#female gearheads

[lixiesfreckless]

Burn It | l. m.

the last installment to Punch It, a fic from the PICU

➸ synopsis: The Golden Tire Cup semifinals is today, and Minho has the opportunity to get the Wolfgang Street Racing club to the finals for the first time in four years.

Hopefully with you by his side, he'll be able to make it into the top two.

➸ starring: lee minho x female reader(ft. idols from jypnation, smtown, hybe, kq, everywhere, I went a bit crazy)

➸ word count: 3.6k words

➸ general content: streetracer!minho, very very dangerous street racing(do not attempt to do any of this, no matter how tempting it may be), a stupid amount of cameos, one somewhat misogynistic background character, gearhead culture

➸ warnings: alcohol consumption, swearing, a mild car wreck

➸ rating: teen+

➸ author's note: this is(should be) the final official installment to the picu! imagine punch it, floor it, and burn it as one continuous timeline, with the ending being this chapter. do I have a favorite? no, not after writing this chapter.

♫ this fic has a soundtrack! you don't need to listen to it while reading(especially if the lyrics will bother you), but it's a street racing tournament for crying out loud. do yourself a favor and listen to these epic vibes.

yes, it's meant to be listened to in that order(starting from Deja Vu). shuffling it will result in Minho cramming you into an air fryer for 20 minutes at 180 degrees.

♫- Deja Vu

You feel the refreshing spray of hose water on your bare back, soaking your black bikini top for the fourth time this evening. 

Whipping around, you find Minho rinsing off the back of his car, free hand stuffed into his pocket as he whistles and avoids eye contact.

He’s hit with a soapy sponge, square on the back of his black shirt.

“Hey!” He ditches the hose, deciding to pause washing the vehicle in favor of chasing you around the bumper.

The Wolfgang racing club had gathered at Changbin’s house for the annual Golden-Tire-Cup-and-car-show-preparation-party, detailing and fixing cars as needed before it’s time for the race, which takes place in the California desert shortly after sundown. Members were littered across the lawn and garage, replacing rims, tightening brakes, and avoiding Minho, who had taken a liking to spraying anyone that came close to his ride.

“Yo Min, I love what you did with the brakes!” Jisung points and yells to him, twirling and fumbling a ratchet wrench as he runs into the garage, kneeling to meet Seungmin who slides out from under someone’s car on a skateboard.

“What did you do to them?” You ask, cocking your head to the side and crossing your arms.

“Oh, I painted them red to match,” he says nonchalantly, the only sign of something strange being the pink dusting his cheeks.

“Match…match what? There’s no red on your car-”

No, but your whole car is red.

A slow smile spreads across your face as you walk around the hood of the car, and Minho only looks up at you right before you lean in and plant a kiss on his cheek. He smiles as you step back, sighing and admiring your teamwork.

The 1993 Toyota MR2 glistens in the late afternoon sun, not a single scratch or scuff mark streaking the ebony shell. Minho doesn’t think the car has been this clean since he first got the keys.

“You nervous at all?”

“Me? Nervous?” He scoffs and waves you off, and then worry creases his features as he drops the act. “...a little. We haven’t made it this far in years.”

“Yeah, but…” you say, pulling him in to wrap your arms around his half-soaked waist, “for the best racer in the city, I think it’s manageable.”

“Laying it on thick, are we?”

“Better take advantage of it while you can,” you giggle, and he rolls his eyes before leaning down.

Suddenly, a set of loud engines cut into the air as they fly around the block corner, cars rumbling and thundering as they slow down and approach Changbin’s house. A modified black vintage Mustang jerks to a stop in the driveway, and then the door flies open, a slender man with long skunk-stripe hair stepping out onto the hot pavement. A leather jacket with the word Guerillaz across the back sits draped on his shoulders as he closes the car door behind him, and other men start leaving their respective cars.

“Whoa whoa whoa, what did I miss?” The man says, tilting down his sunglasses and smirking at the two of you, still holding each other. You take the hose from Minho and aim it at him, spraying a stream of water and sending him into a fit of shrieks as he holds up his team jacket as a shield.

“Look what the scaredy cat dragged in,” Changbin taunts from the garage, before ditching his work gloves and crossing the lawn to meet the unexpected intruder.

Wooyoung catches Changbin in a hug, elated to see his old teammate after so long.

He used to be a part of the Wolfgang racing club before he moved up the coast to Sacramento– but since he couldn’t keep his hands away from the wheel, he ended up making his own club, one that ended up driving back down to team with Wolfgang to win the Kingdom Cup a year later.

They only come back down twice a year; once for the Christmas car show, and again in the summer for the Golden Tire Cup Championship. 

Wooyoung lets go of him, nodding towards Minho as he takes off his sunglasses.

“Semifinals, huh?” He says, looking at him in awe. “You must have gotten a lot better since I last saw you.”

“My teacher was alright,” he sighs and shrugs, and you spray his face and walk off, leaving him dripping wet in favor of going to find Yeji.

“Now that, I did not see coming,” San whispers, dapping up Hyunjin as he approaches the latter’s Supra, now painted red to match his hair. “The last time I saw them, they hated each other.”

“Wouldn’t you feel the same way if you met your match?” Ryujin pipes up from the ground, tightening the nut on a wheel. “They both thought they were the best before Minho won Changbin’s car.”

“Minho did what?” He asks, eyes turning to saucers.

“Dude, let me tell you about what happened last summer…”

‧⋆ ✧˚₊‧⋆. ✧˚₊‧⋆‧ ♫- Hall of Fame ‧⋆ ✧˚₊‧⋆. ✧˚₊‧⋆‧

Night is falling in the desert, but it’s never looked more awake.

Rows upon rows of cars line up on the dry earth, and photographers and gearheads alike gawk at the automobiles, snapping endless amounts of pictures and videos with their devices. 

Further down the track a stage is set up, with some DJ working a growing crowd as they sip on whatever they can get their hands on.

You’re at the edge of the car show with Yeji, helping her ward off condescending men with boring car questions. Surely they must know that car enthusiasts don’t all have to be male.

Another one saunters up to the two of you, sizing you up with a stare that lingers just a little too long at your exposed midriff.

“And this is your car?” he asks, and in favor of keeping your team from being disqualified, you keep your arms folded tight against your chest.

“Yes, it’s-” Yeji stops you with a raised hand, looking up from inspecting her manicure and staring him dead in the eyes.

“It’s my 608 horsepower V8 engine 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder, why do you ask?” She asks sweetly, smiling and batting her eyelashes at him. He narrows his eyes and reluctantly walks away, realizing this wasn’t a fight he could win.

“Nice one,” you chuckle, right as your phone rings in your team jacket. You check the time and answer it, noting that it’s just after 8 pm before speaking.

“Hello?”

“Your boyfriend says to ‘get your ass over here’. The race is about to start,” Lia says, half drowned out by the crowd you’re sure is swarming there by now. You look at Yeji, who waves you off with a shake of her head.

“I think I can fend for myself,” she whispers, and you nod in response.

“I’ll be there in two minutes.”

‧⋆ ✧˚₊‧⋆. ✧˚₊‧⋆‧

You hear bets being made and taunts being thrown as you push your way through the crowd, making your way to the start of the track. Four cars of different makes, models, and colors sit at the starting line, with members of their respective teams standing near each one, buzzing with anticipation.

After showing the back of your jacket you get let onto the track, where at least half of your gang circles Minho, giving him some last words of advice and encouragement.

“Remember, the gas is on the right and the brakes are on the left,” Felix jokes.

“Oh oh, and your seatbelt,” Jeongin joins in, egging him on, “don’t wanna break the law, now do we?”

“Alright alright, knock it off you two,” Changbin laughs, then looks to the team’s resident mechanic.

Chan is silent for a moment, then puts a hand on Minho’s shoulder.

“You’ve got this,” he says quietly, and the team nods in agreement. “Be safe.”

You push your way into the circle, and Chan smiles at you before gesturing to everyone else.

“Let’s give them some space, yeah?” he says, and the group disperses, wishing safety and slapping Minho on the back before exiting the track.

The man of the hour turns to you as you step up to him, the shouts of the crowd fading into the background as you meet his eyes.

“How are you doing,” you whisper, flicking some sand off of his team jacket. He looks out at the crowd, drawing in a deep breath before looking down at you again.

“I’m scared.”

“Scared of what?”

“Of losing,” he admits, running a hand through his black locks. “I don’t want to let everyone down, we’ve come so far-”

“Because of you, Minho,” you interrupt, pushing a pointed finger against his chest. “We only got this far because of you. We’ll be proud no matter what trophy you take home.”

The creases in his forehead ease at your words, and you take his gloved hand into yours.

“You’re not here to be the best; we already know you are,” you remind him, smiling. “You’re here to have fun. Winning would just be a nice bonus.”

“Oh yeah? And what happens if I win?” He grins, pulling your hand a bit closer as you chuckle at his forwardness.

“I can think of a couple things-”

“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WELCOME TO THE TENTH ANNUAL GOLDEN TIRE CUP SEMIFINALS!”

The voice of the announcer booms over the speakers as a tall man with a silver microphone enters the track. You quickly leave a kiss against Minho’s cheek, then lean over to his ear.

“Come back to me in one piece,” you whisper, then squeeze his hand and run off the track. 

“WE HAVE QUITE THE LINEUP FOR YOU TODAY, SO LET'S HEAR IT FOR OUR RACERS!”

The crowd erupts into cheers as each racer stands in front of their car, awaiting their introduction.

“FROM THE P1ECE PEDAL PUSHERS, HWANG INTAK!”

A guy with curly brown hair waves at the crowd, blowing kisses and causing several girls pushed up against the barricade to faint.

“FROM THE BLUE FLAMES, NAKAMURA KAZUHA!”

A Japanese chick with sick looking sunglasses does a small curtsy, and you scream along with the crowd, always excited to see other women excited about racing.

“FROM THE NEVER CRASHING TIRES, LEE JENO!”

A guy with snow white hair spells out his team’s acronym with his hands before waving, and you can hear his team start chanting from down the track.

“AND LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, FROM THE WOLFGANG, LEE MINHO!”

You and the gang howl as loud as you can as Minho turns around and points to his back, showing off the detailed wolf design on the back of his team leather jacket.

The four racers shake hands with each other before each getting into their cars, waving one last time at the crowd before shutting the doors.

‧⋆ ✧˚₊‧⋆. ✧˚₊‧⋆‧ ♫- Turn Back Time ‧⋆ ✧˚₊‧⋆. ✧˚₊‧⋆‧

If Minho really thinks about it, all races are the same.

The announcer had gone over the rules, and despite this not being his first race by a long shot, he assumes that anyone would have been able to guess them.

Three laps around the track.

No shortcuts.

Start at the sound of the gun.

Unlike NASCAR, foul play technically is allowed, but none of the teams that made it to the semifinals made it by playing dirty. It felt too much like cheating. That, and no one wanted to scratch their nice cars for a trophy if they didn’t have to.

Minho grips the wheel and closes his eyes as a girl wearing next to nothing struts out to the middle of the track, holding an air gun in her gloved hand.

Slowly, the sounds of the crowd roaring and his opponents cheekily revving their engines fade into the background, the world around him becoming more still as he goes to his happy place.

He opens his eyes again and he’s back, back in the passenger seat with you holding the steering wheel.

“What are you waiting for?” you say, giving him an annoyed side eye.

“Aren’t you going to tell me when to go?” 

“Okay, go.”

“What-”

BANG!

“Go!”

Minho breaks out of his reverie and floors it, the racers doing the same as the crowd screams in delight.

“AND THEY’RE OFF!” The announcer booms, standing in a tower on the other side of the starting line as a black haired girl next to him waves a giant checkered flag. The cars zoom forward, getting smaller and smaller as they tear down the track. A tiny drone follows them, becoming a tiny red light flashing in the distance.

Minho grins, falling into the rhythm of upshifting like it’s an old song he loves.

The P1ECE’s car takes the lead, narrowly cutting corners while NCT’s car stays hot on its trail, not letting it get a lead. The Wolfgang’s car gives them their space as Blue Flame’s car stays next to it, hugging the inside of every curve. 

One lap down, and Minho is cruising in third place as the cars zip past the finish line.

“IT REALLY IS ANYONE’S GAME FOLKS…”

Silently, you say a prayer as the cars disappear from view, the crowd going insane around you and your gang.

Inside the car, Minho is having a ball, treating the desert track as his own personal time trial as he and the others burn rubber, trading places around every turn. 

He lets Kazuha’s car pass him as he eases up on the gas, enough to let her gain a small lead.

“What is he doing?!” An angry man yells, gripping onto the barrier as the cars fly past the start again, signaling the final lap. You assume he has money on the line as you smirk, knowing Minho’s real strategy.

“THERE GO THE RACERS AND- HOLD UP- LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, DO WE HAVE A DRIFT RACER?!”

The crowd becomes uncontrollable as they hear the announcer, seeing a small cloud of smoke go up from the edge of the track as Minho drifts around the first turn, not slowing down.

“That’s my boyfriend!” You point and scream, barely keeping yourself behind the barrier.

Minho spins the wheel left and right, howling inside of his car as it slides around every curve, leaving a smoky trail behind it. Threatened, the other racers speed up, attempting to widen the gap between him and them, but he’s gaining ground way too quickly.

He couldn’t wipe the smile off his face if he wanted to. He’s having too much fun.

He hardly realizes there’s only thirty seconds left between him and the GT Cup Finale.

And then, on the final turn, the unthinkable happens.

Jeno’s car pulls away as something under Kazuha’s car explodes, and then starts smoking.

Minho watches as her car drifts into Intak’s, making them both turn sideways and start to block the inside of the turn. 

Heart dropping, he realizes he won’t be able to clear the turn.

“Are you not going to slow down?!” He yells, frightened at the calmness in your voice.

“Why would I do that-”

“To keep us ALIVE?!” He screams, grabbing onto the middle console. “Because that’s how you handle turns?!”

No.

“This is how you handle a turn,” Minho whispers, and then taps on the break and spins his steering wheel to the right.

Up ahead, you feel yourself going lightheaded as you see the smoke start to build, blocking the rest of the track from view. Only the neon green NCT car was visible, blazing towards the finish line.

Next to you, Hyunjin goes pale, and you grip onto his arm, more to steady yourself than to comfort him as the crowd collectively holds their breath.

And then, the crowd explodes into cheers.

“RUN ME OVER AND CALL ME DINNER- WOLFGANG MAKES IT AROUND THE FINAL TURN!”

Minho flies around the corner, tires skidding against the ground while the car drifts before he steps on the gas again, emerging from the smoke. You scream, nearly shaking Hyunjin to death as you grip onto his jacket and watch the MR2 draw near to the finish line.

The girl next to the announcer wildly waves her checkered flag as the NCT car crosses the finish line, followed two seconds later by the Wolfgang car, before they both screech to a halt.

Minho throws the door open, nearly tripping over himself as he strains to see down the other end of the track, followed by Jeno.

A hush falls over the crowd as they wait in near silence, hoping to see anything other than smoke emerging from the two cars that fell behind.

In the red haze from their tail lights, one figure emerges.

Kazuha’s thumb shoots up from her body, carried in Intak’s arms as he walks them both towards the starting line.

“THEY’RE OKAY!” The announcer cheers, nearly dropping his binoculars as the crowd joins him.

Relieved, Minho's eyes search for yours before locking on them, barely having any time to react as you sprint across the track, and subsequently crash into him. The rest of the gang hops the barrier, whooping and hollering as they celebrate their finalist.

“I knew it, I knew you could do it,” you nearly sob, clutching onto his jacket.

“You saved my life,” he shudders, holding your shoulders tightly. “I would have crashed into them if you never taught me to drift.”

You don’t hesitate; you can’t. You throw your arms around his neck, pulling him in for the kiss he should have gotten before the race.

The crowd screams as he picks you up and spins the two of you, not caring one bit about who’s looking as he returns your embrace in earnest, smiling against your lips.

“GET A ROOM, WILL YOU?” The announcer laughs, walking up to the two of you and dragging Jeno with him. Minho chuckles and puts you down, and you catch a glimpse of the announcer’s mic, spelling Soobin in sparkly silver letters.

“EVERYONE, OUR GOLDEN TIRE CHAMPIONSHIP FINALISTS!” 

Soobin takes Minho’s arm and raises it along with Jeno’s, and the crowd goes wild.

‧⋆ ✧˚₊‧⋆. ✧˚₊‧⋆‧ ♫- Be Free ‧⋆ ✧˚₊‧⋆. ✧˚₊‧⋆‧

slowlee: come to the kitchen rq

You read the text and swipe away the notification, slipping the phone back into your jacket pocket.

“Glad to hear that no one got seriously injured,” the man you were talking to says, stepping back onto his motorbike. “Typically for people like us, crashes end up being way less epic.”

“Well I'm glad you haven't gotten into any,” you jest, waving to him and his crew before they roll off the driveway, their silver hexagonal logos glinting off their jackets in the moonlight.

You turn and walk back up to Changbin’s house, alive and overflowing with guests as the afterparty is in full swing.

Making your way through the crowded house, you dap up Hongjoong and a tipsy Mingi, do a shot with Chaeryeong and Yuna, and slide into the kitchen right as Minho picks up a brown bottle, instantly meeting your gaze.

“EVERYONE!” Minho yells, pouring a shot of whiskey into his cup before pulling you to his side. You try and fail to keep a grin from landing on your face.

“I’d like to make a toast,” he announces, surveying the room of members and supporters turning to face him and grinning. “To this team, for making it to the finals after four years!”

Whoops and whistles fly around the room.

“To Changbin, for helping me keep his old car in top condition so I don’t die on the road!”

A crazy sounding laugh comes from the man holding baby Chun Ja, complete with a mini racer jacket and red binkie.

“And to the rightful owner of his car,” he lowers his voice, face softening as he looks down at you.

“Minho,” you whisper, eyes widening as you stare up at him in shock.

“I want them to know,” he whispers back, hand squeezing your waist.

“For beating my ass by seven seconds in our duel last year,” he continues, and you watch as several members around the room blink and look at each other in confusion. Yeji and Hyunjin’s eyebrows shoot up simultaneously, and your best friend’s eyes meet yours, equally shocked. “And teaching me that there’s no point in being the best, if you’re not having fun with it.”

The room erupts into cheers as Minho raises his solo cup, and everyone follows suit, cups rising all around the kitchen. “Next stop, the Golden Tire Cup Finals!”

“Shit, I’ll drink to that,” Wooyoung laughs, before everyone throws their shots back.

As the party quickly resumes, you’re swarmed by some of the girls in the gang, bombarded with questions about the legendary duel that decided the fate of the club’s leader. Amongst the chaos, you lock eyes with Minho, who’s getting slapped on the back by Hyunjin while some other members tease him.

He mouths three words to you, and you swear you feel your whole soul light on fire.

You giggle, flaming red as you mouth them back.

I love you too.

After all, you should have known that after acquiring your heart, there’s only one thing he could do.

Burn it.

‧⋆ ✧˚₊‧⋆. ✧˚₊‧⋆‧

Burn It

a lixiesfreckles_ production

cast(in order of appearance)

Lee Minho as the finalist

Han Jisung as the baby mechanic

Kim Seungmin as the only one working

Jung Wooyoung as the old teammate

Seo Changbin as the host

Choi San as the one that's figuratively late to the party

Hwang Hyunjin as the drama

Shin Ryujin as the pit crew

Hwang Yeji as the one who knows her shit

Lia as the messenger

Lee Felix as thing 1

Yang Jeongin as thing 2

Bang Chan as the experienced mechanic

Choi Soobin as the mc

Hwang Intak as the heartthrob hero

Nakamura Kazuha as the victim

Lee Jeno as the neo one

Kim Hongjoong as the designated driver

Song Mingi as the passenger princess

Lee Chaeryeong as party girl 1

Shin Yuna as party girl 2

dedicated to everyone who read Punch It and demanded a book afterwards. it's never gonna happen, but the flattery stayed with me.

do not copy or repost. all rights reserved.

[epicspheal]

Suppose DeNA ultimately incorporates the Let’s Go kids into Masters (Chase, Elaine, Trace, and maybe even Green). How would you go about incorporating them to exist alongside the FRLG Pallet trio?

Hi there @ether-gearhead!

Oooh this is a good and tough question! I feel like DeNA is going to likely pull a Johto where they just sort of combine FRLG and Let's Go together like they did with Crystal and HGSS. By that I mean Kris just exist alongside Ethan and Lyra's in the same universe and kind of having her own thing I will say it's a much easier task to do this with Kris because she has the benefeit of the Pokespe manga being able to inform some of her character since in Pokespe she works with Oak and we see her conversing with him a lot in Pokemas and she was searching for Suicune in the manga which again informed her partner for her Sygna Suit. Let's go isn't going to be as seamless of an addition because they truly exist in a different timeline as: 1) The first Kantrio female protagonist is named Green and not Leaf 2) The first Kantrio have a different starter and team composition 3) Chase/Elaine take the place of Red's role in Let's Go being the one to defeat Team Rocket and capture Mewtwo (if we add Origins into this) 4) Trace takes the place of Blue as the surprise champion who gets defeated soon after While Pokemon Masters is definitely a multiverse crossover (especially with the addition of Ash from the anime) I feel like Let's Go's cast is a little harder to integrate since from the PML league, various smaller stories, and the Kanto Villain arc they really hyped up Red as this living legend who defeated Team Rocket and became champion by taking down his true rival Blue. It gets referenced so much that I don't know if they'd be that eager to try a mulitversal counterpart for that scenario, especially when the reception of the Let's Go cast isn't as great unfortunately. And while I can see them adding Green to the mix, I feel like with Leaf already being shafted (she needs another alt I'm hoping she gets a Neo Champion one or something) it would just further hurt Leaf. All this to say (as a long aside)...this is Gamefreak's fault for being too chicken to just go all in on making Let's Go a true sequel and not this halfway reimagining/halfway sequel thing. Because the idea of Red, Blue and Green/Leaf being mentors to a younger squad of Pallet Town kids is fantastic. With a younger Mina appearing in Let's Go and Adult versions of Red and Blue appearing in SM/USUM I think it would've been wiser to just have had Adult Red and Blue with an adult female protagonist (doesn't matter if they name her Leaf or Green) appear in Let's Go as mentors and have Chase/Elaine and Trace take on a new story set in Kanto. Like center it on Meltan/Melmetal and Shadow Pokemon from remnants of Team Rocket (to tie in with Pokemon Go). Maybe since Trace shows that he's easily frightened, make him already a champion (like how they did Nemona) but his lack of courage and at times unwillingness to push his Pokemon in situations be the reason why Chase/Elaine have to step in...which ultimately ends in him losing the title. But since Red and Blue would be adults here, perhaps at some point they run into Kukui and learn about his dream for Alola and we see them decide to go be facility heads for the Battle Tree. And then in the post-game we see Blue handing the reigns of the Viridian City gym to Trace (who I think could be a good successor). They could even with this add more of a plot to the female protagonist. Maybe she decides to stay in Kanto to help the kids out...or maybe she teases traveling to some other region.

That, in my opinion, would've been a way better use of the new kids while giving the first Kantrio some time to shine. And most importantly, it would've made adding the Let's Go kids to Pokemon Masters way more seamless. And more lucrative for DeNA since a more original story would've enhanced the popularities of Trace, Elaine and Chase. But unfortunately that didn't happen I think if DeNA does add them, given what's actually canon for them, I think they may just focus more on Alolan/Kanto variants of Pokemon. Like an event where Alola and Kanto characters (mainly Let's Go) compare variants. Trace has the Marowak so they could have a battle with him and Kiawe and his Alolan Marowak. I could see them just combining Green's character into Leaf and giving her a Ninetales and then giving Lillie an Alola Ninetales (as a nod to the anime) and have them face off. They could then give Chase/Elaine Kantonian Golem and Dugtrio against Alolan Dugtrio (Molayne) and Alolan Golem (Sophocles). They could also use Meltan/Melmetal for a Let's Go event, but I could honestly see them doing an Ash Alt for that since he has Melmetal (if Ash does get more Alts, a Melmetal and Greninja alt are the most likely ones in my opinion). If they were to give it to the let's go kids I can see them doing it for any one of them honestly.

[stillalivedcingscience]

So recently, some people said they still remember/love my Optimus Prime/Mikaela fic I wrote back in 2016, called Redline:

“Mikaela wants to practice driving stick, but what happens when an attractive Autobot leader is your instructor?”

so I thought, in light of that, I’d actually make the fic a proper playlist, since it’s been, idk, YEARS. so here’s a little one I threw together (and am sorta still throwing together, orz, it’s a WIP ok):

So you can consider this this thing’s official playlist or something I guess. It has a lot of 80’s synth, because tbh, that’s mostly what I listened to when writing the thing. But yeah. Cheers to the nostalgia of a tale of a heart-throbbing desert chase in pursuit of love and lust between our beloved Autobot leader and his quirky gearhead female driving companion, Mikaela

[mikaila-orchard]

Why would a male Yu and female Kay pair adhere to to gendered stereotypes? Do you agree with the devs that they do?

According to them, having a male Yu who is the gearhead that fixes up the ship and having a Female Kay who does all the cooking leans too hard into gender stereotypes.

On one hand, I can see where their perspective on that comes from. At the same time, they are looking at certain aspects of their dynamic rather than the whole thing. Like, all versions of Yu can jump into Kay's arms for a kiss in game. Kay is always shameless in how attractive they find Yu, grabbing their butt and pressing them into tables whenever possible. Everything apart from what the devs consider to be stereotypical would paint M!Yu and F!Kay with immense bisexual energy.

I understand them airing on the side of caution. I just don't think too much of the original idea would be lost if it was implemented alongside the other couples.

[bergeronprocess]

My 2023 In Anime

Ah, 2023. What a year! According to my Anime Planet custom 2023 list, I watched 20 anime this year. A couple of them I haven’t finished yet and a couple of them are DNF. As the year dwindles down to its final days, I’m gonna take a look back at what anime I watched in 2023. Beware of spoilery discussion for all of the tagged shows.

Sorted by season and then in the order they appear on my list.

Winter 2023

Nijiyon Animation: Nijigasaki is my favorite flavor of Love Live (it’s the first one I watched, I like the characters a lot, the songs are great and there’s literally a girl also named Emma in the cast) and so I will never say no to more Niji. Cute fun bite-sized episodes. There was even a touching farewell to Tomori Kusunoki as Setsuna. I just saw that they’re going to do a second season, so I’m looking forward to that.

The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague: Holy crap, this show was a pretty little nothingburger. Literally NOTHING happened aside from the characters becoming friends. The two leads didn’t even kiss?!?! I wanted to see how they might handle that - the idea of people who are imbued with yokai powers is a neat one, but oof. This was unsatisfying.

UniteUp!: My dark horse favorite of the season, a bishonen idol show that dealt with some of the more realistic/uglier aspects of fame and the idol industry specifically. There were some production delays (that’s the story of 2023 across the industry, isn't it?) but I actually really enjoyed how they handled those - they showed these neat behind the scenes episodes with the voice actors. I love behind the scenes. The characters have a lot of heart, the songs were really good and the dancing looked excellent too. I think this is getting a second season too? If so, I’m thrilled to spend more time in this world.

Handyman Saitou in Another World: I actually watched an isekai! Holy shit! But it wasn’t one of those lazy paint-by-numbers isekai shows that are just a dime a dozen. I like how it showed Saitou using his skills (undervalued in our world) to get stuff done in the high fantasy world he found himself in after a Truck-kun situation. There WAS a bit too much fanservice for my liking - I’m a sports fan, so I’m used to that “oof, as a cis woman I am NOT the target demo here” feeling lol, but still - and I feel like they did a few too many “he’s dead! But not really because magic!” fake-outs. But hey! Ai Fairouz was in the cast here! I like her!

Buddy Daddies: OHHH did I enjoy this one. Great music, I love Kazuki and Rei, you could tell there was someone on the staff who is a gearhead based on how they portrayed cars, Miri is great, lol at how they overcome bureaucracy crime-style…Tumblr loved this one and with good reason. Also I definitely ship those two guys lol. The one downside is I feel like they kinda fridged Kazuki’s wife and Miri’s mom. They could’ve done a bit better by their adult female characters. I do still get the opening song stuck in my head now and again, though.

Soaring Sky/Hirogaru Sky Precure: Folks, this is the year I got Precurepilled. I tried Delicious Party last year but bounced off of it after episode 1 - it just didn’t hit for me somehow - but this one GOT ME! This is still ongoing and will be through the end of January (50 episodes y’all!), so I can’t speak with finality about it, but so far so good. The first boy Cure! The first adult Cure! She drives a Hummer for some reason lol! I think Mashiro is my favorite! It’s been so much fun to theorize about the story (I was SO wrong about Yoyo being Sora’s hero from her childhood, ha…) and watch it unfold. I do think they waited a bit too long to bring in the Kaiserin storyline, but hey, we’ll get a few more episodes to wrap everything up, right? As for Wonderful Precure, I don’t know lol the concept isn’t getting me hyped up, but I will at least watch episode 1 and go from there.

Spring 2023

Kira Kira Precure A La Mode: Still the only Precure season I’ve completed to date lol. This one was so much fun. I love sweets and baking, so I had great fun here, sometimes even shouting at the TV to try to help Ichika with her doomed bakes when she inevitably forgot baking powder or whatever. When I realized that Ciel had literally been in the opening credits since episode 1, that blew my mind lol. I DO wish they would’ve just let Julio become the first boy Cure, but hey, he walked so Cure Wing could fly. Himari is baby and Akira/Yukari is Haruka/Michiru for the 2010s. Aoi’s band made some good music. The very last scene was very sweet. Both ending songs are total earworms. Good stuff.

Skip and Loafer: This show is SO FREAKING CUTE. I just love these goofballs. I love how Nao-chan is able to just be herself and is not subjected to transphobia all the time. Mitsumi is adorable and also extremely relatable. I liked this one so much that I’ve started to read the manga, picking up where the anime left off. (2023 is also the year that Atlanta got a Kinokuniya location, which is very exciting for me, though maybe less so for my credit card lmao.) Season 2 pls? I would love to spend more time here.

Gundam The Witch from Mercury Season 2: Damn, this show needed at least one more season. Preferably two more. I was fully expecting 50 episodes like what Gundam Wing got lol. It needed more time to breathe, to show us more about the other characters (Lilique my beloved!) and to flesh out the big story. But alas, this is not a perfect world, and what we got was still pretty damn good, and also Sulemio married. That’s my interpretation. That's everyone's interpretation, isn't it?

Star Twinkle Precure: I’m still working on this one, but I FREAKING LOVE IT. The day-glo 80s aesthetic is right up my damn alley, I adore the transformation sequences, we get dark-skinned biracial representation with Cure Soleil, I enjoy reading the horoscopes at the end of each episode (my Japanese is at about a preschool level, so it’s great that everything has furigana lol), there’s space stuff AAAAAND this season has my very favorite Precure song ever. One of the only two so far to be in a minor key, folks, it’s PaPePiPu Romantic time.

I now have a new goal: sing this bad boy at karaoke someday. Pew pew! Pew pew pew!

Summer 2023

Yohane the Parhelion: I enjoyed Love Live Sunshine a lot, but phew, this didn’t do it for me. I feel like it would’ve been better as a 3 or 4 episode OVA (ONA these days I guess), but just didn’t have enough story for a full 13 episode season. My mom is fond of saying “just okay”...like, it wasn’t amazing, but it wasn’t awful either. Yohane the Parhelion is just okay. Please just watch Sunshine instead if you want to be introduced to these characters. Sunshine is so much better.

Zom 100: I watched the first episode of this and then didn’t bother with the rest. DNF. Sorry to hear about the production troubles - that’s especially ironic for this show.

Fall 2023

MF Ghost: The other DNF for me. Watched 3 episodes, heard they were about to introduce a character who is obsessed with 17-year-old girls, noped the hell outta there. Wasn’t impressed with the 3 episodes either. I love Initial D - we named our cat Hachi because she’s black and white just like the Hachiroku - but MF Ghost just had no heart or soul. The Toyota 86 was lovingly rendered but I hated the ugly black motion lines they added when it was moving. The race they showed was dreadfully boring, the worldbuilding felt extremely unrealistic and oooh did I HATE that “outfit” they put our underage race queen in, if you can even call that an outfit.

Overtake: Of the two car racing shows this season, Overtake absolutely wins. It looks great, it introduces F4 racing to the audience very well (there’s some show, there’s some tell, a good blend) and the characters have more heart in their pinky fingernails than the entire cast of MF Ghost combined. There’s a very real and affecting subplot about PTSD, realistic discussion of just how much racing costs for an amateur team and plenty of men being unafraid to feel their feelings and cry it out. Overtake is definitely on the top of the podium. It hasn’t gotten anywhere near the love it deserves - ANN didn’t do weekly reviews of it and Anime Feminist was hyperfocused on the lack of female characters (valid! But not a dealbreaker to me!) - so I hope that people discover it later.

Shy: Thank goodness this is getting a season 2 because we spent literally a quarter of the season focused on the Pepesha and her mother subplot. That could’ve been tightened up a bit - ANN’s review mentions how Amarariruku’s villain speeches tend to be very circular, which is exactly how I felt seeing Lenya explain herself for what felt like the 50th time over - and I was genuinely looking at the episode count like “uhh??!?” before the season 2 news came out. So other than that part being a bit too drawn out, though, this is a very interesting show with a cool concept (Teru experiences Personal Growth! We are so proud of her!) and I’m interested in seeing where it goes from here. Will we meet the USA’s hero next season? I kinda want to see who that might be.

My Daughter Left the Nest and Returned an S-Rank Adventurer: Ai Fairouz is in the cast of this one too, so maybe she’s just what needs to be present for me to watch an isekai/high fantasy show? I did enjoy this one, even though the action scenes were a little bit lacking, perhaps above the skill level of the animators. They did do lovely watercolor-like scenery shots, though. The characters are charming (Belgrieve, total DILF, also giving us disability representation) and the opening song is a bop. They did leave the door open for a season 2 - for example, the question of Ange’s parentage was never answered, although it is VERY heavily implied that she is also a demon. I mean, the little demon kid Belgrieve takes in at the end literally looks exactly like her, for crying out loud.

Spy x Family Season 2: Haven’t finished this one yet - I want to watch it with my husband because he also likes it and we’ve just had a lot of stuff going on! We have watched 4 episodes, which means we’ve watched a bunch of one-off side stories basically lol. He even remarked at some point that the episodes felt weird. I was like “Well, because they’re only side stories!” From what I have read, it sounds like things are about to pick up plot-wise, so we gotta just make some time to catch up soon lol. 

Power of Hope/Kibou no Chikara Otona Precure 23: I have not seen ANY of the Precure series that have characters appearing here, so I came in fresh. This was enjoyable! I was originally bummed that we didn’t get to see them transform as adults, but the age reversion to transform was done for big story reasons and made perfect sense in that context. The episode that showed how the town was devastated by firebombing in World War II was deeply affecting - war is hell, no wonder Bell was changed by it - and it was great to see Cure Black and Cure White turn up. It reminded me of all the companions coming together at the end of Doctor Who season 4. Total fan catnip, I love it. I have not seen Mahotsukai Precure either, so I’ll be going into their sequel fresh too. (Is that what was being teased at the very very end of episode 12? Yeah probably lol)

16bit Sensation Another Layer: My winner for best show of this season. As you may have gathered from my mention of Doctor Who just now, I like time travel stories, so “Listen, Konoha Akisato has come unstuck in time” appealed to me right away. This show also genuinely taught me things about computer game development. I have a deepened respect for PC-98 game art (I follow such accounts on here now lol), which would surely make Mamoru smile. Plus, I like how it has a core message of “You can be a woman who works on erotic video games and that is not weird or perverted. Follow your dreams!” Toya does, after all - I would have loved to see her team up with Konoha and it sucks that she was being manipulated by the evil company. The show did take a turn for the Matrix-y in the fourth quarter, and I do feel episode 13 was a bit rushed (Konoha opens Comic Party and then is just immediately back in 2023? She and Mamoru explain how they told everyone about being time travelers instead of us getting to see that reaction?), but dammit, I teared up at the very end anyway. What a show!

Magic User’s Club OVA: I remember renting videotapes of this from Blockbuster way back in the day, but I didn’t remember much about the show itself, so I decided to watch it again after seeing this AnimeBackWhen video about it. It’s so fun and charming! And Ikuko Itou designed the characters and Junichi Satou is the director - a bit of a Sailor Moon reunion lol. (Fun fact I learned just now is Chiaki J. Konaka did the screenplay. This is very very different from his work on Serial Experiments Lain.) I’m not done with it yet. The opening song is a big ole bop!

2024 goals:

Finish Star Twinkle Precure

Watch Gunbuster (another "I rented it from Blockbuster during the Clinton administration" story - I bought Discotek's new Blu-Ray of it, just haven't cracked it open yet lol)

Continue to enjoy seasonal anime!

[kurotaurus17]

...I want to do a photoshoot here. I know a Female gearhead that's also a #subbiemommie and her and her #subbie would photograph well at this location...ESPECIALLY with me behind the camera! 🥴

[readblogs]

Unleash Your Inner Champion with the Alex Marquez Professional Motorcycle Honda Suit

Welcome back, gearheads! Today, we're diving into the adrenaline-fueled world of professional motorcycle racing with a spotlight on one of our most sought-after products: the Alex Marquez Professional Motorcycle Honda Motogp Suit. As the premier destination for MotoGP enthusiasts, we take pride in offering top-tier gear that's trusted by professionals and amateurs alike. Let's explore why this suit has riders revving with excitement!

Unmatched Performance:

Crafted with precision and engineered for performance, the Alex Marquez Professional Motorcycle Honda Suit embodies the spirit of speed and agility. Designed to meet the rigorous demands of the track, this suit is a testament to Alex Marquez's commitment to excellence.

Customer Reviews:

John D. - ★★★★★

"I've been racing for years, and I've tried my fair share of suits. The Alex Marquez Honda Suit stands out for its impeccable fit and superior protection. It's like a second skin, allowing me to push the limits with confidence."

Sarah M. - ★★★★★

"As a female rider, finding gear that fits well and offers uncompromising protection can be a challenge. I was thrilled when I tried on the Alex Marquez Suit. Not only does it fit like a dream, but it also makes me feel like a true competitor on the track."

Features That Make a Difference:

Premium Materials: Constructed from high-quality cowhide leather, this suit offers durability without sacrificing comfort. Riders can focus on the race ahead without worrying about the wear and tear of the elements.

Strategically Placed Armor: Safety is paramount in motorcycle racing, and the Alex Marquez Suit doesn't cut corners when it comes to protection. CE-approved armor in key areas provides impact resistance, giving riders peace of mind during high-speed maneuvers.

Optimized Aerodynamics: Every curve and contour of the Alex Marquez Suit is designed to reduce drag and enhance aerodynamics. From the wind-tunnel-tested design to the streamlined silhouette, this suit helps riders slice through the air with precision.

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Conclusion:

In the world of MotoGP, every advantage counts. The Alex Marquez Professional Motorcycle Honda Suit is more than just gear—it's a symbol of dedication, performance, and the pursuit of greatness. Whether you're a seasoned racer or an aspiring champion, this suit is your ticket to the podium.

Ready to experience the thrill of the track like never before? Gear up with the Alex Marquez Professional Motorcycle Honda Suit and let your inner champion soar. Ride on!

Remember, for the latest updates, gear reviews, and exclusive offers, stay tuned to motogpgears.us—the ultimate destination for MotoGP enthusiasts.

Gear up, ride hard, and chase your dreams!

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of the individuals quoted and do not necessarily reflect the official policies or endorsements of MotoGP Gears.

[crystalelemental]

"ether-gearhead: At least you’re only missing the latest one of the bunch, so it’s not nearly as glaring."

I suppose? I do have a 3-skill Sylveon so it's not all bad, and I have four eggs left to hatch (we'll find out around 7:30 tomorrow morning), so it's at least manageable. I just wish I had gotten more female Eevee, or had been able to complete the shiny set.

[saedii-gilwraeth-simp]

Aurora Cycle headcanons 1

Just random thoughts I have about everyones favourite space family

Lae Jones-Gilwraeth’s spaceship is named Brannock bc she studied Cat while she’s at the Aurora Academy and is obsessed with this fellow badass female Ace. Like, Cat was Lae’s first “celebrity crush”

And yes it makes both Tyler and Scarlett cry the first time they see it.

Also, Lae has the Aurora Academy record for the most variety of species hooked up with. She’s a little slutty at 19 but aren’t we all?

Saedii and Fin share the same dry sense of humour and are each other’s lifeline at galas the squad gets invited to so when they grow up and have their own children, they vent to each other when their spouses aren’t around. Yeah somehow Fin is one of Saedii’s best friends and no one understands it.

Saedii and Scarlett both hate when Tyler speaks Syldrathi bc unlike his sister, he never worked to change his accent when he speaks it so he pronounces all the vowels wrong

Adams knew where the Jones’ mother was the whole time and would have told the twins after all the Ra’haam stuff had he not become part of the Ra’haam

Scarlett and Fin have 5 children because one of the twins had to get the twin gene and pass it on. The Jones-De Seel’s just didn’t realise it would happen twice so now they just have more kids than they know what to do with and all of them are hell raisers.

Auri and Kal get in the habit of dropping off the radar every now and then and it pisses the Squad off bc it seems to only happen when they’re needed

Auri still thinks about Kal in leather pants at least once a week. Kal knows this and is eternally embarassed but also now owns another pair of leather pants.

Whatever the mistletoe tradition becomes in the future, the squad always purposefully makes Kal and Tyler participate together, to remind them of the “old days.” They find it exhausting.

Zila (you guys really thought I would forget our queen), Nari and the Betraskan founder of the Aurora Legion all scratched their names somewhere deep in the bowels of the Aurora Academy. The bet among the Squad is who can find it first. Scarlett already found Nari’s during her time at the Academy (not that she realised it until later) but won’t mention it bc she refuses to give up her advantage.

Speaking of Zila, she cannot cook. Like, even following a recipe. She once set pasta on fire. Nari was confused about that incident for an entire decade after it happened. She had earned her admiral stars, started the Aurora Legion and achieved peace with the Betraskan’s before she figured out how her wife lit water and pasta on fire.

Jie-Lin and Aurora go on a space trip (like a roadtrip but... you get it) at least once a year to bond and hang out.

Kal and Auri have one child and they are the baby of the group, with nearly 10 years between them and the youngest of the Jones-De Seel’s. They hate it.

Lae Gilwraeth-Jones and Jones-De Seel No. 1 share an apartment on a space station out in the middle of nowhere but they’re both such shits that they didn’t tell anyone the co-ordinates so the closest anyone can pin them is the system, but not the station.

The second Jones-De Seel is the only one of the fam that did not attend the Aurora Academy and once lived on Sempiternity for 7 months for a sociology project at university. She came home with no less than 17 new piercings. It looked dope with her Bestraskan colouring

The 3rd Jones-De Seel is the hardest one to keep track of, especially since he’s the only one without a twin. He will disappear for months on end and no one will know where he goes.

Jones-De Seel the 4th is the most like her father of all of them and is the only one of her siblings to stay in the Aurora Legion after Academy graduation - as a gearhead, of course. She’s also the only one in a stable long term relationship, with a boyfriend and girlfriend.

And finally rounding out the family is the craziest of the Jones-De Seel’s, the youngest daughter, the wild one, whose primary goal in life is to seduce the futuristic, intergalactic version of a priest just bc she “thinks it would be funny”

Anyway that’s all I’ve got for now but pls add your own if you have them :)

Tag list: @the-weight-of-a-fingertip @isla-kady-blackwood @chloe123love607 @of-the-way-and-wildflowers @moonljte @iamheretodomythingrip

[onesillybeach]

Name: Josephine “Jo” Cooper

Alias: Gaits ((G.A.I.T.S.) Guardian Angel In The Sky)

Age: 30

Gender: Female

Origin: Earthrealm (Boston, Massachusetts)

Resides: Earthrealm (Black Dragon Compound)

Species: Human

Weapons: Various firearms and knives

Specialties: Expert pilot, including air combat

Portrayer: Ruby Rose

Alliance:

Black Dragon Clan

Alex Demir (@chadillacboseman)

Echo (@roofgeese)

Biography

Josephine was born into poverty in Boston, Massachusetts. A victim of childhood abuse, Josephine got herself out of it the day she turned 18 by joining the US military where she fell in love with flying and transferred into the Air Force. However, Josephine had issues with taking orders she didn’t agree with. During her last tour in Iraq, Josephine disobeyed a direct order to shoot down an “unregistered” aircraft which turned out to be harmless, but Josephine was reprimanded despite her correct judgement. As orders became more paranoid and hostile towards civilians, and COs dismissed her concerns, Josephine abandoned her duty by faking her death when she intentionally crashed her jet. She then ran and hid in England. Eventually she came across the Black Dragon Clan, which she was vaguely familiar with, and originally tried to stop a crime, only to realize in the midst that the victim she was trying to help was a child trafficker. She promptly shot the guy in the head without remorse and left the Black Dragon Clansmen to their business. She was found some time later and offered a job with the clan. She took it, and she’s stuck with the Black Dragon Clan ever since.

Just a bunch of headcanons

Drinks a lot of Coke.

And beer.

Pansexual.

More comfortable in the air than on the ground.

"You think I give a flying fuck?"

Sarcasm. So much sarcasm.

Barrel rolls? Barrel rolls.

Ketchup on everything.

Easy to talk to.

Gets along with just about anybody.

Even Kano.

Still wants to shoot him in the face though.

Casual fucks.

Actually a fan of Johnny Cage.

Listens to A LOT of rock music.

And "emo" music.

“HEADOBANG! HEADOBANG! HEADOBANG! HEADOBANG!”

Red velvet cake.

It better have cream cheese frosting.

Might shoot you or kiss you. Who knows.

Lead foot.

Cats.

Big Red gum.

Spicier the better.

Total gearhead.

Guns are her religion.

Will pull a fire alarm just to get out of a meeting.

[lunarmelon]

Just finished this Winry thing XD, im still learning how to color and outline. It takes to much time, but oh well. I love how this turned out.

[justnerdthings]

Name: Josephine “Jo” Cooper

Alias: Gaits ((G.A.I.T.S.) Guardian Angel In The Sky)

Age: 30

Gender: Female

Origin: Earthrealm (Boston, Massachusetts)

Resides: Earthrealm (Black Dragon Compound)

Species: Human

Weapons: Various firearms and knives

Specialties: Expert pilot, including air combat

Portrayer: Ruby Rose

Alliance:

Black Dragon Clan

Alex Demir

Echo

Biography

Josephine was born into poverty in Boston, Massachusetts. A victim of childhood abuse, Josephine got herself out of it the day she turned 18 by joining the US military where she fell in love with flying and transferred into the Air Force.

However, Josephine had issues with taking orders she didn’t agree with. During her last tour in Iraq, Josephine disobeyed a direct order to shoot down an “unregistered” aircraft which turned out to be harmless, but Josephine was reprimanded despite her correct judgement. As orders became more paranoid and hostile towards civilians, and COs dismissed her concerns, Josephine abandoned her duty by faking her death when she intentionally crashed her jet. She then ran and hid in England.

Eventually she came across the Black Dragon Clan, which she was vaguely familiar with, and originally tried to stop a crime, only to realize in the midst that the victim she was trying to help was a child trafficker. She promptly shot the guy in the head without remorse and left the Black Dragon Clansmen to their business. She was found some time later and offered a job with the clan. She took it, and she’s stuck with the Black Dragon Clan ever since.

Just a bunch of headcanons

Drinks a lot of Coke.

And beer.

Pansexual.

More comfortable in the air than on the ground.

"You think I give a flying fuck?"

Sarcasm. So much sarcasm.

Barrel rolls? Barrel rolls.

Ketchup on everything.

Easy to talk to.

Gets along with just about anybody.

Even Kano.

Still wants to shoot him in the face though.

Casual fucks.

Actually a fan of Johnny Cage.

Listens to A LOT of rock music.

And "emo" music.

“HEADOBANG! HEADOBANG! HEADOBANG! HEADOBANG!”

Red velvet cake.

It better have cream cheese frosting.

Might shoot you or kiss you. Who knows.

Lead foot.

Cats.

Big Red gum.

Spicier the better.

Total gearhead.

Guns are her religion.

Will pull a fire alarm just to get out of a meeting.

[adamwatchesmovies]

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Mad Max: Fury Road is an infusion of adrenaline. It delivers non-stop, action, and still makes time to show well-developed characters. This strange trip into a world of vehicular carnage, fast cars, bone-crunching crashes, memorable characters, and stunning visuals is not easily forgotten.

In a post-apocalyptic wasteland, “Mad” Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) encounters a group of women attempting to escape from their captors. He is reluctant to help. Plagued with memories of the people he failed in the past, Max eventually agrees to aid Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) escape from the ever-increasing army of gearhead lunatics on their tail.

This movie reminds me why the original Mad Max films have been ripped off so many times. A world that's managed to survive at the expense of sanity has a certain appeal. This time, however, it's different. When we usually visit the post-apocalypse, everything is either feral, covered in shit, or on fire. The people who've survived are all jerks except for the few innocents who remain and cannibalism runs amuck. Holding onto hope is foolish. Even if you can make it through the day, civilization's gone down the toilet. Fury Road features a functioning world. There are plenty of cars, there’s water, food, even ammunition. People survived through the lawless wild west. This is that time period again, cranked to 11 with a few extreme weather patterns and some lingering radiation. Things wouldn't be so bad if the people in charge weren't all power-hungry dictators or brazen maniacs. It's not "mad" in the sense that it's angry. It's "mad" as in insane.

It's an insane asylum crossed with a junkyard and a chop-shop but what you see make sense once you get settled in. The masks and makeup, cars covered in spikes, exploding spears, and bizarre characters tell us what this world is like. They give us a glimpse into the religions that have developed, the way those in power keep the rest under control, the different warring tribes, commerce, vehicles, and weapons that have evolved since the world turned to ruin. How do you keep a fleet of road-ripping cars focused on their goal and ready to tear anything in their path to shreds? With war drums. Not just any kind of drums; 4 drummers on the back of an 18-wheeler with speakers blasting their beat so loud you'd be a fool not to be intimidated. Just to be sure, they're the background music to the main spectacle: an electric guitar-player who instrument shoots flames. You'd have to be crazy to stand in the way of that kind of power.

This movie delivers everything you want in terms of action and visuals. Vehicles are reduced to scrap, there's fire and shrapnel throughout. The fights are long, well-shot, and creative. We also get surprisingly well-developed characters. Furiosa and the women she’s rescuing are all different from each other. The longer you stay with them, the more you understand how they've managed to survive and what's pushed them to take this ultimate gamble. You desperately want Max to crack through the armor he's built for himself and get involved like you are. Together, they might just have what it takes to make this escape happen. Through it all, this understanding of them makes the story that much more intense and engaging.

It’s got strong female characters, great villains, and some of the best action I’ve seen in a long time. If you haven’t seen the original films, this one stands on its own well but I recommend you check out the others first. What you see seems so much more spectacular when you see how it all began in terms of world-building but also of filmmaking techniques. If you are already a fan and you’re hesitant to check it out because you think it’ll upset the franchise you already love, don't worry. George Miller has been watching people imitate his films for 30 years. He’s back to show us all how it's really done. Watch it. You can thank me afterward. Mad Max: Fury Road is one of the best films of 2015. You'll be drawn back to it over and over. (2-D Theatrical version on the big screen, June 17, 2015)

[ao3feed-klance]

At the Hop

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/3hqaRSr

by KuramaBabe

Keith leaves nearly every weekend just to mess around with girls, making sure they are never from his hometown. He stays safe, but he can't seem to make himself commit. His way of thinking will change when he meets Leandra, actually wanting to get to know her. She seems like she has so much life hidden away. Can the gearhead, who is still learning how to be a proper boyfriend, get her out of her shell? Or has her previous relationship hurt her past the point of no return?

--

Well, you can swing it you can groove it You can really start to move it at the hop Where the jockey is the smoothest And the music is the coolest at the hop All the cats and the chicks can get their kicks at the hop

Words: 906, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Voltron: Legendary Defender

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/M

Characters: Keith (Voltron), James Griffin (Voltron), Lance (Voltron), Pidge | Katie Holt, Shiro (Voltron), Olia (Voltron)

Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron), Keith (Voltron)/Others, Keith & Shiro (Voltron), Lance & Pidge | Katie Holt, Keith & Olia (Voltron)

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - 1960s, Songfic, Classic Cars, Dancing, oldies, Smoking, Genderbending, I did SO much research for this!, Mechanic Keith (Voltron), Keith & Shiro (Voltron) are Siblings, Past James Griffin/Lance (Voltron), Protective Keith (Voltron), First Dates, commitment issues, Teenagers, James Griffin (Voltron) Being an Asshole, Walks On The Beach, De-Aged Characters, Pidge | Katie Holt is a Good Friend, One of My Favorites, Past Abuse, Lance & Pidge | Katie Holt Friendship, Keith & Olia (Voltron) Friendship, Bad Boy Keith (Voltron), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Strangers to Lovers, Insecure Lance (Voltron), Voltron Lions as Cars, California, Female Lance (Voltron), Inspired by Music, Student Lance (Voltron), Hurt Lance (Voltron), Lance (Voltron) Has Self-Esteem Issues, Keith (Voltron) Is Trying, Underage Drinking, One Night Stands, Safe Sane and Consensual, Gaslighting, Best Friends, Mechanic Shiro (Voltron)

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/3hqaRSr

[antagonistchan]

so. i’m kinda.

completely revamping one of the stories that’s been building in my head for years.

still probably never gonna write it but this’ll make it more fun to think about.

it’s always been extremely Magical Girl-inspired, but now i’m turning it into a straight-up Magical Girl thing.

the cast used to be made up of three girls and three guys. but now i want a cast of just girls. guys still exist in the setting, and they can even be magical, but none of them are the focus.

one of the guys, i turned into a trans girl (there were actually trans story roots with this character in the first place so making her a trans girl was like The Most Obvious Decision In The World). the other two, i actually just got rid of, and replaced with a new girl.

she’s Fun.

in her civilian form, she’s a yankee. delinquent. long long skirt, leather jacket, fingerless gloves.

in her magical girl form, she becomes a Female Prince-type like Kaoru Seta.

her personality’s the same either way, but her personality does kinda fit both archetypes so it always Works.

and then the four pre-existing characters were also all Tweaked.

so, five characters, with unique fighting styles.

STELLA/GEARHEAD: uses Fists and Technology (she punches things good and is also a tech expert who builds robots)

MADISON/AGENT YELLOW: uses Guns and Stealth (she can turn invisible and shoot guns, her main gun is a sniper rifle)

KYOUKO/PSYCHO K: uses Blades and Psychic Powers (she has a sword and can kill people with her brain)

LUNA/LIFE STORM: uses Shields and Support (she’s the team healer, and can also support with a forcefield, though she isn’t useless on her own)

VENUS/DASHING BLITZ: uses Explosives and Theatrics (she’s very flashy (which can get attention, which can be super useful) and she also uses lots of bombs and grenades)

[crystalelemental]

"ether-gearhead: Yes, but I’m assuming that’s not the case in Masters, meaning Red and Elaine’s paths would have to have crossed somewhere during the events of FRLG."

Maybe? I hate this out, but they already brought in Alternate Dimension Rose and Oleana for no reason, so there's nothing stopping Elaine being entirely separated.

I dunno, I'm not opposed to the idea of trying to link the two, but I think it's very hard to do it in a way that isn't infuriating to me. Because we know it's confirmed that Red is the main character who did all the Team Rocket stuff, and Leaf effectively did fuckall and sometimes isn't even listed as a Main Character. We already have one female MC getting hard sidelined by this clown, the idea of tying them together with Elaine trying to do the same things but failing and needing Red to bail her out is...probably a worst case scenario on my end. We're already setting up Blue as so unimportant by comparison that Red's actively absorbing character traits from him to seem cooler than he is. I don't really want Let's Go to show up just to be a continuation of the recent Red dick-sucking contest this game has running. If they can't combine them in a satisfactory way, I'd prefer they remain completely separate, and if that means embracing the bullshit alternate reality shit I also hate, then I am forced to choose the lesser of two evils and Red is not it.