#been making a little collection of comparisons lol

[sparebutton]

Animation in Frozen before (left) and after(right) story changes.

[trashytrashsblog]

So I want to make a rant or idk just give my opinion (?) about MCL:NG since seven episodes have passed.

I actually started writing it after the fifth episode but I abandoned it in the drafts... so lol.

I know that there is a section on the forum about it but my english is too bad and I need to curse. Also I'd like to comment freely with other players.

So let's get started!

The website is really cool and different it's like fresh air, sometimes is a little bit overwhelming (like the colours) nonetheless I like it. I don't get why there isn't italian in the languages, maybe we are less than I imagined.

The calendar is a cute idea but all the pop-ups when you collect the things instead of one are so annoying. Hope they make it into ONE single pop-up. Also when you get the jokers and they last three days and you can't or have nothing to play... like useless? okay? thanks?

The currencies? Don't let me started.... I get it, the game needs money to run but for fuck sake too many and poorly set. I can't get over the fact that I have to use APs for buying shit, every time I use them I feel bad because then I fear I won't have enough for the upcoming episode. Miss gold valute :(

The daily limited offer idk, I think it is a little bit too expensive for what it provides, especially considering that we can’t even choose the color scheme. Also, it doesn’t make sense to have a daily offer that you pay for when all the packs appear everytime. Although I read from some user on the forum that certain packs don't appear, dunno why. Anyways why don't you display all of them?

I have the same problem, like everyone, with the messages and the hearts. Hope they create a button where we can send and collect the hearts all at once. However I don't like so much the limited daily hearts. The graphics are very pretty though, and the messages we receive from the flirts at the end of the episode are a delight for me.

The minigames are more interactive compared to the MCL ones but I also have mixed feelings. The daily missions are a cute idea for collecting fashion items or forniture. Hope they add gems or something similar to find OR could the tickets buy other things that might be more useful like jokers. The Style contest could have been ten times nicer if it didn’t penalize you for not choosing the most popular outfit, which happens to be the one with more exclusive items. So it leads you to choose not what you prefer but what hypothetically everyone would choose. Recently I read about it from other players here on tumblr bc it's actually a bit ridiculous to see podiums all the same.

The wardrobe..... confusing as hell. Why there are items that I can't even try.... frustrating. At first I tought that the merged shop was a bad thing but now I changed my mind because this way I can see how the clothes go with the ones I already have. Speaking about graphics, I like them, I like the possibility of editing the room, Taki is a cute little accessory. The personalization choices of the character is satisfying but I miss the gray eyes they were my favourite :c Also I noticed that the expressions with the mouth open seem weird, as if there is something wrong in the proportins. But maybe it’s just me. I think there are less basic free items already present in comparison to MCL like moles, eyebrows, a little makeup...

Everything every single things brings me to a point were I feel the urge to buy packs, vips just for regular things (I don't know how to explain it) unlike the old games were it was funnier to buy special items.... now it seems like I'm buying base items beyond the extravagant ones.

The game dynamics left me perplexed at first, but I think I will have to get used to it. It’s a continuous and infinite expenditure of AP. Getting used to paying 2 AP for each answer was already difficult, but now having to pay even 40/80/120 aps… It makes me so mad... in italian I would say vafanguuul!!! The fact that i don't have the lov'o meter on sight I don't like it either and it seems that it only updates at the end of the episode and not in between or maybe I am wrong idk. Being able to relive the special moments however is a nice gem, especially after paying them. The briefing after finishing the episode is fun. Another thing that drives me MAD is having to buy the outfit after having already paid to fucking unlock it. At least give me the unlocked color???

BUT the illustrations, the story, the characters and their design ( god bless chinomiko) make me continue the game because it would be a lie to say that the story didn’t catch me (Jason Mendal I'm all yours and I wanna know everything about you) even tho the episodes are a little slow, maybe because we are just at the beginnig...expecting drama, fun time and some serious topics too...

And that's it, for now ahahahah xb

[b4mpyre-k1zz3s]

could i request some chris pontius or steveo x shy reader? where maybe it's her first day on set and she like works in makeup and he's just flirting w her making a blushing mess lol tysm

Cat and Mouse

Y/N gets her first real job and gets caught up in a romance she could have never imagined!

Steve-O X Fem!Reader

(Fluff)

2.8k Words

Warnings: Suggestive content, slowburn, flirting, teasing, crude language, drinking, accidental injuries, praise, stalkerish behavior from Y/N if you squint

An: Thank you so much for the request!! Finals hav been kicking my ass lately but I somehow managed to crank this one out XD There’s something about the dynamic of this fic that just enchanted me and I would be more than happy to write this kind of fic for some of the other guys! I’d especially love to see what would play out with Johnny, but maybe that’s a little self indulgent X) Anyways, as always, my requests are open and I’m still accepting fic requests for my 100 follower special, so keep sending them in!! I have a few good ones of my own coming down the pipeline so keep your eye out! ;)

It was your first day on set, so it was understandable that you were nervous as you walked into the trailer on the Paramount lot, your makeup kit in tow. All you were told when you first got the job was where you would report to and that you would be working on a movie set- that’s it. Kinda sketchy but hey, maybe it’s a privacy thing. It was just you in the makeup trailer as you collected yourself, taking a deep breath as you flipped the bright white vanity lights on and started to set up your gear on the counter.

You were so immersed with arranging brushes and products that you didn’t even hear the trailer door open as your client walked in, only being alerted to his presence as you felt the foldy director’s chair he was sitting in shift a little as he took a seat. Holy shit. Speechless, you blinked a few times, trying to register who you were looking at- not that you didn’t know him, it’s just this was too good to not be some dream. “Are- are you Steve- O?” He chuckled, flashing you that boyish smile as he sat back in his chair, “In the flesh, baby.”

It was about then when you realized that maybe you were leaning a little too close to him- your boobs were practically squished against the back of his head. He didn’t seem to be that bothered by it, not looking upset in the slightest as you stepped away, blushing. It would be impossible to deny that you’d had a crush on Steve ever since you saw him on TV, back when he was swallowing goldfish for a living, and this first impression wasn't helping the feelings that stirred inside of you.

Trying to distract yourself, you grabbed a shade of concealer that looked like it matched his skin tone to cover up the blotchy mauve shiner that covered nearly a quarter of his face- a product of a movie star lifestyle you could only dream of. “Hey, don’t worry about it.” Steve gestured to the glaring mark with a finger, his voice low, “Kinda wanna keep it there. Looks pretty rad, y’know?” You nodded, the only response your body could give, your eyes wide. He seemed so cool, so calm in comparison to his usual obnoxious stunt dude behavior.

And so you continued with what you were being paid to do, trying your damnedest to stay professional. This was hard, especially when you needed to lean in towards him, maybe four inches away from Steve’s face, tilting his chin up with your left hand to get the angle you needed to look at something or other. Of course, he wasn’t making it easy for you with how he kept catching your gaze the whole time with those sweet eyes of his. Part of you was a little pissed off- what gives him the right to do this? To make you all flustered with nothing but a look- but another part of you was maybe a little too excited at all of this.

A few minutes in the same room as him and you were already wrapped around his finger. Hell, you weren't in the slightest turned off when you caught him stealing glances down your shirt when he thought you weren’t paying attention. Weirdly, you found that kind of endearing, maybe even attractive. Those five minutes in the makeup trailer felt like an eternity and you breathed a sigh of relief as you stood up after you finished your job. Turning around, you went to zip up your case when you heard something behind you, “Hey, what’s your name, makeup lady?” Your heart jumped a little when he spoke up, his raspy voice barely above a whisper. You whipped around, nearly nose to nose with Steve as you avoided looking at him as much as you could, concealing your pink face, “My name’s Y/N.”

You couldn’t see it, but there was a little glint in Steve’s eye when he realized just how much he was affecting you. “Well,” His voice took on a slightly different tone, “I guess I’ll be seeing you around, Y/N.” And just like that, he was gone out the trailer door that he didn’t bother to close on his way out.

And you wished it ended there- that you could just be left alone with your silly schoolgirl crush on the cool movie star, but of course it didn’t. It couldn’t. Of all places, it happened in the white food tent around lunch time. You were going down the line of fold up tables, picking through what the catering services had brought in those silver aluminum pans- chicken, some vedgie thing, and some crinkle fries- when you heard someone call to you from a ways back, “Hey, makeup lady!” Assuming it was some production supervisor (they never seemed to respect you), you rolled your eyes, not even looking back as you replied, “I have a name, you know.”

“Oh yeah! Shit, what was it…Y/N!” Your heart sank when you realized who it was as they slipped in next to you in line. Steve seemed totally unphased, still as friendly as he was before but with a suggestive tone in his voice that made you shiver, “So, how’s your first day goin’? Everyone nice?” He didn’t take anything from the trays as he moved along, seemingly only there to talk to you, “If not, I’ll totally kick their ass.” You hoped Steve didn’t notice how much your hands were shaking as you nodded and smiled, hiding the warmth on your cheeks as you speed walked away with half a plate of food.

He wore that smug ass look on his face with pride as he sat down at the table with the guys like he just won the Super Bowl. Understandably, they were a little confused at his bravado. Johnny wasn't impressed, “What the hell was that?” Steve just grinned as he took a sip of his beer, shooting a glance over to where you were sitting with your back turned to not look conspicuous, “That chick’s in love with me. Watch.” Steve turned his head back and just as he did, you whipped around almost on command to try and catch a glimpse of him with that needy look in your eyes like a lost puppy. Unbelievable. Of course, all the guys besides Steve immediately turned towards you and made eye contact. Faced with this, you were a deer in the headlights, and quickly returned to your food.

Bam chuckled, a sly grin spreading across his lips, “Dude, if she’s got the hots for you that bad, you gotta get that ass!” He spoke as if he was some experienced playboy, but he had no clue. It’s not just about sex- there was a lot more to whatever it was that was going on between Steve and the makeup girl. When broken down, the two of you really wanted the exact same thing, the only difference was that she was too shy to admit it and he wasn’t. It evolved into a hunt- a cat and mouse game. This was more than getting ass. “Whatever, Bam.” Steve rolled his eyes. Ryan leaned to one side to get a better look at you, “Oh yeah- you gotta tap that.” Johnny cracked up at his bluntness and Pontius simply shoveled a bite of food into his mouth, flipping Steve a thumbs up.

You knew it was in violation of your contract but something you weren't proud of inside you compelled you to do it. On the lazy afternoons you weren't doing makeup but you were still on the clock, you found yourself snooping around the set in hope of getting a glimpse of Steve. It wasn't a tall order to blend in with the nameless PAs and set people, so you mostly went unnoticed, ducking behind corners and slipping into empty dressing rooms. Every time you saw Steve chatting with the guys with a beer in hand, or in the middle of a stunt if you were lucky, you had to hold yourself back from giggling like a teenage girl. However, it wasn't always that easy to get your fix.

This routine went on without any hiccups for about a week before a problem was presented. Filming was outside for a stunt involving the Three 6 Mafia, but the dense summer heat was pushed completely out of your mind as you peeked out from behind a white trailer. There, in front of all the cameras, was Dave, Bam, and Steve, filming some bit where Dave eats horse shit. All vomiting aside, the only thing you could see was how cute Steve looked in the little farmer’s outfit that the costume department whipped up. Sweat glistened on his skin under the midday sun as he took off his straw hat, using it to fan himself. It’s rare for a guy to be able to pull off the overalls no shirt look, but he certainly could. Damn.

But just as you were thinking about how you wouldnt mind shucking his corn, you accidentally made eye contact with Bam. Oh shit. There wasn't a way in hell that he didn’t see you. You hadn’t even noticed that you were steadily creeping out from your hiding place until you were far from the safety of the trailer wall, so, acting on prey animal instincts, you ducked behind the nearest object.

“Hmm?” It was only then that you noticed what you ducked behind was a man- Ryan, to be specific. God, if this could get any worse. Drink in hand, he just raised an eyebrow, looking down at the strange scene- you, crouching behind his foldy chair, “Makeup lady?” Oh, you were screwed. You could feel your fingers go numb as you panicked, your fight or flight instincts kicking in as you skirted away, your heart beating out of your chest. Ryan shrugged, taking a sip of his beer.

It was embarrassing how flustered you got around Steve but you just couldn’t help it. You had a lot of time to mull over it before you came into work the next day and it was apparent; something had to happen or else you were sure you would spontaneously combust. The tension was killing you, but there was no way he’d pay you any mind. Immagine a celebrity like him dating- hell, going on a date- with some makeup artist he met on set. Be reasonable, you thought, cleaning off your brushes idly.

Steve strutted into the makeup trailer, cool as ever, “Hey! How’s my favorite girl doin’?” Your knees felt a little weak under you at his words, holding yourself up with one hand on the back of the chair as he sat down. His favorite. No, no, he didn’t mean it like that. No way he would. “I’m, uh- I’m good, yeah.” You hardly noticed the smirk on his lips as you hurried to distract yourself, busying your hands with your brushes to still their nervous shaking. This was not what you needed this early in the morning.

Suddenly, time froze as you heard the hard thwack of your elbow against the side of Steve’s face. Your jaw fell and you stumbled over your words, hurriedly apologizing at your absentmindedness, “O-oh my god! I am so sorry- I can’t believe-“ He was still a little stunned, the mark on his face reddening, when you realized that you had instinctively reached out, gently touching the soreness on his perfect cheekbone out of concern without realizing what you were doing. It was like lightning shot through your fingertips, traveling up your arm, and your face said it all. Steve just smiled that cute, boyish smile, making eye contact for just a second longer than a person normally would, “Hey, it’s cool. I don’t mind.” You felt the tips of your ears get hot as he winked at you, “But hell, you of all people know how’t touch it up.”

Taking a deep breath, you pushed down all your nerves as you cleared your throat and tried to sound confident as you grabbed something to cover up your blunder, “I really liked your performance yesterday.” It was a vain attempt at small talk, sure, but it was something. He looked up at you, “Oh, did you?” There was a funny tone in Steve’s voice- sweet and kinda teasing- that gave you butterflies in your stomach and made you wonder if you were really as sneaky as you thought you were being, “What part did’y like? The puking or me shovin’ stuff in my ass?”

God, how he laughed when Steve saw how embarrassed you got. Stuttering a bit, you tried to come up with an explanation, but he just waved you off, “Ah, I’m just fuckin’ with ya. But I mean, if you wanna watch sometime,” The euphemism wasn't lost on you and he could practically see the thoughts running through your head as he continued, “I could bring you to check out the set sometime.” All you could do was nod. Oh, he knew. And the worst part was he didn’t care.

Steve chuckled as you practically led him around the set. It was like you knew the place because, well, you did, but he pretended not to know about your little stalker activities. While you were busy, Jeff came up and tapped him on the shoulder, “Hey, dude. Rick needs you- something about that rake jump stunt.” And when you looked back from ogling some camera equipment, Steve was gone.

But from across the set, you met eyes with Chris who smiled at you with that dopey grin you’d seen so many times on tv. One week in and you were still getting starstruck. He walked over to you, striking up a conversation, “Hey, Y/N! You know what I heard?” Chris leaned in towards you like he was gonna tell you a secret, shooting a nod towards Steve as he was walking away, “I heard he’s awesome in bed. I mean, that’s what I’ve heard from the ladies.” You could tell that Chris saw this as a perfectly normal conversation topic, but you still got a little flustered, “O-oh, he is?” Chris nodded.

Sitting on camping chairs under one of those fold out tents you see at barbecues, Johnny and Bam watched from afar, cracking open cans of Miller High Life. Bam turned his head to one side like a dog, peering around Chris’ shoulder, “Looks like Pontius is tryin’t steal Steve’s girl.” Johnny chuckled, bringing his can to his lips, “Once he gets his claws in her there’s no way he’ll get her back. We oughta’ go interviene.”

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw a blur of two men who you recognized as Johnny and Bam. Chris waved, “Oh, hey guys! We were just talking about how great Steve is in bed!” He gave Bam a nod, “Isn’t that right?” His eyes went wide for a second before he caught on, “Oh, yeah! He’s, uh- he’s great.” Johnny quirked an eyebrow from behind his sunglasses, “Have you slept with him, Bam?” It was like a Three Stooges bit as Bam rushed to cover his ass, putting his hands up, “No- no! I mean, I heard that he was good.”

“I mean, I’d get it from Chris, but I never expect that from you.” Ignoring Johnny’s teasing, he reached out a hand to you at the perfect time to formally introduce himself, “Hey, I’m Bam. I really like girls.” Eyes wide at all the action that was suddenly happening around you, you just nodded. You couldn’t decide if this was him hitting on you or not when you felt a protective hand on your shoulder as someone spoke from behind you, “Okay, guys. Get lost.” Jumping a little, you turned around and might as well have leapt ten feet off the ground. It was Steve. All the guys joked and dispersed as he spun you around, turning you to face him and that smile that always got to you, “They didn’t say anything bad about me, did they?” You fiddled with one of your nails, looking anywhere but his face as you joked back to try and ease the tension, “Oh, on the contrary!”

Steve smiled, leaning a little bit closer to you as the low tone of his voice slipped into nearly a whisper, “I’m gonna be honest with ya, Y/N. I really like ya.” The way that he could just go out there and say that with such confidence made you break a sweat, and you were practically glued to the ground you stood on as he nearly whispered into your ear, “Let’s get drinks sometime, yeah?” All you could do was nod in response.

[swagdad6]

third post of the night, all pure yappage, but who gives a shit i wanna talk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ive been playing blasphemous the past twoish weeks and oh my god.. its gotta be up there on my list of favorite games of all time

i hate to compare two games in order to give reasons for the amount of love i have for it but i feel like the comparison is pretty widely translatable

if you loved hollow knight, you would love blasphemous

in other good news, if you hated hollow knight, you would probably still find things to enjoy in blasphemous, but i guess i wouldnt know

to compare, though blasphemous is a little more limited graphically (on purpose!!! and it looks really fucking good!!! dont come for me..), both games have a fantastic way of making the environments rich and immersive. the area themes are ambient but melodic, and the boss and character themes of both are incredible.

where hollow knight is a little more expansive in its areas, the audio in blasphemous makes it a much more up-front and interesting experience, but i have a bias when it comes to sound lol

though the story doesn't feel like an homage to any games in the soulsborne series, it definitely has some reminiscent themes, and though a lot of "lore" is provided about practically every collectible, the story stays pretty ambiguous and strange. i feel like the story is a little easier to follow than ds1 or 3.

i dont mean to compare in order to put one over the other, just trying to show similarities and differences.

blasphemous is a great, and potentially short experience that i feel like anyone who enjoys 2D platforming and completing side content would love

[the-chessboard-is-personal]

why i should be allowed to time travel:

imagine. it's not that far into 1997. you've been hearing stories from that one rich (by comparison) kid in your school about this wonderful game called Super Mario 64. you tell your parents. eventually, they manage to buy you a Nintendo 64 and a copy of the game. perhaps it's christmas, perhaps not, doesn't matter. What matters is you now own an N64, and can play the game that one kid seemed so exited telling everyone about.

you play the game and it's amazing! It's insanely massive and wait, have you gotten farther in the game than that rich kid? They never told you about this level, and wait, where's that ghost level in the courtyard? Why does the castle go on and on and Mario doesn't sound like he did in the recordings the rich kid took of them playing their copy. in fact, there's hardly anything similar! Where's Bob-Omb Battlefield? Where's Whomp's Fortress? Why can't you long jump? Why does no one believe you when you say the star at the bottom of the snow level reappears if you go down the slide?

You get lost in the game, whenever you die or collect a star you're suddenly in a completely different part of the castle. The rich kid didn't tell you about pressing A on the pause menu to fast travel. They didn't tell you that the castle seemed to change sometimes. Did your health meter always look like a piece of bread? Is it supposed to be nighttime in the castle grounds? Even as more people in your school get the game, even as your friends get the game, no one tells you about the golden toad statue behind the castle, or the Yoshi that tells you your deepest fears are inside that cave. You don't go in that cave.

One day your friend comes over to your house and you show them your copy of the game. They're confused, saying it's wildly different than theirs and you must've gotten a limited edition copy or something! How exciting!

The geometry in this part of the castle could only be described as "polygonal chaos". You're scared. Your friend is scared. The game sounds like it's screaming in the only way it can, with soundfonts in background music. Nothing makes sense. You leave and don't go back there for years.

As you grow older, you find people who had similar experiences playing the game. Rumors of a yellow switch float around and you finally venture into that cave. A sign tells you you're escaping reality, asks if you're okay. You jump into a pit and the game tells you it hurts but hey you're back in the castle grounds. You find Luigi, drowning in a red pool. You find the sewers and accidentally anger what resides there by venturing too close. The ground turns to lava.

People say these strange, massive copies of the game are an early beta build, before Nintendo removed "something" due to hardware limitations. You don't find out what this "something" is. People make theories, conspiracies, ideas that would sound completely insane if there wasn't some sort of vague, disjointed proof. Personalization AI sounds so impossible, yet everyone with one of these beta copies seems to experience the game a little differently. Truth is, some time traveler replaced 1 in every hundred or so copies of the game with a ROM dump of B3313 lol

[melissa-titanium]

dd hc organizerrrr

THIS IS A VERY LONG POST LOL .

biggest basis for their makeup is essentially. birds and cats, with a little bit of wolf wedged in. they're somewhere inbetween solitary and pack predator, not quite social enough to actively search for bigger groups to hunt with BUT not solitude enough to hunt solo. three or four is the average for squads, two being the absolute minimum. to be seperated from your squadmates is a highly traumatic and stressful experience regardless of your opinion on the squadmate you lose. the feeling can be softened by replacing the squadmate. (eg; what happened with j and uzi. the alphabet gang's squad was a three-drone squad, and with j's death, uzi 'replaced' her in n and v's coding. not the same for j, though, because that means she was booted from the squad and it really hurt!!!)

dds are predators that tend to try and stay out of plain sight if need be, but they're already strong and fast enough to catch and kill wds without any struggle. BUT, if they were facing something they needed to surprise for whatever reason, they'd hide themselves rather than try and stay quiet. dds are already naturally nearly-silent (as shown in how n beats the shit out of uzi completely silently in pilot AND the way he basically DISAPPEARS when he sneaks into the vents during gin rummy) so they have no need to try and be more quiet, BUT the issue with their design is that they are. very, very flashy. they have warning patterns plastered ALL across their bodies and are basically glowsticks, and once they're in sight, you know where they are regardless of how dark it is. tl;dr: they rely on their silence to surprise prey.

i did a huge fucking chart on n's height a while back but i literally dont think i could find it. i think, canonically, dds are like... 5'0 exactly? but imo i think they're more around 6'6. there is minor variation in wd-frame dds, so height can differ from dd to dd.

i think dds are split into two different types, those being standalone and wd-frame.

standalone are dds through and through, retaining no worker drone memories because they HAVE no worker drone memories; they were built by the solver solely for the purpose of being a dd, therefore they never were a wd.

wd-frame are dds that have been built over an existing wd (n, v, and j for example.) they can on occasion retain memories (like v, depending on whether the solver wanted them to or not,) and usually retain the 'growth???' code of worker drones, allowing them to grow and change in response to their organic insides.

a better comparison would be; first gen worker drones to second gen worker drones. first gen drones (alice, khan, yeva, nori, etc) are all built off of one frame, leaving very little variation in bodyshape outside of built-purpose (eg; i think nori and khan were built for heavy-lifting and such, meaning they're shorter and heftier, while drones like yeva and alice were built for personal use, which makes them look more. human-like. i don't klnow does that make sense>>>??)

physical traits;

they have black teeth, stained with oil.

their true eyes can be individually taken off, as can the headband (the headband acts like the cap of a lightbulb.)

standalone dds (dds not built ontop of a worker drone frame, there are no canon examples of this) do NOT have whiskers. wd-frame dds (n, v, and j,) have whiskers.

... just like wds, dd hair is just a ton of whiskers bunched up into a hairstyle. does this mean standalone dds are bald? yeah, probably.

dd tails are segmented and interlocked by bendable joints (FLESH joints, dds are half-organic after all) that can extend and flex comfortably to reach further targets. the joints click and bend with each movement.

this was a trait in my old iterations of dd designs so idk if ill keep it, but, dds have heat-regulation spines poking out of their seams. they resemble the centipede-esque limbs on materials collection holo-spooky-snake-crabs.

their wingblades are shaped like fish-hooks, meant to latch onto prey and reel them in.

in addition to this, the wings whistle VERY loudly when flying. they have gravity propulsion (?) devices under their wings arm (not forearm) that make it so they don't actually have to flap their wings (like they fucking COULD?? look at those things dude) but the wingblades themselves are also used as means of steering. the air/gravity around them can be more easily manipulated with the wingblades because each blade has individual muscle control.

HUGE barrel chests. they're used to protect the core. they're split into two parts, a very hard steel-material (that also goes to the shoulders) and a bullet-proof black glass that allows you to see the corelight. and, yes, i know, they look like boobs but i'm nice and love feminism so it's only accentuated on n's chest. yes, his boobs are naked.

drones in general have a zip lining their abdomen, but the rubber material on disassembly drones is much lighter and malleable, allowing dds more flexibility than wds, but also less protection for their insides (which makes sense, because why would they need to protect their insides when they can just regenerate anything that broke? the rubber itself holds the stomach and other organs, but can be unzipped for maintenance.

there are four "sections" of a dd's tail. for organization purposes, i'll call them a, b, c, and d. section a is the joints of the tail itself, which can extend and flex. the tail sections and joints are considered one section. section a filters nanite acid along the dd's spinal cord down into section b section b transfers the filtered nanite acid from section a into the acid tank/storage section c transfers the acid from the tank into section d, and acts as the sheathe for section d section d is the syringe, which can extend in and out of section c

like dd's eyes, their ears are interchangable/customizable. UNLIKE dd's eyes, the ears are actually meant to be customized. the external ears themselves aren't particularly useful, and are dds only means of personalization.

i can;t think of anything else to add here rn UHHH

[bartholomew-junior]

23 25 26... hmm. maybe sips ANd erina And gothi (unless you dont feel like that feel free to just choose one of them cause. 6 entire different answers to think) <3<3

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE thank u circular 4 ur boon of kindness. it is appreciated. apologies for the wait, as i had to let the ideas for this ripen be4 properly answering. i’m gonna start the first ask off with gothi from ep.10.

first of all, i just love her mask and am permanently sad that she never gets to wear it again. bonus for foreshadowing face reveal a few episodes down the line and making her an incredibly ominous cryptid like presence kind of. i just think she’s neat. next is erina in ep.32:

honestly i was really tempted to use a frame from when she was xanu possessed cuz it looked real fuckin cool, but i think this one’s more meaningful. she’s sympathizing with sips for once instead of trying to one up him (at least after a bit) and realizing how tough shit must’ve been for him. agh they make me insane. next is sips from ep.15:

from right after he ate bou claire’s heart. the buildup narration to him looking into the mirror is, ,, agghhh. the fact this was used to promo merch is funny also.

now for q. 25: technically, my first impression of gothi was her getting sips to do karaoke while drunk (lol) and that being the catalyst for EVERYTHING (this campaign is the equivalent of a snowball rolling down a hill). but now, it was her kind of managing and trying to quell sips’ anger best she could along with erina.

erina was just a memelord to me lol. sips wasn’t in the best condition the first few episodes, so my first impression was just that he was a bottomless pit of rage. now looking at the early episodes feels like looking at alpha minecraft in comparison to 1.21, especially without xanu or abby. sneeze was just a little guy.

ok freebie question time. i’m gonna pick q. 22 even tho there hasn’t been a new fic at all on ao3 since i updated my own fic (which makes sense considering we’ve kinda already met the goal of the series even if there’s a lot of stuff on the horizon). and i’ll pick all 3 of them + xanu for this cuz. why not

sips: a lot of the fics on ao3 4 this fandom are oneshots, so there isn’t much they’re able to explore if they’re low word counts, but my dream sips-centric fic would be like. a collection of missed/deleted scenes from his early life and time in ammurin with a kind of dream/void/death motif. bonus points if he’s trans

erina: i haven’t seen ANYTHING about her early life in kylandria being the child of busy royal entertainers, hell even her weapons are like a carnival trick, so i’d really like to see a bit of early life stuff again. are you sensing a trend. also her just dealing with royalty is fun and i have many ideas

gothi: early life again. listen she was a whole ass princess who was allowed to exist only because of her rank she was under so much pressure all of the time, especially with being buddies with xanu. did she ever talk to another defective foreclaimer. who are her parents. did they love her. ugh. also, seeing her interact with vicky is something i haven’t really seen before, so that’d be fun.

xanu: listen. i feel like he’d be the hermit on the high mountain type never interacting with anyone like thanos after killing half the universe. also, i feel like a lot of aspects of his character get discarded in favor of making him easier to digest and write, which i’ve done, and this does not do him any service. i think making all the fools gold cast kind of,, mlp headcanon designified is also fun and i want to do it. also bonus vicky

in conclusion: thank u circular <3333333 :]] :), i hope this isn’t miserably long. i’ve been all worded out for the day. do u ever think abt how vicky and sips are parallels and

[bizarrequazar]

GJ and ZZH Updates — November 12-18

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This is part of a weekly series collecting updates from and relating to Gong Jun and Zhang Zhehan.

This post is not wholly comprehensive and is intended as an overview, links provided lead to further details. Dates are in accordance with China Standard Time, the organization is chronological. My own biases on some things are reflected here. Anything I include that is not concretely known is indicated as such, and you’re welcome to do your own research and draw your own conclusions as you see fit. Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, concerns, or additions. :)

[Glossary of names and terms] [Masterlist of my posts about the situation with Zhang Zhehan]

11-12 → Rare posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun. (1129 kadian)

→ Fresh posted a commercial featuring Gong Jun.

→ Gong Jun attended a live event for Rising with the Wind. Fan Observations: Gong Jun talked about his vs Xu Si's MBTI types, with him making a comment that when he was working he was "forced to be an E (extroverted)". This sounded like he was saying "yi" (a top), an accidental pun that everyone else noticed before him lol. [clip] This trended on Weibo.

→ Gong Jun Outdoor Office posted a photo of him from the event. Caption: "Mr. Xu is here today!"

→ The Rising with the Wind Douyin posted a video of the main cast dancing. An interviewer also posted a similar video to her Xiao Hong Shu shortly after.

→ A video interview with Zhang Sanjian was posted to YouTube. The face is off in a number of aspects (smile, jawline, cheeks, etc.) and the voice sounds lower than Zhang Zhehan's. [comparison photos]

→ Gong Jun posted a douyin of himself doing a little dance he had tried to do during the earlier event. Caption: "It's okay this time!"

→ The Instagram posted three photos of drawings. All of them are completely different styles, which doesn't seem to fit the "art lessons" narrative.

→ It was made public that Gong Jun is suing an anti for a total of 120,000 RMB, with the case set to be heard on 2024-01-04. The anti is a former whaler who had posted insults against Gong Jun's mother.

11-13 → Gong Jun's studio posted a behind the scenes video from Rising with the Wind. Caption: "Xu Si @ Gong Jun Simon’s physical examination report is released! Stay healthy workers and have a good start on Monday!"

→ Gong Jun's studio posted a video of Xu Si clips. Caption: "Recently, there have been frequent cold air activities. Mr. Xu @ Gong Jun Simon reminds you to wear more clothes to keep warm. The special electronic down jacket has been delivered, please make your choice!"

→ Rare posted four photos of Gong Jun from that day's event.

→ Gong Jun's studio posted a behind the scenes video of Xu Si in his office. Caption: "You have been bound to the dream system, and your current task is to help the host Xu Si @ Gong Jun Simon complete the acquisition KPI! This system cannot be untied easily! Are you ready? We're leaving immediately!"

11-14 → The Instagram posted eight photos of "Zhang Zhehan" and a drawing of a butterfly.

→ Gong Jun's studio posted a behind the scenes video of Xu Si. Caption: "Mr. Xu @ Gong Jun Simon is a warm reminder that no matter how tiring the work is, you must balance work with rest!"

→ Gong Jun's studio posted an infographic comparing Xu Si to a potted plant. Caption: "#Gong Jun Xu Si# has a high clinginess index, so be careful when cultivating them! Do you want to be friends with @ Gong Jun Simon?"

11-15 → Gong Jun's studio posted a video of Xu Si with food and drinks. Caption: "During the 1129 days of being a bot in the world, Mr. Xu, the gourmet bot @ Gong Jun Simon, gave him a 'professional counterpart'!"

→ Gong Jun's studio posted a behind the scenes video of Xu Si cooking. Caption: "You have received an invitation reminder! Welcome to the home of 'Si' Kitchen, come and become Xu Si @ Gong Jun Simon's partner~"

11-16 → Daidai, Gong Jun's friend from university, posted a vlog which included a story about Gong Jun helping him back in 2017.

→ The Instagram posted eight photos of "Zhang Zhehan".

→ Gong Jun made a post on Weibo for the livestream with his Rising with the Wind costars that he would appear in the following day. Caption: "Tomorrow’s agenda: A meeting with the cooperative unit. All departments are in place, and the six cards have been arranged 🤳🏻"

→ Global Times posted a video interview with Gong Jun for Rising with the Wind.

→ Gong Jun's studio posted a behind the scenes clip of Xu Si dodging a slap.

→ Gong Jun posted a comedic video of Xu Si.

11-17 → Gong Jun made a post about the movie 我本是高山 (English title Beyond the Clouds), which he had attended the premiere of the previous day. Caption: "After watching 'Beyond the Clouds', I was really moved. Principal Zhang Guimei, played by @海青哥, used her life and hard work to try her best to help every girl from Dashan break out of the world that restricts them. These girls, the students, did not let down Principal Zhang’s hard work and worked hard to make a comeback! Really, Principal Zhang is such an amazing person. Her deeds deserve to be seen by more people. I hope everyone can go to the cinema to watch this thoughtful work. I wish for 'Beyond the Clouds' to be a big box office hit!"

→ Gong Jun's livestream with the Rising with the Wind cast took place, with it being streamed on his Weibo. (full recording in link) Caption: "Mr. Xu’s KPI today: No overtime work on Friday, the meeting will be dismissed before you get off work!" Fan Observations: The curse of being forced to sing Ai Ni Wuhu continued. ��

→ Gong Jun Outdoor Office posted two live photos of him from the livestream.

→ Gong Jun's studio posted a photo of Gong Jun from that day. Caption: "Mr. Xu @ Gong Jun Simon acquires the card (not) (just say it casually) (don’t take it seriously) (don’t take it seriously yet)!"

→ Gong Jun posted a photo of himself from that day. Caption: "After the inspection, Si will still be waiting for you at #Rising with the Wind# 😎"

→ Gong Jun's studio posted nine photos of him from the livestream. Caption: "The most handsome little Mr. Xu @ Gong Jun Simon’s work record today. I wish everyone a happy weekend and year-end bonus ���➕➕!"

→ 361° posted two photo ads of Gong Jun, celebrating three years of their endorsement.

11-18 → Gong Jun's studio posted a video of Xu Si clips. Caption: "#Gong Jun Xu Si# seems to have found the switch for Xu Si @ Gong Jun Simon to switch states. Mr. Xu, you still have two faces!"

→ Gong Jun's studio posted a behind the scenes video from Rising with the Wind. Caption: "The real thing about growing up is to take the initiative to put on a thick coat, and the real thing to care about is the little tips for keeping out of the cold shared by Mr. Xu Si @ Gong Jun Simon!"

→ Zhenguoli posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun.

→ Gong Jun's studio posted a behind the scenes video from Rising with the Wind. Caption: "You are not alone on the way to work, Mr. Xu will accompany you for a walk! Come and take a two-step walk with @ Gong Jun Simon~"

Additional Reading: → N/A

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[chris-continues]

College AU Thoughts (cont.)

Writing more college au solely because ONE OF THE COOLEST PPL EVER @macncherries did Wolfwood art (here check it out), but have some more random college au thoughts

TAGS: @lune010 @h4venpha @vashfantasy

-Meryl probably has some really nice gel, ballpoint, colored pens that she literally abuses all the time. Sometimes her notes aren’t even totally neat she’s just sleep deprived and highlighting/underlining the important areas of her textbook as she listens to her lecture

-Vash definitely has to listen to audio playback of lectures- does he try to take notes in class? Yeah. But they look like chicken scratch, his handwriting pales in comparison to literally anyone else’s T<T listening while he does smth else really helps w/ how he learns (autistic vash) (cough)

-Meryl and Milly have matching pairs of rip-off Birkenstocks they found at like Marshall’s then saw a pair w a marijuana leaf and Milly went, “Reminds me of Wolfwood!” So they got it (to Meryl’s amusement and dismay). Wolfwood wears them often

-Ok, I’ve been debating on this hc that Vash sometimes gets invited to parties, considering he’s a bit of a campus celeb. Handsome, athletic (tennis player legend), but he can easily get overwhelmed. He’s having fun with the fame for like a good 30 minutes to an hour and then he just kinda tires out more as the night drags on.

-Meryl’s outfits consist of her wanting comfort yet maintaining her usual feminine flair. Yoga pants with a cami and a simple jacket, or on nicer days more of a fitted sweater. Perhaps a jumper and a baby tee/turtleneck underneath- I think when she’s feeling it she def likes Monica Helper’s looks from Friends. A casual, yet still sweet vibe.

-for accessories she probably has an Apple Watch and the staples- hoop earrings, her classic dangle/rectangular earrings, some silver hardware if she’s feelin extra funky and a classic black belt because I do believe she hates it when her jeans are too low it’s a big thing that annoys her to no end.

-On the other hand, Milly’s outfits are less fitted and I think she’s more laid back in her appearance, preferring some of the crew necks she’s collected from several events her siblings have been to or hand me downs from her country family. She wears vintage athletic wear though, it’s cute on her and it suits her well.

-she has a few simple scrunchies she remains loyal to, not wanting to cut her hair short and often tying it up. When she feels more femme she’s got some cute necklaces that pair well with any cute sweaters she has- she also has some maxi skirts she wears too! :) (can’t find an exact image of what I have in mind + I have a 10 image limit on mobile lol)

-Meryl avidly has to live off of coffee. Girl is always so organized but truthfully she’s half alive due to the fact she’s a frequent visitor at the campus cafe and is familiar w/ some of the baristas who often cut her slack if she ever needs a pick me up.

-Vash is like a crazy good teacher, to some people’s surprise. He can word concepts in a way that breaks them down easier, sometimes he even has some little memory hints he uses lol. For any other ND kid in class who’s a bit bashful they usually flock to him, he’s got such a charming aura and never fails to make anyone feel a bit more comfortable.

-Wolfwood teases Meryl for her aforementioned coffee addiction, but I’d imagine he takes a liking to something like a pink drink. Like- usually that stuff is too sugary for him, but smth about it has him coming back for more!!

-Meryl has an array of podcasts she listens to- I think she def dabbled in true crime maybe?

-Milly and Meryl’s shared dorm is actually really chill. There’s some clutter on each side but they’ve got a shared mini fridge (Meryl got it but doesn’t mind Milly using it because she likes her) it’s stocked with pudding cups

-Milly got Pinterest after Meryl wanted to share ideas for food ideas on weekends (they’re both on a meal plan but still need to eat on Saturdays and Sunday’s lol) so they usually end up going out for some cheap takeout w/ Vash and Wolfwood or make something in a rice cooker they found at a thrift store that works kinda ok… for the price they got it.

-Like they’re cutting up spam, eggs, tossing rice on there, some veggies they got and sometimes they splurge on cheap fruit like bananas and apples

-They both like to eat well and unlike Vash and Wolfwood they won’t live off of instant ramen and takeout (although Vash eats pretty well considering he lives with Nai, who makes sure he regulates his diet due to sports and Vash’s long list of medical concerns)

-Wolfwood eats like shit though I’ll be completely honest

-The guy knows how to shop. But he doesn’t want to. So he lives off of cup noodles and old pizza, takeout and shit, and thanks to crazy fast metabolism he works it off whenever he does some form of working out and whatnot.

-Will agree that he has the best of the best songs, his music taste is unparalleled. Like he’ll be busting it down to 6up 5oh Cop-Out (Pro/Con) by Will Wood from his middle school days then some new metal he’s gotten into (he peeked over Knives’ Spotify playlists) OO OR OR THIS IS LOVE BY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER (I’m def not projecting w/ what’s on my Spotify rn I’m shit at song names I just know vibes)

-Vash likes hyperpop and rave typa stuff it stimulates his brain in just the right way tbh

[wfagamerants]

A bit late because lol, rl, but as a blog about my Mario opinions, I can’t resist rambling a bit about my opinions of stuff in a direct full of Mario stuff.

Ordering them in how excited I am for each of them, though in the end I am happy about all of these, it’s just a way to decide how to order them.

Luigi’s Mansion Dark Moon Switch

I genuinely like Dark Moon and honestly don’t think it's rep as the lesser of the three games in some circles is earned, so seeing a Switch version is welcome in my book.

That said, I do have some concerns with how choppy the game looks in places. The original had a few moments like this too, but in a HD re-release…yeah you gotta clean that up. Odds are that may even happen, given the game isn’t due until next year.

Besides that, yeah, Dark Moon on Switch. I like the game and will gladly get this and use it as an excuse to replay it, but odds are there isn’t gonna be much new here. Not a bad thing, just makes me struggle to put this higher up here.

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope DLC

It looks good, I’ll play it and that is honestly it.

This may be worth a discussion of its own, but while I like Sparks of Hope and even prefer some aspects of it over the original, it didn’t stick with me in the long run like the first game and it seems many feel the same way.

Hard to say what it is, but I am sure I will enjoy this, it’s just that at this point, I am really mostly interested in Rayman when it comes to this game,

The mechanical King Bob-omb’s pretty sick though.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass Wave 5

Fun idea for a new racetrack and a very solid selection of new characters. Good first impressions.

We still don’t know the other 7 tracks, but I do genuinely think every new wave so far has been better than the last, so I am in good spirits about it and Mario Kart 8 is something I can keep coming back to for another round very easily.

New Peach Game

This is easily the most surprising one in its mere existence.

With how little has been shown so far, it’s hard to really have a strong opinion on things, but the stage play theme does make one wonder what could be and little details like Peach not having her crown really are curious.

Above all else though, I am just excited this is a thing. Spin-offs focusing on other characters are always among the most interesting new releases. They allow for experimentation with ideas that may be seen as not fitting Mario himself and after the 2000s, the well of new ones dried up really substantially.

Peach is also still a very unexplored character for this, even her first game is still heavily grounded in regular Mario stuff, while this is looking to be more of a Luigi’s Mansion kind of spin-off, so I am very intrigued.

Super Mario Wonder

Quite frankly, this game, in everything we have seen, feels like an outright apology for how static and safe 2D Marios have been in the NSMB era.

With this is one, it really feels like there was a desire to just get weird and I can vibe with that. The sections for collecting Wonder Seeds seem really creative and out there, with a lot of variety at that and the trippy nature of the first one in particular is a stand-out.

Besides that we got a surprising roster of characters, with the most out there choice being Daisy. Nintendo actually using their characters? Crazy talk.

In all seriousness, I appreciate them expanding beyond Mario and Luigi on a more regular basis now and what helps charm me even more is how expressive and alive the characters are.

Everyone around on social media has likely seen these comparison shots already:

But even beyond that you have little things like the characters reacting to the spiked boulder about to chase them:

I just adore stuff like this and hope the game is full of that.

Beyond that there are still a lot of little things, like the not-Toad NPC, the elephant power-up, that wild looking Bowser Jr, etc. Loads to see and I can’t wait for more info.

My only gripe is that they are still passing up Toad in favor of colorful generics. It’s not gonna make me less excited for the game, even though I feel cheated out of one of my favs, but I wish Nintendo would finally stop doing that.

Super Mario RPG Remake

I won’t lie, when leakers mentioned this one, I wasn’t all that thrilled.

Not because I don’t like RPG or the idea of a remake, but because I expected it to be butchered. Part of its charm is that it is a time capsule to an era where Mario’s now known visual identity and several concepts didn’t exist yet. I fully expected that to be done away with, for the sake of brand consistency, on top of some of the more undesirable changes from the Mario & Luigi remakes.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Genuinely, I was so caught off-guard by everything shown here. Mario, Peach and Bowser are updated to their modern looks, which is perfectly fine, but beyond that, it is genuinely amazing how much they retained the original.

All the original characters are still present which, granted, wasn't unlikely, but still lovely to see.

They retained a more chibi proportioned look, in-line with the original’s renders and sprites.

The environments still look as they did back then, no NSMB colorful hills in the grassland area or anything. They even resisted the temptation to update Peach’s castle to its standard look.

Most shocking of all, the old Toad NPC designs, my favorites in all Mario games, are left intact:

And as an extra bone as a Toad fan, after Wonder disappointed, they even gave him dibs on the blue vest, to further distinguish him from the rest of his species.

Everything just looks so nice. The models and environments, the music, the cutscenes, it’s a charmer across the board.

Much like with Luigi’s Mansion, it’s up in the air how much new there will be content-wise, but honestly, I am fine regardless what direction it takes.

I’m just happy to have a reminder of what Mario RPGs used to be and I will gladly support it to show I miss that kinda stuff, on top of my adoration for the original.

WarioWare Move It!

The Wario fan is most excited for the Wario game, say what?

In all seriousness of course this makes me incredibly happy. Smooth Moves was my favorite WarioWare before the big revival with Gold and GiT and a follow-up with the joycon as the main focus always made sense.

This is very much a traditional WarioWare to its core and frankly, that is amazing, it even embraces the low quality, cursed 3D models from Smooth Moves that I love with all my heart. I would have also liked a GiT follow-up, but this always made the most sense for a second Switch entry and I am happy they aren’t sleeping on it.

The extra stuff like the board game mode also adds some intrigue, not enough to see what this will be like yet, but I am always glad to get some extra offerings beyond the regular stages.

That aside you got the fun vacation theme, 13-Amp possibly being a host now, some lovely Smooth Moves callbacks like the return of forms and so on. I am nothing but excited.

And this is yet another one I am happy just exists. This is the first time since the Wii that Wario has gotten more than one new game on a system and so soon after GiT no less. WarioWare is in a healthy state again and that is huge.

So yeah, banger after banger and a nice uptick after the 2022 Mario output was on the lacking side. I’ll always defend Battle League in many aspects, but it still sucks content-wise and Sparks of Hope, while good, is pretty lacking in the Mario aspect.

Between the 2023 releases out of these and the movie though, we truly have a banger year for anything Mario.

[wackus-bonkus-maximus]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love ❤️

part 2 of tooting my own horn! (read part 1 here).

also last time i didn't do my favorites necessarily. this time i am! (but in no particular order)

Don't Be a Stranger

written for ladynoir july 2023 prompt "in every universe." this one was fun for me as i got to sort of reverse ladynoir's dynamic and make her chase him (totally platonically ofc) in a world where she just randomly shows up one day knowing everything about him.

summary

Chat Noir has been fighting Chrysalide alone for years when one day, Ladybug appears. She seems to already know him, and is a little too eager to be friends. But the more she pushes for her and Chat Noir to reveal their identities, the harder she is to trust.

excerpt

She was red from head to boot, spots black as her hair decorating the material of her suit and dotting her mask like ink drops. She looked like she was dressed up as a watermelon for a children’s theater show, and when she pulled back to beam at him, it was with a grin of manic joy. “It’s me!” the girl said, laughing. “Ladybug!” Chat Noir gaped at her, too stunned to notice the approaching pulse of light bearing down from overhead. But then the girl—Ladybug—tackled him to the ground once more, and they rolled to safety behind a row of cars. When he looked up, the remains of the cobbled street where they’d been standing moments before were scorched black. “Do I know you?” Chat Noir asked, turning to look at her. Ladybug’s smile rapidly deflated.

orison

this one was written for the ladrien june 2023 prompt "panic attack." i felt a bit out of my depth writing ladrien since i'm not normally a ladrien writer. however i did find a way to work and that was basically by making it about chat noir lol!

summary

Ladybug can’t find Chat Noir after an Akuma attack. Adrien does what he can to help.

excerpt

“Chat Noir!” she called, her back to him, figure silhouetted against the flickering streetlights. She hastened past the slumped figure on the pavement, her cry cutting through the singing rain like a broken chord. “Chat Noir!” “Hey.” She jerked away at Adrien’s touch, pivoting to face him, yo-yo at the ready. Water shone on her skin, upon her mask, collecting in her eyes like the glint of moonlight just beyond the clouds.  “Ladybug,”  Adrien said slowly, raising his hands in surrender. “It’s okay.” “It didn’t work,” she gasped. “He’s not here. He should’ve come back!”

matter of luck

i swear i'm getting back to this one. i haven't abandoned it, it's just other wips get in the way! maybe adrien's curse has been passed onto me ahaha. anyways it's very teen romcom and i love this fic. it has a special place in my heart <3

summary

When Chat Noir activates the curse of the Black Cat Miraculous, he must get a kiss from Ladybug to break the spell. If only they weren't sworn enemies, he might have better luck. An “enemies” AU, but fun :) featuring the PV kiss plot

excerpt

“Lucky Charm,” she said cheerfully, catching the red-and-black spotted cushion in her hand as it fell.  Chat Noir sighed, raising his hand unenthusiastically. “Cataclysm,” he said, all his gusto deflating as inky blackness swirled into being over his palm.  She took a step back, eyeing his hand. Though he had never directed a Cataclysm at her, the crackle of his power turned the air electric. Her down pillow was a mere toy in comparison.   “You know what, buginette?” Chat said casually, and though the way he shifted slightly away was subtle, it served to lower her nerves just a fraction. “This is getting old. Instead of fighting, you should give me your your Miraculous, and I can finally take you out on a—” Ladybug gripped Chat Noir’s opposite forearm, yanking him forward and using the momentum to tug him into a flip. He landed hard on the pavement, wincing as he twisted his arm to avoid infecting the street with his power. She would have felt bad if he didn’t immediately look up with his bottom lip protruding in a pout.

what makes a monster

part of the reason i love how this whole series turned out is because i think i nailed the characterizations. also, this was written pre s-4 finale, so if you read it now you'll get to see all the predictions i got right!

summary

An Akumatized victim steals Gabriel Agreste's wedding band. When Shadow Moth turns up, desperate to obtain the ring, Ladybug and Chat Noir decide to Cataclysm it.

excerpt

Tossing the ring to Chat, she said, “Destroy it.” “No!” Papillombre lunged forward, but stopped as Chat Noir held the ring up, grinning impishly.  “What’s it to you?” he taunted. “If this is really just a normal ring, Ladybug’s miraculous cure will restore it.” “I have held back before,” Papillombre said, gritting his teeth. “But if you put so much as a scratch on that ring, boy, I swear I will not hesitate to make you pay.” Two minutes, four seconds. “Hey, m’lady,” Chat Noir said gleefully, ignoring Papillombre’s furious glare. “If you put it on, we’ll match.”

one does not love breathing

my personal favorite, not just because i really like how it turned out, but because this is what catapulted me headfirst into fandom and how i got to meet so many of my friends <3 it was also great for my own self-confidence as a writer!

summary

All of Paris watched as Hawkmoth murdered Chat Noir, taking the Black Cat Miraculous for himself. Ladybug swears revenge, but her enemy—and every Miraculous in his possession—disappear without a trace. Six years later, a new team of villains launches an attack: Volpina, armed with new powers; Queen Bee, with questionable loyalty; Argos, the new holder of the Peacock Miraculous; and Cat Walker, who Ladybug hates the most.

excerpt

Marinette didn’t say anything. She held Alya’s gaze a beat longer, then turned once more toward the Eiffel Tower, her eyes bright with green light. People jostled them as they walked by, trying to get photos of the statue or drop mementos at its feet, but neither Marinette or Alya moved.  “I’ve always wondered,” Alya said, almost certain this was the wrong time to ask. “Did you love—?” “Don’t.”   Alya bit back the reply, and Marinette wrapped her arms around herself. She leaned her head back, closing her eyes, lines tight around her mouth as she spoke. “Just…don’t.”

thank you for the ask lava <3 i'm pretty sure you have read like all of these, so thank you doubly for contributing to a huge portion of my writing confidence 🥰

[kenas-artstuff]

LOVE your take on adult riko and reg. I for one fully agree that the show would be better with adult protagonists.

AAAAAAAA YES YOU GET IIIIT!!! and thank you! ;w; <3 Now i hope you don't mind me expanding some thoughts I've been collecting u///u

It's like. Ok so in my several dives into ppl talking abt mia, I kept coming across people trying to explain how the protags being kids is "genius" and "necessary" bc of how it's about the contrast between these very inexperienced, innocent beings (yay let's objectify kids into creatures of purity lol </3) faced against the corruption of the abyss, and how much more gruesome it makes the cruelty when it happens to kids.

Now 1) several things already wrong with that on a "hey don't use kids for sheer shock value" lol, and 2) you can literally do the same thing with adults, with the exact same amount of narrative and emotional impact AS SHOWN IN THE SERIES ITSELF WITH THE GOLDEN CITY, THE WHITE WHISTLES AND MULTIPLE ADULT DELVERS SHOWN TO MEET THEIR DEMISE. I see where ppl explaing it are coming from but if you literally think more than 10 seconds about you'll quickly realize that the cute style and their age quite literally only serves as shock value and uhm. yeha. Fetishization and serves little to no narrative purpose otherwise.

You can have Riko be 20 and completely oblivious and innocent to the cruelty of the abyss. You can make your silly penis jokes with a Reg who doesn't look like he's fucking twelve. I'D PROBABLY EVEN FIND IT FUNNY LIKE THAT :)

Also can you imagine the level of emotional connection you'll have to their characters in the beginning if you're attached to them bc of who they are instead of "aww they're so cute i wanna protecc them <3"??? THE DREAD OF KNOWING THEY'RE TECHNICALLY ADULTS BUT FIGURATIVE CHILDREN COMPARED TO THE ABYSS???

Like, showing Riko being very capable albeit clumsy in the beginning, thinking "hey, she's pretty good and an adult, she and reg could maybe have a chance after all!" instead of "oh good god they're kids this is fucking hopeless what are you doing" bc then you get fucking SMASHED IN THE FACE when they have their first crisis in comparison to when they're kids and you just go "i mean, as expected. they're kids."

So yeah TLDR everyone pls have thoughts and stop giving shallow explanations that just sum up into "woooaaahhhh shock value so cool bc they're littol!"

[autisticgayplushie]

I’ve been working on the next batch of pride pups and I thought it’d be fun to share some progress pics and behind the scenes! The four that I’ve got something to show for rn are kirby, pretzel, salad, and bacon! samples are still in progress for butterscotch, abbie, and gigi.

these are wips, so a few of them are not final! Specifically kirby and salad are getting some changes I’ll go into :D

in the original artwork for kirby, they’ve got a little curl on their head. I didn’t want to try to make this 3D because I knew it’d be hard to get it to look as cute as it does in a flat drawing. I like the idea of the embroidery showing the curl, but I decided I need to change the shape to make it read a little better.

salad is the pup that’s getting the biggest changes, and by biggest I mean editing their light green color by a few shades lol. This green seemed a bit yellow and bright in comparison to the aro flag, so I wanted to tone it down just a little. decided to go with the same green used on cookie (#48), which hopefully will feel a bit closer to the source :)

especially with these pride pups, I’m really particular about color, so sometimes it gets down to the excruciating details of choosing between two shades that are barely different. It’s hard to tell sometimes as lighting plays a big role in how these colors look and I can’t always see them in person. I also like the puppies to go together well as a set, so I try to consolidate the pallet of the collection as a whole so that they go together cohesively i.e. using the same green that’s used on cookie here on salad, or the same blue that’s used on cookie on pretzel and bacon, or the same pink that’s used on beau on kirby.

The nice thing about this puppy collection is that since we already have the shape pinned down, that’s never a concern for revisions - that’s typically the hardest part 🥴 

lmk if you like this type of post! I sortof want to make them as a journal more or less but I’d also be happy to answer specific questions ppl have about plushie design through asks and stuff if you’re interested!

[dapperrokyuu]

I personally do think that the music portion of Project Voltage shouldve been typing themed because not just because thats what the art did, but itd ascertain each song being unique and creative in terms of sound and message.

As neat as its been, I get the sense that every song is just going to say "Pokemon is and was cool, huh?" which is, like, "Yeah...thats why this collab exists. Can we talk about anything else-" Like, that message is fine and dandy as a one off song (e.g. Gotcha by Bump of Chicken; I definitely thought there was another MV before it but I cant find it so I guess that was my imagination, haha)! But for 18 songs in a row...its gonna get old, lol.

[THIS ENDED UP LONGER THAN I ANTICIPATED, CLICK FOR MORE BUT IM SAVING YOU SCROLLING!!!!!!!!!]

I was gonna say Volt Tackle is the only one that says anything beyond "Pokemon is cool!" in a very classically Deco*27 fashion of making electricity/Volt Tackle/battling a love metaphor in general and Miku's pursuits in relationships, but that actually does Inubakumori a disservice since they also focus more on the experience of a being behind a screen trying to connect with the you beyond it (admittedly still need to ponder this a bit more, tbh) AND is genuinely the most unique in terms of OST choices.

MitchieM's music isnt really my thing in the first place, but it being composed of puns--while endearing--also feels like it doesnt say much else other than "Pokemon is cool, huh?" heavily depending on the Pokemon presence (tho Miku's design is real cute in it, hehe). With PinocchioP, as sentimental and heartfelt to the point it made me cry, it also conveyed pretty much the same thing (MV was most visually impressive to me tho; the little Miku's dressed as Pokemon, ahhh!!!).

Like, to an extent, I can accept the choice to not do a typing theme in favor of emphasizing each producer's style without restraint, but the kicker is using the same OST. Like, not only is the message going to be the same, Im kind of futilely hoping to see anything more than battle and Pokemon Center themes in the future songs! Its gonna be predictable and lose its luster, unfortunately!

I didnt even like Inabakumori's Electric Forecast that much at first because Im more into fast paced energetic music (Volt Tackle is probably my fave), but it ranks, stands out, and impresses me over the other two because it used SO MANY different themes, arguably probably the most out of all the released songs so far? Im being easily impressed because Electric Forecast used BURGH'S GYM THEME and the DIVING THEME and the Viridian Forest theme and the Kimono Girl's theme- Inabakumori is relatively new compared to the other 3 and they blew me away not because they somehow have more passion than the others but they...I guess, were experimental! Didnt play it safe! Actually took a deeper look into this 27 year old franchise's IMMENSE collection of music than just sticking to the basics! Not to say they DIDNT used the Pokemon Center theme or a battle theme, but they also did SO MUCH MORE than that in comparison to the others.

Theres was just so much opportunity in the typing theme, I dont think its too big of an ask considering, again, Pokemon's gigantic library of music. A town/route that had environments suitable for a specific type, a notable trainer who used a specific type, miscellaneous themes that give the vibe of a certain type, there was just so much they could do...!

I dunno, its incredibly too soon to be disappointed with this project, but Im just...airing out my feelings, I guess? Id love to be proven wrong, so looking forward to future releases! In the meantime, I point towards Polkadot Stingray's entry in the Pokemon Music Collective, "Ghost Dive," which I think is incredibly impressive and what I had in mind for Project Voltage if they committed to the typing theme. The way it incorporates the themes, the sound effects, the lyrics referring to Ghost-type/adjacent abilities, its also about someone who's a Ghost type fan, so it couldve been the best of all worlds...! And they didnt have to do that at all. Such a good job and banger, truly.

[hikennosabo]

trimax vol 11 random thoughts

we're back to 6 chapters in this volume, huh!

i dont know if i'm ready for this, i still feel emotionally caught up in volume 10. but as always, i must press onward.

chapter 1:

CHAPEL JUMPSCARE?!?! WHY DOES THIS VOLUME OPEN WITH A SCENE OF CHAPEL. I THOUGHT WE WERE DONE WITH YOU!!!! GO AWAY!!!!

and we're back to legato!! yay!!! i feel like i haven't seen him in forever!! he's looking a little worse for wear...

HELPPPP HSDKLJFDKLSFJS SHE'S SO MEAN TO HIMMMM

"there's no reason why i shouldn't just kill you" SHE'S SO MEAN!!!!!

it's really such a funny dynamic and i agree that legato is very bullyable but where does this hostility come from, actually? does she view legato as a rival for knives's attention? does she just think he has rancid vibes? it seems kinda one-sided too, legato hasn't expressed the same degree of annoyance regarding elendira... or we haven't really seen what he thinks of her at all, iirc? he just kind of ignores her goading... which honestly makes this dynamic funnier LMAO

and now we cut to--wait, LIVIO CAN DRIVE?! ...actually, now that i think about it, he probably drove chapel around, right? chapel probably couldn't drive in the condition he was in...

WHAT'S WITH THE SWANKY-ASS CAR, THOUGH???

i am happy to see brad again. i am always happy to see brad

^ me when i see brad

vash is clearly so so so tired. he decided to trust livio because he trusts wolfwood who trusted livio, but he's also mad about it. he's still very raw and very angry with livio i think. and also just fed up with this conversation in general lol. he's low on patience.

"at least let me punch him," says brad, after he already did it! livio would take the punch either way, he thinks he deserves to get punched... (ourgh...) but if you're going to ask for permission, do it beforehand!

i've been physically holding myself back from making more ff7 comparisons than i have already, but this is not making it easy. also y'all are literally in a narrative i know this shit is NOT going to work.

knives using his sisters as a shield... again... well, maybe "using" isn't the right word in this case. i actually expected him to destroy the cannon, but his expression... he knew it wouldn't fire.

i'm wondering about the plants' will now... how much self-awareness do they have? is it like, collective? are they more of a hivemind compared to the independents? ummm... hmmm... uuuummmm... i still feel like i don't know enough about plants!!

also does this mean they could have refused to fuse with knives if they didn't want to? not like knives is a stranger to using force, but in the scene where he fused with that first plant, he did ask... ummm... gaahhhh... my soupy brain...

i don't remember who in stampede said non-independent plants don't have free will... but it's an assumption everyone in this world seems to have been operating on...

"it's possible that the plants could rebel against humans. if that's the case, then there's no way humanity could survive." <- yeah no kidding! so you gotta be niceys to them!

chapter 2:

i'm apprehensive about the earth humans arriving, they're gonna make this situation even more complicated...

YOU'D BEST START BELIEVING IN SCIENCE FICTION, NAMELESS RANDO, YOU'RE IN ONE

UUAAAGH MERYL AND MILLY :( one of them (i can't tell who's talking) mentions her family... ARE their families okay?? hmmm... if they were, they'd probably be in this city, right? so i guess not... or maybe the situation is just too chaotic to find them even if they are in the city.

we never learned that much about meryl and milly's families, but i liked what we did get. that bit all those chapters ago, which touched on meryl's feelings about her own family (jeez that was FOREVER ago?!)... i thought it gave an interesting dimension to her.

THE REUNION.. CAN I GET A HUG?? CAN I PLEEEAAAASE GET A HUG??

oh holy shit he is giving MAAAAJOR sephiroth vibes here and i love it. he is beautiful and terrifying. and he's losing his shape... a physical representation of him losing himself...

and the ark itself is giving... something... i don't really know what to make of this grotesque display. it's... a lot.

chapter 3:

actually, what are the earth humans planning on doing exactly. are they gonna gather everyone up and ferry them back to earth? provide resources and technology so they can continue living on noman's land? i mean obviously we have to deal with knives first but what about after that?

OH?! BRAD TO THE RESCUE?! UNEXPECTED BRAD & LIVIO FRIENDSHIP?!

girl me too.

of course she immediately picked up on what really happened, not like brad's lie was any good to begin with...

OH, CUTE!!! what's in vash's coat! a lil figurine... what else does he have. the communicator pen, a swiss army knife, a key, the coin case... and some miscellaneous things...

"to tell you the truth, it wasn't a priority of mine" about the coins... it wasn't a priority of the author either dw

BRAD LIVIO FRIENDSHIP CUTE CUTE CUTE CUTE CUTE!!!! i love this, brad is trying so hard...!! he's so sweet... this is not a friendship i expected but i'm loving it so much!!!

:( vash crying over marlon's words to him is making me feel a type of way. it's something he needs to hear, but...!! "i don't know what else to do..." asking for help is easier said than done... he doesn't know how. i can relate...

and now we get... a big explosion and...!!!!

YES.... YES!!!!! LEGATO!!!!! MY SWEET (not an adjective that describes him in the slightest) LITTLE (also not an adjective that describes him) BAGWORM HAS FINALLY EMERGED FROM HIS COCOON!!!! i missed you so much honey i can't wait to see what fucked up shit you do next <3

oh also zazie's been cut in half. ehhh they'll be fine.

chapter 4:

oh fuck. this concept has been knocking around in my head for a while, and now it's been confirmed canon... it's never quiet for him anymore...

baby knives!!!!!! :(

someone: "you're nonbinary? but what's in your pants though?" zazie:

okay but jokes aside 1. GROSS!!!, 2. would this have even worked? legato and elendira recognize the danger so maybe it would have, 3. zazie says "we will use your powers for our purposes" which is... what? eliminating the humans, i suppose, and then... what?

huh... wait... is this how his powers worked all along or is this a new thing?? it's a new thing, right??

carve strings?? out of iron?? with what, his bare hands??? and he's moving by... puppeteering... himself?? that's... insane. i'm impressed.

i actually love seeing him up and moving around again, but i guess this means i can't call him a bagworm anymore... initially i called him a jolly rancher (because of his hair color in stampede and also because my friend called him "chewable"), then he changed to bagworm... which i guess was an upgrade since at least bagworms are alive?! i need another weird pet name for him. maybe i should just call him a moth now...

he's sitting like a frog :)

and he's imbuing the bullets with his power...! i see, that's how he defeated that big guy 2 chapters ago! ...and then livio startles him so much he leaves a hole. i'm sobbing.

handsome!!!! also "new hair, new outlook" hits different when it comes from vash, huh?

i am not gonna lie, the coin case has been such a nonentity in this story that i was temporarily VERY confused because i forgot it had come with the other halves already in the case.

also... elendira doesn't get one? why? is it because it's legato's game? so she refused to play... because she hates him...? LOL

and then. a random guy shows up. and gives them the last coin. why. listen nightow i know your initial plan for the coins went out the window and you need to wrap up this plot point now but like. is this REALLY the best you could do? LMAO

chapter 5:

oh boy... so much information here... the sudden reveal of another independent... and what to glean from all this about the relationship between plants and humans on earth... aaahghgh i wanted more information about this but now i have to wrap my head around it!! aaaaghh... my soupy brain...

"our generation was wired with neural blocking programs"... to prevent them from fusing? or is there more to it? hmmm. this is giving like. sci-fi advanced AI vibes. with a program that blocks them from going terminator. except the plants are made of flesh. or something. i'm... not sure how to feel about it, honestly.

i love seeing vash and livio being silly together. lord knows we need what silliness we can get.

vash going to press the switch and livio freaking out about it is SOOO funny BUT meryl DID tell vash that there were no explosives in the coin case. so he could've pressed it!!!

why is he flirting.....

i'm joking but also i'm not. but i think the only way these two would actually kiss is if they were playing a game of gay chicken.

...but come on, "let's kill each other, just the two of us"?? buddy...

also his uh... companion... helper...? is here...? is this the same one that was assisting him when he was a bagworm? ????? i still have no idea what they are or what to make of them.

?!?!?!?! RUDE?????

i mean she IS a bitch but i'm saying that as a COMPLIMENT. a compliment!!! as in "my wife is a bitch and i love her so much"!!! BUT VASH IS BEING RUDE!!!!

uagh, i had to post the full page, this is so lovely. i like seeing vash and livio bond; it looks like vash is warming up and happy that his choice to trust livio is paying off. and livio is trying really hard to live up to that. they both feel the impact wolfwood had on the two of them... it's very sweet.

this exchange is SO funny. just doing some diy with explosive items :)

uhhh, something something humanity's relationship with god!

right, this happened in the final fight in 98. "he cancelled me out..."

oh my god, FINALLY a fucking HUG around here!!!!!

they're sweet. :( also we need more hugs in this manga. EVERYONE needs a hug. what we really need is a big cuddle pile.

so much buildup... i'm scared. chronica turning off her "limiter program"... is this the same thing that prevents plants from fusing or is it something else? what is she gonna try doing?? ughhh, the apprehension is killing me...

chapter 6:

she's so cute... and she's soooo... COOOOL!!!!!

i love elendira, she is really cool and strong and funny, but... we don't really know anything deeper about her. what makes her tick? why is she following knives? are we gonna get a backstory? i wanna know everything about her!! i've wanted to know since her introduction!!!

and of course livio can live through getting impaled so many times. that's NOTHING to him. and his interaction with the kids is cute. and his reunion with jasmine is sweet. not going to say aaaanything about nightow's inconsistent timeline again...

actually no, i lied just now. it would be one thing if he had just... changed his mind midway though the manga and then stuck with it. but he's ACTIVELY going BACK AND FORTH on this. "six years" was LESS THAN 10 CHAPTERS AGO but if it still holds true then jasmine should NOT be this old. these chapters were published WITHIN THE SAME YEAR. RRAAAAAGHHGHGH

*cough* anyway. livio is such a big sweetie... i never disliked him, but my impression of him has changed. in stampede i didn't really know what to think of him. he didn't have a personality, he was just brainwashed. and his manga self was stoic and cool before. which... didn't seem like it was brainwashing, necessarily? i don't know?? maybe it was just an act he was putting on. he went goober mode as soon as the fight was over. perhaps no longer being beholden to EoM allowed him to embrace his inherent silliness. i liked his cool and stoic self but i LOVE his big silly teddy bear self. he's so... uwah. he makes me smile.

now that we're getting closer to the end i'm getting impatient... i feel the urge to just read the rest of it all in one go... but i mustn't... i must show restraint...!!!

[youngveinsworld]

a recap of the take a vacation listening party at angels and kings, 16 october 2009

I was fortunate enough to be at Angels and Kings last night for the listening party! I drove from northern CT through rain and snow at lightspeed after work to beat rush hour traffic, nearly peed myself because there was no time for bathroom stops, made my train by 2 minutes after almost getting back onto the gridlocked highway and being honked at maliciously for cutting people off to avoid this...

...and was it all worth it? You bet it was!!

I got to Angels and Kings at 7:30 and there were literally ten people there, lol, a big difference from when Brendon played in August and the place was jam-packed. So I sat by my lonesome with my two beers against the wall and watched as people slowly trickled in. To those who have never been there before, it's actually a pretty small, laid back place, just a bar with a cool ambience and some comfy seats. The infamous spot for mugshots is in a little inlet that shares space where you wait for the bathrooms, two separate single stalls that ask no gender of you and are so covered in scrawl and marker that you can't see yourself in the mirror.

They played the Butch Walker album first, around like 8:15, at a volume much louder than the stock music they'd been playing before, to my happiness as the number of people had tripled and conversations were getting boisterous. I don't really know Butch Walker, I'd never heard him before, so all I can say is that the music was pretty good. Though his voice was much whinier than I'd expected from a man named Butch!

So I'm just sitting there chilling when I look up (I'm facing the entranceway) and there's Ryan!! With Alex, of course, and a few friends in tow whom I didn't recognize. They just stroll in and it's no big whoop-de-do, which is when I realize most of the people there did not come for the listening party, it's really just their neighborhood bar. Ryan was wearing his little brown suit. He looks healthier, not as skinny as he was last year, with his round cheeks and gorgeous locks :) Alex had his cape on! Loved it. Jon was absent, but I wasn't expecting him to be there as I'm sure he's in Chicago right now...unless he's moved to Cali as well? I can never tell with that elusive man.

It was so hard not to stare at Ryan the whole time! He's just so captivating. But I did my best. He knew lots of people there and spent the time 'schmoozing'.

A little before nine I heard the beginning of "Change" and I knew this was it! So that will be the first song on the album. There were quite a few people there now and I kept re-positioning myself to find where I could get the best sound, closing my eyes so I could hear better.

"Take A Vacation" is a very appropraite title for the album. I felt like I was on vacation! But it's so much more straightforward than the other work he's done. It doesn't sound like they're trying too hard or trying to prove something, it really is just a collection of fun pop songs, GOOD fun pop songs at that! Very, very pop-y. I wouldn't be surprised if critics compared this album to The Beach Boys like they continually compared Pretty Odd to The Beatles...though if that comparison makes anyone feel iffy, I'll let you know I don't particularly care for The Beach Boys and I loved the songs I heard last night. They're not cheesy in the slightest, but they are very lighthearted.

For the songs individually, I don't remember how many there were. There are at least two, maybe three, which are definitely not Ryan's voice- I say that because I cannot ever hear just Jon's voice on anything Panic has done and I don't want to say for sure that it's him, but uh, I'm 99.9% positive, so that's cool! One song was all about Cape Town, very twangy and mellow. All the songs blurred together for me, with the background noise- they are not radically different from each other, but yet they don't all sound the same but they do have the same sound to them, if that makes any sense? The last track, gah, I can't remember what it goes like but there were tears in my eyes. It was just that beautiful. It's an album that will make your heart swell and your hips shake!

And then it was 9:30 and I'd had my four beer maximum and was ready to go home, lol. But not without speaking to him, of course, and I managed to catch him alone as he was waiting in line for the bathroom. He was utterly gracious and so sweet, just as always. I finally got to shake his hand, something I've been waiting for which was a big no-no at meet and greets. Told him how much I loved the album, how amazingly excited I am for the music he makes, what a great talent he has, on and on because I never know what to say and I always want to say so much! I just really wanted to convey to him how much we truly love this music and how excited his fans are for this new band. He seemed very happy to hear all this :) Asked him about being under contract and he's a free man now, so they're really just hunting for labels at this point. He said the album should be out beginning of next year and he's very excited about it!!

And that's it. I apologize I have no media to share. There was no way I could've taken audio without it being completely drowned out by people talking. And I didn't want to take any pictures because, well, it's a dark bar and flash would've been really obvious and I didn't want to look like a creeper, lol. The end.

– from this Livejournal post