#it kinda has that power because of how infectious it it lol

[zackcollins]

Slow Motion Celebration || DET vs TOR || 07/28/22 || For: @whimsical-daydreams​

[strawbearisamu]

♥︎ ship your moots! (only if you have time tho no pressure ofc)

yes my time has come.

@woahsamu + atsumu. hshjsjsj yall are so freaking annoying. you spoil him to bits bc that’s what u do and he treats you like damn royalty. still flirts and acts like he’s trying to woo you. prob does dumb shit intentionally when u have a bad day to make you laugh. unrelated but you guys do really good impressions of each other. kisses you and runs away, tries to get you to chase him, u guys fall & land on top of each other like a rom com get a room ew.

@arrogantsonofabiscuit + mattsun. BBY I KNOW U AND MATTSUN would be amazing tgt. he would tease u endlessly but also yall kinda have that sweetheart and hot guy dynamic. yeah idk what that is either HHSHS. also u guys watch horror movies tgt.

@sumine + suna. JASMINE the both of you have such chill vibes. i’m thinking cafe hopping, picnics, soft dates. but i’m also thinking waterparks, splashing water at each other and tryna see who can hold their breath the longest, you catch him cheating coming up for air halfway and you start play fighting shjsjsj. u guys are always lost in your own world. you hang out w your friends and sometimes he’ll tag along just because.

@charlie-jay + akaashi. u guys are intellectuals. the both of you just connect. you guys would talk for hours at a coffee shop, under the stars, in the sun, you name it. you share a deep and intimate connection bc you guys are so intentional about everything. akaashi probably write you love letters, and you guys have these inside jokes that no one else understands HAHA.

@etherrreal luna + osamu. LUNA imagine cooking tgt w him, youre locked between his arms and the counter and as he guides your hand, molding the rice. PLAYFUL KITCHEN FIGHTS shut up i know it’s cliche HHAHSHS but i KNOW this is u guys. osamu gives u a piggy back everywhere. dawn + oikawa!! i feel like you have similar vibes. oikawa is so whipped for u lol and sometimes you can’t help being dramatic along with him (omg i’m sorry we don’t know each other that well yet dawn please forgive me TT)

@kuroowo + osamu. i feel like the both of you are such self-starters and always pushing each other to do better? late night drives talking endlessly about everything and nothing. always hugging, or holding hands or giggling at each other. like yeah we get it you’re in love HAHASHHSHS. starts setting his alarms an hour early bc u aggressively cuddle him and tell him 5 more mins every morning.

@etherealtobio + mattsun. MAB u and mattsun👌 that super cool couple everyone is envious of. first of all visuals? also you do everything tgt. bookstore- tgt, grocery shopping- tgt. and i feel like mattsun is really good at driving so you guys regularly go on these crazy road trips, fast food, sunsets, making out in the car, u get the vibe :”.

@stationery-store + kuroo. i feel like you guys have the same vibes yk what i mean. like slight crackhead (in the most affectionate way possible), but witty and smart as well. yall would be able to like prank someone and also have deep discussions on existentialism or smth LMAO.

@sunkeiji + akaashi. WHATS NEW HAHA. we all know you guys are disgustingly sweet and unintentionally make everyone else feel really single bahshs. the small little things he does for you? he loves staring at you when you’re so intently focused on something and will spontaneously get the will to hug u HSHD.

@bokutoism + timeskip kenma. hello u guys are the hot badass power couple?? spoils you w stupidly expensive stuff. but also lazy days in bed tgt. if u play games yall r always competing but if you don’t he’ll make you sit on his lap as he plays. prob teaches you how to play a new game the same way. will plan extravagant self-care sessions for u.

@sunatooru + hirugami. b b b. u would look sooo good w hirugami (sachiro). i feel like the both of you are so sweet and caring and empathetic (and cmon he’s so hot), you’re that “love for humanity and the world” couple who’s always iniviting people over, reaching out to friends, and showing them your amazing hospitality in general. but yall do it tgt <3 cus love LOL

@thighridingsamu + iwaizumi. ok morgan i know u love football and i feel like you guys would rave about sports tgt? but more importantly he would be ur hype man 24/7 like you show him an outfit and he’ll be like “hot 💯,” “ass looks good in this.” shskkdjd he probably cooks for u too and makes sure you’re eating right.

@ioveangel + sakusa. you’re a ray a sunshine in his life. you guys balance each other. he’s clingy bc poor babie is touch and attention starved. prob puts socks on your feet on a chilly night but will vehemently deny it. a babie.

@xybi + tendou. HEAR ME OUT. yall prob sneak around tgt. giggling to each other as another one of your victims fall prey to your shenanigans. u guys hang out w each other way too much LOL but really though you guys are just two really sweet people tryna brighten someone’s day tgt. cuddles. lots of em. but also u guys are just devilish for no reason sometimes nd u love it.

@keijee + sakusa. u have a sunny infectious energy and honestly sakusa could benefit from that LMAO. lets you play w his hair but will pretend he hates it. you’re the only person he can recharge with it’s ridiculous, like he’ll randomly cuddle u in the middle of a party just to recharge.

@m3gumiis + komori. athena what can i say. two little puppies.

@oi-oikawa-chan + ushijima. addy this little olive tree will do anything for you. talk to him about anything, he listens so intentionally. and also idk why but imagine u guys w a lot of little adopted pets and plants cus u guys are absolute sweethearts.

@elitparadox + akaashi. like u guys would go on dates to the museum, slow dance in the quiet of the woods, kiss under the night sky. yall are so dramatic for no reason.

don’t boohoo to me if you don’t get your fav HAHA jk kith 😚 i’m drowning in work rn so i’m sry i couldn’t tag everyone but KNOW that ILY :”) mwaa alsoo i jumped around w this and u can 100% i got so tired w some LMAO sry shdjskajs

[macaronnya]

Fresh(?) Impressions (7)

Other parts: |Trickstar| |UNDEAD| |2wink| |Ra*bits| |Akatsuki| |fine| |Ryuseitai| |Knights| |Valkyrie| |Switch| |MaM/Double Face/Crazy:B| |Eden| |Alkaloid|

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Hello Enstarries~☆ It's been a while since my last post. Life's busy as always and 3 events in 3 dofferent games sure don't make it easier 😓 Good news is that I got A to Z Kaoru! Only once but that's alright for my first event aiming for the 5☆! Well, let's not stall for long and begin with the evaluation of Ryuseitai!

DISCLAIMER!: Everything said here is for entertainment purposes only and not meant to attack anyone. This is not an accurate description of any characters but my subjective rambling for fun, so please don't take it too seriously. (Just to be safe, I'm kinda scared of elite idol fans) Also, you will hear me mention other games a bunch of times bc I'm that bad and uncreative at explaining and I'm still grieving A3!EN's shutdown. Eng is my 2nd (or 3rd?) language so there might be some weird grammar or spelling mistakes. And it's usually at 3am.

Without further ado.....Let's Ensemble!☆

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I'm not going to put 2 pics per member because of the 10 pic limit, so just a heads up! First off, for a unit with a ⭐hero⭐ or essentially a power ranger theme, their Ep.1 were surprisingly depressing. Ik judging a book by its cover is really not gonna work here in this game but still.. Anyways, they do seem to have a positive mindset for most of the time. Heroes helping everyone and spreading hope for world peace is a nice concept. They even have their own catchphrases. It actually reminds me a bit of Sailor Moon as well. I'd say they pass the vibe check! Their dynamic is often compared to a big family from what I've seen. 2 parents and their 3 kiddos lol Although they're one of the bigger groups, they're actually fairly normal, if you're desensitized from their eccentricity. Their costumes are fittingly color coded and look more like idols outfits than power rangers suits but meh. That would be a bit too silly for their standard costume, I suppose. Not particularly special but ok nonetheless. Regarding music, it's not bad but also not my cup of tea. It is quite fun to play the beatmaps since it's very on beat and I do like how cheerful and energy pumping it sounds, like a shounen anime op. I could listen to it as background music no problem.

6/10 - more on the neutral side but their vibe is kinda nice

Chiaki Morisawa

His A to Z card came home in 30 pulls!!! Already looking sympathetic here...jk. He is pretty nice, though. Maybe coming on a bit strong sometimes but he's considerate enough to not cross any boundaries. Probably. He somehow gives me Sinbad (Magi) vibes. Both want to improve the world, where everyone is happy, are natural leaders many look up to, popular and charming (tho here less flirty). Small difference is that Chiaki doesn't see himself above others even after achieving lots. That and although he seemed to have idealistic aspirations, he does see reality as it is. Changing subjects, I was very caught off guard by his voice. Not that it's bad or so, it's just the only other roles I've heard from his VA were Sakyo Furuichi (A3!), a serious and authorative but dad-like yakuza, who turned a new leaf by joining a theater group and Felix Hugo Fraldarius (FE:3H), an antisocial noble swordsman, who's sick of the world and grieving his brother's death (angrily). A common character trait is their grumpiness. So to see that very voice being all cheery and shouting RYUSEI RED blablablabla was a whiplash. Although his hair and eye colors are very ordinary, he has this boyish and dashing shine, that makes him kinda cute. His laugh is probably very infectious. Apparently likes action movies and power rangers (or whatever the jp versions are called), which is no surprise. Good for him to be able to follow his dreams. Very likely to be genuinely popular with kids.

6.5/10 - cool guy cool guy

Kanata Shinkai

If Haru (Free!) and Misumi (A3!), had a love child, Kanata would be the result. His "affection" with 💧water 🌊 (and sea life too?) + his floaty vibe aka airheadedness really cement it. Was also a god??? Very Misumi-like. I bet he has inhuman skills as well, like, being able to hold his breath for god knows how long or understanding sea animals. He might have been born in the water like me. It would be very funny if his zodiac sign isn't a water element. Is the mom? of the group, which raises a few concerns but, hey, every family dynamic is unique and if it works, it works. I wonder how "this" specific speech pattern sounds when I hear him "talk". He seems kind of a weird mix of chill and hyper. :3 but like úwù. Kinda random but the mermaid set from Love Live would fit him so much and he'd look stunning in those costumes.

6.5/10 - slightly cute kamichama, sangaku sa- I mean, puka puka~

Tetora Nagumo

Inverted Kuro. Are they seperated brothers??? Is Kuro his idol? Idk but there's no way they aren't connected in some way or another. I mean, his hair for starters, then his athletic vigor, his goal of being manly and.....just look at him! Nothing in a bad way of course. Very much a puppy and all. Just a lil boy who wants to be a cool hero~ which is why he suffers from slight feeling of inferiority and insecurity trying to fill the shoes of his former leader.....Somebody give him a snack 🍪 Reminds me a but of Kumon (A3!), since he also looks like the hyping younger brother type and so. They all seem impulsive but he seems especially so. Is probably actually stronger than he looks. Black rangers are usually former or to-be enemies if I remember right so what does that say about him? Well, at least that one version I watched a decade ago had it like that. And black is usually kinda e~vi~l.

5/10 - a soon to be tragic hero?

Midori Takamine

The irony of not only looking like Tsuzuru (A3!) but also sharing other traits like being just a random boy, crippling depression and being the token :/ in his unit, and then having his VA voice Kanata o.o u_u o.o Well, he does seem even more pessimistic and down, though. Can't say I can't relate....With his parents having a vegetable shop, he was probably a good boy and always ate his veggies. The only cards I remember seeing from him showed him either being flustered, down or just not being paid enough to deal with whatever is about to happen. Has a very sweet voice but like naturally sweet and not through added sugar. Like cherry sweet! Or I'm thinking of sour rn. I mean, they're tasty either way. Anyways, I can't look at him without thinking of other characters so I can't really say anything else worth mentioning.

6/10 - I wanna like him for himself and he should too

Shinobu Sengoku

Speedy ninja boyyyyy~ He may have an emo haircut but he pretty much radiates like a ball of sunshine. A peeking one. Like a sunrise. I bet 100 gems he just likes being a ninja and differently to samurai guy, he doesn't have any ancestral ties to that. His Ep.1 surprised me with how calm he handled the complaints. Probably also a gentle soul and cries at movies. Tragic and happy. Something tells me he likes sweets. His other eye does function, right? While, his voice seemingly sounds annoying, it's actually alright. I wanna see him and Tetora have a collab song with Akatsuki. I'm curious of how their "shota voices" and energetic singing would sound with Akatsuki's somber songs and deeper voices. That and with Shinobu being a ninja and all...y'know.

6/10 - Nin nin into the night my boy

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Conclusion

I don't care for them as much as other groups but I feel a bit bad to give them a 6/10, the same score as fine, though for wildly different reasons. They're just... there....but we're delighted to have them here anyways.

You can skip this if you want but I really wanted to include this funny idea my younger sibling #1 had, when I told them about Kanata's and Midori's impression on me and they deadass created a whole crossfic (Free!, A3! & Enstars) in a matter of minutes 😂 Haru and Misumi were a married couple bc Makoto didn't reciprocate Haru's feelings due to some bro code, which leads to him having an affair with Tsuzuru, who looks similiar to Makoto and is also the responsible older sibling, cook, normal one etc. Kanata is the love child between them but Misumi doesn't know that he's not his biological child and Midori is Makoto's child. After all these things, Haru struggles to discern his true feelings for Tsuzuru and Misumi, whether he actually does love Tsuzuru or smth smth I forgot the rest.

That's all for today, I guess. I feel like I only write at 3am and I'm tooooo lazy to proofread 😩 I'll do it anyways ofc. I'm just gonna include this in my disclaimer as well. See you next time~☆

[queercore-curriculum]

PLS go ahead and go off about qu. 1 and 10, i am intrigued!

YES, thank you so much for asking! And for the wonderful prompts, of course!

1. RQG characters are now the characters in another podcast you love. Whose places do they take, and how does this change the narrative?

I’ve spent a lot of time imagining the RQG characters in the world of Campaign: Skyjacks, which is my favorite podcast of all time. Here’s how I’d cast them:

Hamid as Jonnit Kessler. I mean, it’s a very clear parallel. Both have Big Protagonist Energy. Both are all about that coming-of-age narrative. Both are gifted at magic. Both have outstanding style. Both are known for vomiting. Neither of them can drink. 

Wilde as Travis Matagot. Another extremely clear parallel. Travis is basically a nastier, more insecure, American Wilde. They are so similar,  it’s fantastic. I’d actually love for this to be a crossover, and for Travis and Wilde to meet each other and just. Not get along, at all. Or maybe have a lot of sexual tension, who knows? 

Zolf as Gable. Lots of great parallels here, particularly their crises of faith, their shared acts-of-service love language, and strong sense of responsibility for others. Also Gable’s old-married-couple dynamic with Travis is very Zoscar. All the existential crises, lol. I’ll also say that Azu could be a good fit for Gable as well—big, powerful, sweet, charmingly awkward—especially because Azu and Hamid’s lovely friendship is more in keeping with Gable’s dynamic with Jonnit.

I could go on and on about this, but my answer for #10 is very long and it’s getting late lol. I’ll just have to write an RQG/Skyjacks crossover or fusion at some point. Spéir is just such an unbelievably great world!

10. Invent a plot for a Harrison Campbell novel; fictional or from canon.

Oh my god I love this question so fucking much. I have a deep, unhealthy obsession with Zolf’s deep, unhealthy obsession with Harrison Campbell. I just think it says so much about his character—this idea that he thinks of love as something you read about in books, just a story that gives you comfort but isn't real. ZOLF SMITH I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.

All this is to say, I’ve plotted out four Harrison Campbell novels:

When Passions Collide 

Jennifer is a commercial fisherwoman who has worked on a trawler since she was fourteen. Her captain is an absolute garbage person and she barely makes enough money to live, so she dreams of one day buying a trawler of her own. 

Richard is an apprentice painter who is making his professional debut at an exhibition in London in a few months, but he has yet to produce a painting that’s worthy of showcasing—all of his work is technically exceptional but lacks that spark of inspiration that brings a painting to life, and he wants to paint someone with a story worth telling. 

One day he goes to the docks to practice drawing from life, and when he sees Jennifer he’s captivated by her physicality and realizes that her body carries this story he’s been longing to paint. So he chases her down and asks to paint her portrait, and while she’s skeptical she agrees when he offers to give her all the money he makes when the painting is sold. Richard spends the rest of the novel painting Jennifer’s portrait and getting to know her, because he needs to understand her for the painting to really come to life. 

If you want to read more, you can find passages of my take on When Passions Collide in my fic Before a Fall (for which I created the Jennifer/Richard tag on AO3, one of my proudest RQG fandom accomplishments). I plotted out the entire novel and developed backstories for the characters and generally got way too into it, but I’m pretty proud of what I came up with and actually thought about writing an original novel based on When Passions Collide for a while. Maybe someday!

Love in a Time of Hardship

Violet and Rory have been friends since childhood, and Rory has loved Violet all their life. But Violet doesn’t have time for romance because she wants nothing more than to leave their rural community and go to medical school. 

Flash forward, and Violet has graduated medical school and is now an infectious disease specialist. When an aggressive pandemic sweeps through her hometown, Violet returns to work on the team researching a cure. Rory still lives there, and still loves Violet as much as ever. Violet still believes work comes first. But when Rory gets sick, suddenly Violet’s work is personal, and she realizes how much she has to lose. 

The Heart Beats Faster

An erotic lesbian romance that takes place at manor house party. I haven’t put that much thought into this plot, other than it’s definitely inspired by Think of England by K.J. Charles and has an extremely sexy scene in a greenhouse that’s basically the legendary “spoils of war” scene from the Drarry fic Transfigurations by Resonant. 

Questions of the Heart

Ok so this one is pretty meta. But in my coffeeshop AU fic Coriander, Wilde is a novelist who’s basically writing self-insert fic about him and Zolf while sitting in Zolf’s café. And on an RQG Discord server I was talking about how I kinda ship Zolf and Harrison Campbell because that fan/creator thing they’ve got going on is rife with sexual tension, and my friend Rain was like, what if Harrison Campbell came into the cafe a few years before but Zolf didn't recognize him, and was also inspired to write self-insert fic about him and Zolf?

So the premise is, Campbell went into Zolf’s café and soaking wet from the rain, and this handsome, muscular dwarf gave him a free curry so he could warm up, and then defended him from a mean customer. And Campbell was inspired to write a novel featuring Zolf as a protagonist. 

So he writes Questions of the Heart, which is a murder mystery/gothic romance with a lot of pathetic fallacy that’s heavily inspired by Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights (but make it extremely pulpy). Zolf’s character is named Jonah (lol) and there’s a femme fatale inspired by Sasha named Melanie (lol). Harrison Campbell’s self-insert is a Jane Eyre-type that Jonah defends even though they don’t really know each other. And the basic theme is that Jonah has some kind of idealized/overromantic vision of the protagonist that gets disabused somehow, but then he ends up falling in love with him for who he really is. Also there’s a Jonah/Melanie/Harrison Campbell insert love triangle. 

Alright I’m sure that was WAY more than you bargained for, but thanks for giving me an excuse to be extra AF, this was extremely fun <3

[tigerkirby215]

Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything subclass Tier List

(Artwork from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything. Posted by @robmichel_art on Twitter. Copyright Wizards of the Coast.)

I was going to make some comparison posts between the UAs and the full release of Tasha’s but other more qualified people are doing that, so instead in my continued effort to pretend that this account is for more than just me satisfy my character building obsession I decided to make a little tier list ranking the subclasses from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything from my least favorite to my favorite.

This list is going to be comparing the subclasses from Tasha’s to each-other, but is also going to be comparing the subclasses to the other available subclasses for the class they’re from. So even if I really like a subclass it’ll lose points if the class already had better options. I’m not going to talk about any of the reprinted classes from Eberron or Ravnica but I will talk about the reprinted Theros subclasses (Eloquence Bard / Glory Paladin) as for many people this will be their first time seeing them.

Also it goes without saying but this is just my opinion! So sorry if you really like the next class you’re about to see because it’s at the bottom of my tier list!

F TIER

Psi Warrior (Fighter)

Well something had to be the worst. Truthfully I really wasn’t interested in the Psi Warrior during UA but wow its full release leaves a lot to be desired.

First let’s get the obvious out of the way: “Worse Battlemaster LUL!” It is laughable how bad this subclass is when compared to Battlemaster. BM gets to give itself advantage, give allies advantage, move allies, fear enemies, grapple enemies, give enemies disadvantage... and by comparison Psi Warriors get to do a little more damage or reduce a bit of incoming damage.

The fact that this subclass requires Intelligence confuses me to no end. They changed both Rune Knight and Soul Knife to not require intelligence (even though Rogues are kinda expected to have good Intelligence to help with skill checks) but Psi Warrior still needs INT? It amazes me that Battlemaster, Rune Knight, and Echo Knight are all SAD (single ability dependent) yet Psi Warrior of all subclasses is the one they consider too strong if you can min-max.

The biggest problem with this class by far is the Psionic Energy Die. Having your main class resource only come back after a Long Rest is insulting. (It’s the problem that Samurai Fighter has had since it was printed and it’s really sad that Wizards of the Coast didn’t learn from that.) While Battlemaster gets bigger die that have more effects which come back on a short rest Psi Warrior can only recharge one die per short rest. Honestly this subclass would be so much better if you regained Psionic Energy Die when using Second Wind (as well as having a dedicated action for it) so at least then you could have more than one die per short rest.

The only good level in this subclass is level 7, entirely because you get to Fly when you Dash. I mean, sure the UA Dragon Monk can also do that but at least this is in the official rules. Everything else that this subclass gets is weak: Telekinetic Thrust lets you do what Battlemasters were doing at level 3,  Guarded Mind is just bad (Monk? Never heard of ‘em!), Bulwark of Force is mediocre at best (I know like 3 people who actually understand how cover works in 5e), and Telekinetic Master is a laughably weak capstone. Your capstone as a Fighter is a situational 5th level spell that takes away your ability to attack? Meanwhile actual spellcasters are casting 9th level spells, and other martials are doing upwards of 50 damage per turn.

At first I was largely indifferent to the Psi Warrior but after reading over all its abilities its laughable how bad it is. It at least surpasses Purple Dragon Knight in terms of mediocrity (ironic considering that the two of them are beside each-other on D&D Beyond) but it’s the only true stinker of Tasha’s, and it gets the honor of being the second weakest Fighter subclass and the weakest subclass in this book.

D TIER

Aberrant Mind (Sorcerer)

This is the best subclass to play if your only desire is to cast spells, and I mean that in the worst possible way. While every other Sorcerer has a defined class role Aberrant Mind feels like the most generic milk-toast subclass that you pick simply because you didn’t know what to play. While Clockwork Soul defends, Divine Soul heals, Draconic Bloodline blasts, Shadow Magic sneaks, Storm Sorcerer evades, and Wild Magic does memes Aberrant Mind’s only major strengths come online at level 14+.

Telepathy at level 1 is a joke when compared to the other Sorcerers. CS can negate advantage, DS gets Super Bless on top of access to the Cleric spell list, DB gets free Mage Armor, SM gets super Darkvision and the Half Orc racial trail, SS gets goddamn flight, and WM gets to kill the party at level 1 with a level 3 fireball. Meanwhile AM gets the Message cantrip with a longer range.

Psionic Sorcery is okay. Getting cheaper* (citation needed) spells that you can Subtle Spell for free is alright. The subclass spell list is good and seeing as you can sub out the spell to take better ones if needed you can really get some useful magic for your kit.

SPELLS TO LOOK AT AS AN ABBERANT MIND SORCERER

LEVEL 1

Dissonant Whispers is honestly a really good spell to have, but Arms of Hadar is a bit situational. If willing you can swap it out with: the utility Divination spells (Detect Magic / Identity - remember that Sorcerers can’t Ritual cast so it might be better for someone else to take these), Hex, Sleep, or Tasha’s Hideous Laughter.

LEVEL 2

Gift of Gab from Acquisitions Incorporated is either going to be a complete joke of a spell or the most useful spell in your arsenal. Hold Person is the most obvious choice from second level. Tasha’s Mind Whip is a great single-target damage spell with some added utility, and is almost objectively better than Mind Spike because it doesn’t require Concentration.

LEVEL 3

Both Hunger of Hadar and Sending are great spells, and there really aren’t a lot of Divination / Enchantment spells at third level. The only one I can really recommend is Tongues if you need the utility.

LEVEL 4

Evard’s Black Tentacles and Summon Aberration are both extremely strong spells, but if you want to replace them for some reason: Arcane Eye is essentially just a better familiar, Confusion is a great AoE disruption spell, and Locate Creature can be useful in a pinch.

LEVEL 5

Honestly the spell list really opens up at 5th level. Just about any choice is good, so look on D&D Beyond to see what to take. If you know me I’m going to recommend Synaptic Static.

Psychic Defenses, like with Psi Warrior, seems to have been taped onto the class because WoTC realized how weak it was so they just threw more situational garbage into its kit to compensate.

Revelation in Flesh is pretty much the only good ability you get. And granted there’s some insane utility with this ability. Not-quite-Blindsense, fly speed (best one), swim speed (worst one), and the folding ability that I’m sure will result in some interesting stories on Reddit. Warping Implosion is also a great escape-utility ability but like it’s your 18th level capstone of course it was going to be good.

If I was going to play in a level 20 one shot I’d perhaps roll up a level 20 Aberrant Mind. (Or more like a level 18 Aberrant Mind with 2 levels in Warlock because Sorcerer’s level 20 capstone sucks lol.) But unless I knew the campaign was going to at least level 15 I wouldn’t even bother.

Oath of the Watchers (Paladin)

It was boring in UA and it’s boring now. I feel bad that I have so little to say about Oath of the Watchers, especially after writing massive paragraphs about Psi Warrior and Aberrant Mind. But Oath of the Watchers feels like the worst parts of Arcana Cleric to me. Only difference is that while Arcana Cleric gets Wizard spells you get Moonbeam and help with Initiative. This subclass feels more campaign-specific than PHB Ranger and that’s really saying something.

Swarmkeeper (Ranger)

It’s certainly the most unique Ranger, both in terms of concept and in terms of abilities. It actually has a lot of utility with a good spell list and the Gathered Swarm feature providing a lot of great utility to a martial character. The thing is that in all honesty this subclass is kinda boring until level 15. And the other big problem is that the fantasy and roleplay that this subclass provides is so strange. When you think “Ranger” do you think master of the hunt, traveling through multiple dimensions and slaying powerful foes from the shadows with a tamed beast at their side? Or do you think “hurr durr bugzzz”?

This subclass feels like the one you pick when you've played literally every other subclass available, or when you get them from a random character generator. Ironically enough I do actually have a friend who made a Swarmkeeper for a one-shot I ran back when this subclass was in UA. But the fact that they made the character just to test UA shows just the type of characters that will be made with this subclass.

Way of Mercy (Monk)

You either love it or you’re completely indifferent, is what I have found the general opinion of Way of Mercy to be. Guess which camp I’m in. This subclass literally just feels like a Cleric with mobility whose healing comes back on a short rest. Time will see how OP “I can heal every turn and get my Cure Wounds back on a Short Rest” not-Cleric will be, but until then the subclass is pretty much exactly what it says on the tin. For the people who wanted to play a healing Monk I’m happy for them.

Path of the Beast (Barbarian)

If I can sum up Path of the Beast in one word it’s “underwhelming.” Form of the Beast gives you three above-average weapons to choose from, Bestial Soul gives you some movement buffs, Infectious Fury lets you do some decent crowd control or damage spiking, and Call the Hunt lets you buff your party.

The thing is... you’re fighting against “resist all damage” (Totem Warrior), “protect your allies with your JoJo Stand” (Ancestral Guardian), “smite with the wrath of God” (Zealot), or “shoot lightning out of your goddamn chest.” (Storm Herald.) It’s not a bad subclass and honestly compared to some of the existing Barbarians (Beserker, Battlerager, and honestly Storm Herald is bad too) it’s pretty strong. But it’s just so, so boring.

I need to preface this by saying that Barbarian is probably my least favorite class in 5e and for what it’s worth I’m certainly more interested in playing Path of the Beast than say Battlerager, but I can’t help but feel that this subclass just lets you hit things better as the class that does nothing other than hit things. The only real positive I see to this subclass is the flavor, which absolutely carries it above the likes of Totem Warrior and Zealot. (Both of which I think are objectively stronger than Beast Barbarian.)

Clockwork Soul (Sorcerer)

It been mostly unchanged from playtest even though as I stated Clockwork Soul was one of the subclasses I was a little worried about. But even then the subclass just feels so boring to me. It seems like this subclass is entirely designed to be the “no fun allowed” character who just says “No U” to everything the DM does. Don’t get me wrong it’s certainly a strong defensive subclass but I feel like if you want to play a defensive spellcaster you’re more likely to play an Abjuration Wizard or a Cleric in general.

And the lore just doesn’t really click for me? I can understand how you’d have dragon blood magic, shadow soul magic, and celestial infusion magic. But how the heck do you get a Clockwork Soul? I know Mechanus is a thing in D&D but I feel like for the average normie this won’t make any sense.

Also RIP in piss Heat Metal from the subclass spell list. Here’s my suggestion for spells if you want to play a CSS:

LEVEL 1 - Absorb Elements, Armor of Agathys, Featherfall, Mage Armor, Shield

LEVEL 2 (Aid and Lesser Restoration are good but Aid chews through your spell slots) - Enhance Ability, Enlarge / Reduce

LEVEL 3 - Blink, Counterspell, Fly, Gaseous Form, Haste, Slow

LEVEL 4 (Tasha’s Summoning Spells are good but Freedom of Movement is highly situational) - Banishment, Polymorph

LEVEL 5 - Animate Objects, Passwall

C TIER

College of Creation (Bard)

It has a lot of interesting abilities. Performance of Creation in particular is arguably one of the strongest abilities for someone who knows the equipment page well in the PHB. The problem is just that unless you have a very specific build in mind I don’t really know why you’d play the College of Creation? It feels like a Conjuration Wizard... but it’s a Bard. Perhaps the biggest irony is how much stronger this subclass feels when compared to the Conjuration Wizard, but you really have to be in the mood to play a conjurer.

Oath of Glory (Paladin)

Having some experience playing this subclass in a one-shot (Theros yay!): it’s very hit-or-miss. The spell list is amazing, the Channel Divinities are mediocre at best, the aura is garbage (10 foot +10 movement aura LUL), Glorious Defense is insane, and Living Legend is a capstone ability so of course it’s going to be good.

I think the main reason you’ll pick this subclass is for their subclass spells. And don’t get me wrong: Guiding Bolt and Haste are crazy good. But considering that Paladins usually want to blow everything on Smites?

When I played this character it was a 9 level dip into Paladin with a 3 level dip into Warlock. I didn’t use a melee weapon and opted for Eldritch Blast spamming. And that’s essentially this subclass as a whole: it wants you to be a spellcaster, which is great if you multiclass into a spellcaster (Aura of Protection is always good) but it feels bad as an actual Paladin.

The new Fighting Style that lets you get some cantrips as a Paladin might make this subclass better, but you’re still stuck being a half caster. Can’t escape the feeling that an actual caster would be better.

Path of Wild Magic (Barbarian)

It’s fun, is all I can really say. The subclass is built almost entirely around the Wild Surge table you get at level 3 and all the effects are strong. (Thankfully none of them are OP like in UA.) Unstable Backlash means that with luck you should eventually get a good Wild Magic effect.

The use of a d3 for Bolstering Magic is still a crime. It should just be a d4, with the spell slot restoration thing being “reroll on a 4.” (Or better yet: “roll a d4 and take half the roll, rounded up.” I still think having an RNG chance to get back a Haste or Fireball is a bit too strong.)

B TIER

Fey Wanderer (Ranger)

All I can say is thank god this subclass got better. It went from a weird pseudo-Paladin to a subclass with its own identity and theme. The only ability that’s really weak currently is Dreadful Strikes since it encourages you to spread out your damage for no particular reason. Horizon Walker had a similar problem but you could still focus damage as Horizon Walker. And you were doing more than a d4 of extra damage.

But beyond that this subclass is great! The subclass spell list is very strong. Otherworldly Glamour gives you some utility as a party face. Beguiling Twist... is honestly a little hit-or-miss. But it’s made up for by Fey Reinforcements and Misty Wanderer. Having a non-concentration summoning spell along with near-unlimited Misty Step is so insanely powerful to keep out of harm and to keep your DPS up.

Fey Wanderer seems really good at a lot of the things a Ranger wants to do. It’s a good skill monkey (being good at Charisma which other Rangers usually aren’t), a good damage dealer, a strong defensive support, a great single-unit summoner, and incredibly slippery and mobile. I don’t know if it’s enough to make me play the class (Ranger’s flavor is still iffy for me overall) but it’s definitely on my list for subclasses to try someday!

Order of the Scribes (Wizard)

Order of the Scribes is the best default Wizard, which is its biggest strength and its largest weakness. Getting a free colored pen is fun and flavorful, being able to get all your spells back if you lose your spellbook is insanely useful, always having an Arcane Focus is great, being able to replace the damage type of your spells is MASSIVE, getting to cast a Ritual Spell with its normal casting time is situationally fantastic.

Getting what essentially amounts to a free familiar is amazing. Getting what essentially amounts to a free spell slot (to upcast a second level spell) is great, and is honestly worth multiclassinging into for a lot of classes. Being able to negate incoming damage as a Wizard (IE squishy d6 hit die baby) is huge, even if you lose a lot of spells in the process. (I assure you by level 14 you’re going to have some useless spells that you’re never going to cast.)

But the problem with Order of the Scribes is that it has to compete with Divination, Evocation, Chronurgy, and War Wizard. If you have any specific build you want to go for then the specific schooled subclasses are better. But if you “just want to cast spells or whatever” Order of the Scribes is a lot of fun.

I actually have a character who’d fit Order of the Scribes very well, it’s just that Chronurgy feels so much more fun even if it doesn’t fit him as well. And that’s literally the exact problem with Order of the Scribes summed up in one anecdote.

Peace Domain (Cleric)

You may be forgiven for thinking this subclass is just a Life Cleric that doesn’t wear Heavy Armor, but the Emboldening Bond and the upgrades it gets are incredibly useful. Protective Bond in particular is such a massive power boost to the tanks of your party, giving them mobility and letting them take damage for squishy allies.

Peace Domain is by far the best party buffing spellcaster. They make everyone else amazing, and while that may not be fun for everyone I’m a garbage Yuumi main so it’s right up my alley.

Circle of Wildfire (Druid)

“iT dOeSn’T hAvE fIrEbAlL aNyMoRe It’S bAd BeCaUsE nO fIrEbAlL” oh get over your Fireball fetish Reddit. Circle of Wildfire is carried pretty much entirely by its flavor. It’s such a unique take on a Druid it’s impossible not to find at least some build to make with this subclass.

That’s not to say that it’s a bad subclass! The summon feels weak but you get two of them per short rest. Having a powerful subclass feature tied to short rests is really nice as a spellcaster. All your other features are very useful and flavorful, though my one complaint is that Cauterizing Flames is hard to use in Theater of the Mind.

It’s just a very fun and unique subclass that offers a unique flavor to Druids that they don’t normally have. I’m sure a lot of players will be motivated to try a Druid just to take a crack at this class. Hopefully they realize that only you can prevent forest fires.

A TIER

Phantom (Rogue)

I’m actually surprised how much I like this class to be honest. I made a Phantom Rogue once as a joke for a one-shot and to my surprise the subclass is actually very powerful and fun! It surprisingly just feels like a better Rogue, but considering how strong Rogues are normally that’s all the better for Phantom Rogue. You can easily fill any skill proficiencies your party needs thanks to Whispers of the Dead, and Wails from the Grave really lets you increase your DPS.

Tokens of the Departed got a major boost from UA since it now lets you use Wails from the Grave more, but the flavor of being able to ask the souls of the dead for information is also great. Ghost Walk is just insanely useful in general, and Death’s Friend lets you do double Sneak Attack damage every turn! Imagine how much damage you’d do with a crit!

The flavor is the one thing that I think hurts this subclass, as it’s really hard to make essentially an undead Rogue without immediately being labeled as an edgelord. But if a party ever needs a Rogue to do all the things that a Rogue does this character is perfect!

I’m personally awaiting the day to bring back Bill, the Undead Kobold Detective.

Way of the Astral Self (Monk)

JoJo subclass. I like JoJo. This subclass was overpowered in UA but the final release manages to capture the same feeling without being broken. Let’s go over the features one by one:

Arms of the Astral Self gives you a JoJo stand rush against everyone close to you, letting you recreate the flavor of JooJ without breaking action economy too much. But being able to prioritize Wisdom is huge to keep your Stunning Strike DC high while still getting good attack damage. But it’s still not OP since Dexterity is tied to your AC. It’s perhaps a little strong for multiclass builds (you can use your spellcasting modifier to attack) but multiclassing into Monk has always been kinda iffy, and Shillelagh has existed since the PHB was released. It should also be said that having Reach weapons as a Monk is huge, since you don’t have to get the Mobile feat to do hit-and-run.

Visage of the Astral Self is a nice social feature for a subclass that doesn’t normally get social features. Body of the Astral Self gives you more defense and offense. And Awakened Astral Self just further increases your defense and offense.

Excluding weeb shit this subclass just has awesome flavor. I’m actually planning on playing this subclass soon. (I’m playing a Cleric / Monk multiclass and I’m only level 2 in Monk currently.) I’m surprised myself that my first Astral Self character isn’t a fucking JoJo OC, considering that I already have a grand total of about 5 JoJo OCs.

Twilight Domain (Cleric)

Twilight domain also surprised me with how interesting it is. I don’t really have much to say other than it has a good mix of defensive, offensive, and utility abilities. Your subclass spell list is very strong for the most part. Eyes of Night and Vigilant Blessing are both just generally useful. Twilight Sanctuary isn’t insane but it’s consistent and it’s nice. Steps of Night is very strong and has a nice aesthetic. And Twilight Shroud is a good boost to your Channel Divinity.

The honest truth is that Twilight Domain feels kinda weak by comparison to some of the other Clerics. It’s no Forge, Grave, Life, or even Order Domain is all I can say. The fact that all your features only work in the dark is iffy if you don’t have shadows to sulk in. But along with just generally having good abilities the flavor is really what carries this subclass.

Here’s a meme:

Armorer (Artificer)

Artificer is one of my favorite classes so it’s no surprise that a new Artificer subclass excites me. Armorer fills a niche that I think Artificer didn’t have, and surprisingly it’s not the “tank” archetype. Armorer is still a good tank but the Infiltrator armor also gives you an option to play the subclass at range.

What I like is that Armorer is a subclass that doesn’t have a summon and puts more focus on your infusions. Armor Modifications is such a great feature that really brings the customization to Artificer. It truly lets you make your character your own instead of focusing on concrete class features. It doesn’t surpass Warlock Invocations for customizability, but it’s still great to get two personal magic items of your choice.

Yeah this subclass is going to be used a lot for min-maxing. Giving Wizards easy access to Heavy Armor is a little scary. But really if a Wizard wants to take a 3 level dip just for armor and the Guidance cantrip let them. Let the squishy boys have some AC for once.

Circle of Stars (Druid)

Full disclosure: I’ve been wanting to make a Stars Druid after the Rise of the Mountain expansion came to Legends of Runeterra. My first Druid had Telepathy (I took the Telepathic feat as a joke since I had a floating ability score) and it helped me realize how crazy a Druid with telepathy was for espionage. After seeing The Trickster celestial card from LoR I felt the artwork hit all three of my qualifiers for a character: class I want to play, great theme, and furry.

(Artwork by Kudos Productions. Made for Riot Games.)

My personal interest in this subclass aside: it has such a wonderful aesthetic that’s perfect for any character who wants an astral connection. The features are also great: Guiding Bolt is a strong spell to have as is Guidance, and having reactionary Bardic Inspirations is nice for a spellcaster.

But of course the main feature of Starry Form lets you still play the game normally while also benefitting from your Wild Shapes. Stars Druid is probably the second best Wildshape Druid despite not actually Wildshaping. Free Bonus Action attacks is huge, extra healing is always helpful, help with concentration (and Flight later) is really swell, and resisting all damage while not-Wildshaped is very helpful and lets you play as a pseudo Frontliner.

Stars Druid just does so many nice things and I think it’s a great subclass that can fit into any team comp. Druids are already insanely useful (arguably one of the strongest classes in 5e) so to have one that can do so much is massive.

Soulknife (Rogue)

Much like Phantom Rogue this subclass feels just really good in general. You can boost your skill checks and also add not-Bardic Inspiration to your attack rolls to do more guaranteed damage. However this subclass is by far the best Rogue for infiltration. Yes: even better than Assassin. (Though I’d perhaps suggest learning how to use a Disguise Kit.) 1 mile telepathy, teleportation, and invisibility all seem to be built for infiltration. If you have a DM who likes infiltration, espionage, and other encounters that don’t involve combat then Soulknife is by far the best subclass on offer.

But of course you aren’t picking Soulknife just to sneak around! The Psychic Blades are easily the most useful feature not just for Rogues, but for many builds! Having an unlimited supply of thrown weapon suddenly makes a lot more builds viable. My dreams of a ranged Paladin or ranged Barbarian are somewhat crushed by RAW, but there are still some niches that can be filled with unlimited throwing weapons.

Fun fact: you can’t do extra Rage damage with thrown weapons, but you can use Reckless Attack on thrown Finesse weapons. What’s more interesting is that you can’t use Divine Smite on thrown weapons, but you can use Improved Divine Smite on thrown weapons. But of course you can always talk to your DM to see what their final ruling is.

Rune Knight (Fighter)

You can become Giant which makes my stupid furry ass horny for Volibear and Nasus.

I mean I’ve gotta be honest like 75% of the reason I’m hyped for Rune Knight is to become a giant. But the runes are also very strong, giving the subclass some Battlemaster-esque gimmicks that have a bit more magical flavor than the other martials. I also really like that the subclass gets boosts to their skills, allowing you to help out of combat as a Fighter.

There isn’t much I can specifically praise about Rune Knight because the whole subclass is fantastic. It’s a very good mix of defense, offense, and utility both in and out of combat.

The Fathomless (Warlock)

Sheeyutu Nagakabouros. Nagakabouros-shee-shok.

Having played a Fathomless Warlock in UA I can safely say: it’s a good subclass. Having a consistent source of Bonus Action damage is nice, and being able to use it defensively is also great. Extra spells known as a Warlock is nice (and Evard’s Black Tentacles is a great spell!) And a teleport with a mile distance is rather crazy.

So much of the subclass is built around the tentacle which is great because the tentacle is such a great Bonus Action damage source. I really wish I had more to say but the power of this subclass starts and ends at how great having what amounts to an extra Eldritch Blast as a Bonus Action every turn is.

S TIER

College of Eloquence (Bard)

Yup. One of the best subclasses in this book was also in Theros. It helps that my favorite D&D character of all time was a College of Eloquence Bard.

This subclass got so much better since UA. Reliable Talent for Charisma checks at level 3 is fucking nuts! And on top of that Unsettling Words is a great way to soften enemies up for devastating spells. Universal Speech at 6th level pretty much singlehandedly enables the “peaceful” route with a lot of enemies, allowing you to talk your way out of problems.

But this bard is the king of inspiration! Unfailing Inspiration fixes the biggest problem with the Bard class, and Infectious Inspiration multiplies your Bardic Inspiration to a ridiculous degree. This Bard is just so reliably fantastic at Bard things, all while still being a full spellcaster that can make it harder for enemies to deal with spellcasters. It doesn’t get anything special from its subclass but you only got 3 features from your subclass as a Bard anyways. Baseline Bards are amazing and the insurance on your features from this subclass makes it all the better.

The Genie (Warlock)

If the fact that I stick Warlock levels into literally every build didn’t prove it I really like Warlocks, and Genie Warlock is easily the best Warlock subclass. Period. I actually have a post in the works where I go in-depth as to why Genie Warlock is so good. But in short:

Being able to choose between four subclass spell lists is crazy good. Like ridiculously good. A single level in this subclass gives you a Bag of Holding, a (single person) Leomund’s Tiny Hut, and a damage boost to all your attacks every turn!

6th level gives you damage resistance which is always good, but I seriously can not stress how ridiculous non-concentration Flight is for a Warlock. Your spell selection and spell slots are already so limited, and this subclass lets you get all the utility of flight pretty much whenever you please. Just think about how strong Aaracokra are and then consider that this is basically the Aaracokra’s only racial trait.

Sanctuary Vessel lets you upgrade your Leomund’s Tiny Hut power to affect the whole party. By this point you can indeed Long Rest in the lamp, and I need to stress how less suspicious a lone lamp is to a giant bubble of magical force. You could easily hide the lamp somewhere and (if the party is traveling light) be practically undetectable.

Oh and Limited Wish? So you know how the best feature of the Bard is their Magical Secrets? What if you got to choose (practically) any spell of 6th level or lower whenever you please? The only “problem” with Limited Wish is that you have to know every spell that you can pick from, but whenever “too much choice” is a problem in a game of infinite choices you know it’s a good feature.

Genie Warlocks do everything that Warlocks want to do so well. More damage on all your attacks to maximize the value of cantrip spamming, mobility to keep safe without spending spell slots, more high level spells, and giving the party a safe place to rest and recharge. I played a full Genie Warlock and absolutely loved it. I highly recommend this subclass to anyone who wants to play a Warlock. It’s just so versatile and useful I’m sure anyone can find a way to enjoy playing it.

[nneefa]

Ch. 98

The Star and The Tramp; wow, talk about blatant romance. Gonna assume Rukia's the star and Renji's the tramp

Renji was beating the breaks of Ichigo for the last 2-3 chapters, but Ichigo one-shot him

Knocked his hair loose, he can't breathe, feel, move; oop, and the last thought he thinks before fainting is Rukia

Yay! Childhood flashback!

Wow. And here I thought that reincarnated souls couldn't get any poorer. Renji and the gang looked like they climbed right out of the trash can

Dude, you're gonna kill some poor kids! Thank you for tripping this dunderhead on his ugly face

Bruh, if this is Rukia as a kid, then I guess she really does have the appearance of a 10-year-old forever

Lol, they thought Rukia was a little boy. And just like that she became the leader of The Goonies

Wow, they stole water! They really are dirt f'ckin poor!

Aww, Renji's jealous of Rukia. 😂 These kids are adorable. They must be absolutely close to be calling themselves family. (If Rukia and Renji were the leaders, they're clearly the Dad/Mom)

They lived a horrible af life with the worse of the worse adults. Seriously, who's in charge of Housing and Urban Development at Soul Society?!

The only way to get out this hellhole is to become a shinigami.

Wow, Renji had a glow up.

😢 Everyone died that they grew up with except for Renji and Rukia.

They fought to prove their worth at the academy to some smelly nobles. Probably had a billion "Make a Man Out of You" montages

Renji's so excited to tell Rukia about his scores! And look, he has his signature Tatted Brows!

Byakugan is there. This can't be a good sign.

Apparently the Hyuga Clan wants to adopt her. She gets a Get out of Jail Free Card, a swanky last name, and everything. It's like the Soul Society version of BAPS.

Renji... bruh, Rukia clearly wants to stay with you. Your excitement isn't infectious even if it's from a good place.

Ooooh. You were lying to help her get out of that hellhole. 😢

Renji wanted the best for Rukia so he sacrificed their relationship in order for her to be free. 😭

Renji is in love with Rukia, but he's too weak to overcome the odds and too afraid to tell her how he feels because of the possible outcome regarding her being a noble. Rukia wanted Renji to tell her to stay. I can feel it in my bones.

He's begging Ichigo to do what he can't. Save the love of his life.

Gonna go out on a limb here and say that Renji fought to get to Byakugan in order to get to Rukia, but it still wasn't enough. The gap in their status and power is simply too large for Renji to close.

Oh yeah, Byakugan is an asshole for abandoning Renji to die. What a tool.

The title is so gd fitting. Soul Society version of Lady and the Tramp. Rukia clearly feels a way towards Renji and Renji is definitely in love with Rukia, and I'm sure she knew and wanted him to say something, but he just didn't have the gonads to do it. Their love story is kinda tragic

[courage-a-word-of-justice]

Maou-jou 9 - 12 (FINAL) | Idolish7 s2 10 - 15 (FINAL) | SLS 2

I’ve been holding off new seasonals because of other things, but after I post this I’ll have enough time to get around to them. That’s why I can’t guarantee winter 2021 seasonal tags on this post...maybe the next one will have them...

Maou-jou 9

…it seems shopping channels even are the same in the demon world.

Now even the demons have quests! (The frame is different to the princess’s, though.)

Oh! The quest failed.

Neo Alraune: in flower language, “the 2nd coming of happiness”. The worry from a little while ago was, “I’m worried about my brother.” The worry from recently: “I didn’t think about being happy that the princess didn’t kill my brother.”

The penguin demons are pretty cute!

Don’t you know how parents forbid children from sleeping until they finish all their homework? Must be something like that.

Yoku ganbarimashita! – Syalis worked hard!

LOL, mental age: 3. Poseidon likes cute things…I can’t read a lot of this…the hardsubs cover the JPN text.

They…both succeeded! (…LOL?)

Maou-jou 10

Owarinocity = Endopolis. It’s a good equivalent, if I do say so myself.

…oh yeah. What happened to Alraune? Update: There she is!

Also, that blonde guy in the infomercials doesn’t look too bad…*makes chef’s kiss gesture with one hand* Nice.

I wonder, was Twilight once human…?

LOL, there’s a goat symbol on the cleric’s pyjamas. Also “first time”, LOL.

I think they were playing shiritori at one point.

Hanamaru saikou yoku dekimashita!

Maou-jou 11

…How does one “sleep cheerfully”, anyway?

I think I saw Twilight drop something…some kind of paper…

Aw, Twilight blushing is kinda cute!

LOL, 70s shoujo style. Also, “It cannot be!”

Whoa, she cancelled it?!

I read up on this series on TV Tropes…and apparently the Demon King captured the Princess in her sleep.

Kagemusha? Like a ninja or something?

Apparently the Demon Cleric is much older than he looks.

Ooh! Hypnos is back!

A-whatsit really is abysmal levels of stupid!!! (LOL)

Maou-jou 12 (FINAL)

Who’s that one tiny guy occupying one of the Ten Kings’ seats?

*watching after Christmas, about a week after the anime finished* This is not seasonally appropriate!

…*thinks for a second, then spits* That’s the 2nd Nemu in the fall 2020 season!!!

Ooh, the head paladin doesn’t look that bad, either.

“…is it good to be…”

“…has seized the princess!”

“…that demon king is rather cute.” – See? Someone agrees with me.

Anyways, that was a fun series. See you soon!

Idolish7 s2 10

…Back at it after so long…(I can’t help it though – Crunchyroll, per month, is about double the local Funimation sublicensor’s fees, and for much less content that’s worth my money to boot!)

I’ve always thought Momo was like Sasara (HypMic), so seeing him anguished hurts me in the kokoro too…

I know Banri was involved with Re:vale somehow…this must be it.

…Male idols are also popular among men? Is this why there are 8 (!!!) idol anime in winter 2021 alone…? (Also, that’s why HypMic became popular? Multidemographic appeal crossed over with obvious merchandising opportunities?)

It’s kind of scary how Momo stepped the formality towards Yuki like that (to -san).

I guess in his heart Momo still reveres Yuki, some way or another.

The rakugo curtain really sold the moment that they (current Re:vale) were acting like an old married couple.

Yay! Silver Sky is such a cool song! Of course I recognised the intro when it came on.

…I see. The elder Kujo is entrusting his dream to Tenn, so that’s why he banned Aya from seeing Tamaki. However, it’s hard to know what to feel when Aya speaks in the vaguest terms possible.

I think that was a special ending for only this episode. I don’t know what its name is, but I guess I might recognise it on Spotify one day.

Idolish7 s2 11

LOL, Nagi’s reaction.

Considering the ‘rona is getting worse outside our very windows as we speak (type?), I think it’s correct to be concerned about your future right now.

Looking at these narrow streets reminds me of going to eat hotpot at the end of my Japan trip…only Japanese streets look like that, I think. Hong Kong’s streets are more crowded than that and America likes their suburbia.

Of course, when you say hajimemashite (nice to meet you), someone’s gotta say it back, hence the reply.

Considering there are people all over the world watching the Idolish7 anime, I would say you are telling the world about I7, Riku.

Oh! Restart Pointer! There was an MV for that one…I think it was around the time Idolish7’s MVs started getting better.

So this is the context around the new outfits! Cool!

There have been way too many puns about “idol” being…y’know, “ai (love) doll” and stuff like that…

I have one Twitter person who I follow (DejiNyucu, part of the creative team for Autumn’s Journey) because I don’t get much I7 content and they keep mentioning this “Haruki” person…and suddenly a “Haruki the Betrayer” showed up in the graffiti…they might be the same person, I think. Not Deji, but Haruki. Update: Sakura Haruki, perhaps…?

Sougo’s such a bad liar…

Sometimes, the best way to deal with things is to be direct…(I’m not very good at that, I naturally talk in a very roundabout sort of way.)

Sougo with long hair like Yuki would be really pretty… (<- has an obvious thing for guys with long hair)

Idolish7 s2 12

Nagi’s stupid accent is generally what he’s best remembered for (for me), so seeing him speak normally, and do a press conference on top of that, is…impressive.

A kabedon on top of all this! Whoa!

Shibuya 109 parody…? (I’ve seen that once or twice – parodying that means people know their stuff about Shibuya.)

I think the “it’s overflowing!” is referring to the hype in the “room”.

…this dejected Momo is worrying…(well, he is worrying and I am worrying about him.)

Oh, I see. The person responsible typed the letter so that they couldn’t be traced back. Kind of like those old movies where the culprit would cut letters out of newspapers to make threat mail, but…with even less traces than that, because cutting letters out leaves evidence.

…wow, it took a while for this ep. to have an intro…

…LOL, I just spotted Kenjiro Tsuda cited as the “fake Zero”, meaning the real one might never show up this season.

There’s something really stupid and infectious about these managers’ enthusiasm for drinking energy drinks. It puts a goofy smile on my face.

Is Musubi Tsumugi’s mother…? Update: Yes, she is.

…Wait, so the Chiba Shizuo guy is actually important?!

Idolish7 s2 13

Whenever someone says “by the way”, it means they’re changing the subject. I hate to state to obvious, but Sougo is clearly deflecting the topic of conversation from being about him.

I wonder if this guy (Haw9) is the actual Zero graffiti vandal…?

Hmph, I didn’t realise Tenn doesn’t refer to Kujo-san as his father, but…like that (“Kujo-san”) instead.

Oh hey! These are shots from Vibrato!

Most dramas can be solved with the power of Good Communication. That includes this one.

I feel like “he has a dark side” describes both Tenn and Kujo-san.

“Everyone, remember to wash your hands and gargle thoroughly.” – This is always a good thing to remember in the time of ‘rona. Reminds me of Jakurai’s line in ARB (<- this game started just after the ‘rona came down).

What did Sougo go to uni for (what specialisation)?

Idolish7 s2 14

I just realised Banri calls Momo -kun. Hmm…

Denki = electricity, LOL.

I feel like Tenn is basically Ramuda, give or take actual pink hair…guys in musical groups with pre-existing angst that they become the “centre” of. The fact Fling Posse have Saito Soma and so do Trigger strengthens the connection.

I would watch the heck out of a musical like that! Make it come true, Idolish7! (Also, today is I7 day! I’m not much of an I7 fan outside the anime, but…that’s cool!)

That shot of them jumping! I remember seeing it on the official site before!

Idolish7 s2 15 (FINAL)

There you go! I was wondering where Banri’s injury was – that was the only bit that didn’t add up for him to be Yuki’s old partner.

Hmm…Momo is 4 years younger than Yuki but 2 years younger than Banri…

This episode has a real concert vibe to it, to the point where I got startled by how loud the yell was at one point. (Even if it is mostly stills.)

LOL, lookit Okazaki!

Apparently, if you’re a hako oshi, you like all the members of a group. Someone with a green light and a pink light likes both members of Re:vale.

LOL, Usagi for Asahi beer.

…I forgot Nagi is 19.

…Ooh, I think that’s the kid from ZOOL. No wonder they needed a season 3!

That’s all. See you next time!

SLS 2

“fine and upstanding person” – That’s…hard to believe, Hayato.

I wonder how many bois Toboso designed for SLS…?

…The episode title is actually “Blank”. Not “Break”.

One of the guys’ shirts says moteki on it. That’s a period in one’s life where one enjoys more romantic attention than usual, literally “popularity season”.

The subs missed an I, so initially I knew Kiriyama’s name as “Kiryama”.

There are meant to be 2 wings, right…?

“He who controls information controls everything, right?” – For once, I’m surprised Hayato is right (and not just in that smug way of his).

“…I’m being treated like a manager.” – But Hayato is a manager! (In a sense.)

The plait guy jumps to nicknames really fast…also, why do I get the feeling Maeshima will lose the key?

I hate to say this Maeshima, but I side with your childhood friend (Kiriyama) here. As much as the anime wants me to back you, I’m watching for everyone else at this point.

That blocky building looks pretty cool. I think Zel (Archi-Anime) would like it.

Sasugai’s setup looks pretty cool, including his chair.

…hmm, Maeshima’s like me in a sense. I learn best by copying others, but memory is my best asset. If I don’t regularly train the fundamentals, I suck at everything. That said, I don’t have an eidetic memory. Also, I didn’t quite figure out Ken = Ken(sei Maeshima) until I watched long enough to connect the dots.

LOL, Derry’s. (<- reminded of a word for “butt” <- derriere)

Well, the guy’s (Souta…?) shirt does say moteki…

Kiriyama kinda looks like Jyuto (HypMic), come to think of it…Right down to his angry streak (although Jyuto has a reputation to keep as a “cool dude”, while Kiriyama is more of a Manza (Boueibu HK) and he’s more angry than he looks).

…This ED is nothing special.

…Hmm? Is that a small Terauchi and Maeshima…?

I think I’m sold for now, but I’m rooting for the other team, not Maeshima’s…not yet, anyways.

[beybladeimagines]

Hello! First of all, thanks for doing my request with the All Starz and Disney World. It was wonderful and fit well with the characters, especially with Michael (LOL). Secondly, a (kinda) rare pair request - Yuriy and Takao. Considering their interaction at the end of Season 1, and how Yuriy smiled at Takao (as a Yuriy stan, it makes me melt just thinking about it - shout out to my fellow Yuriy stans), I can't help but get all fuzzy inside about this overlooked pair. Thanks again!

Mod Note: Aw, thank you so much! I’m so glad you liked the Disney World one! It was honestly a lot of fun to write, so I appreciate you letting me explore that idea! I hope you enjoy this request as well!

Surprisingly, Tala doesn’t see Tyson as that much of an annoyance. Granted, Tala does antagonize him and push him with his words, but all at once he has a deep respect for Tyson’s abilities and leadership. Tala is aware of the infectious influence Tyson has over other people. He has a way of embedding himself into people’s hearts, mainly because Tyson makes and keeps a lot of his promises. That kind of determination and dedication stands out to Tala, primarily because he’s surrounded by pretty shady people and he’s accustomed to being cut-throat in order for things to go his way. Tyson is kind of this beacon of light that pulls him towards a less bitter path. If anything, the smile he gives Tyson could be a small (but mighty since it’s coming from Tala) sign of appreciation and acknowledgement of Tyson’s powerful and benevolent influence. Even in G-Rev, when BEGA is starting to appear and Boris is making his appearance, Tala doesn’t hesitate to inform Tyson of his intentions. If it were anyone else, he wouldn’t bother discussing his feelings and plans. To me, this is a sign that he trusts Tyson. Aside from the friends who he’s had for years, who else would understand how much this moment means to him? That moment they shared also provided Tala with the courage and strength he needed to pursue his goal. Although he can do anything on his own, having Tyson’s support really validated his feelings and plight. To get that kind of good energy from outside his social circle just made Tyson even more of a worthy person to have within his life.

Despite whatever amount of respect Tala has for Tyson, he does not tolerate the way Tyson can succumb to self-doubt and weakness. Although we see him teasing Tyson’s inability to keep up with the other bladers, this kind of dynamic would be a bit different if they were together. First and foremost, the way in which Tala conveys his support is through an aggressive form of motivation. He’d call Tyson out for his inconsistencies and would most likely take time out of his day to build him back up again. If Tyson is feeling insecure about his abilities, Tala would train him (even if Tyson were still his opponent or enemy), because he values their relationship and the stability of their connection more so than an unfair advantage in a fight. Tala’s persistent presence is meant to mimic the kind of support and good nature that Tyson has left him with during their previous encounters. Tyson would most likely express some kind of resistance towards the help, as he’s a bit prideful in that regard, despite knowing all that he can learn from Tala. Tala’s efforts should say a lot, because if it were anyone else, he’d quickly discard their feelings. With Tyson, he’d want to see him in his best state, because when Tyson was okay, then he too could feel at ease.

Their relationship is very physical, loud, and playfully contentious. There are many times when Tyson’s aura can be overwhelming for Tala, but all at once, it proves to be uplifting and it gets Tala more engaged in their relationship. What might start off as a minor fight actually leads into a form of competitive flirting. Their jabs at one another become playful. Tyson has always been good at letting insults roll off of him. He turns everything into a joke, which signals to Tala that some things just aren’t and shouldn’t be seen as big deals. Through Tyson, Tala learns to take things easy. It’s hard, because he’s conditioned himself to be cynical of everyone, but all at once, if someone was actually out to hurt him, he feels confident that he’d be able to handle it. After all, Tyson does that, so why can’t he? When it comes to kissing, Tala mostly does it to shut Tyson up, but consequently, Tyson also initiates the kissing for the same reason. If Tyson feels like Tala is too worked up over something, he’d definitely sit himself on the red wolf’s lap and crash into his lips. Tala likes to let his hands roam, so they’d most likely find themselves all over Tyson’s back, hips, and hair. Acts like these, although intrusive, do help to keep the peace and upon the make-out session completing, they forgot what they were so worked up about in the first place.

[chungledown-bimothy]

Trust Me: Chapter 9

I cannot thank y’all enough for your patience. Hopefully the fact that it’s a relatively big chapter a little bit kinda makes up for the wait? Either way, thank you so much for reading, and I love you <3

Chapter 1 Chapter 8 AO3 Chapter 10

Warnings: A brief mention of the wounds from previous chapters’ violence, very briefly implied nsfw/daddy kink (to skip it, just don’t read the text messages after “Aww, you’re so sweet!”

Author’s Note: Again, the cipher is crackable with the information you have. (I’d argue that this one might be a bit harder, because I gave you fewer/subtler clues, but if you get how it’s encrypted, decoding it is a lot easier.) Shoutout to y’all who got last chapter’s! <3

Word Count: 3,660

Tag List: @ccecode​ @emo-sanders-sides-loving-unicorn​ @ren-allen​ @ilovemygaydad​ @bloodropsblog​ @funsizedgremlin​ @raygelkitty​ @roxiefox23​ @thomasthesandersengine​ @spookyingarbageisland​ @band-be-boss-blog​

"The truth, however ugly in itself, is always curious and beautiful to the seeker after it," Virgil muttered. Running his hand through his hair, he looked up to see that it was 8:30. He'd been at his desk staring at a copy of the note for over two hours. There was something familiar about the phrase; the feeling that he'd heard it before played in the back of his mind, just out of reach. He was sure that it was the key to solving the entire thing.

God, I wish I remembered more from that cryptology class I took in college. Okay, time for a new approach. Clean slate, let's go through what we know about him, Virgil thought.

He's a man in his late twenties or early thirties. He's highly intelligent and well-educated, likely with a medical background of some sort. He's a mission-based killer, set on punishing people he feels got away with things, things the system should have punished them fore. Before Jason Dean, it seems. That change in victimology must be connected to why he sent this note, so I'll put a pin in that for now; I'll talk to Vincent about the autopsy report when he's done with it. 

He seems divided; some of the torture is methodical, but some of it seems more motivated by rage than purpose. And then there's how he treats them. Mission-oriented killers don't often torture their victims; the payoff is from the kill itself. But he's feeding them, keeping them alive for a while so he can torture them.

Does he want them to know what he's done? That's it. He wants them to recognize their 'sins', perhaps even repent for them. He needs the validation that comes from them acknowledging his power and that he is correct.

Everything he does has a literal meaning and a symbolic one, he continued. Nothing has only one meaning. On the surface, he's saying that he knows that what he's doing is wrong, legally at least, but he finds it beautiful. Interesting choice of wording. Not right, not just. Beautiful. It feels like he cares more about the torture than the mission. But then why the remorse with the pseudo-burial? He's so full of contradictions. And then there's the bit at the end. "Publish me", he said, not "publish this". Which goes back to the fact that he's got one hell of an ego; he wants the focus on him. Which directly flies in the face of most mission oriented killers- they want the focus on their message. 

I would almost think that there might be two unsubs, but two people being this organized and methodical is extremely unlikely. He's way too egotistical to cooperate with a partner, however submissive said partner might be. 

So, we've got an incredibly smart unsub who knows it and feels like he isn't getting the attention he deserves. A younger child, maybe? Not that that would help us find him. Round up every smart, egotistical younger son in the city. We'd get the founders of every tech start-up in the city; it'd be Gentrifiers-R-Us. Virgil shook his head to clear out the unhelpful thoughts. Focus, Virge. You're on a clock. So, what kind of encryption does someone like that send? What kind of encryption has each word represented by three numbers? It's not a trifid cipher; none of the numbers would be bigger than three, and these numbers range from 1 to 192. Most number ciphers assign a number to each letter; no way in hell all of the words are three letters, and 192 and 26 do not play well together mathematically. Think, Virgil.

Fuck. Okay, let's try another new angle. The series of numbers at the end. Clearly not part of the message. 10 digits, but clearly not a phone number. 055 certainly isn't a US area code, and the number isn't long enough for a foreign dialing code plus the rest of the phone number. Wait. Maybe it's backwards? 310 is Los Angeles. 

Virgil took out his phone and dialed 310-053-3550, heart in his throat. It rang twice before an automated voice informed him that "the number you have dialed is no longer in service". Damn. His heart started beating in an entirely different way when he saw that he had some new texts.

6:22 [Patton]- Hi cutie! Are you free, by any chance? It's been a really bad day, and seeing you always makes me feel so much better. <3

6:50 [Patton]- I was thinking we could get some dinner and then watch a movie or something at my place

7:48 [Patton]- Virge?

Virgil's stomach dropped. Oh god do they think I'm ignoring them? Oh shit. He quickly typed out a reply.

8:53[Virgil<3]- Hey, Pat, I'm here. I'm so, so sorry you're having a bad day. I can't hang out tonight, though. :'( I'd be with you if I could, though. It's been a rough one for me, too. Wanna talk about what's been bringing you down?

Their reply was almost instant.

[Patton]- Virgil! :D Aww, stormcloud, it's okay. Life happens; it wouldn't be healthy for either of us if you dropped everything when I'm just a little down. Besides, it was nothing, really. Just me being dramatic lol

Virgil felt himself blush at the endearment, but his brow furrowed reading the rest of the message.

[Virgil<3]- You sure? It also isn't healthy to bottle up your emotions. I care a lot about you and am always here if you want to talk about anything.

[Patton]- God, you're the sweetest! <3 I care a lot about you too. I promise, though, I really am fine. Do you wanna talk about what's bumming you out?

[Virgil<3]- I really wish I could, but I actually have to get back to it. I'll message you later <3

[Patton]- okie dokie. Don't work too late, okay?

He chuckled as he put his phone away and looked back at the note on his desk. Heather and Kurt are obviously people, Ram probably is too. Who are they, and what do they mean to him? The phone on his desk started to ring; Virgil jumped.

"H- hello? Detective Mason here." Virgil cursed himself for the shaky greeting.

"Virgil! I'm glad you're still here. It's Vincent. You said you wanted to know as soon as the autopsy was done; I'm waiting for a couple of particulates to come back, but the bulk of it is ready for you." 

"Vincent, you are a lifesaver. I'll be down in a minute."

"Did you know that the candy Life Savers was invented in 1912 as a summer confectionary alternative to chocolate, which has a melting point of approximately 86 degrees?"

"I definitely did not know that, but I did know that they started as mints and didn't become the fruity candy we associate most with the brand now until the mid-1920s."

"Fruit flavors were introduced in 1921, to be exact, but they did not have holes in them like the mints did until 1925, which is probably the date to which you were referring."

Virgil laughed. "Damn, I thought I had you. I'll be right down." He hung up the phone and left for the morgue. 

Three minutes later, he found himself being hugged by Dr. Nigel-Murray.

"I'm as touch-starved as the next gay, but why the hug? We just saw each other, like, five hours ago." Virgil looked slightly down at Vincent with a small smile.

"I'm sorry, I'm trying to curb my workplace-inappropriate tendencies, but, barring once during a time of great stress, people in general don't respond in kind to my facts." Virgil's heart broke for the vulnerability and pain in his voice, and he made a mental note to learn as much trivia as possible.

"That's a damn shame. You're a great guy, Vince- let's get coffee or something once I've cracked this damn code."

"That sounds quite lovely, actually. What code, if I may ask?" Vincent's smile was appropriate for the fact that they were at work, but Virgil could tell that he was practically bouncing with excitement internally.

"Our killer sent a reporter a coded message. I've got about 21 hours to crack it if I want to get this guy to come to me."

"Not to overstep, but I've dabbled a bit in cryptography; perhaps I could be of some assistance?" 

"I'd love another set of eyes on this, actually. Thank you! Here, give me your number, and I'll text you a picture of it once we've wrapped up here." Virgil pulled out his phone and unlocked it to find that his messages with Patton were still pulled up. He tried to stop himself from smiling, but he couldn't.

Vincent chuckled. "He must be pretty special, to get a smile like that out of you." Virgil blushed.

"Uh, yeah, they are. At least, I think so. I hope so." Virgil fidgeted with the hem of his shirt, refusing to make eye contact.

"Sorry about the pronoun flub. So, tell me about them!"

Virgil hesitated; opening up about his feelings certainly wasn't one of his strong suits, but he liked Vincent and wanted to be his friend.

“They’re incredible. Their name is Patton, and they run We Hart Coffee just a few blocks from here. They’re so funny and kind, and I’ve never seen a smile like theirs. It’s so genuine and infectious. The world genuinely is a brighter and happier place around them.”

“You really love them, huh?” 

“I- What? No. No way. That’s way too cliche. We meet in a coffee shop and are in love within a couple of weeks? This is real life, and stuff like that only happens in movies and fanfiction. And completely unrealistic. What?" Virgil snapped, seeing the grin on Vincent's face.

"Trust me, Virgil. My first doctorate advisor, Doctor Brennan, was in deep denial of her love for her partner, Agent Booth. They're now happily married with two kids. I know what repressed love looks like, and you, my friend, have it in proverbial spades."

"I'm not sure that that's the right use for that cliche, and besides…" Virgil sighed, running a hand through his hair. "So what if you're right? Even if I did love them, which I don't, they don't love me back."

"Not yet, perhaps, but you're a great guy, Virgil. Smart, funny, caring, and quite handsome. If I were into men, I'm certain I would be half in love with you, myself. Just give them time."

"Christ, Vince, I'm gonna cry at work and ruin the tough-guy aesthetic I work so hard to maintain."

Vincent hummed his disbelief. "As much as I love chatting with you, I believe you're here about a murder. Follow me, if you will."

"Right. Murder." Virgil muttered before following him into the lab.

"So, you know who he is. 18 year old Mission High student Jason Dean. You saw the burns, frostbite, and acid damage. We were able to determine that the frostbite was caused by liquid nitrogen, and the killer used hydrochloric acid. We also found that while he was less dehydrated than the part victims, likely due to being held for only about a week, as opposed to two or three like previous victims, he was far more malnourished than the others."

"God, why is he changing so much? A kid, a shortened timetable, not feeding him. What was the cause of death?"

"Strychnine poisoning."

"See, that's a huge departure, too. All of the previous torture was from knives and hands. Why the sudden change to substances? Did he get injured, or is something else limiting his manual dexterity?"

"I don't know about any of that, but strychnine is a fairly popular poison in popular culture; Agatha Christie used it three times- in Mysterious Affair at Styles, The Coming of Mr. Quin, and How Does Your Garden Grow?, and Arthur Conan Doyle used it in-"

"Oh. OH. Vincent, I love you, you know-it-all." Virgil started pacing, running his fingers through his hair.

"I beg your pardon?"

"The Murder of Roger Ackroyd."

"What? Strychnine wasn't used in The Murder of Roger Ackroyd; Ackroyd was stabbed."

"Yes, I know. The note the killer sent. At the bottom of the code, he wrote 'the truth, however ugly in itself, is always curious and beautiful to the seeker after it'. It seemed so familiar, but I couldn't place it until you just brought up Agatha Christie. Poirot said it in The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. The number. I'm an idiot."

"Breathe, Virgil. I assume that you just cracked the code?"

"Not quite. But I cracked our unsub. I knew it. I knew he'd hand me the answer. I can't believe it took me this long to figure it out."

"Okay, so how does The Murder of Roger Ackroyd help you?"

"Under the quote is a thirteen digit number. I'd bet my life that it's an ISBN for a specific printing of the book. It's an Arnold Cipher. Each series of three numbers is a page, line, and word. It was staring me in the face. I truly am Boo-Boo the Fool." Vincent was puzzled by Virgil's last sentence, but Virgil was far too agitated for questioning it to be prudent.

Virgil took a deep breath. "Okay, sorry about that. So, back to Jason?"

"Oh, right. Jason. Um, the only other thing of note that we have found at this point are fibers from a 1950s Volkswagen Beetle."

"That's gonna help a ton, as well. Vincent, you are my hero!" Virgil scooped him up into a big hug before leaving the morgue, leaving Vincent speechless for the first time in his life.

Virgil ran back up to his desk, furiously typing in his password. It took him three tries to correctly enter the number into the San Francisco Public Library website's search bar. He eventually got it, and there it was. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie. And two copies were available. The library didn't open until 12 pm the next day, however, so he went home after setting an alarm on his phone and sending a quick text to Patton.

9:52 [To:Patton]- Hey, wanna get dinner tomorrow night?

He was ecstatic to see a message from them when he got home.

9:55 [Patton]- Absolutely! You got the problem worked out? :D

10:10 [Virgil <3]- I found the solution, and will get it resolved by the end of the week. I'll pick you up on Friday at 7? We'll take a walk in the park and then House of Prime Rib, on me?

[Patton]- Are we celebrating something? Or are you trying to tell me you want to be my sugar daddy? ;P

[Virgil <3]- Trust me, Pat, if I had sugar daddy money, I'd love nothing more than to spoil you rotten. But nah, it's a combination of a small celebration and an apology for being unavailable today and for the next few days until Friday. (and i may or may not be buttering you up in hopes you'll share what's bringing you down)

[Patton]- Aww, you're so sweet! <3 (Can I call you daddy anyway?)

[Virgil <3]- Only if you want to be rewarded, baby. ;)

[Patton]- I'll be a good boy for you, daddy, I promise. 

Virgil noted their preferred appellation and responded in kind with a wicked smile.

--------

The next morning, Virgil woke up half an hour before his alarm was set to go off, feeling more relaxed than he had in months. I'm finally going to get this guy.

Figuring there was no point in just waiting around, he got ready and went right to work. He knew Captain Sanders would want a breakdown of the previous night's findings before he could start following the leads he had gotten from Vincent the previous night.

He got to the station and immediately started looking into Jason Dean and the possible claim that he was a murderer. It didn't take him long to find that three Mission High students committed suicide 2 months prior named Heather, Kurt, and Ram. Virgil tracked down the police reports for the deaths. By all accounts, they appeared to be through-and-through suicides. If Jason did kill them, the killer would need to be quite close to either one of the victims or Jason himself. Linking the suicides would imply that he's close to all of them. Maybe through school? Science classes are more than likely to have liquid nitrogen and hydrochloric acid. Any teacher would have access, but I'll look more into science teachers in particular. He's displayed some anatomical knowledge as well. 

Captain Sanders walked into the precinct, calling for Virgil to follow him into his office.

"So, what do you have?" he asked, after they'd arrived and shut the door.

"The note is a book cipher based on Agatha Christie's The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. The library has a copy of the specific edition I need to crack it, so I'm going to pick that up at noon, as soon as the library opens. Looking into the 'murderer' thing, there were three suicides at Mission High 5 months ago, whose names match the three not-coded words in the note- Heather, Kurt, and Ram. If they were murdered by Jason, that means the killer is close to one of them, most likely Jason himself. I think that's what the killer is alluding to in the note, but we'll see once I've decoded it. Add in the liquid nitrogen, and it points to a teacher, likely a science teacher. So I'm going to crack the code and look for other insights into him and look into Mission High science teachers. I have an updated profile, and I'll email that to you right away."

"That sounds wonderful, Mason. You've been doing excellent work; we're glad to have you."

Virgil shifted his weight from foot to foot. "I'm just doing my best, sir. If you'll excuse me, the library is about to open, and I'd like to get the book as soon as possible."

"Sounds great to me! Just send me that profile before you go."

"Will do, sir. Thank you." Virgil turned and left the room, hurrying to his computer before rushing to the library.

--

A short while later, he was back at his desk with a battered copy of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. It wasn't difficult to decode the message, but it did take a bit of time and a lot of counting and re-counting. Word by word, the message became clear: He killed Heather, Kurt, and Ram. Find the weapon; I know he had it. It is your evidence.

Virgil sat back in his chair once he'd finished, puzzled by what the note revealed that he hadn't already deduced. 'He' has to be referring to Jason. He knew we'd find out the reasons for him choosing the previous victims, but he needed to be sure we'd know why he thinks Jason deserved to die. I looked at the police reports for those deaths; the gun used to kill Ram and Sweeney was recovered on-site and is in police custody. He's obsessed with his mission, though. He wouldn't make this claim if he wasn't sure. I'll look into that once we've caught our killer. For my peace of mind, at least. Virgil cracked his knuckles and picked up his phone.

"Roman Prince, SFGate, how can I help you?"

"Roman, it's Detective Mason. Can you come down to the station right away?" The responding scream was so loud, Virgil had to move his phone away from his ear. "I'll take that as a yes?"

"Absolutely, Detective. I will be there as soon as physically possible."

"Don't break any traffic l-" The line went dead, cutting Virgil off.

--

Far sooner than could have been legal, Roman skidded to a stop in front of Virgil's desk.

"HelloVirgildidyoucrackthecode?DoIgettowritearesponse?CanI-"

"BREATHE, Roman." Virgil stood, grabbing him by the shoulders. "Yes, I cracked the code. Yes, you will publish a response tonight. But I'm writing it. I assume your laptop is in your bag?" Roman simply nodded- he knew that if he tried to speak, he'd start rambling again. "Fantastic. Let's get going."

45 minutes (and one call from Captain Sanders to Dan Humphrey about how not allowing it to be posted immediately would be obstruction of justice) later, a new post was live on SFGate's website. It was 4:02 pm, two hours before the deadline.

An Open Letter to U N Owen

It was a pleasure hearing from you. While I obviously cannot condone your methods, you are correct that our justice system is imperfect, and those imperfections need addressing. You gave me quite a puzzle, and I enjoyed solving it. It was clever, but not clever enough. I hope you'll forgive me for not following your directions; please let me know if this is inadequate.

Vq rwv kv dnwpvna, aqw'tg ytqpi. Jg fqgup'v jcxg kv, yg fq. Yg'xg jcf kv htqo vjg xgta dgikppkpi. Dwv aqw cntgcfa mpqy vjcv. Aqw'tg hct vqq engxgt vq jcxg pqv mpqyp vjcv. Wpnguu K'o qxgtguvkocvkpi aqw, yjkej ku c fghkpkvg rquukdknkva. Aqwt qvjgt cuugtvkqp jcu dggp pqvgf, cpf K uygct vq aqw vjcv K yknn rwtuwg vjcv qpeg yg ugvvng vjku ocvvgt dgvyggp wu.

Hqt pqy, vjqwij, aqw ujqwnf mpqy vjcv aqw'xg iqvvgp unqrra, cpf vjcv kv'u qpna c ocvvgt qh vkog dghqtg K hkpf aqw cpf tgrca aqw kp vjg ngicn hqto qh vjg eqkp aqw icxg vjgo. Aqw yknn (ogvcrjqtkecnna) jcpi hqt vjku.

Sincerely,

Det. Mason Poirot II

--------------------

Logan refreshed SFGate.com for the thirteenth time that day and was finally rewarded for his tenacity; the post was less than five minutes old. He read it twice, rage simmering in his chest and a smile on his face. "Detective Mason," he said to his empty apartment, "a worthy adversary indeed. The game is on."

[bdluejay]

TWRP + The Protomen Concert

So I just wanna infodump about the TWRP concert tonight before I forget everything (walls upon walls of text under the cut, youve been warned)

So it was a 1hr 45min drive up to Richmond and it was a fairly nice drive aside from the inevitable traffic. I listened to TWRP’s discography minus TTT because time. About 30 minutes into the drive I’m singing along, dancing a little, and then I realize. I forgot. My fucking. Tickets. Left em right at home. Fuck. So it takes me 20 minutes to overcome the shock and try to figure out what to do. I didn’t have enough time to turn around and drive back, but the interstate was too narrow and going too fast for me to pull over and figure out what to do so I kept driving and hoping that I was gonna figure it out when I got there. So the rest of the drive goes smoothly, not too much traffic, and I didn’t get lost after I exited the interstate! I got a spot on the lot right next to the venue so I didn’t have to walk at all which was awesome. So I get down to the end of the line and say, “Is this where the cool people are? Haha!” y’know, like a nerd, and I start talking to the people in line with me. And I shit you not, before I even get to say much, the person in front of me goes, “Hey, do you need an extra ticket?” Like, holy shit, really? How fucking lucky was I! I get in line right behind a person who has an extra ticket and they offer it before I even say anything. What a godsend. So I relax finally and enjoy talkin to the folks in line and try not to piss myself because I’ve had half a bottle of water and a smoothie in the past 2 hours.

So it turns 6 and the doors open and we come flooding in, I get to use the bathroom and the head over to the stage to secure a spot. I get about 3 or 4 people between me and the stage and I’m pretty content because it’s the closest I’ve ever gotten to the stage at a concert before.  Then I feel a tap on my shoulder and this guys says hi and gestures to my shirt (I was wearing the shirt for NSP’s Tour de Force tour) and asked which show I went to. Apparently we both went to the one at silver spring which was sick and we started talking about our mutual love of TWRP and a bunch of other stuff. He (collin was his name, im pretty sure?) was super sweet and nice and easy to talk to and we both went hoarse because we talked for the whole hour we were waiting for the show to start lol. He actually had some cough drops bc he was overcoming a cold and gave me one which was super nice.

SO the lights dim and the boys come out one by one, Havve, Meouch, Phobos, then Sung on his stupid hoverboard that I love. And they start playing Back in Town and I’m like o FUCK and they play generous dimensions and im like fuck yeah and they do their dumb schtick that never gets old “that was song #5, and next is song #11, and song #11 goes out to all the ladies out here tonight” and like a sucker i laugh and cheer every time. the setlist is super fuzzy for me but they played life party and i kinda almost cried cause god i really love that song a lot. and they played this like, holy shit amazing medley of a bunch of their songs all the way from 2nite to TTT and i totally wasnt expecting it at all but it was really amazing, i wish i had recorded the whole thing (fingers crossed that someone else has) but they played parts of pale blue dot which is my fave TWRP song and thats all i wanted and needed. ladyworld was awesome, and ending it with all night forever was absolutely perfect, kinda tying the whole set together with the beginning and end of return to wherever. TWRPs whole set was phenomenal and i had so much fun dancing and singing along. i didnt wanna blink the whole time because i wanted to see everything i could and they were just great and i gotta stop talkin about them cause im just gonna end up in a loop saying how much i love TWRP and how amazing they were tonight. 

but then. the protomen come out. and they play phantom racer. and just. holy. fucking. shit. twrp has such a chill vibe and their energy is good but the second the protomen came out the energy went from 100 to a MILLION. twrp and protomens performance of phantom racer was just. amazing. no, amazing is an understatement, but theres really no words to describe just how fucking fantastic they both were together. i wish i could relive that song over and over again forever. the feeling of absolute joy and excitement and happiness i felt during that performance is something i wish i could bottle and experience forever.

so onto the protomen. i had never listened to any of their music before the concert other than phantom racer. but holy SHIT. they fucking rocked it. i was blown away by how talented everyone was. the two lead singers were powerful and amazing, the music was just, *italian finger kiss* MWAH that good shit, like, tomorrow i gotta listen to all their music because every single song they played i immediately loved. and i cant neglect to mention their stage presence. these guys were so cool and intense and their whole vibe was so fuckin rockin. i mean, the metallic gray facepaint and bandanas and sunglasses and masks and helments and robot gun arms????? fuck YEAH!!!!! like i had hopeful expectations for the protomen but they blew me outta the fucking water holy shit. seriously i regret that i didnt listen to them beforehand or i woulda been headbanging so hard. also at the end one of the guys stage dove and i almost got to touch him but i was scared to get under him cause im not very strong and i didnt wanna drop a whole man onto myself. but yeah they were sick.

oh and speaking of headbanging there were a few dudes in front me who were SO energetic and pumped for the protomen like, it was infectious. they danced so hard and they like did this little dance with a couple other people that kinda reminded me of a ska dance?? like yknow the one where you just kinda kick your legs?? idk but they seemed to be having a lot of fun and it made me smile. they also had a 4 person mosh pit and i got knocked around a few times (its okay, i know how it is getting really excited and a lil too rowdy, i was fine) but like those dude were so fun and their excitement was so infectious i couldnt help but smile and have more fun. i got to talk with them some while we were in line for merch and since i was there for TWRP and they were there for the protomen we both gushed about how much we loved each band with all our hearts. they were also super sweet and walked me to my car because i was anxious to walk alone in a city that id never been to before.

so yeah!! tonght was an amazing experience that i hope to never forget. i met some super nice people and talked myself hoarse and had such an amazing time and im so glad that everything turned out how it did. thank you to twrp, the protomen, the broadberry staff, that one person in line, collin, and those two rockin protomen fans for making tonight a wonderful and perfect night.

[royal-kard]

soft bias tag ~

i was tagged by @curledlife​ thank you angel!!

Who is your bias?

i don’t really have a bias in kard, so i guess i’ll just answer for all of them?

What made you notice them?

b.m -  his height first of all, the dude is a skyscraper. also his deeeeeeep voice got me!

somin - her elegance in performance and in the mvs. she just look so put together.

jiwoo - her voice! there’s something about her singing voice that is really pleasing to my ear. tbh i thought she was kinda scary at first, but she is also such a sweetheart.

j.seph - i thought he was really pretty when i fist saw him. then, when i first heard him rap, I really liked his flow.

What is your favorite thing about them?

b.m - his heart. he is one of the softest people, and he has so much love. i love that he is so happy to share that love with his members, his friends, and with us. he really is such a beautiful soul.

somin - her laughter. it’s so bright and bubbly just like her. it’s that kind of laughter thats infectious. when she laughs its like the room lights up even more.

jiwoo - her ability to maintain chill at basically all times haha. she is just the coolest kid on the block, and her responses to things are always the best.

j.seph - his sense of humor is my absolute favorite!! he is funny, silly, and he’s not afraid to show that side of himself. 

Who would initiate skinship more?

b.m - he would? he’s very affectionate with people he’s friends with, so even if its just his arm around the shoulder or a touch every so often, he would be the one initiating that. 

somin - again, i think she would probably be the one to initiate it. it would probably be mostly arm linking though.

jiwoo - we would be even. jiwoo isn’t too into skinship from what i’ve noticed, and neither am i. 

j.seph - he would. hands down. he seems to be the most keen on initiating some soft of physical contact with people. so yeah it would be him. 

Who would hog the blankets more?

b.m - he seems like he would take the blanket, but then, he would wake up in the night and cover me up because he saw that he took it all, but idk his sleep habits so idk haha

somin - i think she would have them. not that i mind tbh, but to me she seems friolenta, so i would let her have the blankets.

jiwoo - i think we’d be even on this one too? 

j.seph - i can see this kid rolling himself into a burrito with the blankets, so im gonna have to say he would take them all. 

Who would be more clingy?

b.m - him. he’s got that vibe.

somin - i think maybe me? it’s probably me.

jiwoo - definitely me. she doesn’t come off as clingy in any sense of the word.

j.seph - him. like b.m, he just gives off that vibe. and i don’t mean in the overly obsessive clingy way. both of the boys would just check in with you, make sure you’re doing alright more frequently than the girls. i think it’s because theyre older and they really just wanna look out for and protect the people they care about. the girls would be much more chill. 

Who would be more easily flustered?

ME. 

What cuddling position would you two have?

b.m - I. WANNA. BE. THE. LITTLE. SPOON. can you imagine being enveloped by by matthew??? that would be the best thing in the world?? because he always looks so warm and cozy!!! i would feel so safe like that...wow im gonna go cry now haha 

somin - her head would be on my lap as i run my fingers through her hair. is that a cuddling position? probably not. but i’m gonna make it one. why? because i can, and because this would be the way we would spend lazy sundays. 

jiwoo - again, not really cuddling, PERO we’d lay down with our backs touching.  there’s not a lot of physical contact, but just enough to know that the other person is there. it’s comforting and comfortable.

j.seph - id love to just relax and lay my head on his chest. listen to his heartbeat. one of his arms wrapped around me too. it would be so nice. seriously folks just thinking about this is... a lot. 

What colors remind you of them and why?

b.m - red. he’s so full of passion and drive for all the things that he does. he’s also got this type of personality that has such a powerful impact. also he looks super good in red.

somin - pink. there’s always such a softness to somin. i know that she’s fierce and powerful, but she is always such a soft soul. she has a lightness to her that the color pink reflects.

jiwoo - indigo. a cool tone for a cool person. the color fits the mysterious, chic vibe that she has, but it’s also a calm color. much like jiwoo, the color indigo is a soothing color. 

j.seph - yellow. j.seph is such a bright person. he can be serious, but he always a bright aura around him. he takes things with stride, and just continues to smile. the color yellow suits that joyful and playful personality of his! 

Which season would you like to spend with them?

i’d want to spend winter with all of them because it’s my favorite season, but I feel like B.M is more a summer dude, Somin is more like spring as is J.seph, and Jiwoo is an autumn/winter gal to me. but i wanna spend winter with them!

Who would bake the cookies and who would steal the batter?

b.m- we would probably both bake the cookies, but he would steal the batter. i don’t like eating the batter like that tbh baking would probably be so fun with b.m though because he follows the instructions, but would probably toss in some interesting ingredients.

somin - we’d probably both end up making each other cookies. we make them at the same time, but individually, so we’d probably be so focused in making them that the batter would remain intact! 

jiwoo - mmmm i would bake the cookies while she sat at the counter and watched? she’d probably dip her finger in the batter to try it a couple of times, and give her opinion on the taste though!

j.seph - no cookies would be made. he wouldn’t be tasting the batter, but playing with it? like smearing it on my cheek or nose, and then i would have to retaliate, and then minutes later there would be no batter left haha 

Which one would make bad puns and how would the other react?

b.m- he would make all the puns (good and bad), i’d just laugh because he never really has any truly bad puns 

somin- i’d definitely make all the bad puns. i think she would just do what she does with the boys and cringe and smack my arm lol

jiwoo- it would still be me making all the bad jokes. jiwoo would probably just stare at me or walk away (but would crack a smile... she loves bad puns i know it)

j.seph- he is the king of all jokes and silliness, so it would definitely be this boy cracking all the puns. i wouldn’t be able to help myself, and i can 100% guarantee that i’d be crying of laughter.

Who would want to adopt 50 dogs and cats?

all of us. 

Which one of you would nearly burn down the kitchen to try to microwave a poptart and who would come to the rescue?

...i don’t microwave pop tarts so, if any of them do, it would be them lol. i’d come and help them out though!! 

Who likes to lean over tall railings and who pulls them back?

(I have a fear of heights so...I am not leaning over any tall railings anytime soon.)

b.m- you know as free spirited and wild as he seems, matthew is very careful so perhaps neither of us would lean over the railings. if he did though, i’d grip onto his shirt so tight to pull him back. 

somin- for sure neither of us would be leaning over any railings. we’d be so far from the edge appreciating having only solid ground beneath us.

jiwoo- jiwoo would probably get kicks out of looking over the railing. she’d probably tease me by leaning over it a couple of times, and just looking back to see my reaction (she’s a bit of a daredevil lol) so it would be me taking her away from the railing. 

j.seph- he would lean over the railing out of sheer curiosity, but he would lean too far, so i would definitely be pulling this kid back.

What would watching a horror film with them be like?

b.m- he’d probably be calm for the majority of it, but he seems like the kind of person whose body would jolt when they get scared, but he wouldn’t scream. he would try to laugh off the scary moments, and crack jokes to make it all seem less terrifying. he’d also cover your eyes and keep you tucked in his arms to make you feel less scared too.

somin- screaming our head off together. possibly in tears. why did we start watching this horror film? who knows! but now we’re too scared to move, and the remote seems to be nowhere in reach sooo... we are stuck. probably clinging to each other for dear life. someone would have to come turn off the tv for us, but then we’d probably scream if we saw them just because we’re already terrified.

jiwoo- depending on the film, she’d probably be laughing at some parts, but she’d definitely get scared as well. she’d probably grip your arm real tight when she got scared, but i think she would try to brave through the film. she’d focus more on the logical things in the film. if it has a storyline, she’ll focus on the details of the story to distract her mind from what might be coming up.

j.seph- so he apparently doesn’t get scared easily, so he would probably be chill throughout the film. he’d probably tease you about the scary parts, but not in a mean way. it would be more in a ways that downplays the horror, so you feel better. although, if there’s a really scary part, he’d probably give a little jump, and ,if you called him out on it, he’d try to play it off or just bluntly be like ‘oh that was surprising.’ (im thinking of that tour avatar video haha)

Who would be the chessy flirt and who would be the smooth flirt?

(i can’t flirt)

b.m- HE WOULD BE THE CHEESIEST BOY ON THE PLANET. HE ALREADY IS.  I think he would like to think that he’s a smooth flirt, but he’s so cheesy. He’d be so gushy and what not, but it’s so fitting of who he is because he’s so full of love and energy. he has to shower the person he likes with that love. he has to. it definitely works for him. though, i think he’d also be the person to say very deep and serious things and end up flustering the person.

somin- the shy flirt (im adding my own categories here) she exudes confidence on stage, but just seeing her gush about hyuna I can already see that shes a shy and giggly flirt. she showers the person she likes with compliments and positivity, and she’s so soft around them. also if she really likes them she’s gonna be super giggly around them and a blush will always be on her face.

jiwoo- she’d be smooth, but with a little hint of awkwardness? she’d probably give an awkward first liner, but then she’d save herself by saying something incredibly smooth. from that moment, she be the smooth talking queen. she’s really witty, so you’re most certainly gonna be charmed by her sweet talking skills.

j.seph- he’d be like an awkward/shy flirt. he’d really try to impress, but it wouldn’t come out the way he wanted it to. there’s the good chance that he would just start giggling instead of actually saying anything. he’d probably try to crack jokes as well ( this would be his strongest point when it comes to flirting haha), but everything would work for him because, even if he thinks everything came out in an embarrassing way, its actually super endearing. 

Who is more competitive?

they’re all competitive, and im competitive. so all of us. i think b.m would probably be the only one to “lose.” the others would really want to win (especially j,seph) 

Who would have to be given reminders (remember to eat, don’t forget your keys, etc)

they’re all so busy with tours and stuff that i think i would have to remind them to eat, and to take their wallets/phones/etc. but on days when they’re not as busy:

b.m- if he’s working on producing something I would probably have to remind him to eat, and to sleep ( get off ig too). he seems like he falls into his own world when he’s focused on something, so we need to keep him healthy

somin- i think she would be pretty good keeping herself on track in terms of meals, but she would definitely need reminders on what to take during a trip or when going out for the day.

jiwoo- idk why i feel like she’s just on top of everything. i think it’s because has a very independent vibe to her, but i think she would be reminding me about things, if she isn’t busy.

j.seph- he’d probably need reminding about where certain things are, idk why i get the vibe that he misplaces things, but in the most obvious places. also just regular reminders about what’s happening (my poor bub seems lost sometimes)

Who sends memes and who sends cute things like “i miss you” texts at 3 am?

b.m- we’re both sending memes, but he would definitely send cute messages. or post cute messages through ig or something like he does for the members. he’s a good morning/ good night text person. also he’d send a lot of photos of him making cute/silly faces i think. also gym photos showing you his progress, and what his next goal is.

somin- i’d send her some memes, but the cute messages are all her! they’d be full of emojis ( hearts, bows, animals, everything) she’d also probably send photos of things that she’s seen that remind her of you. also get ready for photos of se ah!

jiwoo- both of us would be sending each other memes. she’s got a funky sense of humor! she would also send videos/photos of the other members messing around with some a+ caption. also aside from memes,  she’d send pictures of tani.

j.seph- he’d send you some cheesy messages. probably wouldn’t send memes, but he would tell you jokes he came up with or he’s heard that he hasn’t told you yet. i’d probably send him memes only to see his reactions because i bet you they would be funny! i think if he were drunk or tipsy he’d send some long loving message at three am (it would be him rambling about how much he loves you and misses you and what not, but it would be cute).

so yeah that’s that! this was so long, and if you read all of this you are a superstar!

im gonna tag: @somin @sominbiased @oliviahei @allofmylovelove @fensi @jsephology @jeonjiwwoo @jiwoojisoo @sujiwoo @hiddenkard4 @babykard and anyone else who wants to do it!

[chibalein]

Kalafina Live Review - 10th Anniversary

Finally it’s available and I watched the whole 10th Anniversary Live (again and again), so I thought I’d give a review on it. Here is my original Live Report -> click. My opinions didn’t really change much, though, so I’ll be repeating myself here and there :p Here we go!

Ring your bell ~ in the silence

I love that intro, especially with those flags opening

other than that, boring entrance -> the 9+ONE intro would have PERFECT for that occasion

Ring your bell

fuck that song

However, I like the performance, surely one of their best, I love their bright smiles and movements

 BUT it gave me reminder of why I don’t like this song: the final “ring your bell”s, Wakana always makes me cringe

Quick opinion: I really came to hate Keiko’s dress. Not the colors or the golden/black pattern, that’s pretty cool: it’s those lace shoulder pads and the leather corsage. They make her chest area look super bulky and the chest part of the dress is not form-fitting at all. She has such a beautiful body but this dress just doesn’t support it.

Mirai

Fuck that sooong and everyone who voted for it

But even I have to say, I have a lot of fun watching them perform, they move around, interact with the audience, it’s lovely and more carefree

Lirica

Definitely one highlight of the night

I realized for the first time that the Strings are actually plucking their instruments lol I thought it was a background sound by the manipulator

I barely hear Hikaru in the chorus, is she singing high or low? xD

Keiko is the best here, so deep and dramatic!

Booooring stage show. No movements by the girls is one thing, but no special light show or anything? They could have been so creative with this dark piece..

Manten

OMG some choreography

Wakana is greeeeeat

Yane no mukou ni

First performance where I almost cried during the actual live, perfect and emotional

Still don’t like Hikaru here, she sounds like she is shouting which kills all emotions she might have had while singing

Cool plucking violins at the end, never noticed they do this

Hikari no senritsu

overplaaaayed

OMG light dude, DO SOMETHING

Best flute solo of all time

Quick opinion: all the performances where I criticise the lack of creativity, movement etc. look actually great on the DVD, because we have the cameras. Changing angles, focus on each girl, their faces, the audience and the band give variety and it makes it look a lot more interesting. But sitting in the actual audience is absolutely tiring, because there is just nothing happening on stage. It’s just like you listen to a CD, especially if you had a seat in the far back and could only rely on the screen. Such a shame and waste.

Storia

oh god no

their steps in the middle part are all over the place XD

fun and good performance

Quick opinion: almost all songs by now have been completely or partly illuminated in blue light. Uncreative? Yes.

Natsu no Ringo

Hikaru again sounds strange and shouting, she definitely was edited

Other than that super beautiful performance, Wakana was in top form that night

Serenato

Another big highlight, one of the best performances Kalafina ever did

Actually a nice, refreshing intro by the accordion, but I personally find it kinda dominant throughout the song, which was a bit distracting and which I didn’t really feel in the actual live

ARIA

Hikaru sings lower and I like it a lot, although they definitely enhanced her voice to sound a bit “prettier”

she did such an emotional and sad performance, you could see that is not struggling as hard as e.g. in Red Day

Sprinter

that Keiko hug

finally some action on stage and interaction with fans!

super fun to watch and OMG Keiko is using the pedestal

Oblivious

still bad place in the setlist

great AMV and surely also a highlight, sadly this is the only special treatment for their debut song, should have been celebrated more

Poor Hikaru gets always ignored during WaKei duet lol

Kizuato

Great performance, I adore that song

Keiko’s voice a bit too cute for me here

Kimi ga Hikari ni Kaeteyuku

Keiko’s stupid cutesy voice

Very emotional and those sad faces at the end kill me every time

I just realized that they have sung all Kara no Kyoukai songs in a row XD

Quick opinion: It’s like they only have red, white and green filters, all while the light technician’s finger is apparently stuck on the blue light button. This is BUDOKAN! This is ALL you can deliver?!

Kantankatan

I honestly wonder why this song made it into the setlist. Hyakka Ryouran sure, being their most recent single, but why this B-side song (and e.g. why not Tombo?). Since fans couldn’t vote for it, it makes me think that the girls just really love this song and wanted it included in their last recorded live performance.

Wakana is simply perfect, Hikaru... well... she’s there. Where has her “neverending” voice gone to?

Where is the second violin dude? Toilet break?

This song becomes so much better when the Strings join in the last part

Symphonia

I still hate Keiko’s dress

omg girls, please move around or something

good and nice performance

Red Moon

finally SOME DARK SONG and finally something for the eye with the video

Hikaru still sounds kinda weak, but during the actual live she was barely audible, so I guess that’s a plus here

Keiko is amazing, you can hear her so clearly! Wakana too! Epic performance

Waaaaay too much blue for a song called Red Moon

Adore

Flashback to After Eden with Red Moon -> Adore xD

Wakana is suuuper!

What the hell is wrong with you Hikaru? What happened after After Eden? She’s sooo shouty, this is definitely her weakest performance of the night

Great violin solo

OMG they use the pedestals FOR THE FIRST TIME and they use it for GODDAMN 12 SECONDS

And I noticed they actually played some video -> good!

To the beginning

finally after way too long, an upbeat song since Sprinter (which is 6 songs ago)

It took me years to realize that they sing “down to zero we go”, however Hikaru sounds suuuper strange singing that line

finally some light action, took you long enough, eh

That Keiko punch at the end xD Not enough of those cool shots

Progressive

YEAH SOME REAL ACTION

also one of the best performances of the night, I love Keiko here, she’s moving so much and having so much fun, it’s infectious

Hikaru killed it and that very last line is awesome

Ongaku

Aaaaw that hug in the beginning

of course, Ongaku is a must, I still think this would have been a better entrance or encore song

look at this power, fantastic

those band solos are the best thing of the whole concert, honestly I love them so hard

however, accordion solo is so out of place and unnecessary beyond belief

Bongo duuuuuuude, LOOK AT HIS FACE I can’t even xD

KONNO HITOSHI VIOLIN EPICNESS!!!!!!! With great justice he got the best reaction from the audience

They edited that Keiko jump/hug, it took her much longer to reach Wakana xD

The interaction between the girls is gorgeous, something we have been missing overall a bit

they included the flute at the end too, very nice (I suppose the accordion too, but fuck that)

that was the best Ongaku performance they ever did

Heavenly Blue

they still should have gone to MC after Ongaku

other than that, good performance I guess

Into the World

well hello there blue filter, it’s been a while

is it just me or has Keiko been made more dominant than she is supposed to be in the beginning?

Nightmare Ballet

come one, at least do that Zaregoto BGM THAT SOME ASSHOLE CUT FROM 9+ONE!

Great intro by accordion though, her duet with Sakurada is so cute

I feel I should take that blue spotlights to a date by now, because I have spent more time with them today than with my boyfriend

Great performance by the band, though too late into the concert in my opinion

Hikari Furu

best performance of this song of all time

Wakana kills it so hard, I feel bad for the others

fantastic mix of normal and acoustic version

that epic pause, THAT EPIC PAUSE

Quick opinion: I am not the biggest fan of those white “wedding” dresses. While their “final” version is pretty cool, I don’t like the veils, simply because they serve no purpose, especially since they’ll be thrown away immediately afterwards.

Hyakka Ryouran

nice flute intro

Red-Blue-Red-Blue-Red-Blue FUCK YOU

Ah, that middle HiKei dance, now you finally can see what I was talking about in my live reports. Wakana would have been better standing on the middle stairs though... #needless nitpicking

the flags are waving, that’s admittedly pretty cool

great performance of everyone, good that this song made it into the setlist

Alleluia

this doesn’t have many live recordings I think, so I am really glad that Alleluia made it as the last and most popular song of the night

definitely a marvellous farewell song for Keiko

look how powerful she sings, she knew this was her last big performance and she delivered

- Why is the manipulator celebrated to heavily? Is he particularly popular or something? XD

- Ehm, Wakana’s dress are actually pants? Do I have that correct? XD

- They should have thrown in “snow falling” as a surprise encore, just for the joke

-------------------------------

+ the musicians brought in so much variety and creativity even in highly overplayed songs, they made this truly a special concert

+ very good camera work, some great and cute shots and not so many cuts like in 9+ONE for example

- apparently an intern did the lighting here, I can’t explain this amateur work otherwise

- it’s a pity that there wasn’t any extra content included like some kind of Making Of or something on the Commemoration Lives. Sure, they reserved it for the movie, but still, at least something would have been nice

I really love this Live, although I had a lot of criticism. Kalafina delivered and they gave some of their best performances of their career. It was worth it all and it’s simply sad that this is their last concert. They deserved better treatment for this and it should have been even more special, with more effort and creativity by the staff/the agency.

Oops, that became longer than intended, sorry! Thanks for reading!

[animebw]

Binge-Watching: Daily Lives of High School Boys, Day 1, Episodes 1-3

And so we begin! In which I realize I may have stumbled into a show that’ll be all but impossible to blog effectively about, but I’ll give it my best shot anyway.

Slice of Life

So far, the closest parallel to Daily Lives that I can think of is Monthly Girl’s Nozaki-Kun, in the sense that they’re both shows where each episode is divided into multiple vignettes of the characters basically just doing whatever. It’s “slice of life” in its purest form, literally talking little snippets of these character’s lives and putting them up unaltered in animated form. Daily Lives is essentially a bunch of short comedy skits strung together featuring the same characters, and I’m not really sure how I’m gonna mine blogging material out of it. There’s only so many times I can really say “that was funny” before it gets old.

But I’m not gonna stop trying, because I’m always up for a challenge. Maybe I’ll be able to find connective tissue in the themes and subjects the show keeps coming back to and be able to pontificate about that. We’ll see. Should be fun!

Hits and Misses

At any rate, the success or failure of this kind of pure-flavor slice of life show is the ratio of hits to misses: how many bits work versus how many don’t. And so far, daily lives is doing... pretty well. The funniest moments are when the boys’ overactive imaginations spill out into the real world, like the LARP sketch in episode 2 where they basically act out a JRPG on the way home, or the one in episode 3 where the one boy becomes obsessed with one girl’s mole hair and extrapolates an entire backstory for her out of it, complete with over-dramatic sunset lighting. These are the moment that feel incredibly true to life, especially as someone whose imagination has often tended in these fanciful directions myself. It’s the enthusiasm and ennui of youth in its purest form, and it’s pretty damn infectious. I also greatly enjoy the moments where the characters break the fourth wall to mock the conventions of their genre, like the “running to school late with a piece of toast in the mouth” cliche being one-upped by leftover curry and soba noodles.

Sadly, some bits don’t work quite as well, I feel. Some of that’s personal, I admit, like the “underwear thief” and “trying on skirts”; I’m not really a fan of comedy that involves that kind of “lol boys don’t know to woman” nonsense, for multiple reasons. Other bits, like the radio show and table tennis segments, just don’t really feel that funny and just kinda drag awkwardly along until they’re over. It’s keeping at a pretty steady pace so that things don’t really drag too much, but I;m hoping that we get more legitimately clever stuff like the not-so-scary stories running joke moving forward.

Discount Senjougahara

That said, my undisputed favorite bit so far is the Girl Who Likes Books, henceforth referred to as Discount Senjougahara thanks to the color of her hair. Maybe I just have a thing for chuunibyou characters, but I love how desperately she tries to set up storybook scenarios for the boys to play off of, and how they they alternately play along with and shatter her delusions. She puts a big damn smile on my face, and I hope she sticks around.

Odds and Ends

-”Toss out that little sister who’s not related by blood!” YES PLEASE DO THAT THANK YOU VERY MUCH

-”Don’t bother learning their names” pfft

-”Do nipples grow back?” adskjahsdasd

-My internal monologue around attractive women is quite similar to glasses boy, it seems.

-The OP is just kind of standard, but both the official ED and the fake first episode ED based on Discount Senjougahara’s ramblings are pretty damn hilarious.

-”Focus your virgin powers to the max!” askjdhasdasfas

-The way he said “Jack” really cracked me up for some reason.

-So they part-time delivering pizzas? Cool.

-”We have the real ending credits this time!” Do you now?

-Can the princess and the butlers get their own show?

-”Why are you all wearing your uniforms?” snrk

And with that, we are on our way. See you all when I watch more!

[kr-writing]

Magical School!AU (Hoshi)

when Hoshi was younger he loved naruto so he naruto-ran everywhere and his parents thought it was really cute and they took videos and stuff (if you watched them you’d find out the videos were just blurs of him zooming everywhere in a blur and sounds of his raucous giggly laughter) 

he was in the track team all throughout childhood and really really loved running because he always finished first and he also really liked the wind through his hair and the coach’s praises

ANYWAY

Hoshi in magical school is like. Normal Hoshi, super energetic and outgoing and kinda oblivious but Fast!!!

in a way,, Hoshi’s known around campus as the “blur of pink” everyone sees every morning 

which is how you get to know him. you’ve never actually seen his face up close or like. his face when he’s not speeding across the dining hall in a blur

but you know he exists !! because Bruh he has pink hair

so,, anyway when the new semester starts your friends decide “hey let’s all try out for the track team!!” because Club Credits yknow 

and honestly?? at first you’re not so sure because “......... i have earth powers?? i don’t know,, track?? Running?????? why when i can just. Walk.”

you’re pretty hesitant at first, but you hear your friends talking about how hoshi was made the new captain and you’re like ! “oh! pink hair guy!” 

you always thought it was pretty amusing how Hoshi could literally be seen every morning dashing from one place to another, like Every morning without fail

and you think,, hey! maybe making friends with him would be pretty fun, and i guess meeting new people is always interesting,, 

and so you join the school track team

the first practice is basically all the new comers sitting in the bleachers getting briefed by the coach while Hoshi stands next to him taking attendance on a clipboard and,, you never really noticed his looks because he was always running everywhere without stopping but he’s actually,,,,, pretty cute

with the sun shining on him and his eyes peeking through his pink bangs you’re like

hey his face is actually pretty attractive when you get to look at it 

and his silver dangling earring and his training gear?? and wow was he always this........ fit?? 

and the way he holds the clipboard is just so adorable,, you’re fixated on Hoshi the entire time and even when the coach is talking while chewing gum you’re just staring at Hoshi because Wow is he attractive 

at one point he turns to look at you and you’re like Shit and you turn away Embarrassed because he caught you looking???? wow what a Weirdo you must seem.....................

but Hoshi thinks it’s really endearing especially when he sees you blush the shade of his hair 

he smiles a bit (yknow his hamster-y smile where his teeth show a bit heheh) because well

that blushis.... thatissocuteomgthatis. the cutest thingever wowwhat. a cutehumanbeing I. wow. Cute.

after training ends that day you're going home on the train and as the train doors are about to close you see a blur of pink dashing in and suddenly Hoshi is standing right in front of you 

maybe a bit too close to you

“oh HEY!! you’re one of the new people in track!! hello!!! I’m Soonyoung but everyone just calls me Hoshi,, fancy seeing you in the train HAHAHAHahaahah a”

what a liar. he saw you walking out of school and even though he could just. Run and get home in 5 seconds he decided to take the train...... so he could see you and maybe talk to you..... smooth hoshi smooth.......

and you try not to be distracted but you really can’t help it,, up close you can see the way his pink hair falls over his eyes slightly and his posture just exudes a certain kind of assuredness

and while his smile reaches his eyes in a special way, his laugh is so,, unique and infectious and giggly 

Well shit you’re blushing again

“hello!! I’m uh Y/N,, you’re the one who took attendance today (yes,, you were staring at him the entire time...) right?”

his face lights up!! and you begin to have casual, small talk with this pink haired captain whose sports bag seems too heavy and whose heart seems big and full 

and.... after several “coincidental” train rides home together (you strangely live in the same neighborhood hm), you and Hoshi actually become pretty good friends!! 

you begin to learn more about him (”you’re in the spanish dance club???? what??? dude that’s so cool dance is so cool!!”)

and he starts to learn more about you too (when you laughed at his corny ass 10:10 joke he felt his heart literally. Skip a whole ass beat)

“Seokmin listen to me. they Laughed at my 10:10 joke. I think I just found me new soulmate.”

and as the both of you spend more time on the trains together going home, Hoshi really becomes a friend you can depend on for,, just about anything really

need to eat but don’t have time to make breakfast?

no problemo, Hoshi’s packed a burrito for you so you can eat it on the way to school in the morning train

stressing out over the Elemental Powers presentation tomorrow?

Hoshi’s got you covered, and has brought you a sandwich and coffee to help you through your hours in the library

just having a shit day in general?

fret not, Hoshi’s running over to your block to give you his million watt smile and do a goofy dance for you to cheer you up and assure you of the goodness in the world

and honestly, Hoshi’s become so fond of you he would literally do anything he can to make you happy and to help you in anyway he can  

(the way your nose scrunches up when you smile and your sleepy thank you’s are big factors in his valiant escapades to make you the happiest person on campus)

and as this happens,, you find yourself falling more for this lovable, dorky  spark of joy who’s way more than the speedy captain of the gold-medal track team

one day as the both of you head home after a particularly grueling practice (the coach had made everyone run 20 laps “for stamina” he said)

you realise (albeit late) that Hoshi doesn’t actually,,, have to take the train home

he doesn’t have to take the train anywhere

he literally has. Super speed

this Revelation has you confused and frozen in thought for awhile, until Hoshi bends down to look at your face

“penny for your thoughts?”

“why do you take the train home? i mean,, you can literally run at the speed of sound or light or anything really, shouldn’t you be able to run home in like. 5 seconds?”

and well you got Hoshi speechless for a while and Wait is he blushing???

with a blush on his cheeks as pink and bright as his hair, he stammers out a “u...uh........ Imeanpublictransportisforeveryone,,,, yknowliketaxesandallthat uh also I really like. talking to you everydayonthisdamntrain becauseyou’rehonestlythe,,, the most adorable person on campus”

cue You’re a blushing mess

cue You’re both blushing mess

you see Hoshi compose himself a little, his hands still swinging the handles on the train, the cheeky, giggly grin coming back onto his face like it never got replaced by a confused, stammering Soonyoung

“since you’re adorable and uh pink kinda goes with adorable,,, do you wanna,,, date???”

at this point he looks like a pleading puppy with his eyes shining with hope and Come on you can’t reject him,, that’s just not realistic

also you’ve had a thing for him ever since the first track practice wow are you Whipped

you laugh a bit, because the situation is playing out pretty damn differently from what you had expected; instead of your quiet pining disappearing into nothing,, the radiant man of your daydreams asked you out :”)

“yeah, I... I do wanna date you”

cue smiley soft you and Hoshi (”call me Soonyoung now!! or maybe just call me soon ;))))) ) riding the train home together with your hands intertwined and your smiles bright and unbridled

hello everyone!! I’M BACK FROM THE DEAD I’m doing a new AU (again LOL) because I really love AUs,, and this one will be based mostly on the idols i write for having superpowers and going to college?? so honestly really similar to a college au but just. They have superpowers because that’s cute okay

I might not write for all the members again (because sometimes writing the same thing over and over again gets repetitive and uninspired), so do drop me asks requesting for any member (of vixx, svt and bts) and I might do it!!

thank you guys for reading my stuff,,, it really does mean alot to me :~~~)

love, Jyn 

[ewanreviewin]

  Song: “Slide” by LPX

In <100 Words: Cheating a bit since this came out the end of last year, but I didn’t listen until the EP. “Slide” almost feels like a MS MR single if you didn’t know that Lizzy was doing her own thing these days, with its powerful drums and – so far at least – fairly clear vocals (on the verses). THEN Lizzy starts to belt about the lack of warning her heart gave regarding heartbreak. THEN she and her band bust into the incredible, dancey chorus. You’ll be screaming along with Lizzy by the end of the bridge.

Fave Lyric: “The sweetest love in life cuts you like a knife, ripping your insides, leaves you paralyzed.”

I Also Recommend: “Tightrope” has been and still is my favorite LPX track so far with the absolute shredding of that guitar. “Red Queen” is my favorite “new” song from the EP.

The EP Overall: It’s quite a banger of an EP and really makes me excited to see what the LPX project has to give in the form of a full-length album.

What This Sound Like: My heartbreak coming to life and screaming at me, with sick guitars playing in the background.

Song: “My My My” by Troye Sivan

In <100 Words: Writing a good love song is actually a super underrated skill. As is creating a great pop song. Troye Sivan, luckily, has the ability to handle both under his belt. “My My My” is so unabashedly happy. Troye sings to his lover to just let go and enjoy the moment of being in love – and in a world where love has so much pressure put on it, why don’t you?! Bring on the album, baby.

Fave Lyric: “Now let’s stop running from love.”

The Video: It’s sexy. It’s pretty. It’s gay. Come on – how can you not love it.

What This Sound Like: Running through a field at night as a rainbow – somehow – appears in the sky.

Song: “Supernatural” by BØRNS

In <100 Words: This is a bit of an underrated song from Blue Madonna. I am obsessed with the multiple drum play going on (I even hear bongos) and the strings in the post-chorus. There’s even a theremin solo in the bridge. Hell. YES. Lyrically, “Supernatural” falls on the second half of the album (right after the interlude actually) where Mr. Born seems to be over the heartbreak and is moving into a more introspective view of his previous relationship. It’s all dreamy and just lovely.

Fave Lyric: “Is it love or am I fooling around trying to find the truth?”

I Also Recommend: “Faded Heart” still holds up quite well, the witty and bright, yet bitter and cold “Second Night of Summer,” the rock-tinged “We Don’t Care,” and the empowering “I Don’t Want U Back.” I’d include the interlude, “Tension,” but it’s ONLY AN INTERLUDE!

The Album Overall: I’m really happy that he went down a route that was less energetic and… polished as Dopamine, even though I really enjoy that record too. It’s a great follow-up, though at the same time I feel like he’s yet to achieve his full potential. I have a feeling that will come with the next record.

What This Sound Like: A montage of going to the mall, but on an alien planet, but everyone’s happy.

Song: “After the Storm” by Kali Uchis (feat. Tyler the Creator & Bootsy Collins)

In <100 Words: Kali expands her resume a little by venturing into the deep funk of “After the Storm.” Tyler name drops his newest record & the Disney deer Bambi in his mellow & very fitting verse. Kali sounds great on the track too – singing very sexy & empowering lyrics as she likely speaks to herself in a mirror. The highlight of the track is easily the production. The bass is excellent & the groove slows down a bit towards the end before picking right back up & leaving you wanting more once the track draws to a close.

Fave Lyric: “So you gotta be careful baby, and look both ways before you cross my mind.”

What This Sound Like: Laying in silk sheets dressed in your softest robe.

Song: “King for a Day” by Anderson East

In <100 Words: This song is quite cheeky and I didn’t realize! The opener for Encore is actually a “let’s-get-it-on” song because I’d rather hook up once than be strung along as an unrequited love for a long time. You would not think that’s what Anderson is singing about when you first listen to “King for a Day.” Tinged with some elevating trumpets in the bridge/end of the song & very traditional guitar/drum pairing, the instrumental of this track is quite infectious.

Fave Lyric: “Even if your heart can’t look away, even if our love can’t stay together, I’d rather be king for a day than a fool forever.”

I Also Recommend: The scandalous & energetic “Girlfriend,” “Surrender” which sounds like that “rollin! rollin!” song, the sweet but also jamming with the guitar “Sorry You’re Sick,” and my favorite mid/lower tempo track “This Too Shall Last.”

The Album Overall: It’s quite good Americana/blue-eyed soul music!

What This Sound Like: Wrangling cattle on the ranch as the sun is high in the sky.

Song: “Kissing Tree” by The Spencer Lee Band

In <100 Words: Whoa, WHERE did this song come from? “Kissing Tree” opens up for a while as just an acoustic guitar and a back and forth from higher pitched vocals to, who I guess is the main singer. The song builds up more and more with a few strings, and then a NASTY bass line once we get to the second verse. Lyrically, it’s probably what you’d expect from a song called “Kissing Tree,” but some lines in particular are quite clever. All the instruments being released from their cages in the bridge – oh yeah, favorite bit.

Fave Lyric: “Shake you like a leaf, break me off a piece, I got everything I need under the kissing tree.”

What This Sound Like: Unsurprisingly, like sitting on a tree & making out with someone.

Song: “Disappear” by Tonight Alive (feat. Lynn Gunn)

In <100 Words: In case you didn’t know, Lynn Gunn is the front woman of the awesome band PVRIS. She doesn’t hijack the “Disappear,” but rather she gives the track a little more fire to make it that highlight from Underworld. The song is liberating, fun, and also a bit detached.

Fave Lyric: “Why does it feel like home when I’m lonely?”

I Also Recommend: “Last Light” is one of the softer moments on the record that’s really needed. “Burning On” is another fun, upbeat banger, and the punk rock “Temple.”

The Album Overall: Jenna’s vocals are awesome on this record, but I can’t help but feel the sounds of the album have kinda been done before.

What This Sound Like: Getting out of your comfort zone to do something that you enjoy, by yourself.

Song: “Lottery” by Jade Bird

In <100 Words: What a great melody on this song, especially on the chorus. “Lottery” almost feels hippie/Woodstock ready with the soft guitar moments & jangling tambourine. However, the lyrics add a cool contrast to this, being filled with number-talk. Plus, her voice is lovely – like birds singing almost. Seriously, can I talk about the chorus again? The ending line has been stuck in my head for days now.

Fave Lyric: “You used to say that love is a game, but you got your numbers and you’re betting on me.”

What This Sound Like: Spending your time with a loved one in nature instead of spending your money inside a casino.

Song: “Bite My Tongue” by The Academic

In <100 Words: It can feel good to speak your mind, but sometimes it’s better to just sit down and shut up. “Bite My Tongue” seems to touch on the short-term joy (or potentially, in the end, long-term joy) of not holding back and also deciding to keep quiet for the sake of “not raining on your parade.” Meanwhile, this the band playing probably makes this the most upbeat track on the record – and it sounds great, especially on the chorus.

Fave Lyric: “My dear, what have we become? … So I’ll just bite my tongue.”

I Also Recommend: The track that directly follows this, “Fake ID,” sounds like going out for the night – kicking off the track with the opening of a door. “Permanent Vacation” and “Television” are two more upbeat bangers. I also enjoy “Different.”

The Album Overall: It’s a quick listen at 35 minutes, and while the songs on the record may feel too similar to each other, the pacing & length of the songs don’t tire you out at all. All-in-all, a good debut!

What This Sound Like: Driving with the top down by the beach.

Song: “Perfect” by Andreas Moss

In <100 Words: Andreas has a silky sweet voice that sounds best over non-distracting music. “Perfect” does a good job of this by having, essentially, just an acoustic guitar in the verses/bridge and a fairly subdued worbly bass in the chorus. If anything the shaking bass in the chorus pairs perfectly (lol) as Andreas hits the high notes in a swoon to the listener who “doesn’t have to be perfect” and is “worth it to me.” It really does take someone else to see the beauty in yourself when all you see are flaws.

Fave Lyric: “These are the moments when I see you – the purest form of you bleeding through.”

What This Sound Like: Blushing.

Song: “Stay Off My Mind” by Skott

In <100 Words: Immediately, you’ll hear “I’m thinking of you!” in some sort of ethereal, potentially self-sampling outburst that will catch your ear. The production kicks in as “Stay Off My Mind” enters the first verse with chirpy drums, guitar, and piano. Skott seems to throw in some autotune into the mix, which makes her sound pointedly distant from the listener who she wants out of her mind. The one moment of a back & forth of “still on my mind” in the chorus is really pretty. Lyrically, it’s more heart-wrenching than you’d expect – being about the death of a close friend. Damn.

Fave Lyric: “I’m left with the silence – there’s something about it, I don’t know, I don’t mind just sitting here alone.”

I Also Recommend: Snappy & groovy “In the Mood.”

The EP Overall: Because it’s so short I don’t have too strong of an opinion one way or another, but the two aforementioned tracks get me very excited to see what a full record would look like.

What This Sound Like: Wandering a city, with nothing to distract you from thinking about thoughts you were trying to avoid.

Week of January 12, 2018 Song: "Slide" by LPX In <100 Words: Cheating a bit since this came out the end of last year, but I didn't listen until the EP.

[guttersnarls]

So..last night Ghost!!! (oh and Iron Maiden 😉)

First I’d like to say that I’ve never seen Ghost as an opening act, I’ve always seen them headline and I was always lucky enough to be close to the stage, this time not so much and it was a bit bizarre actually.

I think in my mind I see Ghost as something HUGE.. because I love the music so much.. because when my life seemed to be real shit, Ghost was something that helped transform me. But seeing Iron Maiden, seeing the throngs of people come into the venue after Ghost was finished really snapped me into this reality of holy fuck..Ghost is really relatively unknown in comparison and this Ghost community we have here…is pretty small

This was a MAIDEN show..and the atmosphere was different from what I’m accustomed to at a Ghost show and it should be right? Maiden is f-ing ancient, metal royalty really and honestly, they were flawless and blew that place UP.  But whatever...dim those lights and Masked Ball comes on, I don’t give a fuck where I am, who’s there or basically what planet I’m on. I’m on Ghost planet.

The first time I ever seen Ghost was early on in the Black to the Future tour and in comparison to the first run of the Popestar tour, that line up just sounded better, for whatever reason. No offense to Mist or Aether they were tight.. maybe it was the soundboard, the venue’s, it could have been any small change really.

However this current line up etc, had a very similar sound to when I first seen them. The music sounds full and has power.

The energy of the new Ghouls is infectious and honestly Papa has never sounded better. There was no lengthy orgasm speech (which I kinda missed lol) there was no mummy dust and the stage pyrotechnics was minimum. But Papa was ON, the gestured hand movements, the yoga like maneuvers and his funny witty charm is just intoxicating. By the time they played Ritual even die hard Maiden fans were bopping heads and I’m certain they made at least two new fans sitting behind me.

I really enjoyed every precious fucking minute. For me personally, It’s ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC.

I have a few pics and videos that came out pretty good that I’ll post later and I ended up buying the dove shirt (and an Eddie pin, because I couldn’t resist a pin lol) which is really soft and the fit is perfect. I LOVE IT!!

I’m sorry if you’ve come this far in this entry and were waiting for me to tell you an exciting story about how I seen all the Ghouls naked and then Papa asked me to marry him or something. No, I’m not that lucky. 😂 It was just an EXCELLENT night of music and I met some interesting characters along they way, including a fortune teller, a blind couple and I may have scored some Lady Gaga tickets, which honestly deserves a whole other entry.

For now this just about Ghost in NJ…but I get to see them two more times next month and once without Maiden…Yay!! I mean awww 😉

✌🏻