#I definitely was doing my college work during that time ahahaha

[nellywizard]

EDIT: Lighting change

He collides with a mound of rocks at the quarry's bottom, yelping as he flops to the ground below, landing with a loud "THUD." He gasps, feeling a jolt of sharp pain. He manages to get up on his knees with great difficulty, hissing as he quickly lands a servo on his injured shoulder. When he takes it off, he notices energon seeping into his palm.

Smokescreen feels something limp on his back. He turns his helm and blanches at the sight.

His right doorwing is dangling by a thread, with energon leaking through the cracks. He is unable to move it, and perhaps the shock prevented him from feeling any pain.

Smokescreen almost whimpered at the sight, but the sounds of footsteps drew his attention away from the sight. He twists his helm toward the source of the noise and seethes at the group of Decepticon mercenaries, who simply watches with a sense of calm and jeer.

Smokescreen snorts, gathering his wits. "You know, it's going to take a lot more than a broken door to kill me!" 

The black mech in front of the group simply stared before smirking slightly. 

"We are aware."

A group of mercenaries hired by the newly formed Cybertronian government are stationed on Earth in search of wanted Autobots seeking refuge.

Their new target is an Autobot named Smokescreen.

Meet Team Smokescreen!

Team Smokescreen Shenanigans

------

I want to thank everyone who are super interested in my TFP Smokescreen Project! It motivates me and makes me simply excited to show everyone the many stories I have for this AU!

[getvalentined]

Oh wise and ancient elder of Veld fandom, I have a question for you. Do you know where the last name Dragoon came from? (I want to post a picture of Veld and that's his last name to me, but I don't want to be using it publicly if the OG inventor wants to keep it for themselves.)

AHAHAHA UHH YEAH ACTUALLY I DO

I DEFINITELY DO

I don't know precisely which of us it was, but it's from my first online RP group. I think Liz (crankyoldman on AO3) was the first to use it, as I'm like 99.999% sure she's the first person in western fandom to write him at all, but it might have been Drak (drakonlily on AO3), who is now Liz's spouse but was not at the time we were initially RPing together. Neither of them are really in the fandom anymore (they both fell out of public fandom in general for quite a while during college/university/grad school, came back to jump into FF15 with both feet, and are now pretty exclusively in the FF14 scene), but none of us ever really cared about the proliferation of that particular headcanon.

What's funny is that I actually use a different surname for Veld (Augustine!) to differentiate between work relating back to that group and work that's strictly my own, but at this point it's kind of irrelevant because the "Dragoon" surname is so ubiquitous. I tend to tag my work featuring the character with "Veld of the Turks" at this point.

You're absolutely welcome to use it, and people will presumably know what you're talking about, but it is utterly and completely nonexistent in the source material! It came entirely from a bunch of queer folks in their late teens and early twenties RPing/writing/drawing a sad old man online in the mid-aughts, but because we were the only ones doing anything with the character it just kinda became accepted as "correct."

(tmk Drak is also largely responsible for "Sinclair" being Reno's accepted fanon surname, but there's no canon on that either and she kinda regrets its proliferation; I originally used it as Zack's surname in like 2003, before I even knew Drak, but when Zack got a canon surname she fleetingly snagged it for use on Reno and it just...spread through the fandom from there by vectors unknown.)

[trashexplorer]

BLCD Review: Onegai, Sonna ni Kamanaide

Title: Onegai, Sonna ni Kamanaide (お願い、そんなに噛まないで)

Author/Artist: Sangou Mitsuru

Release Date: 2021/04/16

Cast: 

Yashiro Taku x Horie Shun

Kawada Yuu

Enoyoshi Maya

Wada Masaya

Kurose Yuko

Synopsis: Yanagi Youichirou, who’s aiming to have his college debut by dyeing his hair blonde and trying not to get himself drunk during drinking parties, gets jealous of the popular Igarashi Ryou, a senior at his part-time job. In the midst of one party, Yanagi notices Igarashi’s fangs and unconsciously reaches for his face. He then gets his finger bitten…?!

Review Proper

I was expecting vampire pron, why did this serve me biting fetish?

Ngl, the plot was trash, but it wasn’t exactly that bad. It was at least bearable to listen to, and I actually listened to this without skipping anything. It kept me invested, I’ll give it that. But like, think of 2007 BL bad clichés like spineless bottoms, rape, no condoms, and suddenly jealous tops when the bottom leaves them bc the tops doesn’t want a relationship. Okay, so I guess it really was that bad. They also had the lamest excuses to initiate sex, and I don’t think Sangou Mitsuru is even the slightest ashamed of it lmao. There was this part where Yana was getting some female attention during a drinking party, and then Igarashi whisks him away, saying that he and Yana had plans to go for more drinks. Igarashi-san obv takes him to a hotel to have some possessive sex, but Yana, being the dumbass he was, thought that they were going to drink in the hotel.

Props to Yana for being strong even saying “Wachu gon do bout it?” when Igarashi-san was complaining that Yana was no longer entertaining him. I mean, bro, you raped him? What did you expect? Yana groveling to your feet? lmao he actually does 3 seconds after. I also don’t buy Igarashi-san’s instant domesticity because his feelings for Yana does not seem genuine even after his mini-monologue. 

The only good character in this whole shitshow was Shiori-san (the girl who tried to ask Yana out). I wish I was half as brave and pretty as her. Dang, I wish she ended up bagging/banging Yana smh.

Moving on to the technicality of things, the sole reason why I listened to this because I wanted to give Horie Shun another chance to prove to me that he has improved over two? years I haven’t listened to him in a lead role. Ngl, he still is a little rough around the edges, but there is definitely some improvement there. His acting sounded as forced as their first bedroom encounter lmao. He honestly sounded like those fake ass pornstars. He also didn’t have a lot of chemistry with Taku in the beginning, and even if they slowly eased into it later on, they still couldn’t sync with each other during the bedding. Might have been better to rerecord the first tracks, but idk man, I don’t think Crown Works had the budget for this seeing how my next point will be. AHAHAHA. But going back to Shun, he still managed to capitalize on his squeaking here, which was nice. He really didn’t do it up until the 4th track?, so I thought that he was going to skip it. Anyway, the squeaks are back, my pimples are cleared, cancer is cured, and coronavirus is no more. 😌

As for Taku, I know that I said back in Ookami that Ren was his best performance, but I think I like his Igarashi-san more. I mean, it’s no secret that his voice holds no permanent place whatsoever in my miniscule goldfish brain, so I can’t really pick his voice out from a crowd, but his Igarashi-san was *chefs kiss. Had Igarashi-san not been a wishy-washy rapist asshole, I would have liked it more than I do rn. It’s easily comparable to Saitou Souma’s performance as Hiro in Akai Ito. He just sounded so natural and unstrained here. I would definitely love to hear him in this tone more. 

NOW

FOR THE REAL ISSUE I HAVE WITH THIS THING

The sound engineering on this was, quite literally, trash.

First of all, the bgm sucked so bad I had to search if this really was Crown Works bc this sounded more like Supersonic. The bgms were so cringey and ill-fitting bc they make it sound like what was happening was way worse than what it really was. ALSO, the waterfalls! Oh my god, the waterfalls! The other sfx were fine, but the slightest movement in the nether regions gets awarded with waterfall sfx! You know, even without prior experience regarding the act of sex, I can still tell you with utmost confidence that ejaculating does not sound like a goddamn hose. To illustrate just how bad the waterfalling was, there was this scene that Yana was leaking precum when Igarashi-san bit into him, AND IT SOUNDED LIKE HE JIZZED HIS PANTS. I DON’T UNDERSTAND. 

SHOW ME THE NAME OF THE STUDIO THAT DID THE SOUND ENGINEERING ON THIS, CROWN. I JUST WANNA TALK. Lucky Dog 1′s sfx is as dry as the desert compared to this BLCD, and that’s saying a lot.

What a waste of talent, man. The casting was fine, but there’s so little chemistry between our two leads. The rest of cast were great, though. There is literally no saving this BLCD. I definitely don’t recommend anyone getting this. Sure, I did like the biting fetish thing bc same, but we all know what the winner is between novelty and quality. If you want bitey action, you’d be better off listening to some jingai/kemono BL like Remnant or other. If vampires are your thing, then go and listen to Fujitsu de Fumou na Koi no Kami-kon starring Okitsu and Egu. Might be on the fluffier side, but that’ll show you just what good sound direction and chemistry is—by none other than Crown Works.

[konpithepuppy]

[TRANSLATION: POTATO 08.2021]

7 MEN SAMURAI

Proofread by aji10647731 (Twitter)/ @janiappend

Scans not mine

Neither an English nor a Japanese native speaker

Feel free to correct me, thanks

7 MEN 侍

By your side

The people they want to tease when they're with them, and what kind of people they think do match with the other members? They are divided into 3 and had a discussion! (The interview was done on the first 10 days of June)

Kanasashi Issei Participates in Teasing Yabana?

Nakamura: All the 3 of us tease Yabanan when we want to meddle with someone, right? Even though we tease him with something unusual like, "Oh, a zombie!" He responds back, "Who is the zombie!" that's why I like teasing him (LOL).

Konno: Lately, Katsuki is also being teased. Like hiding his earphones.

Sugeta: The spring onion was put inside his bag secretly (LOL).

Nakamura: The reactions of 2 of them are great that's why they are fun to tease (LOL). Ori (Oriyama Nao) and (Iwasaki) Taisho are fun to tease too. When I Ori's nose, he will say, "Please stop it" while grinning, and that's cute (LOL). With Taisho, even though we are in a place with other people around us, when I tell him, "Be a cat," he does movements of a chubby stray cat. It isn't adorable at all though (LOL).

Sugeta: Ahaha! Rinne often teases Nasu (Yuto)-kun. When I call him," eggplant-kun (eggplant = nasu)," he responds, "It's Nasu!" (LOL). Nasu-kun's tsukkomi patterns are only few. "Yabaisu! (That's terrible)" "Chotto! (That's a little...!)" "Nasu desu! (It's "Nasu" )" Only these 3 (LOL).

Konno: I think I often tease Hiratsuka (Shoma). When everyone's trembling during the run-through of a stage play, Hiratsuka who came in first from Shounen Ninja suddenly fell flat on the floor. Since he did that much of air headedness, I couldn't help but to do a tsukkomi (LOL).

Sugeta: Aren't Shounen Ninja members full of energy overall? Even in backstage room, it feels like they go "let's play a game, let's play a game!" more than sleeping.

Nakamura: They often go to our room to play too, they are really energetic (LOL).

Konno: Bi Shounen's Ukisho (Hidaka) also often comes to our room to play, right?

Sugeta: Taisho also always comes. He says, "Rinne-kun, please give me a massage." That's why I always give his neck a massage.

Konno: On the contrary, Issei is being called by Taiko through the phone (LOL). And then, we will give instructions to Issei and he will tease Yabana.

Sugeta: It's funny because he does it in high spirit. He tells Yabana, "Come on!" (LOL).

Nakamura: He starts to say whatever he likes in the middle of teasing Yabana (LOL).

Konno: It's fun to see it, right? By they way, what kind of person do you want to be with you? I think a composed office lady matches with Reia.

Sugeta: No, isn't a girl who likes games matches him? A girl who likes games may have a quite rough expressions, but Reia matches with girls like that.

Nakamura: Certainly, a girl who communicates with game slang is nice. Like, "I did counter stop." If it's from the members, Yabana would be a nice match (LOL).

Sugeta: Well then, what kind of girl is a match with Rinne?

Konno: I want you to lead someone who is indecisive. Since you look strong (LOL).

Nakamura: Ee~ if talking about my preference, more than a muscular guy leading a girl, I want a girl who dominates. Like the guy only shows his manliness when it's important.

Sugeta: Which one is more popular? I will go with the popular one (LOL). Since Konpi wants to completely take the lead so a quiet girl matches him.

Nakamura: But that's only when they are dating, right? I think it is better to follow the lead from your partner when you marries. The person actually thinks that Konpi who pretends to lead is cute.

Konpi: Ee, but I want to lead...

Nakamura: It's fine, since the girl will make it look like that (LOL).

Sugeta: Well then, what would you do if you happen to see a girl who is really your type? Rinne will wear sunglasses and will stare at her (LOL).

Nakamura: Ahahaha! Like if it's in a restuarant, you will pretend to go to the toilet and look at her (LOL). But if that girl is really my ideal type, it's a waste if I won't meet her again so I want to be bold and talk to her.

Konno: Me too! I will sit on the chair in front of her at once and I want to talk to her (LOL).

Sugeta: No, that is definitely impossible (LOL).

Are Sasaki and Yabana dumbfounded in Motodaka's Approach?

Sasaki: The one that Motodaka wants by his side is a girl who can help him with fishing, right?

Motodaka: You mean a woman shell diver? (LOL)

Yabana: Or rather, a mermaid? But I guess it's not a great idea because you might fillet her (LOL).

Motodaka: I think it would have loads of views when you upload in YouTube, "I tried filleting my girlfriend"

Yabana: Get over it, it's scary! (LOL) On the contrary on Taiko's appearance, he is the type who wants to be relied on, so a girl who can depend on him looks great.

Sasaki: I wonder. When I go out to eat with someone, I'm bad dealing with people who can't decide on the menu.

Motodaka: Ah, I understand. On the contrary, it's impossible for me to be with someone who hurries me when I am deciding on the menu.

Yabana: At least, we know that Taiko and Daka-san (Motodaka) are not compatible (LOL). How about me?

Motodaka: For Yabana, I think someone who cares for your health is good.

Yabana: Certainly. I only eat ramen when I am left alone.

Motodaka: That's why I think a girl who can cook for you and look after you is a good match.

Sasaki: That is already as good as a mother, right? The girl who is a good match with Yabana is a mother! (LOL)

Yabana: Hey, why! (lol) *Why is it that when I am next to you two, I am always being teased...

Sasaki: Because your face says you want to be teased.

Yabana: Really? If anything, I think it is more fun to tease Konpi tho. Since he can give a proper tsukkomi.

Motodaka: Liar! Aren't you always getting ignored by Konpi?

Yabana: No no, he ignores me when we are with everyone, but if it's just the 2 of us, he gives me tsukkomi. But probably he just got no choice but to do it (LOL).

Sasaki: If we talk about someone besides from the members, I think (Yoshizawa) Shizuya-kun is also quite easy to tease.

Yabana: Really? Even though he is a senpai, that's amazing...

Sasaki: Shizuya-kun also has the face that he likes to be teased.

Motodaka: I know that feeling. I often tease Shounen Ninja's Motoki Waku. Because he always makes a face saying that he wants to be teased.

Yabana: Is it a common feature for those who are easy to tease that they have the face of looking like they want to be teased? (LOL). I think I tease Jr.SP often. I am close with them so it is easy to tease them.

Sasaki: Especially Wada (Yuki), right?

Yabana: Totally. Strangely, Wada gets teased by everyone (LOL). Well, if you went to have a meal, and the girl sitting next to you is your type, are you gonna talk to her?

Sasaki: I won't! (Immediately replied)

Yabana: That was fast (LOL). But well, if I think about reality, it is also impossible for me (LOL).

Sasaki: Because, it would be awkward if that person is a Johnny's fan by chance!

Yabana: You don't have to think so realistically (LOL). *What if you are told to talk to her?

Sasaki: Hmmm...that's probably impossible for me too. I will probably secretly tell to my friend who I am with, "Isn't that girl cute?"

Motodaka: I thought of a strategy. Since it's impossible for me to talk directly to her, I will create a situation where I can talk to her. I will pretend to be a weird guy.

Yabana: What do you mean?

Motodaka: First, I will try to sit in her table and eat as I like.

Sasaki: Huh? (LOL)

Motodaka: And then, I will tell her, "Sorry, I got it wrong! Shall I pay for it instead?" Then, it would lead to a conversation. How was it?

Yabana: Well, no, that is absolutely terrible. That has grade of 2 in communications! (LOL)

Recent Happenings

Motodaka Katsuki

My mom asked me to become a member of a large supermarket for business use. I immediately bought a huge amount of beef tongue and a pack of frozen fruits. I put frozen strawberries and pineapples in the carbonated drink instead of ice. It is delicious!

Yabana Rei

I've been working hard attending college for my credits lately. *I've been in the edge that I have to thoroughly complete my number of credits until 4th year. But, with my interview with the professor, I was told, "There's no problem with your grades."...I should be fine! (LOL)

Sugeta Rinne

I met Kitayama (Hiromitsu)-kun in the gym. I was thinking he doesn't know me but I was happy when told me, "you've become more muscular than before, right?" Then I informed him saying, *"In this one year, I am able to carry 1.5 to 2 times of the weights [I could carry before]!"

Konno Taiki

I've grown my hair! I want to go for a long hair for this year's summer. For it to be not damaged, I dry it after taking a bath and I apply hair treatments. I'm in the middle of dilemma about the hair color. If you have a hair color that you want for me to try, I want some consultation so please tell me!

Nakamura Reia

During the rehearsal for 「SUPERHEROISM 」(the play already ended), everyone surprised Taiko for his birthday. I gave him an AI speaker that can control home electronics as my gift. (Sasaki who is there next to him, "That is very convenient, it really helped me!"

Sasaki Taiko

I cleaned the house on my day off. I bought cleaning materials. I cleaned the bathtub and the toilet, and I also wanted to clean the dust under the bed so I turned the bed over and wiped the dust. Sleeping more comfortably than before in a room that was cleaned is the best!

[redbeanboi]

bucci gang college!au

the college au that you didn’t know you needed:

I’m bored and I’m still thinking about university because I’m swamped with work!! Here’s some hc’s I have of what the boys would study in university.

Bucciarati:

maybe it’s because I’m planning on doing it myself, or the fact that I can’t help but thirst over the image of Bucciarati in a turtleneck, but I can see Bucciarati studying History in undergrad and going for Library Science/Museum/Archival Studies in grad school. Bucciarati is always portrayed as a reliable worker who can keep his mouth shut, etc.... So I think this kinda fits into Archivist stuff, since, depending on who you work for (the government specifically), you constantly have to handle secret/sensitive material. Important and absolutely vital position! And Bucciarati working in a library/museum setting is also really cute to me, but if anything I can see him working as an Archivist for an organization or maybe even the government.

Giorno:

I know I’ve seen people put Giorno in some kind of Life science, like plant or animal study, but... and don’t get me wrong, maybe it’s because I project my boyfriend onto Giorno because they’re freakishly similar in a bunch of ways, but!! Giorno going into Mechanical Engineering/Robotics is absolutely my jam!! And after graduating from school, I can see Giorno eventually working for a company that makes prosthetic robotic limbs. Something about “breathing life” into an object and giving someone a new arm/leg/etc. gives me Giorno vibes... Also my boyfriend is sorta working on stuff like this so that’s another reason why I see Giorno doing this stuff.  Giorno’s also very smart, and I think something like Mech E would really challenge and push him. Plus, when making prosthetic limbs or when working with robotics in general, a lot of engineers will observe and study animals and movement and such. Everything about this field of study just screams “Giorno” to me.

Mista:

I know we like to poke fun at Mista a lot, but I think he likes reading a lot and could easily apply himself to some difficult courses. Maybe it’s the fact that he works with guns a lot and is just very smart in general, but I’m thinking Mista would go into Physics. Catch him doing his physics coursework with Giorno because they’re both slumped on the same problem. Now, i don’t think he’d ever consider going into academia, but if he did, he’d definitely be that professor who just has his TA do the lectures while he does his research. I could also see him just working in the same engineering company as Giorno? Possibilities are endless, I think he’d be able to do anything really. Maybe he’d a mechanic if he doesn’t want to go to uni and goes to trade school instead.

Fugo:

Fugo going into law school?? I know that didn’t exactly work out very well, but I do think that he’d feel challenged and would get to make the most of his intellect. He’s a smart guy and I think he might do Philosophy for undergrad as most people would go that route anyway. Plus I like imagining Mista complain about Fugo’s readings (”this Plato guy thinks way too much about this damn cave—” “Shut up mista”).

Abbacchio:

Hm. Maybe law school for Abbacchio too?? On the other hand, because he seems to really like classical music and is the kind to dwell on the past, I could also see him doing Music History, minoring in either piano or composition maybe. If he decides to do some accompanist work for a classmate who’s awful and studies vocal performance, he will complain about it to the other guys (”how the hell can you be tone deaf and studying music at the same time??”). He and Bucciarati hang out a lot....sometimes Bucciarati will accompany Abbacchio to the practice rooms. Sometimes they’ll spend an awful amount of time there (mostly for practicing, alright?? they’re responsible students. don’t be cheeky)

Narancia:

I know it’s easy to get carried away with “ahahaha Narancia doesn’t know 16*55!!” but let’s set those jokes aside and acknowledge how smart he can be. Now since this is a college!au, I’m going to say that Narancia would go into some field of study that allows him to use his strengths. I think he’s always shown really good instincts. Also, I know he totally misinterpreted Giorno during this one fight, but I always love how Narancia is the only one to notice that Giorno’s waving to them during the Babyface fight (so what if he didn’t realize there was an attack yet!!)??? ++ Aerosmith’s ability to detect carbon dioxide is, in my opinion, the biggest example of his instinct/ability to catch onto things real quick. Narancia also remembers a lot of information (I mean, he got everything Trish asked for when he was running errands). And!! he is very concerned with Trish after Venice despite not knowing her very well. I think that’s very telling of his character. A guy who is very concerned for other people! So! I can see him doing healthcare in some shape or form. Narancia getting a BSN?? Nurse Narancia??? yes please!!

BONUS!!

Trish:

I know Trish becomes a popstar in PHF (which,,,, don’t hate me but,,, I’m not super crazy about it), but I can see her studying fashion design. Maybe it’s because I used to go to a school with a really rigorous fashion design program, but I can see Trish having fun there (while also being challenged!) and also putting out some really great work. Expect the guys to come and hang out with her in the studio when she has to work on projects overnight—Bruno and Abbacchio are the first to come and the rest come waltzing in soon after. Mista and Fugo usually come last to join them and bring a lot of snacks for the night.

-----

A/N: I’m going to probably write some kind of comp fic using these ideas but.... enjoy !! based on a conversation I had with @jojo-reads .... thank u friend.

[a-little-slice-of-fandom]

Hi! I wanted to thank you for making me know Derry Girls! I always thought of Irish culture as such an interesting culture, and I'm so glad to learn about it (so now I have another TV series to bingewatch ahahaha). However, if it doesn't come as an offense, what else would you recommend to see about Ireland? I'm sorry if I made some mistakes, I'm not a native English speaker! Thank you again!

Hi anon! Firstly, please don’t apologise for your English because it’s really good!

Secondly, like I mentioned before, the problem with Irish based media is that there isn’t a lot of it (in comparison to American or English media) and what there is can often be changed in a way that’s much more palatable to these audiences. Generally, people in the UK don’t really want to watch a film about how horribly the Irish suffered, and Americans don’t like acknowledging the fact they weren’t the nicest to Irish people a lot of the time. Titanic is a good example. They make the experiences of those Irish people in steerage look so much fun in comparison to the experience in the stuffy first class...although that film does redeem itself when they show the third class, Irish (and Italian!) passengers purposefully locked below decks to drown. It’s sort of a middle ground between reality and rose-tinted glasses. If you haven’t given titanic a watch then go for it...but I wouldn’t say it’s overwhelmingly Irish. Good film though.

ALSO yes, the titanic was built in Belfast but I just would like to point out that it was absolutely fine when it left Belfast. Built by the Irish, sunk by the English. All I’m saying 🤷🏻‍♀️

I know this isn’t a TV show or a film, but I would highly recommend that anyone who is in any way interested in Irish history to read Under The Hawthorn Tree by Marita Conlon McKenna, which is about three young children trying to survive the Irish famine during the 1840s. While it is mainly taught to those just starting high school (or middle school in America) and the language is very easy to read...it is such a hard hitting book. I cried when I first read it when I was like nine and I still cry when I reread it. But it’s the reality of what happened during the famine. There’s no sugarcoating of the events that took place. However, you don’t need any prior knowledge of what’s going on to understand the book. It explains everything in a very natural way, and I think it’s the most accessible of Irish historical works.

There’s also two sequels to Under The Hawthorn Tree, called Wildflower Girl and Fields of Home. The second one follows one of the characters from Hawthorn Tree going to America and there experiences there, and it’s an amazing follow up to Hawthorn Tree. While I do think that the portrayal of America is slightly sugarcoated in Wildflower Girl (theres not much xenophobia...which there should have been) but the portrayal of journey to get to America? It’s harrowing. This is probably one of the best presentations of the famine ships (or coffin ships, as they were called) that you can get and you will understand the horrors of those ships. Fields of Home is just alright. I don’t think it’s as good as the first two because it doesn’t feel as focused on one singular thing and in all honesty, I didn’t enjoy reading this as a child and I’m still sort of on the fence with it now. But Hawthorn Tree and Wildflower Girl are two must reads!

As for films, I’d recommend Michael Collins from 1996. Its a film that takes a look at how Michael Collins helped to create the Irish Free State and the Irish civil war (not the troubles, that comes later). It also shows brutality of the Black and Tans (a section of the police force*) that went on in Ireland during this time period, as the police in Ireland tried to crackdown on the IRA. It’s a really good film, although sometimes it does sacrifice historical accuracy for Hollywood conventions. However...it might be a bit confusing if you don’t have prior knowledge of Ireland. Give it a try, but if you do end up a bit confused then I get it.

* Btw that name refers to the colour of their uniform. It’s not a racist term.

The Secret of Kells is an amazing animated film that you should totally watch. It’s all about the Book of Kells, a really important book in Irish history. It’s set in 9th century Ireland against the background of Viking invasions. I won’t say anymore about this one, please just go and watch it. Also the music is so amazing in that film, and it makes great use of traditional Irish instruments like the pipes and the bodhran. I’ve heard the animation company who made it referred to as the Irish Studio Ghibli and I definitely agree with that. They have a really distinctive style and it’s just,,,beautiful. This one is probably the most...celebratory. It really loves Ireland and it shows. There’s also Song of the Sea by the same company, which is another amazing celebration of Irish culture, this time concentrating on Celtic mythology. Also I think the main character might be mute? I can’t remember but I think she is. It’s another fantastic animation and I’d definitely recommend it.

Now I have to recommend the film Brooklyn because one of the actresses in it is actually from my town in Northern Ireland! Brooklyn was based off a book by the same name and both versions of the story have gotten really good reviews. It is a romance story (which usually isn’t my cup of tea) that follows a young Irish girl called Eilis (pronounced Ay-lish, for anyone wondering!) who has immigrated to America and the experiences she has there. Plus, it’s set in 1951, which isn’t usually a period of Irish history you see discussed. Normal People is something I see a lot of people recommending as well. It’s a book (written by Sally Rooney who is like 24 which is amazing!) but it’s also recently been adapted into a TV show which is getting good reviews. Again, it’s a romance story and I know a lot of people outside of Ireland can’t understand why people like it so much (it is a straight, cis white romance)...but it’s a generally good representation Irish romance and modern Ireland as a whole, including some class divide stuff. The books of these are quite an easy reads as well. So yeah, while I wouldn’t say Brooklyn or Normal People will teach you much about Irish history or Irish mythology...it does show a lot of the family life stuff. Normal People includes things like Trinity College and Gaelic football in the background, which are like quintessential Irish things. If you have the time, I’d give them a watch or a read.

Lastly, I’ve heard good things about the Netflix shows Rebellion (which concentrates on the Easter Rising of 1916) and The Irishman...but I haven’t watched either of these shows so I cannot vouch for how good or how accurate they are.

I hope this list helps!

[purplesurveys]

1118

Have you ever visited your country’s capital city? Yes. I was born in Manila and even lived there for a short while. But I don’t like going there anymore as I find it too icky, stinky, and depressing. It has come very far from its glamour days in the 50s until the 80s, and not in a good way. If you’re going to make a trip to the Philippines, go to literally anywhere but Manila.

What are your plans for next Thursday? Next Thursday is actually a holiday here, so I’d want to spend that day catching up on rest, ignoring work, and simply staying in.

When was the last time you were outdoors for over an hour? Last Friday when I went out with Angela and a few other friends. A bar in Katip announced that they were going to permanently close by the end of the month - another pandemic victim - so we went there to have a bit of a good time before they’re gone for good.

What is the shortest amount of time you’ve lived somewhere? My parents and I only lived in Manila for a year. By the time I was 2, we had moved in with extended family in the city I currently live in.

What’s your favorite kind of mint? (Peppermint/wintergreen/spearmint/etc) Mentos has a spearmint flavor that’s my favorite, so I’ll go with spearmint.

What was the last thing to frustrate you? I watched an interview with one of the last living Filipino comfort women who, as a teenager, had been raped by the Japanese during WWII. The Japanese’s way of dealing with their history is very infuriating – AKA they choose not to deal with it at all and act like nothing happened. I also learned that the Filipino government removed a statue we used to have that was meant to be dedicated to our comfort women, because the Japanese threatened to defund some of our projects if we didn’t have it removed. Everything about this is frustrating but most of my hatred is geared toward the Japanese government, both past and present.

What was the first movie you ever went to see in theaters? Stuart Little 2.

Do you do volunteer work, or have you ever done any in the past? I haven’t. I wanted to start volunteering for PAWS after I graduated college, but then Covid happened and so those plans fell through. These days, I help by donating P100 every week to my shelter of choice.

Have you ever been to a bachelor or bachelorette party? Never been. None of my friends have gotten married yet, and once they have plans to I’m not sure if they’d be the type to throw this kind of party. In fact, I don’t actually know if bachelor/ette parties are a thing here...it’s definitely not a standard Asian tradition, I can tell you that much.

Did any of your family members serve in WWII? My great-grandfather did, though I’m not exactly sure what his rank was. He was also given the Congressional Gold Medal Award for his efforts in 2018. My military-hating ass will always be in conflict because I hate the idea of war and sending people off to participate in it, but I’m also proud of my great-grandpa.

What’s your favorite kind of salad? Spicy freaking tuna salad. I really want to order one today, but I already spent so much on food last week :/

Are you more realistic or idealistic? I am realistic towards myself, but I appreciate people who can be idealistic or keep being the least bit optimistic. I feel like the people I surround myself with is also crucial to the mindset I end up molding.

Do you have a home security system? Yes, his name is Finn. Statistically alarms like him are far more effective than the techy kind ;) < Ahahaha, same. Cooper’s very handy. Kimi’s going blind so he only barks when he hears Cooper start to bark, I guess as kind of a moral support hahaha.

Have you ever been to Ohio? Nope, and I’ve never been to that country at all.

Are you currently borrowing something from someone? I have Andi’s vape pen. I’m thinking of just buying it from him, to be honest, because I see myself using it for the long-term. I also still have several of Athenna’s books that she had lent me all the way back in high school, but I never got to return because she distanced herself from me and Angela.

Is anyone currently borrowing anything from you? I don’t think so. I’ve lent books before but they’ve since returned them.

What is your last name’s heritage/country of origin? Spanish and Portuguese.

When did you last buy a new pair of shoes? What kind? September. They were kitty heels meant for the first job interview I ever scored.

Is your car paid off, or do you make payments? I think it’s paid off. I’ve never heard my parents talk about having to make payments for it.

Have you ever experienced culture shock while traveling? If so, where?

China: People will stare and point at you while clearly talking about you with their peers. It was incredibly unsettling at first, but in the end I just powered through and ignored it no matter how irritating it felt.

South Korea: Apparently you can’t take photos in public?? I was trying to take a photo of this silly mannequin, but the stall owner shooed me away. This was my own fault, though, and I should’ve done more research before I pulled my phone out.

Japan: Bus drivers turn the bus’s engine off when at a stoplight. That was a pleasant surprise. And of course, the people there are incredibly nice. At one point we asked this couple how to get to a certain museum, and in no time we were surrounded by a literal large crowd who just wanted to help me and my parents.

Indonesia: The dizzying amount of motorcycles on the road.

Are you able to see the stars at night where you live? Yes. Even though we live close to the city, I’m glad we get a lot of stars.

Do you include your middle initial in your signature? No. My signature is the first letter of my name + the last letter of my surname in a very lazy scrawl.

What brand of computer do you have? Apple.

What operating system does that computer run? Mac OS and I am too lazy to check which particular one.

Have you ever had gumbo? I don’t think so. Looks appetizing though.

What’s the oldest piece of clothing that you still own and wear? Some dresses and pants from like the 6th and 7th grade that can still be appropriate for some occasions, but I keep them at the very back/bottom of my closet because I rarely have to pull them out.

Do you have a passport? Yes.

How many miles are on your car? Mid-30,000s.

Have you ever been to an estate sale? Nope.

How many relationships have you been in? I’ve been with one person, though we dated twice

Have you ever had Greek yogurt? I don’t think so? I’ve only tried yogurt once, not sure if it had been Greek yogurt, but anyway I absolutely hated it and have refused to consume yogurt since.

Is the area in which you live flat, hilly, or mountainous? I live in the flatter part of the city, but we have a mountainous part as well of which we have a view from here.

[prismatic-cannon]

uhm sis (or bro or whatever u prefer i just call everyone sis) pls reblog more fics like i need some good ones and pieces was hella good

Ahhh i’m really glad you like Pieces!!! It deserves more love for sure and the feels are only going to get better I can promise you that hoho \o/ (and I’m good with both sis/bro, I don’t mind either or it’s cool)

So far I’ve been blindly going through the AO3 tags for jojo fics so I’m not sure if my fic recs would entirely appeal to you … but if you’re interested you could definitely take a look at some of these faves! (Do mind the fics’ tags if you’re sensitive to certain tropes) Most of these are going to be heavily skewed towards part 4 and 7 (absolutely no one is surprised), but there’s other parts under the cut too!

Part 2

see you again by efthemia (6k oneshot with background Part 7 ship) - A Caejose reincarnation fic! This is set in a modern day au where Joseph and Caesar meet in another life … by crashing vehicles into each other lol

Can You Ever Go Home Again? by alexclusive (4k oneshot, contains Part 4 spoilers but is mostly centred around Part 2 and 3 characters) - I don’t want to spoil too much for this fic so I’m just going to copy paste the fic’s original summary here: “A few months after his adventure in Morioh, Jotaro goes on another personal errand at the request of his grandfather, and ends up discovering yet another lingering ghost.” A lowkey fix-it with feels!

Part 3

Torture Me by Xyloto (nsfw 2k oneshot) - The SDC gang walks in on jotakak inappropriately using their stands lmaooo enough said

Young Flame by greenteafiend (nsfw 7k multichaptered) - More Jotakak! Takes place during the Devil-Yellow Temperance part of SDC where Jotaro and Kak share that hotel room in Singapore lol

Kiss With A Fist by nevermordor (nsfw 6k oneshot) - Tempers and egos flare between Jotaro and Kakyoin as they make the long tenuous journey to Egypt – Fistfights inevitably happen. I really like how much of a cold hardass bastard Kakyoin gets in this lol

time after time by dimolto (11k oneshot) - TIME LOOP TIME LOOP TIME LOOP!!!! God time loops are one of my favourite tropes of all time, I don’t think I could get sick of it. SDC canon compliant (kinda) – Jotaro is the only person that’s aware of the loop and has to work his way out of it somehow. It’s jotakak too!! Highly rec this fic

Part 4

No place where we can’t go by tjesje (4k oneshot) - Josuyasu! Two dudes slowly fall in love over the course of their summer break. OP really nails the friendship between Josuke and Okuyasu – the banter flows so easily you can’t help but get caught up in how close and in sync they are with each other. Also, the summer vibes are super strong in this fic! Always a big plus with duwang content lmao

electric word life by Fluffifullness (8k oneshot) - More Josuyasu mutual pining + confessions, suuuuper sappy and sweet with some light post DiU angst.

Just Let Me Know, How Do You Feel? by hushroom (6k multichaptered) - Post DiU – Set during their college years, Okuyasu meets up with Josuke for the first time in a while, and they work towards overcoming emotional distance caused by the strain of long distance relationships and misunderstandings. Aged up Josuyasu content is always such a treat and this one doesn’t let down!

Bosozoku Boys by VulpesVulpes (nsfw 4k oneshot) - Takes place a few years after DiU. One night during a sleepover Josuke accidentally stumbles upon a porn mag under Oku’s bed – midnight confessions and feels ensue. This fic always has a soft spot in my heart just because of how vulnerable Josuke gets, argh my heart it aches

Crashing Waves by chamomilekai (7k multichaptered) - Post DiU – Josuke and Okuyasu deal with the lingering effects from the final Kira fight. It’s a slow burn romance with heavy feels where both bros find comfort and support in each other, very delicious part 4 h/c sob x10000

Part 5

the passenger by havisham (nsfw 5k oneshot, contains Part 6 endgame spoilers) - A Brugio fix-it …. of sorts. Ten years after Vento Aureo ends, mob boss Giorno somehow finds himself sent back in time with the opportunity to save Bruno and the others. I really like how desperate and jaded Giorno is in trying to save everyone, and how despite everything things still don’t go entirely the way he wants them to …

DIOmestic by writers_haven (4k oneshot) - Yep, it’s modern au mudad lmao. Some JonaDio here and there but the focus is mostly on Dio+Gio father-son fluff. It’s stupidly cute and there are little nods to canon material that I love to bits, like Hamon being reimagined as a fancy form of new age yoga ahahaha

Part 7

Riches and Wonders by etymology playground (8k oneshot) - A lighthearted gyjo fic that takes place during canon events – Two weeks after Sugar Mountain, Johnny and Gyro spend some R&R at a stand-powered onsen lmao. This was one of the first few fics I read right after finishing part 7, and it really helped to soothe the post SBR pain … not that I’m completely over it yet but then again would anyone ever be lol

Laundry by Petronia (2k oneshot) - Another lighthearted canon gyjo fic with lowkey ust lol – Johnny and Gyro take time between travels to do laundry. Idk, there’s something about gyjo domestic downtime that’s so comforting sob

i’ll see your face again by queenieofaces (2k oneshot, Part 7 endgame spoilers) - Oh boy this one … It’s a reincarnation au where Gyro experiences deja vu and misplaced memories from Phantom Blood and Battle Tendency during the events of SBR. 10/10 lots of feels bc reincarnation aus pair so incredibly well with gyjo gosh

nowhere to go; I’m already inside by librisdedita (31k multichaptered, major Part 7 spoilers all around) - A canon compliant gyjo fic – Johnny’s perspective on life is especially bleak in this one. OP tore my heart asunder by the end of this fic but oh man I wouldn’t have it any other way lmao

Cowboys Ain’t Easy To Love by jotarosgirl17 (36k multichaptered, Part 7 spoilers) - A series of interconnected slowburn gyjo canon compliant fics, suuuper heavy on angst and period-typical homophobia and internalised homophobia. Very good for a cry … or ten lmao

see you when the sun sets east by mourn (nsfw 2k oneshot) - Two cowboys sit five feet apart from each other not talking about their repressed feelings yeehaw. Jokes aside this is a quick but intimately tender glimpse into the beginning of Johnny and Gyro’s relationship

Spin This! by polyphenols (17k multichaptered) - A modern day office au where Diego works at a new tech startup named Steel Ball Run. Honestly, I don’t think I could ever properly articulate how much I love this fic – It’s full of sooo many nods and easter eggs to all the bizarre eccentricities that happen in part 7′s canon, and I think nearly every major/minor character gets featured one way or another, if not all (everyone works in the same horrifyingly open air office space after all). The witty banter and dialogue between characters are so snappy and succinct you can’t help but smile or laugh while reading along. Diego in particular stars as the long suffering Straight Man and audience surrogate into the madness that is SBR, with a lowkey crush on HP that slowly builds as the fic progresses (there’s background gyjo too!). While there’s more of a central focus on Part 7 at first, characters from other parts also make an appearance and gradually become more involved as well. I can’t rec this fic enough!!!

Diamond Ball Run by polyphenols (15k multichaptered, Part 7 endgame spoilers) - A gyjo fix-it of sorts … Johnny takes up Funny Valentine’s offer and asks for an Alternate Universe Gyro. The fic is mostly told from Alt Gyro’s perspective in the later half, and argh this makes my heart ache in so many ways I didn’t know were possible god help me –

happy new year, johnny by 3kanite (7k oneshot, Part 7 endgame spoilers) - Aaaah I just read this one today lmao – The fic is written from Johnny’s POV over the course of several new year celebrations – pre-race and during SBR canon. It really nails Johnny’s characterisations and personality shifts down nicely and makes the last year spent with Gyro that much more bittersweet and heartbreaking oh why won’t these part 7 feels stop coming for me

desperado by 3kanite (35k multichaptered) - Features missing scenes that take place during the events of SBR – Admittedly I’ve only read the first two chapters so far and haven’t fully processed things yet but I’m already so caught up in these pre-slash gyjo feels that I can’t help but rec this one catch me crying behind Owson’s @ 3am bc it’s just that good urgh I need an adult Could possibly be nsfw but I haven’t gotten that far in yet obvs

Aaaand that’s about it for now! Hopefully some of these interested you haha. Go show these wonderful OPs some love because they deserve it!!!

[spiralboi]

Quarantine Ask!

I was tagged by @englishpansexualfangirl thank youuu :)

When was the last time you left your home?

I think it was 2 days ago?? (idk what day it is anymore) And me and the fam went for a long walk

What was the last thing you bought?

I bought Knives Out on DVD and pre-ordered a Doctor Who comic :)

Is quarantine driving you insane or are you finally relaxed?

Lil bit of both. It’s weird not going to college even tho I still have work to do. But on the plus side, no 5am starts or travelling!

Who are you spending quarantine with?

My mum, dad and brother

Do you have pets to keep you company?

Only a couple of fish ahaha

What are your current responsibilities?

Usual household chores and also doing college work that I would usually do at college, so that means Zoom chats. 

Do you have a room to yourself?

Yep! 

Are you exercising?

Apart from going the occasional walk round the back roads near my house ahahaha no

Town, country, city?

A small town (basically village) in Scotland!

How’s your toilet paper supply?

Pretty good thankfully

What’s the worst thing that you’ve had to cancel?

Meant to be seeing Green Day, Fall Out Boy and Weezer on their Hella Mega Tour in June! Not officially cancelled yet, but not holding my hopes up :/

Also meant to be having a big family gathering with the family I hardly see for everyone’s birthday next month, but don’t think it’s happening now :(

What’s the best thing you’ve had to cancel?

No college presentation! Bit bummed out that I don’t get to present to some cool business people but the stress of that is now gone so :)

Who do you miss the most?

I miss sitting with my bestie in Costa at the cinema and going to see all the films :(((

Do you have any new hobbies?

Nahhh not yet. Just keeping up with the usual baking aha

What are you watching the most?

YuGiOh and rewatching Killing Eve ahead of the new series next week! Also slowly making my way through my netflix list of films

Are you still going to work?

Not just now, but I will be in a few weeks as I work in a greenhouse

What are you out of?

Dont think we are really out of anything?

Have you made any changes to your hair during quarantine?

Nope but I definitely should’ve got a haircut before the quarantine lol 

I am tagging: @bi-theatre-nerd @promises-and-constellations and @cozsheep and just anyone else who feels like it :)

[serenityrose1004]

Ideal Cut In Manila: My First Concert!

It’s been two weeks since Seventeen went in Manila and I would like to share my experience during Ideal Cut in Manila. It’s my first time to attend a concert, and I wasn’t supposed to attend the concert because the following week will be our midterm examination; plus, I don’t have enough money to go to the concert. But I was blessed with a very loving and supportive family; my parents paid for my tickets while my older sister and her best friend, who is also very close to me, booked a hotel we could stay since we live in a province. I was so happy and excited that I was even inspire to finished my assignment and projects before the concert so I could enjoy it without thinking the school works I need to finish. During the ticket selling, August 19, 2018, I lined up and waited for almost 3 hours, there were so many Carats I was so hungry and tired but for my Sebong I endured it. 

It was finally September 29, 2018 and my long wait is over. I woke up 7:00 am in the morning which is quite rare for me since I am not a morning person (Only Seventeen can do that and my 7:30 am class in Math. Hihi). Together with my older sister, we left our home by 9:00 am and by around 11:30 am we are already in MOA Arena; thankful that we avoided the traffic. There were Carats all over the place, I was so shocked since it was my first time, and I was not expecting it to be honest, it was like a zombie apocalypse. My sister’s bestfriend arrived before us and the funny thing was, even without my say, she lined up for the official merchandise for me because the line was already long. They were very supportive; I have a huge age gap with my older sister and her best friend, they are professional office workers in a very well known company here in the Philippines but they also love and support Seventeen mostly because of me. My point is that K-pop influenced a lot of people regardless your age, sex, profession and status in the society.  ＼(＾▽＾)／

I want to buy a Seventeen Lightsick (with my own money) so I could use it during the concert. I was supposed to buy a Carat Bong but it was not available even the Mini Carat Keyring Set so I only got the Mini Carat Bong which I am quite satisfied because it was so cute. After buying the official merch, we ate our lunch in a nearby restaurant and most of the customers were Carats. They were also Carats who gave giveaways which unfortunately, I was not able to participate because there were so many people. To my shock, I even saw a fansite master of Jeonghan and I want to buy a merchandise to her but I don’t have enough money with me and I don’t want to asked money to my sister since she and her bestfriend already paid the hotel we stayed. We stayed at the restaurant to rest and wait; and I took this time to study, yes I bought my reviewers so I could study while waiting (perks of being a college students =_=). It was around 4:00 pm when my older sister decided that they will leave me alone and that I should fall in line already; they told me they would pick me up after the concert.

The line was already long, and it was so fun to see parents who are also in the line waiting, right next with their children, there are also fan boys which is very cute. It was almost 6:00 pm when they decided to let us enter the venue and the securities are so tight, it felt like I was in the airport. Thankfully, I read the tweet of one of my mutual on Twitter saying that when you go to the concert you should bring a small bag instead of backpack because the securities will thoroughly search your bag; it is actually quite helpful because they did not searched my bag meticulously and I was able to enter the venue easily (so PH Carats please remember this).

When they finally let us enter the arena so we could find our seats, I can’t imagine and suppress my feelings, I was still alone by this time and I couldn’t even eat nor drink because I am too excited. I met a Carat who is also alone and we became mutuals on Twitter. It was almost 7:00 pm and the Carats are rapidly filling out the seats. And I did not expect my seatmates, on my right side it was a mom accompanying her daughter which I found really cute while on my right side was a married woman who is 10 years older than me, her name is Hannah as far as I remember she also came with her sister but they got separated due to the availability of the seats. Ate Hannah and I got close; by the way, the word “Ate” is a term use for women who are older than you here in Philippines, just like “Unnie/Eonnie” in South Korea. She was super nice and lovely to be with despite of our age gap, and I could see myself in her in the future. Hahaha. She is a Meanie/MinWon shipper too just like me that’s why we got closer together. It was already 7:30 pm and there are still a lot of vacant seats but Carats were so loud and you could definitely feel their hype while following the Seventeen songs that are playing. During this time Carats who are handling the fan projects are explaining to us what we should do; and by 8:00 pm, the concert finally started. It started late because of the strict and tight security in the entrance, according to the other Carats there are a lot of things like merchandise, banners and etc., that got confiscated.

When the lights are out and the stage and light sticks are the only source of light. Gosh, it was so beautiful. Carats cheers were so amazing and when the song started and Seventeen appeared on stage. I lost my cool and started to sing and cheer with my fellow Carats, the mother who was sitting beside me on my right side covered her hears because I was shouting so loud. Ahahaha. Ate Hannah and I were cheering together especially when her bias, Jeon Wonwoo who is my ultimate bias wrecker came into view. And when my lovely ultimate bias, Yoon Jeonghan, appeared I couldn’t contain my happiness and I started crying especially during the unit performances GOSH! I nearly died and Ate Hannah was comforting me. 

As the concert end and Seventeen were finally saying their ending speech, I was so sad and happy at the same time, mixed emotions. Seventeen are very talented, they are not only oozing with visual but their talents are no joke. Seriously, I am not being bias but they are really amazing performers; the choreography and their voices are so great in live. It was my first time to attend a concert and I am so happy that it was a Seventeen concert.

[chasml]

9. Models, Fashion Designers and Photographers Ishimaru x mondo plz

(Prompt from THIS post. Ended up just under 4000 words. I swear some of these are going to actually be short...)

“Uhh… hey! My name’s Mondo Oowada…” Mondo prepared to say asentence he’d never expected to utter… “I’m here for a modelling gig?”

The receptionist checked a list, then looked him up anddown, not bursting into laughter atthe sight of him, like he’d been half-expecting… “And this is your first time,isn’t it?” She confirmed, “I’ll show you to your dressing room, then. There’sanother model there who should be able to tell you what you need to know.”

“Thanks.” Mondo agreed, and followed her to a plain lookingdoor, which she gestured to before leaving him alone with it.

So… there was another model in there? Probably a guy who’dactually done this before, if that chick was trusting him to show Mondo theropes. So what the hell was he gonnabe like, then…?

…Well, only way to find out was to open the door and say‘hi’…

“H…hhhhhuuuuuhhhh…!?”

…He hadn’t thought about whatkind of guy he’d expect to see on the other side of the door. But even ifhe’d thought about it for a million years, he never would have guessed he’dhave ended up staring at the short, spiky black hair, red eyes and rigidposture of Kiyotaka… “…ISHIMARU!?”

…Sure, he knew Ishimaru and he had both ended up living inthe same general area… Several people from his old class had told him so and, hell, if Makoto hadn’t told Mondo whatgym the guy was going to, he might have ended up running into him there… but a guy like him, MODELLING!? If someone had toldMondo it was gonna happened, he’d have laughed and called them crazy!

But even though he was wearing a normal business suitinstead of that dumb white uniform with the knee-high black boots, it was stilldefinitely Ishimaru, one of several guys he’d gone to Hope’s Peak with over two years ago, and easily the worst of the bunch! The guywho spent four years bitching at him every time he swore, or put his feet up onthe desks, or rode his bike without a helmet. The guy who handed him detentionslips if he so much as ran a meter in the halls, or was late to class by a minute.The guy who insisted over and over that he ought to be doing better on histests…

“…Have we met?” …The guy who clearly didn’t have a damn cluewho he was right now...

“…Yeah, we have. Had different hair back then.” Not that Mondocould blame him… The agency who’d told him to come here had also told him tolose his signature pomp and the guylinerhe usually put on...

“Oh… err…” Ishimaru’s eyes flicked over his face, failing torecognise him at all, until they finally moved down and saw Mondo’s jacket, thesame one he’d been wearing since his brother’s death… “…OOWADA!?”

“Yeah.”

“Ah… w-well… I… I wasn’t expecting to see you here!” For once in their lives, heand Ishimaru agreed on something. “I mean… you’re a model too!?”

“I’m a ‘whatever the hell gets me money’!” Mondo explained, testily. “Usually fixing and building shit… but a friend of mine introducedme to an agent a while ago, and he offered me this job, which seemed like easymoney for not much work…”

“Huh… You… build things…?” Ishimaru’s head wastilting so far to the side it looked like it might fall off his headaltogether, “Well! That’s better than I expected!I’d always assumed you’d end up in jail!Ahahaha!”

Yeah… Mondo bet he fucking would have! Smug prickalways thought the worst of him! But whatever, even being here had shown him that he was full of shit. And besides,Mondo had a much more pressing concern…

“And what the hell are youdoing here!? Last I heard, youwere going off to study law at some fancy college!”

“Ah… yes! I am!” Ishimaru nodded matter-of-factly, “But…well… ‘fancy’ colleges are expensive, and my scholarship only goes so far… Butthere was a modelling agent at the campus who took a great interest in meduring my first year, so I’ve been topping up my income with the odd job hereand there, while I carry on with my studies.”

“Huh…” Well… that actually sounded pretty boring, to behonest. It was more or less the same reason Mondo was here… “So, what are wemodelling, anyway?”

“You don’t know!?” Urgh,did he have to act like Mondo was a fucking idiot, just ‘cause he didn’t botherreading all the crap they sent? “Don’t you check before taking these jobs? Whatif it’s something you’re not willing towear!?”

“I don’t give a shit what I wear, I just need the cash!”Ishimaru gave him that old look of his… the same one he wore whenever he caughtMondo smoking, or goofing off of class, or goofing off of class to go smoke…“But I’m guessing you’re some fuckingpicky ass about it…”

“I’m not ‘picky’! Ijust have my reputation to consider, so I can’tbe seen in anything inappropriate!” He snapped, like it wasn’t the samefucking thing, “But other than that, I’ll model lots of outfits! Suits, scrubs, workout clothes… anything, really!So long as it has a practical use, I’mhappy to be seen in it!”

“But how about jeans and a T-shirt?” Mondo asked, and wasn’tin the least bit surprised when the ex-hall monitor practically recoiled indisgust. This was the guy who’d wornhis school uniform every day for the whole four years Mondo had had thedispleasure of knowing him. “Figured as much. So what kind of poncy uniform are we gonna be wearing, then?”

Ishimaru took a deep breath, holding it while glaring at himthrough half-closed eyes, until he decided to drop the matter and just answerhis actual question for once… “…We’re modelling underwear.”

What!? ISHIMARU!? Modellingunderwear…!? With not a hint of shameon his face about it…?

“…Bahahahaha…!” Hewas so used to his memory of Ishimaru being a joyless SOB that it took Mondo amoment to work it out… “…Ahahaha!Never thought I’d see the day you tolda joke!”

“Wha… What are you talking about?” Ishimaru was tilting hishead again, in the same way he always did back whenever someone said somethingfunny at school, “…I wasn’t making a joke, we are going to be modelling underwear.”

“…You’re serious!?” …Ofcourse he was fucking serious! Twoyears on and the guy still didn’thave a sense of humour! “What the fuck happened to you not modellinginappropriate shit!?”

“There’s nothing inappropriate about underwear! Everyone has to wear it! And I made sure beforehand thatthey’re practical, tasteful briefs, so why would I have any problem with it!?”

“Gee, I dunno, ‘cause we’ll be standing around wearingnothing but them, maybe!?”

“So!? Nakedness is nothing to be ashamed of!” Ishimaruinsisted way too loudly, “In fact,it’s only when men aren’t hiding behind clothing that they can truly form bonds with one another,without allowing preconceptions to hinder their judge….”

Holy fuck hewouldn’t have pegged Ishimaru as being this much of a nudist weirdo back inschool! But now it seemed like theguy was never gonna shut up about it unless Mondo stopped him… “Hey… so where are these briefs we’ve gotta wear?”

“Ah… yes, it is about time for us to start gettingprepared…” He finally stopped talking and picked up two boxes next to him,looking between them, “Hmm… This mustbe your pack…”

“Thanks.” Mondo took the box he was holding out off of himand started ripping it open, while Ishimaru started taking his clothes off andfolding them carefully.

“Ah… but if you’re going to want to smoke, I suggest you doit before changing!” Ishimarusuggested, while taking his pants off like it was nothing… Guess he thoughtthis was just ‘male bonding’ or whatever, given his casual tone…

“Eh… thanks, but I quit smoking.” Mondo told him, turning toface away from Ishimaru so he could change underwear with some kind of modesty. He’d been too broke too many times to justifynot quitting, in the end…

“…You did…?” Urgh…but that probably just meant Ishimaru was gonna lord it over him that he’dended up doing what he’d been trying to make him do for four wholeyears… “Well, congratulations! That’s great to hear!”

“Uhh… thanks.” Huh…That was all he had to say? No ‘well you should have done it sooner!’ or ‘Hah! I told you so!’?

“Your welcome!” Ishimaru replied cheerfully, before theyfinished changing in silence and Mondo looked at himself in the mirror…

…This was kinda weird. He looked alright, he guessed… butthe briefs were pretty tight compared to what he was used to wearing, eventhough they were the sized he’d giventhe agent. Still, it wasn’t like he looked lackingin them… although maybe he could do with straightening his cock up a bit…

“Oh, as it’s your first time, do you need a ring?” Ishimarusuddenly asked outta nowhere, while he had his hands right down his pants.

“Hell no! I ain’t wearing jewellery!” Mondo snapped, rushing to finish up what he was doing,so it wouldn’t be weird to have Ishimaru talking at him next time…

“No… not that kindof ring… I mean one of these!” Mondo goteverything settled and turned around to see Ishimaru, who had a surprisinglywell-toned chest, holding out a strap of plastic that looked like a cheap bracelet.“It prevents varicoceles, but we’re expected to use them to enhance theappearance of our… groinal regions!”

…Mondo could tell, given the way Ishimaru’s upper arm wasmoving, that he was gesturing at his dick as he said this. Not that there wasany way Mondo was actually gonna look at it. Or fuck about trying to work out how the hell that tiny bit of plastic was meant to make his own one lookbigger, as if he was some tiny shrimp down there!

“…I’ll pass. I’m a big enough man on my own, thanks.” Mondotold him, turning back to check he actually looked alright after his rush job…Yeah… he looked pretty good!

“Guh-uhhg!” Ishimaruspluttered indignantly, “I… It’s not like I’m… below average either!It’s standard practise for everyone inthis business!”

“Oh, sure, I bet that’s what they told you…” Mondo smirked at him. They probably just told him that so hewouldn’t burst into tears like a little kid…

“Yes, it is whatthey told me!” Ishimaru carried on, “You’ll see! As soon as we get out there,the photographer’s going to tell you to come straight back in here and put oneon!”

“Well, let’s find out! ‘Cause I’m ready to go, if you’re finished making yourself looklike a real man…”

“I was born lookinglike a real man!” Ishimaru snapped at him, then stomped, much quieter than Mondoalways remembered, now that he was barefoot, through the door and towards...wherever they were going.

Mondo followed him, eyes unconsciously trailing downwards asthey walked, at least until they wandered below the waistband of the item theywere modelling, which made him realise what the fuck he was doing and broughtthem back up to look at the back of Ishimaru’s spiky black hair instead…

He was not goingto think about why he’d just looked down there. Or about the fact that he now knew why that agent had taken an interest in the nerd…

Soon enough, they got to a door, which Ishimaru paused infront of… “You know, it’ll look better for you if you’re slightly late, then ifyou go in underprepared…”

He was bringing that shit up again!? “Just open the door!”

“Well, you can’t say I didn’t warn you…” The smug assholemuttered as he went through…

Well, at least the room was warm, even if it there was nothing in here but a green screen, abunch of lights that were way toobright and a dude with a camera…

Presumably that wasthe guy who was gonna be deciding who was manly-looking enough to be takingpart in this job! “Yo! We looking good enough for you…?”

He could hear thequiet, self-assured snort Ishimaru let out as the guy looked him over, butdecided to ignore it and focus on standing up tall and confidently…

“…Yeah, you’re go to go…” Hah! Mondo couldn’t help but glance to the side with a gloatingsmirk as Ishimaru silently fumed atthe declaration… “A little on the small size, but it’ll do…”

…A little on the SMALLsize…!?

“HAH! I told you,you needed the ring!” Ishimaru declared loudly.

“Fuck you, he justsaid I’m fine it, didn’t he!?”

“Perhaps, but you’d have looked better with it!”

“SO!? He didn’t tell me to fuck off back to the changingroom like you said he would, so I don’tneed the thing!”

“That’s all well and good if you’re intending to slack off and only put the minimalamount of effort into this, but personallyI’d want to look the best I possibly could!”

“Hah, and you’re willing to cheat to do it!? So much for Mr. ‘Moral Compass’!”

“It’s not CHEATING it’sa standard industry practice, and…!”

“Woah, guys!” Thephotographer suddenly cut in, “We’re planning to have a nice, friendly shoot today, you know…? Ifthat’s going to be a problem for you two, we’ll have to get some other models in…”

…Urg… did that mean they were gonna be making one of thosepictures with two guys hanging out in their pants with their arms around eachother…? Like hell either him or Ishimaru was gonna be able to standdoing tha…

“Ah… it’s no problem whatsoever!” Ishimaru suddenly switchedfrom angry scowl to bright smile, “At least, not for a proper professional model…”

Oh… so that was his game! Act like it was all Mondo’s fault if the two of themcouldn’t get on, and nothing to do with himbeing a neurotic pain in the ass… Well, if thatwas what was going on, Mondo’d just have to play nice long enough to show this guy what Ishimaru was actually like…

“Hah, yeah man, don’t you worry! That was just banter, youknow?” Mondo laughed, stepping up to Ishimaru’s side and slinging an arm aroundhis shoulders like he was an old friend, “Me and this guy go way back!”

“D-do we…?” Heh… He could feel Ishimaru tensing up underneath his arm. This was the guy whoused to scream ‘PDA’ if people so much as brushed fingers against each other in the hall! There was no way he’d keepa straight face with Mondo gently pulling him closer to his chest… “You…weren’t exactly my most polite classmate…”

“Yeah, I know…” Heck, it was a hell of an understatement,even. And it hadn’t all beenIshimaru’s fault, if he was being honest with himself. “I wasn’t really in thebest place back then, and your attitude always managed to rub me the wrong way…even if you were just trying tohelp…”

“Is… is that so…?” Ishimaru froze in place as he tried tothink of a way around that withoutlooking like as ass… But then suddenly he stood up on tip toes and slung his own arm around Mondo’s shoulders,bursting into fake laughter as he did it.“Ahahaha! Well, I’ll admit I was never the best at reading people’sreactions, and I did judge you ratherunfairly, on account of your old appearance!But I’m glad you saw past that, in the end!”

Hah! This stubbornasshole admitting he’d been wrong aboutMondo for all those years!? He must be desperateto make Mondo look like the bad guy, here! But Mondo wasn’t going to give himthe satisfaction! If this was a competition to see who could act friendlier,then Mondo was going to be the friendliest person Ishimaru had ever met…!

  “…That right there,that was awesome!” Geez… Half an hour into this photoshoot and Mondo wasrunning out of ways to compliment the guy! He was just starting to spoutwhatever crazy shit entered his brain, like… “I should get that as a tattoo!”

“Ah! No, you can’tdo that!” Yes! Finally, he’d said something that’d made Ishimaru insult hi…“Your body is a temple, given to you by your loving parents! You can’tdesecrate it like that!”

“…Ah… yeah! Iguess you’re right…” …Fuck! How he’dmanaged to make his nerdy hatred of tats sound so nice!? Not to mention keep up this act for so long! If Mondo didn’tknow any better, he’d have thought Kiyotaka was having the time of his life,laughing at Mondo’s dumb jokes and stories about stupid people he’d had to fixstuff for... Hell, there’d been a couple of times he’d almost forgot that hewas having a competition with Ishimaru at all!

“And that’s enough photos!” …Case in point, he’d actuallymanaged to forget that guy had beenthere taking pictures of them in their underwear this whole time. “That was agreat shoot. Guess I shouldn’t have doubted the pair of you!”

“AH! I… I was having so much fun I forgot you were there!”Ishimaru made one last attempt at winning. “But, I’m so glad we met up likethis, Oowada!”

“Yeah, me to!” But the hellwas Mondo gonna let him win! He’d come up with something there was no way Ishimaru would agree to! “We shoulddo it again sometime! We both live nearby, right? What’s your number?”

Hah… There was noway he’d give Mondo his phone number… He’d probably be scared that Mondo’s giveit to a drug dealer or something stupid like that! So let’s see how he’d getout of that request while stillseeming like a perfectly nice guy…

“Yes! Absolutely! I’ll give you my card once we’re dressed!”…FUCK! Of course he was one of those guys who always carried around thosedumb little cards with his number printed on them!

Well, that was all the ideas he’d had. Guess he wasn’toutright winning this competition after all… But at least he was getting paidfor his time, and more importantly, he hadn’t let Ishimaru win either!

“Alright, well let’s go get dressed then!” Mondo suggested,using the arm he still had over theguy’s shoulders to lead him back to the dressing room, while Ishimaru made ashow of eagerly following along.

Until they actually got back into the dressing room, anyway. Thenhe broke away from Mondo’s arm and dashed over to his clothes so fast thatit left Mondo feeling a chill down his side from the loss of warmth next tohim, and he hurried to get back into his own clothes to make up for it, likeIshimaru seemed to be doing…

So… that was it then? No… trash talk or anything? They werejust gonna change in utter silence? Guess Ishimaru had just accepted the wholething was just a draw in the end and decided to cut his losses by pretending ithadn’t happened…

Or, so Mondo thought, until the guy suddenly spoke up in avoice so soft he wouldn’t have thought it was him if he hadn’t been the onlyother guy in the room…

“I… I really am gladwe met up like this…” Wait… what!? “Atcollege… There’s nothing like our homeroom class back at Hope’s Peak, where wealways saw the same people every day, so… I don’t really have a group I cantalk to regularly… and I don’t have time to keep up with work and go to clubs either…” So he didn’thave any friends at his new place…?“Ah… not that it’s a big problem! I still talk to Makoto and some of the othersby phone… But I don’t want to bother them toomuch… and they’re too far away to meet up outside of the holidays, so…Today’s the first time in months thatI got to spend time with someone in person!”

…Shit. He’dbelieved every word Mondo had said, hadn’the…? As far as he was concerned,there’d been no competitionwhatsoever! Just Mondo admitting he’d been wrong to be as much of a dick to theguy as he had been… which wasprobably true, but he hadn’t been meaning to end up as Kiyotaka’s new bestfriend, even if it had been kinda funhanging out with the guy for a while…

“Ah… sorry! I’m going on, aren’t I? I’m sure you’re busy, solet me give you my number and then we can get going!” Now Ishimaru was headingover to him, holding out a card…

“Uhh…” Shit! Now what!?Did he just take the card like he hadn’t been lying this whole time? Or comeclean and tell Kiyotaka he’d been playing him for a fool? Did he actually havethe heart to do that to the guy…?

“…Wait. You... you didn’t mean any of that before… didyou…?” …Turned out he didn’t have to.The look on his face must have given it away, and now Ishimaru’s smile had dropped and tears were starting to spill fromhis eyes… “You… you were just… being friendly because they told you to…”

Fuck… What couldhe say? It was true, but he hadn’tmeant to do this…

“Ah… Ahahaha… I’m sorry.” Ishimaru gulped as he put the cardback in his pocket and turned away… “I’ll just... I’ll leave you alone then…”

“NO!” Before herealised what he was doing, Mondo had lunged forward to stop him…

“Err… I’m wrong?” Ishimaru looked between Mondo’s hand,which was now gripping his arm, and his face… “But then… why were you sosurprised that I tried to give you my number…?”

“Ah…” Shit, he couldn’ttell the truth now… And he didn’treally want to either… “I wasn’tsurprised about that… I just… didn’texpect ya ta come out with all that otherstuff, ya know? I sorta just figured you’d be doing fine at college…”

“Oh! Ah… That’s kind of you… but I didn’t mean to makeyou worry!” Ishimaru laughed, wiping away some of the tears with a relievedsmile, “Forget I ever said anything! I… I don’t even know why I decided to tellyou that…”

…’Cause he was lonely as hell. And all his old friendsprobably knew it to. That’s whyMakoto had told him what gym Kiyotaka used, when he’d been talking aboutjoining one… He’d been thinking Mondo might try and meet up with him, not be anass and avoid the whole place, eventhough it was clearly the best gym in the city…

“Well… I’m thinking of switching gyms… Which one do you use?” Mondo asked, like he didn’tknow already. “Maybe we can be workout buddies…”

“Ah… yes! It’sjust a short walk from here, I can show it to you!” Ishimaru almost jumped withjoy, “And there’s an offer where I can take a friend in for free, we could evengo and do a workout now, if youwanted!”

Right after work? Geez… he was still as obsessive as ever…or just desperate to stretch out their time together...

But… it was pretty cute how excited he was just to hang outwith Mondo, so… “Sure, lead the way!” 

[megmaxino]

One Last Time

Hi, I’m Meg :)

For everyone who’s been wondering what all these posts on films have been all about, it’s time for me to come clean.

[Warning: Spoilers on my life ahead.]

What’s Goin On?!

These past few months, this past term, I’ve been taking up this Introduction to and Appreciation of Film (FLOIFLM) class at my college. It’s been really good, but admittedly I was running out of words towards the end. I don’t know. I love film, but I was having a hard time expressing what I had to say. Anyhow, the time has come for this class to end as the term does, so here’s one last blog post (for this class) for my awesome professor AHAHAHA

Sir Asks: What was your favorite lecture/ topic/ moment/ activity in FLOIFLM?

One of my favorite times during the duration of this class was doing the blogpost PLAYING AGAIN | Insights: The Winnie-the-Pooh Books & The Christopher Robin Film. The assignment was to take a fairytale or children's book that was adapted into a film. Put the original and adaptation side by side and take a look at the time, depth, imagination, immersion, movement, and reality of each. 

Working on this one really did just take me back and remind me that the dream life can be right now, no matter how it is right now. “Your life is happening right now in front of you,” Evelyn says to Christopher. And she is very right in saying so. Admittedly, I’m itching to finish this college program of mine, so that I can finally entirely focus on what I really want to be doing. Yes, I’m a victim of having chosen the wrong program for me, but it hasn’t been a total loss. I haven’t transferred because I’m in my final year. I’ve decided to just go on because, as I said, it hasn’t been a total loss and everything I’m learning are all still great assets to what I plan on doing for the rest of my life.

Sir Asks: What did I learn in FLOIFLM?

Hello, Sir, I learned many things from FLOIFLM. I promise you that I have thoroughly enjoyed and taken in all that you have shared with us. But if you want me to specifically name a favorite, I’d have to say that it was, again, learning about time, depth, imagination, immersion, movement, reality, and how they all work together to give you a unique and extraordinary experience. Why? Well, if you remember from the blog post I mentioned earlier, I am the type of person who is easily distracted by many things. Films and TV shows are some of the escapes I take when I want to just be for a while, so I appreciate it when they can truly bring me someplace else without me even having to try. 

Sir Asks: What did I really learn in FLOIFLM?

I literally just told you, Sir- But okay, I know what you mean- I think. Hm… I learned to look at things in every possible way. How’s that? I did! I swear, but it is definitely easier said than done.

Sir Gives a Prompt: In closing, I'd just like to say…

Thank you for everything and anything, Sir! It’s been real ;) AHAHAHA Truly,

Until we meet again :)

[seigyokus]

7.1 - Yuki and Ban

Idolish Seven - Part 3, Chapter 7.1 For more Part 3 translations, click here!

Translation below the cut!

Tsukumo Ryou: This tequila was born from agave from a moonlit night. The past, present, and future are all intertwined. Cheers, Momo. Momo: ……Cheers.

Ogami Banri: You get way too attached to your songs. I think it’s best if you let go, and distance your heart and your hands from finished works. That’s why we should put some space between you and your songs. Orikasa Yukito: ……So no more live instrumentation? Ogami Banri: Yep. That solves the band problem too. Orikasa Yukito: So you want us to stand on stage and just sing? That’s it? Shall I play the tambourine while we’re at it? Ogami Banri: Let’s dance. Just like how idols do. I did it at the last school festival, and it was pretty well received. Orikasa Yukito: ……Won’t it look lame? Ogami Banri: We gotta dance well enough that it won’t look lame.

Ogami Banri: And that’s how Yuki and I became the idol group Re:vale.

Yuki: ....... Sporting Goods Store Employee: Excuse me.... You're Yuki from Re:vale, right? Yuki: Yeah, the bootleg version. The beauty mark is on the wrong side. Sporting Goods Store Employee: Huh? Yuki: May I have one of these, please? Sporting Goods Store Employee: O-of course! Thank you very much! Yuki: ....... Yuki: "We, the Incomplete".... I forgot that was Momo's favorite song. ......Even though he was so happy about it.... Yuki: If something falls down next to me while I'm singing that song.... I can't. Not again-- I wouldn't be able to bear it. Yuki: ......I wonder.... Does he want to sing it, or does he want to listen to it? Yuki: I'm sure he can't decide.

Tsukumo Ryou: Now, speak-- Momo. Tsukumo Ryou: How did you feel when you grovelled? Did you feel wretched? Frustrated? Did you want to cry? Did you stick out your little red tongue? Momo: I grovelled because I was one-sidedly begging him to listen to my demands, even though I didn't have anything to do for him or give in return. Momo: And no, I didn't stick out my tongue. I won't be doing it either, when I do it to you. Tsukumo Ryou: Oh...? Momo: Why do you look so bored....... Tsukumo Ryou: Tell me, why did you beg? Because you wanted to be an idol? Since you'd definitely get your name out there if you used Yuki? Momo: I get why you'd think that. I've gotten that countless times. But.... Momo: It's just.... I didn't want to see Re:vale come to an end in that state.

Momo: Re:vale......? Ruri: Yep! They're a super hot duo! Ruri: My friend can't make it to their concert, so you should come with me instead! It's their third anniversary concert! Momo: Aw, but everyone in the audience is gonna be girls. Ruri: Guys come to watch too! You've got tons of time now since you got recommended into a college, so you should hang out with your Nee-chan once in awhile! (1) Momo: You know, my heart is still wounded since we didn't win nationals....... Ruri: Well, there isn't much you can do about it since you got injured while sliding. You wouldn't have been able to play soccer again if you had kept running. (2) Momo: ....... Ruri: You can't stay sad about it forever, okay? Come with me to the concert! It'll take your mind off of it. Ruri: I've helped you throughout your life as a soccer player, so now it's time for you to help me with being a stan! Ruri: This one's Ban-san! He's tall, gentle, and just like a fresh of breath air! I'm a fan of Ban-san! Momo: Oh? He looks like a good person. This dude looks like a real player though. Ruri: That's Yuki-san. Yeah, I don't really like him. He's more popular than Ban-san, even though he's fought with his fangirls before! Momo: ......! Ahahaha! Ruri: What? Momo: I'm sure he's not a bad person, but people hate him over stuff like that? Momo: Must be tough being an idol.......

Momo: Wow, there's so many people.... You sure they're an indies band? Ruri: They are! Aren't they amazing? Come on, let's get closer to the front! Momo: Hey, don't push me! The girls behind me won't be able to see if I stand in front-- Audience: Kyaaaaa......! Ruri: The song changed! Wah! It's gonna start soon! Ogami Banri: Good evening! We're Re:vale! Orikasa Yukito: ....... Audience: Kyaaaaa......! Audience: Yuki-san......! Audience: Ban-san......! Ogami Banri: Thanks for coming out to see us tonight. We'll be starting with a classic Re:vale song. If this is your first time hearing it, I hope you'll remember it! Ogami Banri: "We, the Incomplete." Momo: .......

Momo: ......To be honest, I wasn't interested in them at all. But I was overwhelmed in an instant. Momo: The music shook the entire venue. The bright lights and cheers from the audience came at me full force-- I felt something well up inside me, like it was filling me up. Tsukumo Ryou: Similar to how you fill a bell pepper with meat? Momo: Haha.... You don't get moved very easily, do you? Like, have you ever watched a beautiful sunset and felt overwhelmed with emotion before? Momo: Or met someone really amazing, and got super nervous all of a sudden? Or floored the gas pedal with all of your might and went at full speed? Or cheered in victory when you threw a shot just the way you wanted to? Tsukumo Ryou: Unfortunately, that doesn't ring a bell. Momo: Well, all of those feelings hit me at once. And at the same time, how should I put it.... It felt like they knew me. Tsukumo Ryou: Like they knew you, Momo? Momo: Have you never felt that way before, Ryou-san? Momo: Like a line from a movie, sentence from a book, or a lyric from a song was talking about you? Momo: All of the things you couldn't put into words are right there-- 'That! Exactly that!' It's that feeling. It numbing, exciting, makes you wanna reach out to it. Momo: It's that feeling when all of the stuff you were frustrated at and couldn't make clear and were looking away from just slam into you head-on-- and you feel like you're about to cry. Momo: Do you know what I'm talking about, Ryou-san? Tsukumo Ryou: ......I've never felt much empathy for others, so not really. Momo: You poor thing.... You've never experienced anything that amazing, huh. Tsukumo Ryou: ....... Momo: I won't forget that day for the rest of my life. It was like an electric shock-- it jump started my still heart back to life. Momo: I went to nationals for soccer, but I got injured right before final match. Right when I really wanted to do my best, I couldn’t. Momo: It took me a really long time before I was fully recovered....... I lost a lot of time back then. I had felt like my dreams were never gonna come true. Momo: I started to hate God, and the future terrified me. My heart would wrench in pain every time I saw the words 'dreams,' 'victory,' or 'pro.' Momo: But the moment I heard that song, all of my frustration and sadness were swept away. Momo: Like I had gotten washed clean by the waves.

Ogami Banri: Yuki! Hey, Yuki. It's addressed to Re:vale, but can I take this fan letter? Orikasa Yukito: I'm sleepy.... Sure. Ogami Banri: Come on, you should read it! It'll definitely leave an impression on you too. Orikasa Yukito: Hmm? Was there a picture of a girl who's your type inside? Ogami Banri: It was from a guy. Well, I didn't get the letter directly from them, but it sounds like it was written by a dude. Ogami Banri: He didn't leave a name, but..... He said he was so moved after listening to "We, the Incomplete" that he cried. Orikasa Yukito: ......I see.... Give it here. Ogami Banri: It's long, so you better read all of it! I almost cried reading it. Ogami Banri: He was working really hard for his club at school, but then he got injured during a really important match and his team lost. Ogami Banri: As he listened to "We, the Incomplete," all of the sadness and frustration he had tried so hard not to think about just welled up, and he ended up crying.... Ogami Banri: But he thinks he can keep on moving forward now! 'Thank you for writing this song,' he said. Ogami Banri: He wrote a lot more about how happy he is.... I didn't know we had fans that'd accept us so honestly and frankly. Ogami Banri: Our song reached someone and helped them with their life, just like that.... It's like a miracle....... I'm so happy....... Ogami Banri: Even though I fought with my family and decided not to go to college, I'm glad to be part of Re:vale....... It more than makes up for all of the rough patches I've gone through....... Ogami Banri: Yuki? Are you reading it? Ogami Banri: ......Yuki? Ogami Banri: ......No way. Are you crying?

Ogami Banri: I think Yuki was really happy. This was a song he composed with care and really treasured, and here was someone who treasured it too. Ogami Banri: It left a really deep impression on me as well. There wasn't anything I wanted more than for people people to be happy to hear my songs. Ogami Banri: That was what I had really wanted all along-- not money, or reputation. Ogami Banri: I just wanted someone who'd earnestly listen to the songs we'd worked so hard to compose and understand them. I just wanted someone to be happy to listen to them. Rokuya Nagi: OH....... Perhaps Haruki was the same. Osaka Sougo: My uncle as well....... Ogami Banri: I'm sure they were. It's kinda embarrassing for an amateur like me to talk big like this, though. Ogami Banri: That night was a little weird.... We fooled around, like we were high schoolers again. We weren't afraid of anything. (3)

Ogami Banri: Ahaha! Ow, ow! I was just trying to take a pic! Orikasa Yukito: ......Ugh, you're the worst! Ogami Banri: Ahaha! I'm gonna treasure this letter. Alright, give it back. Orikasa Yukito: I'm taking it. Ogami Banri: You're the one who said I could take it! What are you even gonna do with it, Yuki? Read it at home and cry all over again? Orikasa Yukito: I wasn’t crying! Haha.... Aw, shut up. Ogami Banri: Ahaha. Hey, don't hit me!

Orikasa Yukito: Let's do it properly from here on out. Ogami Banri: So you weren't doing it properly, huh. I had a feeling. Orikasa Yukito: Really? Ogami Banri: 'Why am I even dancing?' was written all over your face. Orikasa Yukito: I guess so. They’ll scream if I dance. That's what I was thinking as I looked at them. Ogami Banri: Man, you're rude....... Everyone really loves you, alright? They all hum along to your songs. Orikasa Yukito: That's true....... Orikasa Yukito: To be honest, I was thinking of quitting. There wasn't anything wrong, per se, but just for some reason or another....... Ogami Banri: ....... Orikasa Yukito: But I'm glad I didn't quit-- I feel like I can do anything right now. Let's do it, Ban. Orikasa Yukito: I know we can become the best in the world. Let's sing together, until the day we die. Ogami Banri: Yeah.

Ogami Banri: Re:vale started to get more and more famous from there on out. However, little by little, we started to diverge a little.

To be continued....

TL Notes/comments:

thank u @kuriiii for proofreading!

(1) i think this is a Japanese educational system thing, "admission by recommendation." Here's a news article on TokyoU doing smth along the lines of that (2) Here are a few visuals if u want to see how Momo's injury probably happened  (3) 恐れる物は何もなかったあの日/On that day, back when we had nothing to fear…. (line frm mikansei na bokura, just felt relevant)

As usual, if you see any mistakes/mistranslations/etc, please message me!

Thank you for reading!!

[radishleaf]

so as i was in the middle of sewing up a rip i made in my comforter, i began to dwell on the fact that i may still be shouldering an attraction to my now distant best friend? now that i think about it, it wouldn't have occurred to be during the elementary/middle school years i went to class with her, but i guess it became pretty evident during high school. i was still in doubt then though, but now that i am comfortable in my attraction and orientation, it maaay be true? case in point:

1.) i realized i was probably gay in eighth grade when i told myself i wouldn't mind dating a girl and, to my infantile weeb-y self then, reading yuri manga and really liking it. it got progressively clearer when i maintained a friendship with another girl in a grade lower who described herself as bi, but with a definite attraction to girls. i thought she was cute, and she didn't hide her obvious interest at all. i maintained a platonic distant, she poked my boob and tried to play it off as something else LOL. i still remember this as such a funny moment, because now that i consider it, she stared at my chest a lot. going back to my best friend, she flirted a lot in eighth grade. like, a lot. cutesy flirting mostly, but i passed it off as just "cute friends doing cute things together" bullshit.

2.) when we were freshmen in high school, i think she tested the waters to see if attraction was a possibility. she was super clingy and sweet still, and even said, "if you were a guy, i'd totally date you." i was so taken aback by this, i said, "well, i'm not, so yea!" in a joking manner, probably killing off anything for good lol. leave me be, i was fourteen and didn't (and still don't know) how flirting works. even after this moment, i was clingy to her, but she was already juggling a surprisingly dedicated online relationship with a guy in his early adulthood (this should've rang bells for me, but at the time, again, i was fourteen and very naive. i actually thought this was a mature choice!) the appealing idea of wanting to date her didn't come after, until she made strides to date men and i didn't want to hear her talk about her boyfriend. yea, it probablyyy started around here where i felt a twinge of jealousy?? it's still unclear, but it feels like it.

3.) i once told her "i love you," in a platonic fashion some time in sophomore/junior year, and she literally choked up with surprise probably thinking i meant it in another way. i literally had to say, "no, ali! like a sister! a sister!" to get her to understand. now that i think on it, it... probably meant more to her in a romantic implication.

4.) when we, essentially, went our separate ways to college (though we ended up going to the same university), for about two years, i treated our inevitable falling out as a bad break-up. i would literally rant how it was her fault we never talked anymore, and i refused to get a facebook account to keep up contact. only now do i realize really only i am to blame for such drama and nonsense, but also how awful i felt during that time. i really missed her, but refused to work up the nerve to contact her.

5.) from college till now, i realize most of my dreams have been about her as a substitute for my romantic partner. i mean, it could just be my brain filling it for the one female person in my life who i was deeply and emotionally connected to, or it is simply because i was attracted to my best friend. it doesn't help either that i have an overarching attraction to blondes and she was, without a doubt, a natural blonde that stood out in our school (i went to a mixed race school where white people were dismal; she's technically half-white, though). now that i think about it, i was quite touchy-feely with her; i played with her hair a lot and rested my head on her shoulder often. she never rebuked me so... maybe that contributes to thing?? fuck if i know lol

nevertheless, i probably still have, at least, a lingering physical/aesthetic attraction to my best friend, and it sucks, because last time i looked her up she had a boyfriend. i promise i'm not jealous (no, yea, i kinda am....... ahahaha........)

[piltoverfinest]

All prime numbers!

Oh wow thank you so much. That’s...a lot, haha. This is gonna take some time & space so find more under the ‘Read more’ :) (Also, I kinda am sad that I have to do math now bc I am so bad at it haha)

2: Dog breedBeagles & Bernese Mountain Dog & Huskies! But especially Beagles. Please don’t ask me why, I just love them, they are so cute. But overall, I am a person that loves all dogs. Every single one of them.

3: ComedianRight now it’s Trevor Noah but one of my all-time favourites is Ellen Degeneres because she’s just so funny in her own way. I also have an Austrian fave which is Michael Niavarani. He is so fucking funny, I die laughing every single time I watch one of his productions, haha.

5: ColorBurgundy & Woodgreen

7: PerfumeI normally don’t wear perfume, I just way some lemon & lime body spriz or some of the Victoria’s Secret body sprizzes. I like light, fruity smells that don’t last too long and aren’t too heavy.

11: FoodBroccoli & Cheese! I love Broccoli, I love cheese and if you pack some pasta in there I will forever love you.

13: Concert attended Already answered

17: MagazineI don’t read a lot of magazines, tbh. I used to read a lot of ‘girly’ magazines but I mostly lost interest in them now.

19: Sport to watchDancing & Hockey! Mostly hockey now though.

23: WebsiteAhahaha, I am on it right now. (It’s Tumblr. There is nothing else but Tumblr. It’s sad.)

29: SingerBeyoncé! Always!

31: ActorUhm...good question. I don’t think I have a favourite actor, tbh. There’s no name that immediately comes to my mind. Wow.

37: CandySour Stripes & Shark Candies (both only available in Austria as far as I know though, how sad)

41: Have you pre-named your childrenYou know, I once wanted to name my first daugther Sweden Finija and that was...well...a very creative choice. I am wiser now and I think it’s a desicion one should talk through with their partner. There are names that I like but I haven’t chosen any yet.

43: Do you have a 5 year planWell, I had one and had to put it down, so nope. Not anymore. The only goal I have right now is to try my best to make my current relationship work so I can still gush about Chris in 5 years. I want to be happy in 5 years, that’s all. 

47: Who’s your best friendIt’s a tie between Sophie & Fabienne. I love them both so much, they know me so well and we’ve been friends for all out lives. I couldn’t chose just one.

53: How do you like your steak cookedI don’t eat red meat ;) 

59: The movie I cried at wasOh fuck, let me tell you, I don’t think I have ever cried so hard at a movie than when I did watching “LION” a few weeks ago. I also cried watching “The Help”, oh how I shed tears at that one. 

61: My CarIs my baby. It’s a Skoda Fabia & I love it. 

67: The person that makes me cry the most isI rarely keep people in my life that make me cry a lot, so there isn’t anyone. I cry a lot around Chris but that’s mostly bc I work myself up about things that don’t matter (like me having my period when we meet) and then he asks me what’s wrong and I just start bawling because I think I am doing something horrible. I mostly laugh about it afterwards because he always makes me see that these things don’t matter, that I worry about things that are not important for our relationship. Like, he doesn’t care if we have sex or not as long as I am there and he doesn’t care if I have my period, as long as I am feeling okay and well. 

71: Next SummerI will mostly work, sadly but I have a week off and we are planning a camping trip which I am really excited for :D

73: TomorrowI will go to work for the first time this week & I am a bit nervous about it. We have a birthday coming up tomorrow though, so that’s gonna make things easier :) 

79: First time you had a crushKindergarden ;) 

83: The most difficult thing to do isTalk to people in real life about my problems.

89: Who makes you laugh the mostMy friends & my boyfriend

97: Swam in a poolLast year, at some point, I can’t even remember bc I don’t really like chlor water, I prefer natural water in lakes or ponds.

101: Saw someone I haven’t seen in awhileI meet all of my friends pretty regularly but a few weeks ago I saw my aunt and cousins who live in the Netherlands. We had a really good time which was surprising because sometimes we don’t have a lot to talk about.

103: Hugged someoneYesterday

107: CollegeIt can be a good experience for people and it’s definitely good to get an education. I personally tried University (which is college here) and it wasn’t for me.

109: Gas PricesI mean, they were actually quite low around here for a while. They are higher now, which sucks but I usually come through with 30 Euros per month because I don’t drive around in my car a lot since I have an all-year public transport card I can use.

113: EbayRarely use it but every time I did it went okay, so I guess it’s alright.

127: East Coast or West CoastHaven’t seen either, so no comment ;) 

131: Small town or Big cityBoth have their flaws but I’d prefer living in the outskirts of a big city like I’ve done all my life. We have a lot of nature around but don’t have to drive too long to get to the city center and we have all the shopping opportunities around still. 

137: Coke or PepsiCoke

139: Flip flops or high heelsOh gosh, I have worn a lot of flat shoes in the last few weeks and during winter but I am a high heel girl all the way. I love my high heels!

149: Hot or coldCold! Cold please!

151: Red heads or Black hairedI am a redhead, so that’s that ;) 

157: Do I Believe in WarNo, not at all. I don’t think war solves any problems, I don’t think violence brings any answers. 

163: HellUhm, I don’t know but I guess not? 

167: FateYou know, I have always said I don’t believe in things like Fate but with the things that have happened in the last few months (and especially how they have happened), I am not so sure anymore.

173: Are your parents divorced? ´No, they are still married.

179: Spongebob canI am sorry but...what? does? that? mean?

181: On my calendarThere are a loooooot of appointments right now. 

191: My 1st car wasMy Skoda Fabia & it’s still alive and well :D

193: My height is6′3′’ aka 160cm. I am very smol.

197: My cellphone company isNot really reliable tbh

199: I was born in1993 :)

[radicals-laboratory]

Character rambles because I should probably type out what I have planned for my characters, the world, et cetera lol

With the settings being academia, the focus of the main community is merit - you are rewarded for being smart, or able to do something extraordinarily. While on the outside it seems like the community is pretty calm and chill, the pressure is definitely there - most academics can only be researchers/professors because their skill set is particularly narrow; they only have skills relevant to their field. So not only do some institutions put pressure on their faculty, they already are pressured themselves socially, in a sense.

As an attempt to accelerate or cultivate a better generation of scientists, there has been an effort to create specialized schools for gifted teens to maximize their potential. Of course, the materials are much harder than the usual ones, but it’s sponsored by top universities - and there is a promise for an immediate admission to one of them upon graduation. Strangekind - She’s a genius from the get-go. Anything you throw at her she’ll be able to master much faster than the usual guy. She’s part of the first batch of students in the gifted school, and she had no trouble being on the highest echelons of the class. Sounds like a mary sue, but she’s not I swear lol Radical is her younger brother. Also gifted in mathematics, but it was not apparent. While Strangekind breezed through everything in her time in the gifted school, Radical also excelled in math, but on anything else, he's also pretty good, but definitely not the best.

Strangekind wasn’t exactly aware that she’s unusually gifted - their parents are pretty far due to work, (probably as doctors? Not sure). During her younger years she never talked to anyone else as well, a bookworm, really. She’s grown accustomed to being around with smart people she kinda subconsciously assumes everyone is smart. So when Radical has a bit of a problem with something, Strangekind would teach him, but in a slightly condescending manner, unbeknownst to her. When the opportunity arrived, Radical immediately accepted an invitation to the gifted school, being pressured by everyone who keeps mentioning how smart his sister is. Strangekind offers to help, as usual, but Radical outright refuses, saying that he went it to prove himself, and getting help from anyone, especially her, makes the whole thing moot. Strangekind found it a bit odd, but leaves him alone...at least from the outside. She wanted to know how Radical would be doing, so she asks one of the staff (which is her friend/mentor) of the school to keep an eye on him and tell her what happens. Strangekind is already at college at this point

Like Strangekind, Radical was also introverted at his youth.

Radical went in with high expectations of himself, but he found himself struggling with a lot of things, aside from mathematics, but that's just one of the things he needs to study. With no one to generally talk to, he's getting increasingly restless and frustrated. But one day during lunch, while he sits alone, some students come in and join him on the table. Turns out they were top students who needed help with mathematics. Radical decided from here on that he should just focus on mathematics - clearly he's amazing at this seeing as even the best students who study have to ask him.

I'll stop it here, because I'm getting sleepy lol. I'll probably start with the college part next time, and develop this later. But I just realized that the overall setting of academia is largely lost by putting Rad in this forced vacation thing. It sounds like it should be a sidearc ahahaha