#2 weeks without forgettable challenge

[o-sunny-day]

very shotty comic I made in the Forgettable AU because I needed visuals to explain how adorable this concept is to me-

I thought about Wingdings asking Sans to ask questions for him because he literally couldn’t for the longest time 😭 then it just became habit in middle/high school

Then I also thought about Sans asking wingdings questions himself, cause asking the teacher was “embarrassing” but for some reason asking for Wingdings and never implying wingdings was the one that wanted the answer was completely fine

…I just love these 2 ill never get over it-

[weirdmarioenemies]

I am going to rank more of the Super Mario Galaxies and none of you can stop me

Some galaxies are destined for greatness. But not all of them. Some galaxies are destined for pretty goodness, and that's okay. It's unfair to hold everyone to such absurdly high standards.

Those are the galaxies we're gonna talk about today! We've reached the B-tiers on this Galaxy Tier List, and we're gonna talk about them all today!

In case you missed the first post (which you can read here!), I'm doing a tier list of all the Galaxies in the Super Mario Galaxy series, and releasing a new entry every Sunday until we've covered them all. Forget about Church. This is what Sundays were truly made for.

My opinions don't necessarily reflect every member of the blog (there's like seven of us!), and they may not reflect your own either. If you disagree, that's totally cool.

72. Wild Glide Galaxy

Game: Super Mario Galaxy 2 Tier: B

Kicking off today's list, we have the Wild Glide Galaxy, another Motion Control Minigame, yippee! Gone are the days of ray surfing and bubble blowing (but not Star Ball rolling. that's still around), now we have a funny bird named Fluzzard, and even funnier birds named the Jibberjays!

The Wild Glide Galaxy is pretty alright. The motion control minigames are rarely really the highlight for me in the Mario Galaxy games, but for what it's worth, I think gliding with Fluzzard controls alright, and I really like the optional challenge of flying through the rings for the Comet Medal. There's not really anything wrong with Wild Glide Galaxy at all, it's just a little ho-hum, but that's okay. I mean, it's the tutorial for this type of gameplay, what are you supposed to expect?

That being said, there's a later Fluzzard gliding galaxy that's way cooler. Like, way cooler. We'll talk about that next week.

71. Bowser Jr.'s Airship Armada

Game: Super Mario Galaxy Tier: B

Did you know? If you put enough flying boats in one place, that's legally a Galaxy. I don't make the rules, I only follow them.

Yeah, these games have a pretty loose definition about what constitutes a "Galaxy"...

Anyway, I don't have an awful lot to say about Bowser Jr.'s Airship Armada. It's solid! I definitely prefer the first half with the cannons more than the second half with the autoscroller, though because of Speedrun Strats, I usually end up skipping the first half anyway... Did you know that? You can just blast yourself to one of the later airships and it totally works! I wonder if skipping the more fun part of the level diminishes my opinion of it, though...

That being said, Galaxy 2 kinda went and gave Bowser Jr. both a better "Airship autoscroller" level, and a better "blast yourself places with cannons" level, so the Airship Armada kinda loses out on that regard. Combine that with a Decent boss fight, and the Spranglers that always mess me up on the autoscroller (which I will admit is a Skill Issue!) and we end up with a mission that's fine, but I'm a little lukewarm on.

70. Honeyhop Galaxy

Game: Super Mario Galaxy 2 Tier: B

Is it just me, or is Honeyhop Galaxy the most forgettable galaxy in Super Mario Galaxy 2? I dunno, I think it's something about the repeated theme without really bringing anything new to the table, besides I guess one segment that brings back the Floaty Fluff from Gusty Garden Galaxy. It kinda just feels like a Honeyhive Galaxy retread, but a bit more condensed.

And that's not necessarily a bad thing to be, Honeyhive Galaxy is a really good one after all, it just makes all of Honeyhop Galaxy feel like something I've seen before. And I don't think the smaller scale really helps, since the large scale is part of what I love about the Honeyhive in the first place!

I feel like I'm being a bit too negative here, so I should probably re-iterate: while this galaxy feels like a bit of a retread, the stuff it's retreading is pretty fun, so I can't really hate it. I just wish they'd find more new things to do with the Bee Mushroom, that's all!

69 (nice). Bubble Breeze Galaxy

Game: Super Mario Galaxy Tier: B

And here's another Motion Control Minigame, this time taking advantage of the Wii's pointer! It is your job to blow Mario around in a bubble, but don't let the bubble pop! Because most of this galaxy is a poison swamp which is frankly, Not Healthy To Digest. Do you know why all the crayons you see are non-toxic? Because they melted all the toxic ones to make Bubble Breeze Galaxy, that's why.

Anyway, this galaxy summarizes my thoughts on the bubble minigame: I like it, I don't love it, I'm not too upset that it didn't return in Galaxy 2, but I wouldn't mind if it did. I question how much of this Galaxy ranking so low is the atmosphere, "poison swamp" can be just kind of a dreary thing to look at for too long, though maybe it's just that the minigame can feel a little sluggish since you need to be so precise. It's not too hard, even, just a little time consuming.

I feel if I liked this galaxy just a bit more, I probably wouldn't always take the Speedrun Strat of backflipping to reach an invisible platform behind the checkpoint, from which you can long jump to the Power Star and just completely skip the second half of the level.

68. Flash Black Galaxy

Game: Super Mario Galaxy 2 Tier: B

I don't know what it says that the lowest-ranking Super Mario Galaxy 2 Hungry Luma galaxy got a higher spot than all but one of the first game's Hungry Luma galaxies. I mean, besides "the first game's Hungry Luma galaxies aren't very good".

Flash Black Galaxy is a galaxy built around a solid gimmick, where the level is too dark to see outside of brief flashes that appear in-time with the music. Stuff like objects and enemies can always be seen which can clue you in to where things are, but otherwise, it's testing your memory, which is cool. I don't think it's the best one-off gimmick, but for a single level, it's definitely a respectable one.

I don't know if I really have much more to say about Flash Black Galaxy. It's pretty much defined by its gimmick, which I consider "good but not great". Makes interesting use of your memory, but slows down the pacing a little, but ultimately the galaxy is short enough that it doesn't ever overstay its welcome. Respectable B-tier.

I originally had it way higher (at 54th place, if you can believe it!) but after writing about it, I found I didn't care about it as much as I thought I did. Sorry.

Don't confuse this with the Throwback Galaxy. We'll talk about that next week.

67. Rolling Green Galaxy

Game: Super Mario Galaxy Tier: B

And here's the last of the galaxies that introduces a motion control minigame! I honestly kinda like the Star Ball, it hits a nice balance where it can be a bit tricky to get the hang of, but never really feels like something you don't have control over, which I can't really say about the ray surfing. There's a really fun sense of momentum there, it does a really good job of capturing the feeling of balancing on a ball, not that I know what that feels like...

Makes sense this was the only of the three minigames that returns in the sequel, it's easier to control than the mantas, but never gives you so much control it can feel kinda boring, like the bubbles. As for Rolling Green Galaxy itself, it's kinda what you expect for a level that introduces a mechanic. It's a bit basic, but not necessarily bad, and I like that it offers a few optional challenges on the sides. It also escalates pretty nicely, first giving you areas with fences so you can get acclimated to the controls, then wide open areas without fences, and then having you navigate around holes and islands, I really like that.

I'm probably still gonna dock it a bit for being a bit basic, but as a tutorial, I think it's pretty well designed, and I definitely have to give it props for that. Still, there are definitely other galaxies that I feel have made better use of this mechanic...

66. Rolling Gizmo Galaxy

Game: Super Mario Galaxy Tier: B

That being said, I think the "challenge version" of Rolling Green Galaxy, Rolling Gizmo Galaxy, is only slightly better, if not basically equal to Rolling Green.

I think this is pretty well designed as a more challenging follow-up, making you navigate through tighter spaces, rotating platforms, and overall forcing the player into a bit more careful play. It definitely serves well as that "final test" of the Star Ball minigame, testing how well you're able to handle its control scheme.

That being said, I feel that by being more challenging, Rolling Gizmo loses some of what makes the Star Ball missions so fun, you have to take it at such a steady pace that you never really get a chance to build momentum, which is kind of a bummer. Rolling Gizmo Galaxy doesn't really give you the same level of freedom that Rolling Green Galaxy gives, even in terms of alternate routes, so I'm gonna dock some points for that. Still appreciate the added challenge, though!

65. Gateway Galaxy

Game: Super Mario Galaxy Tier: B

For what it's worth, if this was a list of galaxies ranked by the order you play them in, this would rank first.

Gateway Galaxy is your tutorial to Super Mario Galaxy, and I think it does a nice job at that. Chasing bunnies is probably never gonna be my favorite thing in the world, but it's a nice way to get the player accustomed to walking around a sphere, and unlike some galaxies, there's no strict time limit, and the bunnies will politely inform you where others might be hiding. It would be kinda unfair if they didn't. This is the tutorial.

And I really like that it eventually extends into a proper "mission," letting you travel between planets, and introducing you to some of the game's mechanics, like collecting Star Chips, spinning to defeat enemies, and activating (or de-activating?) flipswitches. I also really like how you can't return to this galaxy until much later in the game, I think it's a nice way to show you how far you've come, or something like that, I don't really know. I'm not the most graceful with my words!

That being said, I need to be upfront: the Red Star power-up and I have never gotten along. I always felt the flying controls with it were super weird, even if it gives you a lot of freedom! I may as well mention it here, since it never shows up anywhere else...

Anyway, I picked that picture because of this Jacob Geller video, which all of you should watch, by the way.

64. Bowser's Lava Lair

Game: Super Mario Galaxy 2 Tier: B

Bowser building a lava-themed Galaxy? How unexpected...! I wonder what tricks he'll bring next?

Bowser's Lava Lair is a pretty solid, if not slightly forgettable, boss stage. It has all the sorts of things you'd expect from a Bowser stage, really, stone buildings, lava, members of the -omp family, and of course, a boss fight against the Man Himself. It also marks the debut of Mattermouths, which catches me off guard a little even though I totally know they're in this galaxy. They seem like such a Haunty Halls debut to me!

Not a lot to say about Bowser's Lava Lair really, it's solid, but a bit by-the-books, which is why it didn't score any higher. Maybe Bowser could take a few lessons from his son when it comes to designing memorable boss levels...

...That statement feels really weird given both "boss levels" we've covered thus far are from Bowser Jr., but I promise, he gets some really good ones in Galaxy 2.

63. Starshine Beach Galaxy

Game: Super Mario Galaxy 2 Tier: B

Oh hey, it's that galaxy that sort of vaguely references Super Mario Sunshine! It has Beach, it has Chucksters... it has those lily pad rafts? I think Sunshine had those. Really, throw Piantas in any sort of tropical area and you can probably pass it off as a Sunshine reference.

Starshine Beach Galaxy I feel is one of those galaxies that suffers a little bit from Super Mario Galaxy 2's more compact level design. It's kinda big, kinda flat, and kinda empty. I wouldn't say it's a significantly worse galaxy than Beach Bowl, there are some fun missions here, but if you compare the two, Beach Bowl just feels a lot more Alive to me, you know? This galaxy has like, three towers, a Pianta statue, and a whole lot of tiny islands and shallow water between. The level design in Galaxy 2 is a bit more linear, and in a more open galaxy like this one, it shows.

Still, this place is still plenty fun. The Cloud Flower is always a delight to use, and it's nice to have more exploration-oriented missions in the sequel. I just wish there was more to see when exploring, that's all!

62. Bowser's Gravity Gauntlet

Game: Super Mario Galaxy 2 Tier: B

There are not a lot of good images of this galaxy on the Super Mario Wiki, huh?

Admittedly, originally I had this a good bit lower, where Bubble Breeze Galaxy is right now. Then I looked it over and was like "actually, this one's cooler than that" and moved it up like six places.

I think this suffers some of the same issues as Bowser's Lava Lair, where it feels a smidge generic -- I mean, making your lair Gravity Themed in the game where every level is Gravity Themed? Come on. But after looking back at it, they do some cool things with that gimmick, particularly in the 2D area, where the lack of changing perspective really helps emphasize the weird gravity in this place. I love details like Podoboos jumping out of a pool of lava on the wall and into one on the ceiling, that's really neat.

Still, I think they could've pushed the gimmick a little further, and with some of the entries later on this list (including a Bowser level that occupies the exact same position in the first game!), I feel like they have a lot more fun with 2D gravity shenanigans.

61. Gusty Garden Galaxy

Game: Super Mario Galaxy Tier: B

Man, this one hurts. You don't know how much it pains me to put Gusty Garden in B-tier. I mean, it's like, one of the Super Mario Galaxies! It has The Music! How can I hate it?!

Well, if you're taking a B-tier placement as me "hating" something, then your standards are way too high, because I like Gusty Garden Galaxy! That being said, this is a video game old enough to drive a car now, so I'm allowed to be honest about it, and if I'm being honest... the music does a lot of heavy lifting in this galaxy.

Not that the galaxy is bad by any stretch of the imagination, there's lots of fun moments here, like the weird question mark planets, the giant caterpillar that eats through the apple asteroids, and probably the best bunny chase across both games. That being said... Gusty Garden feels a bit small-scale, you know? I feel there's not a lot of room to explore in Gusty Garden, most of the planets are pretty small-scale, and the level structure is a bit more linear than a lot of other galaxies in the first game...

Of course, being linear isn't necessarily a bad thing, a lot of galaxies in the sequel are similarly linear, so why should I count that against Gusty Garden? Well, my issue with Gusty Garden is that a lot of the planetoids end up feeling pretty samey. You go to a small planetoid, kill some Piranha Plants and Monties, and then take a vine or a Floaty Fluff to the next planetoid, rinse and repeat. There's not really much of a sense of escalation here, you know what I mean?

Also there's the fact the third mission is so weirdly out-of-place. It's not a bad mission at all, I think it's a cool level with a cool gimmick, it just doesn't really quell my feeling that Gusty Garden feels like it was cobbled together from bits of other galaxies that were getting a little too big.

I don't want to badmouth Gusty Garden Galaxy too much, because I still have plenty of fun here, and honestly, I always look forwards to it in a Galaxy run! "The music does a lot of heavy lifting" might seem like a defamatory statement, and to some extent I guess it is, but I also think it shows just how much stuff like aesthetics and sound design really matter in the grand scheme of things. Without it, Gusty Garden Galaxy may have felt pretty forgettable, but because of it, it creates an experience that frankly feels like more than the sum of its parts.

60. Beach Bowl Galaxy

Game: Super Mario Galaxy Tier: B

Did you know? "B" is for Beach Bowl. I just thought you should know that. Beach Bowl Galaxy is a respectable underwater galaxy with a really cool setpiece. I just love the way this galaxy looks, the huge bowl with water pouring out is a really neat visual, and the Beach Vibes are just on point here. Not pictured is the underwater section, which is decently detailed all things considered. I'd probably visit the Beach Bowl Galaxy if it was a vacation spot in real life.

As a gameplay experience? Beach Bowl is alright. As I've mentioned before, the underwater controls can feel a bit jank to me, which I think drags it down a bit, but I also feel like it's a very nice galaxy to just Explore, which admittedly is something I think the second game is a bit lacking in. Obviously the Galaxy games are a bit more linear than the 3D games that came before, but I feel the first Galaxy hits a nice middle ground for me, giving enough room to goof off while still giving a clear objective to move towards, and Beach Bowl is great in that regard.

The main thing holding Beach Bowl down a bit, besides the controls, is a couple of the missions. The second main mission here, where you grab the Golden Shell from a penguin and take it to the penguin coach, is one of the most pointless in the game, and this galaxy also possibly has my least favorite purple coin mission. I'm not even the biggest detractor of the Spring Mushroom out there, but making it mandatory to grab Purple Coins placed right next to the edge feels cruel. And while I complain about the underwater controls sometimes, you surely could've placed more than five coins underwater, right?

The rest of the missions are alright, though. I think the one where you look for Star Chips takes nice advantage of letting you explore a bit, and I generally enjoy this iteration of the Stone Cyclone, and even the 2x faster version! Still don't like the 4x faster version from the second game, sorry.

I think it's funny that the penguins are associated largely with tropical galaxies in these games. Why is that?

59. Supermassive Galaxy

Game: Super Mario Galaxy 2 Tier: B

"We grow 'em big here! Watch out!"

Supermassive Galaxy feels like a fun "novelty galaxy" to me, if that makes any sort of sense. What if Mario... but Big? Well, not Mario himself. You're one of the only things in this Galaxy that isn't big. Sorry! This leads to a lot of fun details, though, like the giant Lumas that speak in Big Letters and have a low-pitched voice, or the coin that's so big, you can wall jump off of it.

I wonder if they could've taken it further. Like, there are no oversized Star Bits here! That is a STAPLE of Super Mario Galaxy Level Design. The funniest thing they could do would make the Power Stars in this galaxy into Grand Stars, but I get those are reserved for boss missions.

It's also clever to use this as a place that properly introduces long jumps as a mechanic. Did any galaxy in the first game do that? I'm not sure if any of them did. But the framing of "Mario needs to do BIG JUMPS to make it past gaps in this oversized galaxy" is really fun.

Really, and this is a goofy nitpick, but I think what brings down this galaxy for me is the aesthetics, which kind of end up being a double-edged sword. I think the "generic Mario objects, but Big" is the best way to emphasize this galaxy's theme, but it also feels well... generic. After the Big gimmick, this galaxy isn't really all that interesting to look at. Might also have something to do with how linear it is. Despite everything in this galaxy being huge, there's not an awful lot of room to just goof off and have fun, which I feel is a bit of a missed opportunity.

58. Bowser Jr.'s Robot Reactor

Game: Super Mario Galaxy Tier: B

Megaleg I think is one of the coolest bosses across both games, and such a clever usage of these games' gravity mechanics. Megaleg is also pretty much all there is in this galaxy, and I'm not sure if I should count that for or against this one.

It's like, Megaleg doesn't have a lot of buildup. You have one small planet that serves as a tutorial for using Bullet Bills to break glass, and that's really it. I generally prefer galaxies that are a bit bigger in scope, so I definitely feel like I'm gonna dock some points for that. I feel like a boss this cool could benefit from a bit more buildup, you know?

On the other hand, I think that's kinda unfair. This is the first boss level in the game, it doesn't need to be overly complex, showing how the boss works and then doing the boss itself is really all you need, and again, I really like Megaleg as a boss, even if after once you reach the top there's not that much going on anymore.

I guess the takeaway is... these rankings are mostly based on my personal enjoyment, and less so of how Objectively Well-Designed I think the mission is. The difference between "the best" of a group and "my favorite" of a group can be an important one!

57. Bowser Jr.'s Fiery Flotilla

Game: Super Mario Galaxy 2 Tier: B

Another case of "this Galaxy is basically in the exact same position as the one before it, and it does some things better, and some things worse". For starters, I don't think Gobblegut is quite as cool as Megaleg. Don't get me wrong, Gobblegut is still cool, and arguably more mechanically interesting, I like how there's an incentive to destroy the later bulges earlier on so the boss is easier in the later phases when Gobblegut speeds up, in exchange for a more difficult earlygame. Still, I don't know if it's as cool as climbing up a giant robot.

The Fiery Flotilla also has a bit more buildup than the Robot Reactor, which I really appreciate. You know I enjoy a little bit of platforming before I take on the Big Boss! Still, the platforming is on the basic side (again, first Boss Level) and unlike Megaleg, the buildup doesn't really tie into the boss at all, you know? Like, "spin the big red orbs" isn't a really tough thing to figure out, especially when they're highlighted in Bowser Jr.'s dialogue, but it does create a situation where the game tells you what to do instead of priming you for it.

Does some things a little better, some things a little worse, so I think it's about equal. Gonna give it the edge because I like having the platforming at the beginning, and also because Galaxy 2 gives each galaxy more than one mission. There's a Gobblegut Daredevil Run! Wish we could've gotten one of those for Megaleg.

56. Sweet Sweet Galaxy

Game: Super Mario Galaxy Tier: B

What's that? A good Hungry Luma galaxy from the first game? I never thought I'd see the day...! It's also uh, the only good one in my opinion, given we covered all the rest in the previous post. It's also the first Hungry Luma galaxy in the game, so it's all downhill from here.

But yeah, I like Sweet Sweet Galaxy! I don't know if I'd say I love it, or else I'd probably put it a bit higher, but I enjoy it. I think it has a really nice sense of iterative level design, you know? It takes one idea (moving conveyors with holes in the floor) and riffs on it in different ways up until the very end. First you have a conveyor moving towards the goal, then you have the ones moving left and right, then you have the rotating floor, and then you have the one moving away from the goal. Sweet Sweet Galaxy has a pretty nice sense of escalation.

I also remember finding it weirdly challenging as a kid, for how early in the game it is. It's not brutal or anything, we're not looking at the Dark Souls of Mario Galaxies here, but especially in that rotating floor segment it can be hard to tell where the holes are gonna be.

It's still a little short and linear, but for a small "bonus mission", I think that's ultimately fine, especially for the first Hungry Luma galaxy in the game. Congratulations, Sweet Sweet Galaxy! You might have what it takes to hang out with the Super Mario Galaxy 2 Hungry Luma galaxies!

55. Bubble Blast Galaxy

Game: Super Mario Galaxy Tier: B

Did you know? "B" is for Bubble Blast. I just thought you should know that.

Congratulations to Bubble Blast Galaxy, which I personally consider the best of the three Trial Galaxies. As I stated, I can sort of take or leave the bubble minigame, which is why this isn't gonna rank any higher, but as far as it goes, I think this galaxy makes really good usage of it. The obstacles presented feel decently varied, and often require a nice blend of precision with quick reaction timing due to all the moving parts. It's really nifty, both on its own, and as an escalation of what we saw in Bubble Breeze.

Especially great is the bit towards the end, where you have to make your way down a tight corridor of electric fences while being chased by Bullet Bills, forcing you to act quick in a minigame that usually requires a lot of precision. Is it a little unfair? Maybe just a little, but it makes for an exciting sequence that works really well as a final test of your bubble-blowing skills.

Up next, we're going to be testing your jellyfishing and patty-flipping skills, so watch out!

54. Dusty Dune Galaxy

Game: Super Mario Galaxy Tier: B

Dusty Dune Galaxy is a weird one to me. It's like, whenever I reach it in the game, I don't really feel like playing it, but once I get around to playing it, it's actually pretty fun! I'm not really sure if there's a mission here I don't like playing, I like the Bone Twisters, I like the sand slides, I like the rush for the star in the sinking tower. Even the untimed purple coin mission is one of the better ones! This galaxy is honestly pretty consistently solid.

So like, why am I not Feeling It? Why is it that when I get to this galaxy in a playthrough, I'm always overcome by this feeling of "yeah, alright"?

I think Dusty Dune might have a reverse Gusty Garden Situation going on, where it has great ideas held back a little bit by so-so music and theming. And make no mistake: it's not that "desert" can't be an interesting theme, because it really can be! (We'll see the sequel's desert galaxy in a couple weeks!) But it's generic desert, you know? Where they kinda slap any vague "desert stuff" together and call it a day. This is a desert with both Egyptian pyramids and cacti! Despite what Mr. Video Game might tell you, those don't appear in the same deserts in the Real World.

I feel like if they leaned hard in one particular direction, Dusty Dune Galaxy could be really cool, but as it stands it sort of suffers "Generic Video Game Desert Syndrome" where it lacks a clear sense of identity to make it stand out more.

53. Sweet Mystery Galaxy

Game: Super Mario Galaxy 2 Tier: B

The Bulb Berry is a neat power-up, the more I think about it, it feels like a new spin of the Matter Splatter Galaxy from the first game, where what you see is all that's there, but with a bit more player control. I honestly think the lack of control makes Matter Splatter a bit more interesting to me, but I can see why someone else would like this take more.

If you couldn't tell already, Sweet Mystery Galaxy is largely built around this power-up, making for the second sweets-themed Hungry Luma Galaxy, though that's pretty much all the two have in common, because the gimmicks are completely different. Honestly I think the Bulb Berry is a little under-utilized, the only other galaxy I remember using it is Haunty Halls, which is its introduction.

A benefit Sweet Mystery has for being the second level with this power-up is they can play around with it a bit more, using it with stuff like moving platforms, and having optional challenges which can be rewarding, but run out your timer a bit, limiting both your field of view, which also corresponds with limiting knowing where you can stand! It's nifty.

The main weakness of this galaxy I think is once again an aesthetic one. There's not an awful lot of background details, and since it's built around the Bulb Berry, you can't see much of it at once. There's not a lot to see here, besides that giant present with the cake in it at the end. It's another galaxy that sort of shows the sequel's weakness when it comes to making more detailed environments.

52. Gold Leaf Galaxy

Game: Super Mario Galaxy Tier: B

As I've stated before, I'm gonna dock some points for reused content. Like, if you're gonna repeat any galaxy, then Honeyhive is a good one, but it can always be a little bit of a letdown to go to a new galaxy and realize it's a place I've already seen before, but with a fresh coat of paint. Especially given it's in the same game as its counterpart! But in this case, I'll mostly let it slide. I like getting to see Honeyhive in gorgeous autumn colors, and for what it's worth, the missions here are all pretty unique.

The Star Bunny mission is kinda whatever, given I've made my stance on bunny chases pretty clear at this point, and the rest of the mission is kinda just exploring a place we've already seen, but the rest of the missions fare a bit better. What can I say! I like Cataquacks and I like that obstacle course. I think building the Cosmic Mario and Purple Coin missions around the obstacle course was a smart idea too, since it helps make the galaxy feel more distinctive.

Being Honeyhive 2 ends up being a double-edged sword, since it kinda takes away from Gold Leaf Galaxy having a more distinct identity, but it does enough of its own that I'll let it slide, and it's also not like I'm gonna complain about getting more missions in a top-10 galaxy.

I guess that's a spoiler for a future review. Look forward to seeing where in the top 10 I put it!

51. Freezy Flake Galaxy

Game: Super Mario Galaxy 2 Tier: B

Autumn turns to winter as we talk about our final galaxy of the day! Freezy Flake Galaxy is a delightful little snowscape that lets you indulge in all the fun of a snowy winter day without any of the icy roads or dismal temperatures of actual snowy winter days. Unless you're playing Super Mario Galaxy 2 in a car sliding down an icy road with all the windows rolled down. Why are you doing that?

Anyway, I think that above all else, Freezy Flake Galaxy feels charming to me, you know? You get to run around in the snow and roll snowballs and incinerate snow statues of Bowser with the Fire Flower! All the things you'd do on your typical winter day. I especially love in the second mission where you get the Rock Mushroom, and get to watch snow build up in your boulder form, it's such a cute touch! I wish we got to do more with the Rock Mushroom, it's kinda ditched past the first planet in favor of the Sorbetti boss fight. I wonder if this galaxy would benefit from the three-mission format of the first game?

My only real complaint about Freezy Flake is that I think it's a smidge on the generic side. I mean, by the time we got this game, we already had the Freezeflame Galaxy, which is a generally cooler take on an ice galaxy (and also a hotter one). Freezy Flake, in comparison, is a bit tame, a bit less exciting, but whatever, it's cute. It's hard to listen to the music and not feel those warm winter fuzzies that I feel until winter actually comes and my hands are dry and I can't go outside without bundling up first and even once I do the ground is going to be slippery so I can't run around as much without fear of falling over except for the days where it is warm where then everything is mushy and gross, and it's dark outside at 5PM and when it is bright outside the sky is usually gray anyway and there's no leaves on the trees so everything looks dull and lifeless

...I hate winters.

And that wraps up today's post! Do you agree with my opinions? Do you don't agree with my opinions? It's okay if you don't. Even the ones about winter! If you enjoy all those things I was complaining about, then more power to you, I'm glad someone can find joy where I couldn't! And if you don't like something I do like, then that's fine too, I guess.

Next week, we'll begin covering the A-tiers! There's a lot of 'em, so I'm gonna be splitting them into two posts, with fifteen galaxies each! Look forward to it! I'll link it here when it goes live!

[midnightswithdearkatytspb]

VelvetCardiganBucky’s Recommendations 2021: Week 8 | February 14th –February 20th

Welcome to week 8 of my recommendations, if you would like to be featured on a future list, I follow the hashtag #ktkvcbreadinglist, message me, tag me in your future works, or reblog this post and link to your story, one-shot, Masterlist, writing challenge, etc.

Be aware some if not most stories and writers on this list are meant to be consumed by an audience of those 18+. My blog is also an 18+ blog.

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My Fic Rec List of Mafia/Mob Bucky/Sebastian & Steve/Chris/Andy

Stuff I Posted This Week:

Dr. Darcy Lewis Playlist — Dr. Lewis – Astrophysics, Hacker, Music and Dog Lover, Nerd, and Hero

Bucky Barnes

(Mini) Series:

Man of the House 🐈 Pt. 3 by @literate-lamb » Sam Wilson x Fem!Reader & Dark!Bucky Barnes x Fem!Reader — A racket in the attic leads to a discovery of old memories. Your dissatisfaction leads you to a forgettable night. | First of all, my bad on not seeing that this had been updated, I’m so bummed I didn’t see this sooner. Second of all, this sent chills all over my body. The smut in this was so good and so it was just the right amount of thrilling/scary. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Run To You Ch.3 🪙 Ch. 4 🪙 Ch. 5 🪙 Ch. 6 by @bestofbucky » Mob!Bucky Barnes x Reader — Mob boss Bucky Barnes hires you to be his bodyguard. | Everytime I see this story updated I get excited, and I also love how the reader is not a damsel. (Feb 18. Ch. 6) Oh my gosh that was intense but so good, thank you for making me laugh at the end. I felt like it was just what we needed! I can’t wait to see how things go!

Watch Out For The Quiet Ones by @eurynome827 » College AU Jock!Bucky x Reader — Bucky doesn’t keep it a secret that he slept with you, but he tells everyone you had a great night, that’s a lie, you faked it. Upset you tell the truth, he’s dead set on making things right with you. | This was straight to the point hot. It was almost like you could have read it in a coming of age book or seen it in a movie, with our the detailed smut scene having been in it. I would read it just for the smut alone but read it for the plot in a whole.

Watch Out For The Quiet Ones: 2 by @eurynome827 » Collece AU Sub/Jock!Bucky Barnes x Reader — A continuation from part one, but this time Bucky is back to make up for neglecting what could be the jealous reader and she has a creative way for him to do that. | I’m not usually into reading stories where Bucky is a Sub unless it’s Stucky x Reader, but this was just so good.

One-Shots:

Birthday Briefing by @drabblewithfrannybarnes » Bucky Barnes x Reader » You want your birthday gifts and you want it now. It just happens to benefit Bucky. | Carly did so good and I really loved it.

Gods and Monsters by @sweeterthanthis » Winter Soldier!Bucky Barnes x Reader — After being kidnapped you wake strapped to a table, next thing you know you’re just an offering for the “masterpiece,” to be bred. | This one shot made me sad but in a good way if that makes sense. You want to comfort Bucky so badly while beating up every Hydra agent while at it. Thank you Lau for the beautiful piece!

The Setup by @justagirlinafandomworld » FireFighter!Bucky Barnes x Reader — Still heartbroken from your last relationship, romance and relationships are far off from your radar. But your friend has taken it upon herself to set you up on a surprise blind date. God only knows where it can go from there. | I had Sebastian from The Little Mermaid singing Kiss The Girl in my head by the end of reading this. I absolutely adored this fluffy piece of writing and would definitely recommend it to anyone who is just in need of something sweet.

Alpinee Has Logged Off by @iraot » Bucky Barnes x Reader — Bucky had been neglecting his girlfriend lately and playing video games with his pals, he needs to make it up to her. | Pure smut, really good smut.

Lost Without You by @angrythingstarlight » Mafia!Bucky Barnes x Reader — Bucky Barnes would be lost with you. You’re his everything and he plans on spending Valentine’s Day proving it to you. | It’s so fluffy, that I’m not crying, you are!

All Dressed In White by @angrythingstarlight » Dark!Mafia Bucky Barnes x Reader — You were going to marry someone else, Bucky won’t let that happen. You belong to him now and forever. Till Death Do You Part. | This is so beautifully written, I almost felt as if I was actually watching it on my TV not reading it. It’s Dark and the smut is oh so juicy.

Lee Bodecker

Drabbles:

New Contract by @fuel-joy » Dark!Lee Bodecker x Reader — Reader just wants to get signed to a new agency but Producer Lee Bodecker just doesn’t want to make it easy for you. | This was short and really good! The end was also a surprise.

Chris Evans

Headcanons:

Dodger’s Day Out by @nony-bear » Chris Evans x Reader ft. Dodger Evans — You and Chris take Dodger to the dog park on a cold winter day. | It’s so fluffy and it has Dodger in it! What more could you ask for?

Steve Rogers

(Mini) Series:

The Riverter by @pagesoflauren » Steve Rogers x Reader — After escaping Hydra, you assist Dr. Erskine in helping Steve Rogers become Captain America. When Erskine is assassinated, you think your WWII career is over. Unfortunately, the SSR and Hydra are not done with you yet. | I really should have gone to bed, but instead I decided to binge read the four chapters and I can’t wait to find out just what Hydra is really up to. Lauren you really are an amazing writer!

One-Shots:

No Scrubs by @the-iceni-bitch » Steve Rogers x Fem!Reader — You try to keep Steve from dying of boredom at an Avengers charity gala. | Reader is badass? Check. Funny Thor? Check. Really good smut that you wish didn’t end? Check and check.

Andy Barber

One-Shots:

Just for Mrs Barber by @donutloverxo » Andy Barber x Reader — Your husband buys you kinky gifts (and a whole ass house) for your anniversary/valentines. | Fluffy and smutty just the way I like it. Thank you for the Valentine’s Day treat Berry! 💗

Stucky

(Mini) Series:

Caged, Bruised and Broken Ch. 3 by @river-soul » Dark!Stucky x Reader — A lonely scientist who is currently working on trying to find a breakthrough with Erskine’s serum catches the eye of Steve and Bucky, who are looking for the perfect wife. They’ll make her love them, whether she wants to or not. [Noncon, breeding, violence, psychological distress and explicit sex. 18+ only.] | This chapter had me in tears for some reason, even while the smut was so damn good. I can’t tell you how many emotions I go through while reading this series and it’s only 3 chapters in. READ IT!

One-Shots:

Sweet as Honey and Wine by @angrythingstarlight » Dark!Steve Rogers x Reader x Dark!Bucky Barnes — You’re the sweetest valentine anyone could ever ask for. Steve can’t wait to gift you to Bucky. His best pal deserves a treat. | Let me just say, what you think is going to happen doesn’t happen. I don’t want to confuse you too much but this is just too good not to read. The smut was also short and sweet!

Divided We Fall by @navybrat817 » Dark!Steve Rogers x Reader x Dark!Bucky Barnes — You sided with Steve Rogers during The Accords and sympathized with Bucky Barnes. When you found out they left Tony for dead in Siberia, you realize you didn’t know the super soldiers as well as you thought. And you had no idea that they planned to keep you by their side…forever. | All I’m just going to say is that very ending you don’t see coming and the smut in this is very good.

Little Minx by @saiyanprincessswanie » Dark!Steve Rogers x Reader x Darkish!Bucky Barnes — Dark!Steve drugs the reader with sex pollen and has his way with her multiple times. Bucky finds out what Steve is doing and tries to convince him that it is wrong. But, once Steve shows Bucky how good the reader is during drugged sex he can’t help but have his way with her too. | I would have to say very hot, and definitely a good way to end the day.

Thick As Thieves by @angrythingstarlight » Mafia!Bucky Barnes x Reader x Mafia!Steve Rogers — The only thing the Mafia hates as much as snitches are thieves. And you’re planning on stealing from Bucky and Steve, what happens if you get caught? | I did not see that coming, also the smut was just so good. *chefs kiss* (I can’t link this so..)

Misc.

One-Shots:

Loyalty by @navybrat817 » Dark!Andy Barber x Reader x Darkish!Bucky Barnes — Loyalty is something you’ve learned to both loathe and appreciate. | I really appreciate it when I’m reading something and it gives me chills and this did it. The smut is good but the connection between reader and Bucky makes this so good. I’m hoping for maybe a second part, if there isn’t, that’s okay.

[vreugd-madelon]

Spellslinger Review

Spellslinger by Sebastien de Castel is a 369 page Young Adult Fantasy novel. The first in the Spellslinger series and is followed by Shadowblack (#2), Charmcaster (#3), Soulbinder (#4), Queenslayer (#5), and Crownbreaker (#6) with a load of smaller stories between them.

There are three things that earn you a man’s name among the Jan’Tep. The first is to demonstrate the strength to defend your family. The second is to prove you can perform the high magic that defines our people. The third is simply to reach the age of sixteen. I was a few weeks shy of my birthday when I learned that I wouldn’t be doing any of those things.

Magic is a con game. Kellen is moments away from facing his first mage's duel and the start of four trials that will make him a spellcaster. There's just one problem: his magic is gone. As his sixteenth birthday approaches, Kellen falls back on his cunning in a bid to avoid total disgrace. But when a daring stranger arrives in town, she challenges Kellen to take a different path. Ferius Parfax is one of the mysterious Argosi - a traveller who lives by her wits and the three decks of cards she carries. She's difficult and unpredictable, but she may be Kellen's only hope...

I rate this book 3.5/5 stars.

I thought this book was very entertaining, but I kept wishing for something more to happen. Even when writing this, at least a month after reading it, I still feel like it was missing something. Perhaps it’s the fact that I keep thinking it’s and adult book, instead of YA and it just didn’t go to the places I wanted it to.

To me the characters are a bit forgettable, but I did really like Ferius as a character.

This book is the prime example of the advice ‘end every chapter on a cliffhanger to keep readers to continue reading’. To me an amazing book should make me want to continue without a cliffhanger to push me forward, but of course the occasional reveal is a good thing.

Will I continue this massive series? Yes, when the others books in this series cross my path of a good price.

Do you have any questions? Or maybe some recommendations? Send me an ask here on Tumblr or tweet me. If you wish to support me, you can buy me a coffee! Or even buy my debut fantasy novel, The Mending Road.

[paperanddice]

Image ID: Three pictures of game stat blocks. The first is a 5th Edition D&D stat block for the shrieking terror, the second is a 13th Age stat block for the shrieking terror, and the third is a 13th Age stat block for the vargouille. Full text available under the read more. End ID.

Fiends constantly seek out ways to better guide their own brand of evil. Whichever of them created the shrieking terror managed to unleash a new form of horrific monstrosity to make the world a significantly worse place overall. Despite its name being vague and applicable to a great many potential creatures, the shrieking terror does live up to it. It shrieks, and it is a terror. All that’s left is to try and describe it in a more specific way.

The shrieking terror is the result of fiendish experimentation on vargouilles. An almost forgettable fiend when they’re not an active menace, vargouilles are most notable for being able to spread themselves with a vile kiss. Any humanoid that a vargouille kisses risks being cursed, and over the course of a day their head transforms into a new winged fiend, eventually ripping itself off and flying away to continue the spread. It was most fortunate that they could only curse humanoids in this way, as the possibility of more dangerous vargouille with special abilities or greater size is far too concerning. The shrieking terror is, unfortunately, the example of what happens when someone magically  modifies a vargouille to be able to curse other beings.

Flying medusa heads are one such experimental result, but they hold nothing to the violence that can be brought about when a vargouille is capable of cursing a hydra. A nest of 5 or more heads on long, serpentine necks, with the lump of flesh at the center of the heads sprouting wide wings, a shrieking terror flies through the sky with a deadly purpose; to curse or kill everyone it encounters. Five sets of venomous jaws, a scream that can paralyze with fear, and a kiss that will curse and destroy its victims, a single shrieking terror can spell the downfall of an entire city if not checked. Even its death may not stop the horror, as dozens or hundreds may transform after it is finally brought down, creating a flight of heads spreading the infection even further.

There’s also a bit of a bonus in this update, as 13th Age doesn’t have vargouille stats anywhere in its SRD, so I’m adding that in as a bonus. Can’t have a monster that turns people into a vargouille without also having a vargouille, after all.

5th Edition

Shrieking Terror Medium fiend, neutral evil Armor Class 18 (natural armor) Hit Points 130 (20d8 + 40) Speed 5 ft., fly 40 ft. Str 13 (+1) Dex 18 (+4) Con 15 (+2) Int 4 (-3) Wis 12 (+1) Cha 2 (-4) Damage Immunities poison Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning Condition Immunities poisoned Senses darkvision 60 ft. passive Perception 11 Languages understands Abyssal and Infernal but can't speak Challenge 12 (8400 XP) Multiple Heads. The shrieking terror has 5 heads. While it has more than one head, the shrieking terror has advantage on saving throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, or knocked unconscious. Whenever the shrieking terror takes 20 or more damage in a single turn, one of its heads dies. If all its heads die, the shrieking terror dies. At the end of its turn, it grows two heads for each of its heads that died since its last turn, unless it has taken acid damage since its last turn. The shrieking terror regains 10 hit points for each head regrown in this way. Reactive Heads. For each head the shrieking terror has beyond one, it gets an extra reaction that can be used only for opportunity attacks. Actions Multiattack. The shrieking terror makes as many bite attacks as it has heads. It can replace any number of bite attacks with an equal number of uses of its Kiss. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6+4) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) poison damage. Kiss. The shrieking terror kisses one incapacitated humanoid or hydra within 5 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Charisma saving throw or become cursed. The cursed target loses 1 point of Charisma after each hour, as its head takes on fiendish aspects. The curse doesn't advance while the target is in sunlight or the area of a daylight spell; don't count that time. When the cursed target's Charisma becomes 2, it dies, and its head tears from its body and becomes a vargouille if it was humanoid, or another shrieking terror if it was a hydra. Casting remove curse, greater restoration, or a similar spell on the target before the transformation is complete can end the curse. Doing so undoes the changes made to the target by the curse. Stunning Shriek. The shrieking terror shrieks. Each humanoid, beast, and hydra within 60 feet of the shrieking terror and able to hear it must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of the shrieking terror's next turn. While frightened in this way, a target is stunned. If a target's saving throw is successful, or the effect ends for it, the target is immune to the Stunning Shriek of all vargouilles and shrieking terrors for 1 hour.

13th Age

Shrieking Terror Triple-strength 6th-level spoiler [demon] Initiative +11 Poisonous Bite +11 vs. AC (5 attacks) - 8 damage plus 4 poison damage Natural even hit or miss: The shrieking terror can replace it’s next attack this turn (if it has one) with a kiss attack instead. Miss: 4 damage. [Special Trigger] Kiss +11 vs. PD (one dazed, staggered, or stunned humanoid enemy) - 8 ongoing poison damage and the target must start making last gasp saves as it starts transforming into a vargouille. On a fourth failure, the target dies and its head rips off to become a vargouille. C: Stunning Shriek +11 vs. MD (1d4 nearby enemies) - The target is dazed (save ends) Natural 16+: The target is stunned instead of dazed. Limited Use: 1/round as a quick action, if the escalation die is even. Flight. Roiling Swirl: If the shrieking terror has at least two poisonous bite attacks left during a turn, it can expend one of those attacks to move to engage a nearby enemy as a free action (but it will take opportunity attacks for doing so). Too Tough To Trick: Whenever the shrieking terror would suffer any of the following conditions, it ignores the condition and takes 5 damage instead. Sprout 6th Head: The first time the shrieking terror is staggered, as a free action it gains 45 hit points and a sixth poisonous bite attack, and is considered undamaged at its new hit point total. Using the shrieking terror’s current hit points as a new baseline, the shrieking terror will be staggered again when it drops below 50% of that total. Sprout seventh head: The second time the shrieking terror is staggered, as a free action it gains 4 hit points and a seventh poisonous bite attack, etc. Use a new hit point baseline as before, but there is no eighth head waiting to sprout. AC 21 PD 19 MD 17 HP 180

Vargouille 6th-level mook [demon] Initiative: +11 Bite +13 vs. AC - 8 damage Natural even hit: 6 poison damage. Kiss +10 vs. PD (one dazed, staggered, or stunned enemy) - 8 ongoing poison damage. If the target is reduced to 0 hit points while taking this damage, it must start making last gasp saves. On the fourth failure, the target dies and its head rips off to become another vargouille. C: Shriek +11 vs. MD (1d2 nearby enemies) - 8 psychic damage Natural 16+: The target is also dazed until the end of the vargouille’s next turn. Natural 20: The target is instead stunned until the end of the vargouille’s next turn. Limited Use: Regardless of the number of vargouille in the battle, only one vargouille can use this attack each round. Flight. AC 20 PD 18 MD 14 HP 23 (mook) Mook: Kill one vargouille mook for every 23 hp you deal to the mob.

Originally from the 3.5 Monster Manual III. This post came out a week ago on my Patreon. If you want to get access to all my monster conversions early, as well as see my premade adventures and updates on my alchemy project, consider backing me there!

[ladyteacups]

Experienced Part 2

GIF NOT MINE

Summary: It’s been two months since that night and Y/N decides to spite Bucky she’s gonna make him jealous.

Warnings: smut, jealousy, crude words, breeding kink

A/N: As commanded. It’s a bit rushed. I didn’t have much time but ya know what, that’s fine. Be kind, I’m fragile.

Fuck you Bucky Barnes.

It had been two months since their little rendezvous, and Y/N hadn’t heard anything from him. It was radio silence on her end. She left his room that morning with hope. He was gentlemanly enough. Walked her to the door and kissed her goodbye. So what the hell.

She tried to understand. He was older. She estimated he had 10+ years on her. But it didn’t make her feel better.

She gave up waiting for him after two weeks. If he hadn’t called yet, then he wasn’t going to. She’d seen “He’s just not that into you” plenty enough to know that much.

Her run ins with him at the tower were practically nothing. He wouldn’t even acknowledge her. That stung. Knowing how forgettable she was. It was a major blow to her confidence.

Nat tried to convince her otherwise but it was awkward talking with her about it. Y/N knew there was some kind of history there, even if she didn’t know exactly what.

“He’s just confused. Give him time.”

“For a month Nat? That’s not confusion, that’s a clear message.”

Facing Peter had been worse. Danny had been right. She should not have accepted that date. Y/N hated the look on his when she had to tell him she wasn’t interested. She wished she was. Y/N wished she liked Peter as more than a friend, he just wasn’t her type.

After that first month she had promised herself she would forget Bucky Barnes. And at the time she really meant that. Honest.

Now, she was cursing his name as she watched him chat up some women on the other side of the room.

Fuck, she hated these parties. That wasn’t true, but she’d make an exception for this one.

Damn he looked good. His hair was freshly cut. He now sported a short cut with a full beard. He looked so yummy she nearly started crying again at his rejection.

Peter slid onto the bar stool next to her and followed her gaze. Y/N wished on nothing that she could disappear right now. Please, just let the floor swallow her up.

“Why don’t you make him jealous.”

It wasn’t a question, and it had her looking at him with wide eyes.

“What?”

“Make him jealous.” He sipped his jack and coke like he didn’t just say that.

“He wouldn’t be jealous Peter, but thanks for the advice.”

“He keeps looking at you, and you look like a damn bombshell.” He stated it like fact and shrugged. “He’ll me jealous. Especially if you pick the right man.”

“Who would that be? You?” She crossed her arms.

He laughed, “no way, I have a girlfriend.”

Now that caught her off guard. When did Peter get a girlfriend?

“Someone he finds a challenge. Can’t be Steve, they’re best friends. Cap would never touch his girl.”

Y/N blinked at this. His girl?

“Tony and Clint are both married. Sam is a bit too much of a flirt. You wanna make him jealous not a murderer.”

She laughed, and Pete smiled at her.

“Natasha’s a friend of yours, he’d see right through that. Vis and Wanda are off limits.”

She gave him a wicked smile. She knew exactly where he was going with this, and she loved it.

“But Thor’s in town.”

He was right. Thor would be perfect. Tall and masculine. A god. He’d set any man alight with jealousy without needing to flirt with their girlfriends. If anyone could make Bucky jealous, it would be Thor. And that’s how she ended up sitting in Thor’s lap while he rubbed her knee.

“Is he looking?” she whispered in his ear and he chuckled. It was the tenth time she asked.

“It really is a team effort to get you two together.”

Y/N gave him a look and saw him glance up momentarily.

“Yes.”

“Good,” she answered, and ran her hand up his arm, feeling the tight muscle underneath his skin.

“Does he look mad?”

“Why don’t you just talk to him?”

“He avoids me.” She huffed.

Thor nodded. “If you break his legs he can’t leave.”

Y/N threw her head back and laughed. “That’s fucked up Thor.”

She felt the chuckle rumble through his chest.

She couldn’t help looking in Bucky’s direction. He wasn’t there. A quick search around found him slipping out the door and he was gone. Well that ended that.

Y/N sighed. She had spent most of the night with Thor. Dancing and giving him fake and real giggles. Touching his arm, whispering in his ear. All for nothing. Bucky didn’t care. She stood and bid everyone goodnight. She kissed Thor’s cheek in a thank you. Told Peter and Ned bye, and went to her own room. The sliver of hope she had that Bucky would change his mind flew out the window and she flipped it off as it went.

Fuck you Bucky Barnes.

 “Did you have fun with Thor last night? Hope he didn’t mind how much I stretched you out.” Bucky drank his coffee behind her and she lowered her brows in anger.

What did he just say? Oh no, she would show him.

Y/N turned. “Don’t worry about that, he got good use outta my mouth. I even begged him to use my ass too. Just can’t get enough of that man.”

Bucky looked mad. Whew did he look mad! Y/N hid her slight grin as she turned to finish her own cup.

He was behind her in no time, gripping her hair, his lips at her ear.

“Did he fuck your tits too Y/N? Did you let him taste you? Did he take you into the shower when he finished just to do it all again?”

She moved to shove him away but he grabbed her hand and pulled her closer. He leaned in and brushed his lips against her cheek, then her ear. “Do you remember that night Y/N? When I had you begging beneath me, and filled you to the brim with my cock?”

She tried desperately to suppress the groan. Because of course she remembered. It played over in her mind on a loop. The way his hips bruised hers. His tongue dancing across her clit… How could she not remember?

“I know you do sweetheart. Look,” he took her chin in his hand and looked in her eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t call or,” he paused. “I’m sorry I was such a dick to you after okay? It’s different with you. It’s so easy to let you in. To spill my secrets, and I don’t want you to see the things I’ve hidden. I’m not a good guy honey. I’ve done terrible things and you’re far too sweet for me. The thought of corrupting you makes me harder than you’d believe. That alone should scare you away.”

Y/N’s breathing was heavy. He’s such an idiot.

“It’s damn near impossible to resist you.” He inhaled deeply. “Especially when you wear that damn perfume that makes me crazy.” His nose traced her jaw, down her neck. “I can’t stay away, unless you tell me to. I won’t do it anymore” He gripped her arm.

She felt a light kiss against her neck. The same neck he held with his strong hand just two months ago.

“I still jerk off to the picture of us. To the memory of how you look when you cum.”

Bucky pulled her hips closer so they rested against his erection. She gasped.

“Tell me to go, or let me fuck him outta your head.”

She didn’t say anything. Didn’t tell him yes, no, or the truth about Thor. She just kissed him. He returned the kiss with a hunger she had never experienced before. He was craving her and she could feel it in more than one way.

She rutted against his erection and heard him growl.

“Not here Bucky.” She gasped out between kisses. “Take me to bed.”

He did so happily. Letting her wrap her legs around his waist.

“I’m sorry.” He said again as he dropped her on his bed. “You deserve better than me baby.”

“Then be better, and call me in the morning.”

He nodded sadly. She could see the regret in his eyes. Leaning up she grabbed his hand and pulled him over her.

He kissed her deeply and she felt everything that he wanted to say.

Bucky pulled her shirt over her head and stared down at her as he took in her bare chest.

“Still so damn beautiful.”

His eyes took in her belly and he growled.

“Did he cum in you, huh? Did you let him fill your womb?”

She didn’t answer and he narrowed his eyes. He yanked her sleep shorts down her legs and tore her panties from her body.

“Doesn’t matter,” he said. “I’m gonna have you so thoroughly bred, there will be no question about who’s kid it is.”

He flipped her over so her ass was in the air and she squealed when he bit her ass right over her birthmark.

She lifted herself on her hands and looked at him over her shoulder. Her look of surprise made him crack up in laughter.

“Don’t give me that look sugar, you can’t tempt me with your sexy ass and expect me to do nothing.”

“You’re the one who tossed me around to look at it!” He only laughed again. She wanted to smack him but then he stared taking his shirt off.

Fuck. He’s so hot.

“Lay down.”

She did as he commanded and watched as he jerked his heavy cock in his hand.

“Did you rub your pretty pussy to the thought of me?”

He looked up at the ceiling above his bed, where the picture from the carnival hung and smiled at her.

“Every time I see it I think of how you tasted.” He quickened the pace of his hand, his breathing getting quicker.

“Tell me. Did you touch yourself and moan my name as you came?”

“Yes,” Y/N gasped at the sight of his length, fully hard and ready for her lips.

“Show me.”

Her heart was beating so hard and fast she wondered momentarily if this was a heart attack. Her hand moved slowly down her stomach to her heat. Two fingers coated themselves in her wetness and rubbed against her slit. She looked from his cock to his face, to see he was watching her hand just as she was watching his.

“Bucky,” she whispered as she lightly touched her clit. She wet the rest of her two fingers and inserted them into her opening. Her other hand touched and squeezed her breasts. Bucky’s groan spurred her on. She bit her lip, cursing as she thrust her fingers inside herself and watched him jerk is cock.

He let her fuck herself for a moment longer. Just a moment. Then he grabbed her hand and popped her fingers into his mouth.

“Just like I remember,” he said quietly.

He hadn’t even dropped her hand before she wrapped her lips around his length.

“Fuck baby.”

Y/N bobbed her head and swirled her tongue on his cock. She took more and more, gagging and choking on him, but the sounds he made were heaven and she couldn’t stop. She wanted to find every spot that would make him moan and learn how to flick her tongue to make him curse.

He was close, she could tell, with the way he pleaded and pulled her hair.

Y/N lifted her mouth off of him and opened her mouth as she jerked his cock, ready to swallow his load.

He pulled away, refusing to let himself cum just yet. He took a minute to walk it off before he came back to her.

“Spread your fucking legs for me doll face. I’m getting inside there right fucking now.” It was almost a growl and sent a fresh wave of arousal to her center.

She did as she was told and spread herself for him. He positioned himself between her thighs and lined up at her entrance.

“I didn’t sleep with Thor.”

He paused.

“I wanted to make you jealous. I didn’t sleep with him.”

Bucky nodded and pushed into her down to the hilt.

“Fuck!” she held onto his shoulder.

“Still tight as a fucking virgin.”

All she could say was his name as he started thrusting into her. She gripped the sheets, her chest heaving and her body shaking under him.

“I want you pregnant before you leave my bed. You hear me? You gonna give me a baby Y/N?”

“Yes! As many as you want Bucky.”

“That’s what I like to hear angel. Fuck! This cunt was made for my cock. Made to take my fucking cum.”

He was insatiable. His thrusts were fast and hard, making her squeal in delight beneath him. He flipped them over and she didn’t miss a beat. She rode him like she was born to do it. She was determined to force the orgasm out of him. Determined to take his cum just like he promised.

“God Bucky it feels so good.”

“I know baby. Gonna make me cum just watching your tits bounce.”

He leaned up taking a nipple in his mouth and she moaned.

When he fell back again she grabbed his hand and held it to her throat. He gripped it, giving her what she wants. He loved seeing her take what she wanted. The way she grinded against him was so sexy he tried to commit it to memory.

“Bucky I’m gonna cum.”

He flipped them again and threw her legs over his shoulder as he pounded into her.

“Cum baby, all over my cock.”

She came with a shout of his name but he didn’t slow his pace, chasing his own orgasm and letting it rock through his body as he painted her womb.

“Atta girl,” he praised as they both came down from their shared high.

He didn’t pull out of her, only rolled so she was laying on his chest. He relaxed against the pillow.

When their breathing returned to normal, she rolled off of him and lay next to him, letting him rub her belly.

“I can’t wait to see you grow with my baby in there.”

“Are you still gonna think I’m sexy when I’m the size of a whale.”

He laughed. “Gets me hard just thinking about it.”

Sure enough she felt his cock twitch next to her leg and she smiled.

“Bucky?”

“Yeah doll?” His eyes were closed. He looked so serene. She almost felt bad interrupting with her question.

“What’s the tattoo for?”

He looked down at the bird on his arm, and tugged her closer. “It’s for my sister.”

She smiled and kissed his pec. “That’s sweet.”

He opened one eye and looked at her. “Come on sugar. Let’s do that again.”

He rolled onto her again and she squealed with laughter.

“Now, didn’t you say something about using your ass?”

“Fuck you Bucky Barnes.”

[criticaltomatosblog]

2020 and beyond...

What a stupid idea, right?!

Making resolutions you may not follow through to just the first few weeks of the anticipated new year!

But this time I am ready.

To take that leap of absolute faith, to jump into a new consciousness with no limitations.

Do I need it? Absolutely.

Can I handle it? I am not even sure what reply would suffice here.

Will I follow through? We must try!

My emotional and mental well-being has been on the brink of a total meltdown this year and I have learned to take care of those entities in less than half a year. This has quite possibly been my worst year since the year 2015.

To say I have suffered would be an understatement for I have endured situations wherein I would have chosen to end my life.

I have no one to blame for my mishaps to be honest apart from myself. For I entirely failed to look after myself at some point this year and created a state of dependence to things, people and just about anything that could get me through a forgettable day.

But here I am fantasizing about where I see myself in the next year.

There are things I really cannot wait to do and hope this is post will be my reminder to hold onto my wishes and make flying horses out of each of them.

1. Sobriety.

It is impossible to quantify the number of times I have turned to the devil's piss for comfort during bad days. Spiralling out of control in so many instances that I have got myself into dire situations due to failure to control my drinking habit. This is the one true thing I hope to follow through, not just this coming year but even beyond the realms of the decades to come. Every 15 days gone without a drink of the bitter will be celebrated like it were a quarterly birthday.

2. Dependence.

The strangest thing is that I have always been so independent that I have never needed anyone. This year taught me that yes we need people or other things to fall back into when nothing is going well for us. But it is also in this year that I have had the highest dependence on so many things and people that have changed the course of my life. I feel almost obliged to do certain things sometimes because of the law of reciprocity. You give some, you take some. And while no man is an island, I am reminded everyday that Leonardo da Vinci only ever trusted his left hand to get him out of any rabbit hole he'd dug himself into. Even when nothing is going well, you must always consider that you're the only person you will ever depend on. Breaking this habit this year will be a long process but it is one I am fully counting on to follow through.

3. Self-love.

Cliché, right? Unfortunately, yes but the thing about putting yourself first is that you cannot fill from an empty pot. Where is the love, compassion and companionship you seek from others coming from? Not so cliché now is it?! It is not as if I do not love myself but I have put my affection for others ahead of myself so often this year that I have entirely failed to look after my mental well being and that has been the worst down spiral I have had to endure this year. There are no complaints about reciprocity but the state of reciprocating this affection has been tumultuous. Nothing if anything has felt like it was being returned in the same quantity or quality that it was given. But still I shall continue to give because I am not selfish. I only pray that this time I get myself into relationships and friendships that are fun and enjoyable and won't cause anyone any harm, myself inclusive.

4. Art.

Where did my love for creation go? The ability to make something out of nothing has always been my greatest solace but this year has been so complicated that I have probably forgotten how to hold a paintbrush, let alone a drawing pencil. Vigilance or not, I have totally spun away from what I know and do best. Create. I wouldn't even bring adulting into this equation because I would choose the life of an artist over any other in this world. We are creators. We are life givers. We are the soul of being for we have the ability to bring to life that which seemed to have ceased to exist. If anything, 2020 will be no easy mountain to ride with creation especially in a place where creativity is considered some kind of madness. But you know what, I will take madness any day come 2020.

5. Faith

What can be achieved without faith? In my opinion, nothing worthy of mention. For faith drives the slightest of confidence we may have in making anything worthy of mention. Faith in thyself. Faith in others. Faith in the universe.

I don't think this list is endless and surely some things shall surface during the course of seeing out these resolutions but I must start somewhere. Somewhere that I shall find a solid path to recovery. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CHALLENGE.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU ALL & MAY YOU PROSPER THROUGH 2020 AND BEYOND! STAY SAFE.

[danielxrk]

    DANIEL & HEEJIN   ✞ DON’T RECALL *   BAND REMIX                            ( :9-:39, 1:32-1:52, 2:03-3:15 ) 

( * mentioned, some very briefly: @rkxsungwoon @rkkenta @rkmason @moonbokrk @rkheejin @rkminhyun @rkpwj )

it already feels familiar: sitting after his interview, holding the hands of the empty enigma members on either side of him (sungwoon and kenta this time) and waiting. he doesn't expect it to be any different this time and he doesn't know why; this skill round in itself is different, and yet he's still surprised when the judges call the top three of each skill to the stage. they’re mostly what he expects, and while he knew he had no right to be in the top three, there was part of him that hoped his original rap might’ve earned him a spot. it still leaves him with enough room to feel disappointed despite all rational thought-- despite knowing he isn't nearly skilled enough to compete with anyone here, let alone top them. when minho wins, daniel nods from his place in the audience, because this doesn't surprise him in the slightest. it's well deserved, as far as daniel's concerned. he can't even look at him without wondering how he could possibly compete with him, but could any of them?

a bigger part of him is convinced he's going home when all of the rappers are brought on stage for the eliminations. he feels the absence of all of the empty enigma members here more than he ever has, standing there by himself, surrounded once again by people he knows are more talented than him and are likely hoping for his demise in return for their survival. he can't blame them. he looks down at his feet, shuts his eyes, and prays for the sake of his nerves: god, please give me strength to face any result here. give me strength in general. please stop my hands from shaking, and give me confidence, and i'll trust that whatever happens is for the best, but he wants to stay. there's a fire in him this year that wasn't there the last, and that fights against the possibility of being eliminated on the same challenge he was last year, but he knows it's possible. he knows it's likely.

baek jiyoung says kang, and daniel's heart is in his throat, and he's so certain it'll be him. he's so ready to step forward and graciously accept defeat, convinced he gave the competition this year everything he had to offer, and he just wasn't as good as the others. and yet it isn't-- it's not him, and many of his nerves are replaced with guilt, and a new sick feeling in his stomach. that feeling only grows when the next name is a jang, and he knows who it will be before jiyoung even finishes. moonbok. how could he stay over moonbok? they were both returning contestants from last year, moonbok with...objectively more talent than daniel-- someone he was rooting for, someone he was so sure would find success this season, and yet daniel still stands and moonbok does not. he looks at him as he stands in the front line, and daniel's legs feel shaky, and there's no relief in his safety, only a dread, and the feeling that he doesn't deserve this, and a new, strange feeling of inadequacy.

he returns to his seat with the empty enigma members, oddly silent, and he's sure they can tell something is off, especially when they celebrate on his behalf and he's just vacant. the nausea won't leave him be; he wonders if he'll carry it with him this whole week, or if his mindset will change-- if he'll manage to use this chance given to him that the others didn't receive to make sure it wasn't given in vain. he feels that desire building up in him by the minute: this desperation to prove that he can honor the others with his place in the competition, even if he doesn't deserve it. he tries to carry it with him as his friends take to the stage, and push on to the next round.

it takes a few moments to really register that all of the members have made it another round, and when he does, he gets that first real feeling of relief, and he smiles. he grabs kenta and sungwoon's hands and squeezes them, a gesture he hopes conveys his pride in them where his voice, still too weak to make an appearance, can't.

there isn't much time to celebrate, however, as katie lee soon reveals. duos. first comes confidence; he trusts in his ability to collaborate. if he did it last year in groups, surely he's better at it now, and working with only one other person will lend itself better to the exchange of ideas. however, his stomach plummets again at the revelation that they will be judged and eliminated by duo, and it only gets worse when his partner is revealed. he'll be weighing down jeon heejin, winner of the vocal category. she's far too good for him, and surely, that much is abundantly clear.

the recording ends, everyone getting up to be on their way, and when everyone stands, daniel's eyes bob around the dispersing crowd and finally land on heejin. he's so overwhelmed by fear-- so immensely intimidated, but still forces himself forward to meet her, and bows to her. "hello heejin-ssi," he greets her, certain it's awkward and stiff. "i'm sorry you're paired with me. i know i'm lacking, but i'll do my best so you aren't weighed down by me too harshly," and he bows again.

that intimidation doesn't go away, especially on their first day of meeting together to discuss songs. he is haunted by a sense of inferiority, and one he's certain is totally justified. heejin is just better than him in every way: more talented, more poised, more certain, more ambitious, more purposeful. he barely knows her, but it's just the feeling he gets, like she is so certain she belongs here and has what it takes to win, and daniel is only familiar with that feeling...once in a blue moon-- certainly not now. he feels like he has no right to contribute anything here, and is perfectly content to let heejin take the reigns and simply try to fill in and pull his own weight. it's only right.

"do you...have any ideas?" he asks, hesitantly, quietly, after some time spent in daniel's living room, heejin on his couch and him on the floor, perhaps a physical symbol of the difference in standing he sees between them. they're both on their phones, searching for songs, and he looks up at her, barely able to meet her gaze, and as silly as it is, he's apparently utterly terrified of his duo partner. it's not just that; it mainly stems from his mortification at the prospect-- no, inevitability-- that he will weigh her down, even to the point of eliminating her with all of her talent and all of her potential. without his negative influence, she could win. he doesn't want to stop her. for now, it paralyzes him, and all he can hope is that the further this week progresses, the more that fact will drive him.

heejin shares her thoughts with him, and he nods along. "any of that sounds good," he says, resigned to do whatever heejin chooses. "whatever you want to do the most," and he's so willing. he doesn't even want to share his opinions, he's so certain heejin knows better than he ever could. yet heejin says what about you? and daniel pauses. he could just say nothing yet, but he doesn't want to be that partner that makes heejin do all of the work, even for as little as he's against it.

truthfully, he does have an idea. there was a song he covered last year by a group composed of both guys and girls, and his mind drifts to it now that they could benefit from something like it. he doesn't know any of their songs other than hola hola, though, and can't remember the group's name anymore. "maybe," he admits after his silence. "but i'm not quite sure yet. let me check something...but you can keep looking! i don't know if it's even a good idea," and he searches hola hola kpop and finds it, and finds the group too. "something by kard?" he voices, but always with trepidation. "i did a kard song last year with the team i was leader for," and he almost adds and we won, but he doesn't want to brag in front of someone who has more of a right to. to his utter shock, heejin responds positively, and apparently she knows and likes the group. "we can do whatever song you like most," he adds, quickly, already embarrassed for suggesting something at all.

he looks through more of their songs, ultimately ambivalent, and heejin brings up don't recall, so he listens, and he likes it too, at least as much as he can like an idol song. "can you play any instruments?" he asks, suddenly, and maybe he'll regret it later, but now, an idea churns in his head, and it's something he might be confident in. he quickly adds an addendum: "i don't remember if you already played instruments on the show so far, sorry," and the last thing he wants is for heejin to think she's forgettable. but heejin says guitar, and daniel grins: "me too! i play bass in my band, though." then he moves up to the couch, fear suddenly outweighed by his growing excitement.

then, he explains his thoughts: all of the the instruments he can replace all of the song's synths and synthetic basslines with, each part, explains that he wants to avoid dancing, that they can make a band version with just the two of them, if heejin is willing to play guitar and she says it's different, and that she likes it, and that she's willing to do it. "then let's get to it," heejin adds. "last time i did this my team won. let's do it," daniel says with a grin, sure enough of himself with an idea he actually has faith in.

maybe he has more to offer than he thought.

he warms up to heejin more and more as their week goes on-- feels like he rises to her level more and more too, though what they bring to the table is entirely different. he likes it better that way; they compliment each other like this, and if he dares, he thinks their performance will be a strong one-- that they might even be able to win, combining both the things that helped daniel pull out a win last time.

they stand in a recording studio now, heejin tagging along despite daniel recording all of the parts for their instrumental himself. (it might be boring for you but if you want, you can come? we can record the guitar parts too if you want, but they'd be cooler if we do them fully live and  we have to do what will make our performance the best. let me come. we can get in more practice this way, too.)

maybe recording the keyboard and drums is hubris on daniel's part, but he's determined to give them the fullest sound they can, and if he wants to claim instruments as his best skill, he better know his way around these, too. he'd rather real drums, but he's resigned to a drum machine this time, and he's picked enough of the keyboard up from sungwoon that he believes he can play the melody for it he has in mind. it's nothing too complicated, and if he can't trust in his skills here, he can't trust in them anywhere.

he shows heejin the basics of the recording equipment so she can work it for him when he's in the booth. ("i guess it's not so boring after all. i'm putting you to work," he laughs, and heejin does too, but she seems like the type to always want to be working on something, so he's more glad than anything.)

he plays through the keyboard parts experimentally in the booth first, making sure they match what's in his head (and the notes he scrawled out on a piece of paper when he first thought of it to make sure he didn't forget), and then he gives heejin a thumbs up-- the signal for them to start.

they practice after that, with their instrumental and without it, rehearsal after rehearsal. (do you have an electric guitar? and no, just acoustic and you can use mine.)

under different circumstances-- a daniel of six months ago -- might develop a crush on heejin by the end of the week, but he's matured since the start of this year. in reality, by the end of the week, all he has is an immense amount of respect for her, and the unbreakable desire not to let her down.

they walk into the venue together, and his eyes rake over the smaller amount of chairs, always diminishing, always unsettling. he feels almost naked beside heejin instead of the empty enigma members, and when they sit down in their assigned seats, he searches for them on instinct. he sees minhyun and sungwoon in his row, not so far from him, but far enough that he feels their absence-- too far to talk to in between performances like he usually would. he still leans forward in his chair, looking over at them, and he waves until he gets their attention, only to wave more with a big smile on his face. it's all he really wants to do-- all he can do from his position, but he hopes they know he's supporting them, just like he knows they are for him. he stares across the stage, and he can't even see kenta and woojin. his eyebrows knit together in concern, but he knows they're out there, and he looks forward to when he'll see them all on stage even more.

he doesn't know what any of them are performing this week; he's spent an uncharacteristically small amount of time with his bandmates for this round, most of his time divided between heejin and playing his bass part and running his lines over and over again in his own apartment, and decompressing, and trying to balance work and school on top of it all, even with the classes here and there he's starting to skip and the fewer shifts he's picking up. he could keep up with it all when it was just him, but with someone else's fate in his hands, his desperation grew, as did his drive to practice-- and sacrifice for it.

sitting beside heejin now, her company is appreciated, and not something he fears anymore. now, they're comfortable with each other, and maybe at least something approaching friends. sitting beside her, he doesn't quite feel like he belongs there, but that he's not so out of place-- maybe not the partner she deserves, but a worthy one, regardless. over the past week, he contributed as much as he could-- far more than he thought heejin would allow, and he's grateful or that. he's given it everything he has, and now it's just time to translate that to the stage.

despite unfamiliar circumstances, daniel feels a strange lack of nerves, perhaps the most comfortable and settled in of any rounds so far, and it's probably due to the amp and bass propped up against his chair, one hand steadying his guitar. there are only 20 performances this time around, so daniel has no trouble paying attention, and finds the duos more engaging than watching everyone perform on their own-- fascinated by two totally different performers finding a way to merge their talents in a week's time. he and heejin sit in a comfortable silence, only minimally awkward; daniel wasn't usually the one in empty enigma to initiate conversation during the filming of the show, always more in his element listening and observing than talking, though the difference between the two wasn't so substantial with friends. here, with heejin, she isn't so familiar. still, he looks over at her frequently, wordlessly checking on her, offering a close-lipped smile every time they make eye contact-- silent reassurance, though heejin probably doesn't need it. she's at home on stage, maybe more than anyone else in this room. she just belongs there.

there's part of him that wants to reach out for her hand and hold it, like this is some habit and tradition of his mga5 experience-- like he doesn't feel completely rooted and prepared without such, but he doesn't think they're close enough for that, so he resists. instead, his fingers drum against his knee, not exactly out of unease, but a certain restlessness and eagerness to take to the stage, something running through his blood similar to the way it does before he takes the stage as cameo-- that same excitement, that energy, that undeniable pull to the stage and buzzing in his nerve endings.

the judges call their name, and daniel looks over at heejin with a blooming grin. "let's do this," he says, and he slings his bass over his shoulder, and it brings that familiar feeling of comfort-- affinity, like he's only one step short of being at home on this stage, too.

they stand on stage, both with two different electric guitars, and daniel bows to the audience, then to the judges. heejin introduces herself first, and daniel follows soon after her: "kang daniel," and it falls to him to introduce their performance, too. "we'll be performing don't recall by kard, but a little differently."

they circle back to the center of the stage, set up their instruments, and then they're ready to play. daniel adjusts his microphone, then he nods, a signal to start their instrumental. his hands fall back to his bass, like they're meant to be there. begin.

heejin starts the performance off as they should: with the sheer power of her voice. daniel is there too from the beginning, in the background-- the bassline, and there's nowhere else he'd rather be.

heejin finishes off the first verse, and then it's his turn, opening up the prechorus, singing.

don’t look at me like that don’t push me away no more i gave you all my love love all of my love love never want to let you go

truthfully, the lyrics were far from the reason he wanted to go with this song-- a complete non-factor, actually, but for this performance, he thinks the feeling is more important than the meaning anyway. it needs to come across as cool and powerful, and a little bit groovy, with the emotional expression taking a backseat to the attitude.

he only gets a beat to breathe, their pre-chorus cut in half for the purpose of their performance, not a pre-chorus for them so much as an interlude. instead of the chorus, it leads into his one and only rap verse. he glances sideways at heejin beside him, then steps a little closer to his mic, gaze shifting to challenge the lens of the camera.

loneliness lingers on my skin gives me shudders, blame it on our neglect guilt follows me like a shadow decal uh comania, my price to pay for all the stupidity in my past tangled like a ball of thread, pointless living in the faded memory, miserable i hope that i hope you hear my monologue it’s not showmanship, it’s true

he doesn't worry too much about coming across as particularly emotionally tortured, more like coming across a little smooth and dark, but he doesn't even really worry about it; in reality, he trusts in his ability to do so much. sometimes, when he steps on stage-- if he lets it happen-- it's like a switch flips. the bass is a direct line to cameo-- makes him easier to awaken and channel when daniel is so in his element, so all of those learned skills come through: the flirtation, the boldness, the bravado, and he puts it through a filter for this performance. this is another side of himself too, and one he's glad to split between rapping and singing, indicative of his intention to carry every skill he picks up here with him, and to add them to his pool to draw upon later.

regardless, the rap isn't so hard for him to relate to. he knows guilt, and mistakes so etched into his heart it's like a decal. he thinks of all the people he's hurt despite his good intentions, whether he needs to or not-- of the mistakes he's made with them, of yujin, of ricky, of eunji, and all the others he feels nothing but a step away from hurting too. maybe having cameo as a disguise discounts any words coming from daniel now, but he still wants them heard-- still means them, especially his apologies-- and he wants everyone to hear this song, too.

then it's his turn to sing again, that same pat of the pre-chorus, now supported by heejin's spotless harmonies, and he looks to her as he sings.

don’t look at me like that don’t push me away no more i gave you all my love love all of my love love never want to let you go

it ends off on a rap, and it finally guides them to the chorus this time, voices melding into harmonies once again.

don’t recall when we were good together haunts me like a ghost like there will be no tomorrow heart pounding moments no no no no no don’t mean a thing anymore stop, i don’t recall

his fingers flit over the frets of his bass as he sings, an unusually complicated bass part to supplement an already dynamic chorus-- just as he intended with his arrangement, though it will likely be drowned out by their voices. in the end, he intends for that, too, even as the bass takes a bit of a front seat compared to heejin's guitar for now. it's a fair tradeoff, because heejin's voice drives this chorus, and the performance as a whole. daniel is and always has been just along for the ride with her, doing everything he can to make her sound as good as she deserves.

next comes the bridge, and a series of adlibs, and now, heejin's guitar is in charge.

don’t mean a thing anymore stop, i don’t recall

it's something of the song's peak-- a pinnacle, and the most difficult vocal work daniel does all song. he meets heejin's gaze for it, temporarily turning away from their audience to find assurance in her eyes. it's the part he practiced most on his own and with her, running over it time and time again to ensure their seamless harmony, asking for heejin's advice every time he fell flat, and it all comes to a head in this moment, where for a moment, he has dreams of meeting her-- of rising to the challenge of matching her, and he's there, and he does, and heejin's impeccable voice makes up for where his lacks as they layer over each other.

more adlibs, and they repeat the song again, but this time, daniel can relax into it knowing the most difficult part of it is over. he leans in, and reminds himself to enjoy this-- that he may not get to stand on stage like this again at all, let alone with his bass, and relishes in how lucky he is, and how grateful he is that heejin gave him the opportunity to perform with her this way.

he sings his final solo parts of the song, and even then, it's not really solo, because as he does, heejin, for lack of a better term, absolutely goes off.

you don’t mean it i know know know know know know say you don’t mean those words baby i can’t let you go can’t let you go no no no

it's a suitable end to the song, and they finish with that familiar, final hook.

don’t mean a thing anymore stop, i don’t recall

his hand rests on the neck of his bass, even as he bows and makes his way off stage with heejin, their amps in tow, a brief struggle to get back down the stairs and to their seats, but when they do sit down, it's with the feeling that he's really shown everything he can.

his survival is one thing; he can only hope he's assured heejin hers.

[sheacouleecametoslay]

Season 11 (2019)

Many publications list Season 11 near the bottom of their rankings. Mainly because the drama felt mean, and because the judging was utterly illogical. Ra'Jah, Vanjie and especially Silky were continually saved despite their poor performances at the expense of Scarlet, Shuga and Nina, who were tossed aside. Yvie and Brooke were almost always in the top 3, aside from Snatch Game, so the final 2 was obvious. I personally think Silky only won Snatch Game because Yvie called her “talentless” on the previous Untucked. Moreover, the producers wanted that Vanjie vs Brooke Lynn lip sync so badly. Their showmance wasn't even that interesting of a storyline because they didn't let it affect their performances in the challenges. Also, Shuga’s elimination was total BS. She was so expendable. I don't think the producers cared about A'keria either, so the fact that she made finale at all is amazing. She overcame the rigging as far as she could. The other big reason why Season 11 is unpopular is because of Silky. She is the Jaremi/Phi Phi O'Hara of the modern era. And she lasted longer than she should've. The villains are rarely ever my #1 or #2 favourites, because I don't root for them. But this show is so boring without them. There's a reason why Silky, Ra'Jah and Scarlet are on AS6. I'll never understand why this fanbase wants the villains off their TV screens? While I do believe there is a difference between a fun villain and an annoying villain, Silky and Ra'Jah are a mix of both. So I appreciate what they bring to Season 11. I personally think Season 11 is a top 5 season, and probably the last season I will put in my top 5 (unless I end up doing internationals). Yes, the drama got ugly and uncomfortable at times, especially the Vanjie vs Yvie fight. But there was never a dull moment. The Yvie vs Silky rivalry was a fun one. Their personalities clashed so perfectly. There were so many villains and so many rivalries happening at the same time. Half the cast was constantly yelling at each other, while the other half was just trying to chill. In the modern era, everyone seems so concerned about social media backlash, but this cast did not hold back. Untucked was often explosive. The episode 7 Untucked is one for the ages, where three different blow-ups happened. The season does slow down after the double shantay, but it doesn't drop off that much. And the Makeover episode provides one final high point. Of course bringing back the eliminated queens was going to reignite the drama and I was living for it. I just wish Ra'Jah was a part of it. I wasn't interested in the guest judges showing up on Untucked every week though. Speaking of guest judges, Joel McHale was annoying AF. The cast doesn't quite match the levels of Seasons 6 or 9 though. Only because Kahanna and Honey are super forgettable, and Shuga doesn't add much to the episodes. But other than those 3, every one else delivered something this season. Some of the challenges disappointed too. Snatch Game at Sea is notoriously underwhelming - no one gave an all-time classic performance, but only the bottom 3 were unfunny in it. Still, writing a Rusical about Trump was a choice. The Monster Ball and the farm runways seemed like they were set up for Yvie to win, and she didn't win either. And like Scarlet said, no one was really doing iconic monsters in the Monster Ball. The Mariah team in “Diva Worship” was an entertaining trainwreck. It reminded me of “ShakesQueer” from Season 7. The 6-way lip sync was unnecessary too. It was supposed to be a shocking moment, but it feels forgettable these days? At least the worst performer in the challenge still went home that episode. The best challenges were “L.A.D.P.” (I laughed so much), the movie parodies, and the Ru-mix. I'm glad we're back on track with the Ru-mixes after AS4. I liked how this one was filmed similar to “Kitty Girl”. There were some cool mini-challenges though. Like the one where they tried to gain backstage access. Or the one where no one could pronounce “Colonel” correctly. Or the return of the slapping. Maybe not the potato sack race though. Also, Ru was such a s**t-stirrer this season. She'd go around the Werk Room and ask each queen individually who should go home. She snitched to Silky about what Ariel's team said about her. And she asked the eliminated queens in the Makeover episode who should go home. Episode 7 was weird too. The entire episode was centered around Plastique. It had the longest Ru walkthrough ever. And a pointless Alyssa Edwards lesson was tacked on. The A-list celebrity premiere episode guest judge for S11 was Miley Cyrus. She went undercover as a camera operator until Silky recognized her.

Queens Ranking: 15. S*ju Automatic last place for the SA allegations.  I now feel uncomfortable when she said “I love drag but I love boys more” and “I'm into twinks”, and when she thirsted over Scarlet. Being a Youtube Drag Race reviewer must be the only reason she was cast. Because she never made a dress before or walked in heels. And then she told the judges about her oozing cyst. And clarified on Untucked it was on her taint. Yeah... maybe Ariel was onto something about her. 💀 The Makeover episode made her look the most inexperienced drag queen to ever step foot on this show. In the competition: Her Legendary Look was a bulky shapeless mess. Those knots in the back! She couldn't move around in the lip sync either. 14. Ariel Versace “I'm gonna be a little bitch because you know what I grew up as an only child and my answer is the only answer and I'm always right so watch out bitches”... yeah okay. Ariel really thought she ate this season. She gave this irritable, “wannabe” villain vibe (“girl this is not the Silky show”; “girl oh my god you have one job”; “for them to tell me like 'oh girl it wasn't there' I'm like 'the f**k?'”; “every time Scarlet speaks it's a giant eye roll”). She shadily asked S*ju if she was a performer. She talked s**t about Silky to the other girls and informed Ru that Silky was problematic and obnoxious. Then when called out on it, Ariel downplayed what she said. She also wondered why she was getting the blame... when she was the one doing the most. Suddenly next episode, she wanted to sing with Silky. She also criticized Yvie's runway on Untucked, replying “Cute. Great. Good. Cool.” when the judges loved it. She ignored everyone's advice to make her outfit more monster, then claimed she misinterpreted the challenge. She told Vanjie in the Makeover episode “the Jersey will come out” over the wigs, but she backpedalled when the time came. At the reunion, she said she did it to protect Plastique. Otherwise, Ariel's storyline was proving she was more than an Instagram queen. In the competition: Ariel's best moments were her singing in “Diva Worship” and pulling it out in the Rusical after she gave up in rehearsal. Her Laganja look was kinda cute too. But I wasn't into her zodiac runway. Her timing was off in the “Black Panther” parody. And ultimately, Ariel's Ball looks didn't fit the themes. Her mermaid looked cheap too. I thought her needles thing was good enough to place her “low” though. Then she slipped during the lip sync. 13. Honey Davenport Honey and Kahanna are probably the most forgettable queens since Alisa Summers. Honey's intro was about not fitting into a label or a box. In the premiere, she was perplexed by Yvie, Silky, and Nina at separate points. While in the episode 2 Untucked, she went OFF on Silky for using her size as an excuse and for the “skinny bitches” comment. Then in episode 3, she had a “Milk moment” over her challenge performance. And in the Makeover episode she came back with a beard. That's Honey's entire edit.  In the competition: I liked Honey's BenDeLa look and her black fringe runway (zodiac was meh). But her unaired runways are even better. That said, Honey was forgettable in “Black Panther”. Then she stumbled over her words in “Diva Worship” and proceeded to sing out of sync with Ra'Jah. While in the 6-way lip sync, she jumped off the stage and crawling around... what cringey moment 12. Shuga Cain Apologies to the Shuga fans, but I thought she was sooo boring. Her confessionals were bland and added nothing special to the episodes. But I found her story inspiring; how she quit her corporate job at middle age to take a risk to pursue drag, which I'm sure is more fulfilling. And Yvie called her a sweetheart. Otherwise, Shuga called this season “RuPaul's Best Friend's Race” on Untucked (how out of touch). She was the one who suggested doing Mariah. She was emotional after the 6-way lip sync. She ate the materials during the farm challenge. She told Ra'Jah “well you brought it up”. And that's about it. In the competition: Shuga screamed “safe” in most challenges. Including both design challenges, her Charo in Snatch Game, and her nonsensical bottom 2 placement in the magic show. She was a good actress in “Black Panther”, but others stood out more. And she was the least bad on her “Diva Worship” team. Still, her Hillary Clinton role in the Rusical felt like the Blac Chyna spot. Plus she gave a Trump runway that episode. 💀 On the flip side, Shuga's 3 Ball looks confused me, but the second one was fine. I liked some of her other runways too - her native heritage, sequins, facekini. And her caftan had two reveals! 11. Kahanna Montrese You gotta say her name seductively!... “Kahanna”! She labelled herself as a “hip hop showgirl dance queen... but also very elegant” and I'm still not sure what that means. She misunderstood the first challenge and gave the judges this excuse of being stuck in Coco's shadow. Then she didn't know what to do with her small role next episode. And that's Kahanna's entire edit.  In the competition: Kahanna's Katya look came off as lazy. It was half an outfit with a black bra and partially stoned tights. Then her chiffon tore off during the zodiac runway. Combined with her entrance look, Kahanna didn't show her best drag this season. Meanwhile, she and Mercedes were awkward as the maids in “Get Out”. 10. Nina West Such an obvious Miss C. This season needed Nina's genuine, wholesome energy to balance things out. But she discouraged the drama, which goes against making good TV. Otherwise, she had a death threat story and a growing up Republican story. She auditioned 9 times and was in over head in the first challenge, gaining the judges' sympathy. She was enthusiastic about the performance challenges. She was a happy goofball in confessional. She respected Scarlet's unbotheredness when Ra'Jah was going off. She had a heartfelt confessional about Plastique just before Ra'Jah said the opposite LOL. She defended Yvie's drag and was supportive to Yvie on Untucked. But it was weird when Nina was upset with Brooke Lynn over “L.A.D.P.” and how she never confronted Brooke Lynn about it. She did confront Silky though for throwing her under the bus though. Also lol at Nina's reaction to Brooke Lynn and Vanjie kissing. And to her kissing Silky. In the competition: Nina is a natural public speaker, so no surprise she won the magic show. Even though she botched the trick, she played it off well. She was also funny in “Black Panther” (but not a scene stealer), the Rusical (but her choreo wasn't the best), and the Draglympics. She was a charismatic host in “Diva Worship”. And she should've won Snatch Game. She was too nice for the Reading mini-challenge though. But Nina's runways were too “costumey”, including her Ball looks, the Ohio flag, the facekini, and her Makeover pride outfits. The mop and the viking did not work either. And her Thorgy look had those hideous circles. But her corn husk outfit deserved some credit. 9. Mercedes Iman Diamond “Where I'm from we didn't have Rachel Maddow but we did have a goat”. Mercedes was timid and stuck in her shell. She was unresponsive when people addressed her. She had this story of being on the no fly list and having a stroke, and not feeling pretty because of it. She was uncomfortable discussing her religion with the other queens, but later had a growth moment and opened up about it. And she volunteered for the lead role in the Rusical and they had to steer her away from it. Mercedes was sweet and I sympathize with her, but you have to be outgoing to succeed on RPDR. Yvie was right: sad to see her go but she wasn't a strong contender. Still, her ululation entrance was iconic. In the competition: Mercedes' runways looked unpolished and weren't elevated enough. Her Sagittarius one in particular. Which is weird since her entrance look was amazing. Still, she was flat in the acting challenges; although “OPPALANCE” became a meme. She was lucky to be on the winning team in “Diva Worship”. And her Rusical performance had zero personality. The first 4 boots were not very good at this competition were they? 8. Plastique Tiara Plastique's confessionals served “go on girl give us nothing” energy; like her robotic “I hate her – no I'm just kidding” quote. She was written off as just pretty. Michelle said she had no personality. She told the judges she found out about pop culture 3 years ago. When Silky grilled her over Ariel's wigs, she didn't own up to the “those girls need it” comment at first, before admitted to it after (but the comment wasn't even that bad so who cares?). She just made a wrong assumption that the wigs were meant for her. Then came Episode 7, where Plastique cried in front of Ru, opened up about hiding her drag from her family, got a hug from Ru, received a visit from her drag mother, got an Untucked video message, and won her first challenge. Ra'Jah called this out as favouritism. While A'keria didn't think Plastique's stories added up. I don't see how though? She then comforted Ra'Jah when Ra'Jah came for her. And she was at peace in her final episode. But lol at Plastique confidently saying “I know that my look will be safe no matter what”. In the competition: Plastique kept using corsets and accents! But her runways were beautiful regardless – her Sasha look, the Ariana fringe, the MILF, the golden angel, her farm junk design, the sequins. Her facekini wasn't a facekini though, and the Playboy bunny was basic. Initially, her accent was praised in “Blank Panther”. But soon she was criticized for it. She kept changing her voice in “Diva Worship” (“ARIANA GRANDE”) and she seemed uncomfortable in “L.A.D.P.” Still, she had the “throw the TS Madison” joke in Snatch Game. And she served Melania Trump facial expressions in the Rusical. 7. Ra'Jah O'Hara Ra'Jah brought the drama, made nasty remarks, and would fly off the handle. She said Vanjie already had her shot. She saw Yvie as the instigator in episode 2, and took it personal when Yvie shaded her make-up. She dismissed Yvie's drag (her “ugly bitch” and “do you bathe” remarks were uncalled for). She was bitter about Scarlet naming Ra'Jah to go home, because Scarlet was getting in Ra'Jah's way in the challenge. She didn't want to read Scarlet's mirror message. They made her look two-faced during one of her confessionals. She accused Plastique of stealing her tree bark. She thought Plastique's sob story was manipulative. And she flipped out at Plastique because of A'keria's gossip. But Ra'Jah was just having a tough time in the competition. Otherwise, Ra'Jah was feeling herself going into the challenges: “I see a lot of myself in Omarosa”; proceeds to show no Omarosa. Brags about her dancing skills; confesses that she danced 15 years ago. Also, Ra'Jah's confessionals were ruthless: “have you ever seen somebody finger paint with their feet?”; “bitch I'm not from Denver, I'm from f**king Dallas, the big D”; “bitch you are one of the oldest bitches here, why are you always needing approval?”; “oh yes this about to be your Last Dance.” In the competition: I'm curious to see how Ra'Jah wins CvTW because... she did not do well on S11. Her earrings wouldn't even stay on during her entrance! Her Kennedy pride look was near the bottom for me. She sang out of sync with Honey in “Diva Worship”. She didn't embody Omarosa in the Rusical. She looked “over it” during the Draglympics. And while her farm outfit had a concept, the execution was poor. Still, I loved two of her Ball looks (the witch not so much). Her other runways were underwhelming aside from the gold one. She was great in the “Living In America” lip sync though. 6. Silky Nutmeg Ganache I loved and hated Silky at the same time. She is integral to S11. She annoyed everybody in the premiere with her “attitude checks”, not giving Plastique the trunk she wanted, complaining about insufficient fabric, acting foolish for attention, and lifting Miley Cyrus. She did it for screen time because she wanted her own spin-off. Throughout the season, Silky had endless excuses and no self-awareness: “had I gone home today I will probably be on Season 12”; “my body fluctuates, some days I'm heavy some days I'm small”; being uncomfortable worshipping Britney Spears; “I'm actually a registered Republican”; painting her eyebrows with a Sharpie; “I'm not fond of Halloween”; “I was in the bottom for being beautiful”; “I got a wonderful cornbread recipe [to] make your t*tties grow”; “America's gonna love me”; predicting Yvie will go home during the farm runway; saying she doesn't need to improve; only doing her lips for the Facekini runway; “had I come back I wouldn't said a damn thing negative to any of you all”. She was unafraid to lip sync, and when she finally did it was that. Then she said the song wasn't her genre. It wasn't until final 6 that the critiques finally got to her. Moreover, Silky got so offended and worked up every time someone came for her; as if she was always right. “I WAS MOTHERF**KING READY” is iconic though. She clashed with Yvie the most. She constantly dismissed Yvie's drag. She told Ru that Yvie should go home because of her injury (gross), then got upset when Yvie said her name back. She didn't buy Yvie's apology either. But she finally made up with Yvie at the final 5. Silky also grilled Plastique over Ariel's wigs. And she thought Brooke Lynn was being fake at the final 6 Untucked. Silky had her funny moments too like her cookie entrance; “Charmin to the runway!”; “Celine ya done”; “that bitch gonna give you pretty all day everyday in 3 f**king corsets”; “ho you must go”. Plus she was hilarious in the Makeover episode (“the bitch that came in week one looking like Ronald MacDonald”). In the competition: Neither of Silky's wins were iconic performances. She looked like Oprah in the Rusical but that was it. And she repeated the same joke in Snatch Game. I enjoyed her in “L.A.D.P.” at least and she carried her team in the magic show. But Silky's runways were unpolished in every design challenge. Her “roach” and golden looks weren't much better. And her Ball looks were basic, even with The Wiz reference. Her best runways were the orange, sequins and caftan ones. Moreover, Silky's choreo was sloppy in the Draglypmics (the baton twirling saved it), the “Queens Everywhere” video, and the lip sync that she “won” (those splits... her tripping over her outfit as it fell apart...) She was funny in the mini-challenges though (“what the hell is col-oh-nel”). Except the Reading one, WTF was that. 5. Brooke Lynn Hytes I gotta root for my fellow Canadian! Brooke Lynn seemed like the most well-adjusted queen of S11. She was a professional that didn't have a big personality, and was dry at times. Her early confessionals were meh (“not only did I survive the first elimination I thrived the first elimination! *finger snaps*”). And she didn't know how to be funny. But Brooke Lynn grew on me as the season progressed. Like her dumbfounded reactions to Silky's Sharpie or at Plastique comforting Ra'Jah. But my favourite Brooke Lynn moment was her hiding under the couch cushions during the Yvie/Vanjie fight. She also developed a rivalry with Silky towards the end, peaking in the Makeover episode when she paired Silky with S*ju – “Putting Silky with anybody would've been a bit of a struggle for her”. Brooke Lynn was shady! She also pointed out Scarlet's holes, and joked “Dollar Tree to the runway” to Silky. Her reads never felt personal though, and she tried to deescalate tensions this season. It makes sense why she's a judge now lol. In the competition: Brooke Lynn's runways were polished but unexciting. My fave was the Pisces one. She won 3 design challenges though – all 3 of which I disagreed on. Her Detox look was well-constructed, but the colour contrast was unappealing. Her Ball looks were kinda overrated, but she was more consistent in that challenge than anyone else. And then there's the Makeover. She also had the judges gagging over the sequins reveal. But yeah, Brooke Lynn was bland in the comedy challenges early on. Her “Black Panther” character was annoying and her Celine Dion in Snatch Game went nowhere. Also, her “Queens Everywhere” lyrics felt cliche. But she turned things around in “L.A.D.P.” by being ridiculous AF. She won the slapping mini-challenge. And her dancing experience was a major asset in the choreo challenges and the lip syncs. 4. Scarlet Envy Scarlet had this conceited, cocky, snooty, and sometimes delusional persona. She meh-ed Brooke Lynn's entrance look. She didn't like that Vanjie got a second chance, then stuttered when Vanjie rebutted her arguments. She acted like she should've won the first challenge, despite the holes. She was flabbergasted at being picked last because she's “Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman”. She basked in the glory of Ru praising her casting decisions (cut to Ariel saying Scarlet didn't do s**t). She wasn't a fan of Yvie's approach. She flaunted her outfits in the Werk Room. And in the Makeover episode, she was shocked to see Silky and Vanjie still there. When Silky asked why, she hesitated, then said Silky received assistance. Even though Scarlet froze when called out, she was the fun type of villain for me. In the competition: Scarlet's Violet look would've been top 4 if it weren't for the holes. I liked her Pisces, fringe, and golden runways too. And she should've won the Ball – I thought her looks were the most interesting overall. Otherwise, her episode 2 win was well-earned. And her Betsy DeVos in the Rusical made me laugh. But “Diva Worship” was rough, where she forgot her lines/cues. She should've won that “Last Dance” lip sync though. 3. Yvie Oddly Yvie felt it was important to share her honest opinions at every. single. opportunity. Even if no one wanted to hear it. Her approach was serious and unsympathetic, so it didn't sound like it came from a place of love. I can understand why some queens felt attacked, or like Yvie was kicking them while they were down. But she was usually right. She defended Vanjie to Ra'Jah and Scarlet. She told Ariel's team to own what they said to Ru about Silky. She called out Silky's BS multiple times. She disliked Ra'Jah lip syncing her way through. She came for Vanjie using the same silhouette. She fought A'keria to have structure in the magic show. And she was frustrated that Silky still had issues with her at final 6, when she apologized and tried to be nice. But Yvie's fight with Vanjie was so unnecessary. Her point was that sisters aren't fake to each other. And she was totally criticizing her magic show team to the judges, despite her defensiveness on Untucked. Whenever someone fought Yvie back, she flipped out in this stressed and vicious way. She felt misunderstood in her intentions. And she was trying to grow. Yvie's comebacks were hilarious though: “Bitch we do know you girl, you've been shouting who you are at us every f**king second”; “pats on the back to mediocrity and beans”; “that's because Sasha Velour was talented”. Or when she showed off during Alyssa's lesson to stick it to Silky. She eventually made up with Silky at final 5, admitting she was jealous of Silky's big personality. Otherwise, I love that Yvie didn't let her disease be a disadvantage. In the competition: Yvie having one win is silly, where she nailed the psychotic character in “Get Out”. But she made a mockery of KAC in the Rusical in the best way. And she ate in “Queens Everywhere”. Also, Yvie's flexibility was an asset in every choreo challenge and lip sync. She's one of the best lip syncers ever. But Yvie's Snatch Game and magic show characters were uncomfortable to watch. That was one weird interpretation of Whoopi Goldberg. Still, Yvie's runways were the most exciting. Turning trash into art can have mixed results. I wasn't super into Alaska plastic, the Leo, or the MILF. And I still don't know what to think of S&M T-Rex. But her jellyfish was a “wow” moment. The caftan was gorgeous. Sequins was another fave. She used her cane in that one runway. And I dug her Makeover despite what the judges said. 2. A'keria Chanel Davenport She's a Davenport alright. A'keria's confessionals were so funny,  because she's this proud pageant queen reacting to the tomfoolery around her: “a couple of us is getting Elvis”; “it just still looks like a flapping duck”; “girl fish turned into a demon”; “overall I think our team is umm headed to the gate and it ain't of heaven”; “Iunno where this is leading to it's just a snake wrapped around her head”; “I think the chicken had more air time than Shuga did”; “Silky is like a walrus out of water”. Moreover, A'keria was the voice of reason in group chats – like saying Vanjie can only use what she brought, or explaining how Yvie's comment to the judges came across. She also built Ariel up on Untucked. But A'keria was such a s**t-stirrer. She spilt the tea on Plastique's wig comment on Untucked. Then told Ra'Jah that Plastique's stories didn't add up. Then played dumb with Plastique after Ra'Jah was gone. I don't know why A'keria was obsessed with Plastique - it all started with the whole not knowing pop culture thing. A'keria was at it again in the Makeover episode, where she called out Ariel and Scarlet. No one ever noticed that A'keria instigated all this drama until the reunion, where she didn't own up to it! Not cute. In the competition: A'keria was slept on. She gave character, confidence and twerking in the Draglympics. And again in “L.A.D.P.”, where she kept the scene going to steal the spotlight. I also cracked up at her taser bit in “Get Out”, and when she pointed Ra'Jah to the door during the “Strut” lip sync. She was forgettable in the Rusical though. She messed up Mariah Carey's movie title in “Diva Worship”. And she cut Yvie off during the magic show. But A'keria's only justifiable bottom 2 placement was the farm runway, and that's because she had to redo it. You could tell it was made last minute. Otherwise, I loved her Bebe look. Her fringe and gold runways were stunning too. Her poker dealer in the Ball was creative, although her other two looks missed the mark. Her Makeover was boring though, and her Pisces runway was tacky. 1. Vanessa Vanjie Mateo What I love about Vanjie is her spontaneity. Her confessionals consist of shouting, shoving in references, and stalling mid-sentence. It's great TV: “you just did two steps Mary”; “inflamed to the size of Guantanamo Bay”; “I'm looking at this script like it's the Da Vinci Code or some s**t”; “you gotta pick a struggle, you can't struggle in everything”; “bitch what” (at Mercedes wanting the lead role); “it's real fresh out the womb”; “this ain't America's best dance crew right here”; “bitch Scarlet is still in the parking lot jumping in the van”; “ain't nobody tell Michelle to put her t*tties away”; “she's looking for her tumbleweaves”. Vanjie started the season by hiding during the entrances (and getting spooked by Mercedes). She butchered the words “humiliated” and “sophisticated”. She had to look at a card to remember her name in one mini-challenge. She clocked Silky for saying the big girls always falter. She corrected Yvie in front of the judges. She had a comeback for Scarlet in the Makeover episode. And she left with another iconic exit. Vanjie scared me during her Untucked fight with Yvie though. She felt hurt that Yvie was nice one minute, then reading her the next; calling it multiple personalities (lol at “whatever I feel like repeating bitch”). But Vanjie admitted that Yvie was right and apologized next episode. In the competition: Vanjie's track record is meh. Her spontaneity needed structure in the improv challenges and Michelle criticized her for giving the same silhouette. Still, Vanjie deserved 2 wins: she was the star of “Diva Worship” and there's the Makeover. She also started strong with her Valentina look, she was funny in “Get Out”, and she was the best on her Draglympics team. Her Libra scales look was amazing too. And I liked her orange feathers, her first two Ball looks, and her caftan runways. But Vanjie looked unsure during the Rusical. Her farm runway design was basic. She was ill-prepared for Snatch Game. Her and Plastique were directionless in “L.A.D.P.” And her “Queens Everywhere” performance was lacking – although her lyrics saved it. Favourite entrance look: Mercedes Iman Diamond Challenge ranking: 1. "L.A.D.P." (Improv) 2. "Black Panther" / "Get Out" parodies (Acting) 3. "Queens Everywhere" Ru-mix (Yvie > A'keria > Vanjie > Silky > Brooke) 4. Legendary Looks (Design #1) 5. The Draglympics (Choreo) 6. Returning queens Makeover 7. Snatch Game At Sea 8. Monster Ball 9. "Diva Worship" (Improv) 10. Farm runways (Design #2) 11. "Dragracadabra" (Magic show) 12. Trump: The Rusical (almost everyone did well but nobody asked for this) Lip Sync ranking: 1. Brooke Lynn Hytes vs Yvie Oddly ("Sorry Not Sorry") (the acrobatics!!!!) 2. Shuga Cain vs Vanessa Vanjie Mateo ("No More Drama") 3. Mercedes Iman Diamond vs Ra'Jah O'Hara ("Living In America") (despite the wig troubles) 4. Brooke Lynn Hytes vs Yvie Oddly ("The Edge Of Glory") 5. Ra'Jah O'Hara vs Scarlet Envy ("Last Dance") 6. A'keria C. Davenport vs Yvie Oddly ("SOS") (I love Yvie in this but A'keria looked defeated) 7. Brooke Lynn Hytes vs Vanessa Vanjie Mateo ("Pride: A Deeper Love") 8. Brooke Lynn Hytes vs Silky Nutmeg Ganache ("Bootylicious") 9. Kahanna Montrese vs Mercedes Iman Diamond ("Work Bitch") (oof at Kahanna's botched flip) 10. Kahanna Montrese vs S*ju ("Best of Both Worlds") (S*ju was so awkward but Kahanna served choreo) 11. A'keria C. Davenport vs Ra'Jah O'Hara ("Strut") 12. Plastique Tiara vs Vanessa Vanjie Mateo ("Hood Boy") 13. Ariel Versace vs Shuga Cain ("I'm Your Baby Tonight") (oof at Ariel's slip; otherwise ZZZZ) 14. Bottom 6 Lip Sync ("Waiting For Tonight") (a bad idea and LOLWTF at Honey) 15. Nina West vs Silky Nutmeg Ganache ("No Scrubs") (in what world did Silky win this?) so many wig troubles, clumsy moments, and randomly going off the stage in these Season ranking so far: 9 > 5 > 6 > 11 > AS2 > 4 > 10 > 2 > 7 > AS3 > AS4 > 3 > 8 > 1 > AS1

[lostinyourears]

Arena Mexico Super Friday ‘Universal Tournament’ Block A Report! 02/01/2019

Star Jr. & Robin vs. Akuma & Espanto Jr.

Who’s who?

Star Jr. in dark blue, Robin in light blue/white.

Akuma & Espanto both in black with Akuma maskless.

How’s the match?

Fine, this isn’t as good as some openers have been lately, but isn’t awful. Just feels very much like a listless opener without any real stakes. It’s nice to see Star Jr., but he shined less here than in other openers this year or late 2018. He still hit a good torneo here, Akuma looked fine unmasked, even if I will miss his mask. He looked awful at the finish though with Robin basically powerbombing himself while Akuma watched. 

Dalys, Reyna Isis & Amapola vs. Princesa Sugehit, Jarochita & Kaho Kobayashi

Who’s who?

Dalys in red/white, Isis in red & Amapola in black.

Sugehit in pin, Jarochita in black masked and Kaho in long shorts and matching black top.

How’s the match?

Good, in fact your mileage may vary and you may enjoy this on a level above that. As the place I was watching this show at had people commenting that it was better than the norm. I didn’t really feel that, seemed underwhelming personally for Kaho/Isis both returning,Kaho from Japan(where she is from) and Isis from a shoulder injury. This isn’t a bad match, but was less remarkable than I was hoping, but obviously had the bad fortune of being on a night that’s obviously all about a tournament block.  

Atlantis, Atlantis Jr. & Niebla Roja vs. Villano IV, Hijo del Villano III & Mephisto

Who’s who?

Atlantis & Jr. in the iconic white mask, son without top, Roja maskless in red.

Villanos in pink, 3 without top, & Mephisto in black.

How’s the match?

Very good, but this is pretty obviously the first step in a long journey that will be a Hijo del Villano III vs. Atlantis Jr. feud. I don’t know how one couldn’t enjoy seeing Atlantis Jr. nail an Atlantida on Hijo del Villano III. It’s such a great moment, an echo of the past, to use flowery wording. Villano IV too is such a good cheerleader, when he seemed to be part of the Hijo del Villano III package, I assumed the worst. He wasn’t the stand out that Villano III or V were, but I’ve really loved him everytime he has teamed with his nephew. A welcomed surprise, as he seems to really relish his spot.   

Ultimo Guerrero, Euforia & Templario vs. Volador Jr., Mistico & Flyer

Who’s who?

Ultimo’s team in green black. Ultimo no mask, Templario has a cross on his mask & Euforia has hair coming out of his mask like always.

Mistico/Volador Jr. both in white, with Mistico in mask, Flyer in blue. 

How’s the match?

Good, this match hit a wall though when Flyer was hurt in the 2nd and they had to wrap it up quickly. I do like how the 1st fall was via DQ when Guerreros were all sharing the ring for too long. I think to have rules, they must be enforced from time to time. It’s also a good way to have a new/different ending. Still, this match doesn’t really hold a candle to the much better matches all these men have had. Even Flyer/Templario who really weren’t big names in CMLL until last year when both were elevated a decent amount. 

Seeding Battle Royal

Stuka Jr. vs. El Terrible Block Quarter Final

Who’s who?

Stuka Jr. in blue/black masked, Terrible with long hair maskless in black.

How’s the match?

Good, a little too short to be more than that. Which is sorta a problem all CMLL tournament blocks have. With many of the matches falling under the 10 minute mark, which in company makes plenty of sense because of the 2/3 falls format with (1 fall)Lightning matches literally having a 10 minute time limit. Only one match in this block goes over 10 minutes and it’s the block final. Which is par for the course... most block finals being the most substantial match of their block.

Gran Guerrero vs. Valiente Block Quarter Final

Who’s who?

Gran in gold/black & Valiente in blue.

How’s the match?

Very good, my favorite of the 1st round matches and arguable of the whole block. It’s ludacris how much they jampack into this 5 or so minute match. Some people might hate that, as it very much is a case of “Let me get my shit in”. When some of that shit is a Valiente Special and his wicked tope, I don’t really mind it. Plus, with the length of these matches that tends to be a common problem. It all felt pretty natural here, even the use of Valientes finisher. 

Forastero vs. Dragon Lee Block Quarter Final

Who’s who?

Dragon Lee in black while Forastero is in black/gold.

How’s the match?

Good, this is the most forgone conclusion of this block. I’d love for Forastero to pull an upset to get into the second round, but most people are more established and Dragon Lee is one of the favorites to win the whole thing. Still Forastero looked good here in defeat to one of the biggest stars of the company. 

Barbaro vs. Caristico Block Quarter Final

Who’s who?

Barbaro maskless, Caristico in white.

How’s the match?

Very good, two favorites of the tournament clashing in a good, but very short match, the shortest outside of the 1st match with Stuka Jr./Terrible. I do like the finish a lot though. Barbaro does his worm taunt out of the corner like normal and bam! La Mistica lays him out and Caristico goes on. This is the most shocking 1st round elimination and will likely keep being so unless something shocking happens in next week’s block. Barbaro was my favorite to win the tournament, I hate to see him out so early, but it is interesting. 

Gran Guerrero vs. Terrible Block Semi-Final

Who’s who?

Gran in gold/black & Terrible with long hair maskless in black.  

How’s the match?

Good, wish it was a little longer with some more action. Felt like 4 or 5 moves and then out. That has to happen though and it’s a nice added touch that Terrible eliminated Gran Guerrero of Los Guerreros Laguneros with Nudo Lagunero which of course is the famous submission most often used by Blue Panther. Terrible doesn’t whip this out much, but it got him the win here. 

Dragon Lee vs. Caristico Block Semi-Final

Who’s who?

Dragon Lee in black, Caristico in white. 

How’s the match?

Very good, gotta love when CMLL gives us these sorts of tecnico/tecnico fights or rudo/rudo. It’s interesting to see two people on the same side of the aisle clash like this. The face of CMLL 10 years ago vs. the face of the company now is an interesting dynamic that gets played out here in a block match. Dragon Lee goes on, but not without plenty of effort and having to survive Caristico. 

Dragon Lee vs. Terrible Block Final

Who’s who?

Both in black, Lee in mask, Terrible without.

How’s the match?

Great, Terrible and Dragon Lee worked very well together here. The previous matches informed on what both could do and this was them both fighting for the Block A spot in the finals. Terrible’s higher weight class was evident in basically every moment of this match. Dragon Lee goes for his rana off the apron, only to get powerbombed. Dragon Lee does a powerbomb, Terrible answers with a styles clash.  Dragon Lee starts striking and Terrible strikes back harder. Even the finish is Terrible using his greater weight to get the pin, even if he also used the ropes. A shocking turn of events, I called Terrible a dark horse to win the tournament/get to the finals. That dark horse came out on top here. Volador Jr. would make the most sense to pair with him, but I’m hoping CMLL surprise us again by having someone out of left field fight Terrible in the finals. 

Highlights :

CMLL Super Friday 'Universal Championship Tournament Block A' Highlights 02/01/2019

[cameronomicon]

I Dream of Jeanie

This blog begins like everything else: with the supernatural. A ghost story. Well, it’s a story about two ghosts: one is corporeal, flesh and bone, hungry. He haunts his own life and the lives of the people who love him. That ghost is me, Cam, a career alcoholic, prescription amphetamine and nicotine addict, and struggling adult human. The other ghost is haunting him. And others. In Orange County, California, of all the world’s god-forsaken places. 

It’s September 2, 2018. I have just emerged from medical detox in a treatment facility in Mission Viejo, California, where I was admitted the evening of August 30. 

The days and weeks preceding this were a blur of teary eyed calls with friends and coworkers, vomiting, tremors, all-day drinking, zero rest, little food, and, finally, an evening drive south to rehab with a very patient friend. I had my dog in tow. The vomit he had saved for over an hour an a half was his parting gift for my friend and her car’s interior as we pulled into the driveway of our suburban destination. 

She is a very, very patient friend. 

The first thing I remember at the facility was the cops showing up to deal with a violent intake who screamed at the graveyard shift tech relentlessly about getting their medication. For the next two and a half days, I staggered around the in an Ativan-induced fog. I managed to execute a supervised grocery run, though I have no recollection of this event. 

After detox, I was driven to one of the houses where I would undergo residential treatment for the disease that has ruled my life in one manifestation or another since that first, boiling-hot, high-school-sized swig of whisky in the Wyman family back house all those years ago. It was, frankly, magic. Alcohol activated something in me that finally allowed me to feel comfortable in my own skin, around others, and as a part of the world. 

A few days passed, and I began to emerge from behind the benzodiazepine cataract. I woke up early one day, as I did every day, and stumbled about in my coffee-making and dog-letting-out routine. I stood outside with a steaming mug amidst the low fog of the costal marine layer, which enveloped palm trees in a smudgy gray that, especially in the golden sunlight of the hours which follow, always seemed eerie and alien. That’s when the graveyard tech walked out to join me. 

“Morning, how you feeling?” he asked. 

“I’m ok.” My dog set off across the yard at a full clip to pursue a rustle in a bush. “Slept like shit, though.”

“Oh really? Must have been that woman screaming.” He laughed.

“The what?” I was incredulous. It was too early. I turned away and watched the fog lick at the clay rooftop tiles of the ascending rows of identical homes on the ridge that kept us from the sea.

“You didn’t hear it? I hear the screams every night.”

*

Over the next few days, residents and staff alike compared notes. All who heard the screaming said it happened late at night, around 3am, and they could not pinpoint the source. Some said it came from across the street, others swore it they heard the scream coming from down the hill. Some of the staff had contemplated calling the police. 

I never heard the screaming because I went to bed too early to be a witness. But there were the nightmares. Horrifying, vivid nightmares the likes of which I’d never experienced before. Graphic visions of being sexually assaulted, of torture, of humiliation and suffering. Horrible, paralyzing dreams that would interrupt my sleep several times every night and continued to haunt me well into my waking hours. The following is from my journal, slightly edited:

“I had a dream last night that I was violently raped by (someone) ... who I was sent to ... as punishment for making a rug dirty. (They) screamed at me and laughed while (they) did it and when I cried (they) made it worse ... Then I was surrounded by empty beer bottles in my childhood bedroom and voices kept saying 'I thought you quit.’”

At the time of this writing, I feel that the whole, unedited content of this and the other dreams I experienced is too graphic for me to feel comfortable sharing. 

This happened to me every single night for over a week.

*

When we told our reiki practitioner about the screaming, she was unfazed. 

“That sounds like Jeanie,” she said matter-of-factly before she began our sessions. “Jeanie died here. Fell out of her bed one night.”

Reiki is a dubious energy healing technique that was offered as a part of the suite of care in our treatment center. Having experienced it myself, I can say that reiki seems to be at best a meditative aid and at worst some psychic hoodwinkery. What we learned is that our reiki master had also serviced the patients in palliative care at our house when it was still a hospice, which was not very long ago at all. She had treated and came to know Jeanie, whose spirit she immediately and authoritatively claimed was the source of the screaming. 

That we seemed to have inherited both reiki and a restless, screaming ghost was a lot to digest on a warm, dry Thursday afternoon in rehab.

What most people don’t know about Orange County, if in fact they know anything at all, is that it is the treatment capital of the world. There is a massive drug and alcohol rehabilitation industry here, with facilities dotting suburban neighborhoods and costal communities alike. Many, such as ours, are indistinguishable from other homes from the outside. Only when you go inside can you spot the differences: no locks on the doors, cameras everywhere, California-required hazard signs and fire extinguishers, motivational-adjacent but woefully empty wall platitudes. 

“Don’t dream your life...live your dreams!” taunted me in perfect cursive from its place on a kitchen wall. In that moment, if I lived my dreams, I’d be in the worst hell I could imagine. Most mornings I simply ignored it as I avocadoed my toast. It was ultimately harmless and forgettable, though I admit I got a mildly satisfying kick out of sneering at it. 

Having administered both reiki and information about our ghost, the master left. We living residents of the house all sat together outside on the back patio to discuss what she had told us. The others smoked or vaped as they speculated about what it could all mean. I crammed a few handfuls of candy in my face, and then I told them about my dreams. 

“Holy god in heaven,” one of my friends cried out. “Now that’s some sick shit.”

Eyes downcast, faces ashen, I could tell my information had affected the others and added a gravity to the situation that hadn’t been there before. We did not speak of it again. 

That night, I dreamed about someone I loved once who couldn’t love me. I saw her across a crowded dance in a school gym. She was made up beautifully, wearing a blue dress, her hair cut short, colored blonde and bouncy. She smiled and reached out to me. I tried to grab her hand, but she fell back into darkness, crying out for me, falling farther and father out of reach, her eyes filled with fear. 

That was the last dream I had at the house. We found out suddenly the next day that we would be moving to a different location, and that the facility we were leaving would be transitioned into a detox. 

Of all the nightmares, this felt the cruelest somehow. I woke up at 3:30am and just sobbed. I was physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. And this was on top of all of the other challenging work of getting sober. 

But I never had another bad dream after we moved. And the screaming did not follow us.

* I would find out later that a common side effect of Seroquel, along with fugue-state ambulation and sleep-eating, is nightmares. This drug is often prescribed to patients who are in post-acute withdrawal from drugs and alcohol to treat insomnia. Seroquel is what I started taking when I moved into residential treatment. 

Graveyard shifts are notoriously hard on the human body. Inverting the natural  sleep rhythm can do an absolute number on the brain, and often leads to chronic insomnia. Anyone who has stayed up all night can attest to how significantly it messes with your internal systems. I have stayed up multiple consecutive nights before, and have hallucinated. I have heard screaming when there was none, I have seen shadows morph into human forms and vanish just as quickly. 

This is all to say that there seems to be a perfectly logical explanation for the dreams, for the screaming. The reiki master could have just been having some fun with the unruly and obnoxious adult children that were her clients. She could just be full of shit. Night shift guys could have just heard things, or maybe it was a coyote. An owl. Someone actually screaming (hey, maybe it was a detox patient at another facility!) One morning I awoke earlier than usual to find one of the graveyard techs standing in the dark, staring at a street lamp. He was transfixed by a silvery form hanging below it in the yellow light.

“Is that a goddamn bat?” he asked, horrified.

It was a spiderweb.

But...I continued to take the Seroquel after we moved houses, and the nightmares never returned. The other house, Jeanie’s house, became a chaotic mess for the staff. Patients in detox were found fucking in multiple rooms, people disappeared in the middle of the night and others showed up suddenly in the morning...the entire detox program of this treatment facility seemed to be plunged into unmitigated bedlam, and it wasn’t like that before. Sure, there is always going to be some drama at places like this, but techs said they’d never seen things so bad. Anywhere. Additional workers were hired. Others quit without notice. And I have to wonder.

So, this story also ends like everything else: with the supernatural, with the unknown. Life ends with a big fat question mark, and that’s ok. One thing I’ve grown to appreciate is not having all the answers, to accepting the unknown and allowing myself to dip a toe into superstition. Human beings are no strangers to faith, but faith is especially vital for a person like me: faith in myself that I can stay sober, faith in redemption, faith that there is something, somewhere, greater than me that can save my ass. Faith in good friends, faith in good dogs. Faith in a life worth living well. Faith that Jeanie will find whatever she needs to cease her wailing, and faith that one day I’ll be there in time to stop somebody’s falling.

[swaggy-pregnant-elf-man]

thanks for tagging @saminator :))

(i think im supposed to be emboldening the true things)

-appearance:

I am 5’7” (170cm) or taller

I wear glasses

I have at least one tattoo

I have at least one piercing (two in each ear babey)

I have blonde hair

I have brown eyes

I have short hair

My ABS are at least somehow defined

I have or have had braces

-personality:

I love meeting new people (mostly)

People tell me that I’m funny

Helping others with their problems is a big priority for me

I enjoy physical challenges

I enjoy mental challenges

I’m playfully rude with people I know well (some of themm)

I started saying something ironically and now I can’t stop saying it (most probably)

There is something I would change about my personality

- ability:

I can sing well

I can play an instrument (sorta kinda)

I can do over 30 push-ups without stopping

I’m a fast runner

I can draw well

I have a good memory

I’m good at doing math in my head (takes me a while sometimes tho)

I can hold my breath underwater for over a minute

I have beaten at least 2 people in arm wrestling (i assume so at least)

I know how to cook at least 3 meals from a scratch

I know how to throw a proper punch

- hobbies:

I enjoy playing sports

I’m on a sports team at my school or somewhere else

I’m in an orchestra or choir at my school or somewhere else

I have learned a new song in the past week

I work out at least once a week

I’ve gone for runs at least once a week in the warmer months

I have drawn something in the past month

I enjoy writing

I do or have done martial arts (like 5 lessons lmao)

- experiences:

I have had my first kiss

I have had alcohol

I have scored the winning goal in a sport game

I have watched an entire season of a tv show in one sitting

I have been at an overnight event (do religious ones count lmao)

I have been in a taxi (technically? my uncle does uber and ive been in his car lol)

I have been in the hospital or er in the past year (for blood tests only tho)

I have beaten a video game in one day

I have visited another country

I have been to one of my favourite bands concerts

- relationships:

I have a crush on a celebrity (i mean i probably dooo but i forgett)

I have a crush on someone I know

I have been in at least 3 relationships

I have never been in a relationship

I have asked someone out or admitted my feelings to them (i admitted my feelings and when i got friendzoned it still took me more than a year to get over myself hahahsh)

I get crushes easily

I have had a crush on someone for over a year (lol i had a crush on the person i admitted feelings to for like five whole years <//3)

I have been in a relationship for at least a year

I have had feelings for a friend

I have at least one sibling (four of em ugh)

I live in the United States

There is snow right now where I live

I have hung out with a friend in the past month

I have a smartphone

I have at least 15 CDs

I share my room with someone

- random shit:

I have breakdanced

I know a person named Jamie

I have had a teacher with a last name that’s hard to pronounce

I’m listening to one song on repeat right now (i’ve actually finally started listening to my old playlist again and its so comforting)

I have punched someone in the past week (probably punched one of my siblings)

I know someone who has gone to jail (i think? my uncle has?? idk)

I have broken a bone

I have eaten a waffle

I speak at least 2 languages

I know what I want to do with my life

I have made a friend in the past year

open tag, do it if u wantt

[paulckrueger]

How to prepare for an interview: 3 hacks to beat your competitors (even if they have more experience)

Do you know how to prepare for an interview so that you walk away with a job offer — not scratching your head wondering what went wrong?

In this post, we’ll share the top interview tips from our founder, Ramit Sethi, who’s helped thousands of people land new jobs and impressive salary increases.

To illustrate this – we’ll start with a story from Ramit:

Two candidates walk into an interview.

One has an MBA. He’s wearing the sharpest suit and carrying the sleekest business cards.

The other is a college sophomore. He walks in with none of those things, but he walks out with the job.

How? What did he do that most people — like the MBA — don’t do?

Well, that college sophomore was me, and these are the same techniques I used to get job offers from Google, Intuit, and a multi-billion-dollar hedge fund.

But it doesn’t just work for Ramit. Thousands of people have used these strategies to prepare for interview after interview, and beat out people with 10+ years of experience — getting $50,000 raises like this:

Let us show you how to do the same and prepare for an interview.

1. Put yourself in your interviewer’s shoes 

Interviewers have an odious task. They have to work their way through a stack of resumes to find the candidate that not only looks good on paper but can add value to their organization. That’s pretty damn hard. 

Most people walk into an interview and only focus on themselves. They get so caught up in their own needs, wants, and concerns that they forget to talk about what the interviewer wants.

This is a huge mistake.

Studies show that a bad hire can cost the company around 30% of the recruit’s annual salary. It’s a big deal. Not just from a cost perspective, but also from a company culture one. 

So the interviewer wants to know why they should hire you over everyone else.

That means you need to STOP saying things like, “Well, I’m looking for a job that challenges me. I want something that’s rewarding for the hard work I do.” This is a sure-fire way to land in the “Do Not Hire” pile.

The better way is to talk about what the hiring manager wants.

For example, if the hiring manager asks, “Why should I hire you?” don’t give the classic me-focused rambling answer.

Respond like this:

“Well, based on the things we’ve already talked about, I know there are 3 main challenges you’re looking at.The first one is getting new leads, the second is increasing conversions, and the third is retention.And my experience is in email marketing. I’ve done a lot of work on the conversion side of things and I think could help you guys in AREAS 1, 2, 3.

In fact, the last company I worked with increased their conversions by 26%. I think I can do even better for you.“

BOOM! This is the complete opposite of what most people do, which is talk endlessly about themselves. This is the best mindset to have when you walk into your interview. Put the interviewer’s needs first and you will walk away with the job.

At IWT, we call this The Briefcase Technique – you show up to the interview prepared to offer solutions to a problem you’ve researched on behalf of the company. You pull the ideas out of your briefcase (literally or figuratively) and impress the interviewer with your preparation and problem-solving skills. 

2. Give the perfect answers to tough interview questions

Theses are Ramit Sethi’s top interview Q & A tips. Having these answers on hand — combined with the mindset from tip #1 — will ensure nothing in the interview throws you for a loop.

Interview Question #1: “Can you tell me about yourself?”

The average candidates say:

“Great question. I started working at A Company a few years ago. Then I worked at B Company for a while. Now, I’m at C Company, and I’m looking for room to grow.”

What’s wrong with this response? There’s absolutely nothing unique about this. 5,000 people could say the exact same thing. And, in fact, they do! It’s more like reading from a history textbook than creating a narrative of why they should hire YOU.

They ALREADY know that you worked for company A, B, and C — no need to spend so much valuable time talking about it.

Here’s a better response:

“Well, if you look at my experiences, you’ll see that 3 things stand out.

First, I have experience with many areas of selling, including prospecting, consultative sales, and customer relationship management.

Second, I’ve always been fascinated by the business development side of sales, which is why I chose to study marketing, and specifically, outside sales in college.

Finally, I’ve always wanted to take my skills to a larger stage, which is why I moved from A Company, which was a small startup, to B Company, which is a Fortune 100 business. Now, I’m excited to be with you because those transitions and skills fit perfectly with your current needs.”

Why this works: You’re not just chronologically listing off facts from your resume, you’re painting a picture of your growth. If you’ve done your pre-interview homework, you’ll know what aspects are most important from your background to highlight.

(In the example above, Ramit highlighted the business development side of sales because that’s what the hiring manager was looking for.)

Interview Question #2: “What’s your biggest weakness?”

The average candidates say:

“My biggest weakness is that I’m a perfectionist.”

What’s wrong with this response? 99% of people will say something to this effect. It’s completely forgettable. Plus, it doesn’t spin the weakness into a strength, which is the whole point of this question.

Here’s a better response:

“I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about my answer to this question because understanding your weakness is important.

Here’s what I think: I’ve spent most of my career working in one industry. In many ways, that narrows the focus of what I know intimately.

Having said that, I actively tried to work in many different departments and pushed myself to take on a variety of roles. In fact, I was promoted faster than anyone else to lead up new projects around X and Y.

Today, I’m ready to take what I’ve learned from industry B to a new industry and continue to grow. That’s why I’m here today.”

Why this works: Almost everyone hates this question. It feels like you’re telling the hiring manager why NOT to hire you.

But if you know how to spin your answer into a strength, you’ve answered this question successfully. They want you to think on your feet without stumbling over your words or making up BS responses.

Interview preparation question #3: “Tell me about a time when you faced a challenge with X?”

The average candidates say:

“One time I showed up late for work. But I was willing to skip lunch that day — so it all worked out.”

What’s wrong with this response? If you guessed everything, you’re absolutely right. Not only does it make the person look unreliable, but also it seems like they think showing up to work late is okay.

Here’s a better response:

“When I first got hired at Company A, it was actually difficult to make it to work on time.

The traffic was pretty bad — no matter how early I left home. And one day, I actually showed up late, which was pretty frustrating for everyone involved.

Even though I was still getting my work done — by staying late — my coworkers didn’t like having to wait on me to finish.

So I decided to look deeper into the situation. I wanted to see if there was a way to make things easier on everyone.

And I realized that I could actually work on them from home and still do most of the projects being delayed. I put together a proposal for my boss to test it.

And we tried it for a few weeks. Not only did working from home help everyone leave work on time, but it also gave me a huge productivity bump by not spending so much time in traffic. I haven’t had an issue since.”

Why this works: This answer is beautifully done. It takes a really bad problem — being late to work — and shows that the person was in complete control of the situation.

Also, notice that it paints the whole story, not just the issue. He shows the problem. He shows how he looked for a solution. And he shows that he actually came up with a great one.

Hiring managers love details like this. The more specific you can be about what you learned, the more memorable you’ll be when it comes time to make an offer.

3. Research the Company and Role 

There’s nothing as thrilling as getting a call from a recruiter after you’ve decided to start your job hunt for that dream job. The fact that you’re called into an interview makes you feel important and sought-after. But don’t keep those rose-tinted Ray-Bans on for too long. You need to get to work and find out as much as possible about your potential employer. 

Roll out the cyberstalking, only, this isn’t the Facebook variety. You’re going to don your sleuthing hat, smoke the empty pipe, and work your way through sites such as Glassdoor and Payscale to find out whether employees are happy with the company. While you might get the occasional nut job who will simply hate on every company or employer they end up with, you can place some stock on what these raters write in their reviews. 

Warning bells should start chiming when the employee satisfaction rating dips below the 3.5 out of 5 mark. Read through the reviews. What are common nopes from employees? 

Things that should make you take a step back, put my photos back on your desk, and place an auto-reply to recruiters, include: 

Remuneration issues – duh right? Who the hell wants to ask to get paid? And, more importantly, why should you? 

Company culture – a quick tip here is to see whether there is a strong divide between management and their subordinates. Are there many complaints? 

Career stunting – raters complain about getting stuck on the totem pole. Little scope for growth. No training. You get the picture? 

Bad to the bone – it’s not just employees complaining. Customers are lining around the block to return products or close accounts. 

However, things that should cause you to take a deeper look is when the company shows a strong employee focus. For instance, low staff turnover, CEO satisfaction, and a general sense of cheeriness. Believe me, just a few ratings and you’ll know whether you’re dealing with the next best place to work for or a Gulag. 

You might not get all this info online though. You may need to reach out to current and previous employees to get a feel for the company. Having conversations with real people is far more effective than anything you read online. 

4. Take Notes From the Job Description

You can learn a lot from where the interviewer is planning to take the interview just by reading the job description notes. Job posters that are worth their salt will have interviewees do some homework first before setting foot in the interview. You’ll also know from the job description whether you want to pursue the interview.

If you’re going to be that guy that doesn’t bother reading instructions before assembling the flatpack, you might want to take a few minutes and read through to the end. Talking points are a big thing and if you’re going to uhm and ah, you might just lose the interviewer’s interest. 

A common talking point is talking about something you did that you’re most proud of. This is a tough one and for some, it could be raising their babies, for others it could be attaining a high educational accolade, and for a few, it could be achieving wealth. But you have to understand that the interviewer has an agenda with this talking point, and you need to answer it better than, “Well, I won the sack race at the neighborhood picnic.” 

5. Practice With a Mock Interview 

You’re going to phone up your friend who has conducted several interviews, and you guessed, have yourself a mock interview. While this might seem a little juvenile, just remember that even attorneys stage mock trials to work through kinks that might pop up. 

The more you practice, the easier it will be for you to work through your toolbox. Oh, right, we haven’t discussed the toolbox yet. Prepare to be dazzled! 

When we refer to the Toolbox, it’s your personal collection of stories that can be molded to suit an interviewer’s questions. It helps you to stay focused and respond with the right answers. When you’re working through your mock interview, be sure to make notes and change the script where you might be open to uhms and ahs. 

It’s also an opportunity for your interviewer to let you know where you’re doing well or need some improvement. 

We all know life can be weird, right? So there are going to be those times where you can’t round up a single friend who can take you through this. Put that impressive videoing capability of your latest mobile phone to the test and, cough, video yourself. Now, watch the video. If it makes you cringe, you guessed it, the interview is going to suck. Make notes of things that stick out to you. 

Are you talking too fast? 

Is your posture too slack or too upright? 

What about your body language? 

Are you making enough eye contact? You can make too much eye contact, don’t be Creepy McCreepster! 

Are you… boring? 

This advice is not just for a first-time job-seeker. You might not be a strong interviewing candidate even if you’ve been in the industry for several years. 

The lack of exposure to interviews is not the only obstacle to consider. There are serial job applicants that seem to tick all the boxes on paper but when they enter the interview room, the interviewer is already thinking about the next interview. You must dig deep and have some honest internal dialogue. Have you applied for a lot of jobs, landed many interviews, but never land the job? 

Interview prep also allows you to focus on your objectives. Would you be able to work on a question or two? While you might only know this during the actual interview, it’s worth being prepared. 

6. Follow Up With a Thank You 

It takes a few moments to send a thank you card or email, and it allows you to stay top of mind. Include a solution to a talking point in the interview or a response to a tip or piece of advice they gave you. Even if you’re not the right fit for this role, they might refer you to a colleague or friend. 

Now You Know 

We’ve unleashed absolutely every treasure known to teach you how to prepare for a job interview. Take notes, do research, and work on those little kinks that need to be ironed out before impressing the socks off any interviewer and securing that coveted job offer. 

Before you land that interview, the magic starts with writing a winning resume and cover letter. Check out our foolproof guide to writing the perfect job-seeking duo. 

Do you know your earning potential?

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How to prepare for an interview: 3 hacks to beat your competitors (even if they have more experience) is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

from Surety Bond Brokers? Business https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/how-to-prepare-for-an-interview/

[mr-entj]

Hi, any advice in a finding one's niche and making a smooth transition from school to work?

Combined with the following ask:

Tips for someone who’s about to start their first job out of college? Things I should pay attention to or maybe focus on that I would miss? Thank you!

Related answers:

Hi! When you first got hired by your consulting firm, how did you adjust? Did you initially find your job difficult? Was it challenging to make friends? Just looking for tips on how one can adjust to a new job, especially if they’re a fresh college graduate! Thanks so much :)

Resume and Cover Letter Guide

Job Interview Tips

The main piece of advice for making a smooth transition from school (college in particular) to the real world is this: if you start brainstorming careers and/or job hunting after you graduate– it’s too late.

As a student, you have the benefit of being able to be an intern (paid or unpaid) so companies are more willing to let you accumulate work experience without navigating the complexities of employment laws. As a graduate, you’re just another unemployed adult and companies will rarely let you work for free for fear of being sued. Take advantage of being a student by actively seeking out internship and volunteer opportunities so you can make all your mistakes while still in the safe sandbox of school. If you don’t find what you like then at the very least you’ll find out what you dislike to eliminate that option from the list while simultaneously accumulating a ton of resume boosting experience.

The most ideal situation is having a job offer prior to graduation so the transition is seamless and you avoid having to explain an unemployment gap. Mistakes can be fixed but it’s better to avoid making them in the first place. Start early, start soon, start now.

Priorities for your first job

The goal going into your first job is fairly simple: make yourself immediately and immensely valuable to your team. 3 ways to do this:

1. Learn everything about your position and the position above you. Being able to competently and consistently perform the duties you were hired to do is a given, right? What’ll give you an advantage is learning the responsibilities of the person immediately above you so you’re able to absorb new skills and talents ahead of schedule. This also makes a good promotion case when the time comes because you’ll already be performing at the level above you.

2. Make your boss’ life easier. A key priority is to seize every opportunity to lower your boss’ stress level– this should be your mindset going into every role you take. Simply ask him or her: “Is there anything on your to-do list that I can take off your hands?” And do it. This will make your boss trust (and possibly love) you, give you insight into high-ranking tasks and responsibilities you wouldn’t normally have, put you front and center in front of important people, and make your presence (and absence) felt.

Any time you can take a task or assignment off someone’s plate and complete it well, you’ll build immediate trust and goodwill with that person because it’s one less thing they have to do. Simple concept. This method is more efficient and more effective than superficial “how was your weekend?” conversations by the water cooler.

3. Ask for feedback. Every few weeks or so, set up a quick phone call or schedule a face-to-face meeting to touch base with the people you’re working with or working for. Don’t do this via email, email is a horrible method of communication because it’s impersonal, forgettable, and easily overlooked. This accomplishes 3 things:

People quickly learn who the hell you are which builds rapport, expands professional networks, and results in stronger working relationships.

You can correct mistakes and improve faster than your peers because you have the advantage of direct feedback.

It shows the other person you’re invested in the quality of your work which will build trust and possibly give you priority for future assignments.

[thelikesofus]

I was tagged by @forgetful-and-forgettable

1ST RULE: tag 9 peoples you want to get to know more!

@malecbellarke @bellarkes100 @dramatic-mechanic-fanatic @morbid-apricots @cosmicdragonwizard @nothing-but-fairytail @deanlightful @notesintheflyleaf @nalu-love-4ever

2ND RULE: BOLD the statements that are true.

APPEARANCE - I am 5'7 or taller - I wear glasses - I have at least one tattoo- I have at least one piercing - I have blonde hair - I have brown eyes - I have short hair - My abs are at least somewhat defined - I have or had braces

PERSONALITY - I love meeting new people - People tell me I am funny - Helping others with their problems is a big priority of mine - I enjoy physical challenges - I enjoy mental challenges - I am playfully rude to people I know - I started saying something ironically and now I can’t stop saying it - There is something I would change about my personality

ABILITY - I can sing well - I can play an instrument - I can do over 30 pushups without stopping - I am a fast runner - I can draw well - I have a good memory - I am good at doing math in my head - I can hold my breath underwater for over a minute - I have beaten at least 2 people arm wrestling - I can make at least 3 recipes from scratch - I know how to throw a proper punch

HOBBIES - I enjoy sports - I’m on a sports team at my school or somewhere else - I’m in an orchestra or choir at my school or somewhere else - I have learned a new song in the past week - I exercise at least once a week - I have gone for runs at least once a week in warmer months - I have drawn something in the past month - I enjoy writing - Fandoms are my #1 priority - I do some form of martial arts

EXPERIENCES - I have had my first kiss - I have had alcohol - I have scored a winning point in a sport - I have watched an entire TV series in one sitting - I have been at an overnight event- I have been in a taxi - I have been in the hospital or ER in the past year - I have beaten a video game in one day - I have visited another country - I have been to one of my favorite bands concerts

MY LIFE - I have one person that I consider to be my Best Friend™ - I live close to my school/work - My parents are still together - I have at least one sibling - I live in the United States - There is snow where I live right now - I have hung out with a friend in the past month - I have a smart phone - I own at least 15 CDs - I share my room with someone

RELATIONSHIPS - I am in a Relationship - I have a crush on a celebrity - I have a crush on someone I know - I’ve been in at least 3 relationships - I have never been in a Relationship - I have admitted my feelings to a crush - I get crushes easily - I have had a crush for over a year - I have been in a relationship for over a year - I have had feelings for a friend

RANDOM - I have break-danced - I know a person named Jamie - I have had a teacher that has a name that is hard to pronounce - I have dyed my hair - I’m listening to a song on repeat right now - I have punched someone in the past week - I know someone who has gone to jail - I have broken a bone - I have eaten a waffle today - I speak at least two languages - I have made a new friend in the past year

[roxannarambles]

Acquired Taste - Ch8

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Title: Acquired Taste

Author: Roxanna Rambles

Summary: When Heath defected from Bern’s wyvern knights and joined Eliwood’s group, he was very keen on keeping to himself, and for the most part, that was easy to do. However, a particular ex-assassin insisted on hounding him. It was extremely annoying. Heath hated it. And there was no way that was going to change. Nope.

Prev. Chapters: Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5  Chapter 6  Chapter 7

Next Chapters: Chapter 9 Chapter 10  Chapter11 Chapter 12  Epilogue

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It felt bizarre to be flying once again in Bern's skies.

All the familiar sights and smells of his homeland-- the sweet, lush valleys, the snow-capped, imposing peaks, the crimson sunsets and the sharp, cold breeze-- so long associated with comfort, were now all a cruel parody of happiness to him. Heath's heart wanted to lift in gladness upon being here, but it simply felt a suffocating weight. The air itself even seemed changed; heavy, disquieting, toxic. No matter how high Heath ascended into the clouds, the feeling followed him. He had hoped for just the smallest measure of peace up here, but found none.

Heath's mind drifted over the past few weeks. The moment Eliwood's group had arrived in Bern, they had been plagued with foul luck, bitter struggles, and undesirable encounters. When they discovered it was essential to their cause to locate the recently-stolen royal treasure, the Fire Emblem, it became a race to recover the gem in time. Almost immediately, they ran afoul with a powerful member of the Black Fang named Linus. The Lords and Legault eventually managed to convince the man to back down, but the reprieve did not last long. They continued to face Black Fang ambushes along their travels, as well as the occasional trouble from Bern soldiers that didn't like the cut of their jib. While they were attempting to travel in Bern under disguise as commoners, the trick didn't fool everyone; little wonder, too, considering how their group stuck out like a sore thumb. They spent their time chasing several false leads over the Fire Emblem's whereabouts, all of them leading to dead ends.

Finally, Eliwood decided they needed to risk heading straight to the castle to find answers. It was a trip Heath had been hoping would never come. The closer they drew to the center of Bern, the more difficult it became for him to avoid detection, and here they were, marching into the very heart of the country. It felt like painting a target upon his chest and wandering out into the middle of a charging army. He would also gladly do without all the reminders of past experiences here, but it seemed inevitable that he would cross paths again with his homeland. And so they reached the mighty Bern castle ensconced in the mountains, the skies darkening to navy blue as night fell upon its fierce visage.

They tried to infiltrate the castle in secrecy. It was a valiant effort. A rider on wyvern-back discovered one of their most vulnerable party members, the young boy Nils, and when Heath came rushing to his aide, he found himself facing an all-too-familiar wyvern Commander.

Heath sighed, closing his eyes and leaning into Hyperion, trying to banish the memories echoing through his mind. By now, it had been a number of days ago, but he could still hear their final conversation. It seemed etched into his mind.

"...Heath? Is that you? You're still alive?"

"Sorry to disappoint you, Commander. It must pain you greatly to see it."

"What the devil are you talking about?"

"I figured after what you and your friends did to the others, you'd feel sorry you couldn't complete the collection."

"Hold your tongue, dog! Those deaths were not my doing. Where do you get such ridiculous drivel?"

"I know all about how you serve the Black Fang now. Why did you do it, Commander? Why turn your back on everything you know to be just?"

"You know nothing, Heath. You have wild fantasies and shout about them."

"I know you stand before me now, turning your lance against me."

"Then fight me, and let us be done with it."

"I would prefer to convince you of the madness of your ways. What happened to the Commander that I knew? Proud, strong, powerful, righteous?"

"I have not changed."

"Yet here you are, kidnapping children and terrorizing the countryside for an evil man."

"Haven't you ever gotten anything I've taught you through your thick skull!? Sometimes sacrifices must be made for the greater good."

"What greater good?!"

"I don't have the patience for giving you any further lessons. Let my lance speak instead!"

The battle had not been . . . natural. There was a dark energy that emanated from Commander Vaida's weapon. When she turned upon him to fight, it had blown him back with terrifying force. He could only assume Nergal had something to do with it. He would have died right then and there, had Eliwood and some of his forces not arrived on the scene. Vaida fell back, letting her new little Black Fang soldiers swarm them and do work for her, watching from a distance. Perhaps she thought they would easily dispose of Eliwood's group. She had been wrong. When they finished with her soldiers, they came for her.

In his heart of hearts, Heath still had hoped he would find a way to convince Vaida to stop. In the very least, he craved answers to his questions. He was able to achieve neither, and Vaida fought to the bitter end. If nothing else, he could say her warrior's spirit was still admirable, despite the twisted path she had settled upon. It took nearly ten of them working together to take her down, and Heath knew that it wasn't simply because of her dark magic-infused lance. When she laid upon the ground, and was drawing her last breaths, Heath came up to her, gazing into her sharp, cold eyes.

"I am sorry things had to end this way, Commander."

She swallowed, coughing, and spoke weakly;

". . . I've . . . failed . . . Bern's last hope . . ."

Heath shook his head and answered calmly.

"No, Commander. Nergal has no interest in saving Bern."

Vaida's eyes rolled shut, but she uttered a last, laborious sentence.

"Heath . . . you really are . . . as dumb as wyvern feed."

Then she was gone. Eliwood's group left the castle behind soon after, following a fresh lead on the Fire Emblem. Heath still wasn't sure how to feel about it-- about any of this. There had not been much time to ponder things, as they climbed onwards and upwards, deeper into the wilds of the Bern mountain peaks. As Heath floated above the harsh landscape, he hoped the trail of strife and sorrow they seemed to be blazing would not lead them to complete catastrophe.

Unable to find the peace he'd been seeking, Heath directed his mount to return to camp.

They were tucked away in the crook of a mountain, protected from the elements and from prying eyes to a certain degree. Travel through the Ranshein mountain range was challenging even for wyvern flyers, so it was downright treacherous for those on foot. As such, progress for Eliwood's group had been slow and grueling. Breaking camp here offered an essential moment of rest for the weary army and also allowed them to scout ahead a little. Heath understood the importance of all of these factors, but he couldn't help but wish that they simply pushed ahead. He was eager to put an end to his time spent here.  

Without much left to do after flying, Heath moved to the messtent to poke listlessly at rations and mope to himself at an empty table. For a while, it kept him occupied, but it was a dreary way to pass the time. A few tables over from him, several fighters had been engaged in an extended conversation. Heath eventually started to listen in, but it didn't take long to determine it was nothing but stupid, banal gossip. The knight began to wonder if he should simply return to his tent. While he was in the midst of considering it, a voice murmured gently beside him.

"Fancy meeting you here."

Heath turned.

"Thief," he greeted. Out of force of habit, he tried to sound indifferent, but the fondness managed to sneak into his voice. Legault gave him one of his easy smiles. It seemed a little muted today, but it was still a welcome sight. The man spoke wryly to him,

"You've forgotten my name again, haven't you?"

"You're a very forgettable sort," Heath answered, smile tugging at the edges of his lips.

Legault perched on the edge of Heath's table, letting his legs swing free.

"You're back early. Usually gone at least an hour when you go flying."

Heath leaned back in his seat, sighing a little.

"Yes."

Legault seemed to understand. After a moment, he asked in a quieter tone,

"How are you faring?"

Heath shrugged.

"They are not the most enjoyable of days."

"Yeah. I'd imagine not."

He pushed away his food tray tiredly.

"It will be better when we leave this place."

Legault gazed off into the distance.

"I won't try to argue with you on that."

Heath felt a rant coming on. He folded his arms and started to vent.

"I still don't understand why Eliwood does not consider sending an aerial-only team. There are not many of us, but the time would be halved. Slogging through these mountains at this rate clearly isn't working. We'll surely run out of time before we can even hope to glimpse this supposed base."

Legault did not respond, and Heath glanced to him. He still looked glassy-eyed and distant. After a moment, he shook himself from it.

"Hm? Sorry, I didn't catch all of that."

Heath frowned.

"Are you . . . well?"

Legault laughed a little.

"Why? Do I not seem it?"

Heath studied him a moment.

"I'm not sure. You didn't even try to startle me today."

Legault smiled faintly.

"Ah. I suppose I am a bit distracted."

"By what?"

The man hesitated, but divulged,

"Just an unpleasant piece of news I came across this morning."

"This morning? During the Black Fang attack?"

Legault nodded.

"It was over in minutes, just a few stragglers looking for trouble. I heard them talking before the attack, though; bickering over their orders and what would happen if they failed. They were very worried about one of Nergal's creepy morphs."

Heath watched expectantly as Legault paused.

"It, ah . . . it apparently had killed one of their high-ranked members recently, as punishment for failure. They spoke of Linus."

The wyvern knight blinked. Linus was one of the Reed brothers from the original Black Fang, in the days before Nergal's takeover.

"I . . . damn. I'm sorry. I did not realize."

Legault smiled sadly and replied,

"It's all right, my friend. I've not told anyone yet."

Heath felt a wave of guilt as he looked upon Legault. Here he'd been, so busy dwelling on his own discomforts. He'd forgotten how being in Bern was just as dangerous and unpleasant for Legault.

"You did not speak of the Reed brothers often, but I got the impression you were close with them."

Legault drew his legs up and rested his elbows on his knees.

"I was closer with Lloyd than his brother, but yes, we were all quite the merry bunch at one point. They . . . all taught me so much. I'd be nothing without them, really."

He shook his head.

"More than that, they gave me a home. Felt like I belonged. I loved the bastards."

Heath swallowed, uncertain of how to help. He was always terrible at his attempts to be comforting.

"Would you . . . prefer to be alone?"

Legault glanced up at him,

"Oh, I'm all right. It's something I've known was coming for a while now. Not that that makes it any more pleasant, but . . . it's a wonder they've made it even this far, to be honest."

"How do you mean?"

The thief toyed with the lockpicks looped on his belt, for lack of anything else to direct his nervous habits upon.

"The day I left the Black Fang I knew I had lost those two. I tried countless times to convince them that the Fang was a sinking ship, that Nergal and his ilk were bad news for everyone. They wouldn't budge. The Reed brothers are just too loyal to their father. I could have tried a hundred more times to convince them. It would have changed nothing."

He looked to Heath.

"For a brief moment, I thought maybe I'd somehow gotten through to Linus a few days back when he stood down. But he said he was going to go sort things out, and I knew it wouldn't last. And even if he were convinced to go against the Fang . . . well, I knew what would likely happen."

Heath watched as the man pondered for a while.

"I could very easily spend my time now lingering over it. Not sure if it would do any good, though. Time keeps flowing whether we protest its passage or not."

Legault gave him another weak smile.

"Or some nonsense like that. I don't know. We're still in the midst of war, though, and I guess it's better to move on than to get trampled and left behind."

The wyvern knight considered Legault's words, his mind drifting over his own struggles.

"Perhaps you are right."

He felt a deep reluctance to broach the topic, but he pushed through the feeling and said,

"It was not long after I left Bern that I too knew that Commander Vaida was already lost."

Legault gave him a surprised glance.

"You did?"

Heath nodded. He hesitated, but figured he may as well lay it all out now.

"I learned she had joined the Black Fang, running errands of murder. She had once been my mentor. An honorable, admirable leader I tried to emulate. But she chose to betray everything-- her country, her morals, everyone who had been under her command. She was nothing but a blackheart in the end."

Legault seemed to note the vehemence in his tone and asked cautiously,

"Did she not have her reasons for her actions?"

"If she did, she never revealed them. I think she simply turned bitter. She trained me since I was but a boy, yet that day I faced her, she was all too eager to turn on me in hatred."

The thief looked puzzled.

"How very strange. Perhaps she felt forced to, and it was not merely malice?"

Heath raised his brows.

"The last words she spoke to me before dying was that I was as dumb as wyvern feed."

"Ah. Hmm. Well. I must admit, that does . . . sound pretty bitter."

"I have been dwelling upon it still. Your suggestion is wise, though. It is better to move on. I believe I sometimes think too much for my own good."

Legault smiled.

"You do. You're getting better at doing it less, though."

"I'm not so sure about that."

Legault's smile became a little more devious.

"What about your little lance incident in Nabata?"

Heath straightened up in his seat and spluttered,

"That--gods-- Legault."

"So you do remember my name," he hummed playfully.

"You know I hadn't been sleeping--"

He paused as he saw Legault bite his lip, trying to quash his grin.

"Don't you start that again."

Legault sniggered. Despite absolutely everything horrible, Heath felt his heart pick up a little-- for a moment, his mind dumped back into desert sands and tempting mirages. He shook himself and was about to defend himself further when a voice interrupted them.

"There you are. Figures you'd both be here. Heath, I need to borrow you a minute."

Heath looked up at the blue-haired Lord.

"I did not realize you were searching for me, sir."

Hector waved it off casually.

"Yeah, just needed to ask you a couple questions. Not here, though. Drop by my tent, shouldn't take too long."

Heath glanced to Legault a moment. The man, still perched upon the table, gave a little shrug.

When Heath located Hector's tent huddled among the row of livingquarters and stepped inside, he could not help but feel an intense curiosity-- and perhaps even a little dread. He had not been singled out before in such a manner, and while he spoke occasionally with Hector, it was usually just to discuss his nightwatches. He could not guess what the young Lord was after.

Hector waved as he entered and said brusquely,

"Have a seat."

The knight obeyed, sitting upon the wooden crate Hector had gestured to.

"I'm not much for small talk, so I hope you don't mind if I just get right down to business."

Heath nodded.

"By all means. I don't care for small talk either."

"Yeah, you didn't seem the sort."

The Lord paced across his tent for a few moments, arms folded behind his back, and paused, gazing absent-mindedly at a map pinned to his tent wall.

"I'd like to know what you think of King Desmond."

Heath studied Hector for signs of further context, but the man stood there, unreadable. Heath took a breath.

"The King is a terrible ruler. The country of Bern has decayed under his reign. Its military is in shambles; its people, neglected and demoralized. He imprisons all those who might oppose him and uses Bern's history of power and prestige as lavatory paper for his own backside."

Hector turned and laughed.

"I appreciate a man who can give the unvarnished truth. Always had a good feeling about you. So can I assume you are not loyal to the crown?"

It still made Heath uncomfortable to speak such blasphemies even though he'd long ago left behind his country and his knighthood; it had been drilled into him since he was the smallest child to honor his liege, and old habits were difficult to shake. He glanced around the tent, almost as if fearing they would be overheard, but spoke with certainty.

"I no longer serve King Desmond and never shall again."

Hector nodded.

"I expected as much. But what of his son, Prince Zephiel?"

Heath crossed his arms.

"It is too soon to know. There are some who are hopeful the Prince will one day change the course of destruction this land is bound to. I cannot help but feel skeptical about that notion, but for Bern's sake, I hope they are right."

"All right. Fair enough. Let me ask you another question, then."

The Lord sat upon the sole chair in the room and leaned on the small table, looking at him.

"What is your opinion of Legault?"

Heath balked.

"M'lord?"

"Yes?"

"I don't understand the connection."

"Never said there was one. I've noticed you've spent a lot of time lately with him, so you should be a decent judge. Just give your unvarnished truth."

Heath considered the question. He realized, with some anxiety, it wasn't easy to formulate an answer. He struggled as Hector waited impatiently. Too rushed to compose more cautiously, words spilled forth unchecked.

"He is easy to underestimate but is frightfully skilled and unerringly perceptive. He carries himself with smooth, iced grace yet is fire just beneath the surface. He should be cynical, self-interested, cowardly, treacherous. Instead I have learned he holds honor close to his heart. He subverts my every expectation."

Hector raised his brows.

"Hmm. Colorful. And not really what I'd figured."

Heath looked away and muttered,

"In what way, sir?"

The Lord tilted his chair and answered airily,

"Never liked the guy. Always creeped me out. Plus, Black Fang and all. I just don't trust him. But you think he's trustworthy, eh?"

Heath paused, again to consider the question sincerely.

"I do."

Hector leaned forward, suddenly a lot more somber.

"You stand by that?"

"Yes."

The Lord rested his chin in a hand.

"And if we were to, say, give Legault an important mission . . . do you think he'd remain loyal to us? Or would he possibly be swayed by old connections?"

Heath was about to reply, but he narrowed his eyes, no longer comfortable answering on Legault's behalf.

"What's this all about, sir?"

Hector gazed at him a moment, then rose from his seat, pacing the tent again.

"We need someone to help us retrieve the Fire Emblem."

The wyvern knight turned to look at him, startled.

"You've discovered its location?"

Hector gave a small nod.

"Thanks to Lyn, we've finally tracked it down to the Black Fang's headquarters. Got a pretty good idea of exactly where on base it's being hidden, too. Only problem is, their units outnumber ours by a pretty wide margin."

Hector turned and gesticulated as he spoke,

"Now, I'd just as soon get in there and start cracking skulls, but Eliwood . . . you know how he is. He's hoping for a safer approach. He thinks a covert operation might do the trick."

Heath murmured in realization,

"That's why you want Legault."

"Eliwood figured there's no one better than a Black Fang thief to steal something from the Black Fang. He doesn't know much about this base, but he knows the people, the system. We could get this whole thing cleared up and be back in time for tea, if you're both willing to volunteer."

"Both of us, m'lord?"

Hector grinned at him.

"Well, yeah. I wasn't asking where your loyalties fall just for fun. Besides, you two work well together, right?"

"I . . . yes, sir."

"It's a simple operation. The location is remote and not easily traversable by foot, so you'd be transport and lookout. Should be a familiar role to you. Drop your thief off, watch for trouble. Get in, get out, nice clean job."

Heath frowned.

"What if something goes wrong?"

The Lord paced across his tent again.

"Of course if something does go wrong, we can attempt to mount a rescue. But hopefully it won't come to that, if this Legault's as skilled a thief as he's supposed to be. In any case, it's your choice. I'll be talking to your friend next and giving him the same choice."

Heath pondered for a moment. When he looked back up to Hector, he gave him a curt nod.

"If he agrees, then I shall accompany him."