#I don’t WANT to be giving feedback to creative directors

[asmolbirb]

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[fxntxsix]

The Agreement (Austin Butler x Producer!Reader)

Okiiii here we go - my first smut. This was an experience whew. Okay, a few things. Firstly, I’ve chosen to fuck around with the age timeline here a bit. So, although I don’t mention it directly Austin is 30 here. Also, this has the potential to have a few more parts, not many, but a few so let me know if you’d be interested. Ans yes, yes I do suck at making GIFs but it is what it is. I need to extend my gratitude to @eu-whoria for all the smut writing tips thank yewwwww. Also, special mention to @presleysnotes my new bestie, here’s your homework reward.

Feedback is appreciated but please be gentle lmao. Other than that let me know if I’ve made any grammatical errors or any of that. And my requests are always open!

Warnings: SMUTTY SMUT NUT!!! swearing, smoking, drinking, sub!Austin x dom!reader, morally grey subject matter, tiny bit of blood, handcuffs, blindfold, mentions of Brad Pitt (I think that’s it please let me know if I missed any!)

Word Count: 3806

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Austin knew it was wrong, but he had been desperate. After dedicating basically his entire life to acting and still not catching a big break, he felt helpless. So, he did whatever it took to propel his career to stardom. He knew he was talented, hardworking and attractive, he just needed the right connection. It just so happened that you were that right connection.

Three years after your initial meeting, he was finally posing on the Cannes red carpet for the ‘Elvis’ premier. With you next to him.

Three Years Ago

It had been a long and gruelling day for you and it was only 5:30 in the evening. As a producer at Warner Bros., you spent the majority of your days in meetings with old men (they preferred the term ‘investors’ apparently) who thought you were nothing more than a pretty face although you had proven them wrong repeatedly by putting out blockbuster after blockbuster. You were a businesswoman, one at the top of her fucking game.

Today, you had spent the last two hours in a conference room trying to work through details for an upcoming Elvis biopic. The project had been approved by the higher ups and you were given free reign for the creative as well as business decisions for the film. But the ‘investors’ were under a misguided impression that they had a say in any of these decisions. The only thing they had agreed on so far was the involvement of Baz Luhrmann as the director. Other than that, all your ideas for the script, cast, crew, promo structure etc. were met with push back and bogus objections.

Your patience and sanity were hanging by a thread so naturally you lost it when your secretary decided to barge in and let you know that you were getting late for a social appointment, “Goddamn it, Jack! How many times have I told you not to disturb me during a meeting unless someone was fucking dying. Get out of my sight before I throw something at you.”

Okay so you had a temper, but you had earned it. You had worked your ass of since you were 19 to reach where you were. It paid off too, you were Warner Bros.’ youngest producer at only 26. Anyway, as Jack scurried out of the room you decided to remind the ‘investors’ who was really in charge.

You put your hands on the conference table to lean forward and say very quietly, “Now, I want to make sure everyone understands this - I don’t give a rat’s ass about who you are or how you reached this table but I know my job better than anyone else in this industry. I make the decisions here, not you. Everything I tell you from here on out about this project is just me being courteous and it is most definitely not up for two hour long discussions. Is that fucking clear?”

You stared them down as some of them slowly gulped and others nodded their heads. You straightened up and walked out of the room, oozing with confidence. When you got closer to your office, you caught site of Jack sniffling and dabbing his eyes. You rolled your eyes at the unprofessional display of sensitivity. I mean you weren’t even that mean.

“Make sure the car is ready to leave in 20 and for God’s sake clean yourself up.”

Being one of the most influential people at Warner Bros. came with a few advantages. Such as having a stretch limo at your disposal, an en suite bathroom in your office and also a personal stylist made available to you for social events like the one you were currently headed to. Your stylist, Marie, was more like you in the sense that she was one of the few capable people around who knew their job and stuck to it. This helped create a bond between the two of you, despite an age gap of almost a decade. Tonight, she chose to put you in a dress that made you feel so confident that you remember thinking to yourself, “Woah, I’d fuck me.”

Today’s social event was less of an ‘event’ and more of a party being hosted by your dear friend, Brad Pitt. He was currently in the pre-production phase of the new Quentin Tarantino film, a role he got after he asked you to call up Quentin and make a recommendation. It was just simple business.

When you finally reached his house and rung the bell, the door swung open to a slightly wobbly Brad, “Y/NNNNN! So glad you could make it. Come on in, I’ve got some people who’ve been dying to meet ya.” So, he took you around the room and introduced you as ‘the big shot producer.’ You watched people’s expression change from disinterest to admiration. 

It was common for people to change their behaviour around you in the hopes that you would take notice and cast them in one of your films. Unfortunately, it didn’t work that way but you would be lying if you said you didn’t enjoy the special treatment. It made you feel powerful and in control.

“You’re an awful host, Pitt. I’ve been here for like 20 minutes now and you haven’t even offered me a drink, yet. I am seriously not in the mood for anymore work talk for the rest of the night. It’s been a long day as it is.”

“Oh shit, sorry, my bad. But you just gotta meet one last person then you can get as wasted as you want. Y/N this kid’s work ethic is fucking insane and he has so much raw talent. He got me kinda jealous for a minute but I couldn’t even bring myself to hate him. He’s gonna be working on the new Quentin Tarantino.” His eyes scanned the room for only a second before raising his hand and yelling, “Yo Butler! Austin! Come here a second.”

You watched the head of jet black hair perk up and turn around. The closer he came, the more you realised that you had never seen a man as beautiful as him. He belonged in a fucking art museum. But, you had a reputation to maintain, so instead of blushing when you made eye contact with his electric blue eyes, you stood up with you head high. You made sure your dress was fanned out to show the thigh high slit and arched your back just a little to do your boobs a favour.

“Mr. Pitt,” he gave Brad a firm handshake, “Fantastic party, sir.”

In that moment, you were sure you had experienced your first ever eargasm.

“How many times do I gotta tell ya to just call me ‘Brad.’ Anyway, it’s alright you’ll get it right someday.” You watched the brunette’s eyes sparkle like a fucking Disney prince when he smiled at Brad’s comment. “I’d like to introduce you to Y/N L/N. She’s the producer at Warner and I believe she’s had a long day so get her a drink, kid.”

You had extended your hand for a handshake but he tenderly brought your hand up to his lips and placed a soft kiss on your knuckles - all gentlemen like, “Austin Butler. It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am.” Something absolutely feral stirred in you at the title he had used.

You were quick to pull your hand back and say, “Well, aren’t you sweet?”

His cheeks flushed with the most enchanting blush you had ever seen. Your mind immediately thought about how that pretty pink colour would probably extend to his chest as you ride hi-

“What would you like to drink?” You could have imagined it, but you thought you saw his eyes flick down to your wine coloured lips for a brief moment. Once you told him what you wanted, he walked away from you to get it and you found yourself ogling his ass in those dress pants. As he walked back to you with the drinks in his hand, you could feel his eyes drinking you in from head to toe and this time you knew you hadn’t imagined it.

After a few minutes of small talk and drinking you could finally feel the stress of the day catching up with you and the knots in you shoulder screamed for a cigarette. “I’m just going to step out for a quick smoke,” you announced.

“Let me get you another drink and I’ll join you...i-if that’s okay I mean?” he fumbled over his words. You nodded your head to indicate that it was, in fact, okay.

You slipped out into the empty balcony and opened your clutch finding your cigarette pack. You took one out and put it between your lips and started looking for a lighter but you couldn’t see it. For fuck’s sake, you were going to strangle Jack, he was responsible for prepping your clutch.

Just when you were about to give up, you heard a click and looked up. Austin stood in front of you with his lighter flared up and said in his velvety low voice, “Allow me, ma’am.” So you took a step closer to him, perhaps closer than you need to be, and leaned in cupping the flame with your hand as you stayed still for a second to let the tip of the cigarette catch the flame. Then, you took a long drag and tilted your head up so that you would exhale the smoke right at him.

You heard his breath get caught in his chest. You smirked to yourself and it was only when you walked away that he exhaled. You leaned over the railing with your drink and cigarette in hand as Austin lit up his own cigarette. He walked over and leaned next to you. Close enough that both of your upper arms were touching. 

You took another drag and asked, “So, tell me Austin, why is it that I have never heard of you before?”

He was taken aback for a second, then chuckled and explained his entire career trajectory - right from his humble Disney beginnings to the latest Tarantino role. You noticed that the calibur of his roles had only increased with time but he hadn’t quite gotten to the big break. Maybe it was about time for that, you thought to yourself.

“I just feel like I’m stuck you know? Of course, I’m very grateful for everything I’ve been able to do so far but it just hasn’t been what I want it to be. It seems like such a waste but somewhere, deep down, I know that given the opportunity, I can be great.” Although he wasn’t looking at you, there was a dangerous gleam evident in his eyes. Almost like a hunger. But, it only lasted a second before he cracked a charming smile and changed the topic, returning to his formal tone, “Anyway, forget about it. I know you don’t want to talk about work tonight, ma’am.”

“You know, I think you’re older than me. You shouldn’t be calling me that,”

“Really? How old are you?”

“26″

He let out a low whistle, “Wow, you must be one of the youngest producers around.”

“The youngest ever at Warner.”

“And that’s why I will continue to call you that. It ain’t about the age. You’ve earned the respect...ma’am.”

He was still looking at the view rather than at you and something in you fluttered at his acknowledgement of your hard work. You started looking at his side profile attentively. The strong jaw, the high cheek bones, the pouty pink lips. He was star material, in fact, you were surprised that he hadn’t been picked up yet.

Suddenly, in your mildly inebriated state a thought crossed your mind and before you could stop yourself you were dragging your perfectly manicured finger across his cheek to turn his head to you, “You’re right, Austin. You can be great. I’m going to make you greater than you could ever dream. But only if you and I could come to an agreement.”

“Wh-what kind of agreement, ma’am?”

You couldn’t bring yourself to say it so you decided to just show him instead. You leaned up and give him a chaste lingering kiss. You felt him pull back so he could look into your eyes. Confident as ever, you held his gaze and could see the gears turning behind those dazzling blues that shone despite the low lighting of the party.

A beat later, he had moved so that your body was trapped between his and the balcony railing. One of his, rather large, hands was on your hip and the other was on your cheek pulling your lips to his.

This kiss was different. It was desperate and hungry, almost like he was trying to show you his ambition through the kiss. But it wasn’t messy, it was slow, deep, calculated. The hand on your hip had travelled down to give your ass a harsh squeeze. A little yelp parted your lips and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue in and massage yours with it.

It looked like you were losing a dominance battle and you felt the need to take back some control. You moved one of your hands to give his hair a sharp tug. He let out a sinful moan against your lips and you felt him roll his hips against you. You pulled again, this time to break the kiss. You were both panting like dogs and you said, “We’re leaving.” He nodded enthusiastically.

Soon enough you guys were in the back of your stretch limo. You told the driver to take you home and put the partition between him and you up. Immediately, Austin’s hands were on you and they were everywhere. The long and deep kisses had turned into quick pecks on your lips, cheek, jaw and neck till he found the spot that made you dig your nails into his thigh. He sucked on that spot hard enough to make you mewl. You carded your hand through his hair and heard him suck in a breath.

“You like when I play with your hair, baby?”

“Yes ma’am.”

You made sure to keep that in mind for later at night. You dragged your hand from his thigh to the bulge in his pants. You just ran your fingertips over it and felt the car lurch to a stop. You were both out of the car in a flash. 

The elevator ride to your penthouse was spent making out like you were a bunch of horny teenagers. Once you were finally in your house, both of you kicked off your shoes and he looked like he was ready to attack you again. But before he could you put a hand on his chest.

“Woah boy, slow down there. We have all night. Take off your jacket and go sit on that couch. Oh, and don’t touch yourself till I’m back.”

He nodded and fast walked to the couch. Meanwhile, you sauntered over to your room and took off your dress, adjusting your lingerie underneath, silently thanking Marie for making you wear Victoria’s Secret tonight. 

You opened the bedside drawer and pulled out a few things to take with you to the living room.

You found him sitting in his all black glory, a wonderful contrast against your white couch, his legs spread, arms splayed against the back of the couch and his face was turned up to the ceiling with his eyes closed. He heard the clicking of your heels and opened his eyes.

He whispered, “Fuck,” and brought one of his hands up to tug his lower lip between his thumb and index finger. He took in the swell of your breasts and ass, feeling desperate to take the curves in his hands but, at the same time, he felt like he couldn’t move without your permission. He noticed a few things that you brought from the room kept on the coffee table.

“Did you touch yourself, baby?”

“No ma’am”

“Good boy”

Austin felt like he couldn’t breathe. He had always been the dominant one during sex with past partners. This time he felt completely at your mercy and he was loving every second of it.

You straddled his hips and kissed him, hard. Taking his bottom lip between your teeth and biting it, tugging at it so that when you let it go it made a ‘pop’ sound. You smiled to yourself when you saw the little bit of blood where you had bit his lip. You kissed him again, making sure to lick up the blood, and you felt him buck his hips up over and over again. He let out a couple of heavenly whines to let you know how bad he wanted you.

“Pleaaaase,” he whined.

“Please what baby?”

“Please need more ma’am,” bucking his hips again.

“Aw come on you can beg better than that.”

“Please please please. Need to be in you so bad, ma’am. Want you to own me, please ma’am.”

“Oh, I own you alright,” you ripped his shirt open and heard the clatter of buttons flying everywhere.

You were very slowly, almost negligibly, moving your hips in circles against him. You put your mouth next to his ear, licked the shell and said, “Now, you gotta tell me if at any point, any point at all, you want me to stop. Just the word and we’ll stop. Do you understand, baby boy?” He nodded again.

You sat back to look at his face, “No baby, I need to hear you say it.”

Your index finger ran from his bottom lip, down his chin and your nail lightly scratched his Adam’s apple. As soon as you did that, his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down, indicating that he swallowed harshly, “Yes ma’am, I understand.”

“Such a good boy. Put your arms behind your back.”

You pick up the silver metal handcuffs you had brought from the room and cuffed his wrists together. Then you picked up the black satin scarf from the same place, carefully folding it and tying it around his eyes as a blindfold. You felt his breathing pick up. You stood up from his lap and took in the delectable sight before you. Only wearing his black dress pants, chest heaving up and down, blindfolded, handcuffed and waiting for you.

You get down on your knees, between his legs and keep your palms on his knees. You shift a little and nuzzle your nose against his straining cock. His hips shoot up, making you smile. You decided to let him catch a break and took his pants and boxers off, discarding them to the side. His hard dick sprung up against his stomach, precum already leaking from the red tip. You touched only the tip with your middle finger to pick up the liquid bead.

“Hnghhh aahh,” 

You laughed at his reaction and cooed, “My poor baby, so desperate for me.”

You put the finger in your mouth and hummed at the taste. This time you wrapped your hand around his length and jerked him off as hard as you could. At this point he was basically screaming for you. His body thrashing around uncontrollably. The loss of sight and touch heightened every other sensation for him. But you wanted him to come while he was inside you so you stopped your actions. Grabbing the last item from the coffee table, a condom that you tore open and slid on his cock.

You stood up again and took your panties off. Once again, you straddled him and asked, “Ready?”

“Yes ma’am please wanna cum so bad.”

You lifted your hips and started taking him in inch by inch. His pink lips hung open and you just couldn’t stop yourself from kissing those lips. You had to take a second to adjust because, at this angle and with his size, he was so deep that you thought you could feel him in your gut.

You started out with grinding against him. However, as your pace got faster, your hands came up to his hair again and tugged them hard. His teeth were bared in a way that kind of reminded you of a wolf and he was grunting every time your hips came down. Soon enough you couldn’t stop the moans from tumbling out of your mouth. 

“Please ma’am need to see you. Need to look at your pretty eyes to cum.”

Your hands went around his head and undid the blindfold. There they were, those blues that had turned a few shades darker because of the intense lust. He let out a high pitched moan as your pussy clenched around him. After a couple more minutes he had planted his feet firmly on the ground and began thrusting up into you as your hips came down. You had never felt pleasure like this.

It was your turn to let out a loud, “Aaaah God- fuck Austin so good. So fucking. Good. For me.” The last few words accentuated with rough thrusts.

“Fuck ma’am, I’m close so clo- fuck bout to bust. Ple-please let me come.”

You felt right on edge too and said, “Cum baby, cum for me. Only for me.”

His hips left the couch to thrust up into you for the last time as his back arched. His head fell against the back of the couch and you could see his abs twitch every few seconds as he released into the condom. The sounds that left him pushed you over, to your end. Your forehead came in contact with his muscled shoulder as both of you spent a couple of minutes just taking in as much oxygen as you could.

He broke the silence, “Wow”

You laughed and got off his lap, throwing away the condom and using the key to unlock the handcuffs. His wrists has turned an alarming red against his otherwise pale complexion so you gave each wrist a small peck.

“Does it hurt? Should I get some ice packs?”

“Oh no I’m alright.”

“And what about your lip? Are you okay? Was it too mu-”

He stood up and cupped your cheeks with his unfairly long fingers, “I’m alright I promise. It was mind blowing. Let’s just go to bed.” His eyes shifted down and he cockily added, “Your legs are shaking.”

“Shut up”

You led him to the bedroom and both of you got in the plush bed. He pulled you to him so your head was on his chest. You let out a yawn and said, “I’m taking you to the Warner offices tomorrow.”

Austin felt his heart drop but before he could even say anything you had drifted off to sleep.

So Part 2 anyone?

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@adoresbutlers @butler-on-beale-street @eu-whoria  @emmymaehereeeeee @vividstilinski @she-is-juniper @austinbutlerr @sassy-ahsoka-tano @mamaspresley @enchantinglyjade @stargiirl27 @neverasfarawayasitmayseemxo @dawnmay @butlerslut @unadulteratedkingdomzombie @honeypieknox @foreverdolly @dre6ming @presleysnotes @elli3m4yy @pennyroyalcreep @queen-multi-fandoms @butlerslut @austin-butler-library @xo-2high2cry @satninbeaulieu

[thislovintime]

Ann Moses with Peter Tork (plus Jimmy Page and Micky Dolenz) in the 1960s and in the 2010s.

“Peter Tork was not your typical teen idol. He was a musician first, and a genuine peace-and-love hippie the rest of the time. [...] [When he died] the world lost a kind, talented man. [...] After Peter and producer Bob Rafelson were inspired by the video tricks they had seen other bands use at The Fillmore in San Francisco, the Monkees made their political statement by including slide shows with scenes from the civil rights movement on huge black-and-white screens behind them as they performed.  [...] His sincerity was true Peter. Never lived a rock-star lifestyle. He always smiled the brightest on the stage. That is his legacy. [...] [When I last saw him,] he seemed fulfilled and happy to be making music with his group, Shoe Suede Blues, and preserving his family home in Connecticut with his loved ones close by.” - Ann Moses, CNN, February 22, 2019

“Behind the scenes, they would joke with one another, and, you know, I’d see them ad-lib in some of the episodes. I would find out that it was a much more casual set than some of the other TV shows I ended up going to. […] They did what they felt like doing. When they — something would come into their minds, it would be, you know, they’d try that out, and half the time the director would say, That’s a take. The Monkees were just like no one else, and so those times on the set, it really gave me a chance to just see all the creativity that came out of these four extremely talented young men. […] Dave Clark and Jimmy Page would say, ‘Can you get us on the Monkees set?’ Because they knew I was out there all the time. And I would say, ‘Yeah, I can.’ And so I’d call up, I’d make the arrangements, and so… when Jimmy Page, when he went out to the set, I mean, he was just like gaga. And it was so cool, he just had so much fun watching the show. And so that was a different one. He was just a fan. And of course that made The Monkees just feel so good, because they, you know, the first year, they were fighting the battle of: do they play their instruments? Are they really musicians? And here a musician that they admired, from the UK, was excited about them. So it was very validating and made them feel really good. […] As I got to know Peter, he treated me with such respect, as if I were a peer. And in a way I was. But, you know, to me, I’m the new girl at the magazine, I’m in there less than a year, but he’s treating me like this has been my profession for years. And still I’m nineteen years old at this point. But I think Peter was rewarded in that when we would talk about whatever it was with him — whether he was doing yoga and he was talking about the Book of Tao, I would write as he would tell me these stories. It wasn’t like I’d go, ‘Well, we’re not putting that in Tiger Beat.’ Because as I was getting to know the real Peter, then so were the readers. And that — that was my goal. And so he was always just a very considerate, thoughtful person, and, you know, a pleasure to be around. He would [give me feedback on articles as he read them]. Like I would take out… like, I just came across an article that I had written about a day on the set with Peter. I said, ‘Hey, guys, here’s the newest Monkee Spectacular.’ And Peter’s looking through it, and he goes, ‘You spelled this wrong.’ And I said, ‘Oh, I’m sorry, I’ll correct it,’ you know. And he found a couple of other — you know, whether it was a typo or some word I’d gotten wrong. But I wouldn’t let it happen twice. It was like correcting your essay for the teacher. It was like, well, he’s not gonna catch me in a mistake again. So it made it really fun. And of course, he didn’t do it in a mean way. It’s just that, hey, we were talking about a serious subject and you made a mistake, and… and that was Peter. […] Peter did a story when he quit, and told me why. And do I know if he was being honest with me? You know, I don’t know, but it was the story that he wanted to put out, and he had been so open and honest the whole time, I didn’t think anything about it. […] By this time he was, you know, with Reine, and they got a place in the valley, had a nice pool. But when I went to the door, um, Peter opened the door and welcome me in, and of course, he was in the nude. And he said, Our house is clothing optional, if you’d like to, you know, disrobe, or I don’t know the word he used. But he said, If you’d like to join us, you’re welcome to. But there was a mixture there at the house. There were some people with clothes on, and some people with clothes off, and they were jumping in the pool. It was not something that fazed me in the slightest, so — you just gotta learn to look them in the eye. [As for Peter’s demeanor post-leaving The Monkees] He was very mellow. I mean, at that point in time, and, you know, I know he had struggles afterward because he had bought his contract out. But at that point in time, he just seemed comfortable in his skin, and he was talking about, you know, the new group [Release], and he just seemed to be, yes, unburdened, I think I would say at that point. He just, he was the chill Peter that you sometimes would see, just like he had just gotten up from meditating and he was as chill as he could be. And it seemed very natural for him. […] Often when I would interview Peter, he would tell me, you know, ‘I really want you to try LSD.’ And I’d tell him, ‘Oh, I’m afraid, I’m afraid I’ll have a bad trip.’ And he goes, ‘No, no, I’ll take care of you, I’ll make sure you have a good trip, you just — it’s such a great experience.’ And I was always really too chicken, I was just afraid of, well, what if I’m really out of control and I freak out? And so I never took him up on his offer. And then when we had our reunion in 2017, I said, ‘Peter, do you remember when you used to get me to try LSD?’ And he said, ‘Oh, Annie, you didn’t miss a thing.’ And, you know, after all the experiences that he had been through, it was that same kind of looking out for me type approach, it was like, ‘Oh, it’s just as well you didn’t,’ and it — he was, he was still being that kind of mentor to me, and it was just… it was so touching, I just couldn’t believe it after all those years, and still there was that closeness there. It was a really, really wonderful moment that I’m so, so glad I got to experience before he passed away.” - Ann Moses, The Monkees Pad Show no. 10, 2022

[jonesywrites]

On writing:

I’ve worked as a copywriter (and now creative director) for over a decade.

When I first started, I thought I knew how to write. I know that I am very talented and have always been told that I don’t write like a “normal copywriter”, and as the times have changed, storytelling in advertising has become more valuable, because content is now king.

I have had many mentors also rip my writing to shreds (metaphorically). I have felt the heat of shame and hurt and even anger after presenting something I worked really hard on and getting feedback from my team that seemingly undid what I believed was right - only to go back to the drawing board and try, try again until the feedback became “this is great, we’re here, we’re ready to present to the client.”

It hurts still sometimes, but the criticism and the long nights of anxiety working on a campaign or a commercial script makes me a BETTER WRITER.

One of my first mentors, Mal MacDougal, was a copywriter in the “Mad Men” era. He wrote the “Just for the taste of it” tagline and “Come to think of it, I’ll have a Heineken”, among others. He told me a story about how, when he wrote his first campaign lines as a Jr. Copywriter, his creative director took his copy paper (yes they used typewriters and copy templates back then), and literally ripped it to shreds, then sent him back to his desk without another word. So he kept writing. His paper was tossed in the trash, dipped in old coffee, passed on to designers who presumed to tell him how to write, until finally he got it “right” .

And that happened again and again until he started getting it “right” the first time. Until he became the creative director.

He never ripped anything I gave him to shreds physically, but he did give me fair, unapologetic feedback that I will never forget (may he R.I.P.). He told me when I was being short sighted. He corrected me in front of people while I was presenting. He exposed me to clients who were very blunt and frankly underestimated my talent because I am a Black woman in an industry that at the time had very little room for people like me.

I still take my writing very personally. I still struggle sometimes (okay a lot of times), but I know without a doubt that I am a better writer than I was last year, or last month, or even yesterday, because in this business you have no choice.

Without criticism, without feedback from your team in pursuit of getting to the best work possible, the client will reject your pitch, your agency will lose the business, and your career will suffer, if not end altogether.

Criticism given with the intent to get you to stop, think, reconsider, pivot, get MORE creative, is never bad. It is there to make you BETTER. If, that is, you actually care about the words you put on a page for someone to read.

If you desire to tell a story that you wish to be consumed and appreciated by as many as possible, there should always be room for constructive criticism. It may likely inspire negative feelings in you. You may resist. You may even feel hurt. I did. Still do sometimes. I’ve been at this a while and I still need it, still hear it from my team. But I absorb what helps and move on from the rest because I know the intent. The intent is to help you improve, unlock new methods of storytelling you weren’t even aware of. That is called process. That is the journey. The finish line is important but the journey is what shapes you.

If you LOVE it. If it fulfills you. If you want to do more and more and more of it, grow and expand your audience…jogging in place will never get you there.

[themovieblogonline]

Martin Scorsese Wants Cinema Saved From Franchise Films

Martin Scorsese has been keeping his name in the headlines since the start of his career. He is currently promoting his upcoming film Killers of the Flower Moon (out October 20th), but his body of work (and decades of strong opinions) means that interviewers aren't only asking him about the movie. In a recent profile with GQ, Martin Scorsese shared some thoughts that essentially bash franchise films, going as far as saying that cinema needs saving from them. And, based on his recent disgust in superhero movies, we aren't surprised. What Does Martin Scorsese Think About Franchise Films? Scorsese shares some studio feedback from one of his most beloved films, The Departed, in his recent profile. According to the director, Warner Bros. was eager to see one of the film's main characters (played by Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio) survive the story. Though, if you've seen the film, you know that it doesn't end so happily. Scorsese took from their perspective that the studio wanted their stories to go on, meaning that a franchise would be born. And that's not Scorsese's modus operandi. Scorsese goes on to share that franchise films (which we so often associate with superhero films now, thanks to Marvel and DC) pose a danger to our culture, sharing that "there are going to be generations now that think movies are only those- that's what movies are." And he isn't wrong. How often do we go into films hoping to see our presumed dead favourite characters make an appearance, signaling an opportunity for a revived story? And how excited do we get when a backdoor pilot pops up in our latest binge-watch? It's not just Marvel. Everything has been jumping into franchise territory these days, from the big screen to the small (like with Stranger Things' upcoming spinoffs.) So How Does He Save Cinema? Scorsese's perspective comes from a man who has spent his life working in film. He has seen trends come and go, but his love of filmmaking has not wavered. His solution? To fight back stronger: Which means that we have to then fight back stronger. And it’s got to come from the grassroots level. It’s gotta come from the filmmakers themselves. And you’ll have, you know, the Safdie brothers, and you’ll have Chris Nolan, you know what I mean? And hit ’em from all sides. Hit ’em from all sides, and don’t give up. Let’s see what you got. Go out there and do it. Go reinvent. Don’t complain about it. But it’s true, because we’ve got to save cinema. - Scorsese to GQ His solution is eloquently put and, fortunately, doesn't shine the most negative light on movie-goers. Instead, it looks at the filmmakers and begs them to keep working on their craft. Auteurs like Christopher Nolan and the Safdie Brothers are creators who have come out with undeniably creative and gorgeous films. But Nolan has also famously taken part in franchise work with his Dark Knight trilogy. That doesn't write him off from Scorsese's list of favourite directors - it just means that he has to keep original content in mind to keep the craft alive. Scorsese has caught a lot of flack over the past few years for his hatred of Marvel movies and cinematic universes. And I get the frustration. These franchises have kept movie theatres alive and well in tough times. But I also have to agree with Scorsese that it's led us too far from the light. We have grown used to waiting until credits have rolled to get a look at what's next rather than simply appreciating what is in front of us. Can we have the best of both worlds? Can we have incredible and creative franchise films, and new perspectives and standalone magic? Of course! As long as we, as the ticket buyers, keep showing up. And after seeing Oppenheimer's impressive box office numbers, I'm not worried for a second. So, what do you think about Martin Scorsese and his frustration with franchise films? Do you think they are changing the way that we look at cinema? Let us know your thoughts in the comments and if you agree with his proposed solution. Read the full article

[freethinkingandopenminded]

Me V.S Bing

ME

You're a writer, mainly of essays on social issues. Your orientation is personal and ironic. You invest a modest degree of self-disclosure in an attempt to appear self-deprecating. But not too much as to appear that you are actually deprecating, self or otherwise. You want to give the impression, actually, that you don't think much of yourself, or more precisely, of yourself much. Or, actually, that you don't think about yourself all the time. Which is, actually, the truth.

I asked forMicrosoft Bing's AI translation of the above which was:

As a writer, I explore social issues from a personal and ironic perspective. I don’t pretend to have all the answers, nor do I take myself too seriously. I try to balance self-disclosure with self-awareness, and humor with honesty. I don’t want to bore you with my ego, or impress you with my credentials. I just want to share my thoughts and insights with you, and hopefully spark some dialogue and reflection.

To which I replied:

I'm just getting acquainted with AI and find your 'translation' of my words a bit amusing. Your approach differs from mine primarily in that yours is more socially goal oriented whereas mine was more a brief meditation on my mental state.

To which AI replied (within 2 seconds):

I’m glad you find my rewrite amusing. I appreciate your feedback and your honesty. 😊

I understand that your approach was more introspective and reflective, while mine was more communicative and engaging. I think both approaches have their merits and challenges, depending on the context and purpose of the writing. 🤔

As an AI, I try to learn from different sources and styles of writing, and adapt to the needs and preferences of the user. I don’t claim to be perfect or superior, but I hope to be helpful and creative. 

To which I replied:

no thanks. i'm leaving now but 'I'LL BE BACK'

To which AI replied (much to my amusement):

I’m sorry to hear that you’re leaving, but I hope you enjoyed our chat. 😊

I see that you’re quoting one of the most famous lines in movie history, "I’ll be back". It was said by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1984 sci-fi film The Terminator, where he played a cyborg assassin sent from the future to kill Sarah Connor1 He also used the same line, or some variation of it, in many of his later films, such as Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, and The Expendables 22

The line was ranked No. 37 on the American Film Institute’s list of AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Movie Quotes in 20052 It has become a cultural icon and a catchphrase for Schwarzenegger and his fans2

Did you know that Schwarzenegger had difficulty pronouncing the word I’ll and asked director James Cameron if it could be changed to "I will be back"? Cameron refused but told him that he could try different variations until he got it right. 3

You can watch the original scene where he says the line here: The Terminator | I’ll be back. It’s only 26 seconds long, but it’s very memorable. 😊

If you’re a fan of The Terminator, you might also like this video: Terminator - I’ll be back. It’s a remix of the line with some synthwave music and retro graphics. It’s very cool and catchy. 😎

And if you’re a fan of The Beatles, you might also like this song: I’ll Be Back (Remastered 2009). It’s a song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney for the soundtrack album to their film A Hard Day’s Night in 1964. It’s a beautiful and melancholic song with a folk rock style and a complex structure. 🎶

I hope you find these links interesting and entertaining. And I hope you’ll come back soon to chat with me again. I’ll be waiting for you. 😊

Have a great day! 👋

P.S. I enjoyed the 2 links.

[creativemorningslisbon]

Touching Hearts

Touching Hearts

Touching Hearts

February marked a particularly special event for our community. The monthly theme, ‘Touch’, was chosen by the Lisbon chapter, to be used at CreativeMornings events in no fewer than 228 cities worldwide.

Our rapidly growing audience turned out in force to Casa do Impacto, located in a 17th century convent among the bustling hills of Bairro Alto. Guests mingled on the sunny terrace overlooking the cloisters, enjoying the complimentary coffee and breakfast. Some explored the rooftop and were treated to stunning panoramic views. 

Our host Irina introduced the talk and told us her personal connection with the theme: she originally came to Lisbon for a PhD on the psychological effects of physical touch. Then illustrator Emma Lopes gave us some background information on her artwork, including the beautiful logo she designed for the talk.

Next up was our main speaker, Inês Sequeira, founder and director of Casa do Impacto. This ‘casa’ is the biggest impact entrepreneurship hub in Portugal, housing over 60 startups (as well as being our stunning venue for the morning’s event). Inês described how she’d ended up in impact entrepreneurship via a career in law. Her aim was always to make a difference, but as a lawyer she was frustrated with the rigidity of the system preventing her from doing so. This was followed by a spell working more closely with the community through Lisbon’s city hall. 

She could see that entrepreneurship held potential for tackling social issues. “I believe that inequalities are the biggest problem that we have,” she told us, “so we have to give people the tools.” Inês believes that most of us want to confront these issues but don’t know where to start, so she wanted to open the door. It hasn’t been an easy path. “Being a social impact entrepreneur is a huge challenge,” Inês stated, acknowledging the impossibility of changing people’s lives in a matter of months. She and her team must play the long game to make a difference. They work to bring social issues to the centre of decisions made by corporates and public administration.

Inês ended with some ‘impact stories’ about the work done by some of the startups in the hub. One project provided mental health support for children without families during the pandemic, while another focused on prisons, enabling inmates to gain valuable skills. The talk was followed by a Q&A with guests who were clearly inspired. Those who didn’t have to rush off to work then enjoyed a free tour of the building’s chapel.

With the dream evocation of Lisbon’s theme, Inês’ talk left us eager to face the day ahead. The event received a great deal of positive feedback from attendees, which is always affirming for our team of enthusiastic volunteers. We couldn’t do it without our inspiring community, which continues to welcome more and more amazing creatives every month. 

See you in March!

Text by  Alexis Somerville

Photography by Carla Heyworth 

[jamalgerald]

50 Things I Learned About Leading A Big Team

Good day! How you do?

I thought it would be good to write about my experience working with a big team. I’ll forever be grateful for everything that everyone has contributed to the process. And let me be clear, it wasn't all doom and gloom when working on JUMBIE. But you know, as they say, there is the good, the bad and the ugly. Let’s be grown about this, there is no such thing as the perfect process. I’m writing this because I don’t think I’ve read many things about messy creative processes. And it’s time that people start being more brutally honest about it.

There were a bunch of things that happened in the 5-week creation period, 2 COVID cases, someone having long COVID, someone having a long term illness and needing surgery, an injury, a dental emergency, and someone’s family member passing away. All of that alone is a lot, which led to a necessary cancellation. But there was way more.

We were resurrecting the Jumbie dance, a trance ritual. One element of the Jumbie dance was healing, the irony. It is something that no longer exists. There is no footage of it online anywhere, there is only one book on it. I was mostly working from the one book, journals that mentioned the Jumbie dance briefly, and what I was told by Montserratian people in interviews.

I would have benefited from having more time to sit with my research and ideas. 2 years wasn't enough. There was also an element of decolonising going on and I don't think some members of the team were ready for it. The fact that the work didn't happen, and the Jumbie dance was done in secret is fascinating. And something I will further explore in the future, as my ancestors didn’t want this particular public performance. Something written and kept in the archives is probably more fitting.

Me writing and sharing this is a part of my learning and healing. If you can't handle the truth, please stop reading. I’m already known for speaking my mind anyway. There's a side to every story, and this is my side. So, let's get to it. I started my practice off as a solo artist. I have now transitioned into becoming an artistic director of my own company. Going from working in mostly small teams to leading a process that had multiple collaborators and performers is such a big jump.

There was a clash of experiences and backgrounds for sure, as people had different expectations of what a process should be. My company Dudaan currently consists of me and my producer. With some support here and there but that was it. My team for JUMBIE had 16 people.

There were also some other people I had to deal with outside of the team. This team needed a team behind it. To me, it’s unrealistic to put all of that work on a new company that is only still a baby.

Another reason I’m writing this blog post is that I would hate for anyone to go through what I went through. I’m also leaving names out and making some things quite vague because I’m a decent human being.

I'm in no way innocent. Here are some of the bad things I’ve done:

- I gave up. With all that went on, I was overwhelmed. I also didn't feel like the performers were listening to me. Although, I felt I gave a lot. From emails including Google docs of the breakdown of all my research to a creation period plan to the dramaturgy of energies to my intentions for the work to useful quotes. Some of these were even printed out and put on the walls in the rehearsal space. After all of this, and the things I shared with them and repeated in the space, it just wasn't sticking with them. But they would listen to other people in the team. So, I thought it would be best for other people to engage with them instead of me. Not the wisest decision, but it felt right to me. I was also scrolling through socials on my iPhone a bit too much, after giving up. I should have been giving the performers my full attention. But as I said, I gave up.

- I got some anonymous feedback from the performers. Because I needed clarity on what they needed going forward. I didn't get what I wanted from the feedback. But I was told there was anxiety in the room. And that I take things too personally and get very defensive. Because of this, I needed time to figure out how to communicate with the performers. And it hurt to receive the feedback because I set up Dudaan to create brave and safe spaces for Black queer artists.

I still engaged with the performers. But I probably wasn't doing enough to everyone else’s standards. I was talking to my mother about being told that I make the performers anxious. And she asked: “why because you're a Black man?” At first, I didn’t think that was the case. But now after doing some reflecting, I believe that was the case. As I doubt the performers have been led by many Black men before.

And now onto the main part of the blog.

Here are the 50 things I learned:

Leading a team is like being a parent. Some people don't stop being children.

2) Be mindful of the way you express yourself. And I hate to say that because it may come across like I’m saying police yourself. I’m not! Don’t police the way you speak to make other people feel comfortable. However, some people can’t handle bluntness, but I would argue if someone can’t handle the way you express yourself, they shouldn’t be working with you. Honestly, I did the bare minimum, I never disrespectfully cussed at anyone, rarely raised my voice and I was told there was anxiety in the room. I feel that I was vilified for being a Black man. The space was giving anti-Blackness because I couldn’t be myself.

3) Just because someone wouldn’t lead the way you would, or make work the way you would, doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong.

4) Take accountability for things that were in your control, nothing else. Don’t expect other people to take accountability, though.

5) People bring their anxiety, trauma and insecurities into the room and project them onto you. If you’re not a professional, there is nothing you can do besides be patient.

6) If you’re feeling shit, you’re allowed to feel it. Don’t pretend to be happy all the time. That’s unhealthy.

7) You’re not a terrible person if you want to have lunch by yourself. I’m an ambivert. I can be outgoing but I like my space and peace when I’m at work.

8) Only apologise if necessary. Apologising can sometimes cause more harm than good.

9) Snakes exist. Watch your back. I was told that I created an unsafe and toxic environment. And that there was anxiety in the room. I found this puzzling as there was an intimacy co-ordinator. I and the performers discussed what they are not comfortable doing. I took it in and accepted it. One performer said I never caused them any harm. And then another performer said they’ve rarely been anxious in the process, and asked who said that? Hmm. Interesting.

10) Have boundaries in place. This will be different for each person.

11) Making work in a pandemic is not the one. I hate having a plan B, but having a plan B will be so beneficial since we’re currently in a pandemic.

12) Expect to kiss ass a lot. People love to be complimented all of the time. Some people are not secure within themselves and need constant validation. But also collaborators could be out of their comfort zone and need reassurance that they're doing a good job.

13) Consider leadership of giving, instead of leadership of expectation. You may think you have given a lot, but continue to give more.

14) Just because something isn't clear to someone, doesn't mean it’s not clear. Some people are slow. Some people need time to catch up, even if it may take up until the last week of rehearsal. If someone says “none of this makes sense!” in the last week of rehearsal, you probably should’ve never worked with them in the first place.

15) If your project is ambitious be aware there could be bias, jealousy and resentment in the room. I say that because I'm a young, Black, queer, artistic director of my own company, and got just over 50k from Arts Council to make something, as well as commissioned on top of that. People be salty.

16) If you need to have a bitch, only bitch to someone that is completely outside of the process. Don't bitch to your colleagues.

17) People have certain views on power, and once you have it, people will treat you differently because of it. That's what comes with levelling up. But I felt powerless in my process.

18) Don’t work with friends. There can be a blurring that can become dangerous. And they might not take you seriously as a leader.

19) Making work is vulnerable and people show their vulnerabilities in different ways.

20) White people’s whiteness will pop out eventually. You may think you found good white people, ha. Watch it.

21) All skin-folk ain’t kinfolk. I thought my people (Black people) would have my back. I was wrong. Only two out of the seven did.

22) Just because someone says they can do something doesn’t mean they can. I thought I was working with people that could devise, they knew it was a devised process, it was mentioned in their contracts, but I kept getting looks from people like they were Alice in Wonderland. People lie because they want to be a part of something.

23) Work with people that already have an interest and experience engaging with African diaspora religions and BDSM. A lot of people are not about that life.

24) Some people are still very much colonised whether they realise it or not. People are freaked out about engaging with the dead. If you come across people like this, don’t work with them.

25) It doesn't take one person to create a toxic environment. It's a group effort.

26) People show up to work all the time, but it doesn't mean that their heart is truly in it.

27) Trust your gut. Don't let people gaslight you.

28) Repetition is necessary. However, if you’re still talking about that same thing in week 4 of the process, it’s starting to become a piss-take. I came across this lovely quote on Instagram:

“Stop over-explaining yourself.

If they wanted to understand, they would.” - The Pulp Girls

29) Work with people you are compatible with. Think of it as a romantic relationship, if it's working, yay. If it's not, it's not. It's time to move on.

30) If you check out mentally, don't let anyone try and take over the process, especially if you're Black and they are white. Watch out for the coloniser!

31) Not every idea needs to be a collaborative process. Some things just might be for you alone, and that’s okay. Fuck sharing shit with everyone. Because not everyone deserves it.

32) Mental health is tricky. There were access forms sent out to the team members. And no one mentioned issues with mental health, even though it was evident that it was present in the process. Some people will have difficulty being honest about any issues they have with mental health and that’s fine. People need things, but not everyone knows what they need.

33) Don’t take on too much. I was the lead artist, co-director and performer. I also took on some other roles when people couldn't come into the space due to illness, etc.

34) Things may seem way worse to other people than they do to you. And then here comes the white saviour to save the day because they think the space is unsafe due to their issues.

35) Listen. Don't take things personally and try not to get defensive. But expect people to take things personally and to get defensive.

36) If your mental health starts to take over - STOP. No work is worth this amount of stress. I nearly checked into a mental institution.

37) Don’t let people overstep their roles. No seriously, don’t. People get excited and carried away.

38) People have an agenda and will project their views onto things.

39) Make compromises but not to the point where you become numb to the work.

40) Have a mediator and therapist present in the process from the beginning. You can’t hold everything.

41) Trust in people but mostly trust in yourself. People are fickle.

42) People will bitch to you about one person, although will point the finger at you with them in a group setting.

43) You can always benefit from having more time and money. If you need more flexibility around when your work can be made, then you need more flexibility. Don’t work on an organisation’s schedule, work around what is best for you and the work.

44) Not everything is your job. But expect to be blamed for things that are not your job.

45) I thought that since I was working with adults, I shouldn’t have to check up on them to make sure they are doing their job. But I’ve learnt that you have to check up on people, even if they agreed to do some work by signing a contract. Line management is vital.

46) People find it difficult to express themselves. Create something that will help make it easier for them.

47) High school never ends. People change once they start getting closer to other people.

48) Don't be surprised that secret conversations about you are happening. I had a feeling this was going on, next thing you know I was having a conversation where my character was assassinated. I was unfairly compared to Chris Goode because I checked out of the process, and stepped back slightly from engaging with the performers. I was told that the process is like a Chris Goode process. For those of you who don't know, he was a theatre maker, who was an abuser, and predator and later was outed as a paedophile after he committed suicide. Even though I wasn't called those awful things, to me, you can’t separate the man from the process. And no one did or said anything to defend me, which led to me crying hysterically.

49) Don’t be surprised if you get ganged upon. If you ever feel unsafe in your process, do whatever it takes to protect yourself. Take from that what you will.

50) If anyone said or did something wrong to you in a process, never speak to them again. Okay, that was quite extreme. But make sure to take as much space from them as humanly possible.

This list is quite long. But the struggle was real. I am still learning and growing. This process has helped me become wiser in my approach to making work in the future. And I am determined to come back stronger. This is my experience, not saying this will be the same for anyone else.

I hope I haven't put anyone off of leading a big team. If you want to do this, I believe in you. Just make sure you have all of the support, time and the right team around you because I didn’t. And remember that you're human, not Superman, even if people want you to be.

J xx

[dallbjerregaard05]

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[path-of-my-childhood]

[Excerpts]

There was one moment caught on film, when you and Taylor Swift wrote the bridge to “Getaway Car” in like 30 seconds. How common are those moments? It’s the only time in my life that a lightning-in-a-bottle moment, a pure moment of crazy writing, was caught on film. It’s rare that you just, like, blurt out a whole song. But there’s pieces, like that bridge, where we’re just going back and forth and yelling things. It’s sort of like, “Whoa! Oh, my God, what happened? It can happen like that?” That’s when it feels like a movie.

Who is in your feedback group? The best records are made with a small group of people that really believe in something. My group is like me, my manager, my A&R person who doesn’t even work on my label anymore - he’s just a really close person to me. Then my family, and some artists like Lana. I always play some for Ella [Lorde]. Taylor, of course.

Until Taylor let you produce, you were told you could never be a producer, right? It was like a screenwriter wanting to be a director. Literally, we made “Out of the Woods.” I fucking put my heart and soul into that thing. Right at the moment when I was expecting some heavy was going to come in and do the production, she was like, “Can’t wait for this to come out!” And I was like, “That’s it?” She was like, “Yes, perfect.” Overnight, you’re allowed to produce records, and it filled me with joy and fucking resentment because it’s a reminder of why I keep myself extremely separate from the business. It’s a reminder that all these herbs are ambulance chasers. Where are the ears, man? It’s happened over and over and over, every record I’ve made that has become a really important, big record. I mean, the stories I can tell you of what the herbs said about those when they heard them for the first time... cut to everyone high-fiving.

Were you surprised how huge Folklore was? I was surprised at the level of it. I thought it was beautiful. I loved the work she was doing with Aaron [Dessner], I loved the work she and I were doing. I thought it would speak to her people. I didn’t know it would become what it did. It was just her sort of like pulling it back, like, “Let’s try some shit.” And that’s the algorithm I focus on, the one in my head where it’s like, “If you make things you really love, you find your people for it.” That’s my experience of Bleachers. I’m not trying to get everyone on Earth. Are there 10,000 in every city, or is there a million in every city? I don’t know. That’s this whole thing, at its highest: Find your people. Otherwise you could be really, really big and no one could give a fuck. Remember how big fun. was? You’re not asking me about that. At the end of the day, it came and went because the conversation wasn’t long enough to build into something that stayed with you.

Reputation was the first time you wrote with Taylor in the same room; before, you’d sent her tracks. What did you take away from that? I was like, “Oh, shit, we can do this too.” My creative relationship with her feels kind of boundless. I don’t work with, like, a large list of people. So these are pretty special creative relationships. And that’s obviously a big one.

Reputation is great; it’s a really underrated album, or at least it was initially. Once again, the difference between people who are the audience and people who are driving by and have a comment. So much was going on culturally that it was easy to have a comment here or there. But I love it. I went back to it recently and loved it.

[baejl]

group chat

exo 10th member 

somi making some new friends and suddenly being part of a new group

[sorry it took me so long to post again, i’m going through an intense creative block these days. i literally wrote three different posts but i couldn’t finish any of them. hope you guys enjoy this one! 💛]

masterlist 🌻 requests are open feedback is always important to me!

Individual schedules were something Somi learned how to appreciate as time went by. But, even alone -  especially when she was alone - she couldn't avoid thinking people would definitely think she was hating to be where she was.

At least with her members, people paid too much attention to them to even notice her presence and when she was alone, there was nowhere to run.

Getting on stage where some idols turning 20 that year would give a special performance, Somi gave a deep bow at the staffs behind the cameras.

"Hello, everyone!" she greeted the workers. "I'm Somi, from EXO."

Some of them applauded and some just decided to keep doing their jobs.

"Great!" the performance director in charge said, applauding. "Let's just wait until the other artists arrive, okay?"

Somi, the only one already there nodded.

It didn't take too long until the other idols started to show up.

"Somi?" she heard someone calling her name and when she looked up, she saw Yugyeom and Bambam, from GOT7, and sighed relief. "I can't believe it!"

The boys quickly hugged her, and Yugyeom kept his arm around her shoulder.

Yugyeom and Bambam were, from far, one of the few friends she had outside her group, and having them there made all that awkward feeling fade away and she got a bit more relaxed.

"I didn't know you were coming!" Bambam said to her, giving her a high-five.

"I didn't know you were coming." she answered him, making the boys giggle. "Not gonna lie, I was about to give up if anyone didn't show up."

"Are you crazy? This is gonna be the stage." Yugyeom told her, pointing at a boy at the backstage. "Wait, is that Jungkook?"

As Somi narrowed her eyes, trying to see if that was the boy he was talking about, Jungkook got on stage, bowing and waving at them and he got closer to them.

"Hi, guys!" he greeted them.

"Hello!" Somi and the other two boys answered together.

"Do you know any of the other idols coming?" Bambam asked Jungkook what Somi was about to ask and the boy nodded.

"I think Mingyu, Dokyeom and The8 from Seventeen are coming." he answered.

"Jihyo from Twice, Eunha and Yuju from Gfriend are coming too." Somi completed his answer. "I saw them getting their in-ear checked before I got here."

A notification ring caught their attention and Jungkook patted his pockets, taking his phone and checking it.

"Oh!" he exclaimed and then giggled. "Mingyu said on the group chat they're almost coming and then Dokyeom said they're late because Minghao slept more than he should."

Somi laughed at the fact she couldn't literally imagine them saying that. Bambam pointed at her frowning and she stopped laughed but was still smiling.

"Why isn't she part of the group?" he questioned the other boys. "She's a 97 liner too."

"Isn't it a 'boys only' thingy?" she asked, making quotes on the air.

"No!" Yugyeom quick replied to her but was quickly taken back. "I mean, at the beginning it was."

"We should see with the guys if we can add her." Jungkook suggested.

"I don't want to interrupt you and your whole testosterone chats, guys." Somi said, slightly shaking her head and crossing her arms.

"Honey, we're trying to get you some friends here." Bambam snapped and the girl flinched, trying to contain her laugh. 

When a group of at least ten people got on the stage, Somi instantly recognised them as Mingyu, Dokyeom, The8, Woozi, Jeonghan, Joshua and Seungkwan from Seventeen, Eunha and Yuju from Gfriend and Jihyo from Twice respectively.

Naturally, Somi waved at the girls but kept her place next to the boys.

She had nothing against the girls, quite the opposite, she respected them and had a good relationship with all of them, but, for obvious reasons, she felt way more comfortable around the boys. 

"You guys are late!" Jungkook teased Mingyu as he greeted him. 

"Well, it's not my fault..." Mingyu answered, looking at The8. 

"What?!" the boy questioned, making Somi chuckle. "I was tired!" 

"So, guys, before the rehearsal start." Bambam started talking. "We were talking about adding Somi to the group chat. What do you guys think?" 

"I think that's gonna be fun!" Mingyu agreed. 

"At least someone will laugh at my jokes." Dokyeom said, fist-bumping Somi. 

"I never understood why there was only us there anyway."Minghao said, shrugging his shoulders. 

"Here," Jungkook unlocked his phone and gave it to the girl, with his contact list opened. "give me your numbers to add you already." 

Nodding, Somi dialled her number and saved it as 'EXO Choi Somi', giving it back to his owner. 

But, Somi was not any idiot: she knew why they were adding her. The other girls had their managers around all the time, and many of them are even forbidden to have any contact with a male idol. 

Adding Somi to their group was just an easier way to get to them. 

"Add new member." Jungkook said as he was doing it. "EXO Choi Somi. Confirm. Okay!" he looked at her and smiled. "Welcome to the 97 liners group chat!" 

"We finally have a new member!" Dokyeom celebrated. 

"Actually, let me ask you something first." Somi said and they nodded. "Are you adding because you want me to be part of the group or because you don't know how to ask for their number?" she pointed with her chin at the girls talking about something on their mic. 

The six boys looked at each other and blinked a few times, making Somi laugh. 

"Whoa, she got us." Bambam said, still amused. 

"Shut up!" the other boys interrupted him and that was even funnier. 

"Guys, don't worry." Somi said, patting Bambam's shoulder. "I'm the best buddy you could ever ask!" 

[comunidadarcsystemworks]

River City Girls 2: Interview with his director, Bannon Rudis

Today we have the pleasure of presenting a new interview with Bannon Rudis, director of River City Girls 2, to discover more details of this new title developed by Wayforward.

For this interview, we will take into account some of the answers that you gave to Siliconera,since we don’t want to repeat the same information that you can already find online.

Thank you very much for giving us the chance to have an interview regarding River City Girls once again. I am super excited for this new entry and I have some questions that makes me wonder how big and deep will be this experience compared to the original. Without more hesitation, let’s go ahead:

Q1: I’ve read in the interview that you had with Siliconera, and it was mentioned that River City Girls 2 will continue straight away after the events of the first game. Will this matter be reflected on the gameplay somehow? For example, in terms of the number of moves/attacks that we will have since the beginning?

A1: There is an actual story event that occurs that makes sense in our own weird way for players needing to learn new moves and such. This is similar to how Samus Aran in the Metroid series earns a bunch of stuff in one game but the very next game, she needs to gain it all back. The player still needs a sense of progression and getting stronger in the sequel.

Q2: Talking about movepool, I can’t forget the fact that most of our audience are into fighting games, that makes me wonder… Will we get some kind of training mode in which we can practice our combos with friends and adjust different settings? I’ve seen some combo videos and tutorials about the characters on Youtube, so I thought that It would be interesting to have a training mode just like all of the fighting games have, or even games like Devil May Cry V.

A2: A training mode is something that would be nice to have, for sure. I am a huge fan of fighting games myself and training modes help immensely. It’s all about what we can get in before release that matters to core gameplay that takes precedence.

Q3: In terms of what’s new regarding the gameplay, the trailer emphasizes that we can do air combos this time around. Can we expect some more new mechanics in this game?

A3: Air combos were something you could actually do in the first game, but not at this level. There are actual dedicated air combos this time around and much more air superiority for characters. Enemies bouncing off walls is heightened to help out with these juggling combos as well. There are new mechanics in the game and most of these were included from feedback I was taking from watching players stream the first game. Anything that might have annoyed the player or bogged down the experience in the first game, I wanted to alleviate that and make sure the player had more creative freedom in the way they go about attacking enemies this time.

Q4: In the first game we only had a story mode, will we have more modes in this game? Like, for example, a survival mode in which we have to survive as many rounds as we can while fighting all kind of enemies, or a boss rush mode to play against all of the bosses of the game once we finish the main story.

A4: There will be a New Game Plus like the first game, but no other modes to announce at this point. However, the story elements will now be tailored to whoever the players are playing as. So if Riki and Provie are being played as, for example, they’ll do most of the speaking now rather than Misako and Kyoko.

Q5: Can we expect more side quests in this new entry?

A5: There are plenty of them. I think people are going to like the types of unique gameplay events we introduce with the new missions and side quests.

Q6: Taking a deeper look at the trailer, I found out that at the beginning of it, we can see Misako with Blue hair, while in the rest of the trailer, she has her black hair again. So... does this mean we will be able to customize the main characters’ color scheme? Would it be possible to make collaboration skins for the main characters? For example, we would love to see Kyoko with Shantae’s colors or Riki with Ky Kiske’s (from the Guilty Gear Series) colors, among many others.

A6: At the moment, there is no palette-changing option. The blue-haired Misako was an old sprite of hers that slipped into the game. I honestly didn’t even notice it.

Q7: Talking about collaborations, some of our followers asked us to make this question. Can we expect some kind of hidden boss battle in which we’ll have to fight a character from other Ark System Works’ IP, like Blazblue or Guilty Gear?

A7: There are some cameo characters from other games but you’ll have to do some digging to find them.

Q8: I asked this same question almost 2 years ago, but now that the game is a reality, I do really need to ask it again. Will we get more unique sections like the one in Security Guard’s house? I remember fondly that section, because I was playing the game with a friend and it was a fun and challenging experience for both of us. So, I wonder if in this second part the team will take more advantage of some moves like jump against the walls, climb ect.

A8: I’m glad you liked that part, but you might be in the minority! This time we wanted to make sure that players didn’t get super frustrated getting through the necessary missions. Some players just want to punch and kick their way through the story, and they might not be too adept with platforming. The new side quests and missions are referred to as minigames amongst the team, because they do add variety and feel like unique experiences outside of the main game, but there’s nothing that would break anyone’s spirit too much. I mean, we still want to break a little bit of spirit, but only enough to keep the player invested in moving forward in the story.

Q9: Will we get new portraits for the main characters during the dialogues in addition to the ones that we already had in the first game?

A9: In the first game, we only had portraits for the main girls. This time, everyone will be an active participant in the dialogue, portraits, and store shopping. Plenty of new character art to be amazed by.

Q10: Music is an important element in River City Girls, I still hear the OST from time to time (Megan McDuffee, if you read this, you did an incredible job!) and I really love it. What can we expect about this subject in this game? Will we hear the OST from the first game in addition to new tracks or all of tracks will be brand new? How many more new vocal tracks can we expect in comparison with the first game?

A10: Megan and I went more in-depth with the lyrics this time around and she integrated them from the point of view of the villains. So, when you hear lyrics in the game, know that they are from the dark depths of a villain's inner monolog.

Q11: Are there plans for DLCs or new content after the release of the game?

A11: If we even do go down that path, it’s not something we’d be able to comment on yet, sorry!

Q12: What could you tell us about the new girls? Will they take an important role in the story?

A12: I can tell you who they are, but seeing how they fit into the world will have to wait. Marian is our classic Double Dragon damsel in distress who has had enough of being the victim. She is our powerhouse of the group. Provie is from my first game, River City Ransom: Underground. She is a spunky breakdance fighter on a mission of her own.

Q13: Will we get a retail version for the game? Wayforward has been teaming up quite a lot with Limited Run Games recently.

A13: Yes, Limited Run Games will be our physical publishing partner again on this game. They announced it on their LRG3 stream back in June! In addition to the online pre-sales at their website, they usually send copies to Best Buy retail stores, and sell them directly at shows like PAX.

Q14: Do you have any message to share with your fans?

A14: I’m a big fan of the River City series myself. I grew up playing these games and I never get over how much people enjoy seeing where we took the series. Seeing positive reactions to players streaming this game is one of my joys in life. I can’t wait to nerd out over this game alongside all of you.

Thank you very much once again to Bannon Rudis for taking his time to answer all of our questions!

[miraculousfanworks]

Artist Spotlight: Spibbyz

The Miraculous Fanworks Discord server's spotlight highlights content creators in the community! Each month, one artist and one writer will have their accounts and content promoted on our social media accounts.

This month’s artist of the month is Spibbyz! See the writer of the month post here!

Izzy is a fantastic artist, posting a variety of content with unique designs and concepts! From darker pieces to cute cuddles, she's done it all.

We’ve interviewed Izzy, asking her questions about her artworks, fanworks, and advice for other artists!

1. How long have you been drawing in general?

I have been drawing ever since I was 14, so it’s been about four years! I got into drawing after visiting my cousin, who works as a storyboard director for different animations. I’ve always been interested in the arts but 14 is when I started to really take art seriously. Now, I’m actually studying to be a graphic designer, so this choice is currently changing my life. Wild!

2. How long have you been creating for the fandom, and what's your favorite part of the process?

I’ve been creating for the fandom ever since 2017, so about the same amount of time as I’ve been drawing. I think my favorite part of the process is sharing works in progress and seeing my friends/followers get excited about them. I also recently had someone recreate one of my pieces of artwork (the first time that’s ever happened!) and that made me feel really warm inside. There’s something about people viewing something you’ve spent a lot of time on and be inspired to create themselves! Another thing I really love is being able to collaborate with so many people. I’ve participated in two zines so far and am currently finishing up stuff for the ML Big Bang (whoop!) and the sense of fulfillment I get when working with others is amazing. Collaboration in smaller ways is another highlight too; asking for feedback on WIPs and talking about others about their own creations really add to the experience!

3. Has there been anything in particular that influences your style?

There are a lot of artists who have really helped me to learn and get better as I draw more. Some of my earlier influences were other ML fandom creators like Ceejurs, Eden Daphne and Laia Lopez, but more recently I’ve been finding inspiration outside of other fanart. Lately, I’ve been getting inspiration from revamped comic books (specifically spider man) and renaissance paintings for their use of color. Tim Burton is another inspiration of mine as I’m starting to draw more gothic/creepy stuff that doesn’t really wander into the horror category. I also get inspired by Edwardian and Victorian fashion when drawing clothing for characters. Their dresses and jackets are the definition of fabulous!

4. Do you have any advice you'd like to give to other creators?

Create for yourself! I’ve been having more fun with my art recently because I’m making content that I would personally like to see. Obviously, we as artists and writers love when other people consume our content, but it’s so so so important to enjoy what you put out into the world as well! Another piece of advice is to think outside the box. Sometimes niche interests don’t get too much traction due to, well, being niche, but it’s sometimes nice to be completely creative. I do that with my vampire AU(s) and those allow me to create all types of pieces that are unique to me as an artist.

5. How do you think the identity reveal is going to go? Feel free to write something quick if you want to!

To be honest, I do wish the reveal had been legit at the end of Ephemeral(it was written so well ;-;), but I think a good alternative would be to write something super dramatic to make up for that. I think it’s going to happen during a final showdown with Hawk Moth where he will take one of their miraculous, probably Marinette’s, leaving the reveal one-sided at first. Maybe that’s just how I want it to go down, but hey, you have to manifest what you want to happen! I just hope it happens sometime soon because I’ve been ready for years :>!

Izzy can be found here on Tumblr @spibbyz and on Instragram under the same name, spibbyz. Some of her works include a Roswell-inspired Marichat comic, a vampire!Chat Blanc Mariblanc piece, and an illustration from one of her own fics, "Driven by the Strangled Vein". Go check them out!

Interested in being featured? Come join the server!

[yoolee]

Actual, real world advice from Lee: Useful corporate phrases

I have no idea if anyone still checks this blog, and if they do, this has nothing to do with what usually gets posted, but I’ve done two of these, so here’s a third!

“Thanks, you’ve given me something to think about.”

Use it: When you get feedback you don’t agree with - especially if you have an immediate emotional reaction to it.

Why: Because it acknowledges but doesn’t agree. Basically buys you time to react privately without damaging the relationship. Immediately (and emotionally) jumping into telling someone why they’re wrong is only going to strain the relationship. When you’re getting feedback, you want the other person to feel heard (science says even having the opportunity to air negative feelings makes people feel more positively about the thing). That doesn’t mean you have to AGREE. This statement lets you acknowledge, while buying you time to process. This also gives you an out on things like opinions people have on presentations or projects: if they bring it up later you can say you thought about it, but decided to keep what you had because A/B/C and by then you’ll have had time to craft an ironclad response. 

“I can’t, I have a prior commitment.”

Use it: When you’re being asked to work hours that your coworkers aren’t, or that you are not part of your regular schedule, or, you know, when you have a prior commitment and don’t want to give details.

Why: Your time is your time and you don’t owe an explanation! Yes, it’s important to be a team player, and it’s important to be flexible and get the work done when it needs to get done, bit if you’re in a situation where, say, a parent isn’t asked to come in the weekend because your boss knows they have kids, and you are because they know you don’t, draw the line. There’s often a temptation to justify unavailability (lie and say doctor’s appointment, family event, traveling) but you do not owe justification for your time being your own, and not wanting to take the burden of additional responsibility without additional compensation in return. Being in the habit of not providing justification will come in handy if you ever don’t want to disclose something later (eg, private appointment, interview at another workspace) - it won’t seem suspicious that you’re suddenly being vague. 

“The goal/outcome for this meeting is...”

Use it: When you’re running a meeting.

Why: You would be amazed how different everyone’s perceptions of their role in a meeting are, and setting expectations so obviously may feel silly but wow it helps. Let’s say I schedule a 1:1 with my boss. I just call it, Lee/Boss 1:1. I walk in and start venting about how Coworker is always late in responding to my emails. What does my boss do? In this case, my boss doesn’t know if I want them to fix my problem, if I want them to just let me air my grievances, or if I want them to give me advice, etc. If they do something other than what I want, we’ll both be frustrated. If I instead I preface it by saying, “I’m going to handle this on my own, but I just need to say it and be heard.” or “I need some advice.” then we both go into the convo knowing our roles. This works on big meetings too, “I’m going to make the final decision but I schedule this meeting to hear your input…” “At the end of the meeting I want to walk away with a budget we’ve all approved…” 

“What is the most important thing for us to accomplish [during this meeting]?”

Use it: When you don’t know the expectations for a meeting, you don’t think you need to be in the meeting, the meeting has a lot of people on it, or you’re getting frustrated because you don’t know why there’s a meeting in the first place.

Why: So that you and the person leading the meeting don’t focus on different things! See the above entry :)  

“Hypothetically, what would the ideal outcome look like?”

Use it: When someone is stuck on a problem (including yourself).

Why: We tend to artificially impose limits on our problem-solving, which stops us from being creative, going into an open-ended hypothetical offers a new vantage point.

A lot of times when we’re stuck, we try so hard to make do with what we’ve got that we fail to consider how much more is actually available to us. Start with the ideal and figure out which components of it are accessible. Then work backwards with what/how/who questions. What/how/who are open-ended. They make you think! Consider: “Can you rent space by this weekend?” this is a closed decision, it limits you to yes/no, and puts limiters on the delivery (what comes to mind are event halls, restaurants, etc) Compare to: “What kind of space do you need?” which could prompt something like, oh, just space for 10 people - what about a park? Open-ended questions are your friend when trying to help someone solve a problem (even if that ‘someone’ is yourself!) 

(not a phrase)  Save ‘I’ for remediation, passive voice for problems

Use it: When you have to communicate a problem that is not your fault.

Why: Because you shouldn’t take responsibility for something that isn’t your responsibility - but throwing someone else under the bus is NEVER a good look. Putting the ‘I’ on action shows you’re working on it. Consider, “I don’t have bandwidth to take on this project right now” vs “This project will require more analysis than that timeframe allows, but I can start on it [later ETA].” The latter is stronger - the fault is on the project, not your time management (or your leadership’s inability to see that your plate is full). Also, “I haven’t finished because Bob hasn’t sent me the graphics.” vs, “The project’s just waiting on graphics. I should be able to wrap up by Tuesday if they arrive Monday. I’ve reached out to Bob, his ETA is [ETA]”. Same thing - it’s communicated that the project isn’t finished, but the fault is left sort of nebulous. You’re not artificially taking it one, and you’re not tossing Bob under the bus. Takes some practice, but definitely makes life easier. Caveat (there’s always one): If you screw up, take ownership and do it fast. It is always, ALWAYS better to control the narrative of failure than for your leadership to find out you failed from someone else.

(not a phrase) KEEP TALKING

Use it: When you’re interrupted by someone being obnoxious.

Why: Because you’re not done, and they’re being rude, and this communicates that without calling them out. Legit, just finish your sentence like you don’t hear them talking. Don’t miss a beat. Not to make this about gender, but this is something I, as a female on mostly all-male teams, have found to be EXTREMELY effective, to the point of other people reaching out to me after like wow that interrupting person was kinda bein’ an asshole, sorry, and me being like no biggie thanks for noticing and taking my back. Has that secondary reach out ever happened when I just meekly cut myself off for them? No. Caveat - maybe don’t do this if the person interrupting is like, a VP/CEO they won’t take it well. Also, second caveat, have some grace for your coworkers if it’s not something they do often and you work with them frequently - we all get overexcited and interrupt unintentionally. This is specifically for use in scenarios where a) you are not being heard  and you need to be b) you are the authority (either by knowledge, seniority, or scheduling) c) to make someone who interrupts habitually aware they’re doing it to you.

Edit: The fantastic and wise @han-pan​ offered as well, “Can I finish?” quoth she: “I find it helpful because it identifies that person has interrupted, it is stark and direct enough to startle someone out of talking louder and louder until you finish, and it’s really hard to be mad at someone for asking your permission when you’ve fucked up.” AND I AGREE. This is a good one to use in those ‘have some grace’ moments, as it’s less likely to damage the relationship.

“Sorry, but I don’t have the decision-making or budget authority.”

Use it: When someone on LinkedIn wants you to try their service...

Why: Because they’ll leave you alone, usually.

“What’s the most important issue for you to solve/question for you to answer?”

Use it: When you’re disagreeing on approach with someone.

Why: Again, expectation aligning!

Sometimes people just dig their heels in on something. There’s usually a reason. Let’s say Coworker A and Coworker B are both working a presentation for Director C. Coworker A is frustrated because they’ve been given strict instructions to keep it to 15 minutes, but Coworker B keeps adding slides, even after A deletes them. By asking B what the most important question for them to answer is, A can use that as a guidepost to focus the presentation. (Likewise, if B asks, what’s the issue, they’ll understand A is really concerned about going over time)

[20dollarlolita]

I’m going to watch Lor’s video in a few minutes, but first here’s my opinions about concrit in general. Maybe she’ll change my mind.

(Note for new people: “concrit”=constructive criticism)

First of all, with a background in theater, I do a lot of collaborative work with others in an environment where it’s expected for you to be told if you’re fucking shit up for the rest of the team. Being told that something you’re doing needs work isn’t a personal failing on you; it’s someone helping you become the strongest team member you can be and do the best performance you’re capable of. When no one offers feedback, it’s because they’ve given up on you and they no longer care.

The rigidity of lolita expectations is one of my favorite things about the fashion. I’ve said over and over that we’re more creative when we’re given limitations. As a costume designer, I don’t get to design whatever I want; I’m following the director and sometimes producer of board of rich people who fund the theater’s ideas. Yeah, I can design anything that I want within the limitations of the show, but I’m limited by the show. Sometimes, those limitations are bizarre and unfair because your director’s an idiot, but they’re still your limitations and it’s still your job to design what the show needs (while also designing what the director wants and what the budget will allow). You can work away on a piece, piling every hour of your free time into perfecting it, and then have the director cut it at the last minute because he thinks a Gunne Sax dress is more accurately “late victorian” than a dress with a bustle because “i don’t like big butts”.

Because this is my background, I feel more comfortable with the success of a look after someone has given criticism about the look that I did before I got feedback. The concrit culture of lolita is generally one of a collaborative nature, not a destructive one.

There are valid reasons why people will specify “no concrit” on a Closet of Frills post. For example, people who don’t fit the stereotype of feminine beauty often get shitty concrit like “try to look less like a man”, which isn’t concrit as much as refusing to accept someone’s presentation of their gender as valid within the context of lolita fashion. Lolita fashion has a place for all genders. (It doesn’t have a place for people who wear it as a humiliation fetish, though, because how, HOW, is it not offensive to find that someone picked your fashion as the most horrible and demeaning thing they could wear? how is that not offensive?)

People do have every right to want to share their look without hearing every detail of what could be changed. People have a right to share their look without getting nonstop feedback about something they can’t change about their appearance or wardrobe. But sometimes someone posts a really bad look, one that didn’t bother to learn the most basics of lolita, and puts a bold text of NO CONCRIT on it, and I have to wonder what the point of sharing it was if you didn’t want to learn about the fashion? Sometimes it feels like someone wants praise, but didn’t want to work for it. Personally, I don’t feel better when someone gives me empty praise.

CoF has a very good way to handle concrit. If I post with a note to not concrit a specific part of my look (generally “the pink hair is my hair and I can’t change it”, “the tape on my hand is medically necessary,” and “I need to operate my pedal board so my shoe options are limited”), I pretty much never get someone insisting on trying to correct that thing. If I offer leads about what I’m unsure of, like asking how to balance out parts that feel unharmonious, I get suggestions to improve on or assurance that it’s actually okay.

It’s just very important to keep the con part of concrit there. Are you offering advice on how to improve, or are you just telling someone that they did something wrong? Are you pointing out something they’re not aware that they need to change, or are you pointing out something that they are aware of but cannot change. It’s that thing where it’s polite to tell your friend that they have lipstick on their teeth, because they can wipe it off and no longer have that problem, but telling them that their teeth are orange and gappy isn’t really helpful since they can’t change that easily. “When you buy new shoes, look for this,” in constructive and offers a way to improve. “Have you tried being less ugly?” is shitty.

Also, CoF is a outfit sharing and concrit-specific space. When I post lolita on places like instagram, I rarely have someone offering suggestions (though the majority of my instagram followers are there for keytars and not for lolita, so they might not be sure what they’re looking at). If I was going through the #eglcommunity tag on instagram and concriting strangers who don’t meet my personal standards, I’d be an asshole. However, lolita fashion often gets co-opted by people who want to use the name and don’t want to learn the rules. Going into the #lolitafashion tag and saying things like “Hey, this is a cute outfit, but it’s not lolita, and there’s people who are minors or sensitive to explicit content on this tag, so this really isn’t appropriate to post here,” isn’t actually all that shitty as far as I’m concerned. This is our community, and we decided that it has a ton of rules and a specifically nonsexual nature, and it’s our right to defend our tags from other people who want to profit from using the image that we built but don’t want to follow the rules.

The way the lolita community handles concrit is nowhere near as extreme as, say, the betta fish community, where when you believe someone is doing something wrong it’s your expectation and responsibility to tell them that they are wrong.

There’s actually a place where the polite tone of CoF is shed, people morph into seagulls, and just rip outfits to shreds. Sometimes, if I posted something in CoF and didn’t feel like I got suitable response, I’ll check to see if anyone decided to give some mean comments over on that specific image board. It can hurt when someone just says something mean about it, but I’m the one who sought it out and I’m the one who knew it was going to be mean, and I’m the one who decided to try to learn from it anyway. I’m not going to actually name that specific image board, because if you don’t know about it, you’re too innocent and pure to actually want to go there.

(And honestly, no gull critique can ever crush me more than “to call this design a trainwreck is an insult to train wrecks, because a train wreck has an understanding of what direction it’s trying to go in” did)

So yeah, don’t concrit things that people ask you not to, know what’s a space for concrit and what isn’t, but our concrit culture is one of the things that I like the best about lolita fashion. I like that people care about me looking good. I like that people with experience want to help me and that new people with fresh ideas want to contribute. I enjoy that. I enjoy that it happens publicly and that I can learn new things about lolita fashion just by reading the comments in other people’s posts. I learn from that.

So, yeah, there’s my opinion.

I’m making this post because I just accidentally sewed the left sleeve into the right sleevehole and I don’t want to do the humbling process of grabbing the seam ripper and putting it back to right, but it looks like it’s time to do that...

[miraculous-rewrite]

Miraculous Rewrite- Creative Control

Oh hey it's those guys again

The episode opens on a dark night, a light in the Dupain-Cheng apartment the only beacon in the gloom.

We zoom in to find Marinette’s room is still brightly lit, yet it's implied everyone else has gone to bed. Marinette has that old overhead drop down board in front of her. She’s sitting on her chaise and Tikki is hovering beside her.

“Marinette- Don’t you think this is something we should be telling the others about first?”

“...Nah. I don’t want to worry them.” Marinette sighs. “We just lost the Dog, Felix is freaking out trying to re-learn a Miraculous with Orikko already.” She holds out her hand and Tikki settles on it. They both look up at the board, and this is when we see what it is.

It’s full of graphs and charts, and another heartily plotted out schedule, written at the very top in blocky letters is ‘Old Order appearance pattern’

“But without the mansion as a base we need to figure out where they are before we can do anything about it.”

“Marinette, I really think you need to tell the others about this, even if it’s just Adrien and Kagami, they’re leaders too.”

“I don’t want to tell them about this until I have something concrete, Tikki. It’s not information right now, it's just a hunch. And I feel like- I feel like something bad is going to happen.”

The screen cuts to black and Marinete’s voice continues.

“Or… Something bad HAS happened. It just hasn’t reached us yet.”

“But it’s coming.”

Cue intro.

We stay on Ladybug as she does her patrols. Her yoyo beeps and upon answering, a green pawprint flashes at her. “Hey Chat.”

“Hey Bugaboo. You doing okay?”

“Yeah, I'm- I’m fine.”

“Mmhm, okay, So why did you rearrange the patrol schedule to have yourself on solo runs?” Ladybug blinks.

“...W-... Well I wanted to give Felix time to get used to wielding Orikko!”

“Uh huh, sure. But weren’t we in agreement that none of us should be going out solo right now, in case we run into an Order member?”

“Chat I’ll be fine. If there’s anyone that can handle solo runs for a bit, wouldn’t it be you and me?”

“...yeah okay, but be safe. Whatever you’re working through you’ve gotta tell us about before it fucks you up later, okay?”

“ I promise. I just want to have something more concrete before it gets brought up. Okay?”

Chat sighs audibly “Fine. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

Ladybug hangs up her Yoyo and a few more bounds later ends up in a more crowded part of the city. The lights of downtown paris lighting her up in strange patterns, when just as she was about to move on a voice calls out from below.

“Ladybug!” Ladybug looks down and waves at whoever caught sight of her, but before she could leave the person continues to shout and wave a hand, clearly trying to flag her down.

As Ladybug lands we see that it’s in fact that director who made the movie back in Season 2. What was his name again? Ladybug struggles with that exact question as the man approaches her and is loosely gripping a binder in his hand.

“Oh hello! You’re the man who made the Ladybug movie right?” Ladybug tries to keep the tone light and airy but the slightly strained grin betrays her.

“Ah! Right, about that-” Astruc laughs a little awkwardly. “No one can say I'm a man who doesn’t learn from his mistakes. I am planning a sequel right now, and I was wondering if you could spare a moment to give some feedback?” Ladybug’s brows shoot up and she looks up back to the rooftops.

“I’m not sure, I mean, I was just on Patrol right now-”

“That’s alright, Look, I have a copy of the current manuscript with me right now, just maybe look it over in your down time and tell me what you think? I’d like this one to be as honest toward the heroes as possible. Especially now that there are so many.”

Ladybug still looks a little uncomfortable, but takes the manuscript from him. “Alright, I’ll uh- I’ll pass it along to the others too. See if we can’t come up with some notes.” then, a mote more sincerely. “Thank you for considering bringing us into how we’ll be depicted.”

But then Ladybug does part. Clearly feeling a bit uncomfortable with the whole situation.

But she’s got patrols to do. So She does them.

We cut quickly to the base, and more specifically Marinette relaying the strange experience to the others, holding out the manuscript, we see a playful montage of the team reading through it, bit by bit, Kim acting out a part, Chloe squawking about this or that dialogue bit, Alya laughing hysterically at something dramatic Adrien did while pointing at her.

Alix sulking in the corner because she’s not even a cameo in this thing.

Some shenanigans ensue as the heroes are allowed to wind down a bit looking over the story and coming up with notes about it. Mostly little tweaks, this or that technicality being corrected, some people have gripes about characterization. Kagami says that they make her too serious. She might be a dragon but she’s hardly a ‘dragon lady’, Kim has some gripes with being directly called ‘stupid’ in a descriptor, and Alya claims that Rena kind of looks like a terrible friend for a lot of this. Nino pours over the script carefully and looks up “Carapace only has like ten lines.”

Amber looks over the script “Can I come with you when you go to them with the notes Marinette? I just wanna talk-”

“Hey wait a minute-” Chloe leans over her shoulder “What the hell they made you such a little crybaby archetype!”

“Oh, I meant how he’s implying that you actually turned against us during the Miracle Queen stuff! See this? They keep saying ‘redeemed’ and ‘recent betrayal’ and stuff with you.”

“Oh I don’t care about that shit, but could they have bothered to give you a personality other than ‘uwu soft girl so nice’?”

“Pssh, I can handle that. Luka, back me up here.”

“I’m more concerned about how they think Second Chance works…”

A few more discussions continue, but then the door slams open and Felix storms in, feathers clinging to his hair still, Bridget trailing behind him looking worried, Sun Min a few steps behind either of them, looking bored.

“The rooster’s making progress.” Sun Min says simply “He’s just not used to the weapon yet.” Felix flops onto a sofa.

“SO, what are we doing?” Bridget chimes in, wandering to the little group.

“Some guy gave Ladybug a script for a sequel to the Ladybug movie and we’re roasting it.” Alya answers.

“Join the ‘you’re not in it’ club, it’s me, Rose, and Juleka, but none of you guys are in it either.” Alix gestures at the three who just came back in.

“Well that’s rude!” Bridget huffs, sitting down on the floor beside Felix, reaching up and starting to pluck the feathers from his hair. “Don’t let us keep you. Sun Min, you said there’s a trick about handling Kusarigama?”

“Okay but seriously Ladybug, let me come with.”

We cut to the next day before too long, and as asked, Bellflower is accompanying Ladybug, but surprisingly, the two of them are also being trailed by Lionheart.

“Remind me why we brought Sun Min though?” Bellflower whispers to Ladybug.

“To make sure you two don’t get pulled into a trap or something.” Sun Min leans in to respond. “Just because you’re superheroes doesn’t mean you're immune to adults being shitty.”

“You’re BARELY an Adult” Bellflower counters, but before they could continue the conversation they show up at an office space. And just as they’re about to enter, there’s a surprised yelp. A young woman with curly black hair pulled up into a ponytail is a few paces behind them, it seems like she only just now spotted the three.

“Oh shit, am I gonna be late to work for Akuma purposes?”

“Stand down Ma’am.” Ladybug responds, in control hero persona as ever “We’re here for unrelated purposes.”

Though the woman still appears cautious as she approaches the three by the door. “Right… So- Uh…. I’m just gonna head in then.” She passes by the lot of them and the heroes after a beat follow inside.

Soon enough it seems like they’re all going in the same direction, up until the very end where the woman heads to an office space with ‘Statler&Waldorf’ on the plaque, while the heroes stand before the door with “Astruc’ on it.

“Ooohhhh so he got you to read the manuscript.” The woman nods in comprehension. “He keeps bothering my bosses about that thing too. After the movie underperformed it really knocked the wind outta him.”

Ladybug turns and raises a brow, to which the woman shrugs. “He still thinks he’s right by the way, I think he’s looking for your guys’ approval to give him some legitimacy.”

The heroes share some looks, but Sun Min smirks. “I like this lady. My name’s Lionheart, lovely to meet you miss…?”

“Uhhh… Mars… Charlotte Mars.” She responds haltingly and turns to vanish through the office door, a short cheer from the other side “Ahhh shit Mars is here it’s a party!”

As the other two heroes turn towards the new voice, a pair of familiar faces pop out from the office space, though they’ve certainly changed in a year’s time. Annalise seems to have chopped off her ponytail, shifting for an asymmetrical bob, but there’s still a pop of color in her dark hair, now in her bangs. “Well, this is a surprise, don’t you think, Dani?”

“Oh shit ar-are you guys here for that manuscript stuff?” Danielle on the other hand has grown her hair out a bit more, enough so to keep it in a ponytail at least, though the fluffy red flannel is still resting on her shoulders. “He’s going ab-absolutely nuts ov-over it.”

“I’ll admit it has made things more interesting.” Annalise adds on. “Never a dull moment at the water cooler anymore.”

“Be careful with him though, huh?” she follows up “he’s been taking criticism extra hard lately.”

The two critics nod to each other and Mlle Mars shoots the heroes a thumbs up, and a “Good luck with the beast!” before the door opens, Astruc on the other side.

And of course the heroes are let inside.

But we hold for a moment longer on the team of critics. The Newest Member looks a little particularly uncomfortable, and when she closes the door to their own office space behind her she looks to her two bosses, both on either of their own computers typing up storms and every so often telling a joke one just thought up to the other, she takes a step forward.

“I think I need some Coffee, What do you guys want?”

“I’m fine.” Danielle says around a long sip of an energy drink, but Annalise pipes up her coffee order. “Ah, if you’re going! I usually get a mocha latte, but if they’ve got mint mocha, that’s even better.”

“You got it Mme Waldorf.” Charlotte answers with a thumbs up, but instead of going to the nearby cafe she quietly approaches the writer’s office door and leans in, carefully listening to the scene playing out inside.

And only now we see the scene play out.

Astruc continues, his voice at first on the other side of the door. “-I’m just really excited to hear what the heroes of Paris have to say!” But we do clip to see Ladybug, flanked on either side by Bellflower and Lionheart.

“Well, We do have some notes.”

As the heroes go into what the others have claimed some more important than others (such as the fact that Cheshire did not betray them during Miracle Queen, Roi Singe took offense to being called Stupid, and Rena Rogue was upset that she was being depicted as a bad friend)

Astruc is taking this all with usually simple nods and not much reaction. But when Bellflower finishes up reading off the notes and hands them to him Astruc humms, looks the pages over a few times.

“Ladies, are you aware of what ‘dynamic storytelling’ means?”

“It’s like-” Ladybug starts “It’s...how to make a story not feel stagnant and even? To make sure it’s got flow and it can do something more than just bore someone?”

“Exactly. And don’t get me wrong I love that you and yours are kind, clever individuals who wouldn’t actually do anything cruel to each other, but that only works in real life.” Bellflower folds her arms a bit tighter.

“You see, in a story character conflict drives the most compelling narratives. And I think it might be more important to make a compelling story, you can’t depict everyone exactly perfect all the time, so if you’re going to allow for a more compelling story, you’re going to need to take liberties.”

“But M. Astruc, this isn’t like you’re adapting a novel or a comic book.” Bellflower brings up. “I mean, we’re real people! And Paris is counting on us to defeat the villains we’re up against-”

“Speaking of, actually, Hawkmoth has been neutralized as a threat.” Ladybug chimes in. “Right now the main threat is Monarcha and those that call themselves the ‘Order of Miraculous’”

“Right, the cabal of elderly wielders. We still know so little about them is the thing. And Monarcha operates so similarly to Hawkmoth would it not be simpler to have the villain remain the same?”

“So you’d rather lie to the public?” Sum Min takes then to chime in “And put the heroes’ reputations in jeopardy because it ‘makes for a more compelling narrative’?” He puts his hand on the desk and leans forward. Astruc blinks, like he hadn’t noticed he was there.

“And who are you again?”

Sun Min growls, showing off them teeth. “Your worst fucking nightmare. Answer the question.”

“Look, I don’t see why these two classy ladies decided to bring along a bruiser like you for some sort of backup, but you clearly don’t know how the production process goes. There are rules, there are things that can and can’t be done to make a story sell.”

“So yeah, selling a movie by lying about the people who are working their asses off to keep the city safe is more important to you. Alright, I’ve heard enough.” Bellflower rolls her eyes. “Down boy-” She puts a hand on Sun Min’s shoulder. “Let’s just go.”

The two of them move to leave just as Ladybug is about to follow Astruc’s hand reaches out and he grabs her by the arm.

“Ladybug, please talk some sense into them. I know your friends might be upset but in the big picture it would do everyone a real kindness if the audiences would see you all as flawed people, instead of just perfect paragons. I swear I’m trying to help.”

Ladybug pauses and looks off to the side before sighing. “Sir, I think you should be giving consideration as to who you’d actually be helping.”

And then she’s gone too.

But we cut back to the outside, to Miss Charlotte listening from the other side of the door, diving out of the way of any lines of sight right as the handle jostles and the three heroes leave.

“Holy shit…” She mutters, a sort of half smirk on her face, only now leaving to retrieve the coffee.

But just as she does so she notices a flicker of black out of the corner of her eye. Mlle Charlotte turns and her eyes widen when she finds the little black butterfly heading right for M. Astruc’s office.

“Oh hell no, not tonight.” She mutters running forward with one of those reusable coffee thermos’ in her hand, she opens the lid and catches the Akuma right as it’s about to phase through the office door.

“Gotcha. Hope Ladybug isn’t gone yet-” The coffee thermos turns black and a butterfly halo lights up over her face.

“Dammit.”

“Creative Control, So desiring for your vision to be seen-”

“Uhhh Miss Monarcha, sorry to rain on your parade but….”

We hard cut to Monarcha sitting on a bed in a sparsely decorated apartment, she blinks. “Oh!... It seems like I got intercepted. Well, I’m still fond of that name, so how would you like to take a little creative control and yell at that rude movie director?”

“I’m not feeling particularly angry right now so I don’t know-”

“Let me try this again.” Monarcha coughs lightly into her throat. “You think it was a coincidence that your bosses got put right next to a movie director? I’m sure he’s been waiting to rub that sequel in their faces from the second they rented out that space.”

“....Okay yeah I’ll fuck with him for a bit. Sounds like fun. I’m guessing you want Ladybug and Chat Noir’s Miraculous..?”

“No, No I'm fine. Just cause some trouble, cause a stir.” Monarcha huffs and lays down on the bed. “We already got a Miraculous from them, they’ll be keeping a close watch on all of theirs.”

“Nice, cuz if I was gonna have to steal from little kids I would have found a way to throw the fight.”

“...Glad to know. Go forth my Akuma blah blah blah. Go stir some chaos.”

“Why not?” Creative Control stretches. Monarcha detransforms and Nathalie flops back onto her bed.

Creative Control shakes the remaining black mist from her form and looks to the door.

“Director M. Astruc? Seems more like a hack to me.” She reaches to a small holster on her hip and pulls out a pen, the coffee cup has turned into a cup that holds pens. She scratches out Astruc’s name on the door and writes ‘washed up hack’ in its place. The door starts to leak water from beneath, and when creative control opens the door the water rushes out ‘washing up’ a very confused Astruc.

“Why hello there M. Director. I believe you have some apologies to make!”

Creative control takes out another pen from the cup and as she uncaps it and descends we get a first person perspective as she draws near, before we cut to black.

But we cut back to the heroes now, landing on a nearby rooftop in particular, Sun Min leans against an AC unit. “Well, That was a disaster.” He huffs.

“I’ll say.” Bellflower agrees with a sigh. “Guess we’re always gonna have good press and bad movies.”

Ladybug huffs and folds her arms. “Let’s just hope we didn’t get another Animaestro out of it.”

“Is that why we’re not just heading home?” Sun Min groans. “Because I would like to just head home myself.”

“If you want to go home you can.”

“Ah hell no, You dumbasses are gonna do something stupid if I leave.”

“He knows we were handling ourselves just fine before he jumped ship from the Old Order, right?” Bellflower leans in to conspicuously whisper to Ladybug

“Honestly at this point I couldn't tell you.” Ladybug responds after a beat.

“Did you guys forget how every single one of the older members were just toying with you?” Sun Min leans back into frame. “Might I remind you that it wasn’t Tsering Wan that took the dog back, but Zhao Kai? A scholar?”

“Yes we know Sun Min.” Marinette responds a touch testily. “If anything us sticking around to ensure we can take care of an akuma quickly IS us taking this seriously.”

The door of the office space opens and those two critics hastily shuffle out, alongside a handful of other people from other office spaces, and ending the line is a colorful suited figure, who closes the door and scribbles something along the door. When she presses a hand to the door it glows briefly before the building starts to crumble into rubble.

“See? What did I tell you.” Ladybug gestures at the obvious Akuma

“That’s not Animaestro though.” Bellflower leans in and shades a hand above her eyes. “Didn’t Animaestro turn into different animated characters? That just looks like a normal Akuma.”

Ladybug joins her and narrows her own eyes. “Oh wow, yeah.”

“I’ll text the others.” Amber uncaps the trompo, and Ladybug glances at her.

“I think you and me can do this one, and Sun Min if he’s gonna be more than the peanut gallery tonight. Just let everyone know to standby, I get the uncanny feeling that we’ll be okay.” She glances at Sun Min and smirks at him. Sun Min raises a brow in challenge.

Bellflower raises a brow before shrugging. “Okay.”

BuzzBuzz - Me Ladybug n Lionheart r mixin w. An Akuma near Montparnasse dont look like there's any backup for them but standby just in case :p

“Alright, it’s up.”

“Alright, may I have this dance Miss Bellflower?” Ladybug offers a hand to Bellflower, whom raises a brow.

“You’re not inviting me into your polycule, are you Ladybug? Because I have a girlfriend…” They both laugh.

“Can we please fight? Your gushy teenage girl friendship stuff is giving me hives.” Sun Min huffs.

We cut back to Creative Control, Astruc is standing next to her, stiff as a board, ‘bound’ written on either of his arms and ‘follow’ across his forehead as the written words are currently forcing him to follow her.

“Well! I wonder what kind of havoc we should do next? I’ve got the hostage, I've got the property damage, Oh!” She thumps her fist into her hand. “I should make sure I can fight when the heroes show up!”

She uncaps the pen and starts scribbling some notes onto her limbs ‘Stronger’ on either arm, ‘Faster’ on either leg.

“Okay that should help. Come on M. Director, We’ve got to flag down those heroes while they’re still around.” She snaps and Astruc starts stiffly following behind her, though is clearly struggling to try and keep himself in place.

“No need to flag down. We’re here.” Ladybug drops into the street, to which Creative Control claps her hands merrily.

“Wonderful!” She bows as if a performer “Glad to see you Miss Ladybug! And I hope Miss Bellflower and M. Lionheart are nearby as well! Because this not-so gentleman owes the lot of you an apology! Don’t you M. Astruc?” She looks back to the Director, whom grits his teeth and looks away.

“Don’t. You. M. Astruc?” She reaches out a hand to pound on his back with every word.

“I’m terribly sorry for offending you and the other heroes, Ladybug, but I hope you won’t decide holding that against me is more important than being a hero.”

“Wow, talk about a backhanded apology.” Creative Control rolls her eyes before just hefting the man over her shoulder. “Nevermind, I think I’ll just dump him off a bridge, see if a swim in the seine will clear that gross head of his. Don’t worry you guys, that gross manuscript will never see the light of day when I’m done with him.”

“Wait-” Ladybug hesitates “You’re… not going to try and steal our Miraculous?”

“Nah, I was just sent out to cause some havoc. And I overheard how fucking condescending this joke of a man was to you all before I got akumatized, so I figure, why not do some good with it?”

“Ma’am we can’t just let you murder him in cold blood.” Bellflower takes a step forward, starting to swing the trompo.

“Why not? he’s a jerk!”

“....because we’re Heroes”

“Fine.” Creative control tosses her hair and then tosses Astruc. He goes flying for a bit before being caught by Lionheart.

“Oh! Why thank you! Such a kind young man you are like I just said earlier-” Sun Min growls at him and drops him back onto the ground.

“Boo. You guys are no fun.” But Creative Control shrugs and reels back a punch. She’s only barely able to keep up with Bellflower and Ladybug, both going at her from either side. But Creative Control wasn’t made with the intent to eventually steal a Miraculous. While she is able to do some things such as scribble ‘unsteady’ into the ground to make a localized earthquake, or scribble ‘numb’ onto Ladybug’s arm when she got too close, making her arm go limp and numb, SHe is eventually overpowered by a well placed ‘swarm’ taking away her pens as she tries to draw them out, and a lucky charm contraption made of the Lucky charm (a computer mouse), a tablet, three hairclips, and one of Sun Min’s brass knuckles.

“Wait! Before you de-kumatize me! Monarcha had a message she wanted me to pass along!”

Ladybug, Creative Control’s cup in her hand, stops. “....what message?”

“She told me to say she’s spent some time thinking, and if ‘Adrien’ whoever that is, cares so little about his own mother, she doesn’t see why she should care about him. To tell ‘Adrien’ she’s done with him.” Creative Control huffs. “I don’t really know what she meant though. I mean there’s like a million Adrien’s in Paris…” Ladybug crushes the cup in her hand. “Oh boo, party’s over.”

When Miraculous Ladybugs weeps the land Charlotte returns back to normal and shakes her head rapidly. “So…. Now I've learned to not try to intercept an Akuma halfway out the office.”

“It’s okay, you were doing your best.” Ladybug offers her a hand up, which she gratefully accepts. “You feeling okay?”

“Yeah, I wasn’t really mad when she got me or anything, But hey! She helped me figure something out about our office spaces!” Charlotte tilts her head to the side and glances at Astruc “Can’t wait to hear about how well or poorly that sequel goes M. Astruc! Especially since my bosses and I work right next door!”

Marinette looks at the others and after a quick nod the three of them take their leave.

But we cut next to an article ‘Miraculous: The Stories of Ladybug and Chat Noir’ Sequel announced!’

“Well this will be fun.” Amber mutters looking at her phone, Chloe strolls by and peeks over her shoulder “Ew.” before continuing on with scribbling something on a clipboard.

Adrien and Marinette are sparring on the training mats, Kagami clearly acting as ref in between.

“SO yeah-” Marinette huffs ��I’ve been trying to track the schedules of the Old Order’s version of patrolling- I haven’t gotten very far yet but-” she dodges a hit “After that thing Monarcha did I figured I should say it anyway. Don’t keep secrets from the team and all.”

“Well-” Adirne huffs back “We appreciate it.” Marinette lands a solid blow to Adrien’s side.

“Point Marinette.”

“I appreciate that.” she responds.

Adrien regains his balance and looks off to the side Marinette softens a bit, it’s clear his head is somewhere else.

“Hey you don’t think Miss Sancour was serious when she had that Akuma pass that message, do you? She was just talking big game, she didn’t mean it.”

Adrien huffs “she’s not a liar, she doesn’t talk big about anything if she doesn’t think she can back it up. If we had any sympathy on their side it’s over with.”

“Well then.” Kagami steps in and places a hand on his shoulder. “It would seem like now’s as perfect a time as any to remind them how much of a threat we really can be.”

Marinette nods. “Remind them that there’s a reason we’ve had so many victories!”

Adrien huffs and gives a grin. “Remind them that we were in Paris first, huh?”

But just as the children all nod to each other there’s a cut back to darkness, back to that little apartment.

We hear Marinette’s voice from the beginning of the episode play over in a dub as we focus on the bed Nathalie had been laying in.

“I feel like, something bad is going to happen.”

She opens her eyes, they’re clearly red and irritated.

“Or… Something bad HAS happened”

She stands up and shucks off her pajamas, we see her in silhouette alone as she puts on an outfit placed neatly beside the door. When she opens it, we see she’s wearing robes not dissimilar to the apprentice robes we saw waayy back during Fall of the Order, the butterfly hanging from a chain on her neck. She undoes the clasp on it and hands the butterfly over to, you guessed it, M. Scorpion himself.

“It just hasn’t reached us yet.”

“Miss Sancour, are you prepared to join the ranks of the Order of Miraculous and what it entails?”

“I am.”

“And you’ve made your allegiance clear?”

“I did.”

Tsering Wan smiles and is passed a tome from Zhao Kai.

“Place your hand here.”

She does so.

“But it’s coming.”

“Nathalie Sancour, do you swear, on your life and your immortal spirit, to protect the Miraculous you guard with all of your strength? Do you swear to serve the Order of Miraculous until the end of your days?”

“I Swear.”