#rival boxing gear

[wosoimagines]

Sweet Sixteen

part 2 of rivals one-shots

Jo's sixteenth birthday happens during camp.

1,437 words

set in between chapter 3 and 4 of rivals.

“Dude! It’s your birthday?” 

I raised my eyes from where I was focused on my breakfast to meet Pinoe’s eyes. Everyone had turned to look at her as I froze. It didn’t take long for everyone’s eyes to turn to me. I shrunk in my seat a bit at the number of eyes that were focused on me now. 

“It’s your birthday?” 

My eyes met Becky at the question that was repeated softer. I sucked in a breath but slowly nodded. 

“Is that a problem?” 

“You didn’t tell us it was your birthday,” Becky said. I shrugged at that. Honestly, I wasn’t used to it being celebrated. “We would have got you something.” 

“You don’t have to,” I said with a shake of my head. 

“You don’t want anything for your birthday?” 

Alyssa was the one who spoke up this time. I shrugged at that. There wasn’t much that I really needed. 

“I’m getting a new pair of shoes when I get home. Well, new cleats anyways.” 

I didn’t miss the looks being shared between my teammates. 

“What do you want?” Pinoe asked. 

I was at a loss with that. I didn’t really know what they wanted me to say. I was used to just getting new soccer gear from my family. At least I got to pick out exactly what they got me. 

“How should I know? I usually get new socks and cleats and shin guards and a new ball.” 

The room went silent again. 

“Your family just gets you soccer stuff?” 

I nodded my head at Christie’s question. I tilted my head as the captain clenched her jaw, and I could see the anger that sometimes flickered in her eyes on the field suddenly set in her eyes now. 

“It’s a free day today,” Becky said, drawing my attention back to her. “You can make a list of things you’d like, and we can go shopping for birthday presents.” 

“No,” I shook my head, “That’s too much.” 

“Nah, it’s easy,” Sydney said as she suddenly sat next to me with a pen and piece of paper. “You just write down what you like to do, and we’ll go get you presents that relate to that.” 

I huffed at that. They didn’t get it. 

“Soccer is what I like to do.” 

The whole room froze. 

“If I’m not in school, then it’s soccer.” 

“What do you do besides that?” 

“I don’t. I go to school and I practice and we watch football at home. We don’t do much more than that. We go to the lake during the summer where we swim and we ski. But I don’t do anything else. I can’t do much anything else besides soccer because soccer is how I’m going to make money. And I need to be the best at soccer so that’s what I do outside of school.” 

I refused to meet anyone’s eyes at the admission. I knew it wasn’t entirely normal, but I loved soccer, so I was okay with it. 

“Okay, we’re taking you out, and if you find anything that interests you, we’re buying it for you,” Alyssa spoke up across from me. “And it won’t have anything to do with soccer.” 

I sighed but nodded. It was obvious in the way Alyssa stared me down that there was no room for discussion about it. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

I gave the camera a small wave as I walked into the mess hall. I knew that the team had talked Jill into letting them get a cake for me. I was a bit surprised though by the amount of boxes that were wrapped. 

Christie had me wearing the new pair of sneakers she had gotten me earlier today after I had accidentally told her that the only new shoes I ever got were my soccer cleats. She had seemed upset by the fact that my parents had only ever given me hand-me-downs for shoes. Her present was the only gift that I knew what it was. Everyone else had ended up keeping it a surprise from me. 

“Think fast, Pip.” 

I easily caught the box that Hope threw at me. She looked surprised but I had a lot of practice with everything that would be thrown at home. I shook the box before raising an eyebrow at how whatever was instead was easily rattled. I took the newspaper off before pulling the lid off. 

“It’s a rock.” 

“It’s an emerald,” Hope corrected. I slowly picked it up. “Figured you could use it. The guy says it brings love into your life.” 

I immediately dropped the emerald back into the box before shoving it in Becky’s hands. 

“No thanks,” I said as I shook my head. “Don’t need love to try to find me right before the World Cup.” 

A couple of our teammates laughed at that.  

“He also said it improves eyesight.” 

“I have perfect vision.” 

Becky ushered me to sit down before Hope and I could get into a petty argument. I did appreciate the thought of her gift though. 

“Here,” Becky said as she put another gift in front of me. “I hope you like it.” 

I sent Becky a small smile. I was sure that I would. After all, I was just happy to have presents that didn’t relate to soccer. I didn’t realize just how annoying it was to only get gifts relating to soccer. 

“You got me a camera?” 

I tilted my head at the sight of the Nikon camera that now sat in my hands. 

“It’s an F2. I figured you might like it since you seem to always try to steal the cameras at practice. But you’ll have to learn how to shoot on film.” 

I grinned at that.  

“Thanks. I love it.” 

“Yeah, yeah,” Kelley spoke up. “We get it. Becky’s your team mom. You’ll love any gift from her.” 

I rolled my eyes at the defender. 

“Here,” Tobin said as a bigger box was pushed toward me. “Might as well keep it on the artistic side.” 

I raised an eyebrow at that. I did wonder if anyone got together to get me something. Maybe Tobin and Becky did? 

“Seen you doodling during film sessions,” Christen explained when I started pulling out sketchbooks and pencils and paints. “Wasn’t sure what to get so I asked Tobin for help, and we just decided to get it all for you together.” 

I hadn’t been able to draw since I was a kid. Not really. At least not if it wasn’t at school. We just couldn’t afford the amount of paper I would go through drawing and how much Mom needed to print so she could edit the chapters of her book. She always said she was old school with her editing and did it much better if she edited a paper copy. 

Present after present was pushed in front of me. Or at least an explanation of what a teammate had ordered for me was given. Like Alyssa ordering me some books she thought I would enjoy. Ali definitely took me by surprise with the amount of clothes she had bought me, but only gave me a shrug that I could start to find my own style instead of having to wear hand-me-downs from my siblings.  

Well, I thought Ali’s would be the biggest surprise, until it was Pinoe’s turn. She had waited to be last. But there were still at least twelve boxes on the table. 

The first was a pair of shoes. So was the second box. And the third. 

“Did you just get me shoes?” 

I knew that I had tried on quite a few, but the ones that Christie had got me were more than enough. 

“You’ve never had your own first pair before now. Now you have options.” 

Twelve pairs of shoes. I couldn’t believe Pinoe. 

“And-” 

“There’s more?” 

There was no way Pinoe got me twelve pairs of shoes and then something else on top of it. 

“It’s like Ali said,” Pinoe started with a shrug, “You can find your own style. I ordered you some clothes to be delivered to your house.” 

I did get into a small argument with Pinoe on whether or not what she got me was too much. It was eventually broken up when the cake was put in front of me, and I was sure that the video of my face immediately turning red as the team sang to me would be posted online. 

“Be honest,” Alyssa nudged me as she walked Becky and I back to our room, “How was your sixteenth birthday?” 

“Best one yet.” 

“Yeah?” 

“Yeah.” 

[swissboyhisch]

You Can't Be Serious

Pairing: Matthew Tkachuk x OC

Summary: A night out celebrating brings co-workers closer than what they thought possible. With the help of a little alcohol.

Word Count: 1346

Warnings: Probably crossing work boundaries. Alcohol. Kissing. Blurry consent.

A/N: This is for @offside-the-lines Birthday Bingo!! Happy birthday to one of my favourite Aussie girlies. I know it was a couple weeks ago but Birthday month is the best thing to celebrate!

My choice of four bingo boxes were:

Drunken Confessions

Dancing

Rivals (enemies) to Lovers

Mistaken Identity

Sorry it's so late but work became a little stressful and unpredictable. But I got it in just in time! I really hope you enjoy this as it definitely had me writing tropes I haven't before. Happy birthday Rox <3

Also shoutout to @mp0625 for being my beta. Always can count on you!

THE MASTERLIST JOIN THE TAGLIST HOCKEY DISCORD

Cora sighed happily as she finally stepped foot into her apartment, taking off her shoes and collapsing onto the couch. Even though it was a lost cause as she’d be leaving again to meet the boys at the bar, they had organized to celebrate the team clinching a playoff spot. Some country bar that the boys liked to go have a good time at when celebrating a win.

As one of the off-ice fitness trainers, she spent a lot of time with the players, creating great friendships. Cora was the only woman in the facility's fitness physio and trainers team and the youngest by far. She had done a traineeship last season, and when the head physio left, he suggested that she come onto the team as one of the other men would be taking his position. As the only woman, the boys had taken to her like family, and suddenly, she had 22 brothers. 

Notice the 22 and not 23? Well one of the team decided she was annoying and just looking for attention. Even when she was just doing her job. Matthew Tkachuk, ever since she started her traineeship, had taken a liking to pissing Cora off whenever he could. If she had to spot him while he did weights, he would do the opposite. She was younger than him and telling him what to do? Yeah right. 

But he had been injured for the last 4 weeks so the two had been spending more time than usual working together making the tension peak. Hopefully, with Matthew being back on the ice tonight, he will have simmered back down before he said something to make Cora strangle him. He was holding it against her that he wasn’t allowed to play yet. Like it was solely her fault for not clearing him to play.

Instead of wallowing and thinking about the dumbass that was Ratthew, Cora pulled herself off the couch and into her bathroom where she could shower and get ready. She was thankful that quite a few of the girlfriends, wives and family members were also coming so she wouldn’t be the only woman within the group.

Cora chose to wear a red lacy bodysuit and a black denim skirt with a leather jacket to finish off the look. A bold red lip and simple smokey look with curled hair made her look out of this world. Something the boys weren’t used to as they only ever saw the woman in athletic clothes and team gear. She traded in her worn pair of Nikes for a pair of trusty black heeled boots. She knew by the time she ordered her uber and got to the bar, some of the players and family would already be there so she grabbed her clutch that had her phone, portable charger and ID in it. The uber luckily wasn’t that long for a Friday night. 

“Cora!” Yana Tarasenko yelled as the young woman climbed out of the SUV.

“Yana,” She laughs, being brought into a hug. 

The pair intertwined their arms and made their way through the security with Vlad to where there was already a group gathering in the back corner around multiple booths and tables. Players, partners and family alike were all chatting away happily, nearly all with some kind of drink in their hand. Whether it be alcoholic or not. 

“I’m going to get a drink,” Cora yells over the music to Yana who nodded and waved her off. 

Yana found a seat with some of the other girls in a corner booth tucked behind the boys. Cora found herself at the bar, ordering her usual vodka cranberry along with two tequila shots. If she was to get through this social gathering, to be what she deemed as a normal, she needed a few drinks. Hence the shots. When she wasn’t paying attention, a body slid into the bar right beside her. 

“Your lips look lonely. Would they like to meet mine?” A familiar voice spoke up over the Carrie Underwood song that was blaring. 

Cora turned slowly, not wanting to believe what she had heard. There beside her, and apparently hitting on her, was an already tipsy Matthew Tkachuk. What the actual fuck? Those words did not just come out of his mouth.

“Tkachuk,” Cora muttered uninterested.

“So you’re a fan?”

Cora laughed, “You can’t be serious…” The curly-haired boy looked confused for a moment. Which to Cora was comical. “Matthew, we literally–” 

“Cora!” Barkov shouted when he saw her at the bar. He brought her into a hug, but she didn’t miss the shocked look that crossed Matthew’s face.

“Cora?” He gasped.

Instead of wasting time, she disappeared onto the dance floor with some of her friends dancing and sipping her cocktail. A few of the girls were cheering her on when she shook out her hair that she had put into a clip for the trip to the bar. They were all having fun, enjoying themselves. When the first few notes of Kesha’s song Take It Off played, Cora let out an excited squeal. She had practiced the line dance a heap after seeing it on TikTok. 

“Go Cora!” The girls yell as she races to the middle of the circle with quite a few other bar patrons. 

As the chorus came up, Cora stripped off the jacket she was wearing and waved it around in the air above her head. She thrived on the attention of all the girls and their partners cheering her on. Matthew had stepped up beside them and watched the girl he had come to be so frustrated with. After the song came to an end the group pulled her into the circle, showering her with compliments on the side of her she’s never shown to the team.

“You make not liking you hard when you move your hips like that,” Matthew whispers, coming up behind the dancing girl as the attention turns elsewhere. 

She could faintly smell the beer on his breath but she was probably just as drunk. “Matt…”

Cora leant back against Matthew’s body as his arms came to wrap around her waist. His fingers tickled her skin through the lace bodysuit. Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy started to play as the two swayed together in time with the beat. 

“Wanna get out of here?” Matthew yelled over the music after another hour of drinking and dancing. 

Cora giggled, “Let’s go.”

Without saying goodbye to any of the team or partners, the two slipped out of the bar and into the back of an Uber that Matthew had ordered. The two laughed and whispered on the journey back to his apartment. Cora was helped out of the car by Matthew and led up to the 11th floor of the apartment complex. 

“You frustrate me to no end,” Matthew mumbles against Cora’s lips as he pushes her to the now-closed door. 

Cora frowns at the words, “What? Why?”

“You held me off the ice even when I was all good to play.”

That made Cora step away. Even though the two were definitely tipsy, probably drunk if you look at the true definition, it hurt to hear that. “I can promise you it was for the best.”

“But I was good to play…”

“We knew we’d make the playoffs, why risk you getting injured and missing the playoffs? Why risk our best player?” 

Those words coming out of Cora’s mouth made Matthew’s thoughts flip. He had only thought of himself that Matthew hadn’t considered the team and the future of the season of he had made his injury worse. 

The silence was worrying to Cora. What was running through his head? “Matthew?”

The curly-haired boy pulled her close again and pressed his lips to hers. It was addicting… For both parties. The two stripped off clothes, leaving a trail to his bedroom.

“I’m pretty sure I’m in love with you,” Cora slurs as they fall onto the bed together. 

Matt grins, “I know I’m in love with you.”

TAG LIST:

@findapenny @mp0625 @hischierhaze @11zegras @lvrzegras

@francesfarhadi @cixrosie @dasiysthings @dancerbailey3 @puckmaidens

@cole-mcward48 @sammiejane22 @rleigh-47 @devilsandpensfan @luca-fantilli

@books-hlmc @kajasagmo @poufsouffle21 @there-goes-thefighter @totallynotrobotic

[ferraris-gf]

explaining f1: pit stops

boxing

teams have to carefully plan strategy around pitstops, taking factors like tyre wear and track position into account.

once a driver hears the "box, box" radio message, they will enter their pit box, located in front of the team's garage. garage positions are assigned based on the constructer's championship of the previous season, with the winning team normally closest to pit entry and so on.

drivers can pit as often as they want, though they generally keep their visits to a minimum because each stop costs racing time.

the crew

there are 12 members involved in the tyre changing process. there are 3 members for each driver, with one removing the old tyre, one putting the new try on and the third loosening and tightening wheel nuts.

this process requires the car to be raised, so 2 members operate a front jack and 2 operate the rear jack. a further 2 crew stand to the side with spare front and rear jacks.

there are also 2 members in the middle of the car holding it steady, and 2 adjusting the front wing.

one final member ensures the pit lane is clear so the driver can move off.

rules

pit stops are mandatory as a result the rule that requires drivers to use at least two different tyre compounds during a race (read my explanation of tyres here). if a driver violates this during a dry race, they will be disqualified but this rule does not stand for races where 'inters' or 'wets' are used. in 2021 in turkey, esteban ocon finished the race without a single pit stop.

mechanics must make sure to take at least 0.15 seconds while changing tyres to ensure they are properly tightened. the driver must also wait a further 0.2 seconds before leaving.

speeding in the pit lane (going above 80kmh) will result in a penalty, as will impeding a competitor while exiting. drivers will also be penalised if they leave their box in what is deemed an unsafe manner.

each member of the pit crew is required to wear safety gear and a helmet in compliance with fia requirements.

pit boxes are also where 'stop-go' penalties are served. punishment for rule violations, a driver can be required to enter the pit, stop for a certain amount of time without any work being done to the car, and then rejoin the race.

strategy

undercutting and overcutting are the two most common pitting strategies.

the 'undercut' is a strategy where a driver pit early (and usually unexpectedly) and uses fresh tyres to get ahead of a rival who will have to pit later.

the 'overcut' happens when a driver delays pitting in order to gain position while rivals pit. this allows the driver to take advantage of the clean air in the hope that when they do pit, they have built up enough time to come out in front.

refuelling

refuelling has been banned in f1 since 2010. prior to this, teams would refuel while changing tyres, a useful strategy tool.

safety concerns surrounded refuelling. in hockenheim in 1994, jos verstappen's pit stop saw his car accidentally soaked in petrol before it erupted into flames. no one involved was seriously injured, but this was not the only incident of dangerous a refuelling incidents.

records

the current record for fastest pit stop belongs to mclaren. in qatar in 2023, they executed a pit stop for lando norris in 1.8 seconds (beating the previous record of 1.82 set by red bull in 2019).

alternatively, the current record for longest pit stop belongs to mercedes. in monaco in 2021, during valterri bottas' stop, a mechanic was unable to remove the front right tyre due to an issue with the wheel nut which forced the team to retire the car. the team was only able to remove the wheel nut after 43 hours.

another notable pitstop occurred in japan in 2023. sergio perez sustained damage and retired from the race. after 41 minutes however, he returned to the race to serve a 5-second penalty, his team exploiting a loophole to ensure this penalty wasn't transferred onto the next race.

[allbluedepths]

This was originally part of the ship bingo post, but it spiraled out of control and became a very large pile of thoughts. So instead, the Wings of the Emperor AU is getting its own ship dynamics post for Shanks, Mihawk, and Benn because it's sorta its own thing, and I'm having a hell of a time trying to figure out how to even tag for it because none of their relationships fit in neat boxes very well.

(Wings of the Emperor AU is my early Red Hair Pirates era AU where Mihawk chooses to not become a Warlord and ends up not joining, but semi-sailing with the Red Hair Pirates. It mostly focuses on Mihawk's early dueling years with Shanks, his interactions with the Red Hair Pirates, and eventually getting swept up into their sailing shenanigans. TL;DR: I had the thought of "who would Mihawk be if forced to answer the question of 'who am I beyond just being a swordsman'" and it all spiraled from there.

For the record, some of the earlier posts aren’t 100% accurate anymore — big one being that I traded the “Mihawk was almost Shanks’ first mate” bit for something else — but this is an indulgent ship post, not me correcting my own lore post LOL.)

So, here’s a pile of thoughts to get my brain in gear to actually write more of the fic itself, haha. : )

This AU is… complicated? I'd say it's endgame Mihawk/Shanks/Benn triad in a very non-traditional relationships way. For example, by the time Mihawk semi-joins them and turns down the Warlord position, even Shanks and Mihawk don't have a concrete romantic relationship, and theirs is still the closest to that, haha. I guess it's best classified as:

Shanks and Mihawk: close relationship bordering on romantic; there's mutual interest, but their definitions of romantic also don't match "standard" definitions of romance, so it doesn't always read as that to others. Rivals/partners with a romantic flair?? Since Mihawk turning down the Warlord position and choosing to join them comes with a good chunk of other upheaval, there's a conscious decision to not really label anything, but they're on the same page of being mutually interested.

Shanks and Benn: hellooooo complex intertwined captain-first mate relationships. The fun duality of being both incredibly simple and incredibly complex. I'm team "many working captain-first mate relationships basically become life partnerships", and they're probably the prime example of that. Inconveniently for tagging purposes, it's smack dab in the middle of "&" and "/" relationships for AO3, so… eh, the vibes are vague. The details past the fact that they're basically each other's most trusted person stop mattering at a certain point.

Benn and Mihawk: Complicated, haha. By far the side of the triad with the most development to be had; right now, it's more like they're separate sides of a V polycule, rather than a triad, but the foundation's there. An odd, unexpected friendship turned an even more unexpected camaraderie as the years go by and Mihawk's around more and more. Absolutely no one outside of them (and occasionally Shanks) can really parse out what's going on here. Again, just over the line of what I'd tag as "&", and develops veeeeeery slowly over the years in its own undefined way.

…That ended up as a whole ass wall of words, haha. Shorter summary if you're looking for general relationship shifts:

Mihawk sails with the Red Hair Pirates (~6 years after the RHP start): only Shanks/Mihawk are semi/almost-romantic

Sailing time until Dawn Island: Shanks/Mihawk slowly get their shit together; Shanks/Benn inch toward maybe another realization or two, Benn/Mihawk "two introvert cats" bond starts really kicking in

Post-Dawn Island: Shanks/Benn get their shit together (thank you, realizations about mortality)

The decade-ish between Dawn Island and current canon: It's a polycule between an Emperor, an Emperor's first mate, and the World's Greatest Swordsman. Who cares if it makes sense to anyone else; it works for them, lol.

If you read this far, thank you, and I hope you enjoyed an unexpectedly long analysis drop for an AU I haven't posted for in a while and mostly exists in my brain right now, haha!

[eppysboys]

Portmeirion

Portmeirion in Gwynedd, North-West Wales, a two-and-a-bit hours drive from Liverpool has a bit of interesting Beatles history attached to it. It was designed and built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis between 1925 and 1975 as an Italianate style village. He drew inspiration from a range of architectural styles, from classical and Gothic to Romanesque and Egyptian, to create the unique and eclectic village that stands to this day. (Watch him talk about the village here)

He was an advocate of rural preservation, amenity planning, industrial design and colourful architecture. "I think that Beauty, The Strange Necessity - as Rebecca West once called it - is something that matters profoundly to humanity, and that unless the race of man perishes from the earth, it will increasingly value that Grace, will seek it, and will ultimately attain it." - Sir Clough Williams-Ellis

Brian and George Martin visiting Portmeirion, 1966

Brian Epstein holidayed here often with family and friends, staying frequently until his death in 1967. Portmeirion was an important place of retreat for him. At the start of August 1966, Brian went there to recuperate from a serious bout of glandular fever after his doctor prescribed a quiet vacation to rest and recover from the intense stress he was under, among other physical ailments recieved during the tour.

Brian became good friends with Williams-Ellis. Staying in the Gatehouse cottage, close to the entrance to the village, Brian suggested that the property might benefit from a dining room where he could entertain guests. Sir Clough duly obliged, building a large and ostentatious room not entirely in keeping with the original cottage. Not only that but the fashion conscious Brian once commissioned a renovation of his room at the Gatehouse having complained that there was not enough space for his clothes when he came to stay in his cottage every summer.

Brian's room in the Gatehouse with wardrobes made to his design (photo: Alli Devine)

““He went to convalesce in Portmeirion, North Wales ... There he invited George Martin as a guest. The two men spent much time devising an idea for a new television series on pop music to rival the BBC’s existing Juke Box Jury. The essence of their programme was that a jury had to guess what the chart ratings were going to be each week. The live programme was to be geared to when the charts of the week were revealed, so that only the presenter would know the record positions. Epstein and Martin took the idea to the BBC’s Bill Cotton Jr. ‘Brian was terribly enthusiastic about it,’ says George Martin, ‘But Bill Cotton didn’t think it was worthwhile. He was working on another programme at that time.’ The Epstein/Martin programme had a suggested title of Pick the Pops. 

Brian told his mother from Portmeririon by telephone that he was bored, that a break was essential before his forthcoming American trip. But his boredom and enforced rest had lasted a weekend when a phone call from Nat Weiss forced him back to reality.” The Man Who Made The Beatles, by Ray Coleman

“He went by himself to a luxury hotel in Portmeirion on the North West coast of Wales that overlooked the Sea, and wind-swept beach, as remote a place as you could get from London. Everyone’s adcice was the same: try not to worry.” He had been there only four days before uproar errupted over John’s Jesus comments. Brian left Portmeirion right away to soothe the chaos. 

“At the time, Brian was in Portmeirion, Wales, and he was ill. As the evening went on and I was getting all these calls, I called Portmeirion in the middle of the night and said, 'Something has to be done about this.’ And he said, is it serious?’ And I said, 'I think it’s so serious that you have to come over here.’The next day he flew over and I met him at the airport. The first thing he said to me was, 'How much would it take to cancel the tour?’ And I said, ‘I don’t know. Maybe a million dollars.’ He was so concerned about anything happening to any of the Beatles.” Nat Weiss, In My Life: The Brian Epstein Story by Debbie Geller

Patrick McGoohan chose the village as the setting for his TV series the Prisoner, which started shooting there in 1966 (he had filmed scenes for an earlier series there too, Danger Man, known as Secret Agent in the US). The Beatles were fans of the show, enjoying it's other-worldly setting, intriguing concept and the anti-establishment struggle of the lead character. George mentioned the Prisoner in his book, I Me Mine. Paul has reportedly stayed there, and Mike McCartney has also stayed there and loves it.

George Harrison loved Portmeirion and famously celebrated his 50th birthday in the village in February 1993. George originally wanted to stay in the Watch House, one of the village's most popular cottages which is high up on the cliff side of the upper part of the village. However the Watch House only has a low wall around it so his security men persuaded him to stay in the much safer Peacock Suite of the main hotel, where Brian had entertained dinner guests all those years ago.

It was also during this stay in Portmeirion that George was filmed for several interviews which were used in the The Beatles Anthology and had some pictures taken in the mirror room.

More footage of the place + Beatles history here.

[10point-must]

Instant Classic: Haney-Garcia 04.20.24

Ryan Garcia upset Devin Haney in Brooklyn on Saturday night - and count me as in the population of people who still do not understand what I witnessed. It was a stunning result, a great fight and good looks from both fighters. Lets break down the gear.

Haney had a look I appreciated -- it was both conservative while also pushing barriers -- even though on the whole I found it lacking in a couple of regards.

His entire look, save for his gloves was by Fear of God - Essentials, which is basically a collection of sweatpants and sweatshirts.

The entire look appeared to be made of traditional sweatpants/sweatshirt heavy cotton in a moss gray/green color.

The waistband even included a drawstring. The trunks were otherwise largely plain aside from the black bar logo across the front, ESSENTIALS FEAR OF GOD in small font along the front left leg, a couple of subtle logos on the back and a subtle HANEY across the back waistband.

It seems to me that in a 12 round fight - with the likelihood of heavy perspiration and the possibility of blood, that such material might get discolored (and heavy) as the fight wore on. Indeed, we saw some indications late that the material was absorbing sweat:

Haney's shoes were the most remarkable part of his look:

As noted here, these are Fear of God "Mock Knit High" designed by Dominic Chambrone. How much structure is under this is anyone's guess. Matched well at least.

Haney's gloves were a slightly incongruous silver:

These appear to be TSDK Customs collaboration with Everlast.

The negatives overall for Haney here were the gray/moss color (which I found a bit dull) and the trunk material (which, while interesting, I think is likely a net negative for a prize fight). However I like Devin's fashion forward approach and the thoughtfulness that he seems to put into his gear.

Ryan Garcia had a very clean look that I thought worked very well. He wore a look styled by Emporio Armani's EA7 line (aside from his shoes and gloves).

Great EA7 robe (and can't forget the supposedly $1M crown). The robe matched his trunks:

A great vector tribal arrow pattern in white and black, with KING along the front waistband and RYAN along the back waistband. The trunks have no other distractions aside from an EA7 logo on the lower left leg.

A bit of trunk detail will show that the tribal arrows are actually dot-point:

He wore white Rival gloves:

....and blue and black Nike footwear (note sure why these didn't maintain the color theme of the rest of the look, but coincidentally matched a bit with his blue corner tape):

Overall a great fight with memorable looks, and outstanding efforts by both fighters.

Respect box.

[entropicquilibriumofchaos]

Fourth Annual Cauldron Lake Ice Hockey Tournament

In the thrilling conclusion to the Fourth Annual Cauldron Lake Ice Hockey Tournament, (sponsored by Coffee World and the Bright Falls Council for Outdoor Recreation), the Oh Deer Diner Deer, led by team captain Rose "the Brute" Marigold, face the reigning champions, the Kalevala Knights, led by team captain Ilmo "the Grinder" Koskela. Which team will rise to the occasion and which will sink beneath the black water of Cauldron Lake?

Read it on ao3

“Alright team!” Ilmo shouted over the rumble of idle chatter. 

All of the heads turned to him as he stood in the doorway of the heating tent. His stance commanded attention; legs spread to keep his balance on the skates on his feet and his arm out to the side, holding an old hockey stick that looked like it had seen better days. He had a look of steely confidence that seemed at home on his features. 

“Last game of the night, last game of the tournament,” he started, walking into the tent to conserve heat. “It's us versus the Oh Deer Diner Deer once again.”

A quiet murmur filled the tent as the team made their comments about their rivals. Ilmo put a hand up, silencing them effectively.

“You may have heard that Bright Falls has a goalie that has been dominating this year. The rumors are true, the new Sheriff, Tim Breaker, is helping out the Deer this year. And yes, he played semi-professional hockey. But, he’s got nothing on Jaakko.”

A few cheers sounded and Jaakko was shoved from side to side in his goalie gear. A small smile appeared on his face as he pushed his teammates back playfully.

“Okay starting line up time:” Ilmo announced, and all the heads popped up. “Jones, ya ready?”

A middle-aged man with grizzled features nodded sharply.

“Good, ‘cause you’re going!” Ilmo shouted, and the team gave a grunt. “Charlie, ya ready?”

Among the older denizens of Watery, a teenaged boy popped his head up. The black and yellow hockey gear he sported seemed to almost drowned him. Nonetheless he raised a fist, “Down with the Deer!”

The team cheered in agreement.

“Good, ‘cause you’re going!” Ilmo repeated. “WIlliams, ya ready?”

Another player grunted, leading the team in cheers. 

“Good, ‘cause you’re going!” he said, before locking eyes with his brother. The two of them stared each other down with fire in their eyes before Ilmo spoke up. “Jaakko, ya ready?”

“You know it, brother,” he replied, “Let’s kick some Bright Falls ass, boys.”

Ilmo belted out one last “Good, ‘cause you’re going!” and the tent erupted into shouts as the team stood up and donned the rest of their gear. 

Meeting in the middle of the tent, over the propane heater, all of the team members put their hands in a circle. 

“Knights on three,” Ilmo instructed, “Yksi, kaksi, kolme:”

The team shouted, “Knights!” in unison before filing out of the tent.

Ilmo made his way to the back of the tent to his brother, who was buckling his mask to his helmet. Jaakko smiled at his brother and grabbed the back of his head and brought their helmets together with an audible clash.

“Go get ‘em, veli.” Jaakko encouraged, making Ilmo smile widely.

The brothers tottered on their skates out of the heated tent and onto the ice of Cauldron Lake. A good-sized rink had been cleared of snow and benches had been hauled out for spectators to watch. Under a tent on the opposite side of the rink, a table with chairs behind and on either side served as the penalty boxes and score-keeper’s table. Behind the table, in a heavy fur lined coat was Ahti, nursing a coffee and leaning against a shovel. Next to him was Rose Marigold, teetering back and forth on her skates. Her team was warming up on the ice as the Knights joined on the opposite side.

Jaakko broke from Ilmo and joined the rest of the team and the captain skated over to the tent. He came to an abrupt stop in front of Rose, sending a flurry of snow at her calves. She just rolled her eyes. 

Ahti just chuckled and shook his head. “Pluck your chickens elsewhere, lapset. Wouldn’t want a repeat of last year, ei?”

Last year’s tournament flashed vividly in Ilmo’s mind. His back still hurt from where Rose had body checked him hard enough to send him into the snowbank. But getting her back with a slapshot between her skates had been payback enough. However, the two didn’t speak for a month afterwards.

“The Deer are committed to sportsmanlike conduct this year, Ahti. No trouble from us.” Rose boasted, leaning against her hockey stick. 

Ilmo rolled his eyes. “Knights are known for their chivalry, you know.”

Rose scowled. “Oh shove your chivalry up your ass, Koskela,” she mocked.

Ahti laughed heartily, throwing his head back. “Ah, ten for the attempt.”

The two players shoved off of the ice towards their respective teams. It was sure to be a close game.

[theomeganerd]

Nintendo Celebrates MAR10 DAY 2024

March 10th, often referred to as "MAR10 Day" by fans, saw a flurry of exciting announcements from Nintendo in celebration of everyone's favorite plumber, Mario. Here's a breakdown of the key reveals:

1. A New Animated Mario Movie: Following the success of the 2022 live-action film, Nintendo confirmed the development of a new animated Mario movie. Details remain scarce, but the announcement video hinted at a return of the voice cast from the previous film, including Chris Pratt as Mario and Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach.

This news comes as a welcome surprise for fans who, despite the live-action film's box office success, expressed mixed reactions to the voice acting and certain creative choices.

2. Release Dates for Upcoming Games: Nintendo also unveiled release dates for two highly anticipated Mario titles:

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door: This beloved GameCube RPG classic will be making its long-awaited return to consoles on May 23rd, 2024. Fans can expect the charming story, turn-based combat, and quirky humor that made the original a cult favorite.

Luigi's Mansion 2 HD: Gear up for some spooky fun with a remastered version of Luigi's Mansion 2. This enhanced edition, hitting store shelves on June 27th, 2024, promises sharper visuals and potentially improved gameplay mechanics.

3. Classic Games Return to Switch Online: Expanding the library of retro titles available through the Nintendo Switch Online service, three classic Mario games were announced for future release:

Super Mario Bros. 2: The Lost Levels (NES): This challenging sequel to the original Super Mario Bros. tests players' skills with its relentless difficulty.

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (Game Boy): Join Mario on his quest to collect the six golden coins in this side-scrolling adventure.

Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 (Game Boy): Take control of Mario's greedy rival, Wario, as he searches for hidden treasures in this unique platformer.

Specific release dates for these titles haven't been announced, but their addition provides Switch Online subscribers with a delightful dose of nostalgia.

4. A Glimpse into the Future: While details were scarce, Nintendo also teased a collaboration with The LEGO Group. While the exact nature of this project remains under wraps, speculation suggests a potential LEGO Mario set or even a full-fledged video game.

5. A Message from the Mastermind: Adding a personal touch, Mario creator Shigeru Miyamato delivered a heartfelt message to fans, expressing his gratitude for their continued support and hinting at exciting things to come for the Mario franchise.

Beyond the Headlines: While these announcements were the major highlights, Nintendo also offered discounts on various Mario titles and merchandise throughout the weekend, further fueling the celebratory spirit of MAR10 Day.

Analyst Take: Experts believe these announcements are a strategic move by Nintendo to capitalize on the enduring popularity of the Mario franchise. The diverse range of content, catering to both nostalgic fans and newcomers, ensures continued engagement and potential revenue streams.

[gear-project]

Annon-Guy: What's your stance on the character intros and outros in Guilty Gear StrIVe and GranBlue Fantasy Versus?

Even if you don't know the cast, can you get good impressions based on her animations and personality triats?

For example, Sol is very gruff and not extravagant as for his intro, he just calmly walks onto the stage while his outro just has him turn his back on the opponent and smirk at them while criticizing them.

With Bedman?, it features Delilah walking by herself until Bedman? appears behind and places a protective hand in front of her and in the outro, Bedman? raises Delilah up in a brother love like fashion with It's hand with Delilah smiling back at It.

In GranBlue Fantasy Versus, most of the unique interactions mostly occur from the 2P side as the 1P side is mostly them just walking in or standing in position as they get ready and even then, the 1P side has some good moments of characterization.

Like, for Djeeta, on the 2P side, she mainly talks about the opponent with Lyria and Vern, but on the 1P side, Lyria is clutching her dress in concern until Djeeta puts a reassuring hand on her hand before Vyrn and Lyria wish Djeeta luck. With their outro, it mostly features the three joining in a triumpht cheer and arm pump.

And even though 2B's dialogue is mostly reused, she has good animations that remain true to her series and express her character. Her Pod analysis' the opponent in both, but where her 1P side just has her walk in, her 2P side has her come out of her Black Box in an epic fashion to show you that a YorHa Android is not to be messed around with. Additionally, both Intros have her adress the fighters by their In-Game Titles, which is a good forth wall break without intending to be so, which a nice touch of detail. And while 2B's outro isn't too special, she checks in with her commanding officer, showing that 2B is a loyal and just soldier.

What do you think though? Got some characters that stick out in this department?

Give me a minute to read all this:

I'm gonna say that both Strive and Granblue (and well, MOST 2.5D animated fighting games come to think on it) suffer from "Talking head syndrome".

Phase 1: Character 1 walks on stage, does some dynamic thing by themselves.

Phase 2: Closeup of character talking.

Phase 3: Character 2 walks up and responds to Character 1.

Phase 4: Zoom out and fight starts.

It's been like this since Mortal Kombat 9, to be honest… and all it really does is illustrate the idea that fighting game characters in 3D have a very hard time in production to be animated in interactive dynamic ways.

I think Tekken 8 is literally the FIRST 3D fighting game to legitimately feature "clash intros" between rival characters ever since the days of Guilty Gear Accent Core and Street Fighter Alpha had their famous "2D clash sequences".

To give you some keen examples:

Here's the BlazBlue equivalent:

The overall structure of modern fighting game intros puts emphasis on Player 1 initiating the conversation while Player 2 reciprocates.

(For a Strive example, Baiken's Intro is very long and dramatic, but if you switch to Player 2 side, Baiken's intro is much shorter... )

But in older games there was more of a balanced back and forth between characters.

Characterization is often predicated on the way a character's body language introduces them, though many intros are "bombastic", they are mostly tied to the character being introduced... that character does "not" interact with the other character physically until the fight actually begins...

Compare/Contrast Sol's Intro and Outros from previous games:

(By the way, it's not shown, but Sol bites the bullet, lighting it up with his flames, then flips it in to his weapon's gun chamber, spins it, and swipes his sword outward, creating a shockwave in his Xrd intro. This was a dual nod to an older intro where Sol would throw his sword in to the air and catch it as it came down in front of him.)

That's what I mean by "talking head syndrome"... it's just two characters talking, they aren't actually making contact with one another.

Mortal Kombat 1 features both characters clashing ala Injustice 2 style clashes, but in terms of a gimmick, it's a universal clash mechanic (meaning it isn't very unique or special between two specific character rivals, even if the dialogue is original between them).

It's been a long time since Street Fighter Alpha 3:

That's not to say that current intros don't ideally express a character well... it's just not on the same level as 2D fighting games of long ago that carried that dynamism.

What is "outstanding" in terms of character expression ranges from exaggerated sweeping movements to subtle adjustments to a character's hair as it blows in the wind.

Your mileage of opinion may vary on this.

For example, Ramlethal's outro where the Dog climbs on her and licks her face... while that's a cute freeze-frame moment, it's not QUITE as heroic-looking as Nagoriyuki's outro which shows his jacket flowing in the wind as he sheathes his katana as his mask opens to reveal his face.

Another example is Bedman's intros and outros in Xrd:

You will literally see Bedman flying around the screen with a white backdrop like he's a ghost out of a horror film... Delilah's outro with the Bedframe evokes a completely different set of emotions.

In terms of Granblue intros, while there are some good ones out there (like Vaseraga and Beelzebub), they are still very limited by the basic rule that "Character 1 does something only Character 1 can do, while Character 2 reacts to it".

While there are some personal quotes between rivals/friends, and they range from highly amusing to world-immersing, I often find that the broader "character expression" in these games lies within the music:

Take this song for example:

At first glance you might not know, but this is Zeta versus Vaseraga's Rival Theme (the intro builds up a bit quicker in-game though).

Even Sol and Ky have had rival themes for many years, if that's not obvious enough.

I'd say, getting a "full impression" of a character nowadays is a LOT harder than it used to be... and not just because of animation differences.

It's also heavily expressed in the story-writing: intros alone won't tell you a character's full story... especially if they are a complex character.

Young players might make the mistake of relying heavily on first impressions to judge whether or not a character "looks cool", but in most cases, game developers pull out ALL THE STOPS in order to achieve great things with their designs.

By and large, it mostly means that character design in fighting games is always very LAYERED... there's lots of minute details you will probably miss if you don't study the game carefully.

Are there "outstanding designs" out there? Likely true, but from my perspective, I favor the whole tapestry to simply looking at one square of the quilt.

It isn't JUST the fact that character A is cool and character B is also cool and their rival... it's so much more complex than that.

Character A has several rivals, there's an SS-class bounty on their head, and everyone's out to kill them, so they have unique intros with everyone (for a famous example).

Does that always get expressed well? Not always, but I think the attempt more than makes up for it.

Nowadays even fans are making fan-made clash intros!

I'll leave this here for you to ponder:

[diabolus1exmachina]

Aston Martin Lagonda (Series 1) 

The Lagonda brand had been dormant for a decade when Aston Martin revived it in 1974 as the model name for a new sensational four-door saloon based on the existing two-door V8. A prototype (‘MP/230/1’) had been used by AML chairman David Brown in 1969 but the project would not come to fruition until after his departure and Aston Martin’s acquisition by Company Developments. Launched at the London Motor Show in October 1974, the new Lagonda was 305mm (12”) longer in the wheelbase than the two-door V8 whose engine and running gear it shared and to which it bore an understandably strong resemblance.  An exclusive model even by Aston Martin standards, it was catalogued until June 1976, by which time a mere seven had been made. Chassis numbers ranged from ‘12001’ to ‘12007’, while a further example - chassis ‘12008’ - was built independently at a later date. Of the seven factory cars built in period, only two were completed with the ZF five-speed manual gearbox. Already a powerful car, the Lagonda has been endowed with even greater urge courtesy of an R S Williams 7-litre conversion, enabling it to more than hold its own when pitted against modern rivals. The Williams conversion places particular emphasis on torque, producing a substantial 550lb/ft and useful 480bhp against the estimated 350lb/ft and 320bhp of the 5.3-litre original, increases that more than offset the weight gain associated with all the Lagonda’s extra equipment. This in turn necessitated up-rating the Chrysler Torqueflite automatic transmission, which has replaced the original ZF manual ’box, and strengthening the differential mountings to prevent twisting under load. Engine cooling has been improved by increasing water flow around the engine and paying special attention to under-bonnet ducting. Add to that levels of ride, handling and general comfort which will be more than acceptable to all who might conduct business within, and you have a prestige car that makes a subtle but singularly significant statement.’

[ashen-crest]

so I’m working on a Rival Most Vial loot box as a little, like, test influencer thing (honestly, mostly an excuse just to make it), and right now, this is the card that will go with the box:

[ID: a note card that has a partial line border with two potion bottles at the corners, one blue, one orange. The text in the middle reads: “Welcome to Rosemond Street! Here in the heart of the Scar, you’ll find only the best in adventuring gear, weaponry, and magical utilities. In the market for potions? You’re spoiled for choice- a new potion shop has opened up on the ground level, giving you not one, but two tantalizing options. Which will you choose: The Griffin’s Claw...or Eli’s Elixirs?” end ID.]

[gleekto]

Klaine Advent 2022: Chemistry Sucks (3/?)

Summary: Nerd!Kurt/ Popular!Blaine high school AU - Kurt joins Glee club in his junior year to please his dad, though he’d rather just hide out in the library until he can graduate and get out of Lima.

Turns out he’s not the only gay kid in town. Too bad the other out gay kid is cocky and popular senior, Blaine Anderson. Sure of himself, gets all the solos, things served to him on a platter. Kurt finds him shallow and infuriating.

Blaine finds Kurt square and irritating.

Yet at a party one night, they promise to sleep together if they don’t have other opportunities by the end of the year. A dare. Naturally competitive spirits.

Day 1, Day 2

Chemistry Sucks (Day 3: Detailed)

Kurt can't quite believe he's saying this but it turns out that he really likes the Glee club. After two years of hiding out in the library, leaving school the moment the bell rings, he actually likes that he has somewhere to be and people to be with. Yes, Rachel is unquestionably annoying and a solo hog, but it helps that he happens to be her new favourite duet partner. And no one can match the attitude of a Kurt and Mercedes duet. Hanging out with her makes him feel less nerdy. Almost cool.

When he had an overnight with them the other week, he even allowed them to encourage a makeover. Keeping it high fashion but a bit more fitted, a few less layers. "You've been going to the gym, right? So show it off," Mercedes had shrugged like it was so obvious. He loved them but they had no idea what it was like having to suppress attraction throughout your whole high school experience. Still, he had been going to the gym. When college hits, he's going to be ready.

"To whom?" Kurt had asked rhetorically.

"Blaine might notice," Rachel clapped her hands far too enthusiastically.

"No thank you. You do know that Blaine has literally never given me the time of day, right? Don't try to set me up with the only other gay guy you know. Maybe in this whole town."

"Hello - My dads?" She had a point. "Blaine is just jealous that you're rivalling him for my duet partner. He's used to being the obvious choice."

"Blaine is not jealous of me," Kurt scoffed. Blaine Anderson in his already tight fitting jeans and polo tops. He definitely goes to the gym. Boxing, apparently. He makes sure everyone knows he does reps with Mike Chang after Glee club. He's the male lead of the glee club, soccer star. "He's already popular and athletic. He isn't interested in a nerdy kid with a 4.0 GPA and a date with the library on Saturday nights." His loss, really.

"You have a date with us Saturday nights," Mercedes tsk tsked. "And he's obviously threatened in the Glee department. So go ahead, show him what you got in the bicep department. Nothing like a little rivalry to make the sparks fly," She laughed, seemingly amused with herself.

While he highly doubts he could even light a birthday candle with the lack of sparks between them, he's never been one to shy away from a challenge.

On Monday, he walks into Glee club in a Mercedes recommended tight fitted red button down, even tighter black jeans, and just a hint of black leather suspenders. That part was his own idea. Some might mistake them for bondage gear but only if your mind goes there and his innocent mind certainly doesn't. His fashion is detailed, not kinky. Still he feels a certain air of power when he slides up beside Blaine to pick up his Regionals role from Mr. Schuester.

"Kurt, Blaine - just the two I wanted to see. Here are your matching Regionals slips." Mr Schuester smiles widely as he hands them both hot pink folded pieces of paper. Kurt can't believe it. He unfolds his paper while Blaine stares at his identical one. Duet.

[pencilofawesomeness]

Hi! Such a big fan of your htryds series!! I absolutely love your take on shadow gear and gajeel (since most fics I read either leave jet and droy out or they kind of just ‘exist’) Will pantherlily or juvia make an appearance? Do you have a partner in mind for levy when she goes through the s-class trials herself?

Aw, thank you! And yes! Shadow Gear + Gajeel deserve some fair and equal treatment. Honestly, there's a lot of characters that get shoe-horned into this "romance-driven rival" box in FT, where they're the butt of a lot of jokes, and Droy and Jet unfortunately got this treatment. But! It's okay. I got them in my little hands and I am making them person-shaped characters because I love them and I love the idea of them. They deserve to maintain their friendship position and get more friends.

Yes! Juvia and Pantherlily are both coming eventually. If it wasn't obvious, Juvia will get her debut next arc in Runaways, lol. Juvia, like Jet and Droy, definitely deserves some extra character love and you better be believing I am prepared to give it to her. (I miss debut/ToH/BattleofFT Juvia so much.)

I will say with Juvia and Pantherlily both, the AU dictates some changes to the impending dynamics, but I'm still all for that friendship with Gajeel, plus more people, because honestly half of these AU is me looking at characters and thinking "what if they talked to more than two other people" and then running with it.

On that note, yes, I do absolutely know who Levy's partner is going to be for the S-Class trials. :D

[limetimo]

RRAB fics I read (September 15)

Downfall - Year 1 by Lunarde Walburga is abusive, Sirius has a lot going on, and Regulus investigates.

Compass by star4daisy Journalist James gets to interview his favourite band - turns out Regulus Evan and Barty are in a poly relationship and would really like him to join them!

The Stars Welcome Him (with open arms) by Regisdrowning after the Prank Remus finds sanctuary with Regulus and his friends

Stay in your Lane by Regisdrowning swimming au! Regulus has to deal with rooming with JAmes, the bestie of his estranged brother :D

Underdressed by Thzebr Unspeakable Draco gets yoinked into his 1995 body, messy stuff ensues, Regulus makes a benavolent appearance in like, chapter 29, but his cameo is really cool

The Black Days Are Over by SagaEllen Regulus is a Seer, copes badly, then gets his ass in gear. BAMF Dorcas

enchanted (to meet you) by muchmoreclever Disney's enchanted Wolfstar AU!! Sirius as Giselle! Like the lore behind this thing--

The healing journey of Regulus Black by LupinsChocolatePraline As he leaves for college, Regulus gets the chance to start healing from his parent's atrocious parenting, religious abuse and autoimmune disorder he didn't even know he had. Good thing his boyfriend Evan is here to help!!

heartbeat on the high line by alarainai for damagecontrol modern wizard AU, James is doing a project on muggle cinema and decides to recreate love scenes from famous romances. His co-actor? Regulus Black. What James doesn'T know is that Regulus is harboring a massive crush on him. It has everything.

The Missing Link by Keysie needs no introduction. regulus is adopted by the lupins and falling for james, wolfstar is going strong

blue and yellow skies by alarainai jegulus quidditch rivals to lovers real neat

working title: padfoot regulus au [evil author's day] by coincidences CUTE CUTE CUTE CUTE CUTE

Late by cassiopeiablack1994 too fucking late do James and Sirius realise that their feelings have always been mutual. Nasty break-ups with their married spouses ensue. Future Regulily is promised, though Prongsfoot takes the stage

Do Not Go Gentle by AsILayDying Hermione has an oopsie and ends up in 1976ish(?), enrolls in Marauders year, butts heads with Regulus and locks him in a book club relationship, dates Remus, tho the endgame is Hermione/Regulus

Brighten the Dark by skeptique for onbeinganangel regulus falls out of the Veil for no reason whatsoever, looking circa 26ish and insisting on living in HIS house which is HArry's house now actually. Turns out they're really good roommates,,, (oh my god they were roommates! ♥)

Cowboy like Me by calamitoustide for inevitablestars Lily and James are both in the "seduce them and rob them (and kill them)" business in the wild wild west, and they both set their eyes on the same target (Regulus). I really enjoyed this one!

stars will fall by calamitoustide crying screaming throwing up, Regulus' health is shitty and he knows he's dying at a faster speed than aother people but he refuses to let that stand in the path of his brother's happiness

I know you want me, I (don't?) feel the same by Fallingfromthestarss marauders are in a band, slytherin skittles are in high fashion, Regulus is mean and James is a simp

A Violent Kind of Spin by Cassiara James and Regulus fuck in a muggle gay bar, it changes the course of history

treat me soft (touch me cruel) by damagecontrol james is horny for regulus, sirius is not a fan

oh, my, love is a lie! by artiest for Amethystx_22 regulus goes to queer therapy, makes some friends, and James has a sexual awakening

holding all this love out here in the hall by calamitoustide James is dating Remus AND Regulus but feels like he should not mix them together? Turns out he shouldn't have worried. Love me a good QPR in a polycule

The telephone box by LadyOlive (Leoberry), Leoberry regulus calls for help

Let the Light In by calamitoustide for malakiwis JAmes is in love with the idea of love; this is him realising he's aroace, ft aroace Regulus' insights who's a tiny little ahead in figuring things out.

Best Part of Waking Up by starling011, TemieTem They fuck nasty (Sirius/Regulus and later +Remus) but there's also a lot of plot chapters

should've been a cowboy by calamitoustide James is horny for Regulus in cowboy stuff

aim for my heart (go for blood) by calamitoustide jegulus were in love, got married, had Harry,,, and then something went wrong and they fell apart and came to despise each other. After 9 years of living in 2 separate households, Harry devises an evil master plan how to get his dads back together. things got worse before they get better.

All the Fools Sailed Away by enbysiriusblack Peter is playing 5D chess with the war and I kinda adore him? Jegulily

sunset in the maze by damagecontrol jegulus sexy times

Past Zero Hour by anonymsly CURSE BREAKER REGULUS! THE RISKS HE TAKES ARE CALCULATED BUT BOY, IS HE BAD AT MATH!!! ♥♥♥♥♥

Little Star (How I Love You Like I Shouldn't) by fairies_withspirits they fuck nasty

Little Star (How I Love You In All The Wrong Ways) by fairies_withspirits they fuck nasty but in multichapter muggle au, with plots

I'll keep you safe by Fenrir13 werewolf regulus!!!

The Quest Of A Ginger Cat by Krummbein regulus is crookshanks...

What We Do Today by Moe64 a really good take on the "Marauders read HP books trope"

Wild World by Calypte band au! A lot of Regulus angst and lyrics, estabilished wolfstar and slowburn jegulus

Can we find the light by MusicDiva2003 James is straight up not having a good time

the golden king by maladaptivewriting once upon a time Regulus was in love with JAmes potter, so when the cave spits him out in 1991 looking 11 he rolls into hogwarts to keep an eye on harry.

Captain of the Waves and the Month of Death by Funkita Regulus haunts Grimmauld place, only Sirius can see him.

The fire is swell by Funkita regulus is straight up not having a good time, goes suicidal

The water will drown by Funkita regulus is still straight up not having a good time but this time he has Cardacor Deadborn in his corner

Operation Walburga's Arbitrary No Kissing Ever Rule by courfee 10 things i hate about you Jegulus AU, the villains are Walburga nad miscommunication

I'm not tired (never of you) by thestarsforus Bartylus besties to lovers, somebody give Evan a hug

My Liege by lord_m0th Regul sis sent to assassinate james, accidentally saves his life instead. medieval au

[anotherwvba]

Road to the Women's Circuit pt. 2

Niki Binary, dressed in her workout gear, pounded away at the heavy bag in the WVBA Academy Gym. Her eyes, however, were glued to the boxing ring where Cutie Hondo danced around, her fists flying in a mesmerizing display of grace and speed. Cutie's coach, Piston Hurricane, held the pads for her, calling out combinations that she executed flawlessly.

The more Niki watched, the more her confidence waned. Cutie was a force of nature, her movements almost poetic in their fluidity. Niki felt a knot of intimidation tighten in her stomach. Doubt crept into her mind, affecting her punches. They felt weaker, less precise.

Suddenly, the heavy bag resisted her punch more than usual. She turned to find Piston Hondo, Cutie's brother and the Minor Circuit's #1 Contender, holding the bag for her. His eyes were filled with concern. "Daijōbu ka, Niki-san?"

Niki sighed, her gloves dropping to her sides. "I'm just... I've been a fan of the WVBA for... forever. Fighting here was a dream I never thought would come true, but now that it is, I'm scared. Especially when I see how amazing Cutie is. I can't help but think she's going to wipe the floor with me on Saturday."

Piston Hondo nodded, understanding the weight of her words. "Dreams are meant to be chased, not feared." He took hold of the heavy bag as a coach would, then called, "Jab!"

Niki threw a jab, her focus shifting to the bag and Piston Hondo's instructions. "Cross! Hook! Uppercut!" he called out. As he found Niki's style and rhythm, the Minor Circuit star began matching Niki's "digital dance".

Slowly, Niki's punches gained strength and speed. Soon the sound of her gloves against the bag filled the gym. She was so engrossed that she didn't notice the growing crowd of onlookers, their eyes widening in awe at the girl from I.T. that would soon take to the ring.

"Yosh! Finish strong, Tornado Hook!" Piston Hondo shouted.

Niki pivoted, her fist flying in a whirlwind motion, connecting with the bag in a satisfying thud, spinning the heavy bag loose from Piston's grasp.

"Sugoi, Niki! You're looking scary good!" Cutie called from the ring, her voice tinged with friendly encouragement. "Saturday is going to be so awesome!"

Piston Hondo smiled at her. "You see? You have nothing to fear. My sister is excited to fight you not because it will be easy, but because it will be a challenge. In Japan, we have a word—sessatakuma. It means rival, but it also means much more. It also means 'the one who improves me.' That's how Cutie sees you."

Niki felt a warmth spread through her, replacing the doubt that had plagued her. She bowed to the elder Hondo, "Thank you, Piston. I won't let you or Cutie down on Saturday."

Piston Hondo returned the gesture. "Don't let yourself down," he said, before heading toward the locker room.

As he approached the door, he found Viktor Von Kaiser, Niki's coach, waiting and watching. The German's eyes met his, and he nodded in gratitude. "Danke, Herr Hondo. My fighter needed that."

Piston Hondo smiled, his eyes drifting back to the gym where Niki was working the heavy bag with renewed vigor and Cutie continued on the pads like an artist at her easel. "The honor is mine. They are going to do something truly special."

And as the two men watched the two young boxers that would soon break ground as the first two women to fight in a WVBA ring, one thing was clear. History was not just in the making—it was inevitable.

[hirocimacruiser]

Legacy line final model test drive

The Yatabe test is a similar page! Also pay attention to the confrontation with NEW Caldina!

Happy yellow wagon

REPORT Jun Nemoto

A Legacy Touring Wagon that received the last Mai Chen. GT-B's 2-liter, flat 4 twin-cam 2-stage twin-turbo has the same powerful specs of 280 BB/354 m exclusively for 5MT, but the compression ratio is increased from 8.0 to 8.5 to strengthen low-mid speed torque. Both have improved fuel efficiency.

You can see that by actually running it. It is true that the torque in the practical driving range has increased, and the ease of handling when dropping to 2000 rpm or less in 2nd gear or higher has been improved, and the clutch pedal force has also been reduced.

In addition, the shift has been made into a short stroke, and you can get a direct feeling unique to a vertical mission. However, there may be aspects that I am not yet familiar with.

There is a slightly heavy and prying feel to the operation, and in that respect I thought the Impreza had a cleaner finish. The engine response itself has also been improved, and the feeling of rising sharply at high revs is especially wonderful. The room for cruising and the acceleration from there are just like the royal road of sports wagons.

However, it is possible to switch from driving in the city or on winding roads to driving in a sporty manner.

If you switch, you can enjoy a sharper response with the Impreza's single turbo when the turbo starts up. Even the Legacy is not at the same level, but it is certain that there is even more, and although the time lag of the twin turbo is exacerbated by the AT, the AT with 260 horsepower and more practicality is not unreasonable. You will enjoy it. Supported by a body with a high sense of rigidity, the Legacy, which expresses a high sense of ground contact and a high-quality response that runs all the way through, will not lose its appeal even if many rivals appear just in MT

In if you want to stick to the sportiness of

It is also true that Impreza is clearer.

Legacy is an advanced sports wagon

I think it's a mature form of N.

SPEC BOX TRANSLATION

Legacy Touring Wagon GT-B Limited

Length x Width x Height (mm)

4680×1695×1490

Wheelbase (mm)

2630

Vehicle weight (kg)

1430

engine type

EJ20/flat 4DOHC turbo

Total displacement (cc)

1994

Maximum output (ps/rpm)

280/6500

Maximum torque (kgm/rpm)

34.5/5000

10/15 mode fuel consumption (km/ℓ)

10.2

Suspension (F/R)

strut/strut

tire size

215/45R17

Price (10,000 yen)

294.8 (5 MT)