#Glamorous Gorilla

[everywebkin]

glamorous gorilla, released december 2010

[webkinztournament]

[loathingloserwebkinz]

“and knowing the right director!” 😭😂

[jotun-philosopher]

How Aziraphale did the trick

...or at least, how I *think* Aziraphale did the photo/leaflet switch, based on hazy recollections of the scene in question, reading Expert at the Card Table, quite a bit of thought and some practical experimentation.

With no DVD of s2 available at time of writing, and my Prime Video free trial having long expired (can't quite justify the cost of a subscription if I'd only be using it for one show), I'm basing this hypothesis on my recollections of the dressing room scene, bolstered by gifs I've seen around tumblr (which I have highly variable luck finding in the gif search thingy...) -- the possibility that I've misremembered something that renders my whole hypothesis null is therefore high, so I absolutely welcome and encourage commentary from folks who know a heck of a lot more about sleight-of-hand (and remember the dressing room scene better!) than I do.

With that out of the way... On with the motley!

We start with Crowley sprawling on the sofa while Azzy is bopping happily around to the left (as one faces the door) but on a diagonal such that Crowley can't see him from the side, a 'Ladies Of Camelot' leaflet tucked into his left sleeve or an inner pocket of his jacket as a souvenir of the evening. Enter Furfur and the Nazi Zombie Flesh-Eaters, bearing The Photograph!

Ineffable 'oh crap!' reaction!

Crowley holds on to the photo for a while (possibly imagining having it on display in a nice frame in the living room of a seaside cottage???), then hands photograph and envelope to Aziraphale, who cottons on to the danger immediately.

While Crowley (in his role as Glamorous Assistant, albeit in a snazzy suit rather than a spangly leotard) provides a distraction for Furfur and the Nazis (this bit's important -- I'm not 100% sure the trick would've worked otherwise) and vice versa, Aziraphale retrieves the Ladies Of Camelot leaflet from whichever part of his clothing he's stashed it in and slips it into the envelope, keeping it folded over so as to be less visible and using the envelope itself, as well as the photograph, as extra physical barriers.

Furfur finishes bickering with Crowley and demands the photograph back. Aziraphale --

Banana fish gorilla shoelace with a dash of nutmeg

-- appears to slip the photograph back into the envelope, but actually slips it *between* himself and the envelope, holding it gently in place with his left thumb and buying a few extra seconds to adjust its position by pulling the envelope closer to himself. He makes a showy, elaborate gesture with his right hand (I am convinced that that was a misdirection intended at least as much for us as for his in-universe audience), neatly palming the photograph in his left hand as he takes the envelope in his right and hands it to Furfur, who smugly backstabs the Nazis and buggers off back to Hell. (Furfur doesn't strike me as having the intelligence or imagination to look for signs that Az might've pulled something; if he did, he'd've checked the envelope in the dressing room, and certainly before handing it to Dagon)

***

This is how I personally think Aziraphale did the trick -- a careful rewatch (yo ho ho!) of the scene in question at the very least does not contradict it, though it did highlight that I'd got Furfur's arguing with Crowley about the War In Heaven mixed up with the far briefer moment of distraction that lets Az make the switch, giving him less time than I'd thought. The basic physical procedure that I proposed above is plausible, if nothing else; I have made practical experiments in replicating it (props pictured below) and they've panned out well enough (though not at anything like the speed Az would've used).

Props: A5 envelope, RNLI thingy that seemed to be about the right size, hastily scribbled replica of The Photograph

The envelope and leaflet are somewhat larger than their in-show analogues, but they were the best I could find quickly.

Bonus: a closer look at the replica photo, feat. my left hand:

Cool, eh? XD

This highlights, to me, the plausibility of my idea that Aziraphale palmed the photograph -- the photo would'v'e been approximately 3.5in/side, while the replica is drawn on a piece of paper that's 3 7/8 in/side, and my hands are very likely smaller than Michael Sheen's, making a successful palm very feasible. Furthermore, given the fast-moving situation and his being under observation, I doubt he'd've had time to do anything else, and on rewatching there's no indication in his hand movements that he did anything other than palming.

***

And in case I have in fact messed something up and need correcting:

(OK, mostly including this gif 'cos I love the 'You were right' dance XD)

[oh-areyouthere-god]

Masked gorilla drop them hdoe glamor shots 😡

[candiedspit]

Gorilla Mask

As Nina does my makeup–swivels the contour and punches the blush onto my cheeks, a star, she says, I’m gonna make you a star, don’t you worry baby you’ll knock ‘em dead, you see–I smoke a cigarette and check the time. I’ve got half an hour before the curtains split apart like the legs of a wonderful, beautiful slut. I imagine the audience packed into velvet seats, dressed in cocktail dresses and the suit he plans to be buried in. A Tuesday evening. While my manager insisted on Friday night, I insisted on the opposite. When is the best time to be transported? When you least expect it. After an eight-hour shift at some metal box downtown, moving papers and pushing phone calls. I know my people. I know what they need. 

Nervous? Nina asks, meeting my gaze in the vanity. You’re quiet. 

I shake my head. 

I fuck up, I go home, I say. And that’s the end of it. 

This is my first show in twenty three years. Last time I was on a stage, I was a young golden cat that people rubbed for luck. I could sing God to sleep. I feared nothing and wanted everything. Once, I kissed a girl for the first time twice. 

But that’s the hard part, right? Nina asks. Going home?

I laugh a dry laugh. 

That is true. That is always true. 

At the height of what you could call my career–that never ending totem pole, that white flash of light in which I saw nothing but mercury and moon shrapnel, I wrapped my limo around a city block. And that began the descent into capsules and deadbeat girlfriends. I broke my neck in the accident. Then, the pain pills began to taste like dust. And I needed something stronger to tether myself to the earth. 

It was always a good day when I was high. I could spend seven hours staring at the ceiling and it would feel as though I’d gone on Space Mountain a billion times. I had a sitting heart rate of one hundred and twenty three. I still did shows though they were more like human zoo exhibits. The public came to watch me die. I slurred through old gospels. I fainted during an encore. Once, I gave up. I sat on the stage unmoving and someone had to come remove me. After I went to rehab for the first time, I stopped doing shows. It was only supposed to be a year off. But I couldn’t stop going back. I got into all sorts of things. I huffed paint to watch the wall turn blue. I did coke off of someone’s wedding ring during the wedding recital. I chased some kids down the block for ten dollars. 

Elaine left. And I moved to Memphis. I sat on the back porch smoking heroin, noticing the light ooze through the leaves and feeling every breath in my chest. And I tried again. And tried three more times. I went to a rehab in California where they served lobster rolls and where you had to soak in a hot tub for forty five minutes each evening. I went to a rehab in New York where you could see the skyline pressed against the dark coils of night and the nurses wore short skirts. I went to a rehab in Paris where I beat a lawyer at connect four three times in a row and couldn’t figure out the shower head. Then, I overdosed in South Dakota while visiting some cousins; thin, bare chested men who shoot pistols with one eye closed and drink moonshine for lunch. I died for an hour; saw nothing but a few abstract, pink lines. The rehab I was sent to there was the one that did it. Nothing glamorous. A cold turkey sandwich at noon. Librium in the mornings. After detox, you’re on your own. Gotta change the sheets. Gotta clean the bathrooms. Gotta set the tables. No television after nine. No phone calls in the morning. I was already old by then. And nobody knew my name anymore. What the hell is following the rules for a while? I called my mother halfway through my stay there, after a lunch of fried chicken with plenty of nerve and gallons of black tea. I told her where I was, and what happened. How I couldn’t apologize. 

Are you sorry? She asked. 

I could see her standing in the kitchen, backed into a slant of light, arms crossed. 

If you’re sorry, you won’t do it again. When you get out, you’ll know. So, we’ll see. 

Mama, I can’t do it again.

We’ll see, she said.

And hung up. I knew she was right. I had to be good. It wasn’t enough to want to be good. I had to be out there, doing good in the daylight. When I got out, I didn’t go back to the cousins. I went to Memphis and started going to meetings and church. I didn’t know what to believe but it needed to be huge, crucial. A giant cock to rub. A pleasure to be had. I read scripture on nights I couldn’t sleep. After months of this safety walk, the songs came. I was with my sister Diana; a spoiled eggnog of a girl, ten years younger than I am but we’re wired in the same ways. I can read her mind. I’d know her heart from look alone. It was summertime and we were at the fair together. It was the first time since getting out that I felt safe to be among the others, the extraterrestrials made of crazy glue and fireworks. 

And we were on the Ferris wheel, a thousand feet above the ground, everybody like throngs of specks of dirt below us, the stars as close as they’d ever been. I got a melody in my head like a buzzing gnat. And started singing. Diana stared as I sang, the words mush but the melody there. And we celebrated when I quieted down. I didn’t think I’d ever write another song again. 

But there it was–the massive, throbbing thing to believe in.

[nymphoheretic]

Just a short little drabble for my bestie!! I love you!!

Pairing: Taiju x reader (dessy) (ft Draken)

Happy birthday bestie!! @linpunny

As you bathe in the rose scented water Taiju had the maids prepare for you, you could not help the dazed smile that spread over your lips as you remembered the text message he had sent you. Your husband was always very attentive towards all your needs, but he was even more so on this day. Your birthday. 

Taiju had woken you up with the most mind blowing of oral sex, his tongue doing the most wicked of things to you as his large hands held down your hips to prevent you from wiggling away. After he made you cum at least 3 times, he kissed you gently and sweetly - he was only so sweet towards you, only you got to see this side of Taiju, and had breakfast served to you in bed.

While he had to work today, Taiju had arranged a shopping spree and a spa day for you and two of your best friends. Of course, while you enjoy his kindness, you wanted to spend the whole day with him. But before you could start a clingy tantrum, he held up the reservation tickets to the most glamorous restaurant that you’ve been dying to try.

“I love him, the big gorilla.” You giggled as you got out of the tub and dried your body off. You walk out into the shared bedroom and spot the dress he had picked out for you to wear. It was sleek and sexy and in his favorite color that he liked on your skin. Slipping it on, you had just finished applying a bit of make up when Taiju walked into the room - a giant bouquet of red roses in his hands.

“Happy Birthday, my little one.” He placed the flowers down on the bed and moved over to you. Taiju wrapped his arms around your waist and kissed your exposed shoulder, chuckling when you immediately stiffened in his hold before relaxing - melting against him. It was so cute how you would pretend to not enjoy his affections. “Are you ready?”

Nodding you grab your purse and place your hand into the crook of his elbow, staring up at him. You still could hardly believe such a man was yours and only yours. The way his beautiful gold eyes would meet yours never failed to make you melt, his fanged smile that never failed to make you melt, everything about Taiju was perfect.

Leading you out to the limo, Taiju places his hand on your lower back and helps you inside.

-0-0-0

Dinner was beautiful. Taiju had the table decorated with your favorite flowers while ribbons and balloons hung from the ceiling. He had gone all out for you and spoiled you so rotten for your special day. His hand rests low on your back, fingers spread until they brush over the swell of your ass.  He had one more surpise for you, but first. “In  the car, little one.”

“Thank you for everything, Tai. You’re the best.” You placed your hand on his biceps, squeezing them as you slide into the backseat of the limo.

He climbed in after you and after giving the driver directions to the destination, Taiju rolled up the partition. Your eyes widen when his eyes taken on a predatory glean as he pulled into his lap. One large hand cups your cheek as the other does to squeeze the firm flesh of your ass. “Mmm, we have time before your last gift. C’mere and let me spoil your body.”

Taiju took his time, and worshiped every inch of your body. No part went untouched by him. As he had you in his lap, cock wedged so deep into your cunt, arm wrapped around his neck as you struggled to keep your lips on him, someone knocked on the heavy black tinted window. 

You tried to cover your naked body back up, but Taiju had other plans. His hands gripped your arms, pinning them behind you as he increased the speed of his hips. Cracking the window just enough for him to say, “The door is unlocked...Ryuuguji.”

Ken opens the door, his eyes narrowing as he watches Taiju fuck up into you. He lets out a groan as he shook his head. “You got impatient, Shiba? Thought you agreed that we both spoil her today?” At your cute little gasp, Draken grabbed your chin and leaned in closer. “Tonight, we set our differences aside to spoil you, princess. You ready?”

[kinzheart]

Webkinz Glamorous Gorilla. I remember getting this one as a kid when it was pet of the month

[webkinztournament]

Skell's Opinions - June 23 Polls

They're funny, I swear. Please remember that these are just virtual pets and stuffed animals. I will not rise from the depths of hell to strike you down for liking them (as metal as that would be).

Something about pets with spots just looks nasty. The signature German shorthaired pointer has a cute plush, but please, keep those in-game spots away from me. Also earth fawn looks like leafeon. Here's a cute image of the dog plush as compensation to whoever this take pisses off.

Reindeer calf's smile sees something in my soul that even I didn't know was there. Fear. It's some kind of fear. He looks cute in-game though, promise. I have to give it to purple goldfish, however, for having the cooler pet specific item (and being purple).

Honestly, poodle and mocha pup are equally as good. Defaulting to poodle for simply being more OG.

Wow I hate the cute octopus, but I hate the pioneer pony's patterning more. From afar, it looks like its flesh is falling off the bone. Put it out of its misery.

I can't stop thinking about how the kiger mustang looks like Chris Mclean's ponysona. HELP.

Lollipop snail looks like something out of Turbo (derogatory).

Akita puppy comes with a cherry blossom hot tub??? Yeah no springy kangaroo is dust.

We did it. We found the worst Webkinz. It's texting puppy.

Literally what is on top of groovy gorilla's head, it looks like a sea anemone gone parasitic.

Ya'll. Ya'll. The Rottweiler has a pool table with a chain on it. And his food is served in a studded bracelet. The Webkinz I never knew I needed.

Hoppy floppy bunny wins by virtue of not being celestial unicorn.

Signature horse is VERY cute, but I had to side with Rockerz cat for being horrendous in the most endearing scene-kid-wannabe way.

Weimaraner is the obvious choice when up against a print catastrophe. What is wrong with you all for voting musical Dalmatian? There's worse prints, but I stand firmly on my ground.

I dislike the tinker pets, but I hate the goblins.

Brilliant penguin has a way cooler pet specific item than 2023 French bulldog.

Ok, tanuki versus axolotl is a wild matchup. These two are tanks that could easily destroy many other foes, and yet they wound up together. Pity. I sided with tanuki for weeb points.

I'll admit, I voted for glamorous gorilla ironically.

*Sigh*, do I have to pick the cat? Well, black panther cub was up against ballet pup, so I guess I do.

Kiwi parrot is a very cute concept, but I'm handing it to the sea otter for also being cute, and, more importantly, having a plush.

Chonk boi expectation versus adult human man reality:

White swan. Based.

Cocoa dinosaur is a lesson in how to do Valentine's day without inadvertently telling me you only learned 2 colors in preschool (pink and red).

Angora bunny has a cute plush, but they really dropped the ball with the wing-like ears. Buttons bear is stinkin' cute, however, and comes with a little sewing machine. Bless.

Basset hound. It has everything. Being a classic pet, having a cute plush, and, most importantly, being able to wear more than just shirts, hats, and glasses. Sorry not sorry, blue bay dolphin.

Signature cheetah is so yellow, it looks like cheese. I like cheese.

The boxer is inoffensive, but sheep is baby.

[astrologymantra]

Dreaming of Celebrities: What it Reveals about our Fascination with Fame

In the realm of dreams, our subconscious minds are known to conjure up a myriad of images and scenarios. Among the most common and intriguing are dreams involving celebrities. Many of us have experienced a dream where we find ourselves in the presence of famous actors, musicians, or athletes. These dreams can be both puzzling and fascinating, prompting us to question the underlying reasons behind our fascination with fame. In this blog, we will explore the phenomenon of dreaming about celebrities and delve into what it reveals about our collective infatuation with the world of celebrity.

The Allure of Celebrities:

Celebrities captivate our attention in various ways. They embody success, talent, and glamour, and their lives are often depicted as a dreamlike existence. The media bombards us with their images, achievements, and personal lives, making them larger than life figures in our cultural landscape. Consequently, we develop a certain fascination with their personas, which can manifest in our dreams.

Reflection of Desires and Aspirations:

Dreams involving celebrities can serve as a reflection of our own desires and aspirations. When we dream of being in the presence of a celebrity, it may symbolize our yearning for success, recognition, or validation. These dreams can be a manifestation of our subconscious desire to achieve similar levels of accomplishment or acclaim.

Symbolic Representation:

Celebrities often represent archetypes or symbolic figures in our dreams. They can embody qualities or characteristics that we admire or wish to possess. For instance, dreaming about a charismatic actor may indicate our longing for charm and confidence, while dreaming about a renowned musician could signify our desire for creative expression or emotional connection.

Projection of Unconscious Thoughts:

owl in dream provide an avenue for our unconscious thoughts and emotions to express themselves. When we dream about celebrities, it might indicate that we have been preoccupied with them on a conscious or subconscious level. Our minds project these images into our dreams as a way of processing our thoughts, feelings, and experiences related to fame and celebrity culture.

Escape and Entertainment:

Dreaming of Ants involving celebrities can also be seen as a form of escapism. Just as we turn to movies, music, or social media to momentarily disconnect from our own lives, dreaming about celebrities offers a temporary refuge from reality. In these dreams, we may explore glamorous settings, attend extravagant events, or engage in exciting adventures alongside our favorite stars, providing a thrilling escape from the ordinary.

Cultural Influence:

Gorilla Dream are shaped by the cultural narratives that surround us, and celebrity culture has a significant impact on our collective psyche. The constant exposure to celebrities in media and popular culture can infiltrate our dreams, making them a reflection of the narratives we consume. Dreams featuring celebrities can serve as a testament to the pervasive influence of fame and the power of media in our lives.

Conclusion:

Positive Pregnancy Test Dream about celebrities taps into our fascination with fame, success, and the larger-than-life personas of these cultural icons. These dreams can offer insight into our desires, aspirations, and the influence of celebrity culture on our subconscious minds.

Whether they serve as a symbol of our own ambitions or provide an escape from reality, dreams involving celebrities continue to intrigue and captivate us. As we navigate the intricate relationship between fame and our individual and collective psyche, our dreams offer a window into our complex and ever-evolving fascination with the world of celebrity.

[gale-gentlepenguin]

Gale Reviews: Miraculous World: New York

(The following review contains spoilers, and if you would like to not be spoiled, I would recommend watching the episode before reading)

(I had to pause a LOT to get through this special)

-Oh s*** Cosmo bug and Astro Noir. That is so cool.

-Okay maybe its my audio, but their voices seem a bit deeper. No big, just something I noticed.

-Okay the yellow flower was cute. Good on you kitty.

- Also, side note. This is very nice animation. Very crisp.

- Marinette is moving on... kinda. Well, she is trying. Its not easy getting over someone you have a thing for. I guess that means Miracle Queen did happen and I will need to suck it up. But.... I am not moving on yet either.

- The puppet show was perfection. And honestly on par with what you would expect from middle school projects. (I almost thought it was the adults showing them and was like WTF)

-BACK THE F***. Madame Bustier is PREGNANT! PREGNANT?! I am so lost? What is the story!? Who is the father! Is she married? Is it artificial insemination! Is it the principal?

-Adrien so moved by Marinette’s outburst of Friendship. Marinette ‘Just a friend’ Dupain-Cheng is going the Tia Gardner method of friendship. Lol

-Marinette ready to fight and Gabriel just like ‘Yea sure whatever’ (Gabriel’s smile murders puppies)

- Kagami trying to cheer adrien up. If you love adrigami, get that juice. (That looked like a kiss kiss, but the angle seemed off, so I am not counting it that way.)

- Kitty Clicker is wonderful. This entire scene is gold.

-  Gorrilla doesnt like planes, poor baby

- Plagg, you are a devious little s***. I love you so much. As a writer, his dialogue on how to convince adrien is so devilish its amazing. Using technicalities to tempt adrien.

-Lukanette shippers get your juice... even if it was still tainted a bit by Adrien inclusion. You still get a kiss.

- Okay, can we appreciate that Adrien is also having the same amount of trouble as Marinette moving on, but also include Guilt into the equation? I love this because you KNOW Chat noir is going to get an ear full later.

-Marinette has totally moved on from Adrien.... Oh my poor sweet little girl. You havent. You havent even a little. This ride is litterally the reverse of Startrain and its amazing. Alya is NOT helping. Also, give the person that drew Marinette’s Daydreams a f***ing raise. They earned it

-Marinette pulling herself OUT of the situation. Now adrien is slightly bummed out. Well i am sure that this is the last awkward experience with Adrien she will have. It isnt like the two of them will get lost in NY together... thats whats gonna happen isnt it?

-Marinette walking past all the couples sleeping together. JULROSE GET YOUR JUICE!!!

-Ah yes, nothing like watching the sunset with your good friend. Yes, you good pal, Adrien. Who is Just a friend. Wow, the realization that Marinette used the word friend in this movie more times then Adrien did in the entire series so far. (Or at the very least close)

- Adrien, STOP! Marinette is trying to move on from you! Stop making it so damn difficult for her. (I am not serious, i am eating this s*** up like Sushi)

-Nino confirms he loves Adrien. ADRINO COME GET YOUR JUICE! But yea, I feel alya and Nino’s pain. So they are going to help them both.

-Adrienette hugs. Yes, good.

-And thank goodness for Techno Pirate! Saving everyone from awkwardness by trying to bring down a plane... thats heading for NY...

-OH SWEET! BATMAN RIP OFF AND Captain Marvel rip off! And their sidekicks, Robin rip off and... Medusa girl? Okay Neat.

-Jokes aside, Majestia and Night Owl are boss as hell.

-Wow, I know that Ladybug and Chat noir got powerups now. But these United Heroes make their powers look so bland in comparison.

-Get rekt France!

-ADRIEN! DONT USE YOUR PHONE ON AN AIRPLANE! Well, unless he is using the in flight wifi, then he good.

-How come New York has a f*** ton of superheroes in this universe? America really gets all the cool stuff regardless of what fictional universe your in.

- Why are the superheroes so keen on watching over Marinette’s class? Do they know? Do they know Marinette and Adrien are there? Or is it like they just want to prevent an international incident. PLEASE LET IT BE THE LATER.

- I have only had Aeon for 15 seconds and I would violently murder anyone who harms her.

-Oh my Sabrina! GET YOURSELF AN AMERICAN BOY! ... And Chloé is going to ruin the fun. Oof tough break roomies.

-The entire class! I cant even! Not even a second after the door closes they out to party on the roof!

-Aeon, “See? They are made for eachother!”

- Damn, now that’s some guitar playing! Plus Her design is boss as heck. America really just has better versions of EVERYTHING.

-American boy basically snuck in to see Sabrina! GET IT GIRL!

-HOTDOG SUPERHERO! WITH MAGIC HOTDOGS!!!!!! BEST NEW YORK EVER!

-Nino and Alya be tag teaming this!

-Wow Zag, you stuffing me full of Adrinette goodness. Gorilla is a beautiful sunflower.

- Marinette and Adrien havent been in the US 24 hours and they already have two shippers of them. Also, what do doors have against them?

-Jess is Shipping it too hard. “Lets put them in danger!”

-Jess is having way too much fun with this.

-Hawkmoth akumatizing an actual Super villain. FINALLY!

- “Wouldn’t you rather have an Atomic Bomb?” I love Techno pirate.

-”Super Heroes should never use their powers for personal gain.”  Hmmm I wonder how this will back fire on everyone involved.

-”OH S*** HE STOLE THEIR CANNONS! BOOM GOES THE CANNONS!”

-Okay, I take back what I said, these heroes need some Miraculous asap.

- Ladybug is 100% justified in being angry with Chat Noir. It is his fault.

-AEON!!!! NO!!!!!!! Okay, guess i have to kill that techno pirate, and Chat noir

-MAJESTIA IS F***ING PISSED! WRECK HIM MAJESTIA!

- Seems they really hammering it in that Chat noir f***ed up. They right though, but at least Ladybug isnt angry enough to agree that Chat noir should give up his miraculous to some rando. FLEEING FROM THE LAW!

-So lucky charm can only fix damage due to specific villains. It cant fix things when the villain is gone or they are out of range. I always knew it had limitations, but damn. Chat noir REALLY screwed the pooch on this one.

-Adrien no! Oh s***! He cant just... I mean.... He can but...

__________

-Gabriel stole the Eagle! The Kwami of Freedom. The irony is so delicious here.

- So night Owl and Sparrow are both chick with Masculine superhero appearances. Thats actually pretty damn smart, great way to keep people off their identity.

-Welp, i am depressed. Adrien doesnt have Plagg.

-EVEN THE PRESIDENT IS A SUPER HERO! AMAZING!

- So an akumatized person can USE A MIRACULOUS WHILE AKUMATIZED! WHAT THE F*** THATS AWESOME. Also why didnt catalyst do that?

-Gabriel actually getting adrien out of there while before s*** hits the fan. That is actually kind of a decent parenting move. Granted he is going to cause it, but appreciate it.

-Marinette the bike thief is back! And she is an international criminal!

- She tried so hard. Welp I am glad that Marinette is clearly over... actually no. This trip made that clear.

-Liberation, Wow. That is the most American power I have ever seen. I LOVE IT.

- Okay, so I never thought i would say this. maybe there is such a thing as too much freedom? Or at least Freedom that lets you impede on Other people’s freedoms.

- I know what Zag is up to, and it is working. I want a tv series Of Jess and Aeon. They are wonderful.

-So Majestia can casually move the moon. Yea, thats amazing and terrifying! I love her.

-Quantum masking! So there is a glamor effect! I knew it! So Aeon knows who ladybug and Chat noir are.

-DID I F***ING MENTION I WOULD MURDER FOR AEON!

-aeon will never see Tikki or plagg. Thats so sad.

-At least Adrien learned an important lesson.

-Cute LADYNOIR REUNION

-The was clever, using the keychain

- Eagle jess is epic.

-and Majestia can catch missles. Considering she can move the moon. Not surprising.

-OH DAMN, Night owl and Sparrow are LEGACY HEROES! Thats like the Phantom, Or like Jojo.

-That was sweet of Marinette and the class.

-Oh so the guardian of those miraculous came back to claim it.

-But now sounds like the set up for a new series.

____________________________________________________________________

Overall, I did greatly enjoy this movie. Though there were times i wanted to know more, and times I wanted to know less. I know this takes place sometime during season 4, but the exact time is vague. It did tell a really cool story. It felt like a three episode saga combined into one. It was kind of interesting. And damn the drama was higher.

I give it a 7.5/10.

I would rate it up there with my favorite ML episodes.

[hanaasbananas]

100 Ways to say I Love You Chapter 70

I can’t believe you chose me (Adrinette)

AO3

Marinette was quiet on the way back from the party, resting her head on Adrien’s shoulder, her eyes heavy. Distantly, she was aware of Adrien speaking quietly to Gorilla before the car slowed to a stop and he opened the door, stepping out and tugging her out after him.

“Easy, there,” Adrien laughed, steadying her as she stumbled. “C’mon, I thought we could walk the rest of the way to the bakery.”

Marinette blinked rapidly, turning to see the car idling beside them. Resisting the urge to rub at her eyes-and subsequently ruin her makeup, she nodded, suppressing a yawn and falling into step beside Adrien.

It didn’t take long for the crisp evening air to clear her head, and though they walked in silence, she found her mind wandering back to that evening. She’d been invited to one of Gabriel’s shows that Adrien was walking in, and the two of them had gone to the after party as well, showing up just for an hour before leaving. She’d always dreamed of going to such events, and though she’d immensely enjoyed being in the presence of amazing designers, getting to see their designs up close, Marinette had felt a hard knot of anxiety form in her stomach the longer that they stayed, and with her head clear, that anxiety had returned full force.

Adrien threaded his fingers through hers, breaking her out of her thoughts. “What’s on your mind?” he bumped her shoulder gently.

“Nothing, just…” she hesitated, unwilling to ruin the mood. “Nothing,” she said again, shaking her head.

“Not nothing,” Adrien looked down at her fondly, and in the evening light, he almost glowed, the setting sun turning his hair a brilliant shade of gold. Marinette felt her breath catch in her throat, unable to look away, and the corner of his mouth ticked up in a smile. “It’s okay, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

Affection swelled in her chest, her cheeks darkening underneath his warm gaze. They walked the rest of the way in silence, Marinette swinging their joint hands together, and he squeezed her fingers affectionately.

Stopping a few feet away from the bakery, Adrien turned around, tugging on her hands to pull her into his arms. "I had fun tonight," he murmured, dipping his head down to press a soft kiss to her lips.

“Me too,” Marinette breathed, bringing her arms up around his neck, and toying with his hair. Pressing his forehead against her temple, Adrien hummed quietly, his eyes slipping shut as he relaxed beneath her arms.

Maybe that was why she said it.

Because in that moment, her heart was bursting with contentment. Or maybe it was because things between them were still so new, that she often caught herself wondering if maybe it was all a dream, that she might wake up at any moment and never know Adrien’s touch again. It might have even been because of the anxiety—not easily quietened— still roiling in her stomach. Whatever the reason, she found the words slipping from her mouth before she could stop them. “I can’t believe you chose me.”

Adrien drew back slightly, his brow furrowing. “What do you mean?”

She shrugged uncomfortably, suddenly unable to meet his eyes. “I guess...I don’t know, all those models tonight at the show, they were so beautiful, and glamorous, and well...I’m just me. I just...I guess I feel lucky is all.”

“Marinette …” Adrien drew out her name, tilting her face up to look at him. “I’m the lucky one,” he said. Before she could protest, he continued “did you know, I’ve never enjoyed a show as much as I did today? That seeing you in the crowd made me so happy?”

Dumbly, Marinette shook her head and Adrien huffed a laugh, cupping her face and stroking her cheek with his thumb.

“It doesn’t matter what those other girls look like,” he spoke softly “because whenever you’re in the room, I don’t see anyone else. You’re beautiful, and clever, and unpredictable and a hundred other things. You make me laugh , and darling, I wouldn’t have chosen anyone else. Not when I could choose you .”

Marinette blinked. And blinked again, unable to form a coherent thought in response to Adrien’s words.

So instead, she let her lips do the talking. Rising on her tiptoes, she pulled his face down to meet hers, smiling against his lips when he grabbed her by the waist and deepened the kiss, his mouth moving languidly against hers.

“That was a lot of pretty words,” she whispered, pulling away to look into his eyes.

“And I meant every single one of them.” Adrien's voice was low, his eyes serious as they searched hers, and Marinette felt a pleasurable thrill run down her spine. Swallowing, she slid her hand down his chest, resting her palm over his heart, feeling his steady heartbeat quicken underneath her touch. Peering up at him through her lashes, she finally allowed her fears to dissipate, a smile tugging at her lips.

“You know this means you’re stuck with me now.”

Adrien's expression cleared, and he grinned, drawing her in for another kiss. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

[fireflyhwufanficwriter]

My thoughts on Dr. Stone’s S02E06 (“Prison Break”)

My thoughts after watching Season Two, Episode Six:

01. (ANIMATION.) I think the only thing I don’t like about this season is how often background characters have no faces. It’s especially unnerving in shots where it’s not everybody – in the Kohaku straw hat scene, Kohaku, Ruri, Suika, Kinro, Ginro, and Gen are in front and they have facial features, but Jasper, Turquoise (I think she had a few dots?), Genbu, Carbo, and the two women to the right (going by their fringe, they MIGHT be Garnet and Sapphire?) have zero facial features. It’s especially unpleasant when it happens to recognizable characters, like Jasper and Turquoise. But this has still been a BRILLIANT season! 😁 (And is it just me, or did the animation quality in the episode level up after Chrome got his saltwater?) Okay, that doesn’t make sense to me. If Chrome is running away from Chrome, and he’s on a fairly straight path (not like running up an angle or something), how is Yo becoming MORE visible the further away Chrome gets?? Or WAS Chrome actually running UP the mountain? Considering they end up somewhere pretty high up, this is pretty plausible, but, when they show Yo chasing Chrome, there’s no indication of any increasing angles at all! 😲 I wish they had colored Chrome’s liquid mixture to look more like blood to increase tension (they had more realistically colored blood in Yo’s flashback). This reminds of Magma when they were looking for gems and he pushed Senku to safety – both of these (Chrome’s “blood,” Magma’s “treachery”) are more mystifying or ambiguous in the manga, and therefore more interesting (at least for me) because anime gives you more information (sound, color) than manga does.

02. (CHROME.) Aww, Chrome tried to use Senku’s pose to think more like him, but… it didn’t work out 😆 He’s talking really loudly about his plan to escape, haha! He’s just like Senku when he was trying to make fire all that time ago 😆 Nice “snoring,” Chrome! Taiju and Yuzuriha look so glamorous in his imagination 😁 Is pneumonia really a contagious disease? 😲 For some reason, I thought having it was like having a sore throat or a broken leg or something – it’s awful, but not something you can pass on to anybody?

03. (GEN.) I’m sure Gen will be pretty pleased after Chrome tells him about the fake bear in the prison 😆

04. (KASEKI.) Poor Kaseki, not wanting to let his precious Steam Gorilla go on a fatal mission! 😭 From the close-up we get of the tank’s tires, it looks like my “they put wooden planks over the thick bamboo weave tires” theory was all wrong 😆 So now my theory is that they compressed woven bamboo between two layers of wooden planks, kind of like a tire sandwich.

05. (KOHAKU.) I love how in Kohaku’s imagination, she not only guesses that Chrome will tell them about colorful flames, but that Hyoga and Ukyo are holding up their hands in “we surrender! Just stop talking!” reactions, while Tsukasa looked super bored with what Chome is saying. I think somebody’s projecting… 😆 Aww, Kohaku’s straw hat! 😊 It so cute that she put it on right after Senku encouraged everybody 😁 And she looks so cute in it! 😊 Kohaku was the one to spot Chrome (of course, since she had telescope duty, haha), and she helped him get back to the others! I really think they have a close, sibling-like relationship. She was so worried about him before that when she heard about his capture, she immediately rushed off to rescue him, and it’s so fitting that she’s the one with her arm around him and helping him walk 😊 And when she said that Chrome and Senku used the same science, she and Chrome share such a nice look! 😊 She’s proud of him 😁

06. (RURI.) Even Ruri sighs in agreement when Kohaku is talking about Chrome 😆 I don’t know how Kohaku didn’t notice or mention Chrome’s “bleeding” (maybe she did earlier and Chrome said he would explain later?), but Ruri is the first to notice that we see, and she was worried about Chrome 😭 And even after Chrome said it was a joke, Ruri was still holding on to him 😁

07. (SENKU.) It’s great that they were able to relocate the information about bleach by having Senku talk about it at the end 😊 And he gave Chrome a congratulatory arm bump! 😁

08. (SUIKA.) Aww, Suika blushing modestly is so cute! 😊

09. (YO.) What did Yo do to that guy? Push him over one of the traps or something? I know this isn’t important at ALL, but what were those blue seashell things on the men’s plates? The closest things I think of that might be that size are yams, but they don’t look like yams… Yo brings up an interesting point. A lot of people must really dislike the idea of resetting life like this, but for people whose lives aren’t going the way they should, or the way they want them to be, a reset like this is an incredible opportunity. I’d honestly be one of the people who would be happy about this, I think… well, if I were revived early enough to be in the main cast 😆

10. (FINAL THOUGHTS.) Apparently, even in episodes where she doesn’t do THAT much, I still really love talking about Kohaku 😆  I’m a manga reader, so I knew what was going to happen, but I still think that Chrome is incredibly smart for being able to do all that 😲 I couldn’t escape a prison like that if I had a stone age batter OR a modern era battery! 😲 And of course, the ending song continues to be awesomee! 😁

https://firefly-hwufanficwriterrrrr.tumblr.com/MyDrStoneEpisodeMangaThoughts

[webkinztournament]

Summary - June 23 Polls

Winners are listed first in bolded text.

SWEEPS (Winners at 80%+)

Endangered Signature Dama Gazelle / Texting Puppy

Chocolate Milk Cow / Groovy Gorilla

Tinker Cat / Lil Orange Goblin

EASY CHOICE (Winners at 70-80%)

Reindeer Calf / Purple Goldfish

Arctic Fox / Lollipop Snail

Hoppy Floppy Bunny / Celestial Unicorn

White Swan / Sweet Tooth Tiger

Cocoa Dinosaur / Sweetheart Chipmunk

Buttons Bear / Angora Bunny

DEBATABLE (Winners at 55-70%)

Kiger Mustang / Aquarius Retriever

Akita Puppy / Springy Kangaroo

Signature Horse / Rockerz Cat

Musical Dalmatian / Weimaraner

Brilliant Penguin / French bulldog (2023)

Blonde Dachshund / Glamorous Gorilla

Black Panther Cub / Ballet Pup

Sea Otter / Kiwi Parrot

Signature African Wild Dog / Hedgehog (2017)

Basset Hound / Blue Bay Dolphin

TOUGH CHOICE (Winners below 55%)

Earth Fawn / Signature German Shorthaired Pointer

Mocha Pup / Poodle

Pioneer Pony / Cute Octopus

Rottweiler / Chillin Sea Lion

Tanuki / Axolotl

[nitewrighter]

Hey :) i kinda miss your prefall Gency fic... Do you think you can write some more ? Take care ♥

I’m still thinking about the canonical existence of Overwatch Propaganda Cartoons that we saw in that preview of Hero of Numbani.

...can you tell I watched old GI Joe opening theme songs specifically for this fic?

Also credit goes to @apocryphist for coming up with “underhand” which really should be the only name for villains in the Overwatch universe.

-----

Genji drummed his fingers on the conference room table as he rested his chin in his other hand. Mercy sat to his left, nonchalantly tapping out some correspondence on her tablet as they waited. On his other side, Tracer was bouncing her knee with her fingers interlaced on the table in front of her, doing her best to at least put forward the semblance of a strike team leader despite her fidgeting. Winston sat stiffly next to her, apparently trying to scroll through lab results on his own tablet but clearly too nervous to stay focused. It was a bright and slightly breezy afternoon in Zurich, and normally Genji would have been gracefully slashing his way through the training grounds at this time, but instead they were all here.

“I can’t stand it when they don’t say what the meetings are about,” mumbled Winston. 

“It’s probably a top secret mission!” said Tracer.

“’Secret?’” said Winston, sounding even more nervous, “I’m... I’m not exactly good at ‘secret.’”

“Is it unrealistic to hope we got more intel from Doomfist?” said Genji, glancing at Mercy.

“I wish,” huffed Mercy, “But from what debriefings I could get my hands on, he hasn’t given us anything useful.”

“How is that possible?” said Genji, “After all the internal damage he did to Talon’s internal power structure, shouldn’t they be scrambling without him? Shouldn’t there be a power vacuum?”

“I don’t know any more than you do...” said Winston, readjusting his glasses. 

“Honestly I thought you’d know more about it, what with the Blackwatch stuff,” said Tracer.

“Still benched,” said Genji, folding his arms.

“Officially,” said Mercy with a slight side-eye.

Genji gave her an amused “Hmph,” before saying, “Either way, Reyes pushed me out of the loop now that I’m on your strike team... not that I paid that much attention to the loop befo---”

The door opened and everyone perked up at the sight of Jack Morrison and Sojourn walking into the room. Jack seemed uneasy, but honestly Mercy couldn’t really recall the last time he seemed at ease.

“Okay, before we start, I want all of you to keep an open mind with this,” he said, looking across all of them.

“...Very encouraging, Strike Commander,” said Sojourn, with slightly sardonic amusement. She put her hands on her hips and turned to face Tracer’s strike team, “As you all know, when you’re recruited into Overwatch, you sign a waiver allowing us to use your image in... all sorts of stuff. Press releases, scientific publications, training videos for new recruits---”

“Posters,” said Mercy, already skeptical.

“Posters, too,” said Sojourn with a smile, “However, back during Omnic Crisis Reconstruction, we were using the images of heroes for a lot more.”

“Heroes?” Genji repeated quietly as Sojourn produced a remote control from the pocket of her jacket and hit a button. The venetian blinds tilted to shut out the sunlight and the lights of the room dimmed as the wallscreen lit up behind Sojourn. The screen lit up in bright colors and red and yellow explosions as a trumpeting fanfare started playing. Tracer’s face lit up as a young cartoon version of Jack Morrison appeared on the screen, pumping his fist in the air. 

“The world needs heroes!” said the cartoon Jack Morrison, “Are you with us?” 

Genji glanced at Jack who was very clearly cringing at his cartoon self.

“Oh yes!” said Tracer, her eyes bright, “It’s been years since I’ve watched this! You guys know the song, right?” she said looking at her teammates, “..No?”

The theme song was already playing, and Tracer was singing along with it eagerly.

There’s no need to fear

Overwatch is here!

Saving all we hold dear!

Mercy made a ‘I really hope this meeting isn’t going the way I think it’s going,’ face at Genji and Genji suppressed a chuckle, but Tracer seemed absolutely thrilled and even Winston was humming along with the theme song. The theme song kept playing and even introduced different members of the old Overwatch Strike team. One of the animators clearly had fun lavishing a lot of attention on Ana Amari’s hair whipping around from the force of an explosion behind her. A still-blonde cartoon Reinhardt brawled fist-to-fist with some kind of black and neon green robot. Cartoon Morrison jumped a motorcycle off of an aircraft carrier with cartoon Reyes wielding a missile launcher in the sidecar. Torbjörn and Liao were working side by side in a lab before the camera panned out to reveal they were in a bright blue tank-like vehicle Genji safely assumed was entirely made up to sell toys, firing off RPG’s with even more explosions. Sojourn chuckled watching her cartoon self fire two submachine guns at black and neon green helicopters while parachuting out of an exploding jet. There was, all in all, a frankly ridiculous amount of explosions. It finally ended with one last massive explosion and fanfare and cartoon versions of Sojourn and the entire original strike team all pumping their fists in the air with Morrison in the center. 

Sojourn hit another button on her remote, the wall screen blipped off, the venetian blinds opened and the lights came on, leaving everyone sitting at the conference table blankly.

“Ahh! Still just as good as when I was a kid!” said Tracer, excitedly.

“Now, I know what you’re going to say--” Morrison started.

“Propaganda,” said Mercy, “You want to put us in propaganda.”

“You’re already in propaganda,” said Sojourn, flatly.

“This is propaganda aimed at children!” said Mercy.

“Do you know how young Talon is recruiting?” said Sojourn.

“That doesn’t mean we should stoop to their level!” said Mercy.

“Wars aren’t just won by strategy and firepower, they’re also won by ideology, by public support,” Winston suggested.

Mercy remembered something Moira said and it sent a shiver down her spine. 

The true struggle is for the superiority of ideas.

“Thank you, Winston,” said Jack, “It’s not necessarily about convincing them to join, it’s about convincing people that we have their best interests in mind. Which...” Jack gestured, “We do.”

“Those bad guys didn’t look like Talon,” said Genji.

“Oh, it wasn’t Talon!” said Tracer excitedly, before dropping into a dramatic narrator voice, “Underhand is a Ruthless Criminal Organization determined to rule the world!”

“Uh--Underhand?” said Winston. Jack said nothing but somehow managed to look more dead inside.

“...Overwatch and Underhand...” Mercy repeated incredulously.

“So--we’re going to be in a cartoon?” said Genji. For some reason, his armor seemed to feel tighter, pinching, constricting around him.

“Well, we did some polling after the Doomfist fight and ran some algorithms through a handful of popular forums and social media,” Sojourn explained, “It turns out you’re all very popular with the younger crowd. Winston and Tracer pull the biggest numbers, but you, Genji, are incredibly popular with boys aged 6 to 14.”

“I...I am?” said Genji.

“Shining armor,” said Mercy, smiling at him, and steam vented from his shoulders.

“And Mercy has a death-grip on the ‘Girls aged 3 to 11′ demographic,” said Sojourn.

“So... more girls are getting into STEM?” said Mercy.

“I’m.. not sure about that, but they seem to really like the fact that you’re pretty and you can fly,” said Sojourn, flipping through the report on her own tablet. 

Mercy’s face dropped and she shook her head. She pursed her lips and thought for a few moments. “I’m not sure about this...”

“If we’re all over the news already, it could help to put stuff out there that gives us more control over our image,” said Winston, he scratched the side of his head, “It... would be nice to show people I’m more than just a gorilla...”

“Genji?” said Mercy, looking over at him. Genji was running his thumb over the knuckles of his prosthetic hand and he seemed to snap out of some particularly stressful train of thought.

“Oh...um... well... it would give you a chance to talk more about Overwatch as a peacekeeping organization?” said Genji, “And if you’re talking about it to children...” 

“They might be less inclined to carry on the conflicts of previous generations!” said Mercy, her eyes brightening.

“Like we said, ideologies,” said Jack.

Mercy inhaled thoughtfully. “If--if we’re going to do this, I want my likeness used responsibly. I don’t want to advocate for violence in any form.”

“...yeah I figured you’d say that,” said Jack.

“And, even if we’re going through fictional conflicts, I don’t want it... glamorized and sensationalized like the old cartoon. We don’t need all those explosions---”

“You did pull Genji out of that explosion a few weeks ago though,” said Tracer.

“Well that’s different--! That’s--!” Mercy huffed, “I think we should push more of Overwatch’s scientific and humanitarian efforts. Show that making the world a better place is more complicated than just.. shooting at bad guys.”

“We could have a science corner!” Winston chimed in, “’Winston’s Science Corner!’”

“Ooh! And maybe I should say something about friendship and teamwork at the end!” said Tracer.

Genji was shrinking a little where he was sitting, unconsciously sliding his wrist plate back and forth.

“What do you think? Edu-tainment?” said Sojourn, glancing back at Jack.

“Could go over easier than a purely fictionalized narrative,” murmured Jack.

“Aw, I wanna fight Underhand, though!” said Tracer.

“Well in any case, you can expect more correspondence from our PR department as we move forward in this project,” said Sojourn. 

“You might not be fighting Talon in some far-flung corner of the world, but make no mistake: this is an important part of the fight,” said Jack.

“And who knows,” said Sojourn as an assistant hurried in with a cardboard box and set it on the conference table, “You could end up some kid’s best friend.”

Tracer and her strike team all stood up from their seats to look into the box.

“Oh commander...!” Tracer looked about to burst with excitement as she reached into the box and pulled out an action figure of herself, “I love it!” She turned over the action figure in her hands and saw a button on the back. She pressed it.

“Cheers love! The Cavalry’s here!” said the Tracer action figure.

“That’s my line!” said Tracer, delighted.

“It’s quite a stunning likeness,” said Winston, taking his own action figure out of the box. He pressed a button on the back of his action figure. 

“Primal Punch!” declared the Winston action figure and Winston chuckled.

Mercy took both the Genji and the Mercy action figures out of the box and chuckled a little. 

“Yours is so pretty, Doc! They even got the wings!” said Tracer as Mercy fiddled around with the action figure’s wings.

“Yes, ‘pretty and flies’ indeed.’ I might be more inclined if she comes with a lab coat accessory,” said Mercy, giving a skeptical glance to her action figure’s bust size. She pressed a button between her action figure’s wings and scoffed a little as the action figure said, “Heroes never die!” 

She held Genji’s action figure out to him and he hesitantly took it. “What do you think?”

Genji turned the action figure over in his hand and looked at the button on the back. He pressed it, but the figure said nothing.

“Oh we um... didn’t really have a ‘catchphrase’ for you yet,” said Sojourn as Genji gingerly ran the finger of his prosthetic hand up the blade of the action figure’s sword clasped in his little plastic hand, “We were hoping you could put in a word for it. These are just mock-ups, really.” 

You’re incredibly popular with boys age 6 to 14...

Genji moved the arm of the action figure up and down, the figure striking downward with its sword, and he thought of young boys playing with this miniature him. Running with the action figure clutched in little hands with white knuckles, playing out battles, having the action figure swing its sword at all those foes, imitating his own swordsmanship, fighting their brothers with sticks, punching each other, kicking each other---

“No,” Genji said on reflex.

“What?” said Sojourn, glancing up from Tracer chattering about her own action figure.

“I--I said no. I shouldn’t have an action figure. I shouldn’t be in the show,” said Genji. His voice was tight.

“Genji...” Mercy started.

“...is it about how you look?” said Sojourn, “Because Genji, I can tell you, seeing people like us on the screen means the world to kids with prosthetics---”

“No--” Genji was stammering, “It’s not about that, it’s--”

“Genji, you’re a part of the team,” Tracer tried to reassure him, “It wouldn’t be the same without you--”

“Children shouldn’t want to be like me!” Genji blurted out, and there was a small plasticky snap. Genji glanced down and saw that he had unthinkingly broken the arm off of his own action figure. The entire room had gone silent, staring at him. He set both the action figure and its broken-off arm on the table and exhaled. “I’m-- I need to think about it,” he said, pushing up from the table and walking briskly out of the room.

“Genji, wait--” said Mercy, standing up. Her eyes flicked to the broken Genji action figure on the table and she picked it up, tucking both the figure and the broken off arm in the pocket of her lab coat. The door slid shut behind Genji but she quickly walked after him, leaving Morrison, Sojourn, Tracer, and Winston alone in the room. A long quiet pause passed between the four of them.

“Maybe just web shorts?” said Winston, “Just.. um... just the science corner?”

“Winston--” Tracer huffed.

“Right--sorry,” said Winston.

“...well, they did keep an open mind,” said Jack, “Mostly.”

“Don’t make me break out your action figure, Jack,” said Sojourn.

----

It was a known fact that if you broke visual contact on Genji, you had a pretty low probability of finding him again unless he wanted to be found. Still Mercy spent more of the remainder of the afternoon looking for him than she was readily willing to admit. The fact that he was able to disappear from the hallway that quickly made her assume he had taken the window (very mature, by the way, Genji, she thought with an eye roll) but she checked all of his usual spots and even went to his room before finally huffing and returning to her lab.

It was about 11 at night when the door slid open.

“Genji, we’re beholden to the UN. I know that was an uncomfortable situation, but... there are still protocols,” said Mercy, not even looking up from her screen.

“I know,” his cybernetically reverberative voice hummed from the other side of the room.

“I don’t know how... informally Reyes maintained his meetings, but we can’t--” Mercy looked up from her screen and read his posture and expression. Her shoulders slumped. She pushed up from her desk and walked across the lab over to him.

“I’m sorry, I know. I just shut down,” said Genji as she closed the distance between them, “I don’t even know where it came from, ever since I joined Tracer’s strike team, I thought I’ve been getting better but--” he cut himself off as she hugged him. He stood there for a few seconds before returning the embrace. A part of him wanted to take his faceplate off, breathe in the smell of her hair and the smell of coffee on her, but he tamped that down. They had embraced before, after Gérard Lacroix’s death, and had broken out of it, both of them muttering about it being inappropriate and messy, but after missions together on Tracer’s strike team, there was no such shame in taking comfort in each other like this. She loosened the hug slightly to look at him.

“What you said... about you and children...”  she trailed off.

“I...” Genji sighed, “I’m an assassin.”

“You’re an agent,” said Mercy.

“Whose skills all come from the fact that he was raised to be an assassin,” said Genji, “What I went through as a child---I don’t want another child to go through it. And I don’t want children to think that’s what they want because it’s not.”

“They won’t have to,” said Mercy, putting her hands on his shoulders, “The Shimada Clan’s practically collapsed! You get to decide who you are, not them! You get to choose what you do with your skills,” one of her hands trailed down his arm and clasped his organic hand, “And you choose good. You’ve been choosing to do good.”

“...kids shouldn’t want to be like me when I don’t even know what the hell I am,” muttered Genji.

Mercy gave a helpless chuckle, “Join the club. ‘Mercy’ is easier to be than Angela. People listen to ‘Mercy,’ except not really, because she’s just pretty and she flies and at the end of the day, she’s just a bloody idea, so no one actually listens to her because she’s not real---”  she caught herself, “God, they’re really going to turn us into cartoon characters, aren’t they?” she said, pushing her bangs back from her face, “As if things weren’t already weird enough.”

“Cyborg ninja. Angel doctor. Time traveler. Gorilla from the moon. It really makes no difference at this point,” said Genji with a shrug, looking over her shoulder, he noticed a small figure on her desk. “Is that---?” he broke out of the embrace and walked over to the desk to see his action figure standing there. The arm had been glued back on, the seam of the break barely visible. He picked up the action figure. “You fixed me? It--It-- I mean it. You fixed it?” he said glancing over his shoulder at her.

“Well I couldn’t just leave you like that,” said Mercy, chuckling a little. 

“’You’ve rescued me again, Doctor Ziegler!’” said Genji, making the action figure bob with his words. They both snickered. “Maybe that can be my catchphrase,” said Genji, a smirk in his voice.

“Absolutely not,” said Mercy, giggling.

[numetro]

‘Sing 2’ official trailer from Nu Metro on Vimeo.

Where will your dreams take you?

At Nu Metro Cinemas Friday 24th December, 2021: numet.ro/sing2

Busterʼs turned the New Moon Theater into a local hit, but Buster has his eyes on a bigger prize: Debuting a new show at the Crystal Tower Theater in glamorous Redshore City.

But, with no connections, Buster and his cast—including harried mother pig Rosita, rocker porcupine Ash, earnest gorilla Johnny, shy elephant Meena, and, of course, porcine provocateur Gunter—have to sneak their way into the world-famous Crystal Entertainment offices, run by ruthless mogul wolf Jimmy Crystal.

In a desperate attempt to get Mr. Crystalʼs attention, Gunter spontaneously pitches an outrageous idea that Buster quickly runs with, promising that their new show will star lion rock legend Clay Calloway. Problem is, Buster has never met Clay, an artist who shut himself away from the world more than a decade ago after the loss of his wife. Even worse, Buster has failed to realise that Mr. Crystal is an egocentric gangster who would easily drop somebody off the roof of a building if heʼs lied to.

As Gunter helps Buster dream up an out-of-this-world theatrical masterpiece and the pressure (and sinister threats) from Mr. Crystal mount, Rositaʼs leading role in the show gets ripped away and handed to Mr. Crystalʼs spoiled daughter, Porsha. Desperate to save the show, and his life, Buster embarks on a quest to find Clay and persuade him to return to the stage.

What begins as a dream of big-time success becomes an emotional reminder of the power of music to heal even the most broken heart.

Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson, Taron Egerton, Tori Kelly, Nick Kroll, Bobby Cannavale, Halsey, Pharrell Williams, Nick Offerman, Letitia Wright, Eric Andre, Chelsea Peretti, Bono Director: Garth Jennings Music: Joby Talbot

#Sing2