#this took me an hour to compile and then i got distracted by the audio drama extras i linked ghfjdfdhu

[everybodyhatesmiddleschool]

It has been six excruciating days since I was plunged into the Bridgerton fandom against my will.

I was minding my own business, watching YouTube compilations of the best kisses in TV history, when I unwittingly clicked on a video about Colin and Penelope, and I was immediately down so bad for them.

Let me be clear: Bridgerton was not part of my life before I clicked on that video. I wanted nothing to do with it; I had no intention of ever watching or reading that smut. And then, without warning, it swept in and took me in the night, much like Colin Bridgerton in the back of a carriage.

To say I have been lost in the sauce these past six days would be a gross understatement. The carriage scene is literally ruining my life. I haven’t gone to sleep before 1 a.m. since Sunday, and I have been over an hour late to work every day. Why? Because I cannot stop consuming that godforsaken scene — watching gifs of it over and over, reading y’all’s hilarious takes and memes about it, watching it with the audio descriptions turned on (🥵), watching it with the music removed (🥵🥵), watching Luke and Nicola on their press tour, watching, watching, watching.

Have I started actually watching season 1 of the show? Of course. Did I check out the large-print version of the first book from the library since it was the only copy available? You bet. But I do not care about these other characters and storylines. I want it to be Colin and Penelope on the screen and the page in every sentence and every scene.

And either fortunately or unfortunately, I don’t even have to be looking at a screen to be distracted by them — my daydreaming has never been as maladaptive in my life as it has been this week. I can hardly think of one ten-minute stretch in the past six days in which some imaginary scenario has not been taking over my brain. I want to be part of their world so bad — not just Bridgerton, but Shondaland. As is the case for 90% of all of my daydreams, I want these actors to know I exist. I want them to look at me with just as much awe and love as I look at them. So I might be staring at my computer screen in my cubicle, but in my mind, I’m on a press tour of my own that intersects with theirs. (I’m never the desperate fan with no life in my dreams; my idols always see me as their equal). I might be driving my commute in my car, but in my mind, they’re congratulating me about my own novel being optioned by Netflix. I might be brushing my teeth in my bathroom, but in my mind, we’re laughing together on Graham Norton’s couch.

But Lord, here comes that freaking carriage scene once again, inserting itself into my mind (pun unavoidable). I cannot get over it. I’m so stuck there that I’ve found myself wearing shoes I don’t remember putting on, carrying coffee mugs I don’t remember putting in my bag, driving a speed limit I don’t remember agreeing to as acceptable. There is laundry that needs to be folded. Bills need to be paid. Emails need to be deleted en masse without reading. But I can’t find the door that will let me out of this damn carriage.

I had a conversation with myself two days ago about how we might be able to adapt to this new living situation. After a few temper tantrums, I finally said, “Girl, if you’re going to watch this scene 1,000 times, you have got to find a way to make it a constructive part of your life.” So I did what any rational adult would do: I started writing a scholarly paper about why it’s so powerful — not just for me but, according to the internet, for a lot of women. And I have every intention of writing an entire paper about this … if I can find the time. I’m just so busy right now with consuming this damn scene.

Was starting to write that article enough to satiate my obsession with this scene, with this show and these actors? Of course not. So this morning, I started writing a spicy scene of my own, featuring not Colin and Penelope but two other vaguely outlined characters who I’m sure I’ll give names and personalities to later. I was literally sitting in my cubicle, hunched over my planner, writing down snippets of sexiness in as small a print as possible in case someone walked up on me and looked over my shoulder without me noticing. And I’m not gonna lie: this shit’s good. I’ve never written smut before, because I’ve never had enough spice in my own life to feel like I’d be able to do it justice on paper. But that imagination of mine — she’s a freak. And my mind? My mind has moved way past the gutter. It is now in the outhouse. It’s in the slop with the pigs.

It should have come as no surprise, but as usual, the act of actually writing down the jumble of mess in my brain has had the effect of breaking some of the spell. I was also forced to focus on work because of looming deadlines, and I currently feel calmer than I have since Sunday. But I am truly living in fear of June 13. I cannot go through this again, and I know that I’m bound to, because I know that what’s been shown so far won’t hold a candle to what’s coming. And if I get down bad any further, I will be deep enough in the ground for this to become my final resting place. I’m not ready to be buried, but it feels inevitable.

But somehow, despite my own wants and fears, and despite the fact that we haven’t even been introduced yet to the bedroom where Colin and Penelope are sure to end up, I am somehow already lurking from behind the window curtains in the corner, peeking out at them doing the deed. I know what I hope I’ll see: based on the excerpt I’ve seen from the book, they will be in front of a mirror — expressly because Colin wants Penelope to see herself in full for the glorious goddess she is, and she will look at her sexy, bare self with just as much pride and love as we viewers behind the screen will (but probably with slightly less lust than Colin, who I pray will be very loud about how hot she is).

I am dreaming about this scene, but I dread it. Because if it’s as good as the carriage scene, I will immediately be re-enscripted and sent right back to the trenches where I spent the last six days. I’m excited, but I’m scared. And I’m afraid of getting lost in the woods again, because I know that if I do, I won’t want to be found.

[kanyniablue]

watched newsies (1992); thought i might’ve seen it as a kid but i didn’t remember it at all.

it’s bad.  did i like it?  i’m not sure.  i kinda want to watch it again just to figure out if i did or not.

if i’d watched it 100 times as an eight year old it’d probably be a comfort movie for me.  i didn’t dislike it and i can tell that because i actually watched all 2 hours of it plus the ‘blood drips on newsies square’ movie the cast made (i genuinely laughed a few times and there was overwhelming nostalgia for the stupid movies my friends & i made as kids...if ‘stupid kids making a stupid horror movie’ is something you’d find entertaining, watch that).  i did have to pause repeatedly just because the cringe was too strong, but like i said, i started it again and kept watching; i can’t say the same thing about movies i genuinely dislike.

i like the songs.  i love the choreography, even if at times the sudden musical numbers and crowd dances broke even my musical-theater-loving suspension of disbelief.  king of new york was my favorite part of the movie despite the fact it’s one of the most random scenes.

i was going to praise some of the child actors but actually a lot of them were in their late teens-mid 20s so that’s past my cutoff for “you did a good job buddy!  get yourself an ice cream cup.”  (there’s looking young for your age and then there’s being cursed by a witch to be forever trapped in the body of a 6th grader; max casella, blink twice if we need to destroy any amulets or chant some latin before we throw water on the old hag.)  the actual adults playing actual adults are the worst actors by far; if you just took their scenes and compiled them you’d have a so-bad-it’s-hilarious movie.  the love interest girl was clearly shoved in at the last minute to be Love Interest Girl and even she doesn’t seem to want to be there.

the story’s a hot mess but there’s so much going on that it distracts from how much is going on.  the historical accuracy isn’t.  i found it interesting that no one in 1899 Child Labor City asked whether child labor is itself unethical, both because a) there were real anti-child labor movements at the time yet the characters in this story very clearly weren’t against child labor, just pro-child laborers having rights, and b) it’s a disney movie made in 1992, you’d expect some Very Upstanding Citizen character to bring it up just to mention that of course disney knows it’s wrong to profit off child labor!!!ignore those sweatshops, hail mickey and pass the novelty coke cup.  (sudden thought:  if it came out a few years later there’d have been a newsies game on CD-ROM...)

the technical aspects of like...putting a movie together are just all over the place; the sets and costumes clearly had love put in them (santa fe was one of the points i had to stop bc the cringe was overpowering but in terms of background details/’the show in the character’s mind’ it’s wonderful) but the actual shots have terrible continuity throughout the whole movie (especially the crowd shots, but like, that’s at least understandable--what about details like whether someone has already got a pile of newspapers in their hands when there’s a newspaper strike going on and they are supposedly waiting to decide if they’re going to buy any papers or not?) and there’s several points where they just picked the worst angle (”sleeper!” and yet you can’t actually see the guy they’re talking about until the end of the next shot...) or they play the same visual in reverse/repeat the same audio/very clearly dub audio over someone who’s not speaking...

it didn’t need to be 2 hours long.  no further comment on that.

there were missed opportunities i feel for things like...which newspapers aren’t being boycotted?  (the fact the sun is publishing stories about the newspaper strike means that at least the newsboys for the sun aren’t striking, yeah?  so what does that mean for the kids who are going without pay because they usually sell the world; why don’t they switch publishers, is that not actually an option before the sun stops as well?)  are the customers complaining about not getting the papers they want?  are the printers getting paid less because there’s less demand?  what do the other child laborers think about the newsboys’ strike affecting them (obviously everybody shows up for a triumphant climactic crowd scene, but like, you could’ve had them ask some questions in the first place, and also why would pulitzer have any authority over the non-newspaper strikers?)  90% of these questions came from me trying to justify Love Interest Girl’s presence beyond just being Love Interest Girl:  her brothers are out of school selling newspapers to support the family but are now striking and not getting paid; she mentions that she works as well but we never get an opinion on workers’ rights from her; she only shows up to the strike because...Love Interest (technically she helps print the flyer at the end, although mostly it’s just her being in the same room as everyone else).

anyway.  i know this one has a rabid fanbase so i’m not even touching that tag.

[wangxiians]

i want to get into mdzs, but i have no idea where to start or in what order or even where! help?

ur asking the most chaotic mdzs consumer because i did everything out of order 😭 after watching cql i read the last 20 chapters of the novel, and then season 3 of the audio drama and THEN went back to read/listen from the start gfhdjfhdjshf. 

there’s pros and cons of every adaption and ppl have different tastes depending on if you prefer written, audio, or visual media so i’ll make an overly simplified list of pros and cons/where to access them (i’m guessing you’ve watched cql but in case you haven’t i’ll still include it in this list :3)

i’m not galaxy brained enough to write intricate meta about the differences of each adaption so bare with me 😭

novel  pros: the original material so it’s the truest form of mdzs, complete, very complex and enthralling plot about morality, not censored, covers really dark themes extremely well cons: the only complete english translation is occasionally a bit uncomfy to read (ignore the author’s notes lol), the author writes terrible sex scenes </3 where to read it: full english translation can be read here

donghua pros: IT’S SO PRETTY, like the animation studio’s style is breathtaking, also closely follows novel canon with some minor alterations due to censorship and time constraints, lwj’s voice actor is the same as cql! cons: it’s still incomplete, it can be a bit hard to follow in the beginning if u haven’t read the novel where to watch it: for free on the wetv app  or on youtube 

donghua q pros: it’s currently airing!!, it’s the cutest thing u will ever watch, they’re all 5 minute bonus stories, it’s adorable cons: there are none where to watch it: for free on the wetv app or on youtube

manhua pros: follows the novel almost identically except for the few times when censorship struck (the artist still gave us the kiss tho, bless them), weekly updates every monday morning!!, the chibi panels r always so cute cons: still ongoing and probably won’t be finished for a year or so, can be hard to follow if u haven’t read the novel, the official english translation is a bit awkward (fan translations r better but idk if there’s any up to date ones) where to read it: the original can be read here (only first 25 chaps r free), the official english translation can be read here for free but there’s also a paywall (as of rn chapters 1-99 r free)

audio drama pros: complete!!, follows the novel plot, extremely well produced!!, wwx’s voice actor is the same as cql!, has heaps of extras, everything about the production quality is just *chefs kiss*, the audio drama is so underrated as an adaption and idk why bc it’s so well done cons: it can be a bit strange at first to listen while reading subs (if u don’t understand chinese) but u get used to it, the fansubs can get a bit annoying during certain scenes  where to listen to it: the official version can be found on the missevan app (no subs and gotta pay), and all the fansubs can be found in this discord!, heaps of the extras r also on youtube bonus bc i love the audio drama: listen to this and also this extra.... it’s domestic asmr and what convinced me to listen to the ad properly 🥺

drama pros: completed very easy to get into, very pretty, probably the easiest version to get into for someone who hasn’t read cnovels before cons: it’s the adaption with the biggest plot changes (due to various forms of censorship) where to watch it: netflix (paid), wetv, viki, youtube (all free)

drama ~special edition~ pros: occasionally contains extra shots that didn’t make the original cut, the ending is edited differently just to spice things up cons: they condensed 50 episodes into 20, i still don’t understand the purpose of why it exists ????  where to watch it: wetv and youtube

is this list helpful in the slightest? probably not 😅 tldr; there’s a version for everyone no matter what your favourite medium is

[peace-coast-island]

Diary of a Junebug

Getting comfortable at the Cat-Nap Hotel

Back in Nekotown for a pit stop with Elara and AJ tagging along. They’re taking a two week long road trip so they’re gonna spend a couple days at the camp as one of their stops. The road trip was kinda spontaneous but it ended up working out as our camp was heading up to Maron Heights to see them perform in After Hours at the Opera.

Since I got tickets for the last night - the show was playing for a week - and AJ and Elara were gonna kick off their road trip the day after closing, we figured that it’ll make sense for us to travel together. So after the show, our camp headed back to Crescent Moon with AJ, Elara, Kat, and the gang instead of taking off on the road. It was going to be a super long drive and I wasn’t looking forward to that so that’s one less thing to worry about.

Also it was nice seeing Kat again as well as catch up with AJ, Elara, Micah, and Hawk. A lot has changed in Crescent Moon - and things are still a bit hectic but thankfully slowing down, allowing Kat and Elara to get a well deserved break every now and then. Hawk’s still as sweet as ever, geeking out about his latest inventions and just being a ball of sunshine. Micah’s definitely at least a couple inches taller than when I last saw him and while he’s gotten a bit more mature because of everything that’s happened, he’s still as mischievous as ever. 

Everyone in the BFF Squad is so wholesome, like they have no right to be like that! This is what happens when you put together a bunch of chaotic cinnamon rolls together - pure wholesomeness with big dumb gay energy. They’re actually five gays in a trench coat - two useless jock lesbians (Elara and AJ), two distinguished disaster bis (Kat and Hawk) and a baby troublemaker gay (Micah).

After Hours at the Opera was very good! I was surprised when Kat told me that AJ was playing the one of the leads alongside her dad. Truth be told, Kat, Micah, Elara, and Hawk chose After Hours at the Opera because AJ and Micah Sr. are the only ones capable of playing the lead roles without having to change the keys. AJ’s got a husky alto with a really wide vocal range while Micah Sr. had some background in musical theatre and is also a light tenor who can go up really high. 

Basically whoever’s playing Celinde needs to be able to easily sing super low and super high notes with ease and whoever’s playing Cordell needs to go up high as well as sing a super hard cadenza. So that’s how AJ and Micah Sr. ended up playing the leads and they were fantastic! It’s amazing how much they both improved since their auditions and rehearsal videos. Like they were good in the rehearsals but they needed a bit of a push as it was clear that they were playing it safe even though they can obviously go all out.

In AJ’s case she had no musical training background so according to Kat and Micah’s aunt, she was all over the place. Not sure exactly what she meant by “all over the place” but listening back to the rehearsal videos, there were some parts where AJ sounded like she wasn’t sure where she wanted to go. She had potential but didn’t know exactly how she wanted to utilize it. So Annie offered to give AJ singing lessons to help boost her confidence, which helped a lot. 

AJ put on a hell of a performance as Celinde. Her acting and singing were on fire! If I didn’t know her, I wouldn’t think that this was her first show. She definitely won’t admit it, but we’re sure that she enjoyed it a lot. Hopefully that won’t the last we see of her on stage.

As for Micah Sr., he had the chops, even after being out of practice for over twenty years. To everyone’s surprise there’s actually a few decent quality audios of shows he’s been in that are floating around. Hawk put together a compilation comparing how he sounded then and now, the most obvious difference being that his voice has darkened but he’s still able to sing in the whistle register - which is impressive. Because his voice is so light, back then he was taught to sing in a heavy vibrato as his lower range wasn’t as strong. Annie also had him undergo training as he doesn’t sound exactly like he did twenty years ago and it paid off too. 

The rest of the cast was fantastic as well! Kat played the Countess, the character who sets the story in motion. Micah, Elara, and Hawk were Teddy, Mara, and Thomas, three dancers who are intrigued by the mystery of the infamous countess after falling victim to her schemes. It was also nice to see Chip as Andre, the new manager who doesn’t know what’s going on half the time, and Elaina as Christina, no-nonsense the head of the theatre.

So the story’s about this dancer named Celinde who befriends Cordell, a stagehand who’s surprisingly chummy with Christina. While preparing for a show, strange things happen, prompting the dancers to blame it on the Countess’s ghost. The mystery of the Countess and her untimely death is a well known story based on something that happened at the opera years ago. Celinde suspects that Cordell may know more than he’s led her to believe so she begins poking around.

Then shenanigans happen as Celinde finds herself wrapped up in the Countess’s schemes in terrorizing the dancers. She learns that Cordell sort of acts as an accomplice but he too doesn’t know much about the ghost who haunts the opera. While keeping the Countess company, Celinde and Cordell investigate the past. Of course, they find some skeletons along the way, some which have to do with Cordell’s past that he tried to avoid. 

If I had to choose, the strongest thing about the show is the friendship between Celinde and Cordell. The actors are the ones who make or break it and AJ and Micah Sr. really knocked it out of the park! AJ’s a spunky and inquisitive Celinde who plays off well with Micah Sr.’s reserved and head-in-the-clouds Cordell. 

There’s also side plots involving Andre not fully realizing what he signed up for when he became manager, Christina worrying about Cordell, and the Countess messing with the dancers.

Kat made the right call when it came to the two leads. Not only they were amazing singers, they also have great chemistry. It’s hard to believe that AJ was intimidated by Micah Sr. at first because of his status but then she (and the others) realize that he’s a lot like Kat. So he’s a powerful badass who has the ability to incinerate you if you mess with his kids but he’s also a goofball who takes care of everyone. Both have gone through a lot of shit - much like everyone else in the gang - so that was something they were able to initially find common ground in.

AJ wasn’t exaggerating when she said it’s like there’s two Kats now. The minute I met her dad it’s like yup, they’re totally related. It’s interesting how much Kat and Micah take after their dad even though he was missing for most of their lives as Kat was so young and Micah wasn’t even born when he disappeared. It’s so sweet seeing the three of them together but also sad because Evangelina’s not there with them. 

After spending a fun night at the castle where things totally didn’t get out of hand and Elara did not manage to get a sword or two stuck in the ceiling. Just a bunch of pure, wholesome late night shenanigans.

Then this morning Kat gave us a tour around the castle grounds and village. There’s still a lot of reconstruction going on but they’re in the early stages of wrapping up. A lot of other places in the district are at the same stage. At the center of town square will be memorial for those who lost their lives in the rebellion so when that’s finished, there’ll be an unveiling ceremony.

We took off around noon and spent several hours on the road before stopping by Nekotown for the night. By luck, we managed to snag a reservation at the Cat-Fe for a late night dinner as it’s less busy around that time so the wait wasn’t as long. The food’s still as amazing as ever and there’s no better way to introduce Elara and AJ to Nekotown than by dining out at their most famous restaurant! Also, it was super cute seeing them get distracted by the cuteness and the kitties.

Spending half the day on the road makes your energy levels off so we spent a couple hours walking the streets of Nekotown shopping, sightseeing, and catching up with some friends. We didn’t expect it to get so late so soon but we had a good time stretching out legs and taking the time to enjoy our surroundings. 

I’ve never seen Elara and AJ so relaxed as well as being so cute and openly affectionate. Even after everything they’ve been through, after their complicated history together, they’re proof that there’s still hope that things can and will get better. With the past finally behind them and their future slowly coming together, I know that they’re gonna be all right. 

The Cat-Nap Hotel is just as comfy and cozy as the reviews said it was. This was exactly what I needed after being in an RV for so long! I’m definitely gonna get a good night’s sleep in this bed. Also the furniture is so cute, like just being in this room makes me feel all cutesy and happy. I wonder if Rover and/or Katie helped with the room designs. I know a bunch of cat villagers who would totally dig this hotel - too bad I can’t invite all of them or else the entire place would be booked for a very long time.

There’s still so much of Nekotown that I hadn’t explored yet and just when I thought I saw everything, there’s more to see. Good thing we’re not taking off the road until tomorrow evening so that means we have more time to enjoy Nekotown. 

Next time we stay at the Cat-Nap Hotel, we’re gonna spend at least a couple days there. As much as I’m looking forward for the next few days, I don’t think one night is enough to spend at such a cute and cozy hotel!

[theareya]

do the even numbers for the vg ask binch

BINCH

Video Game Asks!

2. A game that has influenced you creatively? Writing, drawing, etc.answered!

4. Who do you play with now?Who? Like my friends? Mostly the same people I played with when I was a kid, but now they’ve grown up into ripe gaming fruits. And some new friends who I met through love of video games  *stares directly into camera*

6. Ever buy strategy guides?No. I’d rather spend money on the game itself. I see the pretty art books often and wonder though…

8. Rarest/Most expensive game in your collection?uH. What? Rarest? I don’t have any of those classic games that are worth a fortune now. Most expensive was probably the Dishonored 2 bundle that I bought because I wanted Corvo’s mask super bad

10. Ever go to a midnight game release or stand in line for hours?

I have not! I usually pre-order using the internet and try to distract myself until I can feel the game with my fingers

12. Ever get picked on for liking games?Wheeeen I was younger, yes. I stopped playing for a little while, even though I was not any good at the time anyway. I didn’t pick it back up again until the middle of high school when I stopped caring.

14. Favorite game music?I… really like the Journey and Undertale Soundtrack. However, Kingdom Hearts and Nier: a tomato have been my… main music go-tos .In fact, I’m listening to the Nier ost right now.

16. Favorite game to play with your friends IRL?Answered!

18. Would you date someone that hates gaming?No. Bitch. Worst-case scenario they “tolerate” it. Just kidding, NO that’s impossible. Worst case is they’re indifferent. And in that case, they’d have to be pretty darn spectacular. Like they own Disneyland spectacular. Trust me. 

20. Game that you know like the back of your hand?BIOSHOCK. I can tell you where every audio diary is. And every ridiculous jump scare. I also could say the same about Nier, but that’s a little too recent, so the obsession is still fresh.

22. Do you wear game related clothing/accessories?I have a Fallout t-shirt, Kingdom Hearts Sweater, some lovely Nier pins, and a 2B phone charm accessory. I love game merch, I just am a bit picky on which ones I wear.

24. First Pokemon game?It was actually Yellow. I never got Red and/or Blue.

26. Ever form any gaming rivalries?I don’t like those, but literally Pokemon Go sets them up by making you pick teams and publicly fight the other teams down.

28. Ever play in a tournament?nOpe I’m not that good. I watch a lot of tournaments though.

30. How many consoles do you own?Uhh, since forever? I would say 8. However, the only active ones right now are my ps4 and Switch. Everything else is stored away in the closet or was given away.

32. Did you ever play a game based on your favorite show/cartoon/movie/comic?Not. Really. No. I don’t really love those. One time I got Narnia as a gift and cried at how bad it was. And then there was Shrek Party?? Which was a depressing version of Mario party, but with Shrek characters. I liked it… actually. If it were done well, maybe?  

34. Do either of your parents play video games?My mother plays pokemon go and is level 40, which is higher than me. And it’s kind of made her more open to the idea of playing video games. But my mom knows the basics of certain video games enough to not get mad at me when I tell her I can’t pause. 

36. Have you ever shed actual blood, sweat or tears over a game?I have cried over a few video games. Not full on crying, but my eyes will water and that’s pretty wild. Sweat is all over my controllers. I clutch them so hard. I was also very emotionally compromised over The Last of Us, but it was mostly internal.

oHH! One time I was playing Battleborn and got a nosebleed, but I’m pretty sure that was on account of the weather and not the game. 

38. A game you’re ashamed to admit that you like?I have no shame at all whatsoever in any game that I like. I guess Fable, 2 and 3 were absolutely awful according to everyone, but I thought they were alright, mostly because it made me think of the first game.

40. What to you think of virtual reality headsets or motion controls?I think they’re fun! But am sad that they probably won’t be able to reach their full potential in my house.

42. Maybe it wasn’t your first game, but what was the game that started you on your path to nerdiness?…Bioshock tbh. That was the first game I legitimately played after stopping gaming for an awfully long time. The one that started it all. Kingdom Hearts and Bioshock. Two completely different games. 

44. Arcade machine that has consumed the most of your quarters?I never really played arcade games? Soul Calibur? DDR??

46. Do you like relaxing games like Animal Crossing or Harvest Moon?YES THOSE ARE LIKE MY FAVORITE TYPES OF GAMES!!??!? I can seduce Harvest Moon characters all the ding dang day. And I can fish for hours. Fishing mechanics are vital in every game. 

48. How long does it take your to customize your player character?84 years. In all honestly, it can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour depending on the options that are available. Dragon Age took so… so long. Basically any game with the objective of making your character look cooler is… dEATH

50. If you were a game designer, what masterpiece would you create?Answered!

52. A game that you begged your parents for as a kid?Pokemon Y

54. Do you give in to Steam sales?I use my friend’s steam and he has like 2000 dollars worth of games, so I’d say he definitely does.

56. Did you ever play Roller Coaster Tycoon and kill off your guests?I never played that game, but I remember quality video compilations of that.

58. If you can only play 3 games for the rest of your life, which ones do you pick?Answered!

60. Do you know the Konami Code?It’s like a bunch of directional buttons, but idk which ones.

62. Ever buy a console specifically to play one game?I bought a gosh darn PS3 like 10 years ago because I thought KH3 was going to come out for that. Now here with are the PS4 pro and KH3 will be out in a year.

64. Ever make a TV or monitor purchase based on what would be best for gaming?I have! Or I mean it was a family TV anyways, but I sneakily snuck in a question or two about gaming quality and the guy hooked me up.

66. Did you ever have have an old Nokia with Snake on it?No. I didn’t have a legit cellphone until after high school.

68. Ever save up a ton of tickets in an arcade to get something cool?LOL no I’m so bad at those, I spend all my tickets immediately on the dumbest thing I can find like those finger traps.

70. Very first game you ever beat? I want to say Fable. As a kid I didn’t know what a memory card was and sort of assumed you had to start over every single time.

[machinakrp]

>> OPEN RO RIN’S FILE …

:// AGE — 28 :// OCCUPATION — radio host / dj :// CLASS —elysium native

>> LOADING DEVELOPMENT …

:// MAGIC —  

rin’s magic is subtle, almost to the point of not recognizing it’s there. especially when compared to the techno-magic giants that take up residence in elysium. it’s something that fits almost like a trait to a virtuoso. a way that brings clarity to the technological. not how to make thinks, to tinker or invent. but to understand the frequencies of it, the shift and numbers of code. how everything can compile into the formation of something real. and then, how to remodel it. how to slip secret between gaps of spaces. how to rewrite and remold. she uses it to help slip coded messages into the radio programming, altering the melody of the music, sidestepping security protocols if need be. recently, she’s been trying to see if she can manipulate in-progress radio frequencies as well, but it’s a work in progress.

:// MODIFICATIONS —

at the base of her skull is a thin metal chip, pulled free and it reveals the deck that rin’s had put in that houses most of her modifications, the majority which had to do with technological warping rather than enhancements. inside there is–

an implanted frequency scanner; it can roam for radio frequencies and allows her to tune into them.at first glance, and due to her profession, entirely legal. it lets her step away from her station if need be while still being in slight control. the backdoor modification, though? entirely illegal. it lets her pick up on police frequencies, something she had done in order to help her political motivations as far as working with the revolutionary efforts and keeping her interests safe.

a scrambler; it can be used to scramble coded messages meant for people with a crack to the code. it’s usually used as a means to communicate with ares or others working closely with the revolution. in addition, it can be used to distort radio transmissions before they reach the end of their path. it’s useful mostly when trying to stay a step ahead of the police.

a memory bank; a place to store information that needs to be used. is locked and set to factory reset if someone tries to break into it without her passwords.

in addition, she has a few mods that look like helix piercings that can be used to record audio. she usually uses them for music, and will stream the file to her memory bank to work into a higher quality audio file later. another set that look like daith piercings which can be used to modify sound waves, either to make them softer or louder so as not to damage the eardrums, or else to make things audible.

>> LOADING BIOGRAPHY …

you’re listening to elyisum in the morning, the pollution for the day is at 98% so be sure to bring a mask with you to work. today on the show we’re having a chat with our very own police chief, here to weigh in on the riots that have been springing up around the city–

the radio’s clicked off with a bitten-down nail. silence envelopes the room, or it should. voices rise up after. a dissonance of white noise outside the window. bent bars line it, but that’s normal. a semi-basement apartment, and it gives rin a constant soundtrack of the world around them. it’s a bleak genre.

the radio’s clicked back on.

– and what do you really think the cause is behind these protests? … thank you for having me. realistically speaking, these people are asking for too much. they have jobs and entertainment. if they pay their bills they have access to water and places to live. what are the people at the top supposed to do here? just give away what belongs to them? how is that fair either?

clicked off.

rin’s a child, but she still internalizes a raw sort of anger for this man. for those people on top. she envisions them like monsters with razor-sharp teeth and a predisposition for destruction. she lives with her aunt. her aunt’s too young to be her mother; but that’s what family is for, or the scraps of a family. there’s a drunken holler, and a crack of what might be a fist to brick, or jaw, or bone, outside the window. she hunches her shoulders, swivels her finger.

clicked on.

– at this point the safest option is to put these revolts down. they’re violent and threaten our society. do we want all this violence? these people are saying we’re threatening their way of life, their families. but isn’t that exactly what they’re doing? we need to get ahead of it in order to keep the peace. here. in the end, it’s a misguided, radicalized group of people. they have no room in our city–

and off.

rin likes the voices hiding in the radio. most of them, anyway. turns them into friends. she finds channels that she leaves on like a pleasant thrum, background noise to the slideshow of her life growing up. she takes to music, and ripping songs to play back. to keep her company. her aunt works, and has her own friends to take up her time. rin knows she wasn’t part of the plan, it’s hard to hold something like that against a person.

she should be with her parents. but they’d been the sort of radical, misguided people that the police force didn’t get along with. the kind who were willing to steal information and resources from those a tier above them, backdoor ushering code and accounts to off-site locations from their programming jobs. rin very well came away with the technological talents from her parents. but they weren’t around to teach her how to put them to good use.

maybe they’re in prison. maybe they’re dead. at this point, it doesn’t matter which. it’s all the same.

and we’re back. i’m your host siren. we’re going to be throwing on a really great playlist from some up and coming musicians in the next hour. before we get to it, we’re going to be giving away a set of concert tickets to one lucky caller. and we’re getting them put through now, yes - hello, what’s your name? congratulations rin!

rerouting radio and call frequencies are rin’s humble beginnings. she throws herself into the music scene when she’s old enough to start craving a home. she takes to the bass and wastes her time hopping from bands – bad to worse. but the point was never to get famous. it was to create music and noise. to trade time for the madness of the hard-party scene. it stretches through her teen years. time chopped up between the classes she enjoys at school, and those she skips. she manages a nice enough attendance record that she’s able to graduate, and maybe that’s what gives her the edge when she applies to jobs. gets picked up as an intern for a radio show after a string of not-too-great promotional club gigs.

welcome back! today we have an interesting topic. we’re going to be weighing in on the entertainment scene. it seems like nowadays…well, it’s just the peak, isn’t it? of human culture? that’s what it seems like to me - do you agree? we just have so much going on. virtual reality, holographics, all of these intense experiences. you can really just do anything, can’t you? and i hear there’s some new phone tech coming out that’s just going to blow your mind-

off.

rin trades it out for techno-metal music blasted too loud. she’s building a grudge against society. there’s too many distractions, and she leans harder into her own preferences. she likes music, and she likes radio. she hates the flashing-bright-lights that float around the streets and project her so-called desires. maybe it was fated, her distaste for the political climate. her subsequent involvement into the efforts of those looking to change it. she hates the exploitation of it all. the way the government seems intent to put down differing ideologies.

hello to all our new listeners. it’s iris. before we get started with some new music, i want to tell you all a story–

she has a nice voice. that’s what got her foot in the door. and it started off small, took years for rin to advance her way up into being the host to her own radio show. for a while, things were normal for her. before she started to give more of herself over to the efforts against the government. before she started lending out airtime on her show as a hidden mouthpiece. before she started to lose meaning in the chaotic way of life in elysium. rin lets herself descend into anger and fury. hides behind an unseen mask of iris, a soothing voice that keeps you company late at night. and she likes that. keeping herself hidden away. more cutthroat and cunning than most would imagine. has been letting that fire build and burn within her for years. until she’s red with the rage of it.

in the grand scheme of things, she doesn’t matter. just the cause.

it’s worth the risk.