#“especially since you bought merchandise”

[magicmalcolm]

Trying to read my mind would be useless, all you'd get is the Tomato Convenience Store Theme on loop.

[gguk-n]

Chapter 3- Heartfelt confession

Accelerating Emotions (Oscar Piastri x Reader)

Series Masterlist

Summary- Oscar decides he wants to spend time with Y/N. The more time he spends, the more his feelings solidify. He likes her a lot. He just hopes she likes him too.

Lando was the happiest person when summer break began since he would no longer have to hear his teammate pine over his best friend's sister. Oscar was a quite and stoic man and nothing could elicit a response from him except Y/N. Even the thought of her getting hurt would make Oscar worry to no end; so he would resort to stealthy pestering Ansel while away for races on what was going on with his sister who honestly was of no help since he lived in another city. So, Oscar now depended on his mother and he would be lucky to catch glimpses of Y/N behind his mom on rare occasions. Nicole was happy her son was calling way more often then usual and she wasn't about to complain. Oscar had ulterior motives and would ask about everyone in hopes of finding out what Y/N was up too. He was sure his sisters could take care of themselves.

Summer break couldn't come any sooner for Oscar either. Oscar was back in Australia enjoying the cooler weather especially after he found out Y/N would also have July off from school when he over heard his mother talking to Y/N about her plans for July. Even Oscar wasn't sure if he ever booked plane tickets any faster than he did in that moment. Oscar decided to 'surprise' his family or another way to talk to Y/N. He texted her asking her to pick her up from the airport since he wanted to surprise everyone. That's how Y/N found herself awake at the crack ass of dawn since Oscar doesn't seem to understand timezones or so it seems and was landing in Melbourne at 5 am. Y/N would rather be asleep on the rare few days she got off from school without having to plan for the next year or make up a teaching plan for the next week. But here she was driving to the airport with the largest coffee mug she could find and a hoodie with Oscar's number on it. It was the warmest hoodie she owned and she had forgotten it was Oscar merchandise that she had stolen from her sibling.

Oscar was stood at the airport arrival terminal when Y/N drove her car to him. She rolled the window down, "You should be grateful I've known you for years because I was ready to leave you stranded at the airport when my alarm rang" she called out and popped her trunk open. Oscar placed his bags in and climbed into the passenger seat. "Thanks for picking me up" Oscar said. "I love you guys too much to explain to Nicole how I lost her son" Y/N replied after taking a sip of her once hot coffee. Oscar didn't really hear anything after 'i love you' honestly you wouldn't either if your crush directed those 3 words at you in any context. He gathered himself, "Take me to your place" Oscar asked rather commanded but who's asking. "What? Why?" Y/N asked now fully looking at Oscar who's eyes had travelled down to the hoodie Y/N was wearing and you could clearly see OP81 plastered all over it if you looked carefully enough since the hoodie looked like it was Y/N's favourite in her collection of clothes. "You're wearing my hoodie" Oscar pointed out. "What? This is my hoodie" she corrected. "It has my name and number on it" he corrected. And for the first time since she woke up she looked at herself and realised that she left the house in the hoodie she slept in which just happened to be Oscar's merchandise. "You support my merchandise" Oscar gleamed. "Ansel bought it, I stole it from him" she commented. Nothing was dimming Oscar's shine. He was just winning, in his eyes, since he landed.

"Why do you wanna come to my place?" she asked getting back to the topic. "I'm planning a surprise and I need to look prepared for it" he said while stealing glances at Y/N in his hoodie. "Since when do you plan surprises?" she asked. Oscar just shrugged and they drove to her apartment. Y/N helped Oscar grab his stuff from the trunk and brought him to her flat. The house was a mess but Oscar had seen worse. "There's coffee in the kitchen. The bathroom's that way. The guest bedroom is to your left. If you need anything, I'll be asleep in my room that's in front of you." she pointed around. "Are you going back to sleep?" Oscar asked with his puppy eyes. "I was going too, but you look like you want something. So spill" she stated. "Can we have breakfast together? I miss your pancakes, like the Japanese style one's you tried to make" Oscar pouted. "Those abominations can't be called pancakes. Now, I do make a really good pancake. So, for the flattery I will fulfill your wish" she offered.

Oscar got changed from the jeans he was wearing to a sweatshirt and joggers. Y/N had ditched the OP81 hoodie much to Oscar's dismay to wear another sweatshirt and joggers. He was hovering around her as she tried to make the pancakes, making her snap. "Okay, Osc, sweetheart, can you stop moving around so much. I can't work when people are in my space." she reprimanded him in the nicest way possible. Oscar took his place on the breakfast bar like a child that had been told off. Y/N served the pancakes with fresh fruits and maple syrup. "I didn't think those pancakes could get any better" Oscar moaned after taking one bite. Y/N smiled at him, "You flatter me" she smiled back. "Can you help me decide how to surprise my family?" Oscar asked. "I knew those weren't empty praises" she laughed.

Y/N was sat thinking while munching on her pancakes all the while Oscar would steal glances at her. "You should turn up to the house with flowers. I think they would like that" Y/N said after much deliberation on her part. "That doesn't sound grand" Oscar pointed out. "They are your family. IDK how to make it grand" she retorted. "Maybe you should take your time. It's like you want to get rid of me as soon as possible" Oscar pouted. This boy needs to stop pouting because for some reason his puppy eyes are working on her and she doesn't know how to get out of here, she thought. "Oscar, baby, I have holidays for the next few days before school and I would like to do stuff I can't when I'm busy" she said. Oscar lost his train of thought when she called him baby. "We can do stuff together" Oscar stammered, "As a thank you for helping me surprise my family" he finished. Y/N wasn't winning today, or ever again with Oscar for that matter. "Please" Oscar begged now holding on to both of her hands. Y/N for the first time since he became friend's with her brother looked at him, like really looked at him, his chocolate brown eyes or his cute little freckles that littered his face or the moles that were splattered across his face and neck; this stay wasn't going to end well for her she thought. She couldn't think straight when his warm hands were holding her's like they were the most fragile thing. She just nodded to him, pulling her hands away with a slight blush that was starting to form on her cheeks to put the dishes away.

Y/N and Oscar were sat on the sofa while Y/N was flipping through movies to watch on Netflix. "I thought you were sleepy" Oscar voiced. "I'm not anymore, someone wanted to have pancakes" she chided. Oscar just smiled and he looked like the cutest cat making her smile. She realised what she was doing so she quickly handed the remote to Oscar, "Watch whatever you want, I'm gonna get some stuff done around the house" she said walking to her room. Oscar switched the TV off and followed her into her room. "I can help" he offered, making Y/N jump. "Oscar, you scared me" she said. "Sorry" he apologised with a small smile. "You should get some sleep, you must be jet lagged. I'll wake you up for lunch" she said now pushing Oscar towards the guest room. "Try to get some sleep" she reiterated, closing the door behind her. That's how Oscar found himself lying on the bed while staring at the ceiling, imagining what it would be like to enjoy domestic bliss with her.

At some point in his daydreaming, Oscar fell asleep and only woke up at around 5 pm. He stumbled out of the room to a much cleaner flat and Y/N making dinner. "You're up" she said. "You didn't wake me up" he asked. "You looked so cute sleeping, I couldn't" she cooed. She thought I was cute, Oscar thought. "Cute in a OMG!! baby is cute way or cute in a damn that boy cute way" he asked. "Who's teaching you this stuff?" she laughed. Oscar just shrugged; "Obviously, OMG!! baby is cute way" she laughed. Oscar's shoulders seem to fall. "Dinner's almost done" she said getting ready to serve the food. Y/N and Oscar sat on the table with their plate of food. Oscar was playing around with his food; "Is it not good?" she asked. "No, no it's delicious." he replied. "But you haven't touched your plate" she pointed out. "I...do you still see me as the kid that your brother befriended?" Oscar mumbled. "Oscar, you are the kid my brother befriended" she highlighted. "But, do you see me as you know, someone who is older and more mature?" he questioned. "You are older now Oscar, and more mature too. You drive a Formula One car now, you have a life and career and we are all so proud of you." she said. Oscar hummed, "Are you proud of me?" he asked. "So proud. If you are worried about the season, it's your first season. You'll get better with time. The cars getting used to you, you're getting used to it. I'm sure next year will be the best ever. Mark my words" she reassured. Y/N thought Oscar was having anxiety with his career when he asked her that, but that was far from the truth.

"I know how to surprise everyone" she announced after dinner. "How?" Oscar asked. "We could throw a party at my place and then invite everyone. I think Ansel's visiting soon too. And surprise, you're here." she explained. "When will we do that?" Oscar asked. "Ansel is coming in 2 days, on Friday night we can have everyone come in. I'll send out the invites and you can greet everyone once they come in. I think they'll love it" she elaborated further. Oscar liked that he could stay here for a couple more days. "You're gonna have to help me" she said. "I will" Oscar agreed.

The next few days were spent cleaning the place, planning a menu out for the dinner, wrapping up the presents Oscar got everyone. They sent out the invites and everyone agreed to meet her at 7 pm on Friday. The two of them spent all of Friday decorating the place. You would find the two laughing along or having fun through out the whole planning. Oscar hoped that she would see him as more than just a kid. The time they spent together was precious for Oscar. He had bought her a necklace which he asked her to wear on Friday. "Oscar, this is beautiful. But it must be expensive" she said handing it back. "You should wear it today" he said placing it in her hands once again. "I can't take this. It looks so expensive" she mentioned admiring the necklace. "Please, it took me forever to pick out" Oscar begged. Y/N conceded.

They got dressed for the party. Y/N was wearing a navy blue midi dress, to highlight the necklace. She was struggling to zip up her dress which Oscar saw when he came to check up on Y/N. He quietly walked in and zipped up the dress; "Let me" he said. "Thanks" she whispered, her breath stuck in her throat as she felt his finger hover over her lower back. Before she could take the necklace out of the box, Oscar beat her to it, moving her hair aside, his fingers brushed past the small exposed area on her neck, bringing the necklace around and hooking it up. "Done" he mentioned. Y/N was looking at herself in the mirror with Oscar standing behind her, a small smile on his face. She turned around, "how does it look?" she asked. "Gorgeous" Oscar replied. Y/N was blushing and for the first time Oscar saw it. He felt his chest swell up at the thought of making her blush.

Everyone showed up almost at the same time, Oscar was waiting for everyone in the living room. The house was a bit cramped with everyone present but the laughter that could be heard echoing through the house was well worth it. Nicole almost cried when she saw her son and Chris gave him the biggest hug. Both of Y/N's parents hugged and greeted Oscar like their own son was visiting. Oscar brought out all the presents he had bought and you could hear everyone chatting away about the presents while Ansel and Oscar stood a little further away from the group; "You didn't even tell me" Ansel said skeptically. "It was supposed to be a surprise" Oscar reasoned. "Sure" Ansel replied sounding not so sure of Oscar's answer. "Don't you like the present I got you" Oscar quizzed. "Yeah yeah, I know you're trying to bribe me. Just don't take too long." Ansel said. "What do you mean by that?" Oscar asked and Ansel just shrugged his shoulders while walking away to help his sister set up the dinner.

Everyone had taken a plate and were sat where ever they could find a place. Y/N was playing with her necklace every chance she got; "Where did you get the necklace from? It is beautiful" Y/N's mother asked her. "You should ask Oscar, he got it for me" she replied after quickly swallowing the food in her mouth. "Now did he" Oscar's mother asked looking at him. "I just saw it while passing and got it" Oscar dismissed everyone. Lando will tell you, and I quote, "He sent me links to multiple luxury brand's necklaces which he vetoed within minutes of staring at them since they weren't good enough for his Y/N. Then he started dragging me around to a new shop in every city we visited and made the employee of the shop show him their entire inventory. It took him months to decide on the damn necklace. I thought I would have to get some one to craft him one" end quote. But Lando wasn't here and no one was about to know.

Oscar offered to stay back after the party even though Y/N insisted that he leave with his family. "I'm the one that wanted to surprise them. I should help you clean up." he stated. "The party was my idea" she retorted. "Let him help you Y/N. Come home early tomorrow Oscar" his father called out as everyone filed out. "Good luck" Ansel and Aldric called out simultaneously as they bid them good bye.

The house wasn't as destroyed and they were done with cleaning the place up in a few hours. It was almost 2 AM when Oscar finally sat, sprawled out on the sofa. Y/N was putting the last of the dishes away. She walked towards the sofa when her toe got caught on the mat on the floor and she extended her arms to brace herself from the fall. Oscar with his quick reflexes caught hold of her extended arms, stopping her mid-way. "You haven't outgrown your clumsiness" Oscar stated, his face inches away from hers. "I have" she whispered. "What would you do if I wasn't there to save you?" Oscar asked now pushing her back on her feet and placing her arms on her side. "I'm perfectly capable of saving myself" she retorted. "Never said you weren't. But I wouldn't mind being there for you" he retorted back. "Why would you be there for me?" she asked. "Because I like you" he said. There he said it, the words that he wanted to say for years. "Oscar" she began, this didn't sound good to Oscar. "You're my brother's best friend. I can't" she began. "But you would if I wasn't" he interrupted. "No, I wouldn't. You're younger than me" she said. "By a year, it doesn't even matter honestly" Oscar reasoned. "You probably feel this way since we've been spending a lot of time together lately" she said. "I've felt this way for years. Don't demean my feelings for you, Y/N. Do you know what you do to me?" he asked. "Oscar, you're ugh...you're you and it would never work out" she said. "You've thought about me" Oscar asked hopefully. "That's not the point" she said. "It is" Oscar pointed out. "I like you Y/N, I have for as long as I've known you. This isn't some silly crush I had when I was 12 or because of the close proximity. You make my heart beat fast and my tongue doesn't know how to speak around you. I've repressed my feelings for you for far too long. I just don't know if I've ever felt this way about anyone." Oscar said. "Oscar, you're" she began but was cut off; "I'm not acting impulsively. Take your time. I'm here for a couple more weeks. I'll leave tomorrow morning but I'll be at my house. Just think about it. Think about us, think about me. For Once" Oscar begged walking towards the guest room. While Y/N was stood there shocked, in her living room.

[mattybstqrn]

𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝? - 𝐙𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 

warnings: smut, cursing, hickies, unprotected s3x

this is my first time writing smut like this.

❝𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤 (𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞) 𝐬𝐞𝐱 

                                       𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝❞

Y/n Sturniolo is the older sister of the famous Sturniolo triplets.

Except she was famous before they were and moved to LA way before they did, where she decided to pursue her dreams of becoming a photographer.

She pursued her dreams and became a famous photographer; she photographed thousands of famous people, her brothers included. 

If they were famous, she had most likely taken pictures of them. For example, she took pictures of Sam and Colby, Jake Webber, Tara Yummy, The Kardashians, Selena Gomez, etc.

Some of them were for stores, merch and others but some of them were just for her Instagram.

She had also been taking pictures for movies and shows, but only part time, or she just stood around in case they needed some extra help.

Sam, Colby, Jake, Tara, Carrington etc. were all friends of hers that she met from her job, and they had been for quite some time. She had also taken some pictures for the dropout's podcast merchandise.

She had heard of Zach Justice and Jared Bailey, along with their ex-cohost Indiana Marasa. 

In fact, she had met Zach Justice and had been invited onto the podcast, since she was their photographer. 

The two really hit it off, but Zach's jokes left her flabbergasted, he had come up with them so fast, just on the spot, some of them felt as if he had just been waiting to use them for a while, they were just so weird, inappropriate, and funny. 

It was one of the reasons why she fell in love with him, and her reactions were one of the reasons that he had fell for her.

She had also become famous for uploading her amazing pictures on TikTok, twitter, etc. and for writing short stories. 

She wasn't a perfect writer, but she tried her best and people seemed to really like them. 

Y/n currently sat on the couch of her shared house, with her triplet brothers in LA. The four decided to buy a house together so they could all stay close in LA.

They combined their money and bought a huge house for the four of them. 

Y/n decided to text Zach.

Zach💖- Zach

Y/n Sturniolo - Y/n

Y/n Sturniolo Hey! *message delivered*

Y/n Sturniolo are u busy? y'know what just text me later

You look at your contact name and your kind of pissed. You and Zach have been dating for a few months now.

But you guys didn't tell anyone because you knew how overprotective your brothers were.

So, you guys decided to hide it and even though there was a heart next to him name, you did that with all of your guy friends, and you even told them that, so they didn't suspect anything.

You let out a soft sigh, you didn't want to blow up his phone, especially because you knew that he was most likely busy. 

So, you turn your phone off and watch tv for a few minutes, until you hear your phone ring. 

You pick it up to see a text from Zach.

Zach💖 I was busy but I'm not now. what's up?

Y/n Sturniolo you should come over no one's home😁

Zach💖 be there in 10! *Y/n Sturniolo hearted this message*

Y/n look down at your phone with a smile. 

Zach had been so busy recently that you rarely saw him, you heard from his almost every day, but you hadn't seen him for almost a month.

You then put your phone on the side table and turning your attention back to the tv with a smile as you waited for him to come and within 10 minutes he was here.

She jumped up from the couch when she heard the doorbell ring causing her dog, Bingo, who she's had since she was 21, to bark. 

"Bingo be quiet!" you exclaim; you open the door to reveal Zach standing there in his leather jacket and black jeans.

"See it's just Zach!" you tell your dog before engulfing Zach in a much-needed hug.

 You squeeze him into a tight hug. "I missed you," you exclaim pulling away to slap his shoulder.

"Oh, well I'm sorry that I have a life," he jokes causing you to once again slap him.

"Fuck you!" 

"Fuck me?" he questions with a teasing tone and a smirk.

"Sure," you squint at him, Zach then lifts you up, causing you to let out a yelp and wrap your legs around his waist as he carries you over to the couch with Bingo following after you.

Zach then body slams you onto the couch causing Bingo to bark, you shush him as Zach hovers over you with a small smile. 

"Where are your brothers?" he asks, "I don't know," you shrug.

"But I woke up and they were gone," you smile.

"Great soooo that means I can do this," he tells you before bringing you into a passionate kiss, you immediately kiss back smiling in the process.

Slowly dragging him down on top of you, he gently bites your lips causing you to smile once again. 

Zach then starts to take off his leather jacket, which you were fine with, but when he tried to take off his shirt you stop him.

"We can't." you tell him in a whisper, "What?" he questions confused.

"We're not allowed," you reply, "Not allowed? to have sex in your house...?" he asks trailing off in confusion.

"Not down here," you tell him with a small smile causing a huge smirk to grow across his lips. 

"Atta girl."

Zach then stands up, picks you up in the process, causing you to wrap your legs around his waist, leaving his leather jacket downstairs. 

Zach pushes your room door open not pulling away from your lips. 

He slams the door shut, before slamming your body onto your bed. 

Your lips move in sync, crashing like waves. 

The fiery feeling between your legs grew as he squeezes your hand while kissing you deeply.

You place your free hand on either side of his face as he brings your hand down gently pecking it before lifting his shirt over his head.

A smirk makes its way onto your face as you lean up to kiss him but just as you do your door slams open revealing Matt and Chris.

You jump away from him to see your brothers standing in your doorway with a disgusted look on their faces and Zach's leather jacket in hand.

Chris screams in disgust causing Bingo to start barking.

You mentally curse to yourself before asking, "What're you guys doing back home?"

"What are you two doing?" Chris asks disgust filling his tone. 

"None of your business!" you exclaim throwing a pillow at them because they ruined your moment.

"When were you gonna tell us that you two were dating?" Matt questions, raising his eyebrows.

"Uh, I don't know... never," you state with an obvious tone.

"Why not were your brothers?" Chris asks with a furious tone, "Because you act like this!" you shout in anger.

"Also, you guys are so overprotective," you add with sigh.

"Look... I don't care who you date," Matt says, "Me neither," Chris agrees with a nod, "Neither do I," Nick adds poking his head in the room causing you to smile.

"Just as long as he treats you right," Matt finishes, "Yes sir," Zach salutes causing you to roll your eyes.

"And as long as you guys don't have sex in the house," Chris adds on with a shrug, "Yeah because no one wants to hear that," Nick agrees with a tight-lipped smile.

"Get the fuck out!" you softly chuckle with an eye roll.

Nick was the first to get out, Matt following after.

"Just don't do anything, you know you're not allowed!" Chris tells you as you stand up push him out.

Snatching Zach's jacket, then slamming the door in his face with a fake smile before locking it as Chris yelled on the other side.

You then turn around to face Zach, "Were still doing it... right?" he questions, "Duh," you reply before throwing his jacket at him.

You then run over to Zach sliding across the floor to where he sat at the edge of your bed.

He pulls you into his lap bringing you into a kiss. 

You roughly kiss back as he interlocks his fingers with yours, squeezing your waist with the other.

A breathily moan leaves your lips at the tension.

You wanted him.

You needed him... 

Now. 

Right now.

You pull away and kiss down his neck leaving pink-Ish purple love bits.

 His head tilts back in pleasure giving you more room to do whatever you please.

You kiss down his neck all the way down his neck and to his collarbone, "Time to get rid of this," you mutter with a sigh referring to his shirt.

You help Zach pull his shirt off, you then kiss down his bare chest, slamming his body onto your bed with one hand before planting kisses all over his chest.

Letting your hands explore his body.

Zach moans in pleasure as you reach his pants slowly unbuttoning them, "Shh, we can't get caught," you whisper.

"Yes ma'am," he nods with a smirk.

You smile up at him gently licking your lips before sliding his pants off causing his dick to let loose.

Getting up to straddle his lap leaning down to kiss him until he roughly flipped you over, so you were under him, and he was on top.

"You just always have to be on top, don't ya?" 

"I just do it better," he smirks.

"I know," you sigh causing him to smile.

"You have too much on," he sighs, "Let's fix that," he smiles before practically tearing your clothes of and tossing them onto the floor leaving you in your underwear and bra.

"Still too much," he sighs in disappointment.

Zach then unclasped your bra and removed your underwear, "You're soaking wet, sweetheart," 

"Only for you," you state. 

"Your turn," you smile.

Zach hovers over you, quite literally on his knees for you, you slip out from underneath him and slowly remove his boxers.

You stare down at him before laying down ready for him to ruin you, but when he pauses staring down at you lean up.

"Zach. I need you." you whisper into his ear gently placing you hand on his dick.

And with that he became harder, you took matters into your own hands and began to go down on him, sucking his dick.

His moans grew louder and louder as he started coming. 

Swallowing it while glancing up at him.

Once he was done laid you down, "I'm gonna make you feel so good." he spoke before going down into your clit.

His tongue dancing inside your clit causing you to moan in pleasure.

You glance down at him before arching your back and moaning as his tongue went in as far as possible.

"Fuck," you moan, gripping the pillows beside your head.

Zach the pulls away teasing your clit with his finger before pulling away completely.

He then aligns himself up with you and then roughly entering your clit causing you to moan.

"Shh, or I'll stop."

you nod as he slowly pulls out, "Got it?" he questions, you nod once again. "I need words, baby."

"Y-yes," you stutter.

He then slowly slips his dick back into you before roughly thrusting in. Your back arches as you let out a quiet moan.

His thrusts speed up causing your moans to get louder, you reach for the nearest pillow and place it over your mouth as you start to cum.

"Fuck!" you loudly moan out into the pillow; Zach removes the pillow from your mouth wanting to hear you.

"Wait for me," he whispers, you hold yourself back waiting for him.

He leans down pressing a tender kiss to your lips, "I'm coming," he moans causing you to let go and cum with him as your eyes roll back in pleasure.

"Me too," you moan out in pleasure. 

Zach then pulls out throws himself down beside you, catching his breath as you caught yours.

You got yourself wrapped up in a blanket, glancing over at him.

Laying on his chest in silence.

"That was amazing," you breath out, "Tell me about it," he sighs with a nod before glancing down at you and wrapping you up in his arms.

"I love you," you announce with a sweet tone glancing up at him with pure love and passion.

"I love you too," he says smiling down at you and pressing a sweet and tender kiss to your forehead.

Cuddling into him and pressing a kiss to his neck.

[trigunsbbygirl]

More Reverse Isekai Hcs with the Twins

another one with more focus on Vash, but Nai is there too. V relationship with reader so absolutely nothing going on with the twins.

also mention a not sfw song at the very end

•Vash loves window shopping. there's so many interesting things on Earth! Vash drags you around to each store and always ooo's and ahh's at everything. obsessed with stickers and animal shaped things (especially when it comes to cooking.)

•he bought animal cookie cutters and immediately tried them out and was both slightly disappointed and dying of laughter when the cookies came out way rounder than when they went in. Vash frosts them very seriously either way, holding in laughter at how they look. he can't hold it any longer when you catch his attention, holding up what was meant to be a bear, decorated with nothing but a small 'c:' on its face. you're wavering straight face and almost serious voice saying "he chonky" has him losing it.

•every once in a while when Vash is putting something in the oven, he'll quote that copypasta "Why do they call it oven when you of in the cold food of out hot eat the food?" Nai wants to smack him everytime he says it.

•speaking of, Vash quite likes internet language. he's not excessive with using them, but sometimes Vash'll be like 'look at the doggo/pupper!' he also starts saying lol and pog. he doesn't say them in public much though. he's still trying to learn about the difference in online culture and offline culture.

•unlike Nai, Vash finds merchandise fascinating. he loves looking at plushies, figurines and charms, he thinks it's all so cool! Vash buys you all matching phone charms. it makes him so happy whenever he spots it dangling from yours and Nai's phones.

•but speaking of, Vash finds out about the figurines of himself and if he can, he's absolutely buying them. he's looking at them and is all like damn I look so cool! and rubs it in Nai's face that he has not only more, but cooler figurines.

•Vash recreates the poses of them too, aiming his finger gun at you, before yelling out a bang, lifting his arm up in fake recoil. you gasp, griping at your torso, dramatically falling to the floor. "help me Nai, I've been shot!"

Nai rolls his eyes at the two of yours antics, making his way towards you and picking you up. As he makes his way towards your bedroom he says, "I have to give her medical attention, don't bother us."

Vash's eyes widen as he gets up to follow Nai. "Now wait a second!"

•the dorks actually do know how to share you. it was a little rough at the beginning but they've learned and figured things out pretty well! they don't fight for your attention, but they do get a little jealous, and pouty if you give too much attention to the other often. they're both pretty touch starved so good luck lol. however they do read eachother well and know when not to try and get your attention from the other.

•Vash would've loved the time when mustaches and the peace symbol were insanely popular.

•speaking of mustaches, Vash once came home wearing one of those fake glasses with mustache and nose disguises. when you turned to welcome him home he responded with a serious face, "who is Vash?" you fake a gasp asking who he is and what he's doing there. before Vash can respond, Nai is getting up with a grin on his face. "well since we don't know him, we can kick him out and make sure he can never get back in."

Vash nervously laughs, waving his hands, "we don't need to go that far haha.."

Nai laughs back mockingly,"why not? you are breaking into our house, stranger."

Vash immediately yanks the glasses off, "look! its me! Vash!" you gasp and run up to him, hugging his side. "Vash! there was a tall scary stranger in here! I'm glad you're here to help Nai protect me!"

Nai watches as Vash coddles you. he'd be lying to himself if he said he hated the antics you two do. he watches you give Vash a kiss on the cheek before walking over and pulling you away from Vash. "I'm the one that protected you, why are you praising him?" he asks, staring at you with narrowed eyes. Nai may look angry but really, he just wants kisses too.

•Vash loves bees! he'll go out to the little garden he's been working on and watch as bees and butterflies come by. it's one of his favorite pastimes.

•Vash is very involved with the community. he always offers the neighbors any extra food he's made and seeing if anyone needs help. he's happy to mow someone's lawn or weed a garden and do any small chores someone may be unable to do. Vash also goes around and tries to volunteer a lot since he can't really work. as much as he likes exploring hobbies, he gets a little restless being at home so much.

•Vash wants to try eating everything and that doesn't just include meals. somehow Vash learned that dandelions are edible and the next time you two take a walk, before you truly realize it, you're watching Vash shove the yellow part of a dandelion flower into his mouth.

•but seriously he really does want to try eating different plants. Vash does a lot of research and is always giving Nai suggestions of foods to incorporate into meals.

•if Vash could, I could absolutely see him working in the medical department as a pediatrician. he loves kids a lot and he's great at playing with kids, comforting them and making sure they feel as happy as they possibly can be at the hospital. he always jokes around with them, gets to know each kid he works with and always tries to be there for them when they're sad or scared.

•likewise, I know I said Nai would work at a book store, but I like to imagine Nai could become a surgeon. he's not lost to the irony in it, that he's saving lives, but it's just something he's taken an interest in. he wants to learn about human anatomy. (idk how to explain it really but it just makes sense to me. he'd be good at it too, never gets tired, steady hands, keen eyes, very precise)

•prank Vash a little bit when it comes to the modern era. tell him that when the plane lands everybody claps and applauds the pilots. Vash almost did that the first time he went flying, he lifted his hands up, but he was confused when no one started clapping. he catches on quickly that it was a prank.

•Vash combusts if you ever sing E.T by Katy Perry. stare at him as you sing it and he'll get so red in the face. he's covering his face with his hands and curling into himself and whining out to stop.(he doesn't want you to though)

•same with if you prank him and show him that The Bad Touch by Bloodhound Gang. go up to him and tell him you have a cool popular song to show and he lights up, Vash likes pretty much all of the songs you show him. when the song starts, he's bopping his head to the beat and tells you, smiling, it's cool so far. then the lyrics start and Vash's smile immediately falls and he blushes so hard. he can't even look at you and you're laughing your ass off at his reaction.

•Nai, the boring fucker, would just raise an eyebrow at you. he either doesn't fall for your pranks or just has no reaction. shame.

[turquoisephoenix]

You mentioned that you think after Grubba gets out of jail he has an uneasy friendship with Prince Mush. Do you think you could elaborate on that some? Like what do their interactions look like? Just curious as to how you think a murderer and a revived victim of his would act as friends

Okay, this one might be a little long, takes a bit of setting up, and involves some headcanons.

And I will emphasize that the relationship is "uneasy" and they're not exactly inviting each other to watch movies or anything. Grubba should be thankful that Prince Mush even wants to speak to him and give him occasional updates on how the Glitz Pit is running, at his request, while he's sitting in jail and later under house arrest (albeit a cozy house arrest at his tacky rodeo clown of a home, but he has to do it all with an ankle monitor).

Prince Mush is just something of a saint, very mellow, and extremely forgiving. He's just a bit of a wide-eyed shonen protagonist fueled by the power of friendship.

To explain why Prince Mush is so understanding where Grubba was coming from with his most terrible actions, both Prince Mush and Grubba have similar backstories - they were originally from poor backgrounds but then climbed their way to the top to become champion fighters.

This leads me to believe that Prince Mush grew up as a fan of Grubba. Especially since I made Grubba the type of fighter that had a LOT of merchandising and star appeal thanks to some rather aggressive contracts by his fight promoter/agent, who swooped in and saw a business opportunity. Prince Mush had secondhand toys of Grubba that they found in the local Rogueport goodwill because the store shelves were just flooded with them. Prince Mush bought some of his T-shirts and had a few of his toys.

And Prince Mush and Grubba got along for a good several years! Prince Mush had a very cushy Champion's life and his family got to see all of his matches and he was very comfortable! Grubba made sure to NOT treat Prince Mush the way he was treated in the past. Prince Mush had health benefits and vacation plans. Everything was good! Grubba was a good maybe-a-father-figure, maybe-just-an-older-friend type of cool old dude.

Until, one night, Prince Mush alerted Grubba to a strange machine that he found underneath the Glitz Pit Arena while he was training late one night. After Grubba asked him if he told anyone else (Prince Mush thankfully said no, so no killing spree for Grub), Prince Mush lead him to the strange machine and asked him "who could do such a thing?"

Grubba responded by hitting him in the back of the head, knocking him unconscious. They didn't even have an epic battle between champion and monster; instead Grubba panicked, acted like a cornered rat, and then immediately had to cover up the resulting disappearance.

Cut to a few more years later where Prince Mush is suddenly waking up in the Glitz Pit Arena and his own sister is telling him how he straight up died and his blood was on Grubba's hands, all while a little Italian plumber is waving at him and going "wahoo".

So in short, Prince Mush doesn't remember his own death and has to get all of his information secondhand from other people who were way way more traumatized about the events.

And Mush, being Mush...can't bring himself to hate Grubba.

At least, not totally.

Jolene hates Grubba with every fiber of her being and is very much a "if I see you outside of prison, it's on sight, mfer" type of person. Rawk Hawk has really mixed feelings about Grubba and oscillates between rage-filled hatred and survivor's guilt where he second-guesses all the nice things Grubba ever did for him, knowing that he could've been drained and shoved in a dirty old attic. He even visited Grubba in jail and had a shouting match with him as both of them had to unpack a lot of mental baggage. Rawk Hawk's change of heart is fueled by the fact that Rawk Hawk has grown self-conscious and scared of becoming as lost as his mentor.

Prince Mush? When he pieces the story together - the young star exploited at a young age so afraid of aging, so afraid of giving up his own business, that he'll use a magic demon artifact to render himself immortal at the cost of his own humanity and becomes a paranoid monster that can't get close to anyone without hurting or killing them...

He just finds Grubba sad.

And when he tells Grubba to his face while he's sitting in the prison cell, Grubba wishes he got the anger instead.

Having his whole empire crumble and having to live with the consequences of his actions just renders him a pathetic, broken man. He needed wellness checks during his first week of prison just to make sure he didn't do anything drastic. (being away from the Crystal Star that made him young and strong for the first time in 40 years and realizing that he was gonna wither and turn into an old man made him just a touch suicidal for a little while)

On top of all of this, once it becomes more common knowledge that the Crystal Stars were connected to the Shadow Queen, Grubba isn't even sure how much of his actions were his own or if he was Corrupted By the Amulet. Everyone - including him - believes he was mostly in control, but it sure doesn't feel good either way having to second-guess just how much of the past few decades were of your own free will and how much of it was demonic influence and you were just Golluming your way into murder because the shiny rock needed more blood for the blood god.

TTYD is very much a game that ends on the idea of forgiveness for the villains. I'm not going to have Prince Mush stay with Grubba ala Vivian hanging out with her shitty sister Beldam, but Prince Mush seems like a cool enough dude to at least extend a hand and say "yeah you killed me, but now you're in a position where you can't harm anyone else ever again and since you're a paranoid and have like 60 mental illnesses, I'm not going to kick you while you're down and instead tell you that the Glitz Pit isn't on fire and that my sister Jolene is doing a GREAT job".

And eventually Grubba...feels more at peace with himself than he's been in over 40 years.

TL;DR, Prince Mush forges a shaky relationship with his own murderer because his murderer's mental health was impacted by both demonic magic and the exploitation of Hollywood stardom but things are actually kinda looking up? Prince Mush actually wants Grubba to get better, Jolene wants Grubba to choke and perish, and Rawk Hawk is unsure whether he sides with Mush or Jolene.

[purplepixel]

1, 2 (Rise specifically) 6, 22, 26, and 33

Sorry, I'm just so curious :}

OHOHOHO GIVING ME SOME GOOD ONES

1) What was your first exposure to TMNT?

Ok so I must've encountered the ninja turtles SOMETIME during my childhood. It's one of those things I kinda knew about but didnt care to look into. And I learned recently that my mom didn't like TMNT so I'm guessing she sabotaged my exposure to them growing up /lh. The clearest memory of TMNT that I have was when my honors humanities high school teacher was trying to get us to remember the Renaissance artists.

"Just think of the ninja turtles"

Me: the who now? Oh that's their names? Ya sry I'll have a better time just remembering the artists

2) What was your first exposure to Rise?

Hmm. Would you laugh if I told you I sat in the break room of my old retail job, was scrolling on jobsites to try and get me out of that place, came across a job opening at Nickelodeon for character designer for their new show "rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles", thought about how I would redesign the ninja turtles despite having no knowledge of the franchiae, and ultimately decided not to apply bc I lacked faith in myself? (I also lacked the skill but KSJFSJAK)

If only my past self could look at me now.

Ok but for actual exposure to the show, I was sooo late. I think the first I saw of rise was a clip of the S2 finale fight on twitter. I barely remember tho bc that didn't get me to watch the show (surprisingly)

6) Do you own any TMNT merchandise?

Yes! I have some signed posters from Andy Suriano and a splinter and April doodle.

The mutant mayhem raph, Mikey, donnie Funko pops (no Leo oops. They didn't have him when I bought these). Mutant mayhem Mini pops, a 1987 Mikey plushie, all the turtle mutant mayhem plushies.

Hardback volumes 1-7 of TMNT IDW. Steel dvd cover of mutant mayhem. These guys

RAPHS SAIS AS A PIZZA CUTTER (I don't have a pic rn unfortunately ;-;) Have an '87 Mikey keychain thats his shell and nunchaku)

And some fan made keychains

Craving more. Really wish we had better rise merch. Gotta rely on the fans for that one

22) What is your favorite kind of pizza?

HAWAIIAN AND YOU CAN FIGHT ME. Donnie's wrong

26) What is one of your favorite pieces of TMNT fanart?

Oh wow. There's so many. Uhhhh....scrolls through my archive. This is one of my recent favorites I really love the colors and style of the characters. Bright and fun.

But if animations count, then this

33) What is your favorite thing you've made for TMNT?

Um oh wow. What to choose. This 100% will change over time especially since I've been cooking lately. I've got a handful of animatics in the work that im REALLY proud of. And my rise/Pokemon au is my personal baby despite me just sharing the tip of the iceberg.

But my silly answer is this. I find this WAAAAY too funny for what it is. I watch on loop anytime I need to get something done.

[allora1233]

𝕊𝕨𝕠𝕠𝕟 ℙ𝕥. 𝟙

genre: fluff - headcanon

pairing: Izuku Midoriya, Shoto Todoroki, Tenya Iida

summary: Little things you do for them that make them swoon for you.

wc: >1k

a/n: For quick context, the pronouns and love languages used for these are based on my own headcanons. If you would like me to share them, just let me know! More characters are on the way!

Izuku - Buying him gifts.

Gift recieving

It doesn't have to be anything big. It could be a All Might pen you saw in the store, or some chocolates. And even though he's always happy to recieve All Might merchandise, he really cherishes the other gifts you give him more. It shows that you really do know him outside of All Might and you know what he likes. You pay attention to him and you bought him something because you were thinking of him. Some of his favorite gifts from you are: a fake plant you thought would look cute in his room (which now sits on his window sill), a new notebook since the one he had was started to get filled up, or the time you won a bunny stuffed animal at the fair with your friends and you brought it home for him. Now, if you aren't there to cuddle with him that night, he refuses to sleep if that bunny (which he named after you) isn’t on the bed somewhere so he won't be alone.

Todoroki - Cleaning their space.

Acts of Service

I don't think it's out of line to say Shoto could have developed OCD in order to maintain some sense of control over their life. This is especially true for their living space. Shoto's room is very specifically set up. From how they folds their bed sheets in the morning to how they organizes their clothes to something small, like how their pens and pencils are arranged on their desk. Everything has a place. And it's okay if things fall out of place once in a while. But when they're really going through a rough patch and they either 1) don't have time to clean up after themself, or 2) simply does not have the mental energy to, that's where you come in. You've spent plenty of time with Shoto to know how they likes their space. So when they're going through a depressive episode, you'll clean up for them while they're away. Fixing the bed, cleaning their desk, heck, you'll vacuum and wipe down all the surfaces while you're at it. You may be tired by the end of the day, but it's all worth it to see Shoto's exhausted face break into a smile when they come home.

Iida - Leaving little love notes.

Words of Affirmation

Letters, cards, post-its, anything and everything you can use to leave small messages on, you use it. You left him a note on his desk once as a random sweet gesture, and after seeing how giddy he was for the rest of the day, you had to continue making them. Now, it's a way you two communicate with one another. It can be a simple "good morning :)" note that he sticks onto your door or a long love letter that you leave on his desk for him to find that morning before class. He has a special folder dedicated to all the post-it notes and letters you've written for him. And if you send him a 3am text message of all the things you love about him, don't be surprised when you're woken up early the next morning from knocking on the door. He'll rush in and tackle you with cuddles and kisses.

[wingedwoif94]

I think people are misunderstanding the whole art commission copyright "commercial use licensing fees” thing. My TOS states that commissioned artwork is for personal use unless discussed otherwise.  This is to prevent some crazy hypothetical scenario where a large company could make a huge profit reselling art without granting any royalties. Generally if a company commissions an artist for artwork with the intent to resell it on something like T-shirts, the artist receives a %cut of the profits. HUGE profits can be made by large companies from one $50 commissioned piece, like $50k worth of merchandise. Its standard industry practice for the original artist to ask for a cut since they essentially made the product. Furry art isn't usually used for this purpose. Nobody is going to stop you from using the art you commissioned to get a fursuit made, or using it in monetized YouTube thumbnails. I don't generally care if you resell designs I’ve made for more than you bought it either, especially if more art has been collected. I’m not worried about that.  If you aren't making $20k a month flipping artwork on your aliexpress webstore you don't have to worry lol.

[ghostflowerhotpotch]

So I'll just tell myself all of the things I can't say to you yet (Fic)

Pairing: Ghostflower (Miles x Gwen.)

Chapter: 1/4.

Summary: On a scale from interested to desperate, where do you rank buying a plushie of your crush?

...Could she even still call this a crush?

As Gwen closed the portal behind her, she couldn't believe she has gotten away with it. When Miles invited her and the rest of their friends to Festival, she has been thinking about what type of music she would hear, what difference she could catch from her dimension- not this.

It has been kind of an impulse purchase, she has honestly been lucky that the money from her dimension seemed to be close enough to the bills in Miles’ universe; hopefully the seller wouldn’t have trouble depositing a glitching bill. It couldn't count as scamming someone, right?

“This was stupid,” She thought to herself, yet still hugging the brown bag against her chest, almost a bit too protective, not wanting anyone to see its contents.

She doesn’t know how she managed to hide it from Miles (or Pavitr, who was very curious about it- Gwen almost wonders if Hobie knew since he helped to move the conversation around,) or even get it without anyone else noticing. Gwen didn’t think she could come up with an excuse if any of them saw this.

But she was in her own dimension again, her dad wasn’t at home right now, which meant there was no one but her, and even in the safety of her own room, she didn’t want to look at it, as if getting it out of the bag would somehow be more incriminating than having it.

Still feeling a bit silly, she sits in her bed and finally, opens the bag and finally gets her precious cargo she has been so mindful of. On her left hand, there is a medium-sized, Miles' plushie.

It was spiderman themed, of course; she wasn’t sure how it worked, but multiple companies have started selling merchandise with his name and colours in it, even if he technically hasn’t signed anything. The quality wasn’t that good, a big head with a very fluffy body and limbs, it was kind of ridiculous.

Insanely cute though, almost as cute as him.

Groaning, she let herself fall in the bed “What’s wrong with me?” she whispered to herself as she put a hand on her forehead. Looking back, she glares at the plushie, almost as if it came home with her by itself rather than being her own idea. Sighing, she lies on her side and hugs the plushie.

She already bought the damn thing; she may as well embrace it.

Miles and she had been working on rebuilding their friendship. After months of silence, the secrets about canon and Miles’ Spiderman situation; they needed to take a step back and get a chance to breathe, especially for Gwen who was not just trying to rebuild her relationship with her dad, but catch on all the classes she missed on the meantime. Considering how things ended in HQ, she was honestly grateful Miles wanted to keep in contact after that fiasco.

There was just a small problem, her crush.

“Well, can I call it that anymore?” She thought bitterly to herself, as she looks back at the plushie that she was clutching against her chest. The little Spiderman just looked back at her; unlike the real one, there wasn’t a way to take that mask and look at his face. If she had more artistic abilities, she may have tried to find a way to give a face to the plushie.

God knows the only reason her notebook has half-made songs instead of drawings like Miles, is because she couldn’t draw like him.

Gwen wasn’t always upfront with what she was feeling, not even to herself. Part of her thought if she could pretend to be okay, those emotions would eventually leave her and she could continue her normal life. Except that it doesn’t; not with the guilt of losing Peter, not with the gaping hole that felt those months when she thought her dad hated her, and not with her feelings for Miles.

Everyone knows about his crush on her, or at least the feelings he used to harbour for her; ever since the whole situation with Miguel, Miles hasn’t been the same to her. He was still kind, and warm, but it didn’t feel like it used to be, even now.

What she has for him? It was still there, as strong as ever, and she was drowning in the feeling.

Part of Gwen wonders if the people around her had pretended not to know, or at least make it easier for her because she was in such denial she would try to shut down the topic otherwise. But Jess knew exactly what Gwen must have meant by "getting too close to someone," Miguel thinking Gwen was a liability thanks to her feelings for Miles (which was sorta right,) and Hobie- the guy probably figured out the tenth time she mentioned his name.

She has been insisting they were just friends, that it wasn’t that big of a deal; but she knows it wasn’t exactly Ham the one she has been missing all those months before finding the organization, and she wasn’t going to forget about monitoring a bad guy to spend an afternoon with Peter B.

It was kind of dumb, but she has been so glad that no one has pointed out that on a mission that would have been easy with the Spot literally out of ways to travel to other dimensions, she opened the portal right where Miles was as she ignored the bad guy until her watch screamed at her. While hugging the plushie even harder, she knows you don’t risk the multiverse just to catch on with someone, and you don’t sneak out to get a plushie of someone while obsessively making sure no one notices.

As she looked at the oversized head that mimicked Miles’s mask, she thought to herself when she was going to give up acting as if those feelings weren’t there, or it was as simple as a crush.

“I love you” She whispers for the first time, and somehow the phrase feels like it almost echoes in her mind. It feels right in her mouth, the truth she has been battling for so long.

Groaning, she looks to the roof “I’m so stupid.”

Because only someone like her would get into a mess like this. Loving someone from afar while not being sure if they could actually make it work, but wanting so badly to do it.

And yet still too scared to do anything that whispers the truth to a plushie.

Perhaps even after all this time, Gwen Stacy still only knew how to run.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Oh my g-d I am typing lines and dots as separation like this fanfiction net in 2011, jeez I am old.

So! I normally just upload my fics in ao3; however, as all we know (or so I assume because multiple communities are in shambles right now.) AO3 is down, and the best way to help is to not try to get in.

And it just so happens this fic that was supposed to be a one-shot became a short fic because the comments ended up inspiring me to do more.

The second chapter will be posted in a few moments, and the link to it will appear in this post and vice versa. The third chapter will be published on tumblr depending on how the ao3 situation goes and my mood.

Hope you like it! Leave a comment if you did, is the only reason this went past the first chapter.

Second Chapter here!

[eleventeeny]

You Wanted the Best: My In-Depth Experience at a KISS Show

October 27, 2023

For 50 years, KISS has been setting the standard for spectacles. With their kabuki makeup, wide and mind-boggling variety of merchandise, and insane on-stage performances, they have changed the culture of music.

Before the show at the Dickies Arena, I had never been to a concert alone nor had I ever bought my own ticket for a show. I went crazy the moment I got the money for a good seat. I went for a seat 12 rows from the stage and I got a soundcheck and Q&A pass.

After I was dropped off and walked up the steps to the venue, I met an older lady, seemingly in her 40's, and we became instant buddies. By a stroke of fate, we also had the same VIP package, so we got to stand in line together. She told me her stories of seeing KISS over the years as well as a story of her meeting Eric Carr in the 1980's, which I thought was really cool.

I got to take a look at the KISS cosplayers around the venue, I didn't get to see many fans since VIP and non-VIP concertgoers were on different sides of the arena, but there were many things to see. I also got to see fans decked out in official and unofficial merchandise; pants covered with the Love Gun album cover, hats with some of the more unflattering pictures of the members, etc.

As I was in line, I got to listen to KISS concert stories from other people in line and I got to conversate with other fans. During the time I was waiting, I checked my social media and saw an announcement that the show had officially sold out.

Inside the building, I was given a VIP pass and I got to check out the merchandise as we waited for soundcheck. It started kind of late, beginning 5-10 minutes after it was supposed to. We got to pick our seats, and when we walked down the stairs to the floor section, I got to admire the props and set for the show. There were huge statues, 2 on each side of the stage, displaying the members of the band, however I didn't get a picture. On the stage itself, there was the iconic light-up logo.

The woman I befriended sat with me in one of the rows closer to the stage. She tapped on my shoulder and pointed to Eric Singer sitting on the edge of the stage talking to some fans while passing out drumsticks.

One by one, the members walked out on stage. Paul announced that he was feeling ill, having just gotten a flu shot, this sickness later becoming the reason they had to cancel two shows in Canada and one in Knoxville, and told the audience he'd be leaving the singing to Gene, Tommy, and Eric so he could save his voice for later in the night.

They played 'Plaster Caster,' 'Shock Me,' and 'Christine Sixteen'. Everything went off great and as I was watching Tommy during Shock Me, Paul threw a guitar pick into a chair three seats away from me. Before I could process it, a few guys dove into the chair to get it.

After 'Christine Sixteen,' they started the Q&A bit, and a microphone was passed around amongst the fans. One fan asked if anyone in the band had used the KISS condoms from 2002, to which Paul cleverly, and probably truthfully, responded "They're too small". Gene also told the story of how he discovered the uniqueness of his tongue when he was a kid, which you can read about in his book Kiss and Make Up.

A few hours later, the openers came out to perform. The band, Amber Wild, was very interactive with the crowd and held themselves well on stage. The vocalist, Evan Stanley, is also the son of Paul Stanley. They had just released their first single 8 days before the show.

When KISS opened with Detroit Rock City, the massive black curtain sporting the KISS logo was pulled down and the members were brought down on individual platforms.

The pyrotechnics were insane throughout the show but were especially prevalent in the opening performance. With each blast of fire, I could feel the heat against my face.

Before God of Thunder, Gene did his legendary blood-spitting performance. I think it'd be cooler if, instead of wiping the blood off his face before singing, he would just perform with the blood still there. It adds to the show.

During the encore, they dropped these huge balloons, confetti, and streamers upon the crowd. As I was leaving, I saw two fans fighting over one of the balloons.

The arena was filled with 1970's kids who seemed less like fans and more casual, which makes complete sense. KISS was absolutely everywhere back then, so when people who were growing up in the 70's see KISS, they feel drawn to it because they're a symbol of that time.

The show was amazing and even as a younger fan, I felt really involved and included when I spoke with some of the older fans there. I had a great time. There's always something about KISS that someone will find intriguing.

Despite retiring in December of 2023, KISS has still been going strong with their dedicated and loyal fanbase. In July of this year, they surpassed one billion streams on Spotify for their hit song 'I Was Made for Lovin' You'.

[lampthehealthminister]

An Aventurine-centric analysis of the 2.1 Trailblaze Quest - Part 3

These analyses are taking more and more time to do… But I’ll admit, I went a bit overboard with this part. Jade is too interesting as a character to bypass, even though I dislike her. All of her words are important, and she always says things in a calculated manner, so I felt like I had to analyse the whole dialogue. I wanted to add more, but this is already getting too long… Plus, her banner is coming in less than a week, so it’s a good way to honor her! I don’t know when I’ll post the next part because I’ll soon be busy, but it will be posted eventually! Even if Penacony is done! Like always, if you have things to add do go ahead, I love talking to people :D

All the Sad Tales (Part 1)

IPC Broadcast Memory

Interastral Peace Broadcast: "The case's main suspect originates from Sigonia-IV, and is one of the survivors of the "Second Katica-Avgin Extinction Event," who does not carry an Interstellar Refugee Travel Permit..."

→ When you focus on this line, you can note something interesting about its structure : Aventurine’s status, which could probably equate to that of a war refugee, is completely forgotten to focus on his status as a criminal instead. It’s to be expected coming from the IPC, who holds little care for the Avgins and was probably mad that Aventurine tricked them. Nothing matters except his crimes, except the fact that he’s a danger to the IPC.

→ Also, with the way the sentence is constructed, it almost seems like he cannot be considered a refugee anymore because he does not have the proper permit. His illegality overthrows his condition, once again reducing him to the state of criminal ; all to justify whatever the IPC will make him go through.

→ And the IPC basically strips him of a part of his life, of himself, all because he’s done something that harms them a little. They manipulate his experiences, because they want to have control over him. He’s too volatile, too dangerous, and so they must keep an eye on him in one way or another, and it starts with completely disregarding his initial situation and status. And it only continues with Jade’s actions.

→ It’s also important to note that the criminal image of Aventurine that the IPC is building is for the public. Meaning that the IPC fuels the stereotypes around the Avgins, especially since it benefits them.

Meeting Jade Memory

Jade: What pretty eyes. Tell me, do they shine in the dark?

Kakavasha: Well if they did, I'd sell them in a heartbeat.

→ Jade’s first comment is pretty creepy. Avgins’ eyes are one of their unique features, so Jade’s comment appears as both condescending and a jab at Kakavasha’s origin. Her question afterwards makes her original comment even worse : it’s like Kakavasha’s eyes are a toy, or a pretty jewel to acquire. Their only value is that they’re pretty, which makes them prized and desirable. And Kakavasha actually follows that logic with his comment, which reveals his current mindset about himself : at this point of his life, he considers himself like merchandise, something to be bought and sold. Furthermore, it also shows that Kakavasha didn’t value his Avgin origin that much at that time ; even though Avgins’ eyes are unique to their species, he is willing to sell them away without a second thought. Then again, it could easily be a lie, but considering how low Kakavasha’s self-preservation is, it’s possible that it really reflects his thoughts at the time.

→ So from the start, their conversation is not one between equals, but one between a buyer – Jade – and a product – Kakavasha. And it makes sense considering the IPC’s stance towards the Avgins and Kakavasha : for this big company, they’re just a useless group of people that should be kept as slaves if they’re alive ; they only have value as goods, not as living beings.

2. Jade: You don't know how many people long for your eyes to be closed forever. As a servant, you should not resist your master... Yet you went and killed that man anyway.

Jade: No lawyer has the audacity to defend you, perhaps you ought to represent yourself?

Kakavasha: Not difficult. But definitely pointless.

→ (I’m keeping these lines together because I feel like it’s important to present both Jade’s and Kakavasha’s words side by side to understand their dynamic.) The first sentence is just Jade calling Kakavasha out on his nonchalance, reminding him that although he takes his situation lightly and does hesitate to answer her, he’s actually in great danger. It could also be a threat, her way of telling him that the IPC currently wants him dead because of all the trouble he’s caused. Either way, it seems that she’s trying to remind him of his current standing, something she continues to do with her second sentence.

→ Next, Jade reminds Kakavasha of his position, and of the obligations he had that he went against. However, there are three things that are interesting in the way she says it.

First, she mentions his status as a slave despite him not being on trial for the murder of his master ; he was arrested because he’s a suspect in the Egyhazo Aventurine case. It’s once again her way to show him the difficult position he’s in : not only is he a slave, an individual that’s not even considered as a human, but he’s also a dangerous criminal, with the murder of his master adding itself to his case. At this point, it’s like Jade is telling Kakavasha that there's no way for him to come out unscathed. 

Second, she uses the word “servant”, instead of “slave”. It’s obviously very hypocritical of her, as an IPC executive, to not use the word “slave” considering the IPC’s active participation in making him a slave. It’s also probably a way to justify his criminal status : if he is considered a slave, it could make the murder acceptable, because slavery is also a crime ; but if he’s considered a servant, it implies employment or at least a contract between him and his master that makes the murder inacceptable. It’s a way to erase what happened to him before, to show that the IPC has control over his life and what happened to him. Clearly, the choice of the word “servant” was deliberate, Jade does not hesitate to modify the truth to keep Kakavasha in the IPC’s clutches.

Third, the sentence seems very nonchalant, like she does not care about the man that died — which she probably doesn’t —, but only on the fact that Kakavasha went against his status, that he dared to murder to keep himself alive. It shows that Jade’s intrigued by Kakavasha’s willingness to do anything to survive, probably because it makes him an interesting asset for the IPC.

→ With her question, Jade doesn’t really think that Kakavasha will accept, but she still pushes him to say things that will turn against him. She’s once again underlining how difficult his situation is, and how the only one who can save him is himself. She’s pretty vicious, she hopes to take advantage of his audacity to trick him, which really shows that she will use any tactic necessary to get what she wants.

→ However, Kakavasha refuses to represent himself. Maybe he thinks that there’s no point in trying to give out another image of himself since the IPC has already crafted one. Or, considering that he bets on the fact that the IPC won’t kill him, maybe he sees no reason to defend himself because with his luck, it’s unnecessary. Either way, it shows to Jade that Kakavasha is aware of the stakes at hand and already has a plan in mind, which prompts her next question.

3. Jade: You're pretty confident on your eloquence. Did you also think that when you lied to the Intelligentsia Guild?

Kakavasha: Ask and you shall receive. You wanted the perfect construction material — all I did was offer a possibility. It was just a small wager.

Kakavasha: If your luck holds out, the IPC will dig something up from the golden sands of Egyhazo, maybe even the Sand King's remains. Pity, your luck has run out.

→ Jade first points out Kakavasha’s ability to craft lies and his confidence that allows him to persuade people, and probably notes it down as something that makes him even more interesting for the IPC. Then, she finally focuses on the reason why he’s even here in the first place, the Egyhazo Aventurine case. The question in itself is not that interesting, but considering Jade’s goal it makes sense : she wants him to reveal his way of thinking and his goals so she can judge if it’s more interesting to keep him in the IPC or kill him.

→ Kakavasha’s first sentence seems weirdly condescending, he’s acting like he’s the one in control in this situation. It’s probably part of the poker face he’s started building to protect himself. As for the rest of his lines, there doesn’t seem to be anything particularly special, except for the two mentions of luck and the betting vocabulary with “wager”, that seem to show that he’s really adopted the mentality of his previous master. And while this seems slightly unhealthy — he adopts the words of the one who enslaved him even though they were used against him and brought him suffering — it also shows how much Kakavasha wants to protect himself ; with his luck, only in bets where everyone is equal can he surpass all the people that hurt him.

4. Jade: I'll admit that. What I'm more curious about though, is why such a grand scheme failed to benefit anyone in the end, including the perpetrator himself?

Kakavasha: Madam, I already have what I want — to be brought before you, for the next high-stakes gamble.

→ Here again, Jade aims to make Kakavasha explain his plan, which will give her leverage against him, and allow her to tighten the hold she has over him. Obviously, her questioning makes sense in the setting of an interrogation, but it must also serve this other purpose.

→ And once again, Kakavasha uses vocabulary related to gambling, clearly showing his mentality to Jade. Although the confidence is obviously an act considering what we know about him, it at least shows that he doesn’t really care about the danger that surrounds him. He’s daring, does not falter in front of authority even though he refers to her as “Madam” — which could definitely be ironic or even condescending —, and has very little consideration for his life, which are all qualities that Jade can exploit.

Uncertainty lies in Kakavasha’s reason for divulging so many details about himself. Did he think he'd come out on top anyway? Did he consider these characteristics of his persona too repulsive for the IPC to consider taking him in? Did he truly mess up and got tricked by Jade? Or did he do it on purpose in the hopes of joining the IPC, all to complete a plan he prepared in advance? Honestly, nothing from other dialogues really shows his intentions, so we can only throw questions in the air.

5. Jade: Then let's talk about the second gamble. Tell me, what are you prepared to wager this time?

Kakavasha: My life. I bet you won't send me to the gallows.

→ Now that Jade has managed to get information out of Kakavasha — specifically about his way of thinking and his goal —, she uses the same vocabulary as him. Whereas before she employed the word “scheme” to talk about his plan with Egyhazo, she now employs “gamble”, and then “wager”, which are both words Kakavasha uses himself. This change indicates that Jade is starting to understand him, but also probably tries to use this understanding to play the role of the confidant, or of the safe person : by talking to Kakavasha the same way he does, it instils some sort of familiarity, almost like she understands his troubles, all so he can fully rely on her. It’s her sort of ‘motherly’ side, that is actually manipulative and uses others’ weaknesses to her advantage.

→ On the other side, Kakavasha shows yet another side of himself more clearly : his willingness to put his life on the line. But unlike Jade, he’s not sugar-coating the situation nor using other words to refer to it. He’s direct, knows exactly what awaits him, and is not afraid to directly go against it.

6. Jade: Hmm... What do you want then?

Kakavasha: I want your Lanor to meet with me. I have something to say.

→ Obviously enough, Jade’s question is not genuine at all. Knowing what she does next — refuse Kakavasha’s demands and give him something else — shows that, while this was not a rhetorical question, she had no plans to actually listen to him, she just wanted to get the full picture of his intentions before she made a decision. This is only an analysis of the text and not of the voice acting, but maybe the tone of Jade’s voice can actually show that more clearly.

→ Here, Kakavasha does not seem to have realised Jade’s true intentions, which could say that he has been tricked all along during this conversation. However, considering how good he is at acting, it might also be part of his plan. The first possibility seems more realistic, but nothing’s really set in stone. Anyway, here Kakavasha plainly exposes his goals, once again radiating false confidence. He does not ask questions, almost gives orders — probably another behaviour he learned from his master — but since he does not have the power in this situation, his demands are in vain.

→ Also, he says that he wants Diamond to meet with him, not that he wants to meet Diamond, which definitely says something about how he views himself in this gamble.

First, he considers himself as pivotal, someone important enough to not have to move, but that should instead witness as others come up to him. It’s a way to give himself power, to not submit in front of the IPC, and to not make himself seem desperate, which asking to meet with Diamond would do.

But also, it makes Kakavasha seem almost like merchandise, it’s like he’s preparing to sell himself to Diamond. It reinforces his position as an object in front of the all-powerful IPC : he is not actually human, so he does not move, but he’s prepared to show all of his value and interesting functions when buyers come to him.

These two aspects show the duality between Kakavasha’s real opinion of himself, and the facade of confidence he creates to not be taken advantage of.

7. Jade: And then what?

Kakavasha: I want cash.

→ Not much to say here, Jade keeps up the same act as before now that she’s got something to use against Kakavasha.

→ Kakavasha’s answers are getting shorter and shorter. More direct, more clipped, and this has been going on for three lines already. It could be that he thinks he’s going to get what he wants, and does not bother sweet talking Jade anymore. Or it could show that he’s getting more anxious : as the ending of the gamble draws near, he grows uncertain, and does not allow his facade to slip up by answering sharply and confidently. Once again, the voice acting could shed some light on that, but even then, Kakavasha is a great actor, so it could easily be covered up. The second possibility seems more likely considering the context : Jade is in a position of power and has the final say, which makes her willingness to listen to his demands even more worrying.

8. Jade: It can't be that simple, can it?

Kakavasha: It is that simple. Thirty Tanbas —the remainder of my...market value. Thirty Tanbas, no more, no less.

Kakavasha: With this money, I'll climb to even greater heights than you, grasp even more riches than you... I wager you won't give me this chance... which is why you should call him here.

→ Jade is finally gonna get the full picture of Kakavasha’s intentions after her question. She asks it out of logic, but also probably because she’s curious. It’s possible that it’s the first time she encounters someone who relies only on luck and possibilities, and never on definite factors.

→ Kakavasha’s demand shows clearly that he considers himself as merchandise, at least in this discussion. And then he expresses his desire to rise higher, to overcome all the powerful people that loom over him, he shows clearly that his own goal is to move up and forward, and that’s probably what interests Jade the most. However, he’s held down by his situation and all the strong people that have a hold over him. And it’s precisely this duality that Jade will take advantage of by making Kakavasha lose his wager — maybe even the first one ever.

9. Jade: Interesting.

Jade: A pity Diamond won't see you. No one gets to see him. From here on out, I am Diamond's representative, and I will decide on his behalf.

Jade: You're wrong. Thirty Tanbas, I'll give you that, and much more than that. Wealth, status, power... the IPC will give you whatever you want, even what you don't want.

Jade: Kakavasha... A good name, but unfortunately destined to be buried in the dirt. You though, you deserve to live, to create even more wealth for us.

Jade: Go, pick the clothes you like, then choose your desired identity... and then use them well, child.

Jade: May your plans never suffer failure.

→ Jade ends the memory with this speech, and there’s a few interesting things to note. The first line obviously shows that she has made her decision regarding Kakavasha, with her next sentence explicitly saying that she successfully tricked him.

→ While she is interested by his luck and mentality, she almost mocks him for his naivety, and now finally reveals to him that he’s been sitting in the palm of her hand all along, and that he never really had a choice. And although her questions were not an explicit confirmation that she would listen to his demands, she at least entertained them for the whole discussion, giving him a tiny bit of hope that she crushed at the very last moment.

Also, Jade says “From here on out”, meaning that she was not Diamond’s representative before, but that she made the decision alone, in front of Kakavasha, as if she realised that he was right and that she needed to do something to keep him in the IPC’s grasp.

She adds “on his behalf” as if she knows Diamond’s precise intentions, probably to both give credibility to her decision and to slightly alleviate the blame from her decisions.

→ The next line is especially interesting because of the “even what you don’t want”. She does not aim to fulfil Kakavasha’s wishes, but to fuel his greed. She saw his desire for independence as a weakness to exploit, and under the pretence of proving him wrong and fulfilling his wishes, she makes him forever indebted to the IPC and herself. And with that, she encourages him to always want more and more, so he’ll always come back to her. (This seems to fit her character in the 2.3 quest too.)

→ Also, I’ve found that Jade does something pretty similar to Kakavasha’s previous master : she strips him of his name and identity to give him another. Before, he was called “number 35” and now she asks him to bury his name, to kill Kakavasha, basically. Although she does not say it explicitly, “to be buried in the dirt” hints very obviously at the act of killing his former, weaker self to create another one — shaped by the IPC. And even if it’s not a physical death, it does add to Aventurine’s plate of murders, especially since he considers that his family’s and clan’s deaths were his fault. He does refer to himself as a murderer in the quest description later on after all.

However, Jade still says “you deserve to live” but I feel like it’s not directed at Kakavasha, but more so at him as an asset. He no longer has a physical existence, he’s just an extension of the IPC, and nothing more. I also think it could be directed to his luck, as if she once again doesn’t consider him like a human being but more so like a blessing to be used. With the loss of his name, Kakavasha loses the rest of his humanity.

→ And even if Jade allows Kakavasha to build another self for himself, there’s still a catch : he must be useful, no matter what, it must be a self-object that generates wealth.

Also, the use of “child” is definitively the continuation of Jade’s ‘motherly’ act, and it says a lot about her relationship with Aventurine. Like a mother, she constantly watches over him and every single one of his wins and losses. Even though she offers him ‘protection’, it must be earned through good deeds for the IPC. It’s not at all familial or even caring, it’s purely transactional, even though Jade ‘takes care’ of him to an extent. 

→ And finally, the last line, which deserves special attention. The way Jade says it, it sounds like a blessing, or even a prayer. Even the structure resembles that of the prayer to Gaiathra Triclops. Specifically the lines “May your journey be forever peaceful…”, or “May your schemes be forever concealed.”. (The first one comes from the prayer recited by Kakavasha and Aventurine in the Horizon of Existence, the second one comes from the Commemorative Photo taken by Aventurine of Kakavasha in the theme park if anyone is wondering.) It could easily be a coincidence, but the resemblance is still striking, and could indicate that Jade is “blessing” Kakavasha, or more so cursing him, to reinforce the attachment between them. More than just a contractual connection, they have a spiritual one that really highlights the hold Jade has over Aventurine in the present.

→ While this is an analysis of text, I still want to linger on the cg artwork for a moment, precisely because it follows a few points I’ve made about Kakavasha and Jade’s relationship.

Obviously, this artwork focuses on Jade, mainly because we’re seeing this from Kakavasha’s memory. Of course, it shows her power compared to Kakavasha : she sits in the light, higher up than him, while he’s standing in the dark, forced to look up at her to discuss. This scene perfectly highlights the obvious power imbalance between the two. 

It also works very nicely even just in the context of an interrogation : Kakavasha is almost standing on trial, while Jade, the one who judges him, is seated at a large desk that allows her to spread her power and look down on him. With this image, Kakavasha’s attempts to be in control seem even more doomed to fail.

→ However, this image is particularly interesting if we consider the real intentions of the discussion. Jade is silently appraising Kakavasha’s value, she looks at him not as an individual but as a product that she will choose to buy or not. In retrospect, the dialogue makes the scene seem more like an auction than a trial, which contradicts the image we’re given. Even though Jade is in the light, the metaphorical spotlight is actually directed at Kakavasha, because he’s the one being studied and scrutinised. And actually, if we saw this scene from Jade’s side, maybe it would be even more obvious. It’s another detail that shows how much control Jade has over this situation, Kakavasha never had any possibility to be the winner in this situation.

[ambivartence]

K-Pop Recap Of 2023!

Tagged By: @we-survive-endlessly ty rae <3333

Groups You Started Stanning?: oh man between peak time and all the rookie groups it's a lot but i'll try to list them all :) vanner, dkb, bae173, sevenus, mont, ghost9, xikers, boynextdoor, zerobaseone, riize, kiss of life, and soloists like moon jongup and lee mijoo

New Ult Biases?: no new ult biases here my trinity is still tbz jacob, nct dream jeno, and svt mingyu :] my ult #4 aka bias of the month still rotates regularly tho <3

Idol(s) Who Got The Most Of Your Simping?: bae173 hangyul :( comeback when.... and the ults ofc :)

Most Streamed Group(s): nct dream, the boyz, stray kids, bae173, seventeen, dkb

Most Streamed Soloist(s)?: key, woodz, v, taemin, whee in, chuu

Top K-Pop Song(s) Of This Year (Opinion Or Streaming, You Choose): a lot of my top streamed songs didnt come out this year but i discovered them this year from dkb's and bae173's discographies !! most of my top kpop songs streamed this year are from nct dream's istj album (broken melodies / like we just met / poison) <3

Top Debut This Year: oh please help. um probably xikers or riize i didnt actually pay attention to zb1 or bnd debuts until months later oops. kiss of life for GGs for sure <3

Choreographies You Learned: i actually learned a lot!!!! my friends and i take kpop dance class twice a week^^ i've probably learned (and since forgotten) almost 30 chorus choreos this year but some of my faves were seventeen super, stray kids s-class, riize memories and get a guitar, the new six kick it 4 now, aespa better things and drama, billlie eunoia, and nct 127 fact check :)

Albums/Merchandise You Bought: ahh i bought so many tour shirts that have since become dance class shirts lol i got nct dream, twice, and woodz merch :) i also bought all the peak time albums, and some seventeen, the boyz, nct dream, and zerobaseone albums :)

New Kpop Mutuals You Made?: i think i've met quite a few of you this year!! especially my peak time mutuals <333 old and new i'm grateful to have you around hehe

Tagging (no obligation ofc!!): @dkbtho @flaredpantsagenda @haechannabelle @i-like-yoongi-a-latte @jaebeomtual @jisungshotfirst @lee-minhoe @lolacouldnotcareless @peachjaem00 @quokki @rum-gone-why @sunminshine @woodziecup @xiaojuun

[thcophagy]

open to: @angeldcgs.

featuring: charlotte "cookie" katz, twenty-nine, bisexual, child tv star.

plot: from the age of eight to thirteen, cookie was on a top-rated network television show called "down elmore road" where she played the daughter in the classically american nuclear family. after the actor who played her father had a mental breakdown and attempted to shoot up the studio, with cookie surviving only because she had been out of her dressing room getting snacks, leading her to hide under the craft service table, she has been living in the shadow of the event, never banking another acting job again with the baggage her name brought along with it and relying on interviews, true crime junkies and nostalgia baiters to keep her name in relevance. one night, she stumbles across someone trying to rob her house.

there was part of cookie that was surprised no one had tried to break into her house sooner. it was an old building, all large, echoey rooms with dark wood, bought with the money her parents had kept in her savings while she'd been working on the show, and filled to the brim with every piece of merchandise and memorabilia ever produced about herself or her one acting gig. figures, posters, stationery sets, books and magazines, every newspaper clipping with every review the show ever got in its five-year runtime; for anyone who entered, it would be impossible to leave without thinking cookie was the show's biggest fan. that wasn't the case though, in fact, she had plenty of problems with it. always had, even when she was young. the hoarding was just a means to prove her relevance, even if it was only to herself. it wasn't like she had many visitors anymore. that was why when she'd awoken in the middle of the night to the floorboards down in the living room creaking, the sound flowing through the house like music in a symphony hall, there had been part of cookie that had been excited. if they were there to rob her, well, she'd make sure they regretted ever coming up with such a stupid idea because if there was one thing that she cared about more than anything, it was her collection, but if they were a fan... it'd been a while since her last interview and she'd been feeling low on affection, a crazy super fan might have been exactly what she needed. it had been easy enough to sneak up on the beast of a man lurking in her living room, knocking him to the ground with one solid hit across the head with the weightiest of all her momentos. she wasn't all that strong but with a lot of effort she managed to get his limp body onto a chair where she then began to tie him up with old rope she'd previously used to try and replicate the rope-swing she'd had in the yard set all those years ago. "there you go, mister, all nice and snug." with one finally tug of the rope around his wrist and cookie was satisfied with her work. she couldn't risk not restraining him, especially not after laying eyes on him. a man like that, well he could be dangerous, it didn't matter what he was there for and cookie had to focus on herself- as if she ever did anything else. "not too tight, is it? it'll burn if you wiggle too much." she straightened up, the cleavage she'd been flashing him accidentally from down the front of her nightgown disappearing as she took a moment to observe her work. "alrighty!" with that, she sat herself down on the floor by his feet, legs crossed beneath her and her dainty hands tucked under her chin. "so, you wanna gimme an explanation for all this? can't tell you how scary it was waking up to hear someone trudging 'bout my home... i think i'm owed an apology for that first and foremost."

[astralfuchs]

Given how “unique” a Miku concert would be I’m surprised Crypton themselves didn’t send some team members or equipment personally to make sure things are set up right bc other than some performers that might hide their face/wear disguises idk how many usual concert locations have something prepped for “holo” projections compared to Japan and their Vtuber boom (although I’d rather buy a plushie from a booth but hopefully at least the theatres would have good sound quality)

Sucks for any workers scrambling and getting hate/hope it doesn’t affect the sales of any other indie ppl performing their concerts

The weird thing is it worked before. I went to miku Expo 2018 in cologne and 2020 in Berlin. Both times it was an actual hologram concert with the same band as magical Mirai. Neither of these two locations had a concert like this before, I'm pretty sure. All of the equipment must've been toured around with thew Miku Expo crew. Going against advertising and expectations (basically all of these concerts, and like all of them in recent years were holographic) without notifying buyers beforehand and also not even afterwards when people keep asking is, to put it lightly, customer unfriendly at best and a scam at worst.

I arrived a bit late in 2018 since I only had standard so I don't know how it was there, but in 2020 people went around giving out free stickers and badges, or general stuff they got from other miku events. One of them seemed to be a huge meiko fan so when she gifted me something I gave her the meiko badge I got from the random gacha button bags. Stuff like that really made it feel like a community coming together, so reading that giving out badges, stickers, etc. wasn't allowed this year, even for people who specifically got an okay from cfm and also got their stuff stolen from is surreal.

I had vip in 2020 and as far as I know everyone got their vip merchandise, which doesn't seem to be the case this year, which makes no sense because you would know how many people at this location have the vip ticket. Another thing I read is that vip ticket holders were supposed to be let in earlier for merchandise and the concert hall but it didn't happen, which also worked flawlessly before in my experience.

Merchandise being not enough for everyone is sadly not new, I was in line for it in 2018 and when I was three people away the store people shouted they were all sold out, which was very much a bummer but I thankfully bought the penlight and t-shirt beforehand in the online store so it wasn't too bad for me and as I said I was quite late to the so definitely in the latter half of the people that got in. Still should've been more but I would chalk it up to being the first concert in Europe and them not having expected such a huge crowd maybe. How this is still the case 6 years later and in America where there were concerts way before 2018 is beyond me.

I don't know if this is because of crunchyroll (it probably is tho) but I can't say cfm is innocent either since they partnered with them and it's their job to ensure everything is up to standard, which clearly didn't happen.

For me, I was really happy to hear there was going to be a Europe one again, especially since I really loved it, it is such a magical experience so the last year's being online only made me super sad since it isn't the same in the slightest, but seeing it's also partnered with crunchyroll I decided against it. It's because I loved it so much that it really saddens me to see what is currently going on (also probably why I wrote so much, very sorry). Miku Expo is one of the best, magical and insane events you can go to as a vocaloid/piaproloid fan and I wish for all fans, people who've been in the Fandom longer and already have been to Miku Expo, and newer fans that didn't have the chance yet, to have that same experience but this is not it. This being someone's first miku expo experience is just a sad thing to think about considering what a massive downgrade the experience is. I hope there will be official statements soon and that the people who are currently experiencing it still have a good time.

[oliversrarebooks]

Hello! I have just a teeny tiny amount of questions regarding blood.

*unrolls massive paper roll that spills on the ground and hits your feet*

Is there a list of possible blood grades? Is so, is triple A the highest highest one? That must mean Oliver really is the top shelf. Is the lowest grade low F?

Does a human's blood grade determine if they will be an erased thralll or a sentient one?

If so, what's the minimum grade for not getting erased, low B maybe? Is there also a minimum grade for edible blood? Is there blood so bad or digusting a vampire cannot digest it?

If the grade of the blood is not the sole factor, then what other factors are there? Natural strength? Natural level of obedience? Are there grades for that?

Human blood farms, what grade are the people there? Is there a certain point in the blood grade list that a human just cannot be sold to a farm because they're blood is too valuable? Do some vampires keep thralls as pets but not too drink from and have another thrall just for drinking.

Like let's say a human's blood is not exactly appetizing, but they are very cute (atleast in the eyes of a vampire) and docile or they have a really pleasing personality so they're kept around like a lap dog? (i'm thinking of Emily and betty, Emily is a low B, so she can't be that tasty, but I'm thinking Jessica keeps her around because she likes her looks and personality. Meanwhile I imagine Betty being a B plus or even a low A, but she's more like a blood source than pet)

Are there some magical foods that can gradually change the taste of human blood, like berries or some meats? Are they toxic to humans but vampires don't care? Let's say they do work, I imagine it would just be some superficial or even worse change? Kind of like, hmmmm... Trying to replicate the autentic taste of fresh vanilla from expensive vanilla beans, but using some 50 cent vanilla flavor you found at the dollar store

Or perhaps it's just a scam? "FEED YOUR THRALL THIS MAGICAL CLOUD FAIRY BERRY AND THEIR BLOOD WILL SKYROCKET 2 WHOLE GRADES OVER THE COURSE OF JUST 5 SHORT MONTHS!!"

You don't have to answer all these questions, answer as many as you like or none at all. You can also use these questions in your stort if you actually like them, tho i'd be very flattered.

This is all for now! But be assured, *I will come back.*

Oh wait! I do have one more question, what is Emily's word? (yk, like Oliver's is quiet, what's Emily's?)

Yay worldbuilding questions, I love them!

The blood grades are indeed triple A through F. Oliver and Fitz were both the top of the top shelf. F would be considered undrinkable.

There isn't a perfect correlation between blood grade and allowed sentience. At the auction house, humans with high quality blood are almost never erased, because erasure is difficult and time consuming to reverse. For the expensive merchandise, it's better to keep them sentient and then offer erasure as an option after purchase. This is why Jameson is complaining about the thralls, since all of the thralls that meet his criteria for blood quality are conditioned to be servants and pets. 

There's no minimum grade that will allow a human to escape possible erasure. If Jameson had bought Oliver, he would have paid for erasure after purchase. 

Minimum grade for edible blood depends on how picky or desperate the vampire in question is, but F grade generally refers to blood considered inedible. This usually happens when a human is diseased or poisoned.

There aren't official grades for other factors that can affect a thrall's price, especially since those tend to be largely subjective. Outside of the vampires who erase their humans fully, most vampires choose based on a variety of factors. You're right that Jessica chooses her thralls for looks as much as for blood quality. Many vampires keep more than one thrall, so it's common to have one for primarily drinking and another for primarily being a servant or pet.

There aren't really foods that can magically make a human's blood a higher grade, although you're probably right that scams like that would exist. The general prevailing wisdom among vampires is that fresh meat, vegetables and fruits are best for feeding your thrall. Seafood, spices, and other pungent foods are sometimes avoided, but this varies greatly from culture to culture.

I don't think every thrall gets a special word, I think Lily just does that to her favorites.

[marshallpupfan]

Seen this on Ebay earlier today. Geez, look at this poor thing! What did that kid DO to my boy?!? 😱

You know, when I look at this, I consider myself quite lucky. Collecting merchandise of Marshall hasn't always been so easy, since there are so many items that simply aren't available in stores anymore... especially if they involve an older theme or subseries. I have to get lucky and hope I can find them on Ebay, flea markets, yard sales, and other places that deal in previously-owned products.

And yet, outside of a few I've purchased out of desperation, pretty much every toy I've bought used has been in a surprisingly good condition. Given the intended age group these things were made for, that's honestly kind of surprisingly. I've bought some that look nearly good as new, while others might simply be missing a tiny paint on the nose or around the paws... and even then, I'd say the quality's quite acceptable otherwise. Some kids out there just seem to take really good care of their toys!

...But not this one. I can only imagine the child played with this thing outside a lot, and possibly left it out in the rain a few times, too. This toy's had a rough life, to say the least.

...You know, I almost want to buy it, just so I can clean it up and restore it. Hey, it wouldn't be the first time I purchased something in bad condition and then fixed it up to look nearly good as new. :)