by the director of Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun, not to mention that the premise is a nice subversion of a classic fantasy trope.

13.) Shadows House (2021; dir. Kazuki Ouhashi): I dug the gothic fantasy vibe I got from the review I read. I will be watching both seasons.

*14.) Bocchi the Rock! (2022; dir. Keiichirou Saitou): Repeatedly saw the protagonist compared to Suletta Mercury due to social anxiety, and am staying for the show’s willingness to experiment with animation. This is the second of the three shows I’m currently watching, and up next is Ep. 05.

*15.) Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury (2022; dir. Hiroshi Kobayashi & Ryou Andou): The whole reason I started watching this show was this post. And now I have brainrot am perfectly normal about this show. Starting with Ep. 02, I watched this show every Sunday it was out, and intend to resume doing so in April. It is possible that I might not be able to finish this show in 2023, since previous Gundam shows have run about ~50-ish episodes, and this show’s predecessor, Iron-Blooded Orphans, was initially slated to run only 25 episodes, only to reveal that the show length had been doubled in what would have been the last episode. So, I’ll finish Witch from Mercury in either 2023 or 2024.

*16.) The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady (2023; dir. Shingo Tamaki): Another lead compared to Suletta, this time due to rescuing a bride from her jerk fiance and being really gay. This is the third of the three shows I’m currently watching, and up next is Ep. 04.

[equiquest]

PSA: WOW YEAH I COULD USE MORE ART HELP PLEASE

Unusual upd8 Equiquest post but wow I have been cranking out a lot less remasters of the original fanventure lately due to a bunch of physical and emotional factors, even though updating the story and making people laugh is still hugely enjoyable

Just

Yeah huh

I think I should move from the passive "HEY ALSO WE HAVE AN ART TEAM OF 3-4 PEOPLE" message at the end of posts for today to ask actively if you or anyone else would like to help out on this incredibly free-form few-rules art thing

If you're seeing this you probably already know what Equiquest is (linked for the uninitiated) but if you're 18+ and would like to play around with art in our discord or could reblog this around til it finds the right people, I'd be super thankful! We got another 2000 pages to go til we're caught up on the original, and while there's no rush to get there, it feels cool getting a little further every day

[cyarsk52-20]

MUSIC

The Best Graduation Songs To Turn Up To

With songs by Kelis, Lizzo, Drake, Big Sean, Queen Bey and more, what better way to celebrate graduation day than with a Black-ass playlist?

By

Candace McDuffie

PublishedYesterday

Comments (1)

Alerts

Graduation season is upon us and what better way to celebrate this milestone than with a Black ass playlist. Once you toss that cap in the air, it’s time to gather your closest friends who both twerk and two-step. Here are songs that are absolutely necessary for the post ceremony turn up.

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2 / 13

List slides

Beyoncé, “Before I Let Go”

Queen Bey blessed the world with this absolutely fantastic Maze & Frankie Beverly cover. Not only does her version of “Before I Let Go” pay homage to original, it features an array of moves for new grads to try out including swag surfing and “work the middle ‘til it hurt a little.” 

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3 / 13

List slides

Drake, “God’s Plan”

Drake’s famous video for “God’s Plan” included him giving away a million dollars to people all over Miami, proving that generosity pays off. This sentiment makes the track an excellent graduation song for graduates as they chart out their next major life step.

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4 / 13

List slides

Mary J. Blige, “Just Fine”

Aunt Mary most upbeat anthem is a perfect way to help celebrate the big day. “Just Fine” isn’t just infectious, it’s a song that encompasses the kind of joy that follows triumph. Graduates may not know what’s coming next, but this track reminds them that it’ll be ok no matter what.

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5 / 13

List slides

Three 6 Mafia, “Stay Fly”

Even though Three 6 Mafia’s “Stay Fly” was released nearly 20 years ago, it remains the ultimate anthem for those who can’t help but effortlessly brag. Getting that diploma wasn’t an easy feat and this track reiterates how dope an individual must be to have obtained it.

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6 / 13

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Teyana Taylor, “Made It”

Teyana Taylor’s “Made It” feels more like a victory lap than a song and perfectly sums up the student experience. The track is a beautiful ode to how hard work truly pays off; Taylor also used the video to honor women graduates of color.

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7 / 13

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Juvenile, “Back That Azz Up”

Juvenile’s “Back That Azz Up” isn’t just a club staple, but it’s also the perfect post-graduation turn up song. The epic intro gives you just enough to tear off that gown and drop it low for the ‘99 and the 2000.

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8 / 13

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Big Sean, “Blessings”

Big Sean’s “Blessings” is all about gratitude for how far he’s come in life. On the track, he raps: “Blessings on blessings on blessings/Look at my life man that’s lessons on lessons on lessons.” Not only can students relate, but they can reflect about what they’ve learned so far on their journey.

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9 / 13

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Notorious B.I.G, “Juicy”

One of Biggie’s most powerful themes is about becoming something out of nothing. On “Juicy,” the late emcee rapped: “I made the change from a common thief/To up close and personal with Robin Leach.” That remarkable transformation encapsulates the dreams that many graduates are aiming for as well.

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10 / 13

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Kelis feat. Too Short, “Bossy”

Kelis was in her bag when she made “Bossy,” a song where she bragged about how she started certain trends and deserves the credit for it. This attitude is perfect for graduates who bossed up and got their degrees on their own terms.

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11 / 13

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Nipsey Hussle, “Last Time That I Checc’d”

The late rapper Nipsey Hussle made an unforgettable banger on the YG-assisted “Last Time That I Checc’d.” On the track, the Crenshaw native talked about what it took for his talent to not only be recognized, but rewarded. Surely, this resilience resonates on graduation day.

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12 / 13

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Lizzo, “About Damn Time”

Lizzo isn’t just the queen of body positivity but positivity period! Her track “About Damn Time” is a fun and irresistible track about being “way too fine to be this stressed.” Graduates know this feeling quite well and can dance to the pop star’s song about turning up taking precedence over worrying. 

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13 / 13

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[luna-the-duel-chronologist]

Yu-Gi-Oh News Report 4/10/2023

Good evening, Duelists! It’s me, Luna, the Duel Reporter and I’ve been busy for the past few days, between life, writing an article on Structure decks I’ll post later this week, and reorganizing my Yu-Gi-Oh collection, so, I’m gonna do a quick report on all the major Yu-Gi-Oh announcements this past week! Now, to keep this brief, I will not go over every single card revealed, but leave a Link where you can see them for yourselves. Make sure you stick around til the end, there’s a fantastic announcement to be made!

First of all is the absolutely amazing announcement of the next set in the Duelist Pack series in the OCG, being Duelists of Explosives!

This is a set dedicated to FIRE attribute decks from the anime, including Soulburner’s famous Salamangreat deck from Yu-Gi-Oh VRAINS, but also brand new cards for ZEXAL fans, in new cards for Alit’s Battlin’ Boxers, including a new Chaos Number!

Introducing... Number C79: Battlin’ Boxer Commander Caesar!

Rank 5 FIRE Warrior Xyz Effect Monster ATK 2600 DEF 2000 Materials: 3 Level 5 monsters (1) Gains 200 ATK for each material attached to it. (2) Once per turn, if your opponent would Special Summon a monster(s) (Quick Effect): You can detach 2 materials from this card, and if you do, negate the Summon, and if you do, destroy that monster(s). (3) If this card has “Number 79: Battlin’ Boxer Nova Kaiser” as material, it gains this effect. ● Once per turn, when an attack is declared involving your “Battlin’ Boxer” monster and an opponent’s monster: You can send 1 “Battlin’ Boxer” monster from your hand or Deck to the GY, and if you do, attach that opponent’s monster to this card as material.

Can I just say that I love this card? Cards taking other cards on the field and making them into Xyz Material has been one of my favorite mechanics since Number 101: Silent Honor ARK got released in Legacy of the Valiant. And on top of that, it has a summon negation, sets up your GY, and gets stronger for each Xyz Material it has? This monster packs a punch!

As for my thoughts on the other new Battlin’ Boxer cards, they definitely work really well with FIRE Warrior decks like Infernoble Knights. As weird as it is to see boxers and knights work together, I could definitely see Rocky go to the Renaissance Fair here.

You can read more of the new Battlin’ Boxers here! https://ygorganization.com/holdsteadyvolcanics/

Fantastic (or terrible) news for Master Duel players, Tearlaments arrive today! For those who don’t know about Tearlaments, they’re a primarily DARK and WATER Fusion deck that uses the Graveyard as a toolbox for their combos. They’re incredibly fun and work very well with other GY based archetypes like Shaddoll or Danger!

They’re also mermaids (and a manwhore) from Primeval Planet Perlereino, their Field Spell. This deck absolutely dominated both the TCG and OCG back when they were released in Power of the Elements along with one of my favorite decks, Spright. Let’s see how they do in Master Duel!

Finally is the most exciting announcement for the TCG. Announcing OTS Pack 22! Branded fans rejoice as Branded Fusion and other pieces of the Branded Despia deck will receive Ultimate Rare slots in this pack!  You can obtain OTS packs by visiting your Local Game Store and participating in a tournament!

I know I’m definitely hyped for the Ultimate Rare Branded Fusion. It’s already got a spot reserved in my collection reserved.

source: https://ygorganization.com/getyourrefresheronablazlorebeforecyac/

Those are the latest Yu-Gi-Oh news updates! I’m still a little busy, so I’ll try and keep everyone as informed as possible!

Have a nice day, and keep on Dueling! This has been Luna, the Duel Reporter signing off!

[cyarskj1899]

MUSIC

The Best Graduation Songs To Turn Up To

With songs by Kelis, Lizzo, Drake, Big Sean, Queen Bey and more, what better way to celebrate graduation day than with a Black-ass playlist?

By

Candace McDuffie

PublishedYesterday

Comments (1)

Alerts

Graduation season is upon us and what better way to celebrate this milestone than with a Black ass playlist. Once you toss that cap in the air, it’s time to gather your closest friends who both twerk and two-step. Here are songs that are absolutely necessary for the post ceremony turn up.

ADVERTISEMENT

2 / 13

List slides

Beyoncé, “Before I Let Go”

Queen Bey blessed the world with this absolutely fantastic Maze & Frankie Beverly cover. Not only does her version of “Before I Let Go” pay homage to original, it features an array of moves for new grads to try out including swag surfing and “work the middle ‘til it hurt a little.” 

ADVERTISEMENT

3 / 13

List slides

Drake, “God’s Plan”

Drake’s famous video for “God’s Plan” included him giving away a million dollars to people all over Miami, proving that generosity pays off. This sentiment makes the track an excellent graduation song for graduates as they chart out their next major life step.

ADVERTISEMENT

4 / 13

List slides

Mary J. Blige, “Just Fine”

Aunt Mary most upbeat anthem is a perfect way to help celebrate the big day. “Just Fine” isn’t just infectious, it’s a song that encompasses the kind of joy that follows triumph. Graduates may not know what’s coming next, but this track reminds them that it’ll be ok no matter what.

ADVERTISEMENT

5 / 13

List slides

Three 6 Mafia, “Stay Fly”

Even though Three 6 Mafia’s “Stay Fly” was released nearly 20 years ago, it remains the ultimate anthem for those who can’t help but effortlessly brag. Getting that diploma wasn’t an easy feat and this track reiterates how dope an individual must be to have obtained it.

ADVERTISEMENT

6 / 13

List slides

Teyana Taylor, “Made It”

Teyana Taylor’s “Made It” feels more like a victory lap than a song and perfectly sums up the student experience. The track is a beautiful ode to how hard work truly pays off; Taylor also used the video to honor women graduates of color.

ADVERTISEMENT

7 / 13

List slides

Juvenile, “Back That Azz Up”

Juvenile’s “Back That Azz Up” isn’t just a club staple, but it’s also the perfect post-graduation turn up song. The epic intro gives you just enough to tear off that gown and drop it low for the ‘99 and the 2000.

ADVERTISEMENT

8 / 13

List slides

Big Sean, “Blessings”

Big Sean’s “Blessings” is all about gratitude for how far he’s come in life. On the track, he raps: “Blessings on blessings on blessings/Look at my life man that’s lessons on lessons on lessons.” Not only can students relate, but they can reflect about what they’ve learned so far on their journey.

ADVERTISEMENT

9 / 13

List slides

Notorious B.I.G, “Juicy”

One of Biggie’s most powerful themes is about becoming something out of nothing. On “Juicy,” the late emcee rapped: “I made the change from a common thief/To up close and personal with Robin Leach.” That remarkable transformation encapsulates the dreams that many graduates are aiming for as well.

ADVERTISEMENT

10 / 13

List slides

Kelis feat. Too Short, “Bossy”

Kelis was in her bag when she made “Bossy,” a song where she bragged about how she started certain trends and deserves the credit for it. This attitude is perfect for graduates who bossed up and got their degrees on their own terms.

ADVERTISEMENT

11 / 13

List slides

Nipsey Hussle, “Last Time That I Checc’d”

The late rapper Nipsey Hussle made an unforgettable banger on the YG-assisted “Last Time That I Checc’d.” On the track, the Crenshaw native talked about what it took for his talent to not only be recognized, but rewarded. Surely, this resilience resonates on graduation day.

ADVERTISEMENT

12 / 13

List slides

Lizzo, “About Damn Time”

Lizzo isn’t just the queen of body positivity but positivity period! Her track “About Damn Time” is a fun and irresistible track about being “way too fine to be this stressed.” Graduates know this feeling quite well and can dance to the pop star’s song about turning up taking precedence over worrying. 

ADVERTISEMENT

13 / 13

List slides

MUSIC

Jimmie Allen Says He Was a 'Victim' in New Apology to His Wife Amid Sexual Assault Allegations

'I’m working on becoming a better person that my kids can be proud of,' Allen said in part.

Photo: Gilbert Flores/Variety (Getty Images)

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HBO's Succession is about to end, so we decided to bring back the recasting of the Roys (Kendall and the lot ) with…

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‘The older you get the less you care about what everybody else has to say,’ the Soul Food star said.

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‘I’m not trying to be thin, I don’t ever want to be thin,’ the Grammy winner said.

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[cyarskaren52]

MUSIC

The Best Graduation Songs To Turn Up To

With songs by Kelis, Lizzo, Drake, Big Sean, Queen Bey and more, what better way to celebrate graduation day than with a Black-ass playlist?

By

Candace McDuffie

PublishedYesterday

Comments (1)

Alerts

Graduation season is upon us and what better way to celebrate this milestone than with a Black ass playlist. Once you toss that cap in the air, it’s time to gather your closest friends who both twerk and two-step. Here are songs that are absolutely necessary for the post ceremony turn up.

ADVERTISEMENT

2 / 13

List slides

Beyoncé, “Before I Let Go”

Queen Bey blessed the world with this absolutely fantastic Maze & Frankie Beverly cover. Not only does her version of “Before I Let Go” pay homage to original, it features an array of moves for new grads to try out including swag surfing and “work the middle ‘til it hurt a little.” 

ADVERTISEMENT

3 / 13

List slides

Drake, “God’s Plan”

Drake’s famous video for “God’s Plan” included him giving away a million dollars to people all over Miami, proving that generosity pays off. This sentiment makes the track an excellent graduation song for graduates as they chart out their next major life step.

ADVERTISEMENT

4 / 13

List slides

Mary J. Blige, “Just Fine”

Aunt Mary most upbeat anthem is a perfect way to help celebrate the big day. “Just Fine” isn’t just infectious, it’s a song that encompasses the kind of joy that follows triumph. Graduates may not know what’s coming next, but this track reminds them that it’ll be ok no matter what.

ADVERTISEMENT

5 / 13

List slides

Three 6 Mafia, “Stay Fly”

Even though Three 6 Mafia’s “Stay Fly” was released nearly 20 years ago, it remains the ultimate anthem for those who can’t help but effortlessly brag. Getting that diploma wasn’t an easy feat and this track reiterates how dope an individual must be to have obtained it.

ADVERTISEMENT

6 / 13

List slides

Teyana Taylor, “Made It”

Teyana Taylor’s “Made It” feels more like a victory lap than a song and perfectly sums up the student experience. The track is a beautiful ode to how hard work truly pays off; Taylor also used the video to honor women graduates of color.

ADVERTISEMENT

7 / 13

List slides

Juvenile, “Back That Azz Up”

Juvenile’s “Back That Azz Up” isn’t just a club staple, but it’s also the perfect post-graduation turn up song. The epic intro gives you just enough to tear off that gown and drop it low for the ‘99 and the 2000.

ADVERTISEMENT

8 / 13

List slides

Big Sean, “Blessings”

Big Sean’s “Blessings” is all about gratitude for how far he’s come in life. On the track, he raps: “Blessings on blessings on blessings/Look at my life man that’s lessons on lessons on lessons.” Not only can students relate, but they can reflect about what they’ve learned so far on their journey.

ADVERTISEMENT

9 / 13

List slides

Notorious B.I.G, “Juicy”

One of Biggie’s most powerful themes is about becoming something out of nothing. On “Juicy,” the late emcee rapped: “I made the change from a common thief/To up close and personal with Robin Leach.” That remarkable transformation encapsulates the dreams that many graduates are aiming for as well.

ADVERTISEMENT

10 / 13

List slides

Kelis feat. Too Short, “Bossy”

Kelis was in her bag when she made “Bossy,” a song where she bragged about how she started certain trends and deserves the credit for it. This attitude is perfect for graduates who bossed up and got their degrees on their own terms.

ADVERTISEMENT

11 / 13

List slides

Nipsey Hussle, “Last Time That I Checc’d”

The late rapper Nipsey Hussle made an unforgettable banger on the YG-assisted “Last Time That I Checc’d.” On the track, the Crenshaw native talked about what it took for his talent to not only be recognized, but rewarded. Surely, this resilience resonates on graduation day.

ADVERTISEMENT

12 / 13

List slides

Lizzo, “About Damn Time”

Lizzo isn’t just the queen of body positivity but positivity period! Her track “About Damn Time” is a fun and irresistible track about being “way too fine to be this stressed.” Graduates know this feeling quite well and can dance to the pop star’s song about turning up taking precedence over worrying. 

ADVERTISEMENT

13 / 13

List slides

MUSIC

Jimmie Allen Says He Was a 'Victim' in New Apology to His Wife Amid Sexual Assault Allegations

'I’m working on becoming a better person that my kids can be proud of,' Allen said in part.

Photo: Gilbert Flores/Variety (Getty Images)

ADVERTISEMENT

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HBO's Succession is about to end, so we decided to bring back the recasting of the Roys (Kendall and the lot ) with…

ADVERTISEMENT

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North West's hair gives us life. Kim K is keeping her daughter's hair in amazing protective styles.

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‘The older you get the less you care about what everybody else has to say,’ the Soul Food star said.

ADVERTISEMENT

For Lizzo, Working Out Isn’t About ‘Trying to Escape Fatness’

‘I’m not trying to be thin, I don’t ever want to be thin,’ the Grammy winner said.

ADVERTISEMENT

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Nike has reportedly removed Ja Morant's sneakers from their website.

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Is Queen Camilla The Biggest Karen The Royals Have Ever Seen?

The Royal drama continues to unfold with the Karen-ish Queen in the middle and it is juicier than ever.

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Songs We Mistakenly Thought Black People Sang

The death of beloved Bobby Caldwell had us thinking about other excellent blue-eyed soul singers you need to know.

ADVERTISEMENT

Lance Reddick to Be Honored in White Men Can't Jump Remake

The film's stars Sinqua Walls and Teyana Taylor also spoke to The Root about how they brought a new flair to an old…

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Celebs Who Just Received Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

As Fast X hits theaters, Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges’ joins other fan favorites who've been honored with a star on the…

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June 2023 Books By Black Authors We Can't Wait to Read

From romance to memoir to historical fiction, June has something for every reader.

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From Vanessa Williams to Regina Hall, Gabrielle Union, Tracee Ellis Ross and Regina King--these women continue to…

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All of the Times Kim Kardashian Had North West’s Hair On Point

North West's hair gives us life. Kim K is keeping her daughter's hair in amazing protective styles.Load more slideshowsShow all 1 comments

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[measuringbliss]

Spider-Man Comics Read-through Masterpost (The Sixties)

So here's what I already read thanks to handy compilations in my country by year: 1969 (TASM 68-79 + Marvel Super-Heroes 14), 1973 (TASM 116-127 + Spectacular Spider-Man Magazine Vol 2, which I recall particularly enjoying) and 1974 (TASM 128-139 + Giant-Size Super Heroes 1 + Giant-Size Spider-Man 1 & 2). I read a few more comics here and there like one from the early 2000s with Skrulls, a Spider-Man/Wolverine team-up, and one issue where they were on an island or something... and two volumes of the recent 2022 run. I also read Civil War 1-6 and the corresponding Spider-Man issues (TASM 532-536). And I just remembered I ALSO read two other arcs: the first Clone Saga with the Jackal (TASM 144-151) and Morlun's first appearance (TASM [1999] 30-35) and YES, I never saw the actual conversation with May. I also very recently read two issues of a crossover, one where Spider-Punk fights capitalistic Kang, and [the one I really wanted to read] the one where Peter's dead and Harry fights his dad. It's pretty gay. Anyway!

Opinions:

1969's run is nice, but after reading through 1973 and 74, it all feels a bit underwhelming - but the story arc was intriguing.

1973 and 1974 are classical, and I didn't know how much they was, but they truly is. Iconic story arcs, they involve the Green Goblin who's by far my favorite villain (I was raised on those Raimi movies baby) and I was very glad to see elements of a certain arc in TASM 2. Truly excellent.

The first Clone Saga was great, and I appreciated that Mary Jane was just as affected. However, I didn't like Morlun's arc - it felt too gritty. But Peter as a university professor definitely makes sense.

I don't think I'm gonna read everything 'til today, but hey, I'm just curious and taking my time!

I guess considering all of that... I read a sensible amount of Spider-Man comics, I guess, huh? Wow.

Anyway, I'm following a... certain list because it's exactly what I needed. I've already (mostly) read through arcs 001-004, so I made a grouped post for these.

Lee & Ditko Era (001: AF 15, ASM 1-38, ASM Ann 1-2) + The start of the Lee & Romita Sr.'s Era (002 End Of The Green Goblin [ASM 39-40], 003 Horns Of The Rhino [ASM 41-43, Ann 3] & 004 Where Crawls a Lizard [ASM 44-46]: Here

005 Old Kravens and New Vultures (ASM 47-49): Here 006 Spider-Man No More (ASM 50-52): Here 007 What a Tangled Web We Weave (ASM 53-61, Ann 4): 1 2 008 The Goblin Lives (ASM 62-67): Here

Interlude - Spectacular Spider-Man 1 & 2 + Annual 5: Here

009 The Case of the Petrified Tablet (ASM 68-77): Here 010 Night of The Prowler (ASM 78-82, Ann 6): Here

Recommendations: Here

For the Seventies, go here.

[spongythedollyteapartyfan-blog]

Nostalia as college  degree or online  taxon  data, geocites ves, myspace  vs,  facebook  vs twitter verse tumblr, 

now we can only  have one accoutn on  a platform , lol, ( or  so we think) we cant act like the  trolls who  trolled us, in the same context as  Homestuck taught us,

actually, post war 1950 comics, in  repeated  high  school  and  college  university  examinations were tried and  tried again, to   be  used, to find the  voices of each  generation, just  as  Homestuck taught us, 

, themes are similar to my grandparents  games of  word  games, saduko, talking back and trolling culture, the trolls are after a  harvest of  data,

then  yes, most of it  doesnt work on a 1990 , 1980  audeince, as they were trolled to the  point of avoidence,  Disney  trolled us more, Niceoldieon  trolled us more, no 1980, 1990 person would actively want ot  get  trolled by a skilled  troll, we  give  wrong  answers all the time, , we were th e generation of 1990 ″ hmm,  yeah naa, but no”

in some instances a  tv show  or movie gave a particular culture  a  voice,  but then it  took it  back, the  Simpsons  gave native indigenous cultures a point ot  say, hey, they are mentioning  the  trashing of   the world and the neglect of  values,

the voice of the voiceless,  was the  troll paradise,

, in 1960 , 1970, 1980, 1990 audiences were too busy on our community clean ups, we went out with a bag each month to  clean up  our water ways, and then the governments  made a law to  stop average  citezins  form cleaning public land, so they  got people jobs ot  do the jobs we  did  for  free, and the the  council  worker  would troll us  and  follow us and stalk us  for  doing thier  job on their  day off , on a  weekend, on thier  day off, saying :LOL you again, i can do  a better job”

so then we  went online,  sick of   people trolling us and stalking us,

til then the governement worker realised where we  were and went online and  made  laws ot  stop us  being online, having  made us asll logging onto  a governemnt  database to   show our  locations day in day out in 2020,. what a  troll situation we have  gotten oueselves into, feeding trolls and   the  twitter,  thought, ah well we  dont  need peopel who  know  what  trolling  behaviour of  data  collection is, so ,  get them off twitter  before they tell the    mindless zombies what is  happening, , we  want  real answers, not,  tea pot poets,  sucking on  lemon tea, , as a few trolls  describe me as a  cave   dwelling   pixie,” 

hey  didint we  learn  form  30  years of internet,  1980 1990 2000;s  the  etiquette  rules were, “ dont   reveal our identities”,  dont  give location,  dont  do  mindless time online,  letting a  data  app know  why  you swipes left and  right, 

but  sure we  put  our information into   “homestuck name finder”, , “what  percentage of  troll  are  we,”  what  taxon data   . “:homestuck  fanfiction  generator “

for  1990 internet, we were too busy on

1 chat forums and

2 internet  games ( that took 2 hours ot load) and  5 to 30  minutes ot play

and

3,  9 to  5  job,

4,and planning a gardening landscape type job for their parents retirment home, as it was the in thing to walk around  town collecting   garbage,

some peopels  garbage was  like a nostalgia  trip,  walking around in the garbage   dump pit at the  end of the  street , where  people  dumped all their collectables, then,  we  would   have had such a wonderous  supply of information,

and then  the  same govemerment troll who found out, now owns a nostaligia shop, with everything  we  threw out of our house from when we  were  kids to  adults,,

the point about 1990s was that it  was pure mass produced saturation, to the  point  everyone  had bart simpson underwaer, shirts, hats

the lisa  simpson  motivaiton of  going to college,  was  also a  motivaiton of many

..,our assignments at university / college in 1980/ 1990 was  to  examine our own clique, we had  just gotten out of the  mod, or hippie era of classic  batman puns about saving the  world and  bouregouisee. vs corporate culture, non of us  joined the corporate  culture, so , or  own  circle of  friends, the  nerd, the goth, the mods, we were too busy, creating our own fanfictions in 1990 as well,

our  colege  course in 1980 / 1990  depended on self, other and  community, , self identity,community identity, not  realising that, the governement troll  was hoping  we  would get  a job out of  our “nostalgia  degrees” in looking into  our pasts, we would not  have had a clue the troll was after a nostalgia hit,  , to have realised what movies and tv shows were about in 1990 to  feed the troll,  

but we  did our  best to  tarnish all the past,  lol,

but  middway through 1990, 1998,  when the  internet  took  hold and  everyone  was online , well 25% of the   world online, ,

(side note),, in also most  govemrnets in free nations like america and  australia UK canada, banned studies of popular culture and history, so the  governement troll, took a  deep dive into  every university course around th e world, and  got  paid to  do that job of  trolling,

 during a global university  crack  down on  college degrees where the end result was, , us, of the  trolled audeince, we were the data worth  finding  for, so our jobs ended up as online  blogging, travel bologs,  all  day for  40 years,

lol its fun and its fun to  have many variations of  ourselves online,

so, yes, some of the  1990;s culture of  repeat  1950 post  war  Batman, marvel,  super heroes ,  crime fighting  ninja  schools of displaced, and oppressed individuals,  who had no  friends in   real life and

we only knew people online, we  didint  know  our  neighbour,  is the  genre of  connection that  most  1990 audiences  knew about,  

the only people Homestuck would trigger is the parents of the 1990 teenagers without  headphones  like that are readily available in  2022,

“ parents i assume who  had to  listen to repeat showing of said nostaligia  “ lampshading”

one movie example would be the movie  Pearl Habour, with its loudness and, love theme nostalgia for the  1940 crowd, who  have  since moved on from the  nursing home to  be  replaced by  50  year olds,  who love their classic  1980, 1990 shows, that  dan schnieder  churns out on  nickelodian .lol

nursing home  

dental plan,

Disney owns all,. yet one thing  that, a troll never understands, is that online life is  way different ot the person who does the  data entry, its  why, the money  made from   civid lockdown caused a  global recession, cos  just like homestuck, there are over,  870K gender identies online,  enough  to  give  a troll  of internet life of data entry a many “matrix obsession”,  of too many lose ends, no real  data matched the  real  data, that  covid  tracing  tried to  find, i think that is the best  lesson learnt  form  current Homestuck  stories and fanfiction generated plot lines , and  gaming  culture, that,  recite the lines in the fanfictions as well

Name Llamamiji  Brood

Blood color: deep blue Lusus: a rook Interests: zombie films Trollian handle: crookedTinker Strife specibus: axkind God Tier: Maid of Void Land: Land of Valleys and Artifacts Consorts: purple newts Denizen: Hecate Dreams on: Derse

[silverkat1620]

I posted 2,825 times in 2022

That's 2,683 more posts than 2021!

59 posts created (2%)

2,766 posts reblogged (98%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@theroseandthebeast

@fancandy77

@phoenixyfriend

@gravedangerahead

@swingsetindecember

I tagged 2,799 of my posts in 2022

Only 1% of my posts had no tags

#star wars - 235 posts

#interview with the vampire - 157 posts

#stranger things - 138 posts

#queer things - 130 posts

#funny - 125 posts

#tiktok - 121 posts

#our flag means death - 104 posts

#fandom - 89 posts

#accurate - 86 posts

#fanfic - 84 posts

Longest Tag: 131 characters

#i mean - cooking shows where you have to gather shit (looking at you guy fieri) still give you salt pepper and flour in your corner

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Anybody want to make an 2000s style vid of Maul to "No More Mr. Nice Guy" from the animated movie The Swan Princess?

I have no vid making chops but I feel like it's a true meeting of souls.

10 notes - Posted May 18, 2022

#4

I did a thing!

12 notes - Posted May 30, 2022

#3

I did another thing

23 notes - Posted June 2, 2022

#2

Because Our Flag Means Death has taken over my brain: have some limericks I jotted down at work today.

There once was a pirate named Stede

Who hated his life so he fleed

Away to the ocean

With such a commotion

That Blackbeard looked on him with greed

*****

*****

There once was a pirate named Ed

Who was so bored he preferred to be dead

'Til he met a gent

Of improbable bent

Who really quite went to his head

38 notes - Posted March 22, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Ed: And how is the most beautiful man in the Caribbean today?

Stede: I don’t know, how are y-

Lucius: *from another part of the ship* I’m great thanks!

449 notes - Posted March 21, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[biolizardboils]

my fanmixes (mobile-friendly edition)

(click on a title to see that mix’s dedicated post, where you can choose a platform to listen to it on! if a song is missing on any platform, please let me know so I can fix it asap!! also feel free to ask me about why i chose specific songs, pretty please)

(as of 2023 i also make mashups! more on those here!)

(last updated on May 21st, 2023!)

Sonic the Hedgehog

UP / DOWN / ALL AROUND (2015) — OUTDATED.

the chaos is the constant (2016) — OUTDATED.

REVELRY (2017)— Made for the release of Sonic Mania. New jack swing, 80’s dance-pop, future funk.

REVOLT (2017) — Made for the release of Sonic Forces. Hard and alternative rock, post-grunge, house, drumstep.

circumnavigation (2018) — A tribute to Sonic Unleashed. Alternative rock, movie soundtracks, and various selections from around the world.

READY TO RUN (2020) — A personal mix for Movie!Sonic, aka Sonic Wachowski. Folk rock, pop punk, electronica.

Here Come the 90’s (2021) — A retelling of the four big Classic-era games. New jack swing, 80’s synth rock, 90’s pop rock, r&b.

Above the Waves (2021) — A tribute to Sonic Adventure, with songs for each major location and playable character. Jazz fusion, hard rock, and techno-pop from the mid-to-late 90’s.

Among the Stars (2021) — A tribute to Sonic Adventure 2, with a heavy focus on Shadow. Hard, punk, and alternative rock from the early 2000’s and beyond.

MMVI (Due Mille Sei) (2021) — A somber reflection on Sonic ‘06, and its effects on both the characters and the entire series. Acoustic-heavy indie pop and alternative rock.

Chromaticity (2021) — A rave-worthy tribute to Sonic Colors. House, EDM, and dance-pop from the early 2010’s.

AGES (2021) — A tribute to Sonic Generations, featuring the stylings of the last five fanmixes. Pop rock, dance-pop, EDM, and miscellaneous.

THE WAY WE ROLL (2022) — A sequel to READY TO RUN, as wild and eclectic as Sonic Movie 2. Pop punk, acoustics, atmospheric rock.

POV: You live next to Club Rouge (2022) — Not a playlist, but otherwise self-explanatory. Miscellaneous EDM.

digitally_restored (2023) — A structured recounting of Sonic Frontiers, and how it reestablishes the world and those in it. Pop punk, metalcore, artpop.

Gravity Falls

steady as the stars in the woods (2016) — A goodbye mix made a few days before the show ended. Indie folk, folk rock.

A REAL WISEGUY (2016) — A tribute to Bill Cipher; his deceptive charm, his depravity, and his possible regret. Electro swing, drumstep, moombahton.

faded pictures bleached by sun, vol. 1, 2, 3, and 4 (2017) — Four playlists that capture the general mood of 10 episodes each. Indie folk, folk rock, alternative rock.

How To DJ R-R-Right (2022) — Not a playlist, but an hour-long mixset to celebrate the show’s 10th anniversary. Folktronica/folk house, glitch hop, trap, and miscellaneous EDM.

Captain Underpants

Extra Crunchy Playlist o’ Fun (2017) — OUTDATED.

Usually Responsible (2017) — A tribute to George and Harold’s lifelong friendship, as shown in the books. Acoustic, alternative, and pop rock, 90’s and 2000’s hip hop.

SIDE A: The Warden / SIDE B: Mr. Blue Sky (2017) — Two mixes about Mr. Krupp, the Captain himself, and how they might feel about each other if they met. Bluegrass, piano rock, chiptune, TV show theme songs, indie rock.

Other

the hero of time descends. (2015) — A somber mix for Link from Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask. Indie folk, stomp and holler, art pop.

‘til i’m done growing up (2015) — An eclectic tribute to the MOTHER/EarthBound trilogy. Alternative rock, soft rock, worldbeat, folk.

and the world’s gonna know your name. (2018) — A tribute to the Super Smash Bros. series, made for the release of Ultimate. Chiptune, hip-hop, EDM.

“if you wanna be saved…” (2019) — A super-late retelling of Cuphead. 1920’s big band and swing.

AiR BALLOON (2019) — A loose retelling of NiGHTS’ backstory and character arc, combining the stories and musical stylings of both NiGHTS games. Dark cabaret, electronica, indie folk.

[tomsmusictaste]

Tom's Top Singles 2021

Couldn't relegate it to just an album post for this year, all these singles were songs I had on repeat a-plenty.

11. Molotov (OK) - Stand Atlantic | Ok I can only put 10 images in the post, and it's a 'top 10 list,' but I felt I had to acknowledge this as at least an honourable mention. Molotov instantly launched itself into the upper echelons of my favourite StandAt songs, I love the raw energy and the more aggressive punk-rock sound it has. Certified banger.

10. P.M.A. - All Time Low feat. Pale Waves | This just really captures the feel of the past few years. The primary guitar riff is very reminiscent of The Kids Aren't Alright by The Offspring, that is to say it slaps, the chorus is very catchy and the song is chock full of some gosh-darn relatable lyrics.

9. Control Freak - Doll Skin | After two of their members leaving to pursue other projects, I wasn't sure what the new Doll Skin was gonna sound like, but I needn't have worried. Syd's vocals are on-point, the instrumentation is just as good as ever and Doll Skin are still killing it. I'm very much looking forward to their next album.

8. IDGAF - As It Is | As It Is' lead single off their upcoming album. A slightly different sound than their previous work, which I wasn't sure about at first, but once the chorus and the guitars really kick in it's infectious. When I think about what I was listening to this year, this is one of the very first songs that comes to mind.

7. Outta My Head - State Champs | Aptly named, I got to see the lads premiere this song at Slam Dunk Festival, which was great, and since they released it I have not been able to get it out of my head. State Champ's have such a solid consistency in their sound and again, I am looking forward to the eventual album.

6. Dynamite - As Sirens Fall | Took some time to grow on me, but once it did I was belting out the chorus all over the place. These guys have put out nothing but banger after banger and they deserve so much more attention than they have right now.

5. Just Sound - State Champs | Another one from the Champs, their lead single accompanied by a Bob Ross parody music video, was a surefire way to get this song stuck in my head. As I said before, State Champs have been so solid at maintaining that classic NFG style pop-punk sound, catchy upbeat riffs and melodies, and Derek's voice has never sounded better.

4. Once In A Lifetime - All Time Low | 'Til I hit an ALL TIME LOW! Namedropping yourselves is one way to make a line instantly iconic. Wake Up Sunshine was my favourite ATL release in a while, and hearing them continue that sound with this single was fantastic, not to mention the song itself is catchy as all hell.

3. Walk Over My Grave - Yours Truly | Another band who deserve more attention! Their album Self Care was one of my absolute favourites from last year and I loved this how single took their sound in a slightly heavier, but not too heavy direction, not to mention Mikaila's vocals, which are just phenomenal.

2. I Miss 2003 - As It Is | They're right! I do miss 2003! I honestly hadn't been too hot on the singles released after IDGAF, but this one absolutely blew me away. The nostalgia! The riffs! The references! It absolutely made me want to sing New Found Glory at the top of my lungs at 4am, and honestly what more can you ask for?

1. Bite Me - Avril Lavigne feat. Travis Barker | By the far the most unexpected addition to this list, and yet Avril takes the no. 1 spot. Bite Me was a blast from the past in all the right ways, and this really felt like a huge song for the resurgence of that Early 2000's pop-punk sound everyone seems to be trying to recapture these days. Soon as I heard it I knew it was one I was gonna be re-listening and re-listening to - and I was right. Bite Me absolutely and unrelentingly SLAPS.

[1833outboy]

thanks @padawanryan for the tag!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

9

2. What’s your total AO3 wordcount?

169,181

3. How many fandoms have you written for and what are they?

well, ao3 says one, but i have friends and doctor who fanfics i wrote years ago on other sites

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Said I'll Be Fine Sunshine Riptide Spiral of Shame Sat Next To You, Watched You Smile Photo-Proofed Kisses

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

i try to! i'm not always the best at doing so in a timely manner, i need to get better at that, but i appreciate the hell out of each and every one

6. What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

'Til Your Heart Goes Numb, for sure. i like it, i think it's haunting in the way i wanted and it's certainly spooky and sad if that's what you want in a halloween fic, but well, 3/4 of fob end up dead lol. i don't think it's something i'd write nowadays, i've gotten soft in the 3 years since i wrote it.

7. Do you write crossovers? If so what’s the craziest one you’ve written?

no. said i'll be fine came closest in that it's loosely based on the movie 50/50, but no outright crossovers.

8. Have you ever received hate on a fic?

not exactly, but back in the late 2000s the fic commenting scene was... quite different, and critiques about grammar and stuff were much more common. occasionally i'd post a fic and get a little paragraph of notes about my bad grammar or how my interpretation of a character wasn't as good as theirs lol. constructive criticism was encouraged, and sometimes the line between being constructive and just being kind of a petty dick was very thin. i'm glad things are different nowadays.

9. Do you write smut? If so what kind?

it features in my fics, yeah, but it's usually second to the characters and the plot tbh. i don't think i'm great at smut and sometimes it's not as fun as writing the build up lol. i can't imagine i'd write a fic that's entirely smut or kink.

10. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

not that i know of *touches wood*

11. Have you ever had a fic translated?

no, but that'd be awesome!

12. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

no, but that'd also be awesome! i did rp on dreamwidth from 2011 to like 2017, and the way we used to rp in games on that site was basically an unorganised way of co writing a fic tbh. a fic that changed povs every few paragraphs, but still.

13. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

...peterick. tbh it is difficult, because as long as the hyperfixation is on a ship, that's gonna be my all time favourite lol. but right now it's peterick.

14. What’s a wip that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

ugh, don't make me look at all these gdocs.

okay, there is a fic that lives permanently in my head and has done since 2019. it's a childhood friends to lovers thing where patrick lives on a farm as a child, but finds a stray wolf/large dog in the woods nearby. he brings it home and oh, what do ya know, it turns into a boy named pete, who can turn into a wolf at will. pete and patrick are close friends as kids, but grow apart and pete disappears - then there's a timeskip and they reunite as adults, and they fall in love. it's a slow burn coming of age friends to lovers thing, as well as all manner of other stuff.

it probably sounds stupid and convoluted and stuff, but it's very vivid in my head. the problem comes when trying to write any of this down. it's all perfect in my head, but nothing sounds right when put to paper. my perfectionism i guess, will ensure it doesn't get written, sigh.

15. What are your writing strengths?

i think i'm pretty good at getting emotions across. i also like writing dialogue and like to hope i'm alright at that.

16. What are your writing weaknesses?

the above mentioned perfectionism: i cannot for the life of me write without editing as i go. i procrastinate... a lot. i also don't think i'm great at descriptive scenes or like, working out where characters are or exactly what they're doing at any given moment lol

17. What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

i'm for it! context probably matters, and i think if the pov character understands then it should probably be translated in some way, but yeah. i don't see any problem with it!

18. What was the first fandom you wrote for?

it was friends fandom, back in 2008 lol. my first fic was called 'friends season 11' and written in script format...

19. What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

it's probably a tie between said i'll be fine and sunshine riptide.

uhhh. i tag... @toorational @hum-my-name @glitterandrocketfuel @gothfob @laudanumcafe and anyone else who wants to! sorry if you've been tagged already lol

[taglegend]

Tag Fact #3 -  I’ve come to realize I’ve always been a fan artist more than I thought. so here is a timeline of influences that shaped my childhood to now. from nostalgic times, to sad changes, to great loss, to strange rises to fame and phases, to stepping stones and finally a laughing place. all the things that make up your favorite fan artist Tag.

1. Rayman (bumped into this in the year of 1999) was actually the first fandom (with crossovers) I bumped into when I was 9. although the internet wasn’t available at the time it was still fun to dwell in home amusements. I remember the storylines and the OC’s I made but they’re kind of embarrassing and it’s probably a good thing there was no internet. I’ve done fanart and comic crossovers of Rayman with Calvin and Hobbs and Nights Into Dreams, spinoffs of Sonic the Hedgehog OC’s, Yoshi with Pikachu, and the Pokemon/Digimon craze with OC’s and other Nintendo comic shorts. but the drawings and comics are long gone and disappeared in the garage in a backpack due to suspecting my sister’s dad accidentally throwing them away. years later towards the year 2018 (now 28), we decided to move to North Carolina and it was my chance to find them again. unfortunately the backpack was gone just like I suspected (my main stuff), but for some reason I found my Pokemon/Digimon fanart, a good batch of Super Mario drawings (vaguely remember doing these), my sister’s drawings and some other neighborhood kids’ drawings in a dirty box. I was partially happy I found something at least but it was the backpack I wanted the most. sometimes I regret not looking for the backpack (’cause I was too busy being a kid) but it’s alright, noone needs to see that shit anyway, ha ha. anyways, I recall being a fan of Rayman from 1999 ‘til 2002.

2. Sonic Adventure 2 Battle (bumped into this in the year of 2003) my second fandom I bumped into when I was 12 going on 13. at the time, my sister and I both liked the Sonic The Hedgehog Franchise based on the Battle remake and ended up making our own secret fanart club that consisted of only us two members. she liked Sonic (and that was her boyfriend, ha ha) and I liked Knuckles (and he was my boyfriend, ha ha) and we were crazy in love about Shadow’s backstory. we listened to the game’s soundtracks as we drew fanart and comics after school and man, those were good times. however, as we grew older towards the year of 2005, we ended up having separate rooms and I believe it played a part in disconnecting on the same interest. then one day, I asked her why she wasn’t into Sonic anymore and she replied, “Because I grew up.” I was sad after that and slowly observed that she was influenced by the emo culture and the new friends she’s made. I was the only member of our little club for a little longer...but eventually I moved on too. I still have some surviving fanart we did together but it doesn’t mean shit anymore since she turned out to be an abusive mother from the last I’ve heard of her. 

3. Gorillaz (bumped into this in the year of 2006). as the Sonic years were at its end, I first heard the song “Feel Good Inc” on Music Choice and seeing the first image of them as displayed on this post (except the fan-made background doesn’t count since I can’t find the original artwork). this was my third fandom and later had proper access to the internet to the website I still currently use called DeviantArt. at first I liked 2D but eventually fell for Murdoc and developed a spiritual connection towards the character as obviously seen in my old fanart and rare photos of my devotion shrines on Valentine’s Day and his birthday every year. for the longest time since being a permanent fan from 2006-2017 (11 1/2 years) I had no knowledge that it was a political propaganda band and other realizations I don’t want to talk about. I only followed them because it was a cartoon and not the bullshit behind the musical project. the world I’ve built and support for them for all those 11 1/2 years shattered the fuck out of me and I just wanted to be left alone to find myself again, somehow. activity stopped on all my profiles, the flow of fanart stopped since I now cringe from the fan service and felt I was used for my talent. I didn’t want to be reminded of it all so I took down all my Gorillaz fanart and archived them for old followers’ nostalgia but also in the hopes they’ll be forgotten in my timeline. I ceased to exist in the fandom for huge personal reasons but it’s best to not say why. I know for sure that the fandom wonders what happened but it’s none of their business. THE END.

4. Waluigi (although I knew he’s been around since 2000 during childhood, I took deep interest once I revisited the character again in the year of December 2013). as silly as this sounds, when I revisited him again, the character was so bizarre that I ended up staying up 3 nights and 3 days in a row just looking all over the internet on everything about him and the questionable “hush-hush” absence of a backstory. despite there being no backstory he slowly gained a cult following and in many ways it’s a good thing. however, since the early 2010′s tension has been building up between Nintendo and its fans about him starring in a main game but everyone hasn’t fully gotten it in their heads that it’s not gonna happen. as long as Nintendo is in control of that, the fandom will not win, I’m sorry to say. on the other hand, if it’s going to be this way, then that’s what fanart and comic projects are for. as for me, I am doing my very best to get my comic project “Waluigi Land” going. again, I apologize if it’s taking very long to get Chapter 2 going if you’ve been keeping track but aha moments need to develop before I start permanent drawing (since concepts, character design and storyline needed improvement badly). as of right now I am still a Waluigi fan and I will not quit on him.

5. Turbo from Wreck-It-Ralph (although it debuted in 2012, I watched the movie two years later into the year 2014). for some bizarro reason, I had an unhealthy obsession with this character to the point where I dressed up as him for Halloween 2014. only 2 fanarts of him and the Turbo Twins exist on my profiles, mainly because my mind was more focused on just ‘thinking about him’ or ‘being him’ rather than drawing physical drawings. luckily, this supposed alleged fandom didn’t last long a little after Halloween so I chalk it up as a very short phase. to this day I don’t know what has gotten over me about him. the only thing I can think of now is that I think it’s because the character had yellow eyes and teeth but I don’t know. now that I think of it, that little fucker was ugly as hell and I STILL don’t know what had gotten over me. one day, my brother mentioned what that was about, and I said to him, “I don’t wanna talk about it.”

6. Undertale (although it debuted in 2015, I later took interest in it in 2016). It was all about Sans and Papyrus. I couldn’t get enough of the skeleton bros. eventually Toriel and Mettaton EX became my favorites but it took a long time to draw more of all 4 of them because I had other important things to do in my life plus I was still waiting for the next Gorillaz album to revive my imaginative juices (or so I thought). I really want to have this as one of my frequent fandoms but I just don’t have time for it anymore. it’s still in the back of my head to want to draw them but at this point I still have other better interests to be in. and besides, I’m lazy just like Sans.

7. Cuphead (June 28th, 2017 was the official day I called quits on the British-based band Gorillaz due to the bullshit behind it. since that date I was lost, had no inspiration to look forward to and no cartoon guy to make me smile...but lo and behold of the same year, I took an interest in playing the game Cuphead and man...that shit was a frightening exaggerated metaphor for being on that one drug (forgot the name though) and having sex at the same time but man that was the best fun I’ve had in years. I mean, it’s like, enemies are just so happy to murder you and that scared the shit outta me. and the facial exaggeration?....I think I should stop, ha ha. anyways, the Moldenhauers saved my ass from spiraling down, they have no clue. anyways, eventually I became a permanent fan of their work so to ease the hurt and erase my past from the G-fandom I had to re-wire my brain into a different cartoon category that’s a rather more American, so anything Toon related like Roger Rabbit, Felix the Cat or another favorite that’s a western-based cartoon makes me feel better, especially my new man .......King Dice <3 <3<3<3. however, there was something about this new fandom category I still didn’t quite understand until the date March 14th, 2020. I finally understood what it was but I feel I shouldn’t bring it up. anyways, Cuphead and anything western or rubber hose is my last stop in inspiration for the remaining years of my life. many say never say never but I believe I’ve found my laughing place and that’s all that matters.

[artificialqueens]

Sanctuary (Jalaska) - Grinder

AN: Wow…been a hot minute since I posted anything to AQ. Currently working on a series but decided I should give myself a wee break and write something else. This is a songfic based on Sanctuary by Joji whom I absolutely adore. And, who knows, maybe I’ll write more Joji inspired fics and make it a collection. Anyway, I hope y'all enjoy! Stay safe!

Lots of love to all the discord people for helping me with this and, especially @artificialeevee and V. If anyone of you are thinking about joining the server, do it!

The year is 9872. And I’ve fucking had it.

The name’s Jinkx Monsoon; intergalactically tolerated American space Historian, a linguist of 3 human languages, and 4 alien languages.

Location: Space somewhere.

I have a question; Is it wrong to destroy the only housekeeper on your ship, an AI bot whose sole purpose is to clean and only clean? It’s nothing personal against the bot. It’s just…the thought of thriving as a glamorous space housewife for an hour or two is very appealing to me at this moment.

You see, life on the Sanctuary ship isn’t exactly exciting anymore.

Dumb name. The place is anything but a sanctuary. Ivy and I just call it ‘Big Debbie.’

Speaking of Ivy, she’s fallen asleep at the wheel again. Yes, this has happened before—a few times. The first time, we all had a laugh about it. The second time, we joked about how it was becoming a habit. But the third time, it was starting to kind of get on the Captain’s nerves.

The ship has been spinning in slow circles for half an hour now. Shea storms in, flicks Ivy in the ear, waking her up. I breathe a laugh out of my nostrils as Ivy rolls her eyes. The ship stops spinning and is back on course. Destination? Nowhere.

I notice how Shea looks at me now as I sit my feet up on the controls. She looks like she wants to say something. But what is there to even say? She shares my exact thought and leaves the room.

I look at Ivy as she types away on her keyboard, a bowl of yogurt in my hand, cold spoon in the other. “What are you thinking about?”

“All the fuel we’re wasting.” She puts on a fake smile, hiding her frustration.

Before I get another chance to speak, Phi Phi sits in the other pilot seat, next to me, and slaps my feet off the control panel. “Can we please avoid accidents?”

“What’s the fun in that?” I sulk. Heck, at least it would give us all something to talk about.

Who even are we anymore? And how did we get here?

Let me explain.

-_-_-_-

9869. 3 Years Ago

“Be warned, Monsoon; If you mess this up, you’re out of here.” Alyssa’s words ran circles in my head.

I resisted the urge to grab a glass of complimentary wine as I walked around the exhibition room, nodding and offering a fake smile to the attendees. The wine probably tasted like ass. These folks loved that type of stuff. I wasn’t part of their social class, not used to such tastes, so it was a hard pass on the booze. However I hoped my green emerald tea dress told them that I was one of them. Not that it would have mattered anyway. To them, I was just staff. But I knew I was so much more than that.

I was pretty good at hiding my nerves. This opportunity wasn’t given to just anyone, something I have waited on for a long time. I was to host an entire exhibition, the Universal Museum of Space History’s Lost Treasures reveal. A “One Night Only” event with a guest list of people who probably ate breakfast with a second cousin to a Royal at least once in their lives. And I couldn’t fuck it up. I couldn’t.

Before I walked into the room that night, I was just a tour guide, and in the current Century, it wasn’t as glamorous as it sounded. My manager, Alyssa insisted that we stick to the science-y feel. Instead of having an actual real live tour guide, we just used a hologram instead. And that hologram was yours truly. Groovy, right?

But this event? This meant opportunities. A possible promotion! And not to mention, I would be a part of something big. I was blessed with the task of unveiling a one of a kind artifact. No one knew where it came from. Or the real name. But they called it the Revitalization Grain. The name didn’t do it justice.

This pretty, glowy stone brought forth the growth of nature, crops, and resources. If I was a saleswoman, this is the part I’d say, “But wait! There’s more.” It had healing properties, offered a sort of hit, and even brought someone back from the dead (apparently).

Standing in that room, with all the aristocrats surrounding me, I was the only person who knew all that. The amount of digging and snooping around I had to go through to obtain this information was extensive.

Of course, not everything about the stone was known yet; where it came from, if it was life-form made or natural, or what its real name was.

I passed a Glarglaxian, and she wriggled her scaled fingers in a wave at me. I asked her how she was doing. Not that I cared. It was all about being a good hostess. But I really wanted to grab her and say, “Wait 'til you see the shit we’re about to pull out.” The excitement was getting to me.

Greeting a few others, I saw the tall woman standing in front of a floor-length window, staring out at the galaxy and sipping her wine. Damn, she looked classy in her long black mermaid dress, her blonde hair falling to her lower back. She looked human; therefore, I guessed that was what she was.

She seemed lonely, and I had to be a good little hostess and make her feel welcome. I walked up to her and cleared my throat. She turned to look at me, and I swear her eyes were black pits. She blinked, and I saw her eyes were actually just a dark brown. Maybe it was just the lighting in the place.

“I hope everything is up to a satisfactory standard for you, ma'am.” I started before spurting out a few other statements.

“Yes,” she drawled, “I’m having a ball.”

I rose on my toes and lowered to the ground again. “I can see that.”

“Well…if I could make one improvement, I would have chosen someone else for the entertainment. Someone more…electronic.” The woman said, her eyes trailing behind me.

I looked around to the other side of the room, where Cher was singing something a bit more slow and soft for her tastes. Yes, we bagged Cher for this gig. The woman was centuries old and still an absolute diva. How she hadn’t been given her own planet yet was beyond me. I think her Mom was in the crowd too.

“I couldn’t agree more with you, ma'am.” I looked back at the blonde.

“Please. Alaska will do."

Alaska…Strange choice of name. The last name of Nocturna, USA, Earth. It had been known as Nocturna for over 2000 years. Quite peculiar to choose a name like that.

"Apologies.” I smiled.

Alaska held out her glass of wine. “Here.”

I waved a dismissive hand. “Oh, I shouldn’t.”

“You can stop with the formalities, Jinkx. I can feel your anxiety."

"My anxiety?” This caught me off guard. And not to mention, “wait…how did you…?”

Alaska pointed a perfectly manicured finger to the left of my chest. I looked down. The name tag. “Oh. Of course. How silly of me."

"Weird spelling. But, other than that, I like it.” Alaska commented.

“Um, no. It’s spelled normally."

"Well, it was originally spelled without a 'k.’”

“No. It’s always had the 'k.’”

“No. The human race only started to spell it with the 'k’ when Jinkx Jenner was born back in the 49th Century.”

Alaska sipped her wine, and I was speechless. How the fuck didn’t I know that? I didn’t want to sound like one of those 'I’m an intellectual’ types. But I had dedicated a significant amount of time to learning about my origin planet’s history. Even going back to the caveman times.

Alaska ended the void of silence, offering me her wine once more. “Here. Drink up, Jinkx-y.”

My face flushed at the nickname, blinking a few times before finally accepting the drink. I took just a sip, not to appear unprofessional. As I expected, it was bitter. But I tried to hide my scowl and handed it back. Alaska’s upper lip curled up.

“Like that’s going to do anything.” She commented.

“Honestly, I’m fine. But thank you for the offer.” I beamed, putting my hands together. “Are you here alone?”

“No. I’m here with…friends.” She stretched the ’s’ sound. Her gaze traveled to a particular group of people. Looking around, I took in how attractive they all were. They all had glitter painting the side of their faces. And their lashes were long and thick, just like hers.

And dumbass me just came out with it. “God, you’re all so attractive.”

Looking back, my eyes widened. Why I had said it, I have no idea.

“Thank you.” She drawled.

“I-I…that just came out. I’m sorry.” I stammered.

“Don’t worry. We get it all the time.” Alaska stated before smiling.

I thought she was just gloating. But if I had known back then what I know now, it would have meant something else entirely.

Hours later, I was giving a speech that I must have written over 50 times before being proud of the final product. There was a red velvet curtain behind me. I was moments away from pulling a gold rope, dropping the curtain, and finally revealing the Revitalization Grain. The mixture of anxiety and excitement stirring inside was euphoric.

While I was delivering the speech, I spotted Alaska in the crowd, how eager she looked. Her friends were scattered around the room, sharing her expression. It only made me more excited.

And finally. Pulling the gold tassel, dropping the curtain, the stone was finally revealed in its glowing glory. I heard the crowd gasp in surprise. But I was too busy staring at the stone in its glass container.

And gasps turned to shrieks. This was what caught my attention.

I looked around. Alaska and her friends were holding laser guns, pointing them at the other guests. I don’t know why, but Cher started singing again. I guess maybe she was trying to calm the situation. For fuck sake.

“What the fuck??” I exclaimed as Alaska made her way towards me.

No. Towards the Revitalization Grain.

“It’s been a great night, beautiful people.” Alaska looked at the crowd once before turning and smashing her gun into the glass, smashing it to pieces. Oddly iconic.

My heart had risen to my throat as I watched her reach in and lift the stone. Where the fuck was the security?? Before I had the chance to act, the stone’s light became brighter in a matter of seconds. So bright if I hadn’t looked away, I probably would have been blinded.

I shielded my eyes, hearing the shrieks from the crowd along with Cher still singing like the legend she was. And when the light dimmed, I looked back.

And my stomach knotted.

Alaska’s hair was longer now, bigger, thicker, and practically white. Confirming that my earlier misjudgment was actually correct, her eyes were all black. Her skin shimmered as if glitter ran through her blood. And those nails, those perfectly manicured nails were longer and pointier.

She was a Celestial. Her friends were Celestials. How hadn’t I clocked this before, what with the glitter? And that also explained why I had just blurted out how fucking hot they all were. It was an effect they had on everyone they met.

“Thanks for being a great host, Jinkx-y.” She winked before approaching me. She held the stone tight as she leaned over and kissed me on the cheek.

Why hadn’t I tried to grab the stone? Because of the feeling of her lips on my skin, I swear I was high for a few seconds. I recovered only when she was walking down from my podium. A Glarglaxian charged as if ready to tackle her to the ground. But one of her buddies intervened, sending the Glarglaxian sliding across the shining floor with a single shove.

Alaska stood in a circle with her followers now. She turned and winked one more time. And just like that. With the flash of pink light, she was gone.

-_-_-_-

I called Alyssa immediately after the incident to just let her know how it went. She was mad because I called it “a small fuck up.“ She was a religious woman, so the string of curses and threats of hiring a hit man took me by surprise.

What seemed to be 5 minutes later, she was at the museum, her sugar baby boyfriend in tow. Her first question was, “where the flying fuck where the security?”

As far as I was aware, there was no security. Not one guard was in the room for the whole thing. Turns out, they were all hiding in a closet and smoking up. She fired them immediately. And there was no doubt I would be next.

Then came the talk with Government officials. It was all through holographs but still scary as shit. They were equally as disappointed to hear a group of Celestials had stolen something so powerful. They said the matter of the situation was so grave, the President would most definitely have to hear about it. Not one of the US or some other Earth country Presidents. The President of the Universe. So you could understand why they would rather not.

And instead of deciding amongst themselves what should be done next, they put that on Alyssa. But she was just the manager of a museum. How was that fair? And bless Alyssa and all, but she wasn’t very bright.

Because I couldn’t help but feel somewhat responsible, I piped up, offering to go and find the Revitalization Grain myself. They laughed at first. But upon expressing my knowledge of Celestials and being able to speak their language, they agreed. They would find more people.

And that was it. I was destined to travel the universe.

Of course, I cursed myself for even speaking up. I had never been a part of something like this. And I couldn’t just be like, "Hello, lovelies. Just letting you all know, I’ve changed my mind. Unemployment doesn’t sound that bad.” I drank two bottles of wine that night.

It took a year to prepare for the journey. And in the process, I met my team. Here, have a nice bullet point list I made a̶n̶d̶ ̶s̶l̶a̶v̶e̶d̶ ̶o̶v̶e̶r̶.̶

♡ Shea Couleé: The Captain.

♡ Sasha Velour: the First Mate and executive officer.  

♡ Roy Haylock: Chief Officer of the Flight Department.

♡ Ivy Winters and Phi Phi O'Hara: Pilots.

♡ Milk, Kameron Michaels, and Bob: Engineers.

♡ Willam Belli and Courtney Act: Technicians.

♡ Me, Jinkx Monsoon, narcoleptic nerd: Linguist and Historian.

We met up a few times, different planets for each occasion. I’d say our visit to Barcelona (no, not the lovely sunny destination on Earth but the planet) was what solidified our friendships.

But for that whole year, I couldn’t get one person out of my head. And that was Alaska. I thought not much of her while we talked that night at the exhibit. But that fucking kiss on the cheek. That’s what got me. The momentary high, the way I was just frozen as she walked away, robbing us all of the stone. Whenever I remember that night, all I see is her image, like some kind of PowerPoint presentation. And Baby, I love your way plays in my head . Appropriate moment to call me a simp?

-_-_-_-

9872. Present Day

But wait. That doesn’t exactly explain how you all ended up in your current situation!

Shut up. I’m getting there. I just need a wine break.

I find myself in our kitchen. On my way there, I pass Willam and Bob playing ping pong. We went through a phase where we couldn’t decide who was the best and who got to go next. But the fun had long faded away. Same with the karaoke machine. That belongs to me. I must say, if I hadn’t volunteered for this shit, I would have belted out a song and won over an audience years ago. But without getting off-topic; the karaoke machine ain’t fun anymore.

Courtney stood there in the rec room, singing the lyrics that appeared on the screen. Her once electrifying whistle tones brought down to a somber dirge. “If you’ve been waitin’ for fallin’ in love, babe you don’t have to wait on me. 'Cause I’ve been aimin’ for heaven above but an angel ain’t what I need.”

Reaching the kitchen, I pour a glass of wine and look out the window into the far off distance. And all of a sudden, I’m reminded of Alaska, standing in that window, looking classy, sipping her wine, how the glitter on her face shimmered as she turned to look at me.

“What are you smiling at?”

Fuck, Ivy’s here too. She’s sitting on a counter in the corner, eating yogurt. I look away.

“Oh. It’s nothing.” I reply.

“I haven’t seen you smile in a long time.” Ivy points out. “Is it really just nothing.”

“It’s just…something funny from back home.” I lie.

Ivy places the bowl to the side. She’s silent momentarily before her face scrunches up, tears surfacing. For fuck’s sake, curse me and my foot in mouth disease!

I sit next to my best friend as the tears come flooding. I hold her in my arms, letting her know I’m her shoulder to cry on right now. It had been years since Earth was destroyed. But the grief was still fresh for her.

Actually, for the whole team.

I’m considered the lucky one. After all, I had no loved ones left on Earth. But my team? They had families; parents, siblings, partners, children of their own. And now, they’re gone.

How the Earth was destroyed? We tried to figure it out ourselves. But with no answers, we are just wasting away, flying around in Space on our ship. Nowhere to go. No purpose in life.

-_-_-_-

9870. 2 Years ago.

I was high-key worried that a year wasn’t enough time to prepare for this mission. And this thought hit harder upon arriving on the planet Celestia.

Although, we were expecting some sort of barrier, guards, a surprise attack. But there was nothing. Huh.

The place was pretty much just a copy of Earth, except if you took 10 hits of LSD and were pushed into a never-ending hallucinogenic trip. The blue sky was an oceanic hue, clouds glittering, pink trees everywhere like someone just scattered houses and buildings in the middle of a forest. Nearby planets were visible in the sky, the stars shining bright, and I questioned whether it was night or day.

Music pulsated through the air, all different songs playing at once from all different directions; Electronic dance music. I figured that’s why Alaska wasn’t feeling Cher the night of the exhibit.

Upon approaching, Shea quickly noticed that locals weren’t exactly acting how we thought they would. They were excited, cheering, and beckoning us to land. We did so, parking in what I guessed was a parking lot? Except there were no cars.

Exiting Big Debbie, we were distracted momentarily, watching as the Celestials ran around, hand in hand, their spirits high.

But Shea got right to it. “OK! Calm down. Where’s the Revitalization Grain?”

A Celestial approached us, like an animal ready to pounce, and Shea was ready to brawl.

“Just down the street. Take a right. You’ll see a marquee all lit up. It’s just in there. Costs to get in, though.” The Celestial explained.

The fuck? How was everyone on this planet this chilled out?

We all collectively agreed to keep our lasers hidden since they seemed harmless now. But I knew they could pack a punch. I had seen it the night of the exhibition. Better to be safe than sorry.

On the way to the marquee, we bickered over how the hell we were going to even pay. Well, Shea and Sasha mostly. Willam and Courtney were more interested in how attractive the Celestials were. couldn’t blame them.

All the while, I looked around me, hoping to see a certain someone. But then again, if she saw me here, surely she’d know something was up.

Coming to the marquee’s entry line, Sasha managed to get a peek at the front of the line. People were literally paying with anything - false eyelashes, jewelry, scales from their own flesh, fake nails, whatever they had on them.

Roy decided to stay behind, the only thing he thought that would interest them being his rose-tinted sunglasses. And he was not willing to part with them. Over much debating on what we would offer, we agreed that maybe a simple handshake, a sign of peace, would suffice.

We were right. How I wished I could just live there.

When we were in, the deja vu set in. Celestials, humans, and other alien species stood around, sipping wine and talking amongst themselves. The music wasn’t live and provided by Cher. But it played from speakers in the corners, the beats fast and fitting with the environment.

And there, on a podium in the middle of the room, was the Revitalization Grain. Its glow was brighter than the last time I had seen it. The light seemed to travel through the podium and into the ground, like veins running through a human body.

I looked around for Alaska, but she was absent. Damn.

Shea gave the command, and we withdrew our weapons. The once cheerful and friendly atmosphere was brought to a grinding halt as the people began to cower. The rest of the team reassured them everything would be fine if they just stayed put. I approached the podium and lifted the precious stone.

And with that, the light from the podium disappeared, but the stone still shone bright. This was it—time to hit the road.

Everything was going so well. We had gotten back to the ship safely. No one even bothering to attack us.

But before we could get high enough, the ship started to go through what we thought was turbulence. But of course, the Celestial’s decided now was the best time to fight. They were attacking Big Debbie in their own flying pods. There was no way we were going to make it out of the planet alive.

And so we were forced to land in hopes we could fight them off. Disembarking Big Debbie, there was indeed a face-off. My team and the Celestials stood outside; the area around us was more barren and dusty than its main city area.

We were all yelling at each other, not a single word clear enough to understand with the many voices. All I got from the exchange was that we argued they had stolen a rare artifact. They claimed it belonged to them now. It was just back and forth madness.

And then came another pod, this one bigger and more glittery.

And my heart stopped.

It was Alaska.

She exited the pod.

Oooooh, Baby I love your way.  

She looked right at me as if she could sense the stone within my satchel.

I smiled shyly, “Hi, Ala- -”

“Jinkx, give me the stone.” She demanded, holding out her hand.

“Ugh…no,” I replied, clutching the satchel strap.

“Jinkx, if you don’t give me that rock…” Alaska growled as she stormed towards me. Shea tried to block her way, but with a simple wave of her hand, Shea was lifted from the ground and thrown back.

Like a dumb ass, I just screamed and took off. I abandoned my poor team, leaving them with the Celestials. But honestly, Alaska at that moment was terrifying. She really did growl. And her eyes were black pits again. Scary stuff, really.

I don’t know how long I ran for, but the sun was scorching, there was no wind or moisture in the air. I just ran and ran until I had no choice but to stop. My legs and lungs burned.

I was doubled over, hands on my knees and panting. I made a mental note to work out more, which I still haven’t done.

Looking behind me, Alaska was nowhere to be seen.

“Wh…What…?” I straightened.

A manicured hand clamped down on my shoulder, spinning me around. It was Alaska. How she had got there was beyond me.

God, she was stunning. Ooooh, Baby I lo - -

She grabbed the strap of the bag tight, which brought me out of my trance. I tugged back. “This is ridiculous! Just give it up, for crying out loud!”

“No. That stone belongs to me!”

“It belongs to the museum!”

“Jinkx, you have no idea what you’re doing!”

“I do! I’m saving my career!”

The strap snapped. And the stone flew out from the bag, flying across the rocky plain. We ran for it. Alaska was slightly faster than me. The only way I could think to reach the stone before she did was to fling myself to the ground like a penguin sliding on ice. And it must have been my lucky day because it worked.

A piece of the stone had broken off. For fuck sake!

“Jinkx. The rock. Now!” Alaska commanded.

I turned, sitting on the ground now, and pointed my laser at her. “Alaska, honey, you know I can’t do that.”

“Stupid human. You need to give me the rock right now. You don’t understand - -”

Over Alaska’s shoulder, I could see the ship in the distance, heading in our direction. Damn, I really did run far.

I bolted for a rocky hill, awaiting the ship’s arrival. And of course, Alaska followed.

“Get back here!” She yelled.

I held the stone tight, shaking my head. Backing up, I felt my stomach tighten. My heel was on the edge of nothing. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw the long drop down and gulped nervously.

“Give me the stone!"

I looked around as Alaska lunged forward. I instinctively threw myself to the side.

And I watched as she fell from the cliff.

"Alaska!” I yelled.

I watched her fall, becoming smaller and smaller.

My mind was blank. I couldn’t even comprehend what was happening. “Fuck…fuck…fuck…”

Before her body could splatter to pieces, her body moved along the plain of land, and shot high up into the sky. “She can fly? Oh…OK. Good.”

She was like a glowy blur, contrasting the oceanarium blue of the sky. A glowy blur that was getting closer and closer. “Oh…OK. That’s not good.”

I looked at Big Debbie. And then to Alaska. And then, Big Debbie. And then, Alaska. A dizzying back and forth. Who would reach me first? I hoped it wouldn’t be the latter. Death didn’t sound too lovely, after all.

“Jinkx!” I heard Ivy yell. Alaska was close, but the ship was closer. I saw Ivy standing in the doorway, hanging on for dear life.

The speed of light that was Alaska was catching up. Fuck. The ship was so close. I was so gross from all the sweat, practically feeling the heat radiating off the approaching Celestial.

And in a matter of seconds, the ship was next to me. Ivy was reaching out a hand. I grabbed it, and my skin could have peeled off from the great force of being dragged into the ship.

I hit the ground and rolled, Ivy quickly shutting the door.

We had no time to celebrate our victory. It was time to get the fuck out of Celestia and keep the stone safe.

-_-_-_-

9872. Present Day

“Yeah, but you tell that story like it’s the wildest shit.”

I snap out of my daze. Shea is in the kitchen now, pouring herself a cup of coffee. I was so involved in telling Ivy my own account of the story, I didn’t realize our Captain entered the room.

“It was the wildest shit. The way Ivy pulled me onto the ship? It was like something out of an old action movie.” I insist.

Ivy’s not upset anymore. She laughed a few times during my storytelling. Good to know I can lighten the mood for her a bit. “Did Alyssa even notice the missing piece?” Ivy asks, tucking a leg under herself.

“No,” I answer. Like I said, Alyssa wasn’t the brightest. But in returning the stone to the museum, I learned she was also one harsh mother fucker. After the long journey back, she basically said, “Thanks for the stone, Jinkx. What you did is so admirable! But also, you’re fired. And one more thing. While ya’ll were gone, the Earth was destroyed. So, good luck trying to find a new home. Bye.”

Well, not exactly word for word. But it might as well have been. Alyssa fired me for “letting the aliens steal the stone,” which was totally stupid. I wanted to sue her for unfair dismissal. But at that stage, what was the point? I just gave the stone over and accepted defeat.

“What a bitch.” Ivy shakes her head.

“I know. She sounds like one of those bitches, you know the ones who take a vacation to a poor country, come back and throw away most of their wardrobe instead of actually doing something to help.” Shea observes. She’s not far off.

“Any other questions?” I ask.

“Yeah, one more. You have a crush on Alaska.” Ivy smirks.

“… That’s not a question.”

“OK, well, 'you have a crush on Alaska.’ True or false?"

"False. Are you nuts? As if.” I lie.

“I mean…” Shea squints her eyes, “You do talk about her some type of way.”

“Well…how do you know I’m not adding to the story? To make it more exciting?” I raise my brows. That’s dumb. That’s my worst lie. I’m terrible at lying, and I know they can see right through me. But they don’t question me further, and I am thankful.

Of course, I like Alaska. What’s not to like? It wasn’t just some plot device I threw into my story for exaggeration. Actually, none of it was exaggerated. Imagine if I told you right now that Alaska didn’t even fly, and she had indeed fallen to her death, and that was the last of it. Would it be considered a sad or happy ending?

She really did fly that day. But part of the story I left out was this; when she went soaring into the sky, that motherfucking Baby, I love your way song played in my head again.

-_-_-_-

I’m in my room now. It’s only 5pm, but my all-over-the-show body clock is saying 'nap time.’ I kick off my boots and fling them into the corner. And before I can even get comfy, in comes the cleaner bot, Tallulah. She’s like a slightly bigger version of Wall-E from the Oscar-winning film Wall-E . But instead of eyes, she has a screen for a face. Therefore she only speaks in symbols. Bless her.

“Hey, girl,” I murmur, feeling a yawn come on.

“ :) ” She says. She hovers over to my tossed boots, picks them up, and carefully places them under my bed. She takes almost a full minute to make sure they are perfectly symmetrical next to each other.

“Thank you, Tallulah. That’ll do.” I say, smiling. But she isn’t leaving. She starts searching the room for something else to clean. I really really want this nap, but from past experience, there ain’t no stopping her.

I think back to earlier in the day when the dark thoughts were getting the better of me. How I thought of ways to destroy her just to live out my intergalactic space domestic fantasy. I regret that immensely. The feeling of loneliness, while being surrounded by people, can sometimes fuck with your head.

“Tallulah.” I pipe up, grabbing her attention.

“ ? ”

“We love ya, gal.”

“ :D ”

I smile and lie down on the uncomfortable bed. You get used to a mattress like this when you’ve been using it for so long.

I close my eyes, hoping sleep will come quick.

“ Hmmm, hmmm hmm, hmmm…falling in love…” God, that karaoke song that Courtney was singing is stuck in my head now.

The ship shudders, and I huff. The light above my head isn’t any help, either. I can only turn it off when Tallulah leaves the room. But I’m guessing that won’t be for another while. Think I’ll just face the wall then.

My eyes are closed for all but 2 seconds when Tallulah taps me on the arm. “Tallulah, it’s nap time.”

She taps again, and so I sigh heavily, letting her know I’m serious. I turn around. And bolt upright.

I have no fucking idea how but Tallulah has somehow found the chipped off piece of Revitalization Grain. “ 😃 ”

“Give me that.” I hold out my hand.

“ 🍬 ”

“Tallulah, that is not candy. It’s very, very precious.”

“ >:( ”

“Look. I traveled so far to get that fucking stone just to lose my goddamn job. I earned that piece.”

“ :( ”

She really isn’t going to give this up. “OK. Fine. You can have it. But, you need to take good care of it. It’s not food. It’s not a toy. And if it falls into the wrong hands, the consequences could be vital.”

“ :D ”

“Glad you’re happy, hon’.”

The ship shakes again, only more violent this time. “Jesus Christ! If we’ve flown into a storm - -”

I nearly hit the wall as the ship shakes even more aggressively.

“ 👁👄👁💧"Tallulah’s screen flashes.

"Go to your room.”

“✅”

We both leave my room, Tallulah hovering down to the left and me towards the right.

I’m jogging my way to the control room, Roy popping out of his own room. “I swear to god. Somebody better be dead.”

The ship jolts. Because we were practically power walking with confidence, we fall the fuck over, right on our faces.

I groan in pain before responding to Roy’s statement. “Jesus, ain’t that a bit much?”

Entering the control room, everyone’s on their feet, rushing around, pressing all sorts of buttons, Shea giving a lot more commands than usual.

“OK. Who’s dead?” Roy asks.

“Do you have to?” I roll my eyes. He only smirks.

“Someone’s trying to get in,” Shea explains.

“Into the ship?” I raise a brow.

“No. Into my panties. Yes, of course the ship!” Shea snaps. Can’t blame her; it was a dumb question. My bad.

I approach Ivy, looking over her shoulder at the screen.

“This is crazy. What do you think it is?” I ask.

“I don’t know. But, from all the ruckus, I’m gonna guess and say it’s huge.”

My stomach is sinking to my ass. “Fuck…”

“It’s kind of exciting, to be honest.” Ivy laughs nervously.

“Which side are we talking, ladies?” Shea cuts off our conversation.

“The South East Side, Captain.” Phi Phi answers.

There’s banging. We all look to the North West side. Not the South East.

“Wow. Whatever it is, it’s fucking fast.” Ivy says.

“Shh. Listen.” Sasha holds a hand up.

There’s scratching sounds now. It’s almost unbearable to listen to like nails on a chalkboard.

We’re all still, just listening, too afraid to speak, unsure of what to do.

“What the fuck is going on??!!” Bob bellows as he enters the room, Milk and Kameron following behind.

“Shut the fuck up,” Shea swears through a harsh whisper.

The three engineers stop dead in their tracks, unsure of what is actually going on.

The scratching has stopped.

The ship is still.

And the silence is haunting.

Even though whatever is on the other side is probably a bloodthirsty creature, craving the taste of our insides; honestly, I’m fucking pumped.

I look to everyone else, but they clearly don’t feel the same. Phi Phi’s skin is pale like she’s looking death right in the eye.

There’s still this silence. And I want to break it. “Do you think - -”

The room is illuminated, and we all collectively flinch. And that feeling of familiarity settles in.

When the light has faded enough for us to look, what I fear (or low-key hope) to happen has happened.

In the middle of the room is a figure, the light slipping away from them to reveal their long blonde messy locks, their long arms, talons for nails…Oh, God…

Their head whips around to look at us. And that stupid Baby, I love your way song plays in my head as they flip their hair over their shoulder.

“Alaska!” I gasp.

She holds up her laser gun, aiming it at us. The others aim their own weapons right back at her.

“None of you could have opened the door? Seriously??” Alaska growls.

“Yeah, because inviting in whatever was fucking with our ship wouldn’t be a stupid move or anything.” Phi Phi sneers.

Alaska stands tall. “I mean, I did fucking knock.”

“Sorry, we didn’t hear it,” Ivy replies apologetically, Shea shooting her a look.

“As if we’d let you in, though.” Shea chimes.

“How rude.” Alaska comments.

I take in her appearance, which has significantly changed since I last saw her. The once strong, tall Celestial is now frail and seems to struggle to even hold herself up. Her once luscious hair is like straw, dry, and lifeless. And the glitter in her skin. It’s gone.

“Why are you even here?” Sasha demands.

“To take back what is mine.” Alaska pants. “Where’s the stone?”

“Jokes on you, girl. We don’t have it anymore.” Roy answered.

Alaska is breathing heavier now, blinking more than usual. “That’s impossible. I was drawn here. I can feel its energy."  

The crew is quiet, and I feel like a fucking idiot. Of course, she’s talking about the broken piece that I gave to Tallulah. Maybe this was reality coming back to bite me in the ass that we can’t always have nice things.

No one is saying anything. Therefore, it’s my time to spew some bullshit. "It’s probably just the aura still left over on the ship. There’s nothing here for you.”

Alaska seethes, her body quivering. “So I saved up all my energy - fucking propelled myself across the universe - used whatever strength I had left…all for nothing?!”

I feel bad but won’t let it show. I just nod my head. “Yeah. You kinda did.”

Alaska lowers her weapon, eyes drawn to the ground. At first, she looks in disbelief. Then disappointed. And now her eyes aren’t lifting, her chest heaving.

“If you want, we can fly you back?” Ivy offers, shrugging her shoulders.

Instead of answering, Alaska drops to the ground, out cold.

“Jesus Christ!” Bob steps back.

I’m the only one who rushes to her. I try for a pulse. She’s still alive. A sigh of relief escapes my lips, and I look to the others. “Are you just gonna stand there all day? We need to help her.”

“Do we though?” Roy smirks.

“Yes. We do.” I snap. Looking back at the passed out Celestial, unsure of what to actually do, I poke her on the forehead. “Alaska…?”

She stirs.

Kameron kneels on the other side and scoops her up in his arms.

“Wow - wow - wow. What are you doing?” I demand.

Kameron raises a brow. “Helping?”

He turns to leave the room.

“Yeah, well, be careful with her!” I call after him. Kameron is harmless. But with those muscles and her fragile state, I’m afraid one wrong move, and she’ll snap in half.

“What the fuck is going on?” Phi Phi asks, standing up from her chair.

“I don’t know, but I feel so unprepared. What do we do?” Ivy says.

“Let’s all just calm down.” Shea raises her hands, trying to ward off the team’s anxieties. “Look, we don’t have the stone. We’re not gonna tell her where it is. Therefore, we’re useless to her.”

“More reason for her to kill us,” Willam noted.

“Not if we keep the peace and give her a ride home.” Shea counters.

Too many thoughts whirlwind in my brain right now. Maybe I should just come clean and tell them about the piece of Revitalization Grain. Or maybe not. I feel like the confrontation would be worse.

“I need a smoke.” I don’t even smoke.

“I need a drink.” Phi Phi adds.

“I need to stress masturbate.” Willam groans.

I’m ready to hurl.

-_-_-_-

2 hours later and I’m still on edge. Since Alaska broke in, I’ve had a long-ass shower, napped, ate 2 heaping bowls of cereal, and tried to find Tallulah. If anyone found out about the stone, my ass was grass.

The bot is not in her usual hangouts, which wracks my nerves up to 100—time to try looking through the whole ship.

I search high and low, searching each room I pass. I’m desperate to get this stone back.

“What are you looking for?” Milk passes me.

“Tallulah. I…spilled something”, I answer, the frustration apparent in my voice.

“Someone’s stressed.” Milk comments, continuing on in the opposite direction.

I bite my tongue, knowing full well that a snide remark is on the tip of it.

I find myself at the far end of the ship, where no one really visits too often. It’s just storage and the prison cell. Yes, we have one of those in the case that a criminal boards.

Finally checking said prison cell, I don’t find Tallulah. But I find Alaska. I can feel anger brewing in my chest, knowing this was what Kameron thought would be appropriate. Yes, she broke in, but she is not a threat.

She’s just lying there on the ground, and I feel saddened.

But she looks over her shoulder. I’m glad to see she’s awake.

I enter and stand before the glass barrier separating us. Alaska sits up and turns to me.

“Look what the cat dragged in,” she says.

“The Captain’s set sail. We’re taking you home. Should we expect an attack?” I ask.

Alaska blinks long and hard, looking away in frustration. “I don’t think so.”

“Good,” I say. I could just turn and leave. But my feet are stuck to the ground. I just look down at her, feeling the pity inside. But I must remain firm for my team.

“So, I’m really stuck in this cell for weeks with no entertainment?” Alaska combs a clawed hand through her long hair.

“Well, when you put it that way, I’ll willingly allow you some form of entertainment. You want a book?”

Alaska gags. “I’d prefer music.”

I move to the wall on the left; there’s a switch linked to the sound system that plays through the ship. Music used to play on repeat throughout the place. But when you hear the same songs over and over again, it becomes repetitive. I turn the volume, but not too loud as to disturb everyone else.

Some classical tune plays at random. It was never a favorite, but Alaska seems to not mind.

“You know there’s one moment I can’t ever stop thinking about. It involves you.” She drawls.

“Really?” I let myself smirk, sounding a bit too enthusiastic.

“When you let me fall from that cliff.”

“Oh. OK.”

“I could have died that day.” She continues. “But honestly, as I was falling, I thought… that’s alright… that’s OK. Everyone would know that I was legendary.”

“I would have caught you if my reflexes were better.” I try.

“No, you wouldn’t. Then I would have had the stone.” Alaska counters.

I don’t even try to argue that she’s wrong. I know I’d fucking blurt it out that I found her very appealing and would be pretty sad to know she died. Although, the thought of her reaction was also intriguing.

“You want to join me in here?” She suggests.

“Not terribly.” I lie.

“Are you scared of me?"

"No.”

“Well, I find it kind of rude with the barrier between us.”

She has a point. But the team would tear me a new one.

“Don’t worry. I won’t try to escape.” Alaska raises a brow. “I don’t exactly have the energy right now.”

To be fair, she still seems very sluggish. I give in, scan my key card, and enter the cell. Her eyes follow me as I sit down on the ground next to her.

“At least it’s not cold in here,” I comment.

“I’m pretty cold.” Alaska states.

You wanna cuddle? Nah, I can’t say that. “I’ll find you a heater later.”

“So, Jinkx-y. What have you all been at since we last met?” She’s intrigued.

“Nothing fascinating,” I reply. “Planet Earth was destroyed. We got nowhere to go. No missions. Nothing.”

Alaska looks disappointed with the answer.

“I’m sorry. Were you expecting something a bit more thrilling? Well, the last time something exciting ever happened, before you got here, was a very long time ago.” I continue.

“You have a really negative aura right now.” Alaska comments. “Maybe if you had a little more positivity, you’d find happiness.”

My brows connect. “Well, I’ve never been one of those 'fake a smile’ types. That’s a one way trip to a massive breakdown.”

“Who said anything about faking a smile?” Alaska tests. “If you get out of your head, stop focusing on how boring everything else, then you’ll see what the world has to offer.”

“What are you? A therapist?"

"See, this is what I’m talking about? The negativity. It’s making you more hostile. So different to the Jinkx I met back in the museum.” Alaska’s eyes squint as she analyzes me further. “And no, I’m not a

therapist. If you didn’t notice before, it’s just my people are a very positive bunch. Give us a Tsunami; we’ll make a water slide out of it. Give us a house fire; we’ll toast marshmallows and have one hell of a party.”

I know I could never reach that level of chill. But I find it admirable.

“Jinkx, how old are you?” Alaska asks.

The question catches me off guard, but I answer anyway. “33 years old.”

“Wow. You’re like…way younger than I thought you’d be.” Alaska’s brows raise in surprise.

“Are you saying I look old?"

"I was going to guess late 40’s.”

“Oh, wow. Thanks.” The sudden urge to leave and go find some more wine is strong. Actually, maybe that’s what has clearly aged me.

“Late '40s is still young, girl. But early 30’s. That’s really, really young. Practically still a child.” Alaska comments.

“You have a really warped concept of age,” I note. “How old are you then? You gotta be younger than me, at least.”

“Far from it. I’m actually 2099 years of age. Just about to get into my 2100’s."

I’m shocked. Only then, when she states her age, do I remember that Celestials live for a very, very, very long time. But still. I never imagined she’d be 2 millenniums old.

"I forgot you humans only have less than 100 years.” Alaska plays with her hair again. “Which is why I find it sad you’re just sitting here wasting what remaining time you have. You have so much to experience. A lot to learn. You just gotta open your eyes.”

“Huh, you’re not wrong.” I click my tongue. “OK, so let me know more about you."

Alaska looks flattered.

"Why the name 'Alaska’? I’m guessing your parents had an interest in Earth?”

“I’m gonna let you in on a little secret. Just because I like you.” Alaska says coyly, making me blush. “It’s not my real name.”

“Oh, cool. What is your real name then?” I lean forward, enthusiastically.

“I’d rather not say.”

“OK.” I don’t press her. “Does anyone know your real name?” I don’t want to feel left out.

“Of course they do. But for specific and appropriate reasons. I’d just much rather be referred to as Alaska. And what about you? Why Jinkx with a 'k.’” Alaska lies on her side, propping her head up with a hand.

“I don’t know. My Mom liked it, I guess.” I also lie on my side, and I just smile at her.

“Jinkx Jenner fan?” Alaska asked.

I shook my head. “I have no clue. Honestly, she wasn’t very present for my childhood. I never had the chance to find out.” I see the sorrowful look on her face. And I regret taking the conversation to a dark place. Before she can ask about the rest of my family, I take a turn and ask a question. “So like…are you broke or something? I’m guessing that’s why you wanted the stone so bad.” I smirk.

“What do you mean?” Alaska’s brow raises.

“The marquee. You were charging people to see the stone.”

“Oh, that . I guess that was just a perk. Not really different from people paying to see it in the museum.” Alaska explains, her smile slowly fading. “But no, that’s not the real reason.”

With a sigh, she sits up again, leaning her back against the wall. Her chest heaves, eyes looking upward. It’s like she’s avoiding me, or the topic. I’m unsure of which one.

“What’s wrong?” I ask.

“It's…” she pauses like she’s trying to find words. And then she sighs through her nostrils. “It doesn’t matter.”

Concern takes me over. I sit up and move towards the wall beside her. “Hey, it’s OK. You can say it. It’s just me.” I say as if she’s known me for years. I don’t know why I said it. I guess I just really want her to trust me.

Alaska avoids my eyes. “I really can’t. It could be dangerous for Glamtron.”

“Glamtron?"

"Yes, my planet.”

“You mean Celestia?”

“No. Glamtron.”

“…”

“…”

“Alaska, you’re from Celestia.”

“No, it’s called Glamtron.”

“Says who?”

“I do. I renamed it.”

My head cocks to the side. “ You renamed it?”

“Yes. I do have the power and the authority to do that, after all."

My eyes widen. "Wait a minute. Are you saying…”

“Yes, I am the Queen. Alaska Thunderfuck from the planet Glamtron.” She says so proudly. “So, yes. I really did rename it to Glamtron.”

I don’t even care about the name change any more. I’m just…beyond shocked. Here, I am; Jinkx Monsoon, a space nerd, sitting with royalty.

"Fuck. I just… don’t know how to act all of a sudden.” I say.

“Well, I’m not looking very Queenly right now. Just see me as Alaska from the exhibit for now."

"I know, but… I’ve studied Celes - -” Alaska shoots me a look, “Glamtron before. There’s never been any mention of an Alaska before. And you’ve been alive for so long. How…” I trail off, not knowing how to even finish my statement.

“Because Alaska isn’t my real name.” She says as if I should have remembered that. I thought she would have been happy to know I forgot.

“Well.” I pause. “I hate to ask, but what do they refer to you as?”

She licks her teeth like she’s slightly frustrated. “OK. Fine. But you gotta promise to always call me Alaska.”

“Cross my heart.” I place a hand over my heart to seal the deal.

“OK.” She looks to the door as if afraid anyone will just wander in. Then she looks at me, leans in close, and whispers, “My name is actually Thriks.”

My first thought is, 'Oh, yikes. That is kinda awful.’ But now I’m thinking back to my reading. And I am definitely familiar. The Queen Thriks was known as a wild party animal, yet a loving and caring mother-like figure. She was always so strong for her people and went out of her way for them, making sure everyone was in high spirits. Because of her loving nature, she was to go down in history as one of the most adored Queens of Celestia.

“I have read about you,” I say quietly.

“And you’re little history books and articles. Do they still call it Celestia?” Alaska stretches the ’s’ in Celestia out.

“Uh, huh.”

“If I was a different person, I’d sue."

But we’re getting off track. I need answers. "Well…I could write about you? I’d write you as Alaska . I’d call it Glamtron . I’d make everything right if you help me."

Alaska bats her lashes. "You’d do that for me?”

“Yes!” I exclaim, grabbing her hand.

“Hmmm…” she brings a finger to her mouth, thinking, “I can’t wait for the part where I robbed the museum. I’m sure there will be some bitterness in those words.”

She’s kind of right. Yeah, I’m having a good time talking with her. But she did kind of cost me my job. I purse my lips as the classical song ends, transitioning to something from the 1980s.

“Alaska, why did you take the stone?” I ask again.

She’s silent again, pretending to be distracted by the catchy Madonna music.

“Alaska, I need to know if I’m going to write your story."

She stops bobbing her head, huffing put through her nostrils. "Jinkx, I really can’t.”

“Why not? You told me your name.”

“Because that’s different.”

“How?”

“Because it’s dangerous.”

“Why?” My tone becomes more demanding.

“Because it just is,” Alaska replies, her tone the same.

“For who? Us? Are we in trouble?”

“No! For my people.”

“So…you don’t trust me?” I ask in an accusing manner. Seems a bit emotional blackmail-ish, but I’m desperate to know.

“I do trust you, Jinkx. But I can’t say the same for your team.” She says with venom.

“My team are good people!” I say. “They have never caused any harm.”

“They terrified my people that day.” Alaska countered. I figure she’s talking about the day we arrived in Celestia.

“And how is that any different to the night of the exhibit?"

"Because unlike you all, we had a good reason.”

“And that is?”

“Jinkx, you’re really really starting to piss me off.”

“Don’t ignore the question. What am I going to do? Go out and tell my big bad teammates? Why would I do that if I have no idea what the consequences are?”

“Because we’re vulnerable, Jinkx!” Alaska shouts. Her volume causes me to shrink away. She’s gritted her teeth, kneeling on her knees and towering over me now. I’m actually scared.

“Look at me!” She presses her hands against her chest. “I’m fucking dying! My planet is dying. My people are dying!”

In my moment of shock, as Alaska looks down on me, pieces of the puzzle come together in my head.

Thriks; the loving Queen who went out of her way for her people.

The attack on the museum.

The Revitalization Grain.

The one thing that brought restoration and reincarnation.

“You wanna save them,” I speak through a whisper.

With a sigh, Alaska sinks back to the ground. Her head lowers, blonde hair covering her face.

“Jinkx, the stone is of Glamtron origin. It was lost 300 years ago, in the middle of the war with the Holoxyans. For so long, we were wasting away, trying to build up our own energy to keep ourselves alive. And from just laying around, we were just dying anyway. And I had no idea what to do. I didn’t know how to save them.” Alaska’s voice cracks. “For years, I had to watch as many gave what little energy they had left to my team and me. Just so we could go find the stone.”

I’m horrified as realization hits; I’ve brought doom to an entire planet.

“Please, I don’t want anyone other than us to know,” Alaska states firmly. “Glamtron has no defense. If someone knows how vulnerable we are, it makes us a prime target for invasion. The Holoxyans. They will attack.”

I move close to her again. I resist the urge to throw my arms around her, now aware of literally how fragile she is. I take her hand graciously; my own eyes must be glistening. “Alaska, I’m so sorry.”

She puts her other hand on top of mine. “I do trust you, Jinkx. I’m just…terrified.”

“I know. I know.” I say quietly.

Alaska hasn’t shed any tears. They were right when they said Thriks was a strong bitch. I held back my own tears, fearing it would be selfish.

“So, no. It’s not because I’m broke.” Alaska comments. And I nervous laugh. She laughs too. “You promise this stays between us?” She looks me in the eye.

Is it inappropriate to say at this moment I’m just smitten by the dark irises? “I promise.” I squeeze her hands reassuringly.

“Great.” She nods. And she leans forward, kissing me on the cheek.

I could fucking melt. The high must be kicking in again because the lights are dimming, there’s some sort of pink aura emerging, the music is louder, and Alaska feels warm.

She pulls away. I expect a smile. But she’s looking around her as if she’s experiencing the same thing.

“Alaska, look.” I point to her wrist. She looks just in time to see something glitter under her skin, like sparkly pink blood flowing through her veins.

She’s looking at me now like something has just hit her in the head like a brick. I don’t know what, so I just stare back in confusion. “What’s - -”

I’m cut off as she grabs my face.

And she kisses me again.

On the lips.

Suddenly, I know what pink glitter tastes like, even though I’m pretty sure there is no taste. Her kiss is so gentle, which I do not expect from her. She’s lifted a hand to my cheek, stroking a nail along my skin. And I hope this is a sign she’s not just in it for some nice colors floating around the air. I feel this spark, and it will kill me if she doesn’t feel it too. Upon having this thought, I wrap my arms around her tiny waist. The butterflies in my stomach are going wild, my heart is pounding so hard, yet all I can focus on is the soft feel of her lips.

She pulls away, and I almost pull her back in. But I’m taken aback by the room now . Like, am I tripping right now, or are there really purple fireflies floating around?

Alaska’s looking around in awe as well. I guess it’s not the cosmic-high feeling from her kiss.

“Well, that’s never happened before.” Alaska looks back to me with a smirk. The holographic glitter has resurfaced, decorating the sides of her face.

And her hair, almost pale white, longer and thicker. I can’t help but run my fingers through it. Never has hair felt silkier to me.

She’s glancing down at my hand, still playing with her locks. “I feel…alive again.” She breathes out a laugh, pulling away from me, admiring the healthy color of her skin, the glittery fluid coursing through her.

I look away, noting how the floaty lights remain. But the hit is gone. So this is real. There really are tiny glowy orbs floating around us.

"Wow. What is this song?” Alaska asks, moving her body to the rhythm of the music. The 1980s song has long ended. Instead, the song Courtney was singing earlier plays.

“I’ll have to find that out for you. You’d think I’d know it. We’ve heard it so many damn times now. It’s kind of annoying.” I laugh.

“Why do you think that?"

"It’s just…too depressing, I guess. I mean, listen to the words.”

“This is what I’m talking about. Don’t focus on what’s black and white. Listen to the music.” Alaska turns to face me, her long arms rippling to the tune.

I don’t want to be an annoying son of a gun and ruin the tender moment for us, so I take her advice and really listen to the music.

“Not anyone, you’re the one, more than fun, you’re the Sanctuary,

'Cause what you want is what I want, Sincerity.”

My eyes are closed, and my body is swaying. And I’m feeling it. Like the music is flowing through me. “Hey. I think you’re right.”

“See?” I open my eyes to see her move toward me. She takes my hands in hers. And we spin in a slow circle.

“Souls that dream alone lie awake, I’ll give you something so real.”

As the chorus kicks in, the dance has picked up a pace. I don’t even know what kind of dancing this is. Let’s say a mix of slow dancing and ballroom. And I laugh when she spins me around. I try to return the gesture, but she’s too tall, and I nearly knock her in the face. I’m embarrassed for a few seconds, but she’s laughing. And it makes me feel less like an idiot.

I can’t keep up this pace; I’m falling so hard right now. I slow myself down, hoping she gets the hint.

“Hold me oh so close, 'cause you’ll never know just how long our lives will be.”

I wrap my arms around the small of her back, pulling her to me. I can see the small floaty lights reflecting in her dark eyes. And now it’s my turn to kiss her. I’m really, really falling hard.

I could stay like this forever, rocking side to side, just kissing Alaska. But reality has to come back and creep into my brain, doesn’t it?

I know this won’t last. We’ll eventually have to part when we leave her back to her dying planet, and my team and I will continue on wasting away.

I stop kissing her to get another look at those eyes, and she lays her head on my shoulder. We continue to sway side to side. And the thought of letting go is making all kinds of negative emotions surface. Am I glad for this moment? Oh, absolutely. If she hadn’t broken in, I’d still be in my room, either sleeping or waiting for Tallulah to finish cleaning.

“Wait…” I say.

“What is it?” Alaska speaks into the crook of my neck.

“I…” I pause, “OK, don’t get mad. But I kinda lied to you.” She lifts her head at this. “You were right about sensing the stone. The truth is I have a piece.”

Her eyes widen. “I knew I felt it.”

“It’s small. But it’ll give you more strength.” I suggest with raised brows.

“No. I have enough right now. I don’t know how but…you ignite something in me, I guess. As for the stone, I know a few people back home who could use it more.” Alaska suggested.

“Well, good. Wait here.” I give her a small kiss. “I’ll be back in a second.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t be going anywhere.” She calls as I leave the cell.

I’m too buzzed to search every damn room. I just search for the nearest human who will provide me with answers. I find two in the security room. Ivy and Courtney.

“Which one of you whores have seen Tallulah?” I ask, peaking my head in.

“Not me.” Courtney answers. She’s got a smirk on her face, and I know somethings up.

“Me neither. But we’ll tell you what we did see.” Ivy gestures to the 5th screen, showing Alaska still dancing around in her cell.

My eyes widen. “You were spying on us?”

“Not our intention. We thought we’d keep an eye on things in case something happened.” Ivy then laughs. “And I guess it did.”

The shame takes me over, and my face flushes with shame and embarrassment. “Oh, for God’s sake.”

“I actually think it’s adorable. Very Romeo and Juliet.” Courtney coos.

I roll my eyes. This is all incredibly immature. But I know they’re not going to just let it go. “OK, kids. I’ll let you have your fun. But it stays between us. Anyway, where’s Tallulah?”

“We told you. We don’t know.” Courtney replies. “Try her closet.”

“OK.” I turn to leave, not before turning and pointing at the two. “Remember; it stays between us 3.”

“You got it, girl.” Ivy smirks.

I waste no more time with them and rush to the cleaning room, which just so happens to be at the end of this corridor, just around the corner. My pace is so quick, I almost trip.

Upon getting to the door, I’m thankful to find Tallulah is here but shut down. “Tallulah?"

No response. I clap my hands 2 times as if it’ll bring her to life. It’s never worked before, so I don’t even know why I tried.

When she doesn’t power up, I roll my eyes, grabbing a bottle of disinfectant from the shelf and dropping it on the ground.

Tallulah is up and running in a matter of seconds.

"No. Stop.” I move forward to stop her from going to the bottle. “Tallulah, I have a huge favor to ask.”

“ :0 ? ”

“You remember that glowy thing I gave to you?”

“👍”

“Good. Where is it?”

A box on her build opens, revealing the chipped off piece of Revitalization Grain. But I can’t just take it.

“Well, that’s good that you haven’t lost it. Can I have it back, please?”

“ :( ”

“OK, it’s not that I want it. I need it.”

“ >:( ”

I’m serious. There’s no time to argue.“

” 🤬💢🖕🗣🔫🚫✖❗ “

I lick my teeth beneath my pursed lips, realizing this isn’t going to be as easy as it seemed.

"Look, Tallulah, I know you like it. It’s pretty. It’s glowy. I get it.” I soften my tone. “But there are people out there who are dying. A lot of people. But this tiny little stone? It can help them get better. If you give it back to me, you’re saving the lives of so many. You could be a hero.” My brows raise.

“…”

Wow, talk about being left on read.

“ 🆗️ ”

“Yes. Jesus Christ! Thank you!” I quickly hug her. She hands me the small stone, and I pat her on the head. “You’re a lifesaver. Literally.”

“ 🤺 ”

Not sure what she meant by that one, but I leave her to it. I hold the small rock tight in my hand, seeing its glow seep through the gaps in my fingers. And I can’t believe that there’s a chance we can help Alaska save Glamtron. Even if I can’t be with her, I would feel better knowing everything is better back on her planet.

I pass the kitchen and stop dead in my tracks. Shea’s all alone, just staring out at the window. Fuck. I can feel it. The dread creeping up.

“Captain,” I address her. It feels weird calling her that. She’s just been 'Shea’ for a long time now. But with the new task, I guess it’s only appropriate.

She looks away from the window, taken by surprise. “Jinkx, you scared me.” She sniffs, quickly wiping at her eyes. Fuck, this isn’t good.

I walk into the room. “You feeling OK?”

She sighs. “Yeah, I guess I will be.”

She goes back to looking out the window. Standing next to her, I follow her gaze. And I immediately recognize the area.

Large masses of rock float around in the distance. Remains of the Earth.

I purse my lips for a moment, trying to make sense of it. I almost feel confused by what I’m looking at. I know what happened, but it still feels…unfamiliar. “You’d think someone would clean this mess up,” I say.

“No. This is a graveyard, Jinkx. It has to stay.” Shea states.

“Fair enough.”

We continue to stare, like we’re in some sort of trance, watching the pieces float around.

“Wanna hear something funny?” Shea asks, giving me a sad smile.

The mournful aura is weighing down on both of us. Something funny right now would be great. “Yeah, of course.”

“As soon as she broke in, I knew it was our chance—a new purpose. Finally, for the first time in a long, long time, we get to do our thing. And I was…so fucking excited. I couldn’t fucking wait.” She laughs.

I don’t find it funny, but her happiness is making me happy.

But her smile drops. And I know now when she said if I wanted to hear something funny, it wasn’t going to be funny at all.

“But then what? What happens after we leave Celestia?” She asks, looking at me with wet eyes.

Nothing happens. We go back to the same old shit and hope that something good happens.

Shea must’ve been holding back a sob because she chokes, grabbing my attention. She covers her mouth as if it will hold back the other ones.

“Hey, it’ll be fine.” I grab her free hand.

But my words are meaningless. I don’t know if it will be OK or not. So I hug her hoping it’ll help some.

She whispers in my ear, “I just want my family.”

I’m devastated. I really am the lucky one. Who knew being abandoned by my own mother at such a young age could be such a blessing? Because this anguish Shea is expressing? It’s soul-destroying.

She cries into my shoulder some more, and I run my thumb along the back of her shoulder. I can’t even tell her it’s alright. Because I know it won’t be.

I look at the stone in my hand, still hugging Shea. If only this stupid glowy thing could restore the life of this ship. If only it brought back the good times, the adventure, the danger.

I continue to stare at the stone. And I have no idea why, but something I thought about earlier resurfaces.

The loving Queen who went out of her way for her people.

“Fuck.” I whisper.

“I’m sorry.” Shea sniffles, lifting her head. She dabs her eyes with her pinky.

“It’s not you. It’s - -” I begin. But I fail to find words to explain my thought process.

All I can say is I know what I need to do now.

I look at my Captain for what will probably be the last time. “Shea, when the time is right, come find me.”

“What?”

“You’ll know what I mean.”

I pull away from her and go to leave the room, her voice calling after me. But I don’t listen. I need to do this.

-_-_-_-

Alaska stands as I enter the room. I pull the stone from my pocket, and she’s already drawn.

“Fuck, you weren’t kidding when you - -”

I cut her off with a kiss, something to give her more energy. I don’t know how much she’ll need to make it to the escape pod, but hopefully, this should do it.

I pull away. “Change of plan, hon’. You wanna rob the museum?”

“What?” Her brows cross.

“I’m gonna make things right - I’m gonna get the Revitalization Grain back, we’re gonna take it back to Glamtron. And I don’t care if that makes me some sort of intergalactic space villain. When the time comes, we’re gonna fight for your planet.” I babble, and only when I finish do I realize how nuts I sound.

Alaska’s blinking, as if struggling to comprehend everything I just said. “Jinkx, you know the stone? You know it’s called the Glitter Bomb, right? And before you argue, yes, I named it that.”

I roll my eyes, adoring her dorky side. And I hand over the piece of the stone. If we’re getting the glitter bomb - as she calls it- she might as well have this piece now.

As soon as it’s in her hand, she’s glowing. It’s breathtaking.

She’s breathtaking.

“Come on. We need to get to an escape pod quick.” I take her hand.

“No need. I say we take the quicker way.”

“And that is?”

She wraps her long arms around my waist. “You better hang tight.”

And in a matter of seconds, light envelopes us. And the atmosphere changes. We’re outside. If it wasn’t for my trust in her, I’d panic at the thought of suffocating. But I can breathe, and I know it’s one of her quirks.

We’re blasting at the speed of light, passing many planets and stars that would take weeks to pass. And I wonder if people on other planets are looking up at us right now, thinking we’re a shooting star and making wishes.

Speaking of wishes, I kind of wish I could see what’s happening back at the ship. I can just picture it. The sight of Alaska and I whooping by the windows, Shea realizing what’s going on, giving commands and ordering everyone to get a move on. Ivy trying to figure out where we went, giving her plenty of searching to do. Milk, Kameron, and Bob working on kicking the ship back into action. Everyone just running around, trying to shake the energy back into themselves.

'Cause they have a new purpose now. I am their enemy. And that couldn’t make me happier. Because I know they’ll be thankful for giving this to them, something we all had been waiting for.

But what makes me happier, more than anything, is that I’m here with Alaska. We’re going to save Glamtron, the planet formally known as Celestia. We’re going to protect it at all costs.

And, most importantly, I’m going to be with her for the rest of my life.

[cyarskaren52]

MUSIC

The Best Graduation Songs To Turn Up To

With songs by Kelis, Lizzo, Drake, Big Sean, Queen Bey and more, what better way to celebrate graduation day than with a Black-ass playlist?

By

Candace McDuffie

PublishedYesterday

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Graduation season is upon us and what better way to celebrate this milestone than with a Black ass playlist. Once you toss that cap in the air, it’s time to gather your closest friends who both twerk and two-step. Here are songs that are absolutely necessary for the post ceremony turn up.

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Beyoncé, “Before I Let Go”

Queen Bey blessed the world with this absolutely fantastic Maze & Frankie Beverly cover. Not only does her version of “Before I Let Go” pay homage to original, it features an array of moves for new grads to try out including swag surfing and “work the middle ‘til it hurt a little.” 

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3 / 13

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Drake, “God’s Plan”

Drake’s famous video for “God’s Plan” included him giving away a million dollars to people all over Miami, proving that generosity pays off. This sentiment makes the track an excellent graduation song for graduates as they chart out their next major life step.

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4 / 13

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Mary J. Blige, “Just Fine”

Aunt Mary most upbeat anthem is a perfect way to help celebrate the big day. “Just Fine” isn’t just infectious, it’s a song that encompasses the kind of joy that follows triumph. Graduates may not know what’s coming next, but this track reminds them that it’ll be ok no matter what.

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5 / 13

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Three 6 Mafia, “Stay Fly”

Even though Three 6 Mafia’s “Stay Fly” was released nearly 20 years ago, it remains the ultimate anthem for those who can’t help but effortlessly brag. Getting that diploma wasn’t an easy feat and this track reiterates how dope an individual must be to have obtained it.

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6 / 13

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Teyana Taylor, “Made It”

Teyana Taylor’s “Made It” feels more like a victory lap than a song and perfectly sums up the student experience. The track is a beautiful ode to how hard work truly pays off; Taylor also used the video to honor women graduates of color.

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7 / 13

List slides

Juvenile, “Back That Azz Up”

Juvenile’s “Back That Azz Up” isn’t just a club staple, but it’s also the perfect post-graduation turn up song. The epic intro gives you just enough to tear off that gown and drop it low for the ‘99 and the 2000.

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8 / 13

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Big Sean, “Blessings”

Big Sean’s “Blessings” is all about gratitude for how far he’s come in life. On the track, he raps: “Blessings on blessings on blessings/Look at my life man that’s lessons on lessons on lessons.” Not only can students relate, but they can reflect about what they’ve learned so far on their journey.

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9 / 13

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Notorious B.I.G, “Juicy”

One of Biggie’s most powerful themes is about becoming something out of nothing. On “Juicy,” the late emcee rapped: “I made the change from a common thief/To up close and personal with Robin Leach.” That remarkable transformation encapsulates the dreams that many graduates are aiming for as well.

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10 / 13

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Kelis feat. Too Short, “Bossy”

Kelis was in her bag when she made “Bossy,” a song where she bragged about how she started certain trends and deserves the credit for it. This attitude is perfect for graduates who bossed up and got their degrees on their own terms.

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11 / 13

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Nipsey Hussle, “Last Time That I Checc’d”

The late rapper Nipsey Hussle made an unforgettable banger on the YG-assisted “Last Time That I Checc’d.” On the track, the Crenshaw native talked about what it took for his talent to not only be recognized, but rewarded. Surely, this resilience resonates on graduation day.

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12 / 13

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Lizzo, “About Damn Time”

Lizzo isn’t just the queen of body positivity but positivity period! Her track “About Damn Time” is a fun and irresistible track about being “way too fine to be this stressed.” Graduates know this feeling quite well and can dance to the pop star’s song about turning up taking precedence over worrying. 

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13 / 13

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