#just newbies showing off the final product of their training

[jenyifer]

The Trainee ep3 Initial reaction

Bad news I only have screen shots of part 4 but considering how S L O W the show is no big loss.

Let’s chat a little before the photo review. I like that Jane isn’t auto in love with Ryan it’s like they are slowly getting on the same frequency. I don’t think he was a bad boss in any of the previous eps either. Yes. He’s busy. Pressed like a panini. It’s very sweet. Ryan is confused as to why things are going so well but I think it’s because Jane is getting slowly attuned to him. Like they were made to be a pair. It’s a beautiful slow dance. But it is slow. I’m not bored it’s just not a ton to speculate on. We all saw the episode? It’s mostly Meta Content about production which is interesting. I enjoyed Pie’s friendships and her struggles. But as it comes to Ryan and Jane the biggest indicator of affection is the Ryan game they are playing. I adored the saving private ryan refs very cute and unexpected. I really hope romance wise things get going soon anywhere. I really like prop guy but I get hella annoyed with the str8 couple. But I assume I’m supposed to. I’ll keep watching but I’ll am a little cool towards things if that makes sense. It’s fun but… give me something to think about.

Photo review

I watched pt 1-3 on my tv so don’t have any snaps but our girl is 100% correct. Jane is intimidating. He doesn’t have time to make things easy for Ryan and Pie. The difference is Ryan wants to know Why Jane is the way he is and try to assist in making him relaxed. Ryan is happiness when Jane has his peaks of soft. But Pie respects Jane puts him on a pedestal of what she wants to be. She doesn’t see him as a human. More of a goal she wants to be. Also Off Jumpol is 50/10 on the sexy scale.

Okay so my dad likes to tell me when I start a new job, “you aren’t doing it right if you aren’t crying in the bathroom and in the bed after work questioning why you thought you could do the job in the first place” I find this applies to switching teams or any new work situation. No one trusts you and they really shouldn’t you are new and will make mistakes. However if they don’t depend on your or make you feel strong the pressure builds and builds. It’s hard you feel so defeated. You finally get chance to break out of the minmal space of being new or the intern and things turn to flames then find out no one expected you to do good anyways. Eventually you’ll find a team member who will push you into chances then you’ll find your niche. I had to be on a team with a new member to understand what was going on with this. I think… it’s easy when you are new to blame yourself. It’s everyone’s duty to help the new person feel part of the team and train them up. Yes they are going to mess up but I find that’s easier when they think of me as someone who will help them not make mistakes next time.

But on an ADHD human who struggles to get medication I have to go through the Why am I like this? Judging others then fucking up because of my brain and it is horrible but… you work in a team. I hope Pie realizes that.

I love these brother sister in the neurodivergent buddy coded vibes we have going on here in my opinion. I feel like Pie is very ADHD masking medicated but I’m bias. She doesn’t understand humans and can’t care about things beyond her special interests. Ryan is also very much hiding in his head. Pie is jealous of Ryan but I think she likes him in his own newbie ways. He’s hard not to love. Also their shirts.

“Find out who you are doing it for” obvs answer is Jane

“Good, good!

Time, time!” Maybe a reference to completing a task or finding the good times in tasks is getting to know her coworkers.

We have to protect Ryan he’s a clumsy silent bby I’m thinking about kuuderes like Mori from OHSC they just usually aren’t smol like Ryan.

Extremely beautiful that Jane stopped his everything to focus on Ryan. He didn’t have to. Jane wanted to this is where I was finally feeling the more than coworker vibe. Idk maybe it’s just a friendly vibe but it’s something new.

Jane wants to care for Ryan and keep him around. I adore these shoe themes even if the shoes are weirdly matching???? Am I crazy? Didn’t get a good shot but I think black white Nikes. Jane is being slowly boiled in Ryan’s actions to show Jane is a person who can trust Ryan.

He’s impressed Ryan is thinking of him outside of work. I’m triggered cause now I wanna go watch saving private Ryan again. However I think I’ll settle for Ghost Of You by my chemical romance.

I adore Ryan’s relationship with Ink. I love the lighting and the set dressing of the shop crowded but not a home the home for Ryan is the people. What they can offer with their hands and time.

[apexart-journal]

Diyali Bhalla NYC Day 18

Today felt like exploring the far reaches of New York by all modes of transport.😄

The first activity was a Chinese writing class at Chatham Library in China Town, Broadway. While walking to find the library, right after one turn, I found myself walking through a Chinese market and all I hear and hear was Chinese. It was surreal how within a few minutes of walking one can walk into a completely different zone of people and living.

After much asking as nothing is clearly labeled and no one within even 3 minutes of the place on the map seemed to know where the library was, I finally found it tucked away between some doors.

The class was interesting and I’m glad I experienced it. It was obvious that the others had of course been coming for these lessons for quite some time and knew the basics well and I was a newbie. So at first everything the teacher was teaching was flying right off, but soon I started to get it and even passed a test 👍.

Sitting there among the students and there were 5 others in the class, I couldn’t help but wonder what could interest them to learn Chinese?

There was an African American mom with a small baby too. It was fascinating that most of these people took time out of their schedules to learn a different and complex language as another productive thing to do. This is what I’ve noticed in the classes that I’ve attended as activities as an Apexart fellow that people want to get engaged and learn new things.

The next activity was an introduction to podcasting at Tremont Library in the Bronx area.

Traveling took an hour and half with changing two trains and a bus and finally arriving at the library after walking for 15 minutes. Only to be told that that the class had got cancelled!

The librarian was very apologetic and went out of her way to explain the way to the bus stop so I wouldn’t have trouble finding my way back. This is another insight about this city. Wherever I have been, people have been so helpful, whether it has been showing the way or giving an information. I am impressed by this aspect of NYC.

Next was an event NYVR, a networking event for a community of people interested in the development and application of virtual reality technology. Although I have never experienced or been interested in virtual reality, just being there among people listening to them discussing virtual reality with so passion was fun. I suppose that events like this which would not be in my radar normally is the objective of this fellowship. Every time I have attended an event which does not fall within the spectrum of my usual expected interests, I have realized how it subtly knocks on my inner consciousness to make me aware of a different self that I have yet to uncover.

[yushox]

PERFORM FOR YOU

~♥~

He never thought he'd visit such a place, but dare is a dare, and he doesn't back out of those unless he knows he'd get harmed by the dare.

The performers haven't come out yet so he goes to grab a simple beer, not crazy about alcohol in the first place.

He likes the dj's music choices. Realising that they simply put on some warmup music.

Eventually the owner comes out, dj getting ready at their station.

"Welcome ladies, gentlemen and everyone else. Today you will be graced with three new performers, Rosethorn, Timebomb and White Gold. Unfortunately out previous performer Insomniac had to leave and as you all know this place was closed for training reasons for six months. Thank you all for your patience and loyalty. We hope you will all be entertained tonight. Have fun."

The dj starts a song and a pretty woman in a rose croptop, miniskirt, ripped stockings and higheels comes out. Her performance is good, but doesn't interest him in the slightest. She cleans off the pole a little bit, making sure to make it seem like a performance as well, before leaving. She ends up making quite alot of tips, a dedicated cleaner comes to pick up the money on the floor while stage lighting is turned off.

"That was Rosethorn, she is straight unfortunately for the ladies in the audience, so you may only look. Next up we have Timebomb, our most energetic performer, he is off limits unless he explicitly likes you, prices are listed on the screen above the bar."

He checks the prices and whistles, that's quite the sum for a newbie. But he figures it seems weird because he has never been in this kind of place before.

Sapnap sits more upright when the performer comes out "Karl...?", looks like Sap didn't know his boyfriend did this as a career. He looks upset.

Karls performance is exactly as the owner of the place has said - full of energy. He ends up having bets made on him, but while acting like he doesn't know the other he, chooses Sapnap.

Sapnap stands and looks at Dream apologizingly before leaving with Karl to a private room.

"Timebomb was great huh. Thank you for liking him this much, he was our last choice, but it clearly was worth it to hire him. Next up, we have White Gold, our most experienced performer, it's his first time doing this kind of a career, but he will show his experience with flexibility you might see for the first time in your lives."

Dream sits ramrod straight as the announced performer comes out and makes a few walks around the pole. Their eyes meet, brilliant sky blue watching bright green, just for a second or two.

He swears the performer smiles and winks at him. But they start their performance too quickly for him to be sure.

He glances at the price and quickly presses a button on his phone, knowing very well that Sapnap will be angry with him essentially going broke for the rest of the month.

Then Punz goes upside down near the ceiling, holding onto the pole with just his leg, using the rest of his body to strike the poses that leave Dream a melting mess.

And then the dancer lets himself drop almost all the way to the floor, head first. Dream could hear the audience gasp in surprise ower the loud music.

They, just like a slinky, fold and stand upright, doing a couple more walks around the pole before striking the one pose that makes Dream lose his mind.

"Well, it's clear as day you all liked the performer. But, unfortunately, only one of you will be getting a private performance of your choice. Todays highest bidder for White Gold is.. sitting at table 14! White Gold will ecort you to your private room shortly."

That's the man at the table besides his, disappointedly he sighs, mood souring.

"Actually," the dancer speaks "someone else in the audience caught my eye. Even though you placed the highest bid table 14, I frankly have not even the slightest interest in doing this for a random for my first day at work. So wait until next time."

The owner doesn't look happy, but sighs "Bidder at table 14, your money will be returned to you in the morning."

"I chose the man in green hoodie at table 13. With the condition that he doesn't bid and is okay with me not choosing him for the rest of the year." The performer smiles.

The owner looks happier after checking how much Dream bid "The performer will escort you shortly table 13."

Lets just say Dream is definitely happy about this, grabbing his jacket and bag, quickly following his escort to a small, almost cramped, room that smells of cigarettes.

He blushes brightly at the display of various toys, and notices the pole in the corner.

"You're adorable you know that?" White Gold says smirking.

He swallows.

"Tell me, what should I perform for you?"

~♥~

;D

[datawyrms]

Half a Decade Late

Valerie was finally promoted to the main headquarters of the Guys in White. There she finally comes face to face with Phantom, who disappeared five years ago, locked in a cell. For Phic Phight 2021, @lexosaurus' prompt!

Nothing proved ’harder workers get ahead’ was only a capitalist lie than the absolute hassle getting promotions within the GIW. Of course she’d gone right to them for employment, it was the only organization large enough to actually pay people that took her resume of ghost hunting seriously. She had experience, actual knowledge and even her own gear but had still spent years getting jerked around to various small operations, basically just using her to train all their useless recruits while still just considering her a ‘fellow’ field agent. It wasn’t like she had the option to quit in protest, no one else was in the market for ghost hunters. As far as most people knew ‘ghost intelligence’ was just a joke cover story that the agents were very attached to. They didn’t want any more Amity Parks, so if she wanted to live somewhere new and still do her job...these guys were it. She’d been very clear, she wanted to be in the main office, where everything happened. That didn’t stop them from constantly assigning her literally anywhere but the actual headquarters. Maybe they finally ran out of other places, she still half expected to get stopped at the door and be told about a new field mission they absolutely needed her on immediately. It didn’t happen. Valerie Grey finally got to clock in as an Ecto Containment Officer at the main branch. Where they kept the strongest creatures, developed the new anti-ghost equipment and did more than just splattering a ghost down to nothing. Sure, she liked a good ghost obliterating, but it got boring after a while. There were only so many ways a ghost could beg for it’s useless afterlife before it became white noise. It didn’t stop any new ones from showing up, or tell her anything new. Just got rid of one pest, permanently. That wouldn’t help explain some ghosts, the powerful ones that showed up again and again. It wouldn’t explain the one that stopped showing up either. There was no way that life ruining ghost just got ‘bored’ and vanished without notice. It was still out there, plotting something. She just knew it in her bones. She had to be ready for it. There were traces of that ghost, hints of his ectosignature that she came across in the field, he was still out there. The GIW was just a means to an end, she didn’t trust them to be ready alone.

Sterile corridors and simplistic signs were expected, but even the break area was doing its best impression of a frozen tundra. Fantastic for morale? Probably not. Made the coffee pot easy to spot, at least. Even if she preferred to avoid the stuff in uniform. It stained too easily, and just made her wish for her red battle suit. She took a cup to at least have an excuse for her scoping out the place, she could pass it off to someone once she got to the containment area. A quick double check that everything was in place at the mirror before heading right back out to the winding halls. She wasn’t going to be late, she didn’t have time for that. Maybe a red tie was against protocol, but no one had been stupid enough to bother her about it yet. Judging from the deferential nods from her latest coworkers, that wouldn’t be changing. No one who worked here couldn’t know who she was. The only Ghost Hunter who got out of Amity Park without getting corrupted by the ectoplasmic monsters. It was a shame, Jack and Maddie Fenton used to be a serious force for humanity. Five years ago they suddenly flipped the script, denouncing their work and calling for peace with unreasonable fiends. Their daughter Jazz likely had something to do with it, but Valerie had her own theories. Danny, her friend and once boyfriend had gone missing around that time. Leverage to ensure the Fenton’s ‘good behaviour?’ The whole thing reeked of ghosts. To think she might have gone the same way. Back then she was actually listening to the pest, starting to really consider them a ‘good’ ghost. Like that was actually possible, when he’d just been playing to emotion and her own desire to give up in fighting a dangerous foe over and over. So much for that. That monster showed it’s true colours, sure enough. Something the GIW never bothered to look into, even as she wrote report after report about the incident, how unlikely it was for the Fentons of all people to change that drastically without constant possession. Not worth the resources, even when it was easy to see what tech was built on the foundations the couple had laid. They were throwing away so much to focus on little outbreaks of ghosts instead of making more of a lasting change. Stupid. That was what the funding was ‘meant’ to go towards, as if helping the Fentons would be less productive than making a slightly different ectogun.

She almost hoped there would be a problem, just to prove this is where she should have always been.Even if it seemed distinctly unlikely. She had to swipe to get into the lab, then yet again to actually get to the cells. Or the ‘vault’, as if the higher ups wanted to pretend the creatures in there were inert materials instead of cunning and dangerous beings. Even though they had someone posted at each door, and someone on guard inside as well, herself today. To get acquainted with the place mostly, she had more than enough training on ‘proper handling’ procedures.

“Hey, you can swap with me today, if you want.”

Valerie blinked, eyebrow already raised at the posted guard’s suggestion. “I can handle watching caged ghosts.”

They had the sense to look embarrassed, taking their hand away from the oversized ectogun to loosen their tie- which was tied rather poorly now that she got a better look at it. “I’m sure you can, it’s just, well.” They wouldn’t stop fidgeting with their tie now, eyes checking that no one was really paying attention to the guards. “H0G02 is awake today. No one likes those days.”

“Then all the more reason to get used to it early.” She didn’t give them time to sputter another excuse, swiping her card and striding past without another look. As if people should be worried about a captive ghost being awake. Maybe some of the people here never got a spine before joining up.

It wasn’t as cold as she expected it to be. Or as dark. It was actually brighter, thanks to the extra row of fluorescent lights. On some level she expected the room to reflect the monsters kept here, a shadowy icebox of a space. Of course it wasn’t. These were defeated creatures under human control, of course their cages would be bright and clean, the air warmed for human comfort. The ghosts might not like it, but why care what they wanted? It wasn’t like there were many to begin with, mostly green oversized vermin with blank red eyes. Most had the sense to cower back as she walked past, but a fair few didn’t even twitch. Calling a ghost of all things lifeless was foolish, but it was the only word coming to mind...she had to focus. She didn’t pity these things. Why so many creatures though? The real dangerous ones, the most monstrous ones were the ones that could play human, the ones that had conniving minds that only worked to cause destruction and terror. These were just feral things, annoying but hardly more impressive than a coyote when you knew what to do. Half of them she’d barely rate above ‘feral cat’. A light near the back flickered. Strange. When it flickered a second time she was already releasing her helmet to pull it on. Not nearly as easy as just willing it on, but at least she could carry it in a pocket without needing to rely on some ghost’s power. Three steps and her gun was ready, not that she expected to need it. Really, she worked on autopilot, legs still moving as she stared at the largest glass cage at the back of the room. Or more accurately, at what was in it.

“Oh, newbie. ‘Sup.” The ghost rasped out, blank green eyes watching the ghost hunter. A teenaged boy with a shock of white hair, a black jumpsuit, but the voice of a seventy year old chain smoker. Just sitting in a painfully bright cell, watching. Not exactly as she remembered him, but close enough.

“You.” The disgust was easy to voice, even as her brain struggled to catch up. He was here? Looking practically exactly as he had when she was still a soft hearted freelancer?

He only gave a sputtering laugh at the aggression. “Me? You’re not that mad about the light, are you? I’m bored, Tie.”

“What are you doing here?” That wasn’t the important question really, she should be more concerned that he apparently was able to manipulate light fixtures from his cell...but she’d been hunting after this ghost for five years. Protocol could go shove itself up the director’s ass.

“Same thing I do every day Tie, being some government property!” His laugh was wrong, not from amusement like she remembered. A desperate cackle that didn’t fool anyone. “You new enough to still have your soul in there?”

“Answer the question, Phantom.”

The smirk slid off the ghost’s face. “Wh’ad you call me? Like I’m only calling you Tie cus the red sticks out, I can call you Shooty if you don’t like it, newbie.”

The response made her insides run cold. It had to be Phantom, and the terrible sense of humour was just like him- but the ghost wasn’t quite right. What was this? It couldn’t be some copy of the ghost kid, could it? “I called you by your name, ghost.”

“Never heard of em.” The ghost crossed his legs and looked away, apparently bored of the person holding a weapon. “What day is it?”

Surely he was playing around. “What do you think your name is, then?”

He didn’t take his attention off the ceiling, looking more bored than anything.“Day first, Tie. Gotta know how much of a head start I’ve got.”

“Like you’re in any position to bargain.”

“Hm? Whatcha gonna do Tie? Let me be unconscious for a few hours? Scary. Day first.”

There was the Phantom she knew, snide and sarcastic when he really had no business being so. “I could do worse than that.”

“Doubt it. You gun grunts gotta listen to the freaks out there, remember?” His shoulders shook with a silent laughter, but it looked more like spasms. “No more mishandling the goods, yeah? Day Tie, comeonnnnnn”

Since when was he so interested in the calendar? Not to mention how weird it was how he kept referring to himself...and pretending he didn’t know his name. “It’s Monday.”

That got his attention, the casual rocking halting as he looked at her again, disturbingly still. “Monday, really?”

“Lying is your thing, not mine.”

He grinned. “I like you Tie, so you’ll probably be fired in like a week. Maybe it’s the red.” The tension left the ghost completely, she hadn’t even noticed how stiffly he’d been sitting until his spine relaxed as his elbows rested on his legs. “Pretty sure I’m H0G02. Least that’s what all your creeps call me.”

There was no way Phantom of all ghosts would call himself ‘H0G02’. He had to be a mimic of some sort, a ghost that modelled himself on the once well known Amity Park menace. “You like me because I told you it was Monday? Seriously?”

“I like the Mondays more than you, if that helps.”

“Not particularly.”

“Sounds like a you problem.” He was watching her again, more curious than anything. She shouldn’t be glad to see a spark of something in those eyes, but he was far less creepy this way.

“What’s so great about Monday? You’re a ghost.” She didn’t really care. She should be asking important questions. She was just...playing along to see if it really was Phantom. That didn’t stop her for being grateful for the helmet.

“Monday is the farthest day away from Friday.”

“Wouldn’t that be Saturday?”

“It hasn’t been Saturday or Sunday for...like four years? Those days don’t exist, I think you humans made ‘em up to prank me.” Phantom shrugged, sounding completely serious. Not even a hint of amusement or a grin. “Pretty good one, all you new guys keep it up.”

He was going to be completely useless if he kept saying nonsense. How could he be useful in finding out what happened to the Fenton’s son if he couldn’t even talk about the days of the week sensibly? “Fine, what’s so bad about Friday then.”

“Ohhhhh, you’re really new, Tie.” the ghost flopped onto his side, bored of sitting up apparently. “You know, the day they keep me around for? That day.” He wasn’t quite still, his right shoulder moving very, very carefully. Hiding something.

She didn’t have the patience for this.“What are you hiding there.”

“Tie has good eyes. Gotta remember that.” Phantom muttered, getting onto his back, a blue shard of ice melting off his arm.

“You don’t really think that some ice would help you out of there?”

“Out?” He looked mystified by the suggestion, but that could more be seeing his face upside down. “That glass doesn’t break for anything, I should know.”

Which didn’t explain why he’d been trying to hide the fact he’d made ice at all. He knew it too, but apparently playing stupid was still one of his favourite tactics. “Knock it off and just answer me.”

Phantom’s frown didn’t change, green eyes staring intently at her helmet as if hoping to see through it. “I could show you why?”

It didn’t sound like a threat. “Sure, why not. It’s gonna be a long day.” If it was? Then she’d show him that she wasn’t someone he could mess with.

Ice wrapped itself around the ghost’s lower arm alarmingly quick, a wickedly sharp blade of ice with serrated teeth jutting from the scrawny arm at an awkward angle. It was practised, something this ghost must have done often in all the time he’d been gone from her life. Yet it was so different from how Phantom usually chose to fight. That was a weapon to tear and maim, not to shock, stun or bruise. It looked wrong on him. The idea that this ghost wasn’t Phantom at all only grew more credible with that thing on his arm, even if ice powers were to be expected. His eyes flicked back to green, still fixated on her as he lifted the arm and stabbed down hard. Right into his other arm. Didn’t even blink.

“What are you doing!” She couldn’t remember the last time Phantom had ever been frightening on some primal level. This- with the disturbing snap of bone as the edges of the blade caught and tore made her hair stand on end. “Stop that, Phantom. What’s wrong with you!?”

“Cancelling Friday.” Phantom was laughing as the blade melted away into the pool of green rapidly spreading from his self inflicted wound. “I said you’d probably get fired Tie.”

“Forget Friday you idiot, cover the wound so you stop splattering everywhere!” He was just a ghost-a ghost messing with her. A ghost she’d fought with and had heard scream in pain. This...thing wasn’t him. Her heart didn’t care what her mind thought, insisting he needed help.

The ghost sat up, his left arm holding on by a shred of his suit before splattering into the puddle, but the left behind stump stopped dripping almost as quickly as he’d lost the limb. “Aw. Maybe Tie does have some soul left. You actually sound worried.”

“Of course I am! You slashed your arm off!”

“So?”

He didn’t seem to be in pain. If it wasn’t for the mess of green and the lack of a limb, she’d almost say she imagined it. Why did she care? “You wouldn’t do this sort of thing.”

“Uh. Yes I would? You just saw me do it. I’m down for an encore.”

The idea just made her feel ill. “Don’t.” Did she want this to be Phantom or not? “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Well I’m down an arm. So the coats are going to be very whiny about how much ectoplasm they can get out of me.”

“You must have felt that.”

“Sure. Isn’t nearly as bad as when they start ripping as much ectoplasm as they can out of you. Every single Friday.” He actually rolled his eyes, like she should just know this.

Why did they bother keeping Phantom around if they just wanted ectoplasm? He might be strong, but no ghost had limitless amounts. They’d just fall apart and stop existing. That’s why the weakest ones never even left the Ghost Zone, they couldn’t survive without constantly being around the stuff! “What makes you so special then? Not your attitude.”

“I’m just lucky enough to make my own ectoplasm. Who knew food was easier to get then high grade ectoplasm? Not me.” His remaining arm pointed to her weapon, his smile stretching. “Bet ya your weapon’s fully powered from Fridays. Yours and every other thing they use in this hellhole.”

“Ghosts can’t do that.” The lie was absurd. It went against everything they knew about ghosts, even before food entered the equation.

“Y’know, Tie. I think I knew a ghost hunter that wore red once.” the ghost’s eyes went unfocused, unmoving as he looked listlessly into space. “It’s a good colour.”

“You knew me. Quit fooling around with this not remembering crap.” Valerie threw her helmet aside, no longer caring. She had to know who this ghost really was. She had to know if everything he was blathering about was a lie. So what if it wasn’t ‘safe’.

His eyes didn’t change. “Y’know how hard it is to remake a brain? Cut me some slack Tie…”

“I mean it. Look at me Phantom. If you’re the ghost I know, you can stop pretending to be something else.”

“You lose the details. Arms and legs are easy. The brain though? Way too hard.” He kept rambling to himself, not reacting even as she put a hand to the glass to get his attention. “Y’know how many times they’ve cut it open? I don’t. I lose track after like. Eleven. Maybe. Pointy Shoe said my best was fifteen but I sure don’t remember that.”

She wanted him to just stop talking. She wanted this ghost to be some strange creature she didn’t know. To not have the only possible link to someone long lost a shattered husk. “Phantom. Do you remember the hunter in red’s name?”

He finally blinked. “I’m not this Phantom guy, Tie.”

“Okay, whatever, forget that part. The ghost hunter in red, what do you remember?” She insisted, knocking again in hopes it would keep the ghost’s focus.

“Wish I’d told em something.” he held up his gloved hand as she opened her mouth to speak. “Don’t remember what that something was, don’t ask.”

So he was Phantom? He couldn’t be. That was so non-specific it could be anything. “You never explained how you’re the only ghost that can make their own ectoplasm.”

“It’s in my name Tie! Come on. Thought you guys were smart or whatever.” He did a very awkward one armed attempt at crossing it, eyebrow raised. “The H? The feeding a ghost food thing?”

She didn’t really get the whole naming scheme they used here. The fact it mattered wasn’t making her gut unclench either. “What about the H?

“Hybrid? Might have been Human. That might have been a joke.”

Valarie’s mouth was drier than any desert when he said it that easily, that casualty while kicking his own arm aside. “You’re saying you aren’t all ghost.”

“Yup. Not yet! Trust me, I’ve tried,” the bubbly high pitched laugher clawed out of the ghost at that. “I tried so much. Guess it’s another thing I’m a failure at, eh Tie?”

Something told her not to ask. She had to know. Five years she waited, five years apparently knocked Phantom clear from reality.“Does Danny Fenton mean anything to you?”

He just laughed harder at the question. “Really Tie?”

“Yes, really.”

“That’s the name I scream at em. Don’t know why. Feels good though.”

“Is it your name?” Had he had contact with Danny? Been part of whatever made him go missing from everyone’s lives? He couldn’t be, there was no way.

“They get reallllll angry when I say it is.”

There was no way the GIW had a human captive for five years. There was no way Phantom could be the Danny she knew. The ghost was just lying. He had to be, she desperately needed him to be. “Were you fused with a human or something? Got stuck when possessing someone?”

“Nah. Been like this before I got here, pretty sure. You can check your fancy gear though. There’s some non-ghost DNA in it. Lucky lucky me,” he lay back down in the mess of ectoplasm, ignoring how it clung to his hair. “Thanks for the Friday off! I hate those.”

There was no reason to need air. Talking to a ghost she didn’t even like shouldn’t make her feel like she was being crushed under a boulder. Panting for air, outside the room would make her look pathetic and weak, but she needed the space, needed to be away from that...mockery of a ghost.

“He does that to everyone. He’ll repeat the whole thing in a week or so, but he’s a really good copy the first time you see it.” The guard gave a comforting word, apparently unsurprised by her sudden unscheduled departure.

Oh, there would be no ‘next time.’ Not if he was right about her weapon. But she nodded instead, letting her ‘coworker’ think she was just overwhelmed. Even if all she could think of was how many ways this place would burn if that ghost- that thing had been a human once. She was good at telling when ghosts lied. Phantom didn’t sound like he had. No matter how much she tried to convince herself he did.

[engekihaikyuu]

Hyper Projection Engeki Haikyuu – The Battle of the Trash Heap

What’s In Tokyo Interview Translation  With Daigo Kotarou, Akana Ryuunosuke, Nagata Takato, and Kondou Shouri

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To begin, I’d like to ask you about your impressions of one another during your first meeting. Daigo: When was our first meeting? Takato: It was when we went to visit rehearsals for “Fly High” in 2019. But all we did then were casual greetings, so our first proper chance to talk was during an interview after that.

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Full interview and more photos under the Read More! Please do not repost my translations

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Daigo: That’s right! During that interview, Takato-kun treated me like an equal even though I’m younger, and so my first impression was, “What a nice person.” For Shouri-kun, I thought, “He's like a very mischievous older brother.”

Akana: They didn’t just come to visit rehearsals, they came to see our tour too. I remember thinking how much the both of them must love Engeki Haikyuu, and I felt how precious it was to them, so I was really happy. Now that rehearsals have started for this, I feel like we’ve become able to talk about all sorts of things, but Takato-kun feels especially like a rival. He’ll give me a lot of suggestions like, “Wouldn’t it be better for Kageyama to move like this?” “If you move like this, I feel like it would better show the relationship between you two.” Shouri-kun... gives off a vibe of, “Follow me!” so he’s this senpai overflowing with chivalry.   Shouri: Eh?! I don’t really think of myself that way though. (laughs) Daigo: No, Shouri-kun is... chivalrous... or manly! (laughs) Akana: For sure. He’s the sort of person that lifts everyone’s morale just by being there.  

And by contrast, Nagata-san, Kondou-san, what were your impressions of these two? Takato: To be frank, at the very very beginning, there was a part of me that couldn’t honestly accept them. Or I didn’t want to. We spent so much time with the first cast, and I felt like it was such a different Engeki Haikyuu... (bitter smile) Now I don’t feel that way at all, and when I looked into Kota’s (Daigo Kotarou) eyes at rehearsals while he was performing, I felt that he was the real deal. And from that moment on, I just lost my entire complex about the current Karasuno cast. Honestly, I had goosebumps in that moment!   Shouri: Hm? Exactly how much did you get goosebumps? All the way down to your butt? (laughs)   Takato: Why do you always say things like that?! (laughs) Everyone: (laughs)

(laughs) And Kondou-san? Shouri: They’re really straightforward people. Before rehearsals, it felt like they were just expecting us with this attitude of, “What you got, Nekoma?! We’re the main characters here!”   Daigo: You probably thought we were a bunch of really cheeky kids. (laughs) Shouri: They were all so upfront, that we somehow felt like we were let-downs. They said to us, smiling, “Let’s all do our best as a company!” The Karasuno cast before us now are all a noisy bunch, but they’ve come together as one cohesive Karasuno for this, and I feel like they’ve really come into their own.  

It’s been about a year since Nekoma’s last appearance in Engeki Haikyuu. Shouri: It’s already been a year and a half since “The Tokyo Battle!” It almost feels like it was just the other day.   Takato: Whenever Shouri has time, he watches the “Tokyo Battle” DVD and cries. Isn't it crazy that he cries for a show that he appears in? (laughs) Shouri: Even when I read the script for this play, it felt like it was playing in front of me and I cried.  

What does it feel like to have the full force of Nekoma back together again at rehearsals?   Shouri: It’s so heartening! We have a comeback for Nakamura Tarou, who plays Inuoka Sou, and we have our new Haiba Lev, played by Tahori Leo, so in the world of people who are 11.5 heads* tall, we’ve got the most stylish newbies. (laughs) And we finally have our high respected Coach Nekomata Yasufumi played by Ohtaka Hiroo-san, so Nekoma’s gotten even stronger and I’m really excited.   Takato: It’s the best! I’m so happy that we get to make a production together with these incredible, irreplaceable people that I’m sure I can somehow overcome our daily muscle pain and soreness.  

*T/N: An average person is 7.5 heads tall proportionally; Shouri is probably making a Captain Tsubasa reference, who was drawn proportionally 11 heads tall and became a meme.

In a previous interview, you had said that the Engeki Haikyuu muscle pain means that things have really kicked off.   Takato: I had muscle pain immediately after we started rehearsals this time. At this point, it’s just my age. (wry smile) Shouri: But I think the level of intensity has gone up since we first started back in 2016 with “Karasuno Revival.” It’s absolutely more difficult than those rehearsals, I think. I mean, these two young ‘uns are probably just fine though.   Daigo: No no, we feel it too. That’s why after rehearsals, I’m always doing a lot of aftercare.  

What’s the atmosphere like at rehearsals when it’s that difficult? Daigo: Well this is our third production now for Karasuno, so we prep our physiques to endure these rehearsals, and then we proceed pretty smoothly. Because if you slack off even just a little bit, accidents happen, so we’re always talking about how to brace and focus so that nobody gets hurt. It’s a great atmosphere and always such a lively place.   Akana: When I look at the Nekoma cast, I feel such a sense of unity from them, even when we’re not acting. It makes me wonder if Karasuno’s doing enough, so I want to follow their example.   Takato: For example, how? Akana: Like how organized you are, like this person teaches everyone the dance, that person does the count, how some people just naturally pull others along. When you think, “Well let’s talk about this all together” regarding the play, you gather together so quickly... there’s just a lot that I’ve learned watching your team dynamic. We’re pretty settled as a team too, but it sort of feels more planned. When I look at everyone Nekoma, it feels like every person is more balanced and could be the center of the team. I wonder if that’s just a difference in experience.   Daigo: I thought the same thing. That’s why I was thinking that we have to talk things out with everyone on Karasuno all together at least once. From now on we’re going to brush up on that and keep improving!  

This year, due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the Strongest Challengers tour was unfortunately cut short after 4 performances. Following that, how did you feel, and how did you spend your day-to-day? Daigo: Of course I was sad that we had to cut off the tour and not perform all that we had scheduled, but nothing is for certain, and it wasn’t just us. Around the world, everyone was having a difficult time, and there was also just a sense of, well this just can't be helped. During lockdown, I did have some anxiety as to whether or not I’d ever be able to work for the rest of my life, but I was so encouraged by the support of all these people who love theater. And now thanks to everyone on the staff who clean and disinfect our rehearsals everyday, and thanks to all the people who continue to support us, we can make a new production and go to rehearsals again, so right now I just feel nothing but gratitude.

Akana: We had to cancel all of our live events for VOYZ BOY, the group I’m in, and I was really depressed and anxious about not doing anything, so I started cooking everyday and streamed that.  

You streamed on Instagram, “Akana Cooks.”   Akana: Oh did you watch? Thank you. I get depressed when I don’t get to do anything, so I did a lot of cooking and training at home. Since I wasn’t going out in public, at one point I looked in the mirror and I was shocked because I was starting to look so uncool. So everyday I wanted to at least be able to look in the mirror and say I looked good.   Shouri: Wait, you think about how cool you are while looking in the mirror?! That’s incredible. (laughs) Everyone: (laughs) Daigo: But you did that and took the initiative to start streaming, and you stayed active, and that’s the important thing.  

And if the fans are able to see your face, they also feel relieved knowing that you’re doing okay. Akana: I was aware of that, so I was updating my social media everyday.   Takato: I was also thinking that I might get fat if I wasn’t going out, so I was trying to be careful about my meals, but I kept eating things that basically had no calories and then I just got skinnier and skinnier instead. (wry smile) But recently I’ve gotten my body weight back to where it was.  

Did you watch a lot of movies or dramas while spending time at home? Takato: Everyday I was watching about 3-4 things. That’s about all I did that was fun. I was also able to think about a lot of things, and thought it would be good if I could take the knowledge I accumulated in that time and put it to use the next time I was able to work.  

Kondou-san, did you spend the time doing anything new? Shouri: Mmm......... Daigo & Akana: I’m expecting him to say something really funny. (laughs) Shouri: What was I doing... I was eating. Takato: What kind of answer is that?! (laughs)

Kondou-san, you were also doing insta-lives, weren’t you? Shouri: Oh yeah. I tried a “I’m going to make Tiramisu!” video and failed really hard... Everyone: (explosive laughter)

The fan comments were pretty lively for that one. (laughs) The merengue wasn’t foaming at all, but you kept trying to force other ingredients in, so there was a flood of comments screaming, “NOT YET!” (laughs) Shouri: About an hour before that stream, I’d managed to make a really yummy cheesecake, so I thought I’d challenge myself. I was thinking, “I have a good sense for this, maybe I can be a pâtissier,” but then that one was just a complete loss. But for a moment I had thought, “Maybe I’ll become a YouTuber.” (laughs) Takato: Ahahha! Why do you immediately jump to that?! (laughs) Shouri: Well I don’t have any specialties to bring to this work like singing or dancing. So I sort of thought I needed to develop a new skill and I thought about it a lot... I wanted to learn something new, so I was even thinking about starting ballpoint pen calligraphy.   Takato: Hm? Does that have anything to do with work? Shouri: Well, once I realized it wouldn’t, I just watched an old drama and cried by myself.   Everyone: (explosive laughter)

Well we’re all worked up now, but we’ve reached the end of our time, so lastly if you could all give a message to highlight this play. Takato: I’m confident that we’re going to make this the most fun play out of all ten in the Engeki Haikyuu series, so please come to see us!   Shouri: There are going to be a lot of scenes that are going to make fans of the manga go, “Ah, it’s that scene!” It’s going to be something that longtime fans of Engeki Haikyuu will really enjoy. But even for people who will be seeing Engeki Haikyuu for the first time, as a stand-alone production, they’ll be able to enjoy themselves plenty. For me right now, “The Tokyo Battle” production is the one that’s etched into my mind as the best, but we’re going to go beyond that and make it so that we’ll wrap up our final show feeling like “The Battle of the Trash Heap” is the absolute best. We’re going to tackle this with everything we’ve got, so please look forward to it.  

And then once the “Battle of the Trash Heap” DVD is out, you’ll watch it and cry. (laughs) Takato: I mean in the scene where he’s crying, he’s the only one crying, isn’t it a bit creepy? Shouri: No no! I’m not just crying because I see myself crying on-screen, it’s because I start remembering my emotions from that time and then I start crying! Daigo: I sort of understand that feeling. Shouri: In “The Tokyo Battle,” it was a scene where I said that I definitely wouldn’t cry, but then I saw Noah (who played Lev) get teary-eyed, and then I started crying. I was really planning on pushing through it, but then I saw the DVD and I was really crying a lot, so I’m super embarrassed. (laughs) Takato: Because everyone calls that scene the “Shouri cries scene.” Because Shouri’s tears just wash everything away. (laughs)   Everyone: (laughs)

And moving on, Akana-san, if you would. Akana: The Battle of the Trash Heap is the most popular match of the series, so we’re all worked up more than usual. We definitely want to make something that surpasses everyone’s expectations, so please look forward to it. It’s precisely because we’re so frustrated that the previous tour, “The Strongest Challengers” ended after 4 performances that we’re going to make sure this production makes it safely to the last show. Everyone in the company is going to do our best to that end!  

And lastly, Daigo-san, if you would.   Daigo: First I would say that a highlight of this play is going to be its freshness. We can’t let down our guard in the current situation, but it’s because we had this time where we couldn’t perform that everyone on the cast is so grateful that we’re able to return to rehearsals and face opening night. We’re approaching this play sincerely and with renewed spirit, and I can just feel it in my skin. Everyone has been waiting to be able to just simply enjoy working on a play, so I think it’s going to be an exciting production with a lot of emotions mixed in. I’m personally very excited. Please look forward to it and come to see us at the theater!  

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You can read the original Japanese interview here: (x)

Please do not repost my translations!  This includes screenshots of bits and pieces taken out of context, especially if they don’t link back to this full post. If you appreciate the work I do for this blog and want to support my translation efforts please consider donating a ko-fi! (x)

[aion-rsa]

The Karate Kid: The Real Martial Arts History Behind the Movies

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When it comes to martial arts films, The Karate Kid was a game changer when it came out in 1984. Its lasting cultural impact was a landmark advancement for the western understanding of the martial arts. But was it a genuine representation of Karate?

Den of Geek consulted Dr. Hermann Bayer, an expert authority on Okinawan Karate and the author of the upcoming book Analysis of Genuine Karate―Misconceptions, Origin, Development, and True Purpose. Dr. Bayer remembers firsthand how The Karate Kid stimulated the Karate boom in the mid-eighties because he was a practicing Karateka then. But as a martial scholar, he’s pragmatic about his opinions.

“First and foremost, we have to bear in mind that we are talking about a movie, not about a documentation or a piece of research,” says Bayer. “This means that we need to concede that fascinating viewers by something pretty, amazing, or spectacular to look at is more important than authenticity.”

The Year That The Karate Kid Premiered

When we reflect upon the original, we must remind ourselves that the landscape of martial arts films in the west was vastly different in 1984. There just weren’t that many martial arts movies in western pop culture back then.

Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon came out over a decade before The Karate Kid, and tragically, Lee didn’t live to see it succeed. Many B-movies coat-tailed on Enter the Dragon‘s success, especially in the subgenres of Bruceploitation and Blaxploitation. This comprised the bulk of martial arts for western audiences. Beyond the imported niches of Hong Kong Kung Fu and Japanese samurai movies, there just weren’t that many other martial arts films available. And those were limited to showings in second- and third-run theaters or midnight “Kung Fu Theater” TV broadcasts. Consequently, the genre was considered low-brow entertainment with minimal impact on the box office. 

When The Karate Kid debuted, most of today’s martial arts superstars had no Hollywood presence. Despite starring in dozens of Hong Kong films, Jackie Chan had only led one Hollywood production by that point. That was Battle Creek Brawl, made by the same filmmakers who did Enter the Dragon, however it under-performed and was deemed a failure. His other Hollywood credits in 1984 included a cameo in the sequel ensemble comedy The Cannonball Run II. With only three minor Hollywood appearances, he was still virtually unknown to the Western audience.

Chuck Norris was more prominent having starred in more than a half dozen B-action flicks by then. His 1984 entry was Missing in Action in which Jean-Claude Van Damme had an uncredited role. JCVD didn’t grab any limelight until four years after The Karate Kid, when he starred in his breakout lead role for Bloodsport. Jet Li was only on his second film that year, Kids From Shaolin, but that wasn’t shown outside of Chinatowns in the U.S. It would be another 14 years after The Karate Kid before Jet made his first Hollywood appearance as the villain in Lethal Weapon 4. 

The Karate Kid changed the way martial arts films were perceived. It demonstrated that the martial arts genre could deliver wholesome family entertainment, as well as good box office returns. It ranked fifth among the highest grossing films of 1984, behind Beverly Hills Cop, Ghostbusters, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and Gremlins. The Karate Kid was the sleeper hit of the year, and it made Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) into crane-kicking icons. 

The Limitations of the Karate Kid Trilogy

The Karate Kid was a Hollywood adaptation of a common plot device of Kung Fu movies – the training trope. Many of Jackie Chan’s late seventies films were “martial training” stories. Those narratives can be distilled down to three acts as seen in The Karate Kid: the hero suffers an injustice — like the murder of his family (or in Daniel’s case, just getting bullied) — then the hero finds a quirky master who uses obscure, almost non-nonsensical training methods, and finally the hero, armed with these hard-earned skills, takes revenge.

Jackie’s groundbreaking 1978 Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow is a perfect example of this. That was a turning point for Jackie, the launch of his unique style of comedy Kung Fu, back when he was in his physical prime. In that same year, the Kung Fu grindhouse Shaw Brothers studios delivered the timeless classic film The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, which is a perfect example of the same formula. “Martial training” stories are even retold in animated films like Mulan and Kung Fu Panda. The Karate Kid just had the ingenuity to set it at West Valley High School in San Fernando, California. 

Today, Daniel-san is enjoying a revitalization through Netflix’s hit series Cobra Kai. Packed with more easter eggs that an April bunny basket, Cobra Kai has been rectifying flaws from the original films with a subtle, yet effective elegance. Despite its time-honored success, the original films fell under tremendous scrutiny from genuine Karatekas who were quick to point out inaccuracies. Frankly, for such a flagship film of the martial arts genre, the martial arts weren’t that good. The main cast of the original film had little or no martial arts background. Kreese (Martin Kove) was the only cast member who studied Karate prior to the films. 

Part of this adds to the charm. Despite being the All Valley Karate Champ twice in a row, Daniel is a newbie to the art. In fact, the original trilogy happens in a little over a year. The Karate Kid takes place in 1984. The Karate Kid III, despite premiering in 1989, depicts events at the following All Valley Karate Championships. Daniel goes from zero to hero in an alarmingly short time.

How could Daniel genuinely master Karate with so little training time? Is “wax on, wax off” deck sanding and fence painting truly that effective? Of course not. If it were, the MMA cage would be dominated by car washers, carpenters, and house painters. That’s the magic of movies. Movie martial arts are no more realistic than movie car chases. 

This still begs the question – how much of Miyagi’s weird training really works?

“Whole floor. Right circle, left circle.”

Traditional martial arts training can take many forms, and the spirit of Mr. Miyagi’s esoteric lessons isn’t too far off the mark. Although few practitioners today carry water up mountains like the Shaolin monks, mundane chores like cleaning and repairing are still implemented in training within a traditional Dojo. Frankly, the repetitive nature of martial arts practice is boring so any way to invigorate enthusiasm is welcome. And the efficiency of multi-tasking is always appreciated, even in modern strip mall Dojos. 

A common training ritual is cleaning the floor before class. This is extremely important because most Dojos practice barefoot. Many old school Dojos require that students push damp rags across the floor with their hands in a low crouch. As anyone who has done it knows, this is harder than it looks and serves as an excellent warm-up exercise. When the Dojo needs repairs, students pitch in where they can because a good Dojo fosters community that way, and variations on training emerge within those tasks akin to Miyagi’s painting and sanding. And if there’s a Dojo fundraising carwash, you know there will be plenty of “wax on, wax off” practice. 

But beyond the waxing, sanding, and painting, how real is Miyagi-Do? 

“Only root Karate come from Miyagi.”

There are two styles of martial arts represented in The Karate Kid, Okinawan Karate and Korean Tang Soo Do. Kreese’s Karate is Tang Soo Do mostly because the choreographer for the original films was Grandmaster Pat E. Johnson, a leading proponent of that style. Although most likely the product of coincidence, it fit Kreese’s character perfectly. Many U.S. soldiers who served in Korea brought Tang Soo Do back to the states when they returned, just like Kreese, including Johnson and his martial comrade, Chuck Norris. 

In Season 3 of Cobra Kai, Kreese’s backstory confirms what martial arts fans have always suspected – that his style of Karate is in fact, Tang Soo Do. Calling it “Karate” was not inaccurate. Few Americans know Tang Soo Do, so even today, some schools market themselves as “Korean Karate.” Tang Soo Do is a predecessor of Taekwondo. Taekwondo is the other Asian martial art in the Olympics alongside Judo, but this is soon to change. 

Read more

TV

Cobra Kai Season 4: What to Expect

By Gene Ching

TV

Cobra Kai and the Debate Around Cultural Appropriation

By Gene Ching

Miyagi-Do is derived from a branch of Karate known as of Goju-Ryu. Writer Robert Mark Kamen had learned some Goju-Ryu which inspired him to create Mr. Miyagi. He even poached the name of the founder of Goju-Ryu, Chojun Miyagi, and adapted the history to fit the Miyagi family history for The Karate Kid II where they travel to Okinawa. Goju means “hard-soft.”

“Karate legend Miyagi Chojun gave the name ‘hard-soft’ to the style in the mid-1930s,” explains Bayer.

Bayer finds the contrast between Miyagi’s and Kreese’s philosophies more intriguing than their difference of styles. “I see the first movie of the trilogy as the most important in terms of establishing the two contrasting mindsets of Mr. Miyagi’s ‘Karate approach to life in general’ and John Kreese’s ‘No mercy’ combat-specific attitude. However, both mindsets are essential to and part of genuine Karate.” Bayer claims that fighting in genuine Karate is exclusively reserved for life-threatening situations. “Karateka never start a fight; they always end a fight―and to end a fight ‘no mercy’ is essential.”

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The All Valley Karate Championships and the Olympics

The most unrealistic story element in The Karate Kid is the All Valley Karate Championships. Beyond the controversy about whether Daniel-san’s crane kick win was illegal, Karate tournaments didn’t have the level of production value in the eighties depicted in the movie. Even today, they seldom get that elaborate. A hexagonal ring is hard to make out of the square puzzle mats typically used for local tournaments nowadays. And that spectacular tournament table backdrop was way beyond the budget of tournament promoters. However, Karate will soon be showcased on the global stage, replete with a grand pageantry far beyond what the All Valley Championships imagined.

The Tokyo Olympics will introduce Karate as one of the five new sports in 2021. This will be divided into two categories: Kata, which is a solo form recital akin to gymnastics floor routines but with kicks and punches instead of leaps and flips, and Kumite, which is sparring. Here, Dr. Bayer draws an important distinction between authentic Karate and sport. It’s a critical distinction for what plays out in The Karate Kid. “As long as any kind of rules are implemented, combat changes into some kind of game,” says Bayer. “Life-protecting fighting is pure violence, pitiless full-power action, and has no place in a sport setting.”

Here also is where Bayer sees Kreese’s villainy. A symptom of his wartime PTSD, Kreese is unable to make the distinction between self-defense and sport. “The ‘No Mercy’ combat approach in competition and sports is inexcusably misplaced and represents an ‘Americanized’ misconception of Karate, characterized by ‘winning at all costs’ in combination with the importance of fancy uniforms, of ranks, and of other attributes in an attention-seeking culture.”

According to Bayer, this is also where the authenticity of Miyagi’s contrasting Karate approach shines. “This is the exact opposite of Mr. Miyagi’s humble Karate-Do mindset, where ranks, belts, and other visible signs of competency are irrelevant. His answer to the question what belt he wears was ‘Canvas. JC Penny. Three ninety-eight. You like?’ In spite of its lethality, the purpose of authentic Karate training is not the use of violence, it is gaining self-control, especially in situations loaded with threats and aggression, and where blood pressure and adrenaline levels are off the chart.” 

Despite this separation of killing art and sport, Bayer still sees the role of sport Karate as extremely important, and he can’t wait to see what happens at the Olympics. “Sports Karate canalizes aggression into fun and competition activities, and its training practices are perfect for physical education, for health and fitness purposes. Under a responsible coach, students grow mentally and are guided towards positive values―reflected in modern physical education learning outcomes and their according training designs.” 

“Karate here. Karate here. Karate never here.”

Despite its martial shortcomings, The Karate Kid succeeds in revealing the heart of Karate. The hardships Daniel endures, his loyalty to his sensei, Miyagi’s humility, and the distinctions between the street fights and the championships all play out with an uncommon sincerity, and perhaps that is the secret of its longevity. Even if Miyagi-Do is entirely by Kamen’s design, it’s a clever homage to Okinawan Karate. And even in the martial world, that’s hard to find.

“Authentic Okinawan Karate’s genuine purpose was exclusively self-protection and the protection of someone’s life,” says Bayer. “This genuine Okinawan Karate is hardly to be found in today’s worldwide Karate practice.”

The Karate Kid trilogy is streaming on Netflix now.

The post The Karate Kid: The Real Martial Arts History Behind the Movies appeared first on Den of Geek.

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Warlord Secrets Review – Worth It or a Scam?

Warlord Secrets Review – About The Product

The Warlord Secrets training program makes it easy for you to make passive income with 5 minutes of work without having to create content or use any paid ads!

A 100% results-based info product that will teach ANY newbie how to go from zero to hero just tapping into a hidden traffic source.

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Warlord Secrets Review – The Feature Details

Let me shortly introduce some key features inside this product:

[+]   The real secret to success is to make money online every newbie needs.

[+]   Everything you need to generate unlimited traffic from one place.

[+]   Make quick cash as you’ve never seen before.

[+]   Generate sales 24/7 while actually doing less work.

[+]   The absolute best way to stop buying product after product hoping your situation will change.

[+]   Step-by-step, over-the-shoulder video training to follow to avoid any confusion whatsoever.

[+]   Earn easy, passive income – no matter what your experience level.

[+]   Stop wasting time creating content and instead start copying and pasting your way to success.

[+]   The secret to generating commissions day in and day out.

[+]   Discover how people just like you are leveraging this underground traffic backdoor.

[+]   Stop paying for worthless ads that burn your bank account balance.

[+]   Give you the keys to generate commissions without the headaches.

[+]   Deliver the shortcuts you need to generate unlimited amounts of traffic faster than you ever thought possible.

[+]   Allow you to stop grinding every day so you can finally start leveraging the power of automation.

[+]   Reveal the foolproof way to live the laptop lifestyle (that fake gurus don’t want you to know).

[+]   Find out exactly how easy it is for newbie marketers just like you to spend more time with family and friends.

[+]   Unlock the secrets to make money without doing any work faster and easier than you ever dreamed possible.

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Warlord Secrets Review – Why Is This A Good Investment?

 ♥   Video Training Included

Warlord Secrets is a user-friendly traffic generation software that walks you through the process step-by-step using video training. All you need to do is keep an eye on it and follow along to avoid any confusion.

The training included everything from researching your niche/products to set up your shop, and how to promote your products to generate traffic & sales. That’s being said, this type of content will definitely get more eyeballs from the audience.

So, no matter what your experience level, you can easily and passively earn income without any difficulties.

 ♥   Unstoppable Wave Of Traffic & Sales

From now, you won’t think of how to create content to catch customers’ attention and pay money for running ads. This tool gives you the keys to generate commissions without headaches, opens the floodgates of buyer traffic, and then allows you to live the laptop lifestyle.

This is crazy simple to do and has to be one of the easiest ways to get more traffic than you have ever seen. Simply jump in, use a proven method and do exactly what it shows you to get massive results.

You’ll have more time to spend with family, friends and your hobbies. This Warlord Secrets may be the leading thing that makes everything easier for you.

 ♥   Fully Protected Investment

You can be comfortable that your investment is always safe. They have a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can use this Warlord Secrets for your work with confidence.

If there are any problems, such as it doesn’t show you exactly how to make money and generate floods of traffic or doesn’t pave the way for you to finally live the laptop lifestyle. You can get a refund without explanation.

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Warlord Secrets Review – Price And Upgrades

To be honest, if I were you, I’d take this Warlord Secrets right now. Just pay at $8.95 instead of $8.579 but what I’m getting is huge.

Remember that this price will increase dramatically after being launched. Therefore, you had better grab this chance now to close the best deals.

They also offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. So don’t let this opportunity pass you by.

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The Upgrade Details

OTO #1: PRO Version ($17)

OTO #2: DFY ($37)

OTO #3: Unlimited Traffic ($66.99)

OTO #4: Traffic Mastery ($37) OTO #5: Reseller Rights ($47)

[electrify-billy-darr]

Electrify {Billy Darr} REVIEWS 2021 — ⚠️SCAM EXPOSED⚠️

ELECTRIFY LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT IT IS

Electrify is a UNIQUE cloud-based software that allows ANYONE, Even complete newbies to finally start cashing in from the MASSIVE amounts of FREE traffic using Twitter.

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Here’s Some Interesting Twitter Facts: 206 Million Daily Visitors; 1.3 Billion Twitter Accounts; 500 Million Monthly Users; 6000 Tweets Every Second. Imagine being able to get infront of all those people with a single click. You can bet it would bring you untold amounts of free BUYER Traffic. And just to totally make it clear. This has nothing to do with being an influencer or having to give up your privacy or pimp out your life. That’s The Old, Boring & Painful Way Of Doing Things.

They’ve developed a software which harnesses the power of this untapped goldmine to deliver unlimited FREE buyer traffic on demand. With literally a push of a button. Like you’ve never seen before… And it’s perfect for newbies. So regardless of what you’re selling this well help you make more money in 2021 with: Affiliate Products, High Ticket Products, Physical Products, List Building, Digital Products. And the best part? You can do it all in an automated fashion. Using the built-in automation engine. Auto-Bot Is their Cutting Edge Automation Engine! (Powerful Beyond Belief…)

The software leverages, cutting-edge automation to not only: Do The Work For You, Remove Human Error, Resulting In FREE Traffic Buyer Fast. Which means you just need a couple of minutes a day to get results. And the room for error has totally been eliminated. Thanks to the latest “Automation” technology developed by my team of programmers. They’re calling it “Auto-Bot”. Technology which lets you leverage the 206 million daily Twitter™ visitors. In A 100% ‘Fully-Automated’ Fashion. And don’t worry you don’t have to mess around with this “technology” it all happens automatically in the background. Introducing Electrify.

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Don’t Worry, It’s As EASY As 1… 2… 3:

Step #1 ( Buy ): Grab A Copy Before The Price Increases…

Step #2 ( Login ): Enter In The Link You Want FREE Traffic Sent To…

Step #3 ( Relax ): Enjoy REAL AutoPilot Followers, Clicks, Leads & More In 36 Seconds…

Electrify gets “unlimited visitors” in 36 seconds from a virtually untapped traffic source in just 1-click. Which in turn lets you enjoy the laptop lifestyle. Nothing like this has ever been released before in the market, despite what you may or may not have seen… The smart thing to do right now is click on the button below and grab a copy. If you delay you will pay more. The price always increases on their offers. So let’s solve this traffic problem of yours once and for all.

ELECTRIFY FEATURES

You’re 1-Click Away From REAL Traffic In Seconds.

No Tech Skills Or Previous Experience Needed

3-Figure A Day Tutorials Included FREE.

Get Infront Of Real Human Visitors Who BUY

With Electrify, Stop Wasting Money On Paid Traffic

Get The FREE Buyer Traffic You Need Today.

1-Click Buyer Traffic: Tap Into A 206 Million Daily Visitors For Free

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Web Based: There’s Nothing To Download, Be Up & Running In Seconds

Newbie Friendly: Get Lightning Fast Traffic That Buys.

World’s First: Untapped Profitable Traffic Source

Auto-Bot: Enjoy The Finest Automation.

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WHAT ELECTRIFY CAN DO FOR YOU

New Electrify Software: Brand New First-Of-Its-Kind Beginner Friendly Software Gets You Unlimited Free BUYER Traffic In 36 Seconds Or Less From 1 Of The Most Visited Websites On The Internet.

Step-By-Step Video Tutorials: The included video training teaches you how to take the free traffic you get with Electrify and turn it into cold hard cash in your bank account…

$100 A Day Genuine Case Study: They’ll also throw in their brand new case study walking you through how they made $100+ using this software and leveraging the power of Twitter™…

Ready Fire Checklist: Impatient and lazy? Don’t worry with their new checklist you can be ready to fire up Electrify for results at the blink of an eye.

Quick Start Guide: If you don’t like going through video’s don’t worry, I have you covered with a Quick Start Guide that just shows you how to fire up Electrify to get FREE traffic pouring in, in seconds.

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ELECTRIFY FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is There A Money Back Guarantee? Yes, you are covered by their ‘10x’ 90-day money back guarantee. There is absolutely no risk when you act now. The only way you lose is if you don���t grab Electrify at the discounted price.

Do I Need Any Tech Skills Or Experience? No tech skills or previous experience is needed to get viral traffic for FREE and make money with Electrify…

Are There Any Monthly Fees? Right now, No! They’ve eliminated the monthly fee for the special introductory launch period. (But hurry because the price will revert back to $97 a month AFTER the launch period ends)

Is Money-Making Training Included? Absolutely. When you get this now, you’ll get their step-by-step video training that makes it easy to get free viral traffic and sales…

Is This Compatible On Both PC, Mac, Android And ios? Yes, you can use this on any device…

[cartcashsoftware]

Cartcash Software REVIEWS 2021 — ⚠️ Alert Or Scam?⚠️

What is CartCash?

World's 1st Whatsapp ecommerce app lets you build DFY Store in hot niches & Gets You Unlimited Buyers Traffic in minutes. If you’re looking for a platform to start a long-lasting business or earn money online, you should be with me to read this review. Because it will show you a great software that you can use to make your own money easier.

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How it works: 

 It’s a SIMPLE - 3 Step Process  

Step 1: Login-in to our secure web-based server & add your commissions links (Simple-To-Use Interface)

Step 2: Select From A Done-For-You Automated Store And Click Activate.

Step 3:  Blast Your Store With Over 150 FREE Traffic Sources That Convert Like Crazy (Maximize Your Earnings With High-Converting Social Traffic & Display Your Store To Billions Of Ready-To-Buy People (Like Top STORE OWNERS Do & MORE)

Here are the Unique Features of CartCash:

Gets Traffic from 150 Traffic sources on Autopilot.

100+ DFY Products are added in your stores.

Easily Customize your store by using various Themes & DFY design Templates.

It will work on any language & any countries...So it is customizeable for any language.

CartCash picks the most trending product in various niche & list them on your store by click of a button.

Easily Run a Profitable DFY Store in minutes.

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TOP Online Store Owners Take IMMEDIATE Advantage Of Such Automatization Software To Streamline Their Online Income Without Touching Any Button.

Earn Up To 5-Figure/mo With Done-For-You Whatsapp store

Unleash 150+ Built-in Traffic sources for MASSIVE SALES

100% Newbie-Friendly Interface

Pre-built HIGH Converting & Attractive Stores

24/7 PERSONALISED Support | Specialized Online Store Geeks

Lifetime Access & No Limitations

Point & Click Solution. 3-Step Store Creation Process

Tap Into A 2 Billions Visitor Ready-To-Buy Space.

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Achieve Financial Freedom via Whatsapp Store

365 Day Guarantee

NOTE: Get Results Or Get Paid $150

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Price & Evaluation: Front End

Create Money making DFY Store with 150+ inbuild traffic sources.

OTO1 - PRO :- ($27-$17)

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OTO2 – Automation :- ($27-$17)

You can automate all the processes in 1 click using our highly intelligent AI.

OTO2 – Automation :- ($27-$17)

You can automate all the processes in 1 click using our highly intelligent AI.

OTO4 - DFY Setup :- ($77-$47)

Done For You setup for customers...We will set up all the things inside the app.

OTO5 - Golden Membership :- ($27-$17)

Get Our Best money-making products with a commercial license.

OTO6 - Unlimited Buyer Traffic :- ($77-$57)

Steal Our buyer Traffic yourself to make automated affiliate sales daily.

OTO7 – Reseller :- ($37-$17)

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OTO8 - Fortune 500 Profit :- ($37-$27)

Steal Our 500+ of Our Money Making App for just 0.09 Cents Each

OTO9 - Whitelabel Rights :- ($197-$77)

You get 100% Whitelabel rights to use this software & you can rebrand yourself.

CartCash Software – PRICE

CartCash App     - $9,000 Value

​Unlimited     Traffic - $490 Value

Easy To Follow     Tutorials - $1,590 Value

Live CartCash     FiveFigure Training - $990 Value

24/7 Support     - $997 Value

6 Fast Action     Bonuses - $1,997 Value

Get Results Or     Get Paid $150 - PRICELESS

365 Day Money     Back Guarantee

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Frequently Asked Question   

Q. Will, I get support for this software?

A. Yes, our 24*7 support team is always available to solve your issues and help you get the best results from CartCash.

 Q. Do you update your product and improve?

A. Yes, we always maintain our product and improve with new features.

 Q. Are there any monthly fees?

A. No, currently we are offering a one-time price for this tool. So, get this best deal before reversing to a Monthly subscription.

 Q. How to Activate my Early Bird discount?

A. Click the below button to grab this at an early bird discount.

 Q. Is there any money-back guarantee?

A. Yes, we are offering 365 days money-back guarantee. So there is no risk when you act now. The only way you lose is by taking no action.

Buy the offer from my link and send me the screenshots on this email (digitaloceanreviews@gmail.com) and I will send you the bonuses

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[the-dubstep-strawberry]

Top 10 Female Characters

Rules: Name your top 10 favorite female characters from 10 different fandoms and then tag 10 people.

Tagged by @pchberrytea​, with many thanks!

Okay, this is going to be good. Let’s see here... this is not and could never be an exhaustive list, but here are ten of my faves off the top of my head. (Warning, may contain *spoilers* for their respective franchises.)

1. Commander Susan Ivanova (Babylon 5)

Second-in-command of the Babylon 5 station. Suffers no fools whatsoever, especially not gladly. Proudly Jewish, Russian and bi. I love everything about her, not least the fact that she’s played by the gorgeous and talented Claudia Christian. Perennial fave of mine. Needs more GIFs of her, there are never enough.

2. Judge Cassandra Anderson (Dredd)

Played by the magnificent Olivia Thirlby, newbie Judge Cassandra Anderson demonstrates to her badass boss that you can be strong, capable and compassionate and that there is no true justice without mercy. Reads minds, kicks ass, passes the Bechdel Test. Even capable of rescuing herself. What more could you ask for?

3. Jill Valentine (Resident Evil)

My zombie-killing heart belongs to Jill Valentine. She was the star of one of my very first favorite games and I just adore her. Strong, smart, just, compassionate and lovely in every way. I will incidentally ship her and Carlos for all eternity (Chris Redfield who?)

4. Morticia Addams

Bewitchingly beautiful, morbidly lovely, full of style and grace. Adored and worshipped by her husband, Morticia is a woman of many talents. She fences, paints, writes, plays the violin, tends to a conservatory of carnivorous plants, makes black the new black, harnesses the forces of darkness, crushes the whole “being a mom” thing, and dances like nothing you’ve ever seen. 100% iconic.

5. Ellen Ripley (Alien, Aliens et al)

World’s best space mom and cat-lover. Wasn’t trained for any of this, but since nobody else was capable of saving the day, she stepped up and made the Alien Queen her bitch. Interplanetary problem? Call Ripley. She’ll kill it with fire. (The franchise did her wrong and we all know it, but she will always be the best.)

6. Rose DeWitt Bukater (Titanic)

A bit of a spoiled brat, I know, but my favorite poor little rich girl was born into an incredibly restrictive lifestyle that she never asked for, or wanted. The hell with table manners and tea parties and privilege - Rose wanted to be free to ride horses, fly planes, and do whatever the hell she pleased, instead of being married off to a jerk-ass millionaire against her wishes to save her mother’s sinking social status. Ironically, the only person for whom traveling on the Titanic was a literal lifeline. Faking her death and starting over so she could live the life she actually wanted is just #goals. (And so, incidentally, is her wardrobe.)

7. Empress Emily Kaldwin (Dishonored)

Empress, assassin, heir to her mother’s throne, and the product of a doomed love affair - Emily is a fascinating young woman, passionate in every way, trying to walk the line between the call of duty and the lure of adventure. Although I usually play as Corvo, who is Getting Way Too Old For This Shit, I love a good playthrough of Dishonored 2 and seeing all the cool stuff that our favorite Lord Protector taught his badass not-so-secret daughter to do in defense of the realm - and herself. We learn along with Emily that her caring and dutiful mother had something of a wild, romantic streak (she hated her own iconic hairdo because she preferred having her hair loose and flowing, and would much rather have been off in a rowboat for a picnic with her beloved bodyguard than sitting through tedious matters of state), and as we get a good look at the young woman who now has to fight for control of her own damn Empire, we can kind of see where she got that passionate, rebellious streak from.

8. Sansa Stark (Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire)

So you thought Sansa was a spoiled princess who only cared about dresses and sewing and boys? Well, she was at first. Unfortunately she was in for a very rude awakening, and since she isn’t a trained killer like her little sister, Sansa is forced to make etiquette her armor and play politics in order to survive. She endures (amongst other things) forced marriage, political imprisonment, the deaths of most of her family and friends, her own aunt attempting to murder her, a fucking zombie apocalypse in her own back yard, and having to put up with some very creepy bullshit from an older guy who had a crush on her mom (eww). Frankly, giving her a kingdom of her own to rule after all that was the least they could do. Long live the Queen in the North.

9. Edith Pelham (née Crawley), Marchioness of Hexham (Downton Abbey)

Poor Edith! She’s always getting kicked around by her big sister, ignored or taken for granted by her parents, and being disappointed by suitors, who have an unfortunate habit of dying, running away, already being married - and in at least one instance, all three. Fortunately, she learns how to hold her own in the high society “scandal and quiet female rebellion” stakes. Over the course of the series, she eventually finds her own voice and vocation, and ends up bagging the best husband of them all... and she was cemented as my forever-fave when she finally snapped and told Mary what she really thought of her. Good for you, Edith.

10. Mothra (Mothra, Mothra vs. Godzilla, Godzilla vs. Mothra, Rebirth of Mothra trilogy, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, et al)

No list of my favorite female characters would be complete without the Queen of the Monsters! Sometimes she’s on Godzilla’s team, and sometimes she has to show him who’s boss, but no matter how and where she appears, Mothra never fails to steal the show. A literal goddess. Last on this list only because she’s 10/10.

Tagging: @avaleon​​, @itsmesaberaltered​​, @falsenostalgia-sundries​​, @ladynyxeris​​, ​@tess-etc​​, @solesurvivorkat​​, @scorpio-skies​​​, @pchberrytea​, @theartofblossoming​ and @sharonaw​​​!

[fmdxyoungjoo]

FamedTask10: Top 3 memorable moments headcanons

word count: 830 words

one of youngjoo top memorable moment perhaps was when they first debuted with bad girl good girl. to be honest, she really hated their debut song because of its dance, but it was still a debut song, so she just swallowed her thoughts about it and went on doing what she did best, which was to lead silhouette with that quiet and peaceful deposition that she had to go on with their debut stage and song. 

bad girl good girl debut stage became one of her top most memorable moments in idol life partly because of the extremely cliche thing of remembering one’s debut stage as the best thing of their lives (she really didn’t like bad girl good girl’s dance that was why it was so memorable...). there was also the fact that this was just barely within sixth months of which she had left her old company, and within the few months that she had trained with the rest of the silhouette girls she had felt a little underprepared to even lead a team of girls for the rest of her life. 

she liked the lyrics of bad girl good girl there was no doubt about that, but as a newbie back then she sometimes couldn’t help but wonder if it was good for silhouette to debut with such a strong concept--strong women, telling off men type of vibe when all the other groups around them were pretty different as a whole. 

but she really needn’t have worried. at the end of it all they won their first music show and became the fastest girl group to even win a music show, shooting silhouette almost to the top of the girl group brands. was she proud of it? yeah pretty much. that still remains as one of the most memorable moments for her, the sound of the thunderous applause and cheers that she didn’t expect as soon as they finished their debut stage, which remains as a best sound and moment in her memory. 

the second most memorable moment that joo had was during the hot pink era. hot pink came to life on june 17, just a few days before her birthday, and they were having both fanmeets, promotions and schedules packed enough to make one cry. youngjoo was tired--both physically and emotionally, and she had long lost all thoughts about her birthday coming up on the june of 22nd to the wind. one would think that she wouldn’t be so emotionally frail or weak as being a part of a girl group that has debuted for so long, but youngjoo had been making the legal proceedings and dealing with things in her family.

her family had officially sent her a lawyer’s letter detailing the new will of the family that she’s been officially removed from the jo’s will of inheritance due to undisclosed matters. to youngjoo, she knew that this was the final say and matter that her parents had finally decided--to at least “officially disown” her, and worse it was so close to her birthday too. 

just when she thought everyone had forgotten about her, during one of the fanmeets, both the rest of the silhouette girls and their fans had surprised her with a jubilant birthday celebration, with banners saying “thank you for being born” and “thank you for becoming an idol”, and for the first time in front of so many people joo just sat there and cried her eyes out 

it still remains as one of the most memorable moments that she’s ever had, because this was the comfort that she got from where she least expected it. 

the last most memorable moment was a very recent one--when she first released her first solo album on the 4th of august. she’d been preparing for this for months, completely throwing herself into the production, lyrics, album concepts and basically arguing that she needed to do a great amount of input for her own album, which gold star eventually allowed. 

she never thought that the public would kinda receive so well her album, since most of it was ballad like and there was less of a trendy, poppy song in the mix, but it seemed as though her fans had been looking forward to hearing her real voice ever since she had gone onto the king of masked singer and made an appearance by stunning everyone with how jazzy and husky her voice could possibly be. 

the preparation of the album and the thought that went into it was what remained as the most memorable part of the moment--she never placed so much effort, thought and consideration into anything before, especially after having her desire to do well rise exceptionally well after her appearance on king of masked singer months ago. she didn’t think that she would be remembered, and that was it--but apparently, she was, still remembered, and that made her so grateful to everyone that supported her for everything that she did.

[lydiawoodie]

Wealthy Affiliate Review My Advice: Dont Buy

I was issued an affiliate link for Wealthy Affiliate because they automatically issue you one upon enrollment. However, it’s not listed on this article, because I don’t recommend Wealthy Affiliate. Of course, you are your own master, and you’re free to enroll away, but I only want to promote products I believe in, so there’s no link here from me!

There’s nothing revolutionary or informative in Wealthy Affiilate. I’m not mad that I signed up, as I only spent $19 and I did get a little value. The videos are well-made, and I don’t feel like it’s a scam. There’s just a bunch of filler and common sense rolled into this program. If you’re a complete newbie, you may find the material helpful, but there are better information sources out there than Wealthy Affiliate.

[As a note: I will add my recommendation for a similar program here when I find a good one.]

What is Wealthy Affiliate?

Wealthy Affiliate is a training program run by Greg Kononenko. I follow him on YouTube under his alias, Caffeinated Blogger, and in July 2020 I decided to sign up for Wealthy Affiliate and give it a try. The membership was $19 for the first month, with a reoccurring charge of $49/month (or $495 for the year) if I wished to continue.

Wealthy Affiliate is basically boot camp for building a niche website. There are several video tutorials broken down into bite-sized lessons showing a few basics of WordPress, SEO, and affiliate marketing. There are explanations about how to build your webpage, how to grow your site, and how to monetize it. There are also a variety of tools for content, including access to a royalty-free photograph database and a keyword search tool (Jaaxy Lite). However, the explanations about building, growing, and monetizing your site are not very in-depth. Any Google or YouTube search will get you better info. And royalty-free images are easy to find. Wealthy Affiliate just pulls them from three free sites. I’m also skeptical about the value of keyword search tools.

Is Wealthy Affiliate Worth It?

Building niche websites isn’t particularly complicated, and I wouldn’t say that I learned a whole lot of new information from Wealthy Affiliate. And I also wouldn’t say that the the program’s information on building a niche website is even close to comprehensive. It’s a starting point. That’s it.

The nicest thing I have to say about Wealthy Affiliate is that they’ve done a good job at building a forum and a community of others who are attempting to build a niche site. It can be good to have accountability partners if you find that sort-of thing helpful. I’m not into social media. I also prefer lectures to group discussions, so the forums were not attractive to me personally.

When I googled other people’s reviews of Wealthy Affiliate, it led me to believe that Greg Kononenko purchased this program from someone else. This review lists Carson Lim and Kyle Louadon as the owners, and there was a lot of talk about how dated the program is.

I wouldn’t say that Wealthy Affiliate is dated, as much as it’s just completely basic. The program teaches the nuts and bolts of building a niche website. Choose niche, buy domain, post content. I don’t think a course is necessary for this. And there were helpful hints about WordPress plugins to add, but the material was actually in a couple different places and it was far from comprehensive.

Who Should Use Wealthy Affiliate?

If I had a loved one who wanted some hand holding while building a site, I would write them a quick list of how to set up a blog. If I didn’t like them very much, I guess that I would recommend Wealthy Affiliate.

Wealthy Affiliate is very basic. There are ten lessons per category and at the end of each lesson is a checklist. The system provides ample opportunity for help from others on the forum if you’re nervous about website creation, but I didn’t find a whole lot of cutting edge information in this course. It was okay for webpage set up, but the tricks on Greg’s YouTube channel don’t show up in Wealthy Affiliate.

The premise of Wealthy Affiliate is to put up a quality website, optimize the backend for SEO, add blog posts three times per week, and after three months you’ll start seeing results. After one year, you’ll like the results. And after five years, you’ll be crushing it. It is a very long game, and this is SEO at it’s most basic. It’s safe and should be Google update-proof. If you don’t have any experience in these elements, Wealthy Affiliate could potentially be helpful for you.

Thoughts on Solo Build It! (SBI!), a Wealthy Affiliate Competitor

Wealthy Affiliate reminded me of a program I tried over a decade ago, called Site Build It! I Googled to see if they were still around, and saw they’ve changed their name to Solo Build It! They also have a second product called SBI! for WP — Solo Build It! for WordPress. Admittedly, I haven’t tried SBI! for more than a decade, but I’m guessing the premise hasn’t changed. It’s a strategy identical to Wealthy Affiliate’s — niche website creation and a long-range plan for building SEO and site authority.

What I did not like about SBI! was that they wanted me to host my site with them indefinitely. What I saw in 2008 were the outdated websites they were teaching people to create. Their current website says they’ve been around for over 20 years, which makes sense in hindsight. In 2008 they were teaching me how to build a website meant for 2002. However, it looks like they’ve adjusted to the times with their new product, SBI! for WP. I did not order this product, but I’m guessing it‘s be very similar to Wealthy Affiliate and allows you to build your site and leave the platform, as WordPress can be hosted anywhere.

SBI!’s price point begins close to WA’s starting price point at $19.99 per month. However, it looks like a cheaper option year after year if you opt to stay with them. It’s $199 for the first year and $299 for each additional year. Wealthy Affiliate is priced at $495 per year, but they offer incentives to knock 50% off of this price, so I’m guessing they’re competitive. Again, I haven’t tried SBI! in over a decade, which is a lifetime ago in Internet years. When I tried previously, I didn’t fully commit and attempt to build a site in their platform. Instead, I consumed their video content and canceled after my trial ended. But comparing what I saw in SBI! then to what I see in WA now, I’d recommend Wealthy Affiliate if I had to choose one.

Wealthy Affiliate at least teaches you how to build a site with them then move it to your own domain. SBI! taught me how to build a site with them and then rely on them for hosting indefinitely. Building your site in someone else’s platform — Wealthy Affiliate or SBI! — is a waste of time. It adds a layer of dependency that doesn’t need to be there. WordPress is easy and initiative. You can figure it out if you just start trying.

Final Thoughts on Wealthy Affiliate

My final thought is a NO! Google a YouTube video about creating a WordPress blog in Elementor. Spend a couple hours watching and applying your knowledge. You’ll learn more from this than you’d learn in Wealthy Affiliate.

from https://bunnybanks.com/wealthy-affiliate-review-my-advice-dont-buy/

from Bunny Banks - Blog https://bunnybanks.weebly.com/blog/wealthy-affiliate-review-my-advice-dont-buy via IFTTT

[thedyingmoon]

💜 This I Promise 💜

***

XXXVII. Veteran

***

"Forgive me for putting you through all of this." Nile told (F/N) as she received the list of schedules he made for her to help her cope up with being his assistant and a Winter Season debutante at the same time.

"It's okay, uncle. I can handle it." She answered him, receiving the paper from him with a genuine smile.

"Are you sure you won't tire easily?"

"I won't, I assure you. I'm strong." She said while flexing her right bicep in front of him.

Nile chuckled at this. "Alright, kid. Be sure to join the others for the assembly. We have an important visitor for today. Make a good impression for me, got that, (F/N)?"

"Yes, Commander!" she said, imitating Hitch and Marlowe's attentive stance she saw the other day.

"Alright. Here's your uniform. Be there in thirty minutes." He said while handing (F/N) her very own Military Police uniform.

"Yes, sir." She said.

Nile left her inside his office to give her time to change. And when he finally closed the door, she took a good look at her schedule.

And gasped in fright.

500 - Wake up, bath, breakfast

600 - Training with Mikasa and Jean

1100 - Assist Captain Levi

1200 - Captain Levi's lunch

1800 - Captain Levi's dinner

2000 - Dismissal

She closed her eyes, thinking that she was still half - asleep, then opened them again. And when she looked at the paper once more, the words she saw earlier changed.

600 - 800 - Preparation ( Breakfast, Bath, etc. )

800 - 830 - Assembly ( Every Monday only )

900 - 1200 - Office Hours

1200 - 1300 - Lunch break

1300 - 1500 - Office Hours

1500 - Dismissal

1500 - 1600 - Free Time

1600 - 2000 - Dance and Etiquette Lessons with Delilah Smith

2000 - Dinner

2100 - Free Time

*Off every Saturday and Sunday

(F/N) stared at the paper, unable to believe what she just saw. Yes, Nile made it a point to make her weekdays as productive as possible.

But, those words? What is the meaning of that?

Who is Mikasa? Who is Jean?

Who is - ?

"Hey!" the door of the office was suddenly opened by Hitch, who caught (F/N) still staring at her schedule like a confused student. "You need help changing?" she then said upon seeing that she was still not wearing her uniform.

(F/N) quickly folded the paper and smiled at Hitch, hoping to somehow distract her from her obvious momentary disorientation.

"I can do it myself, thanks, Miss Dreyse." She said, faking a smile.

Hitch raised an eyebrow. "Whatever you say. I'll wait for you outside, okay? The Commander doesn't want you getting lost around the premises, so I'll accompany you to the Assembly Grounds, but just this once. After this, you're on your own."

"Got it." (F/N) said, nodding.

"Make it fast."

"I will."

Hitch closed the door, giving (F/N) privacy and time to change. She was about to go to the bathroom to change when she suddenly noticed the insignia that was embroidered on the brand - new uniform.

It was a pair of wings, the left one blue, the other one white.

She almost dropped the thing on the floor as nausea invaded her system. Her knees instantly weakened and she had to grip tightly on the edge of the desk to support herself.

All of a sudden, some unknown images flooded her mind all at once, which left her feeling sick and nervous. She saw unknown faces, unknown people, two people pushing her away, a person wearing a pair of glasses, a girl wearing a blood - red scarf,...

A person wearing a white cravat,...

She shut her eyes, hoping to chase the sickness and dizziness away from her. A few moments later, the images seemed to stop invading her. The nausea abruptly vanished, and the sickness went away. She opened her eyes once more and looked at the uniform in her arms.

The insignia,... was that of a green, horned horse. The symbol of the Military Police.

She covered her eyes and exhaled. She knew she wanted so badly for her memories to return.

She just didn't expect it to be that difficult.

She removed her hands from her face and glanced at the clock on the wood wall. Fifteen minutes left.

"I must get dressed,..."

Hitch impatiently waited for (F/N) to get finished. She knew it was difficult to put on the whole thing on oneself.

"How could a newbie put on those straps and harnesses?" Hitch asked herself, remembering that (F/N) had no experience wearing the uniform. "Maybe I should help her, anyway?"

She turned around and was about to open the door when it suddenly opened, revealing the girl in question wearing the uniform in the most exact way.

It was as if it wasn't her first time wearing the thing.

"What took you so long?!" Hitch barked at the girl.

"I'm sorry,..." (F/N) answered, thinking that she was just in time.

"Let's go, they're waiting for us."

Hitch and (F/N) ran towards their destination, finding that all the Soldiers were already standing at attention, facing the huge platform in the middle of the vast venue.

The girls took their place at the last line, careful not to get noticed by the senior officers who were silently standing mournfully at the platform.

"This is your fault, Carlstead. You'll pay for this, you hear me?" Hitch angrily whispered at her.

"I'm sorry!" (F/N) whispered back, unable to believe that they were really that tardy.

Hitch took the liberty to look around her, wondering what the silence was for. (F/N) was about to ask her the same thing when a huge hand came down roughly on her shoulder, startling her to death, figuratively. A strange and old face suddenly peered down her to meet her eyes and she had to suppress her shriek as the man grinned at her, showing her his perfectly aligned white teeth.

"Eh, what do we have here, a newcomer?" he said to her, his low and threatening voice sending shivers down her spine.

(F/N) gulped audibly and just nodded her response.

He smiled broadly at her, if it was even possible. "We'll have a really good time, you and me, kid."

(F/N)'s eyes widened.

His steel - blue eyes,...

Have I seen those eyes before?

"Captain Ackerman, we didn't see you come here." A senior officer, who was standing with his colleagues on the platform, said, startled by the man's sudden appearance, as well.

"You never see me coming, rookie." The Captain drawled lazily, tilting his dark bowler hat intimidatingly.

The senior officer yelped like a helpless puppy in fright and gave his the other officers a helpless, pitiable look.

Kenny Ackerman, who was vastly disappointed by the poor quality of the present Military Police officers, clicked his tongue in annoyance and laid his sharp gaze towards every person on the Assembly Grounds.

(F/N), on the other hand, looked around her and woke up from her fright upon realizing that each and every Soldier had already drawn back in terror as far away from Kenny as possible. Her cheeks turned red as she quickly ran towards the other Soldiers.

But, the stance of that man, those eyes, the way he clicked his tongue,...

It was as if she had seen all of those before.

Kenny cleared his throat and spoke up, addressing each and every person who was present.

"Seeing that your current senior officers are disappointingly incompetent and useless as of the moment, I will take this as an advantage to introduce myself to you, kids." He said. He lifted his hat just a little to reveal his sleek, dark, shoulder - length hair and grinned at them like a villain from some old theatre production. "I' am known as,... Captain Kenny Ackerman. But, you can just call me Captain Kenny Ackerman. Or by my legitimate title, Senior Captain and Veteran of the Military Police Force. A mouthful, yes. But, you can't have it any other way, trust me."

All at once, the younger Soldiers yapped amongst themselves, exchanging stories of this man who was known as the greatest Military Police Officer who ever lived in the face of the planet.

But, (F/N) was thinking of something else.

That name. He said Ackerman.

Where did I hear that name before?

Kenny's eyes widened upon hearing the things that were being conversed about him and laughed.

"Am I really that popular to you, kids?"

"Sir," an older officer approached Kenny, trying to break through his intimidating shell. "I think it's time for the - "

"Shut your peehole, Ronnie. I'll have it my way." Kenny interrupted him without so much as a glance towards him and faced the young ones, clapping his hands like an excited tutor. "Okay, kids. I introduced myself. It's time for you to introduce yourselves."

An overly excited young man came forward, smiling broadly from ear to ear, and approaching Kenny fearlessly.

"Sir, I'm Floche D - "

"Okay, Floche, let's talk." Kenny said, smiling, as he threw a dagger towards him. The boy caught it and was abruptly attacked by the eccentric veteran. Kenny was so fast that the boy barely had enough time to dodge his attack, and just narrowly missing his left cheek.

Almost everyone gasped in terror, including the senior officers. Kenny looked at them innocently.

"Why? You all had your combat training, right? And you're all supposedly the cream of the crop, or corps, yes?" Kenny said as he readied himself for another stealthy stance.

"Captain Ackerman, I'm not sure if - " Senior officer Ronnie began, but he was, once again, interrupted as Kenny launched another attack on the poor boy.

"Come on, I'm not gonna kill anyone. I just want to see how well - trained you are, and if you need further training with me. How can you call yourselves decent MPs if you can't even fight poor, old me, eh?"

Floche gulped and bravely faced Kenny. "Yes, sir! I understand, sir!"

Kenny flashed his devilish grin once more. "Good one! We'll proceed with the introductions!"

(F/N) watched in fear as Kenny went on with his introductions, the nausea and sickness from earlier coming back to her. Everything about the man screamed familiar to her. The way he fights, the way he dissed the senior officers,...

Who is he? Who is Kenny Ackerman?

"(F/N)? Hey, (F/N)!" Hitch whispered closely to her ear.

"The way things are now, you shouldn't be here! You have no combat experience. He'll absolutely kill you! Go now! I'll cover for you."

"I, uh,..." (F/N) stuttered, unable to believe her incredible luck as she watched Flochr being played with by Kenny.

"Go now!" Hitch savagely whispered, almost pushing (F/N) away to let her escape.

Kenny noticed this out of the corner of his very sharp eye, turned to (F/N) and grinned devilishly at her, making all of the hairs on the back of her neck stand. This gave Floche enough time to retaliate. He failed as Kenny did an impossibly high somersault just to avoid the boy's swishing knife.

Marlowe went instinctively towards (F/N) and Hitch as he observed the whole thing.

"There's no use escaping now, (F/N). He'll flay you alive." He said, making matters, and her insides, worse.

"Oh, and what do you suggest she do, eh, mop head?" Hitch said, irritated at Marlowe's lack of compassion towards the newbie.

He looked angrily at her, offended by what she said, and said to (F/N), "Just tell him that you're just the Commander's assistant. Maybe he'll go easy on you."

"Are you freaking serious?! This girl had ZERO combat training, you hear?!"

Marlowe's sweat began trickling down really hard on his face. "Is,... that so?" he uttered, watching as Kenny called it quits on Floche and called another participant.

For almost three hours, the introductions went on without so much as a break for old Kenny. But, despite that, no Soldier has defeated him yet. Not to mention his amazing and unbelievable stamina that does not seem to deplete with each passing minute.

One by one, both male and female, the Soldiers surrendered to Kenny's overwhelming strength, making the senior officers pray hard for the young ones' safety. It seemed that Kenny's strength only grew stronger with each person he fought. It was not any different for both Hitch and Marlowe, who both went down without so much as a decent fight against the infamous Ackerman.

Which left (F/N) the last Soldier standing on the field.

Every person on the Assembly Grounds, including the senior officers, looked at (F/N), looking like they were watching a lamb as it was about to get sacrificed.

Kenny grinned and gestured for (F/N) to come closer. The scared and nervous girl came forward, anticipating her downfall at the hands of the veteran. Kenny threw her the dagger and positioned himself.

(F/N) was about to cry. Not to mention the ugly feeling in her stomach.

Was this also a part of being a true lady?

Suddenly, some words invaded her mind, igniting her senses like a talisman

You have to be very vigilant, (F/N). Observe your enemy closer. Know how they will attack.

She narrowly missed Kenny's attack as she bent backwards and pushed the ground above her with a single hand, launching herself in midair and landing a few feet away from her assailant.

A collected sound of gasps could instantly be heard on the background. Kenny was dumbfounded at what just happened and launched another attack at the girl.

The girl quickly dodged the charging dagger and stealthily kicked Kenny's legs, making him topple. (F/N) turned just in time to see him gaining his balance instantly. She had to make another flip as Kenny now launched a powerful kick to her face, narrowly missing it by inches.

Both Hitch and Marlowe gasped as they watched (F/N) and Kenny exchange blows, but not receiving any from each other. One by one, the Soldiers, and the officers, started rooting for (F/N) as she launched a brave right hook towards Kenny, hitting him fairly on the stomach. And even before Kenny had time to react, the hand that punched him, which was also the hand that held her small weapon, left his stomach, throwing the dagger in midair. (F/N) caught it instantly, back - hand style, and launched an uppercut at Kenny, which slightly grazed his chin and shaved some of his facial hair. Kenny's eyebrows furrowed in anger as he grabbed (F/N)'s right arm and threw her across the field. She reacted quickly and reduced the damage of her fall by landing on her feet.

The men clenched their fist and the women covered their mouth. (F/N), as if led by pure instinct, charged at Kenny, her dagger held masterfully by her right hand. Kenny smiled at her bravery, removed his hat, and changed his hold on his dagger so he was now wielding it in back - hand style. And the instant the two fighters charged, the whole crowd went wild with cheers.

Each blow and each attack seemed acrobatic in the eyes of the people, amusing them with such moves that they haven't seen before. Each assailant was perfect in their own way, the veteran sly and calculating, and the girl nimble and agile.

But, Kenny, could never be defeated. (F/N) was losing her stamina, and as she was about to launch another attack, her lapse gave Kenny enough time to parry her as he let out a super fast kick on her legs that threw her off balance. The girl landed with a huge thud on the ground. She tried to stand, but seeing that she was unable to do so, she just stayed where she was and closed her eyes, finally admitting defeat.

Kenny looked down at her and spoke.

"Hey, kid, you fine?"

"Yeah. I just need,... a little breather." (F/N) uttered while gasping for air.

"Here." Kenny offered her a hand, which she took graciously. He helped her up in her feet, and when she was finally standing properly, the crowd erupted with loud cheers and applause.

Kenny proudly smiled at her, ruffling her hair like she was a puppy.

"You did well, kid." He said.

The Soldiers all went towards the Commander's new assistant, all willing to know her secret for staying alive in front of Captain Kenny Ackerman.

Kenny saw this and turned once more to (F/N).

"I think we'll get along." He said. He brought his face closer to her ear, giving her tingling sensations, and whispered to her, "Was that how you survived Sutherland and his cult?"

(F/N) felt unnerved by what the man said. She was about to question him when she saw him already walking away from them.

"You should all learn from (F/N). The rest of you will have basic combat training with me for the rest of your year here until you learn how to properly hold a dagger. Then, we'll have the following year for your rifle exercises. Only then will you have the right to hold your maneuvering gear. Got that, kids?" Kenny said, then walked away without waiting for their reply.

"Hey, Annie! You did it again! You did it again, you ridiculously strong bitch!" Hitch happily said to (F/N) while shaking her shoulders.

"Annie? Who's Annie?" (F/N) asked her, confused by what Hitch just called her.

Marlowe nudged Hitch's arm with an elbow, making her instantly realize that she said something she shouldn't have.

The rest of (F/N)'s day went on with multiple hands patting her shoulder, amazed of her skill. Even her uncle Nile was proud of her.

But, the mystery remained, and she couldn't shake it off.

Who is Annie? And who is she to Hitch?

What did Kenny mean back then? Who is Sutherland? And, what cult?

But, more importantly,...

How did he know her name?

***

Little Levi struggled as he tried to stand for the fourth time that day. He furiously held the dagger in his little right hand and he charged blindly at his teacher.

And for the fifth time that day, Levi was taken down by Kenny.

"Use your head, kid! Don't just charge blindly." Kenny shouted at him. "Have you not learned anything?!"

"No!" Levi stood, threw his dagger angrily away, and went closer to Kenny. With his little fists, he punched the six feet three man and cried. "I don't understand! Why do I have to fight? Why do I have to do this? I want to learn how to write! I want to learn how to read! I want to have many friends! But, they go away because of you! I hate you, Kenny! I HATE YOU, KENNY!"

Kenny sighed. He grabbed the little boy's fists, stopping them from punching him, and faced him.

"Because the world hates us." He told the boy, penetrating his huge eyes with his own tired and intimidating ones. "The world persecutes us. And because of that, you must learn how to fight. Fight like your life depends on it!"

"Nobody hates me! Momma said I'm a good boy. They don't hate me. They hate you!"

"Oh yeah? She said that?"

"Sure did!"

"And where is she right now?" To this, the boy stopped screaming and went silent. Kenny tightened his grip on Levi's fists and went on. "Where is she, huh, kid? Where is your mother?"

Levi's eyes flooded with tears as he howled helplessly, thinking of his mother who died because of her sickness.

"That's right." Kenny said to the boy. "She died. All because of the people who hate her. Of the people who hates us."

"Why do they hate us?!"

"Because we are special people. You are a very special boy, Levi."

"I'm,... special?"

"Yes. And because of that, they are jealous. So jealous, that they went too far as to hunt down our kind. They don't want their place to be taken away by us!"

"But, we're not taking anything away from them!"

"Exactly. We're just doing what we are being told. To protect them. And this is what they paid us for our loyalty. Hatred. Massacre. Your mother's death!"

"Mother died,... because of them?"

"Yes." Kenny let go of Levi's fists and held the boy's skinny shoulders. "I'm doing this so you could learn to defend yourself and the people you love. You have to protect them from those people who want us dead!"

Levi wiped his tears with his torn shirt, which was his mother's when she was still alive.

"Yes." The boy croaked. "I will protect them."

"Good." Kenny stood and threw Levi the dagger, which was caught by the little boy. "One more and we'll be done for the day. Got that, kid?"

"Yes, Kenny." Levi said as he prepared himself for another attack.

"This time, do what I taught you. Observe your enemy. Know how they will attack."

"Yes, Kenny."

The taller man smiled.

"By the way, Levi?"

"Yes?" the boy asked him.

"I bought you books and pencils yesterday. I'll teach you how to read and write after lunch."

***

~ @levi4mikasa , @nerdyphantomlady , @yepps , @shewolfofficial , @unhappysap , @super-peace-fangirl , @fangurl-ontgeside , and @emilyackerman78 . 💜

***

💜💜💜

***

[justheretobreakthings]

Remember Me - Chapter 18

(First Chapter) (Previous Chapter) (Next Chapter)

Word Count: 3,386 (Total Word Count: 71,103) Read on AO3

Story Summary:

It was strange enough for the paladins of Voltron to have found another human this far from home, locked in a Galra prison. But it was stranger still when this human insisted that he knew them, and even that he was the former red paladin of Voltron.

That couldn’t possibly be true, could it? After all, if this Keith was actually a part of the Voltron team, then why does nobody remember him?

Chapter Preview:

“Something wrong, Lance?” Shiro asked.

“Nah,” Lance answered. “Red got spooked because she thought Keith was too close to her flamethrower, I think.”

“Really?” Keith said, sounding genuinely surprised. “She - was she, like, worried, or - ?”

“Don’t flatter yourself, pretty sure she just didn’t think the newbie could handle the heat.”

“Very funny. I’ve landed at least as many shots as you have in this battle, and I’ve been dodging just as well.”

“Yeah, easy to dodge when you’re that tiny a target.”

“Should be easier to hit the other ships when you’ve got that big a weapon.”

“Red says you’re a weenie, Keith.”

The first stop on their dreaded tour of new planets who seemed to be good potential sources of vehicles and transportation technology for the Coalition came around all too soon, and it wasn’t easy for any of the paladins to keep their eyes open as Coran went over the choreography for their air show. Sure, there had been a bit of a gap since their last one, but the basic structure of the show was so ingrained in all of their heads that it would probably take years for them to forget. Lance still occasionally found Coran’s charts popping up in his dreams at night.

“Coran,” Lance finally groaned, cutting Coran off mid-sentence after he’d been talking for what felt like phoebs on end. “We already know all of this. We’ve done these show-of-arms things before.”

“You don’t know all of it,” Coran said. “If you hadn’t interrupted me, you would know that this show includes almost a full twenty ticks of new choreography for you paladins to learn.” Pidge and Hunk joined him in groaning this time, and Coran harrumphed and turned back to his chart. “You know,” he said, “Back when we first did these shows you all were plenty enthusiastic about them. Especially you, Lance.”

“Yeah, but we were like little kids being excited about school on the first day of kindergarten,” Pidge said. “We didn’t know what sort of horrors were in store down the line.”

“Kindergarten?” Coran repeated, brow furrowed.

“It’s school for little kids,” Hunk said.

Lance nodded and added, “They put like thirty little six-year-olds together in a pit armed with rocks and make them fight for dominance to teach them the laws of the jungle.”

“Good gods, that’s barbaric!” Coran cried, his face instantly turning a shade paler.

“He’s joking, Coran,” Shiro said hastily. “Lance, what have we said about scaring Coran like that?”

“That it boosts creativity,” Pidge answered.

“No, Pidge.”

“Hmph,” said Coran. “Let’s get back on topic, shall we?”

“How come Allura doesn’t have to be here?” Lance asked.

“Because, Lance, she is currently piloting the castle,” Coran replied. “Besides, I already went over the new choreography with her while you were all on your sleep cycle. Honestly, the amount of sleep you humans need is utterly absurd. How you lot manage to fall asleep every single quintant is beyond me. In any case, I need you to stay awake for the time being. Thotirn will be invaluable to us as an ally - their spacecrafts and the fuel to run them are the chief intergalactic exports of their whole quadrant, and they’ve got plenty to spare. But they’ll only let us dip into their supply if we put on a good show! Now, back to where we were before I was so rudely interrupted. I want Yellow and Blue to be mirroring each other in a bell tailslide right here, so Hunk, follow closely…”

Lance sighed and slumped back into the couch cushion as Coran continued, only adjusting himself to keep from leaning against Keith’s shin. The latter had perched himself on top of the couch, feet on the cushions, in his armor, although still in the Altean armor rather than the paladin armor the rest of them wore. He wasn’t part of the air show, of course; Coran had asked if he’d be interested in taking a turn with the microphone, but Keith had declined, although he had still, after some hesitation, accepted the invitation to join them at the dinner party scheduled to take place afterward. In the meantime, he had joined them in the lounge for Coran’s choreography lecture simply for lack of anything better to do.

Lance noticed, though, that Keith’s eyes were just as glazed over as the rest of them, and didn’t seem to be following Coran’s movement, just staring off into space instead. “Bored?” Lance asked, quietly enough that hopefully Coran couldn’t hear him.

Keith nodded. “A little,” he muttered.

“You remember having to do these in your version of Voltron?”

Keith shrugged, by now long past the point of physically flinching whenever ‘his’ reality was brought up. “Some,” he answered. “A lot of the shows were probably after I had left, though. And before that, I kind of, um, missed some due to - I was busy.”

“You got to skip them?” Lance huffed. “Lucky.” Keith didn’t reply, so Lance continued, “So was it for Blade stuff or other missions or, like, ‘personal’ issues or - ?”

Keith shushed him and nudged him with his foot. “I can’t hear Coran,” he whispered.

Lance raised a brow. It wasn’t as if Keith needed to know any of this stuff. Still, assuming that it was just Keith’s socially incompetent way of ending the conversation, Lance moved his focus back to Coran and his holographic charts.

After another quarter of a varga that dragged on for an eternity, Coran finally turned off the charts, declaring that it was time to move to the bridge, as they would be reaching Thotirn shortly. The paladins stretched and did their requisite amount of grumbling before following him, moving to take their usual seats around the bridge.

“Do we have an estimated arrival time?” Shiro asked Allura where she stood at the castle’s controls.

“We’re on course to break their atmosphere in just under ten doboshes,” Allura answered. “After that it’s just a couple more to get the Lions to our planned landing site and - ”

She was cut off by a loud beeping as something red popped up on one of the holoscreens before her. Coran rushed to join her at the controls, and the other paladins were immediately on the alert, all their former boredom forgotten. “What is it?” Shiro asked.

“Is something attacking the castle?” asked Hunk.

“Not the castle, no,” said Coran. “But something’s attacking Zondrivis. The Thotirnian city we’re visiting,” he added in response to the paladins’ puzzled expressions. “We’re getting a distress signal from them. I’ll see if I can get a visual.”

“You think the Galra knew we were coming?” Pidge asked. “Is this an ambush?!”

Another holoscreen expanded from the control panel with a magnified view of the surface they were flying toward. “Hmm, doesn’t seem to be an attack for us,” Coran said. “Those ships look like Holvarthan craft. I’m sure if they’d known Voltron was going to be making an appearance here, they would have sent Galra ships after us.”

“Holvartha is currently under Galra’s thumb, though,” Allura said. “So they’re certainly no friends of ours.”

“Doesn’t look like they’ve got too big of an invasion force going here,” Coran said. “No reason Voltron can’t take care of this.” He turned around to face the others. “All right, paladins, looks like there’s been a change of plans. That distress signal was only just sent, so the Holvarthans probably haven’t done much damage yet. Thotirn has a large vehicle supply, but little by way of weaponry, so taking them down will be our job. Focus on pushing the invading forces away from industrial areas and civilians, then we’ll take them out. All in all, should be a fairly easy job.”

“Oh, this is wonderful!” Allura cried in delight, clasping her hands together with a smile.

The others stared at her.

Face reddening slightly, she hurried to say, “I meant, it’s wonderful that this should be a relatively simple victory. And, of course, taking down an invading force will be a far more productive way of demonstrating our skills to the Thotirnians than the air show… which we, erm, won’t have to do now…” She cleared her throat. “I wasn’t calling the attack itself wonderful, because, of course, a potential ally being invaded is… it’s not wonderful - ”

“Good save, Princess,” said Pidge. “We heading to the Lions or what?”

“Yes, yes, the Lions,” Allura said with a fervent nod. “To your hangars, all…”

Lance got up from his seat and started toward his zipline, and the others all did the same, save for Keith, who approached Shiro and tapped on his shoulder. “Um, Shiro?” he said. “The, uh, the cruiser’s been fixed up, and - and you and Allura said once I’ve done some training with, um, with you guys, that I could join on the - ”

“On the missions, yeah,” Shiro said. “Sure, go for it. This should be a good starter mission for you.” Keith’s face lit up, and he turned to the bridge’s exit before Shiro grabbed him by the arm. “But if I, the team, or Coran gives you an order, you follow it, okay?”

Keith nodded. “Yeah, I will.”

“And no unnecessary risks.”

“Okay.”

“Intentionally crashing your ship into another ship counts as ‘unnecessary’.”

“Shiro!” Allura said. “We’re going!”

“Right, right.” Shiro released Keith’s arm, and the latter raced out of the bridge with what Lance was almost certainly would be classified as a spring in his step.

Lance got to his own zipline, sliding down the wire until he reached his seat and sank into Red’s cockpit. Her dashboard lit up as he put his hands onto the controls. “All right, girl,” he said. “Ready to get some exercise?”

He interpreted the speed at which she bolted out of her hangar as a ‘yes’.

Red was the first in the air as usual, but the other Lions were quick to follow, with Keith’s little cruiser joining the chase after an extra half a dobosh before the castle returned to its own route to find its landing site. “Got a visual on a couple of them,” Lance announced into his comm as his viewscreen zoomed in on the moving ships on the horizon. “What’s our strategy?”

“Don’t do anything until we’re close enough to aim more precisely,” Shiro said. “We don’t want to hit any Thotirnian crafts by mistake.”

“Well, duh,” said Lance. “I meant, in a minute or two, when we’re closer, what’s our strategy?”

“We’re aiming to get the Holvarthan ships away from any areas where a proper battle could harm industry or civilians,” Coran said. “I’ve no doubt any Thotirnian ships current holding the fort are doing the same. The fighting seems to be concentrated near Zondrivis’ eastern border, so if you can push them eastward, you’ll have the space to take them down fully. Hunk and Shiro, your Lions are big and sturdy enough to push them physically; Lance and Keith, try to either corner them or see if any will give chase. Allura and Pidge, you can do the same, and disable any exterior weapons or thrusters if you’re able. Disable, don’t destroy.”

A chorus of assents sounded over the comms, and by this point they were close enough to the battle site to start splitting off and facing the various Holvarthan crafts head-on. Coran was right in that the Thotirnians had a few of their own ships in the air as well - judging by the blue-green accents on some of the ships as opposed to the purples that indicated the invaders’ Galra affiliation - but they wouldn’t have lasted long on their own, as those ships were outnumbered and absurdly tiny, looking to be merely half the size of Keith’s cruiser.

The Thotirnian ships made way as the Red Lion entered the fray, and Lance couldn’t help but let a little grin spread across his face. It was hard not to feel a bit like some sort of superhero whenever the Lions of Voltron entered a battle, the almost mythical presence swooping in and saving the day with apparent ease.

“Hello, little mouse,” Lance muttered as he set his sights on a Holvarthan ship that was racing toward one of the Thotirnians. “Kitty wants to play.” He shot Red’s flame out in front of the ship, blocking it from the smaller vessel it had been pursuing and turning its attention toward him. Immediately he sent another beam its way, careful not to actually hit its nose, but get close enough to force the ship to alter its course.

The Holvarthan fired back, and Lance easily ducked Red under the blast. “That really the best you got?” Lance asked, pulling Red around and firing again, forcing the ship to sharply bank left and still catching a bit of its wing. “Ooh, you’re gonna have to be faster than that if you wanna - ”

“Lance,” Pidge cut him off. “If you absolutely must trash talk this much, do you think you could turn your mic off first?”

“Oh,” said Lance. “Sorry. Just having a little fun with this one. I’ve got it chasing me.”

“Attaboy, Lance,” Shiro said, and Lance took a moment to be glad their conversation was audio-only, as otherwise Pidge and Hunk would never stop ragging on him for the way his chest instinctively puffed with pride. “We’re pretty close to some open space on your two o’clock, so you can take it down once you’ve got it readied.”

“On it,” Lance said. Tongue between his teeth in concentration, he set to toying with the other ship, keeping Red close enough to let the other think it could catch up to him, occasionally sending blasts back toward its tail as a little shove of encouragement to keep its sights on him.

Once he had lured the ship sufficiently into the safe zone, he rounded on it, positioning Red to take it down in one final rush of flame. Right before he had the chance, though, another sharp blast shot toward the ship from his nine, splitting the Holvarthan’s vertical stabilizer straight down the middle and knocking it off its center. The ship rolled in mid-air, then a second blast caught its impulse engine dead-center. The engine burst and took the surrounding craft down with it.

“Keith!” Lance snapped into his comm as the little cruiser darted across his viewscreen.

“What?” said Keith.

“You just stole my kill!”

“What are you talking about?”

Lance huffed. “I’m the one who got that guy over here! You shoot down the ships you push out here, I shoot down mine.”

“What the hell does it matter? As long as the ship is taken down, what’s the difference who hits it last?”

“You can’t just - ”

“Keith, Lance, not the time to argue,” Shiro said. “Keith, Lance has a point, you’ve got to be sure to communicate with us so we know what the team is doing.”

“Sorry.”

“And Lance, Keith has a point too. Our priority is just getting these ships out of commission quickly, so it’s not the time to call dibs or keep score. It’s not a competition.”

“If sort of is,” Pidge said. “The Holvarthans are losing.”

“Not a competition between us, I mean,” said Shiro.

“Eh, whatever,” Pidge said, and Lance could practically hear the shrug. “On the topic of communicating positions, got a big one here and we’re approaching Red, wanna help bring it down?”

“I’m on it!” Lance said, swiveling Red’s gaze until he spotted the Green Lion approaching, dragging behind her with a mass of thick vines a decently large Holvarthan ship, the cannon atop it frozen over with Blue’s ice.

“If you need any - ” Keith started.

“Nah, we’re good, you take care of your own targets,” said Lance. “Go ahead and move Green out of the way, Pidge, I got this guy.”

The ends of the vines broke off from Green as she flew off, and Lance sent a stream of flame toward the ship from Red. He let out a whoop as it hit the target dead-on, the flames moving along the vines to curl around the ship as they brought it down. “Nice!” he said. “I get bonus points for style on that one! Game highlight right there.”

“Lance,” said Allura. “Please keep in mind that there are real Holvarthan people piloting those crafts. Taking down invading forces is a necessity, yes, but let’s not be crass about it.”

“Right, uh, sorry Allura,” Lance said.

“They’re Galra allies,” Pidge muttered. “Seems like a waste of politeness.”

“Uh, if we’re not too busy arguing about battle decorum,” Keith said. “Some of these ships are trying to make a break to the west.”

“Not on my watch, they’re not,” Lance grunted, veering Red around to take off toward the escaping Holvarthans.

Overall, the remaining battle managed to be more or less uneventful - or as uneventful as an airborne battle on a foreign planet between an invading alien armed force and a bunch of giant magic lion robots can be expected to be. There was one minor incident, during which Lance had set to fire a blast from Red’s flamethrower toward an oncoming Holvarthan ship, only for her not to respond.

“C’mon, Red,” Lance growled. “I thought we were past this! Why are you - ”

In the back of his mind Red redirected his attention toward movement on his viewscreen, where Keith’s cruiser was pulling around from behind the ship. “Are you kidding me?” Lance muttered, trying the flamethrower again, and relieved to see that Red was cooperating again now that Keith was out of the line of fire. “He would have dodged that, no sweat. What’s your deal?”

“Something wrong, Lance?” Shiro asked.

“Nah,” Lance answered. “Red got spooked because she thought Keith was too close to her flamethrower, I think.”

“Really?” Keith said, sounding genuinely surprised. “She - was she, like, worried, or - ?”

“Don’t flatter yourself, pretty sure she just didn’t think the newbie could handle the heat.”

“Very funny. I’ve landed at least as many shots as you have in this battle, and I’ve been dodging just as well.”

“Yeah, easy to dodge when you’re that tiny a target.”

“Should be easier to hit the other ships when you’ve got that big a weapon.”

“Red says you’re a weenie, Keith.”

“Must you guys do this now?!” Hunk finally interrupted.

They both gave their requisite apologies and brought their focus back to the battle at hand, and said battle wrapped up fairly smoothly not too much later. Once the sky was clear of threats the Lions and the cruiser went back to make their landing near the castle ship, the pilots worn out but otherwise unharmed and the Lions no worse for wear.

It was usually nice to get a bit of rest and quiet in after a battle, but descending from the Lion’s jaw to be greeted by the applause of a gathering crowd of the population you’d just saved was a pretty decent substitute, as Lance was reminded as he and the other paladins disembarked. He removed his helmet and waved to the spectators, beaming brightly. “Yes, thank you!” he called. “You’ve been a great crowd! Don’t forget to tell your friends about Voltron!”

“Take it down a notch,” Shiro’s voice said in his ear as his human hand landed on Lance’s shoulder. He smiled politely at the onlookers, lifting his Galra arm in his own perfunctory wave.

“It’s the adrenaline, Shiro,” Lance said. “These the people who were here to watch the air show?”

“Seems like it,” Shiro said. He gestured with his thumb, and Lance looked to see that Allura and Coran had approached a couple of particularly well-dressed Thotirnians and were in conversation with them. “I think they’re seeing about rescheduling the show.”

“In the meantime, then…” Lance trailed off to blow kisses toward the crowd and begin waving again.

His wrist was just a little sore by the time Allura and Coran returned to the others and gestured for them to gather around. “We spoke with the directors who had been overseeing Voltron’s press appearance,” Coran said. “This whole affair with the Holvarthans ran clear through the time we’d blocked out for our show.”

“However, the dinner and fellowship gathering is still right on track,” Allura said. “So we’ll want you to remain in your armor for that, but feel free to take the time to eat up and stretch your legs.”

“Hang on,” said Hunk. “Does this mean we’re definitely not doing the air show?”

“Correct,” Coran answered with a nod. “The Thotirnians seemed to agree that our taking down the Holvarthan invasion was sufficient performance from Voltron.” He smiled. “They seem quite eager to see about joining forces. Congratulations, paladins, you put on an excellent show.”

“So,” Lance said slowly. “That whole giant review of our flight choreography…”

“Was a total waste of time, yes,” Pidge finished with a solemn nod.

“Fantastic.”

[bossirebels]

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