#WHAT A GREAT START TO THE DAY. EPIC AND AWESOME

[missingn000]

GUYS I JUST GOT INTO CAMBRIDGE FOR MY PHD

#AAAAAHHHHHH I AM SO????????? #I INTERVIEWED LAST WEEK AND DIDNT POST ABOUT IT BECAUSE I DIDNT WANT TO SAY ANYTHING BEFORE I KNEW DFGHJKL #THIS IS SO EXCITING I AM SO HAPPY #it's technically a masters program because you cant apply directly to their phd. oh semantics <3 #but in my interview i told my potential advisor (WHO IS SO COOL AND WE CLICKED SO WELL) that my intention is a phd and he said he would #support me #so if i go and like it i'll probably stay :D #it was wild he actually told me in the interview that he was confident i'd get in and wanted to work with me?? i was floored because that #does NOT happen lol #PUMPING MY FIST IN THE AIR AND JUMPING UP AND DOWN #WHAT A GREAT START TO THE DAY. EPIC AND AWESOME #YAAAAAAAYYYY

[greenorangevioletgrass]

fever pitch (b.b) - prologue

soundtrack: mastermind - taylor swift pairing: footballer!bradley x popstar!reader synopsis: Bradley shoots his shot in public, but will he fumble when he meets you in person? warnings: language, drinking, meet cute notes: my first series in a while! this is shamelessly based on the epic Taylor Swift/Travis Kelce saga currently happening rn, and combine that with my innate love of football (the kicking kind, not the NFL kind) and... voila! I hope you enjoy this. Let me know what you think in the comments, reblogs, and asks. Happy reading! <3 ✨I do not have a taglist. Please follow @ficsbygreenorangevioletgrass and turn on the notification to get the latest update on my fics✨

Soccer Sensation Bradley Bradshaw Fails To Shoot His Shoot With Y/N At Her Concert?

Arsenal captain Bradley Bradshaw may be among his club’s top scorers this season, but even he misses a chance in romance like the rest of us.

The 29-year-old athlete spoke about his missed opportunity with the multi-platinum songstress Y/N while speaking to his former teammate Héctor Bellerín on the latter’s podcast, “More Than A Footballer”, earlier this week.

When asked about any fun stuff he did last weekend, Bradshaw replied,

“I went to the Y/N concert at Wembley [Stadium]... it was awesome. It was pouring rain, but it was amazing. I don’t remember Wembley ever being that electric aside from, like, cup finals. She was sensational.”

Bellerín nods in agreement, having heard great things about the famed singer-songwriter’s live concerts.

Unprompted, the American midfielder then continued,

“If you’ve heard about the tour, there’s this tradition of trading friendship bracelets. And I actually made one with my number on it, hoping I could give it to her after the show…”

The Cockney-raised Spaniard cackled in surprise and teased him, “But she didn’t wanna see you, bruv? [That is] legend!”

“No hard feelings!” Bradshaw raised his hands in defense over the Zoom call. “She needed to dry off and get warm. Gotta make sure she stays healthy, protect those vocal cords. But yeah, I was a bit bummed out about it.”

Bellerín laughed and jokingly addressed the camera, “Y/N, if you’re watching, give my boy a chance, will you?”

Mononymous pop sensation Y/N is hot off of her Kaleidoscope North American Tour, which wrapped in September. Her six-show run at Wembley Stadium this November officially kicks off the European leg of her sold-out tour. 

Will they be the next pop royalty and conquer the stadiums with their own crafts, or will this fizzle out as this week’s viral anecdote? The ball is in your court, Y/N.

Y/N’s representatives have not responded for comment.

***

Your Miu Miu heels click and clack against the ground. The pavement gleams after the rain and glistens under the streetlights. Everywhere you look, your eyes hurt. Down, and you worry about slipping into a puddle and falling on your ass. Forward, and a million camera flashes are ready to give you an aneurysm.

All in the name of reporting your night off of work, performing live in front of 90,000 people in a stadium.

In other words, all in a day’s work.

There’s a moment of reprieve, when the silvery white blitzes disappear into the dim tangerine lighting of the lobby. The flight down the stairs is so dark, you’re seeing green. It takes your eyes a moment to adjust, but as soon as they do, the thumping bass line of some dance music hits your ears. Clashing perfumes doused on the dancing, dressed-up bodies that you have to weave through.

You are seriously regretting your girl friends’ invite to a night out. You could’ve just had them over to your hotel, open a bunch of red wine, and you would’ve still had a blast. But no. You had to say yes to going to the Cuckoo Club with Lacey, Amara, and Jo.

And this evening is making you feel quite cuckoo.

There’s champagne at your booth and you’re much too eager to take a glass and start a toast. “Cheers, bitches!” you yell over the music, clinking your glass against theirs before downing the whole thing in one go.

It’s nowhere near enough.

There’s not enough buzz to dull the assault to your senses—not even after the three glasses of wine at dinner earlier. Everything is still too loud, too bright, too crowded, too… much.

“Hey!” you nudge Amara, who is sitting right next to you. “Let’s do shots!”

She turns to you, eyes widening at the slightest. “I thought you wanted to take it easy tonight!” 

“Changed my mind,” you shrug, as you get up to the bar.

While you make your way through the crowd on the dance floor, Bradley Bradshaw looks up from his booth and does a double-take at the girl who just walked by. Even in a high-end club full of the well-dressed and well-heeled, people still get starstruck. And why wouldn’t they? You’re about as famous as an iPhone. 

His eyes widen and immediately whips out his phone to shoot a text to his oldest and most trusted friend Natasha Trace.

‘Dude, I’m in the club and Y/N just walked in. What do I do??’

Natasha thankfully texts back almost immediately. Then again, maybe being a Communications Director for a major company requires her to be a good texter. ‘Wdym what do you do? Just go talk to her.’

‘You were supposed to introduce us!’ Bradley replies, eyes darting between his phone and you at the bar, conflicted.

Natasha is a mutual friend of yours, too, and when the Bracelet-gate clip went viral, she laughed in his face for a full 5 minutes before deciding to set the two of you up. But the schedule never really aligned, so he hasn’t got a chance to see you. Not even after he went to your concert with a friendship bracelet and a dream.

And now, seeing you here in the same room at the same time as him…

‘What do you want me to do, get down there and do it for you?’

‘...Can you?’

He senses the judgment even as the three dots appear on his screen. 

‘Stop being a pussy, Bradshaw. Let me Netflix and chill with my gf in peace.’

Bradley scoffs, half-annoyed and half-fond. ‘Asshole. Have fun.’

The dance floor clears up, just enough to see that you’re right there. Leaning against the bar in your dress like a dirty daydream, talking to the bartender, and he couldn’t just let you go without a word. He thought about it, and he simply couldn’t.

“Oi, where are you off to?” His teammate Martin hollers, while the others watch him make his way to the bar in determined strides.

He squeezes past patrons across this jungle of a club, hoping to God that somebody hasn’t beaten him to talk to you yet, or you haven’t ducked out completely. Oh fuck. You’re still there, though. Good. You’re still at the bar, still glimmering under the mirrorball. Just a tap on the shoulder away. You can do it, Bradshaw…

“Excuse me, I—”

You feel the hand on your shoulder just as you turn and stand up, and in a flurry of miscoordination, looks up just as the other person moves in.

In a stroke of dumb luck, Bradley feels the top of your head slamming up against his nose and he groans in pain. “Ohh!”

“Shit! Oh my God…” you gasp, reaching out to the man in front of you. He’s tall, very tall, and you can’t quite see his face with his massive hand clutching his nose. “I’m so sorry…”

“No, it’s okay. My bad…” It really doesn’t seem like it, so he lets go of his nose and smiles sheepishly. Gosh, he must’ve looked stupid right now.

But you see it differently. What you see is a dashing man in a sleek tieless navy suit and a well-groomed mustache, straight out of a Cinemascope flick, ever so handsome despite his reddened nose from the way you just accidentally headbutted him. “No, that was totally mine. Are you okay?”

Your eyes are crystal clear even in the dim light, the concern is palpable in your gaze—and rightly so. It’s just that he’d take the headbutt any day, if it means he can look at your beautiful face. “I’m… I’m swell. Y/N, right?”

There’s a shift in your gaze. First, alert—you’re assessing how much of a potential threat this person is, whether they’re gonna be weird about you— and then it relaxes. Not a threat. Then a slightest hint of mischief, like she wants to know what kind of dynamics they would have. “Have we met?”

And boy, can he.

“We haven’t, actually. But I went to your show at Wembley earlier this week. You were amazing.” He offers a handshake. “Bradley Bradshaw.”

You didn’t quite catch his name over the blaring music, although you shake his hand anyway. “Sorry?” 

He leans into your ear, “I’m Bradley Bradshaw.”

You don’t know which one makes your heart skip, the sudden close proximity, the warmth of his timbre, or the whiff of his perfume.

“Right. Nice to meet you, Bradley Bradshaw.” You accept his handshake, hoping he doesn’t see how flustered you are in the strobing purple light.

“Likewise.” He nods with a smile. “And may I just say… you look stunning.”

“What, this old thing?” You brush down the art nouveau-inspired Balmain dress on your body. You’re just being modest, of course; you know you’re dressed to the nines. You have never been much into facial hair, but somehow that mustache suits him very well. “You don’t look so bad yourself. You remind me of a… young Robert Mitchum. Or Paul Newman— or one of those Golden Age leading men.”

His face lights up. It’s hardly the first time he received that kind of compliment, but when it came from you, it feels… different. It feels special. It makes him just a little bolder. “Yeah? Maybe after a few drinks, I’ll be quoting lines from Butch Cassidy. Or would you prefer Cat On A Hot Tin Roof?”

This piques your interest. A man of culture, it seems. But of course, you can’t be too sure. “I’m more of a Paris Blues kinda gal, I’m afraid.”

Gosh, you don’t swoon so easily and he likes you so much for that. “Makes sense.”

“How so?”

“It’s a good underrated musical movie, for the musically gifted… And Sidney Poitier was just fantastic in that.”

“Huh.” You raise your eyebrows. You honestly thought he was just spouting the famous titles. But the fact that he has likely seen this hidden gem might just mean he’s really into it. “Aren’t you full of surprises.”

He leans in to speak in your ear yet again. “If you stick with me for a bit, I might show you another surprise or two.”

The music drowns out your racing heart just barely, and the bartender places a whole set of tequila shots on the bar top, and it snaps you out of your reverie for a moment. 

“Wanna get some air?”

He seems surprised, but of course he wasn’t gonna throw away this shot. “Sure. Why not?”

You instruct the bartender to send the shots to your booth, not even spending ten seconds to ponder staying in this deafening hell hole. Not when this man looks like peace. Perhaps an undercurrent of mystery underneath, but his whole demeanor is as calm and comforting as those old-school movies you put on to fall asleep. At the same time, something about this person pulls you in, it’s almost magnetic, and you can’t help wanting to see this through.

#bradley bradshaw #bradley bradshaw imagine #bradley bradshaw fic #bradley bradshaw x reader #bradley bradshaw fluff #footballer!bradley #footballer!bradley x popstar!reader #top gun imagine #top gun au #ava writes #fever pitch

[ofblackskies]

So this blog has hit 1'000 followers recently, and that gives me all sorts of warm fuzzies about all the people I've met along the way. The ones I talk to every day, the ones I've fallen out of touch with or who are no longer a part of the community, and the ones I keep on my dash even though we never speak. This blog is one of my safe spaces and that's primarily because of all the amazing people I keep around. So I figured this was the perfect time to give all y'all a little extra love.

My ride or dies here, my hoes before bros, the loves of my life, these are the people who make every day on here worth it. These are the people I hope I never ever lose contact with - and if I do it's their fault and they deserve to be punished for it tbh.

@devilsanddarlings - Chrissy and I have been friends for 12 years both on and off of tumblr, but more importantly before tumblr and after tumblr. I have no doubt in my mind that we'll be friends until the end of time. I would trust you with my passwords, but I would also trust you with my life, and I do trust you with all my secrets. You've been with me through the epic highs and lows of high school football everything, and if we ever lose touch it'll be because I'm dead. And even then? I'mma haunt your ass. So be ready.

@acourtcfmuses - Alana! You and I are going on 8 years knowing each other, and you're so awesome. You're one of my oldest friends from this hellsite, and the only one who's really active anymore. And when I say active, I mean active. Nobody has more characters than you. I've finally broken 100 and I'm still nowhere near being able to be in the same race! Not only that, but you do so well with all your canons, and your ocs are all so well put together. Thank you for always being around when I need you - even if we are on completely different time lines, you always reply when you can and that means a lot.

@hellgiven - Charli, you're one of the few people that I would follow to any blog they made. I don't care what the fandom is, I don't care who the character is, so long as it's you writing them, I know it will be good and I know that we'll find a fun pairing to write! I tell you things I don't tell hardly anyone, and you let me bitch when I need to but you don't ever take it to heart, and I love that. I love you &lt;3

@snnydcys - Lumi, I know I give most of my attention when it comes to our friendship to Channy, and I know I'm terrible at getting to replies in a timely manner - but Channy deserves the attention, and you never bully me about how slow I can be. You've adapted Sonny into this multi-fandom baddie, and you did it in such an organic way that I could never have imagined could be done with a Disney character. I'm always so impressed by the way you've made her fit everywhere. And I promise I will get to doing other things with your other characters. I promise.

@carp3diems - Bluejayyyyy! First of all, obligatory mention of the soulmates: Cal and Del are everything and I swear any time I go to write a reply for him that isn't for her, he's in my head whinging and asking where she is. The fact that I have an oc who's so obsessed with yours is honestly such a vibe because I too, am obsessed with you. You're a great friend, and you only pressure me to write when I explicitly ask you to - which is exactly what I need sometimes. I'm a sucker for all of our little ships and plots and dynamics, even the ones that we're just getting started, and I adore youuuu.

@unitcd - Fabian, we share a love of Jeremiah and a hatred on Conrad, and them there could be fighting words to a lot of people, but we get along so well! Even without that basis, I think we would have become friends eventually, and I'm really glad we did! Even if I'm terrible and don't reply fast enough.

These are the blogs I follow that either I don't write with much, or just haven't had the chance to get out of that 'new follower' stalking vibe with yet! This is also where I'm sticking those people I just don't talk with much ooc (at least not on a daily basis) but I still love so much! I adore you all, and thank you for making my experience on the dash so awesome, it wouldn't be this good without being able to read your threads

@unbearablyindifferent / @tobeblamed / @seesgood / @klaeus / @salvatoraes / @stanfordprepped / @tvintedspvrk / @fcntasyadvcnturc / @localsalt / @takeflight / @lcvelj / @lcveblossomed / @fuckedprophet / @inspotlight / @gunchamber / @benbraeden / @sunsymbols / @malka-lisitsa / @rhaegore / @stcllla / @shesdaylight / @cruelprincae / @sarcasticsnackpack / @saltzitivo (!!! I would say a lot more about you but you know. We don't do a lot here on tumblr anymore, but Hallie is one of my absolute favorite people on the planet alwaysss, my aussie sister <3)

@thcdarlingboy - Blair isn't active right now, but she will forever be one of my favorite people I've ever met on this hellsite. Every day I hope she comes back to throw her characters at me, and because I think of her on such a frequent basis, she deserved an honorable mention on this list despite the fact that her blog hasn't been active since 2020. Blairbear, if you do pop on at any point in time and see this, I want you to know that I love you and I miss you &lt;3

Now, if you've gotten through all of that and made it all the way down here, you deserve something special. So anyone who reblogs either this post or my promo by this time next week will get entered to win some sort of graphics prize. We can chat about what you want if you win, but the realm of options is anything from base icons, to a promo or blog graphics. I'll be picking two randomly generated people, and one person by hand. The only rules are that you have to be following me (this is a follow forever giveaway, after all), and you have to reblog either this post or my promo. Reblogging this post will gain you two entries, because I really want to give the loves of my life some love and get their names out there a little more! But I know it's long as hell, so no pressure! And good luck! May the odds be ever in your favor.

#[ 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚖𝚢 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎 / promos ]

[superkitty4789]

I wanna start doing lists/rankings. I doubt anyone will wanna see them, but it's for me, so that's fine.

If anyone does wanna see. Some might have spoilers (like this one), so look out for that.

Anywhoo...

MY TOP 10 FAVORITE STRAWHATS

10 Sanji. I don't hate Sanji per se, as whenever he's not being weird around women, I actually like him. The problem is when he's around women. I don't like it. Stop it. Stahp. That being said at least he's cool when he's not around women and his genuine relationships with his crew and Zeff make me happy. I love his rivalry with Zoro

9. Usopp. Oh boy. I HATED him as a kid. I'm still not the biggest fan of him now, either. But he's... fine, and at least he gets better as the show progresses. He does get braver and less cowardly. But I still hate how much of a wuss and braggart he is. Also... his luck annoys me at times, but at least it comes in handy

8. Chopper. He was once one of my favorite straw hats, but as I got older, his naivity and gullibility started irking me. His "We need a doctor " joke was never funny to me either. He's still AWESOME. Don't get me wrong, all the straw hats are. I know my complaints about Usopp and Sanji may make anyone think i think otherwise, but i do geniounly like all the straw hats as characters. But those irks about Chopper are why he's so low. That being said, he's still a great character, and I love how compassionate he is about being a doctor. He's also adorable. I want to hug him.

7. Luffy. He's awesome! I just like the others more, sorry Luffy...I truly hate to put you this low. He's everything I love in an anime protagonist. Stubborn, brave, determined to protect those he loves. He can be smart when he needs to be and is so dang cool. Luffy is one of the best anime protagonists of all time, and I can't wait for him to be king.

6. Zoro. I love that he's not just a badass. He's also kinda dumb, and it makes him more endearing. But he's also still badass and super loyal. Amazing character, feck yeah. His directions gag is pretty funny, too. I also love the idea of three sword styles, and he actually makes it super cool.

5. Franky. Reverse chopper, he used to be one of my least favorites. But my God is he so FUNNY. He is easily the funniest character, in my opinion. He's also super epic, and I love his take on masculinity and how sensitive he is. I will say, tho...not a big fan of his redesign. I also love that he refuses to wear pants. Overall, great character.

4. Nami. She is so awesome. From day one, she was epic and I love that for the most part, she isn't a Damsel in distress. Her take on Fishmen despite what happened to her makes me respect the hell out of her. She's so strong and brave and even kind. She may be greedy, but it makes a lot of sense. Easily one of the best characters.

3. Brook. Look...I may not like his panty thing, but at least it's over fast and isn't as cringy as Sanji's thing. That being said... I admit I'm biased. I tend to like skeleton characters because I think they're cool. And well...Brook is no exception. He's a gentleman, a musician, and has skull jokes! There's so much to like about him!

2. Robin. She's my 2nd favorite character in the whole show. She's so intelligent and mysterious and super freaking cool! I love how she slowly starts to trust the straw hats and build bonds with them. Her character arc is my favorite in the entire show. I cannot stress how much I ADORE her. Amazing character. I will fight anyone on this.

1. Jinbe. Best character in the show, but it's close between him and Robin. Again,... some bias, as I think he's attractive. But I genuinely like him as a character, too. Fishmen are my favorite species in one piece, and I tend to like tackles of racism in media as a species. I liked this about the faunus in RWBY, too. Jinbe is a badass. He's funny and oh so huggable. Oh, and I love how he acts like a gentleman. So polite and well spoken. He's just...so damn cool, too. Love him. I love him so much

TIER LIST TIME

C Tier, lowest to highest: Sanji, Usopp, Chopper

B Tier: Luffy, Zoro, Franky

A Tier: Nami, Brook

S Tier: Robin, Jinbe

#One piece #ranking #tier list #monkey d. luffy #roronoa zoro #vinsmoke sanji #nami #usopp #tony tony chopper #nico robin #franky #soul king brook #jinbe #jinbei #jimbei #jimbe #first long post

[mysticmonkiebusiness]

ISSUE 69 BLOCKS MAGAZINE PAGE 35 + 36

[ID 1: Two magazine pages. The first shows several pieces of digitally painted concept art of; MK, a roughed-up couch, a game controller, a polaroid of an early design of Mei, and another polaroid of Monkey King from the film “Havoc in Heaven”.  Below it is an image of a LEGO designer referencing a piece of concept art, one of MK flying on a hoverboard, to design MK’s minifigure, which is being drawn on his tablet. ] 

[ID 2: On the left, between the text, minifigures of MK, Mei, Sandy, Pigsy, and Monkey King descend vertically. On the right is an ink sketch of Monkey King, who wears a crescent fillet and has a large forehead. He sits atop his cloud, below him is an early version of MK, who has a skateboard, spiky black hair, and a shirt with a star on it. Next to this image is a digital painting of Monkey King, who closely resembles his minifigure but has a full cape and golden sleeves. Under this is a picture of Monkey King’s minifigure, who stands on a LEGO cloud and wields his staff.]

Transcript:

The Characters

MK Monkie Kid, the theme's titular character, Is chosen by the Monkey King to be his successor and defend against the Demon Bull. He's a brand new character in the story.

ΜΕΙ Mei is part of the Dragon Family, a descendant of the legendary White Dragon Horse, which the monk Tang Sanzang rode down the Silk Road on his epic pilgrimage to India and Central Asia.

SANDY Once a soldier, Sandy is now a relaxed, tea drinking nature lover. He's based on the character of Sha Wujing. the most kind-hearted, loyal and logical of Tang Sanzang's three disciples.

PIGSY Head Chef of Pigsy's Noodle Shop, the character takes a great deal of pride in his kitchen. He's based on Zhu Bajie, a part-human, part-pig monster who embodies the sins of sloth, gluttony and lust in the original story.

MONKEY KING After vanishing centuries earlier on a magical cloud, Monkey King is back to train the Monkie Kid. He's based on Sun Wukong, who like Sha Wujing and Zhu Bajie was forced to accompany Tang Sanzang on his quest by the goddess of mercy.

Developing Monkie Kid

It wasn't just name recognition that the Monkey King story enjoyed: it was also ripe for a LEGO adaptation. 'I knew something about the Monkey King and Journey to the West because key beats from that story have been reinterpreted in Hollywood so many times,' Simon says. 'When we were discussing retelling it, we were just listing out the big, iconic aspects.'

The biggest of all is of course the Monkey King himself. 'The Monkey King is such an amazing superhero because he can transform himself into so many different things. He can fly on a magic cloud, he's slightly cheeky, he slightly breaks the rules and he's not perfect. He's got that likable character; he's not the typical square-jawed hero that's just going to save the day.

'The team in China started saying, 'There's the Bull Demon and he has a wife that has this huge fan that creates tornadoes, and a son who can control fire, then all the other demons like the Spider Queen...' You just think wow, these demons are awesome and we can bring them to life in brand new ways.'

That early meeting set so much direction for the theme - not just for the villains, but also for the title. As with all great moments of invention, though, no one person can claim the credit. 'I wish I could remember who it was, but somebody said, 'It's the next generation of the Monkey King and he's just a boy,' and somebody said, 'The Monkie Kid.' That was the spark moment.'

Testing proved that children could identify with the Monkie Kid, or MK as he is also known, seeing the possibility that they could be the Chosen One.

Returning to Billund in September 2018, it was time to present the concept. 'We had a 'portfolio gate' as we call it at LEGO, which is where the senior team meets and we have to pitch what we have been working on, and get their approval to move forward. Everyone was like, 'Wow!' and the China team supported it 1000% - they gave us the green light to move forward and we went into the full development phase of sculpting new characters and building models.'

"HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE WE AREN'T JUST SPRINKLING A LITTLE BIT OF CULTURAL DUST ON TOP?"

#LEGO Monkie Kid #lmk mk #qi xiaotian #mei monkie kid #long xiaojiao #sandy monkie kid #sha dali #pigsy monkie kid #zhu da chu #monkey king #concept art #blocks magazine #mmb.png

[prototypelq]

DMC Questions Anon here!

Capcom has called to tell you they've put you in charge of the next DMC game. They left no instructions but one: the game focuses on Dante and Vergil after the events of DMC 5. How will you do the game? What will the plot be? How will you have their relationship progress throughout the game?

Hi, Ember! Your timing is, as always, suspiciously accurate

Just the day you sent this ask I saw a post with this screenshot and saved it to answer later

Funny thing is, my answer to this post is disagreement with this point on a fundamental level.

I have an extremely hard time imagining anything for DMC6, and one of the reasons is story. Capcom did a great thing when they actually acknowledged their series-founding character aging. Dante is not getting younger, physically it's not really a problem for him, but emotionally? This man should have gotten a mental retire like, after dmc4. I mean it. He shouldn't get sucked into another Sparda legacy drama, please no. Same for Vergil, man needs a gramophone, his bro to retire with, a library card and some freakin knitting needles or smth.

DMC1 started with the second lowest low the twins relationship had ever been at, DMC3 showed the divide of their relationship, DMC4 was the ghost of it and DMC5 had been the fallout of 20+ years of not-cooing-with-trauma. 5 ends with a perfect ending the twins were gifted by Hideaki Itsuno (bless the man), there is nowhere meaningful to take them.

(This is where I would have ranted about Mundus and how HE should be the main boss of the series, but he was sealed off and manga says twins could have defeated him even in their twenties and capcom did not freakin retcon that)

Alas, this would have been my answer if you haven't added the mandatory twins rule xD (to be fair, it does sound like a rule executives force on a new game, cause how would they ever let go of idols like Dante&Vergil? the bois sell better than hot cookies)

This is where I go in reverse mode, because I think the post is actually onto something. A new game about twins conquering different regions/levels of Hell and fighting cool Hell Lords the entire time. It would also be a good opportunity for some worldbuilding overhaul I keep ranting about in every single ask!

The only gameplay feature I can imagine for the game, the one that was MUCH requested and so close to properly implemented in 5 should ABSOLUTELY return - proper coop. Not sure if splitscreen would work optimisation-wise, but they should freakin try. RE engine turned out to be surprisingly adaptable and works insanely well in 5.

Character abilities wise - DMC5 is a goddamn masterpiece of slasher, I have absolutely no idea how to make it better. Dante alone requires you to study in Combo University for four years, and Vergil would freakin make you meditate in a cave without food or water for another four.

If the narrative could take a double plotlines structure and Nero would have his own adventures in the human world, it would be nice to give him more attention as well. And an opportunity for some new devil hunter characters (Master Summoner Patty) !

If DMC6 ever happens then Mundus HAS to be the endgame come on, that is (1) plotline DMC has hanging and it would be EPIC to make.

Twins-relationship wise I expect a Lot of banter. It would be awesome to have the second twin be AI piloted around the level with you.

As for bonding? Mixed feelings. Twins will have lots of time to learn to work together again, but I am not sure they can actually heal while in Hell. Hell trip is a constant run from and into violence, demon horders, hunting and being pursued in a maddening never-ending circle untill the twins are able to escape. This is not the best situation for healing, honest conversations, or supportive moments. Plus, the twins entire lives revolve around violence, I can only wish one day they can settle in a calm environment to learn to live without it too.

btw the last two sentences are like, the premise of Raven's @stashoflostsouls newest Take a trip or two awesome fic, definitely check it and her other works out if you liked the previous paragraph

So yeah, I believe the twins will progress a lot during their escapades, but the reforging of their brotherhood can only fully happen outside the violence they are regularly thrown into, and a retirement plot doesn't really sound like a good idea for a slasher game, does it.

as always, the rambles got the best of me.

tldr: Personally, I think the twins' story is done and they should be allowed to happily retire, but if the story continuing to revolve around them is the mandatory rule then my best guess is a cool slasher in Hell. Still, it wouldn't fully mend the twins relationship, even if the game would probably be very satisfying to play

(have you seen the coop mod videos online? those clips are insane)

#dmc questions anon #should raven propaganda be a tag? I feel like it should at this point xD #ill never be sorry for reccomending insanely good work so check it out yourself to prove me right #sorry ember this one is extremely rambly somehow even if i don't have much to actually reply with #my character build is very unoptimised #dmc #the sparda loser twins #dante sparda #vergil sparda #nero sparda #dmc5 #dmc6 predictions

[silenzahra]

GUYS. AAAAHHHH

I have just beaten this ABSOLUTE GEM of a game and I. Am. SCREAMING.

(No spoilers in this post btw, don't worry!)

I know I said a few hours ago that I wasn't still ready to fangirl... but something has definitely started to change.

And all thanks to this AWESOME game and to the absolutely AMAZING Princess Peach.

I swear. This game has made the fangirl that lives in me rise up again. It may be a slow process, but as of right now, I seriously need to SCREAM THIS WAS SO GOOD AND EPIC HELP 😭😭😭😭😭👏👏👏👏👏

You know I already loved Princess Peach, but what I'm feeling for her right now can't simply be described with words. She's a QUEEN. She SLAYS. She could totally stomp on me and I would THANK her. I'M AT YOUR FEET I'M ON THE GROUND AND I HAVE NO INTENTION TO GET UP I LOVE YOU SO SO MUCH QUEEN PEACH 😭😭😭😭😭👏👏👏👏👏

And of course my absolute beloved: COWGIRL PEACH AAAAHHHH MARRY ME PLEASE 😭😭😭😭😭

She's so CUTE and AWESOME and PERFECT I love her Your Honor 😭😭😭😭😭👏👏👏👏👏

The ending was just as amazing and GREAT as the rest of the game and as Peach herself! I'm obviously NOT spoiling it but AAAAAHHHH I've had so much fun and enjoyed it so so much 😭😭😭😭😭👏👏👏👏👏

Btw, if you haven't finished the game and search for gifs of it, WATCH OUT!!! You could accidentally spoil yourself!!! ⚠⚠⚠⚠⚠

This game did not only save my life these last hard days but also made my love for Princess Peach rise up to the clouds. I'm just so happy this game exists 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹 And that I got to play it AAAAHHH I feel so lucky 😭😭😭👏👏👏🩷🩷🩷

BEHOLD. The absolute perfection also known as my wife 🩷

I love her. I love this. THANK YOU, Princess Peach. I owe you my life 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷

#princess peach showtime #princess peach #peach #peach nintendo #super mario #I'm in love with her #she's so amazing

[redlegumes]

Steddiemas Day Four

December 4th - Questionable Holiday Movie or Song

Gremlins

written for @steddiemas

AO3: link | wc: 577 | Rating: G | CW: none | tags: holiday movie, popcorn fight, our son dustin henderson, new relationship

Summary: Eddie and Steve have started dating but not really hanging with Dustin as a couple so they sit down together for a holiday movie. (Lite Holiday Henderdads)

'Gremlins' with the Gremlin

( •̀ ᄇ• ́)ﻭ✧🍿

“Soooo puppets,” Steve said, loudly popping the ‘p’ while managing to still look entirely unimpressed. “Puppet, horror movie but it's also Christmas.”

“Steveeeee,’’ Eddie groaned, holding the ‘Gremlins’ tape up while shaking it. “You work at Hawkins's only movie rental store and you don't know ‘Gremlins!’”

Steve shrugged. “I sort of remember the tagline I think? Something to do with not feeding them after midnight?”

“This. This Harrington is what will finally kill me.” Eddie's exasperation with Steve’s pop culture understanding somehow NEVER overlapping with his own had reached new heights since they started dating. It was one thing not to get a couple references… but dismissing great works, like instant Christmas classics! That was another issue entirely.

“Stop being so dramatic.”

Eddie scoffed as dramatically as he could in response to Dustin’s intervening comment.

Continues after the cut

Dustin ignored him. “Steve can be taught, we've learned this. He can develop an appreciation for-

“-nerd shit?” Steve interrupted, unhelpfully.

“-good media,” Dustin finished with a long sigh.

Eddie still lightly fumed while putting the tape in the vhs player before flopping on the couch, at the other end from Steve.

They'd both agreed to movie night with Dustin because it has gotten a little weird that the three of them hadn't hung out since Eddie and Steve got together. Steve or Eddie would hang with Dustin, and the couple had no problem that they each connected with the kid in different ways, but by December they'd never hung out together unless they were with the big group. So, Dustin suggested they do a movie night.

Steve said Eddie was needlessly worried leading up to it. As Eddie simmered, he realized that was part of why he might've already been short with Steve. They were no longer a ‘new’ couple but Eddie liked their dynamic. He wanted to be in a couple that could chill with people (other than Robin). Dustin’s movie night made him realize they didn’t really do that. Steve’s outings and Eddie’s outings rarely combined. When he thought about it, they kind of split up for group events too. He’d started to question if they really were comfortable being an established couple around their friends.

Sometime during his spiral, as the characters on screen realized the Gremlins were evil killers, Steve had left the living room. Eddie became aware he’d gotten up, because Steve had just returned, handing a bowl of popcorn to Dustin before shoo-ing the kid to the other end of the couch. After a grumbling Dustin moved, Steve sat next to Eddie. He threw an arm around his shoulder. Frustratingly, Steve’s warm presence was as calming as always.

“Baby, we both know you don't keep me around because I have great taste in movies.” Steve leaned in and planted a chaste kiss to Eddie’s cheek while his free hand quickly squeezed Eddie’s knee.

“Oh gross,” Dustin exclaimed, and Eddie watched a piece of popcorn sail over Steve's head, landing in his own hair.

“Now Henderson, that just won’t do. Harrington’s completely right.” He winked at Steve and reached over Steve’s lap to grab a handful of popcorn that he then rained on Dustin’s curls.

A popcorn fight of epic proportions followed.

Eddie, Steve, and Dustin all ended up on the floor, laughing despite Eddie loudly proclaiming himself the winner after dumping the unpopped kernels down Steve's shirt.

Dustin sat up, wiping tears from his eyes. “See, I knew hanging with you both would be awesome!”

2023 RedLegumes Steddiemas 1 2 3 4 5 6 10 SteddieHolidayDrabbles 1 2 3 4 6 8 9 10

#holiday movie #popcorn fight #our son dustin henderson #new relationship #eddie munson #steve harrington #steddie #i write things #steddiemas #ficlet #steddie ficlet #gremlins

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

Psycho Analysis: Snowflame

(WARNING! This analysis contains C-C-C-COCAINE!)

Imagine this absurd concept: A supervillain cartel boss whose powers are fueled by him getting high off his own supply. Imagine too that this man wears a ridiculous outfit, and exists to be an anti-drug PSA that fails epically because he makes doing drugs look awesome. Now also imagine that everything about him is played completely straight without a single bit of acknowledgment of how absurd and campy the whole thing is.

That, my friends, is Snowflame.

The New Guardians is a comic series that would have been long forgotten as a crusty relic of the late 80s if not for giving the world the absolute coolest villain ever conceived. Snowflame has amassed a cult following the likes of which would make Jim Jones envious, due to the sheer absurdity of his existence and the pure unadulterated action movie villain charm of his dialogue. He’s perhaps one of the most minor villains out there with only a handful of appearances to his name, but he’s loved more than villains who’ve appeared twenty times as much as him.

I’m here to show you why.

Motivation/Goals: Snowflame is a cartel leader, and so he really wants to peddle drugs. Guess which drug is his forte. Go on, guess. And that’s really all there is to him! I need to reiterate that his threat as a cartel leader is played completely and utterly straight even as he spouts off the hammiest dialogue you’ve ever seen and literally gets a power up by snorting coke. This is the very core of his appeal, in that he is something genuinely terrifying and threatening but presented in a way only a comic book can pull off.

Of course, his true motivation is far, far simpler.

Look at this man. That is the face of a man who exists solely to snort illicit substances up his nose. He lives to be high. That is the extent of his desires, and all else is second to that simple goal. As long as he can ignite and continue to be the instrument of cocaine's will, he is satisfied.

Final Fate: Every single time Snowflame shows up, he dies. In his initial appearance, he apparently blows up, but three decades later, he makes his coke-fueled return to do battle with Catwoman, and despite inhaling enough cocaine to kill an elephant, a feat that should theoretically make him nigh invincible, he fucking dies.

...Or does he? Snowflame returns yet again in Peacemaker Tries Hard! Here he does battle with, you guessed it,

...who puts a poison dart frog in his cocaine and kills him.

Maybe. My theory is that Snowflame is the Kenny of the DC universe, and whenever some bastard kills him his coke-fueled powers just respawn him the next day.

Best Scene: While his fight against Catwoman is unfortunately lackluster as ordained by the writers (Selina is not lasting two seconds against Snowflame and his coke-fueled powers under realistic circumstances), it gave us one of the most gorgeous and badass panels ever made:

Really brings a tear to your eye, doesn’t it?

Best Quote: Yeah, there’s no fucking contest here, it’s this:

Final Thoughts & Score: I think I speak for all of us when I say Snowflame is one of the greatest fucking characters ever conceived.

Everything about him is a towering testament to what makes the medium of comic books great. The best villains tend to be the wildest and most out-there concepts, like a giant alien starfish that mind controls people, or a gay gorilla in love with a brain in a jar, or a giant racist communist egg. And don’t even get me started on the villains the Doom Patrol fights! Snowflame is the epitome of that; he is what would happen if Tony Montana was a DC supervillain by way of Captain Planet. He is absurd, over-the-top, and so goddamn cool.

It’s very obvious they were trying to do an anti-drug PSA here given the time the comic was released, but it absolutely falls flat on its face when the strawman constructed to be defeated so that the lesson might be dispersed is an absolute lunatic who dresses in colorful spandex and spouts off the most epic lines to ever come out of a villain’s mouth. Everything about him is absurd, but unlike something like Egg Fu he’s absurd in a tasteful and cool way rather than a shockingly racist way. Snowflame is just a dude who snorts cocaine to gain superpowers, it’s as simple as that and yet it’s also completely bonkers.

It’s genuinely unsurprising that this guy managed to get such a massive cult following that he spawned a fanmade webcomic and then got to pop up in the comics again over three decades after his supposed death. And it’s said cult following that has allowed him to pop up time and time again, even getting an appearance in the fourth season of Harley Quinn. I’m sure you can guess that I’m part of that massive cult fanbase, and I can only dream of writing a villain as incredible and grandiose as this drug-addled madman. Infinity/10 isn’t a real score, so he’ll have to settle for a 10/10 instead.

...Oh yeah, remember in the Egg Fu review when I said I wasn’t going to review Hemo-Goblin?

Psycho Analysis: Hemo-Goblin

This is gonna be really short, because there is so little to this guy. He is a one-shot, but boy what a fucking shot he is. Hemo-Goblin is a racist vampire created by South African white supremacists to give members of the New Guardians AIDS. You read that right. This is a racist AIDS vampire.

Now, unlike Egg Fu, who was a horrible racist caricature created from topical anti-communist sentiments of the time, Hemo-Goblin was seemingly created with better intentions. But you know what they say about intentions; the road to Hell is paved with good ones. I get wanting to do a commentary on the AIDS crisis, and I don’t think it’s out of the question for a superhero book to handle such a thing, but maybe having an AIDS-powered vampire give HIV to a Jamaican woman and a gay man isn’t the most tasteful and nuanced way to do this.

Oh, and by the end of his only appearance, he dies of AIDS in jail.

I’m not gonna lie, guys: I kinda love this stupid fucking creature. His weird design, the absurdity of his concept, and the awful execution of his premise makes him memorable for all the wrong reasons, but he’s memorable nonetheless. I think if Snowflame didn’t exist and wasn’t the coolest villain ever, more people would talk about the insanity that is Hemo-Goblin, though having a single appearance before dying and never appearing again doesn’t help his case much. Still, he’s just cazy enough to earn himself a 3.5/10, so he’s got that going for him.

#Psycho Analysis #DC #Snowflame #Hemo-Goblin #The New Guardians

[phoenixwatchesmovies]

2023 Favorites

I'm kinda glad I was keeping track of what I watched, in retrospect, because looking back over my posts this year, I realized I forgot about a lot of stuff. XD After looking over the recaps and excluding rewatches, here's my top ten New Stuff I Watched for 2023:

10. Cabinet Of Curiosities

Bizarre nightmares unfold in eight tales of terror in a visually stunning, spine-tingling horror collection curated by Guillermo del Toro.

If GDT is your guy, give this a watch. Creature features, cursed objects, aliens, you name it. 8/8 tentacled eldritch abominations.

9. Wolf Creek

Three backpackers stranded in the Australian outback are plunged inside a hellish nightmare of insufferable torture by a sadistic psychopathic local.

Holy shit, this was intense. And as I said initially, so mean. If you're into Texas Chainsaw Massacre, try this. I'm into franchise bingo, so I'm going to look into the sequels and TV series. 3/3 heads on a stick.

8. Requiem For A Dream

The drug-induced utopias of four Coney Island people are shattered when their addictions run deep.

I get the feeling this is one of those that hurts so much more on rewatching, so there's that to look forward to. I've also rarely seen movies that do so much harmonizing between the music and the visuals, and it was so satisfying. 4/4 refrigerator jump scares.

7. Evil Dead Rise

A twisted tale of two estranged sisters whose reunion is cut short by the rise of flesh-possessing demons, thrusting them into a primal battle for survival as they face the most nightmarish version of family imaginable.

This was probably the most fun I had with a horror movie all year, TBH. Horror exploring family dynamics will always be a fave, and this brought plenty of fresh stuff to the franchise while also holding onto the core traits. 5/5 Staffenies.

6. Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers embark on an epic quest to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people.

This was the most fun I had watching a movie all year, period. If you know nothing about DND, it's a good fantasy movie. If you're a DND nerd, the game mechanics are baked into it. If you're a fan of found families, guess what! 6/6 stealth checks.

5. Cowboy Bebop

A ragtag crew of bounty hunters chases down the galaxy's most dangerous criminals. They'll save the world--for the right price.

I got exactly what I wanted out of this, so haters be damned. The anime is a masterpiece and a classic, but if you're not in the mood for the existentialism and other heavier themes, here ya go. 3/3 shower-bath-showers.

4. The Black Phone

After being abducted by a child killer and locked in a soundproof basement, a 13-year-old boy starts receiving calls on a disconnected phone from the killer's previous victims.

Near perfect, as far as I'm concerned. The older I get, the more kids-in-danger as a concept fucks with me, making this the most stressful movie I watched this year (though It Chapter One gave it a run for its money, and I still think they would make a great double feature). 5/5 black balloons.

3. Evil Dead (2013)

Five friends head to a remote cabin, where the discovery of a Book of the Dead leads them to unwittingly summon up demons living in the nearby woods.

It's gnarly. It's badass. I almost puked. I had THE BEST time. The story works as an effective allegory, the effects are gruesomely awesome, and the finale is metal af. Plain and simple. 70,000/70,000 gallons of fake blood.

2. The Crow

A man brutally murdered comes back to life as an undead avenger of his and his fiancée's murder.

Beautiful, sad, aesthetic for days, hella good soundtrack. *chef kiss* I still haven't seen The Batman, but they seem visually similar, so if you like that, you'll probably like this. For more in-depth thoughts, read my post. 1/1 epic rooftop guitar solos.

1. The Fall Of The House Of Usher

To secure their fortune (and future) two ruthless siblings build a family dynasty that begins to crumble when their heirs mysteriously die, one by one.

Not just a new favorite Mike Flanagan. A new favorite in general, and my number one for the year. I just screamed about this one last month, and I don't have anything more to add. I've seen Succession comparisons, and while I have no idea how accurate that is, there's my "if you like that, here's this." Holy crap. 7/7 deadly sins personified.

Happy New Year! 🥂

#yearly round up #watch a thon 2023 #tfothou #the crow 1994 #evil dead 2013 #the black phone #cowboy bebop netflix #dnd honor among thieves #evil dead rise #requiem for a dream #wolf creek #guillermo del toro's cabinet of curiosities

[donnerpartyofone]

We can all agree that pedestalizing people is bad for various obvious reasons, but I think a lesser-discussed subtext of this behavior is the implication that the pedestalized person gains caretaking responsibility as a natural consequence of their alleged superiority. Put differently: If you get turned into Superman, it becomes your job to save people.

I have a dear old friend who has a bad habit of idealizing people. It starts out as sweet and flattering, then it becomes kind of overbearing--any kind of distorted perception of oneself becomes burdensome even if it's positive--and then eventually she starts making noises to the tune of "Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope!" Like if you accept that you're her hero, the expectation is that you have to do what a hero does, and suddenly you have all these chores and favors and stuff lined up that are not really great for the friendship. In the case of my friend the behavior is not consciously manipulative; anyone will tell you that she's not, like, a bad person. She's just deep into this idea that somewhere out there is someone who can fix all her problems for her, she's really not into resolving things on her own. She's a classic self-help addict (could use more emphasis on the "self" part imho) and, hilariously, she has been "fired" by more than one phone psychic who she wouldn't stop calling. Like those people chose to stop taking her money in order to push her out of the proverbial nest. And of course, like a lot of people with this disposition, she doesn't actually take the advice she's given, just does whatever she wants instead...and then comes back in short order to ask for more advice.

Perhaps ironically, she is a very talented and energetic person who actually CAN do a lot on her own, and a few years ago she started writing a fun, quirky, topical book that we all agreed was a great idea and might actually make money. In a moment of epic stupidity, I offered to give her "friendly feedback" whenever she wanted a reader. Soon I was embroiled in a weeks-long argument about how she could pay me even though I didn't want money, and then when I named a price she couldn't pay it, and if I lowballed her she'd say that was "unfair" to me and my supposedly valuable services, and eventually I had to have this like meeting with her at a neutral location that was mediated by her ex-girlfriend to find some kind of rational end to the conversation. That's how I became her editor, even though as I frequently and forcefully reminded her I am most certainly not an editor and have none of the necessary skills or education other than the ability to read; all I ever offered was the "friendly feedback" thing and suddenly I wound up in this nightmare business relationship that was predicated on her delusions about how I'm the smartest bestest writer in the whole wide universe and I simply must save her poor little book project or it will perish.

It wasn't long before I was getting these late night phone calls telling me I was doing a bad job because I had to be "REALLY BRUTAL" and "TEAR IT APART" and she couldn't figure out why I wasn't doing that. I reminded her over and over that I'm not a real editor and I'm doing only what I am capable of doing and I'm certainly not being dishonest with her, which was the unpleasant subtext. If she's unhappy she should get a real editor, or at least a lit student who could use the pocket change. Then one day she changed her tune and told me I had actually edited her book so hard that it completely removed her personal voice from the text, and she was forced to start the whole thing over from scratch. I was deeply relieved.

...but of course, I've never stopped hearing about it. Once a year or so she comes around to remind me of what a totally radical job I did awesomely editing her super book, and don't I want to come back and finish it with her? I make a civil reminder of the fact that actually she was totally unhappy with everything I did on the book, and I don't think it's a good idea for us to work on it anymore. The response is always something like "hahaha i dont remember that LOL" (I think she really doesn't!), and I just have to back away slowly. This is not even the most fraught thing she's involved me in; hopefully I will not get started on the time I agreed to pick her up from a minor outpatient procedure, which transformed from a simple favor into a plan for an elaborate slumber party in a hotel featuring more and more people including her crazy mother who she was in a vicious fight with...while I just tried for weeks and weeks to get her to tell me where and when the procedure was happening so I knew when to pick her up. And I never even found out the answer after all, somebody else took care of it in the end, for some reason.

Anyway I'm typing all this out now because It Is Happening Again, she's trying to rope me back into the book thing which she somehow remembers as this great experience, and she wants "a friend, not some stranger" to help her finish it. And I'm trying to figure out if I should a) remind her yet again that she was very unhappy with my work on the book, and I am not a real editor, and maybe "some stranger" would be really great for her because the situation will be more professional and there won't be any impact on any of her personal relationships, or b) just tell her I don't have time, good luck! I kind of feel like being more explicit with her might give her a much-needed wake-up call about how she's been mixing business with pleasure, to her own detriment. I also feel like it would be the more respectful thing to do, to treat her like an adult who can hear something tough and make a rational choice with that information. But on the other hand maybe this is a good time to set a boundary and NOT act like it's my job to help and guide and save her, even if it's just with tough love this time. Ugh!

PS There's actually a secondary component to this which is that she's a hairdresser, and that's how I originally befriended her. She's intensely affectionate and emotional, but she's also a huge flake and I almost never get to see her if it isn't for an appointment--which she often has to reschedule several times anyway. A little while ago I told her I need to grow my hair out and save money and she panicked, seeming to realize that if she has to make actual social plans she won't be able to stick to them. So her way around this appears to be getting me back into a business relationship where we're trading haircuts for editing, and I don't want to do any of it. I just want her to like be normal with me, but that is entirely too much to ask of some people.

#complaints dept

[ikeromantic]

I loved your Sasuke fic so much I figured I’d come back for more (if you’re willing)! What about Sasuke with envy and 😘!

I do love some Sasuke. Best ninja ever! Approx. 1400 words of envy and awkward romance!

Sasuke stood at the edge of the garden, his presence obscured by the natural flow of greenery. Hiding in plain sight was a moderately awesome ninja skill, and one he honed to perfection. Today though, he wanted very much to be seen. The temptation to step into view set a tension in his legs and torso, an unpleasant tug-of war between competing desires.

Only a little ways away, Kenshin knelt on a sandy path beside the chatelaine, their knees almost touching. Bunnies romped all around them, going between the two for attention and back out into the garden to nibble. It was a moment of perfect romance, with the smell of fresh blossoms on the warm spring air and warm afternoon light giving the scene a golden glow.

It didn’t help that Kenshin was, objectively, beautiful. His pale, delicate hair, porcelain skin, an intense gaze that only softened when he looked at the bunnies or at Mai. He was graceful, strong, and powerful. A presence that commanded attention. The complete opposite of a ninja that could and did disappear completely into the background.

The ninja felt something solid in his throat, a pressure as if he might choke. An acid bile that crept into his mouth and made everything sharp and sour. He wanted Mai to see him. To give him all of her attention, in a way that went beyond friendship - something he would not yet admit to himself. 

He told himself it was better this way. Better for the chatelaine, and for him. Because he would have to say goodbye, and goodbyes with friends hurt less when you didn’t let yourself get attached. If only his heart would believe it with him. 

Sasuke swallowed, trying to banish the bitterness. He couldn’t be jealous of Mai’s other friends, even when those were ridiculously attractive warlords. He should be glad. Happy for her. With that thought firmly in his mind, he turned to slip away unnoticed. She didn’t need him here, interrupting her time with Kenshin. 

“Hey! Sasuke?” Mai’s voice stopped him mid-step. 

He wasn’t sure how she’d spotted him. Epic fail. Sasuke turned. 

Kenshin gave him a sharp look. “If you cannot hide from one girl, I think you and I need some more training sessions.” His lips curled up in a faint smile. “We can start now.”

“No! Nope! No training in the garden. Especially not with bunnies present.”

“Hmph.” Kenshin crossed his arms. “Later then.”

“So . . . were you just passing by?” Mai stood and patted the dust and bunny hair from her clothes. 

Sasuke nodded. He was desperately glad for once that his face was so unreadable. He wasn’t sure what expression he would be making, something between embarrassment and happiness, and affection. 

She smiled at him. “Where are you headed? Are you on an errand?”

He wasn’t, actually. This was a day off, which was why he’d gone looking for Mai. But saying so now would only dig the hole deeper. Because then she’d want to know why he was sneaking around, watching her. Stalker vibes did not make for solid friendships! “Yep. On an errand. To the, er, market?”

“Oh! That’s great! I was thinking about heading there later this week to pick up some notions. I am looking for ribbon and embroidery thread. Is it ok if I come with?”

Kenshin’s expression went from faint joy at the thought of chasing Sasuke in a mock-fight to disappointment. “You would leave me? And the bunnies?” 

Mai gave him a regretful look. “I’d like to go out with Sasuke today.” She patted his head the way you might do to comfort a child. “We can have bunny time another day. I promise.”

Sasuke expected an outburst from his quixotic boss, but Kenshin just sulked. 

“Fine. Another day then. Don’t think I won’t hold you to it.”

She laughed. “I expect no less.” Then Mai held out her hand to Sasuke. “Ready?”

Sasuke blinked. The sun was creating a halo around her smiling face, and little color bursts of light around her. It was too beautiful. She was too beautiful. He reached for her hand and felt her fingers intertwine with his. “Yes.”

He barely noticed walking out of the garden and down onto the road. They surely passed people in the halls, and went through doors and up and down steps. But the only thing in his world was Mai. The feeling of their palms touching. His heart felt as if it would burst and his pulse pounded in his ears, an unhealthy 190 BPM. His skin felt too warm and his clothes too tight. 

“I might need to stay in today,” he told her just as they reached the turnoff to go to the market. His voice shook a little as he said it, his throat clenching as if to hold in the words. Because he certainly wanted to spend the day with her. More than anything. 

Mai’s eyes widened in concern. “Are you ok? You aren’t getting sick, are you?” She put her wrist to his forehead. 

Silk-soft skin, smelling faintly of herbal soap and light perfume sent his heart into an even faster gallop. “I . . . maybe?”

“You don’t have a fever. Maybe you just need some water. Did you eat today?”

Sasuke couldn’t remember if he had or not. Right now, he wasn’t sure he could recall his own name. Her touch felt so - so nice. 

“Hmmm.” She pressed her fingers lightly to his neck, sending little shivers through him. “We should definitely sit.” Mai tugged him over to a bench and pulled him down to sit beside her. She leaned lightly into him. “Better?”

It wasn’t, really. The spot on his leg where her thigh almost touched his tingled weirdly. “More symptoms,” he replied, feeling confused. This presented like no disease he knew of. 

Mai leaned closer. “Your eyes look ok. Not dilated.” 

From this close, she was even prettier. Sasuke could completely understand Shingen’s need to call her an angel. She was that, and more. And he wanted to kiss her. The realization hit him so suddenly that he gasped. 

“What is it?” She put a hand on his shoulder. 

Her lips were so close. Did friends want to kiss friends? On the lips? Sasuke tried to rein in the urge. Maybe? Maybe they did? “Do you think . . . is it . . .”

“Yes?” She squeezed his shoulder gently.

“That is, would you mind if . . . if I . . .” Sasuke couldn’t seem to get the words out. They tangled on his tongue, impossible to pronounce. His face felt frozen, his throat tight and hot. 

She studied his face as if searching for something there. “You can ask me anything.” Mai leaned closer yet, or perhaps it was him, leaning closer to her. 

He could feel her breath stir against his cheek. Her lips were only a hairsbreadth from his own. Sasuke swallowed. He thought he might burst into flame, he was so hot under her touch. And irrationally, part of him thought a kiss - just a friendly little mouth to mouth kiss - might help. But he couldn’t push past that paper-thin barrier. Not without permission. 

“Oh gross! What are you doing? Sasuke!” Whatever might have been about to happen, it all fell apart with a single voice. Yukimura marched toward them, grimacing. “You can’t sit that close together!”

Mai shot away from Sasuke like she’d been stung. “I - I was just checking for fever.”

“Sure you were.” Yuki scowled at her. 

“She - she was. I’m feeling ill.” And he still did. A bit light-headed, but his heart was beginning to calm down. “I think it passed though. I probably just needed to sit.” Yes. Sitting. Not kissing. Not thinking about kissing. 

Yukimura snorted. “Whatever. Just don’t be gross where I can see it.” 

Sasuke was certain there would be nothing gross about kissing Mai. Nothing at all. He cleared his throat. “Anyway, we were going to the market. Did you want to come? BFF’s invited!”

“Yeah. I better. Otherwise who knows what the boar woman will seduce you into.”

Mai smacked his arm. “I am not a boar woman! And I am not seducing anyone!” 

“Sure.” Yuki rolled his eyes. 

As the three of them set off, Sasuke noticed a little frown of disappointment on the chatelaine’s lovely lips. Had she wanted to kiss him too? The thought was both exciting and intimidating. Perhaps they could be friends that kissed. 

“Don’t look so happy,” Yukimura elbowed him.

“I only look happy because you’re about to lose our race.” Sasuke shot back. 

“Our what?” Yuki’s question came a beat late, as the ninja lunged into a run. “Wait up!”

“Hey!” Mai laughed and broke into a run, with Yukimura hot on her heels. Just three friends, enjoying a free day together.

#ikemen sengoku #ikesen sasuke #sasuke sarutobi #fanfiction #fanfic #otome #otome guys #fluff

[vintage-retro-queen]

Chapter Four-Watch Us Work (Not Quite Famous)

It was just another ordinary day in Camp Wawanawkwa.

Where Lucy and Marinette are just doing the usual thing they usually do. Marinette was working on some new fashion designs while Lucy was reading another one of her Stephanie Queen books. While they were working and reading, Marinette had her cell phone playing some music for them. When one song finished, the host of the R+B (Romance and Bloom, love song themed) radio station EPIC-FM, DJ Smooth, started talking. "Alright! That was Start Again by Alayah. This next one was from 1985. A love song for the late lucky girl and New Rustvale's beloved sweetheart, Luci Grassette. This is Our Perfect Love by Perfection Division in 198.6 EPIC!" As the song starts, Lucy and Marinette start to listen to it, feeling intrigued.

This one's for you, Miss Grassette!

Our love for you is like the most perfect,

Your face reminds us of your gorgeous self,

Together, we are like Vicki and J.D.

Oh darling Luci,

Our beautiful,

Our glamorous,

Our perfect companion to our longing-yearning souls.

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

We love our perfect times,

But not as much as we love being with you!

Oh darling Luci,

Your eyes are like our favorite candy that will never fail, You're like the most beautiful princess to ever walk New Rustvale

Your loving pretty face,

Your breathtaking soul,

Your gorgeous eyes,

Your glamorous princess being...

How can we look at another when our perfect love is so strong?

We love you Miss Grassette!

"Alright! That was Perfection Division! Can you feel the love? Because I certainly can."

"Yeah, that was a great song," Marinette commented. "Yeah. That Luci girl must've been so lucky to be featured in a song like that." "You know, it's hard to believe that it's been twenty-something years since we lost all the five members of Perfection Division in a horrific hit and run." "How terrible," "May Luci and the Perfection Division rest in peace," Lucy said, crossing her heart for the late girl and late boy band.

Just then, after a moment of silence for the late girl and boy band, they hear Chris talking on the loudspeaker. "All right, campers, enough beauty sleep. Time to show us what you're made of." "Welp, time to get going, Nettie," Lucy said, getting up and closing her book with a 50s diner-themed bookmark in the pages she was in. Marinette nods and gets up from her spot as well.

After a bit, Lucy, Marinette, and the rest of the campers head over to the location they were told to go to for their next challenge. When they got there, they looked to see Trent and Gwen waving to them. "Marinette, saved you a seat." "Oh, thank you, Trent," Marinette said happily. Lucy sat down next to Gwen, and they started having a conversation about their favorite horror films. The four of them were not even aware of Cody trying to impress the girls but ended up falling on his seat, yet still trying to look cool.

Chris then got everyone's attention and talked to them: "Welcome to our brand-new, deluxe, state-of-the-art outdoor amphitheater. Okay, this week's challenge is a summer camp favorite: a talent contest." "Yes! Awesome," said Owen. Lucy's eyes widened in surprise.

CONFESSIONAL: MARY-LOURKRITIA CORLEONE

"Well, that was unexpected. I haven't performed in a while since the last tour incident when the MetaBetas and I were performing in a small town. We were finished with our performance and when my friends and I were ready to head into the bus, some people were talking while we were walking. They were talking about, well, honestly, I don't know what, but frankly, I don't even want to know. Anyway, asides from that, it sure has been a while."

"Each team has eight hours to pick their three most talented campers. These three will represent them in the show tonight. Sing, dance, juggle. Anything goes as long as it's legal." Chris explain, signing a 'Got my eyes on you' to Duncan, causing him to snap his fingers with a frown. Chris continued, "You will be judged by our resident talent scout, former D.J., V.J., and rap legend, grand...Master Chef who will show his approval via the Chef-o-Meter. The team that loses will send one camper home tonight. Good luck." with that, Chris headed off the stage.

After a little while, with the Screaming Gophers, Heather blows her whistle. "Okay, I'm the team captain, so here's how it's going to work," she said until Gwen cut her off. "Wait, who said you were team captain?" "She did. Just now," said Lindsay. "Lindsay, Beth, and I took a vote, and I won." "Threatening them to vote for you isn't exactly democratic." "I'm with the bambina on that," Lucy said, agreeing with Gwen. Trent then walks over to Marinette. "Hey, snagged you an extra muffin." "Oh, thank you," Marinette said. Just then, Beth headed over to them. "Hey, Lucy, Marinette. Chris was hoping to talk to you about something. He's saying that there's an urgent call from someone." "Oh, jeez. It better not be about Slick and Brutus trying to get all the action figures in stores to find another legendary collectible again. I swear those two just won't knock it off." Lucy said, unamused, as she and Marinette headed over to the location Beth gave them.

As Lucy and Marinette head over to the location, they head into a cabin, which seems to be empty, and they see that there are no cameras in sight. "Huh, odd that there's no cameras here," Lucy said, closing the door behind them. "Yeah, there wasn't even one following us while we were on our way here. What do you think Chris is up to? And what do you think he wanted to meet us here for?" Marinette asked. "Heck, I don't know. But still, if it's about those two trying to find a legendary collectible, I swear to all the gods above, I'm gonna volunteer out of this show and give those two a piece of my mind."

Just then, another light in the room turned on. There, the two see Chris sitting on a table as a comic book character would be. "You two are sooo busted," he said, making the two sweatdrop in fear and panic. "I'm sorry, what's that now?" Lucy sputtered out in both fear and confusion. "Y-yeah, what are you talking about?"

"Marinette, it's okay. He and Chef know." a ladybug-like creature appears right beside him. "Whoa! What in the" Lucy gasped. "What is that? A pixie fairy or something?" Lucy looked confused. "We're not." Lucy turned to see more animal and bug-like creatures floating around the three of them. "What are you then?" Lucy quietly asked, trying not to make a wrong move. "We, my queen, are called kwamis." "Uhh...Nettie, you got a lot of explaining to do, sorella." Lucy said, looking more confused than ever before. Even though Marinette was shocked about how Chris knew about this. However, since the kwamis seem to trust him and feel worried about a confused and panicky Lucy, she explains everything to Lucy about it, having her finally understand, yet looks shocked about it. Even Chris was a bit shocked himself. "Okay, I can understand that now, but how did you know about them?" Lucy asked Chris. "That isss because Chrisss here is one of the original Miraculous holdersss," Sass explained. "He was?" Marinette asked, looking at Chris surprised. Chris nodded. 

"Before Master Fu got the turtle miraculous back, he lent it to me as a temporary holder. I was known as TurtleTurbo." "Holy freak! The TurtleTurbo?!" Lucy gasped, her eyes lit up in shock and amazement. "Ah, you've heard of me?" "Are you kidding? You helped find and catch that former country idol! That's amazing!" Lucy turned to Marinette and said, "He helped the detectives find and arrest the former country idol after he and a female idol from another genre were missing in the past couple of days. Weeks even. I even have the newspaper article my nona saved to prove it too, look." Lucy explained, taking a newspaper article out of her hoodie pocket and showing it to Marinette. Marinette looked surprised as she looked at the picture on the paper and quickly read through the article. "Wow. I never knew that," she said. Chris shrugs. "Eh, that's just how it is. Some people may forget, but some and more will never forget what they remember and sometimes hear," he said, crossing his arms and smiling. "But wait, you know about me, but what do you know about Lucy?" Marinette asked. "Oh, I believe this will answer your question." Chris then placed down a brooch-shaped amulet and a talisman. Both have a dragon symbol in the middle. Lucy looked at the two things, confused. "What are those things?" Marinette asked, looking at the two, surprised yet confused. "These, my dear Marinette, are the Kombatant Amulet and a talisman. This talisman, by the way, was like a flip phone and was used back in the early years." Chris explained, showing Marinette flipping the talisman open as a flip phone. Marinette looked surprised as the talisman opened up holograms of multiple apps. "I didn't know we have those," she said. "We don't," said Chris. He then places down an old photograph of a teen girl and says, "But the former holder does." 

Marinette, Lucy, and the kwamis all look to see the photograph turns out to be a school yearbook photo teenage girl who looks a lot like Lucy, yet in a very different outfit. "Whoa! She looks just like you!" the ox kwami says, looking at the photograph and then at Lucy. Lucy looked surprised to see that the ox kwami was right. "That look-a-like is known as Anarchy." Lucy looked confused about the girl's name. "That's her name?" she asked. "Eh, no one can't really blame her. The place she used to be at had some names that weren't very common. Some maybe, but not all and she doesn't want to be left out." "Oh, I see." Lucy said, as she, Marinette, and the kwamis now understood. "Listen, as much as I would like to continue on with the explanations about Anarchy and how this version of the kombatant talisman, all of that is gonna have to wait, because..." Chris shows them the news in Paris, France. Marinette sees that it is Copycat. She wasn't surprised that it was Theo, once again for the seventy-ninth time in a row.

"That's typical Theo, for being so girl-crazy after he discovered girls after going through the first stage of puberty, facial hair and voice change." she says, looking unamused. Chris then hands Lucy the amulet. "Anarchy would've wanted you to become the new Anarchy," he said. "Uhm, okay." "Oh, and quick heads up, there's gonna be a lot of visions from out of the random, so I'd be prepared for one in case it happens today if I were you." Chris quickly explained to Lucy. She nods as she now understands about the random visions. "Knock 'em dead, girls. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna slip out." with that, Chris left.

As he did, Marinette put on a pair of earrings and put a ring on her ring finger, then saying the words, "Tikki, Plagg, Unify!" the ladybug kwami, Tikki, and the black cat kwami, Plagg, both get sucked into the earrings and ring, transforming Marinette into Bug Noir. Lucy looks at her, amazed. "It's your turn, Lucy!" the tiger kwami said. The rest of the kwamis cheer for Lucy. She then gives in and puts on the amulet. The amulet then shines a bright light with the dragon symbol moving and then roars. The dragon then flies out of the amulet, growing a big size and transforming Lucy into her heroine form. The dragon flies in circles around Lucy, transforming her casual clothes into her heroine clothes: a black crop tank top with the word 'REVENGE' and a pink teddy bear with white X's for eyes, a red plaid skirt with black lace, a thick jean-like belt-buckle, and a jean blue colour XOXO on it, maroon torn leggings-socks, black platform boots with red-visible-laced shoelaces, spikes on both left and right sides of the boots, and an anarchy symbol on the right boot. The dragon then flies back into her amulet, which then turns into a black belt choker-spike choker-silver chained-necklace combination. The necklace turns into an anarchy symbol. Earrings and other piercings then magically appear in her ears. On her right ear is her right stud earring, which is shaped like a black blotch with white X-shaped eyes and a smile on its face. On her left ear is her left dangle cross-designed earring, along with four three-stud piercings on her left ear lobe. Her wrists then glowed, summoning silver wrist guards on both of her wrists. After that, she noticed a note in her pocket, read, 'Close your eyes, and say these words.' when she closed her eyes, she said the words from the note, "Blood-Creation Breathing, Sixth Form, Hide and Conceal." dark crimson liquid started to come out from behind her ears and flow to her face, creating a face mask. After creating her face mask, it began to change its pattern to black and words in a white spray paint font that says 'REVENGE' on it. When her mask and transformation were complete, Lucy finished her transformation, striking one of her fighting poses along with a dragon's fiercest roar in the end.

Marinette and the rest of the kwamis looked amazed after Lucy transformed into her heroine self. "What do you think?" Lucy asked, surprising them with a deep Brit accent. "You look amazing!" Marinette said happily. "And that accent is amazing, Anarchy." "You know what. I say my name will be... Anarchia." Marinette nods. "Let us head over, shall we?" Lucy then summons up a portal. Marinette looked surprised but smiled. "Well, I say, I believe I am starting to get the hang of this." Anarchia says happily. After that, they head to the portal, off to find and stop Copycat.

When they went through the portal, it took them to their exact location. Paris, France. "Oy! Are you talking about us?" Lucy, or Anarchia, asked out loud, getting Copycat and everyone's attention. "And who are you?" "Your worst bloody nightmare." Anarchia then throws her chained kunai at the akumatized person. The chained kunai wraps around the Copycat's waist and holds them tightly. "GET OVER HERE!" Anarchia yelled, pulling Copycat over to her. When she did, and before Copycat could summon his Cataclysm and attack her, Anarchia's hands and wrist guards started to glow a light bluish colour, and when she aimed her hands at Copycat, it froze him into ice. All but the akumatized item, which turned out to be a piece of paper. When Anarchia grabs it, she turns to Ladybug. Ladybug nods, and Anarchia freezes the akumatized item, which causes it to break and tear the paper into small pieces, and the akuma flies off of it. After Ladybug catches it, de-evilizes it, she yells out her usual catchphrase, and the ladybugs turn everything back to normal, including a full-on thawing out Theo as he returns to normal. "Punch it in!" Ladybug and Anarchia both said as they fist-pound. They then noticed a lot of newscasters heading over to them, holding and flashing their cameras at them, holding their microphones out, and asking the two a lot of questions. And she and Anarchia answered them quickly.

"Ladybug! Who is this with you?" "All you mates, can call me Anarchia."

"How did you meet Anarchia?" "She was there for me when I was on patrol." "An armed picket-pocketer was spotted, and I quickly caught 'im 'round the same time she showed up." "She was very useful for a lot of other things asides from akuma attacks."

"Is it true that you stopped endorsing the Ladyblog?" "Sadly, yes. Only because of various reasons. One of them is one person claiming that she is my 'best friend', which is not true because I never have any time hanging out with civilians." "Some cottonheads never understand what the real world works and never fact-check like they are supposed to do. Not to mention some bloody cottonheads always lose their minds over what wanker tells them what they want to hear. That, and they never got to wake up and smell the real scent of tea to face reality. However, speaking of facing reality, I do recommend this brilliant site and app I have endorsed back in London. It is called Face Reality. Because I have heard they are having some of their best reporters start here in about the next week." Anarchia said, along with remembering what one of her friends from back home had said to her.

Everyone started to get very interested and continued questioning the two. Since the two still had time to spare. Bug Noir and Anarchia answered a lot of questions until sunset, and Bug Noir's ring and earrings started beeping. "Well, I say it is time for us to leave. Good day." Anarchia said, going to her pockets and grabbing a pair of keys, after pressing one button, it summons a motorcycle, automatically driving to her and stopping and staying by her side. Even though she and Bug Noir are surprised that Anarchy can have a motorcycle, they know that this will now be Anarchia's way to get anywhere. As Anarchia gets on, she drives off along with Bug Noir, uses her yo-yo, says a quick 'Bug out,' and leaves with Anarchia.

When they got to a quick empty spot, Anarchia summons a portal and they quickly go through there and are back to the same safe place in Muskoka. "Boy, I'm really getting the hang of this Anarchy-heroine thing," Lucy said happily.

After they de-transformed back to their normal attire, Lucy gets a sudden ringing in her head, causing her to feel a headache-migraine combination. "Ugh!" she groaned as her eyes started glowing white with small lightning bolts coming out. Marinette looked shocked and surprised to see that, while the kwamis looked at the scene surprised. Lucy then looks to see that it was a vision that Chris was talking about. The vision shows Heather holding a box with a little book in it. Lucy then realized that the book was not just a book. It was Marinette's diary. However, before Heather can get a hold of it, the box closes itself shut, trapping both the diary and Heather's hand. Causing her to scream. The next vision comes up, showing her Howard playing music, along with her, her friends, and Marinette singing one of the MetaBeta songs she and her two friends always sing, Watch Me Work.

After seeing the two visions, Lucy's eyes closed, and she got on her knees, panting. "Lucy, are you okay?" Marinette said, worriedly helping Lucy up, looking at her with worried eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just got two visions that Chris told me about." Lucy explained, rubbing her right temple. "What was it?" Tikki asked. "Oh, while we were in Paris, Heather was about to read your diary, but thanks to the box you made for it, it closed, trapping her hand along with it. So I guess you could say that your secrets are safe." Marinette sighs in relief hearing that. "Okay, that's good to know." "Tell me about it."

CONFESSIONAL: MARINETTE DUPAIN-CHENG

"Probably should've warned the girls that I have a box for my diary. But in this case, not warning Heather was actually a blessing in disguise. I'm glad I brought the box with me."

CONFESSIONAL: MARY-LOUKRITIA CORLEONE

"See, that's exactly why I don't bring a diary around me anymore. What Heather did, that's the reason."

"Oh, and the vision I got is saying that we're going to perform in the talent challenge," Lucy added. "Wait, us?" "Yeah, you, me, Harold, and two of the MBs." Marinette looked surprised to hear that. "You go meet up with the Killer Bass. I'm gonna call my friends, get Harold, and I'll meet you in a minute." Marinette nods and heads out to meet the rest of the Killer Bass. Even though she wasn't sure what the elder gods were thinking or what they had in mind about her performing at the talent challenge. "Well, if the vision say so, I guess it couldn't hurt to try," she mumbles to herself.

When she got there, she finally met up with the Killer Bass. "Hey, guys." "Marinette! Thank goodness you're here. You and Lucy got to help us!" Bridgette said. "Katie and Sadie are covered in barf." "That only leaves Tyler, Duncan, or Harold. And we already know Tyler stinks. What can Duncan do again?" "Carve a picture of his own skull into a tree? What are we going to do?" Courtney asked, panicking. Geoff then noticed. "Wait, where's Marinette?" Bridgette and Courtney now noticed that he was right that Marinette wasn't there anymore. "Where did she go?" Just then, they hear music playing. They looked to see Harold started playing some music with his keyboard. The spotlights then shine on four girls, which turn out to be Marinette, Lucy, and the two girls of the MetaBetas, Angie and Malviña. Who are also known as Miss Maleficent and Queen Red Hood. They started dancing and singing.

Lucy: Never gets old no matter how much I'm told I'm amazing

Angie: You're amazing

Lucy: It's hard to get tired when I'm always on fire I'm blazing

Angie: Ooh, you're blazing

Malviña: All my greatness. It doesn't come for free. All my talent. It doesn't grow on trees. Take a breather. They'll take it all away.

Marinette: If the top is where you wanna stay

All Four: You gotta work hard. To make it look easy. You gotta live fast. To keep making that money. If you want to be as famous as me. You gotta work, gotta work, gotta work. Watch me work.

They all looked surprised seeing Marinette and the MetaBetas perform onstage for the Killer Bass side. Their singing and dancing were all in sync. They were even surprised with their outfits. They were wearing hoodies in their colors. Angie in purple, Malviña in black, Lucy in navy blue, and Marinette in pink. On the back of their hoodies have their logos in silver, and their stage names in rhinestones. While Chris on the other hand, was actually enjoying the show, munching on some popcorn.

Angie: Haters want to be me or be with me yeah, they're fr-fr-fr-freaking

Lucy: Yeah, they're freaking

Angie: I just keep on working, lurking, smirking when they think that I'm peaking

Lucy: Never peaking, yeah

Malviña: All my greatness. It doesn't come for free. All my talent. It doesn't grow on trees. Take a breather. They'll take it all away.

Marinette: If the top is where you wanna stay

All four: You gotta work hard. To make it look easy. You gotta live fast. To keep making that money. If you want to be as famous as me. You gotta work, gotta work, gotta work. Watch me work.

After they ended their performance with a pose of their choice, there was a quick pause in the audience in front of them. Until they all started to cheer for their performance. Chris then walks up to them, clapping. "Wicked music playing, dude. And MetaBetas, a very outstanding performance." "Hey, it's what we do." Malviña said "And a perfect way to help endorse Total Drama." Angie added. "Especially with our newest member of the MetaBetas. Our very own Knitting Fairy." Lucy happily announced, wrapping an arm around Marinette. Marinette giggles as she waves to the others, causing them to cheer more about Marinette now being a new member of the idol group. "And we would like to thank Harold for taking part in aiding our performance." Harold smiled and nodded to the girls as thanks and a way of saying 'happy to help.' "Congratulations, Marinette, for now being in their group. And check it out. Grandmaster Chef has declared his winner. Even though they held the lead, the Screaming Gophers have been trampled by the Killer Bass."

"Harold, Lucy, Marinette, that was amazing." "You guys did it." As Courtney and Bridgette hugged the five who saved their lives, Chris continued, "And as for the Screaming Gophers, pick your favorite loser, and I'll see you at the bonfire."

CONFESSIONAL: HEATHER

Heather held her hurt wrist, glad that Marinette got her hand free out of the diary box. However, she was still shaken by Lucy's 'warning' after that. She sighs, "I'm just glad my hand is out of that lame-o box. And people thought that I was mean about what I was going to do to Marinette with her diary. Whatever. All I needed was four votes against Justin. Lindsay and Beth were easy. Izzy's just crazy. And Owen, piece of cake."

CONFESSIONAL: OWEN

Owen laughs while literally holding a piece of cake. "Piece of cake."

At the elimination ceremony, Chris started talking, "Kudos to you all for an incredible night of entertainment, music, drama, trapping, barfing. There's only one marshmallow left on this plate. Justin, you reminded us all that looks matter a lot. And, Heather, you're full of surprises. But almost about to read another girl's diary out loud to the whole world until a box trapped your hand as an actual trap would do to a bear? Man, that is whack. No kidding. That's really messed up what you were about to do, dude." he said. "Oh, please, just give me my marshmallow already." Heather scoffed. "Justin, I personally think this is very wrong, but tonight hotness just wasn't enough. The last marshmallow goes to Heather. Time to catch the Boat of Losers, Brah." "Later, Brah."

CONFESSIONAL: GWEN

"If that evil little cow thinks she's getting away with this scot free, she has another thing coming."

At night, while most of the campers were getting ready for bed, Gwen knocked on the guys' side of the Killer Bass door. Harold answers, and Gwen asks him, "Did you say you brought a red ant farm with you?" "Yes."

Later, while everyone was asleep, Heather ran out of the Screaming Gophers cabin, covered in red ants, screaming and trying to get them off of her. "Sweet dreams, everyone." Gwen said, laughing.

Meanwhile, Lucy's eyes squinted, trying to sleep while Heather was still screaming. "Man, I thought I was done with this when I was at that sleepover with Kit, Mills, Jade-Jade, and Sonya." she whisper-mumbled while putting her pillow over her head in order to drown the noise.

Desc Prologue Get to Know My OC Chpt 1 Reactions Pt 1 Chpt 2 Reactions Pt 2 Chpt 3 Reactions Pt 3 Reactions Pt 4 Chpt 5 Reactions Pt 5

#miraculous ladybug #miraculous crossover #total drama #total drama island #total drama crossover #totaldramamiraculousisland #total drama miraculous island #oc insert #class salt #lila salt #lila sucks #cerise bianca salt #iris verdi salt #who the freak is she?!!💢 #caline bustier salt #damocles salt #adrien salt #gabriel agreste redemption #gabriel is not a monster #good parents tom and sabine #tom and sabine sugar #Youtube

[why-so-serious-lucifer]

K-pop Discography Deep Dives: Rolling Quartz 🎸

Rolling Quartz is the fourth band I’ve covered here, and the first girl band, which is very exciting! They debuted in 2020, with five members: bassist Arem, guitarists Iree and Hyunjung, vocalist Jayoung, and drummer Yeongeun. They aren’t exactly K-pop, but instead a blend of that and k-rock. Here are my credentials: I’ve been a fan of Rolling Quartz for a while now, after being recommended their excellent cover of Dreamcatcher’s Good Night, and though I know they’re not that popular (and so this review is more for me than other people), I thought it’d be fun to do to break up the SHINHWA epic.

Blaze was their debut, and what a debut it is! Coming right out the gate with a blistering, half-minute-long guitar riff, inspirational lyrics, and Jayoung’s signature husky contralto. From this first song, they immediately stand out from the crowd: besides playing instruments, having a grungier style and music video, and dabbling more in rock, their music also feels more personal, probably due to the fact that they weren’t assembled by a company but instead formed on their own and have the power to write their own songs.

Delight starts out quieter than Blaze, though it doesn’t stay that way for long. It keeps the inspirational lyrics, with a slower, more minimalistic opening that feels like it’s holding its breath until the song explodes in rock bliss. It’s a masterclass in pulling back and rushing forward, and keeps you guessing—in a good way. This was never one of my favorites as a casual listener but I’m pleased to say this changed my mind.

Holler starts with the somewhat haunting call of “Holler, holler, holler”, befitting of the MV’s vampiric inspirations (especially Jayoung’s awesome dress), and the chant repeats again in the post-choruses as a break from the established build ups. It’s definitely reminding me of a Taemin song, with its seductive creepiness, albeit based on far more of a rocky vibe than is usual for him. Overall, I like this one more this time too!

From the EP, Fighting, I liked the crisp guitar riffs of Higher and of course their excellent cover of Dreamcatcher’s Good Night...but my favorite would have to be Azalea. Adapted from an old poem protesting the Japanese occupation of Korea, it’s the true definition of an anthemic, passionate, head-banger, and I hope one day (Hera willing) I’ll get to experience its incredibleness in concert.

One is a collaboration, and goes more of a teen-movie-soundtrack-pop-punk route; as one comment I saw said, “it sounds like it could be from a Monster High movie.” Which is absolutely not criticism, by the way; though I don’t think that One is as good as tracks like Blaze, Delight, or Azalea, it’s a fun break from the darkness and makes me want to relive my younger teenage years (though maybe not all of them, let’s be honest here).

Nazababara is their return after a while, and goes a much sunnier, brighter route, making it feel less like a political anthem and more like one for a night out for friends. I love the segments with less instrumentation in the pre-chorus so that the vocals have time to breathe, and of course the short “you got me, got me” bridge was a highlight too. It’s a short song, but a memorable one.

Sing Your Heart Out is a b-side, but it was given a music video so I’m treating it like a single. It’s harsher in sound and darker in tone than Nazababara, and more true to their usual sound. The guitar riffs are as sharp as ever, and have a great sense of build in those pre-choruses, before the chorus appears to smash everything out of the park. It definitely had me banging my head, especially during that great guitar breakdown and outro.

I’m A Loner isn’t a usual Rolling Quartz song in many ways; it’s both a collaboration with Nam Do-hyun, and an OST. But, it retains their staples of driving beats and Jayoung’s strong voice with those sharp guitars that propel it forward. I hadn’t actually heard this song before this deep dive, but I ended up liking it. I wish it had more of a cathartic end to its great build-up, but otherwise it’s pretty good.

Fearless takes a more EDM-based approach to its rock, for another banger, this time choosing something I normally dislike: an “I’m-so-cooler-than-you” song…and yet, they pull it off! That guitar solo was perfection and I couldn’t resist the urge to dance along with them as they played their instruments in the rain (which I hope they didn’t have to film more than once).

Reminiscence is their most recent single, and though it starts with a sharp snare drum, its first verses are actually a quite straightforward ballad, made unique by the ever-present power in Jayoung’s voice. But of course, since this is Rolling Quartz, it soon becomes a power ballad worthy of single status, and manages to be incredibly captivating despite its music video only being them playing their instruments in their studio, and it actually became one of my favorites of theirs. Also, I had no idea that Jayoung plays piano, so that was a fun surprise.

I’m glad I did this! I knew I would have a great time, but it was still a fun ride. I forgot how few songs Rolling Quartz actually has, but when every one of them is so high in quality, I can’t really complain. I learned a lot more about them as people too, watching some interviews and behind the scenes content and having some good laughs along the way.

My Top 5 songs are Blaze, Azalea, Nazababara, Reminiscence, and Fearless, with Sing Your Heart Out as an honorable mention. Rolling Quartz gets a 9 out of 10 from me, the same as The Rose did, which isn’t surprising at all. I don’t think that there’s a single song of theirs I don’t like, and very few that I don’t love. They’re remarkably consistent and incredibly talented, and I can’t wait to see what they do next!

Next time, we’ll finally be finishing the SHINHWA deep dive, so stay tuned. Tschüss!

#Spotify #rolling quartz #yeongeun #jayoung #hyunjung #iree #areum #azalea #k-pop #review #k-pop deep dive #k pop girl groups #blaze #holler #nazababara #sing your heart out #higher #k-rock #rock #rock band #k-band

[total-drama-takes-takes-2]

tti episode 4

“Last time on Total Takes Island- the Inane Anons took on the Flying Fujoshis in an epic game of dodgeball. There was blood, sweat, even some tears- but in the end, Peter took a serious crash and the Anons got to stay to play another day. Who will sustain a life-threatening injury? And who will get out with only minor cuts and bruises? Find out now, on Total! Takes! Island!”

The Inane Anons are sitting atop the steps to their cabins, impatiently waiting for the challenge to begin early in the morning. Kelly steps outside and smiles. “Good morning, everyone!”

The team grumbles back, most of them still half-asleep. Julia sighs and closes her eyes for a moment before being abruptly woken up by a loud scraping noise. Everyone whips around to see Kelly dragging a huge portable tanning bed out of the cabin. 

“What the hell is that?” Max asks. 

Scary giggles, earning a glare from Julia. “I hope it’s a coffin,”

“Or a transportation device that’ll take me out of here,” O sighs.

“Looks like a portable tanning bed to me, baby,” Austin says, jogging around to the other side of the machine and lifting it with Kelly. “I’ve got my own at home.”

“Great. That’s awesome,” Max mutters. Austin rolls his eyes and helps Kelly carry the device to the communal bathrooms. 

“A little impractical,” Scruffy shakes their head, taking notes on their little pad of paper before flipping it closed and tucking it in their pocket.

“What’s that thing for, anyway?” Max asks, holding his face in his hands and leaning on his knees. 

“Oh, I’m just taking notes on everything. For my thesis, you know? I’ve already seen all the past seasons a million times, so I know what the challenges are going to be, but this is with a whole new cast. It’s kind of like an experiment to me,”

---

MAX: In all honesty, Scruffy wouldn’t be a bad ally to have. They seem to be one of the less mentally unwell members of the team, and having all of that information could be helpful…

---

“Alright, campers- your next challenge starts in five! And make sure to bring your A-game!”

Bonnie walks alongside Caesar on their way to the designated “challenge area” for the day, hands in their pockets. “Do you think this one’s gonna be anything?”

“Well, Mal said that this is the talent episode, right?” 

“Did she?” 

“I was talking to her and Ass earlier. You know, making connections,”

“Ah, okay. Talent show, then,”

Courtney watches their conversation from a few feet away and frowns, clearly troubled, but they don't say anything. McLovin jogs to keep up with them and notices their expression, giving them a look of vague concern.

Patrick and Kitty stay some distance behind, but it’s clear he’s still paying attention as Kitty frolics. “Talent show. Hm. How can we work with this?”

Kitty babbles something incomprehensible and scales a nearby tree. 

The team arrives at a shabby, half-built outdoor theater, lined with splinter-covered bleachers. The Anons are already there, sitting on one side of the area with their team’s logo on it. Mal- who inexplicably seems to have arrived before anyone else, somehow- waves over Ass. “Saved you a seat!”

“That doesn’t even make any sense. The bleachers are empty,” Courtney says. 

“Don’t be a hater, Court,” McLovin gives them a faint smile and playfully elbows them. Courtney grumbles back. 

“Welcome to our newly rebuilt amphitheater!” Chris walks out on stage, holding his arms out for emphasis. “This week’s challenge is one of my favorites: a talent show!”

Caesar nods with a smirk as the Anons look at each other nervously. 

“Each team will have five hours to choose their three most talented campers and train them to perform on stage for their teams, where Chef will judge via the Chef-o-Meter!”

“Oh, me! Me!” Kelly waves their hand in the air. 

“What’re you gonna do? Tan us to death?” Julia asks, to which Kelly glares. “I’m sorry, which one of us took eight years of competitive new-wave gymnastic-aerobic fusion classes?”

Julia rolls her eyes and leans back, crossing her arms over her chest. Max shrugs. “Any other volunteers?”

Frollo begins to raise a hand, to which Max immediately says no. 

Scruffy clears his throat. “I might step in,”

“I don’t think competitive note-taking is really a talent, Arachne,” Scary giggles, looking over from where they’re carving gore into the bleachers with a sharpened rock. 

“No, way, I was my province’s spelling bee champion for five years,” 

Everyone groans, except for Max. “Eh, why not?”

Julia glares. “Are you serious?”

“What? Intelligence is always impressive,”

“Unbelievable,”

“Do you think you could do better?”

She pauses, looking long and hard for an answer, but eventually gives in and leans back. Max smiles. “Anyone else have anything in mind?”

Everyone looks at each other. Austin suddenly smiles. “I-”

“Anything appropriate?”

He falls silent. Finally, O clears his throat. “I can drink a gallon of milk in under thirty minutes,”

“What? How is that a talent?” Michael asks. 

“If you’ve ever tried it, you’d know,”

“Well, if that’s all, I guess we got our players,” Max sighs. “Come on. Let’s get this over with.”

---

“I say we go for Kitty,” Patrick says, crossing his arms smugly. “Last night I saw them strip the bark off an entire tree with their teeth.”

“What?” Courtney asks, looking over to where Kitty is digging a hole in the ground on all fours. “I don’t know if… you know what, whatever. That’s fine.”

“What about Mal?” Ass asks. “She does modern dance.”

“Aw, you’re flattering me, I’m really so bad, not even comparable,” Mal chuckles. “But yes, I accept.”

Courtney stares. “Wait, shouldn’t we vote on that?”

“I don’t think anyone has anything against it,” Caesar shrugs. “Now, let’s talk about meeeee!”

“I’m sure hosting is really great, but it’s not really what we’re looking for,” Patrick says coldly. “My vote for Kitty still stands.”

---

PATRICK: "If you’ve ever seen Total Drama before, you’ll know that the consistent winners are the freaks, the losers, and the physically unattractive. Think about it- Owen, Beth, Mike- by allying myself with the most deranged team members, I’m guaranteeing myself a ride to the finale.”

---

“Ok, how about we substitute Caesar for Mal?” Courtney says hopefully. “That way, we can get Kitty in, too!”

“There are three slots, silly!” Mal smiles. “Plenty of room for all of us!”

“Not so fast,” McLovin rises from his seat. “I want to compete.”

Mal snorts. 

“What’re you gonna do? Show everyone how to fit through a keyhole?” Patrick asks. McLovin glares back. 

“I’ll have you know I’m an expert magician,” 

“Yes! Okay, Caesar, McLovin, and Kitty- it’s perfect!” Courtney says, grabbing McLovin’s shoulders. 

---

Courtney stares at the confessional camera for a few moments before sighing. 

COURTNEY: It’s not that I hate Mal, it’s just that… Well, it’s a long story. The two of us kinda go way back… But I know if she gets up there, she’ll throw the challenge, like she’s been doing for the past few, I’m sure... I can’t let us lose.

---

“Actually, I think I’ll sit this one out,” Caesar shrugs. “It might be fun watching from the other side of the screen, if you catch my drift.”

“Aw, but-”

“Perfect! Me, McLovin, and Kitty!” Mal smiles. “It’s settled!”

A look of nervousness crosses Courtney’s face and they walk away. 

---

“Welcome to the second Camp Wawanakwa official talent contest, where six campers will showcase their skills and desperately try not to humiliate themselves, and then likely fail at that!" Chris chuckles. An intern attempting to fix a lighting feature in the dark falls off the catwalk and lands next to Chris, who has no reaction. "First up for the Flying Fujoshis is Kitty!”

Their team cheers weakly as they scamper out on stage, where a log has been placed in the center. The Inane Anons watch in confusion as Kitty gnaws at it like a beaver, chewing it down into splinters. Scattered applause follows, and a few Fujoshis glare at Patrick as the Chef-o-Meter gives them 3/9 points. 

“Next up, for the Inane Anons- Kelly!” 

A round of cheers opens their act as they bound on stage in a leotard, sporting a ribbon and a baton. They bow, then throw the baton in the air, using the ribbon to lasso it back, and then do an elaborate and mesmerizing cartwheel and backflip sequence through the ribbon, landing perfectly on their feet. 

The Inane Anons give a standing ovation (Austin cheering especially loud right in Max's ear) and Chef gives a nice 6/9. 

“Alright, very nice! Next up we have the wonderful Miss Mal doing an interpretive dance piece for the Fujoshis!”

Courtney groans and puts their head in their hands. 

Mal walks on stage, wearing an odd outfit that strongly resembles a garbage bag, and then begins to do the most uncoordinated, odd, somewhat offensive dance sequence that any contestant has ever seen. Chris’ eyes widen in both shock and amusement as he chuckles. “We’re gonna have to censor some of that, huh? Let’s see what Chef has to say!”

1/9

“Nothing good. Excellent!”

The Fujoshis look at each other nervously. “Next up, let’s hear it for O!”

The Anons cheer as O steps on stage, holding a gallon of milk and looking incredibly nervous. Max shakes his head. “We’re dead, aren’t we?”

O raises the jug and begins drinking. Chris watches nearby in bewilderment as he finishes about 1/3rd the jug before a pale, sickly look crosses his face and he runs backstage to throw up. 

2/9

“Wow. Impressive display from the Anons,” Chris chuckles. 

Backstage, McLovin peers around the curtain nervously, swallowing a lump in his throat as Ass coaches him. “No pressure, okay? Our team’s win is on your shoulders, but no pressure,”

“No pressure,” he repeats, trembling, pacing back and forth. “No-” 

McLovin stumbles backwards, tripping on his magician's cape and crashing into the table of props, crushing most of them. Ass gasps. “Oh, this is so not good!”

“No- no- I can fix this!”

“What could you possibly do now?! Pull a dove out of your-”

“I’m talented in many ways,” he says confidently, tearing off his cape and handing it to Ass. “McLovin always pulls through!”

“Next up, last one for the Fujoshis- McLovin’s Magic Ex… Extravaganza… who wrote these things?” Chris says, tossing away his cue cards. 

McLovin approaches the microphone with a solemn look on his face. He takes a deep breath before continuing.. “The magic show has been canceled,” the Fujoshis give each other nervous looks. “Hit it.”

A nearby intern puts a record on a turntable and a funky beat starts playing. McLovin nods along to the beat and immediately starts busting it down. His sweet breakdancing moves captivate the entire audience for the few minutes he goes on, dead silent and serious as the plague. 

The song ends and he spins into a perfect closing pose, earning a round of standing applause. Chef gives it an 8/9. 

“Despite their rocky start, the Fujoshis are currently leading with 12 points to the Inane Anon’s 8. It’s gonna take a solid performance to win this!”

Everyone glares at Max, who tries his best to keep a straight face. Scruffy steps out on stage, dressed neatly with their hair pulled back. They approach the microphone with a smile as an intern hands Chris another set of cue cards. 

“Oh, great. This is really riveting, guys. Your first word is necessary,”

“Necessary,” Scruffy smiles. “N-e-c-e-s-s-a-r-y.”

Scattered applause follows the sound of a correct ding!

“Loquacity,”

“Loquacity. l-o-q-u-a-c-i-t-y,”

“Chiaroscurist,”

Scruffy pauses to think for a moment. “Could I have a definition, please?”

Chris squints at the index card. “An artist who uses shade and lighting over color to make illusions of depth.”

“C-h-i-a-r-o-s-c-u-r-i-s-t,”

The Anons hold their breath in silence as they lean forward, on the edge of their seats. 

“Staphylococcus,”

“Um... Definition?”

“It’s a type of bacteria or something. I dunno, dude,” Chris chuckles, tossing the cards away again as interns rush to replace them in his hand. 

Scruffy is beginning to look nervous. “S-t-a-ph-y-l-o-c… um, o-c-c-u-s,”

“Correct! One more!” Chris says cheerily. “You’re gonna love this one!”

The Anons look at each other anxiously, and Scruffy crosses their fingers behind their back. 

“Your final word is Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis,”

Max noticeably winces, and the rest of the team sucks in their breath. A bead of sweat trickles down Scruffy’s face as a grin spreads across Chris’. The Fujoshis are already smiling and fist-bumping each other, congratulating their fellow team members on the win. All but Mal, who’s looking a little annoyed. 

“Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis,” Scruffy says, voice trembling. “Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis…”

The Inane Anons are biting nails, pulling hair, and staring intently. Even Chris seems invested as he leans forward with wide eyes.

Scruffy takes a deep breath, and then, in a calm, collected voice: “P-n-e-u-m-o-n-o-u-l-t-r-a-m-i-c-r-o-s-c-o-p-i-c-s-i-l-i-c-o-v-o-l-c-a-n-o-c-o-n-i-o-s-i-s!”

Chris stares in awe. "That's... that's correct!"

The crowd stares in shock for a moment before the Anons jump to their feet, screaming and cheering. 

---

JULIA: I’ve never seen anyone so hyped over spelling, but… I gotta hand it to Scruffy. That rocked.

---

“And Chef gives Scruffy’s spelling an 8/9, putting the Anons at 16 points and winning the game! What a game! What a game!” Chris shouts, tossing the cue cards in the air for interns to scramble over and pick up. 

The Fujoshis groan as the Anons cheer, surrounding Scruffy on stage and hoisting him up, carrying him like a king back to their cabins. 

“Fujoshis- I’ll see you all at the campfire soon,” Chris chuckles. 

---

MAX: Aaaaaand my judgment was right all along. Big surprise!

---

“Fujoshis- you’re here because you sucked. Big time. But only one of you will be going home tonight. 

You know the drill- whoever doesn’t get a marshmallow must walk the dock of shame, board the boat of losers, and never return, ever. 

And the first marshmallow goes to…

McLovin and his wicked moves. 

Mal, you’re safe, too. For some reason,” Chris chuckles. 

“Courtney, Bonnie, Caesar. Safe.

Ass, Sha-Mod, you’re still on. 

Kitty- your disappointing performance left a lot to be desired- and Patrick, you’re the one who vouched for Kitty while losing the respect of all of your teammates. If it were up to me, I’d send you both home. But it’s not! So…

Kitty…

…You’re safe.”

Everyone turns to each other nervously. Patrick stands, a look of cold hatred on his face, his fists clenched and teeth gritted. He marches over to Chris, shoving him over, and turns back one last time. “I’ll be back,” 

"Yayyyy!" Kitty smiles, waving. "Byeee!!'

Chris shivers from the ground. “Yeesh. Touchy,”

He pops up back to his feet, dusting off his shirt. “Who’s going home next time? And who’s staying to win? Find out on the next exciting episode of Total! Takes! Island!”

#total takes island #tti

[grigori77]

Celebrating International Women's Day this year, once again I'm giving a shout-out to some of the amazing ladies, both real and fictional, that I really admire, both new on the scene and since my formative years. They all live rent free in my head and I think they're awesome!

COURTNEY LaPLANTE, the incredible frontwoman from up-and-coming new metalcore band Spiritbox, who are ALL pretty amazing, but she is in a whole different league. The way she can switch from beautifully husky, gently angelic clean vocals to bloody terrifying feral demon dirty vocals AND BACK at the drop of a hat is truly astounding ...

VIOLA DAVIS, one of my favourite actresses working in Hollywood today, an undeniable queen and now a bonafide BADASS too thanks to her recent starring role as Naniska, the General of the Agojie, the legendary Dahomie Amazons, in The Woman King. These days she's PROBABLY best known as THE BADDEST BITCH in all of the DCEU, ARGUS director Amanda Waller, but these are just two of a whole CAREER of incredible performances for which she's rightly become a true A-lister ...

ELLEN RIPLEY, as played by the equally awesome Sigourney Weaver in the Alien movies. Quite simply THE GREATEST cinematic female lead protagonist OF ALL TIME, Ripley is about as definitive as strong female lead protgnonists get, the scourge of terrifying hostile aliens throughout the galaxy ...

POWER, from the acclaimed new anime series Chainsaw Man. I know, I know, she could SO EASILY have just been another classic teenage boy's wet dream anime girl, but half-demon fiend Power, like many of the show's female characters, is definitely a significant step away from the cliched norms, a total, undeniable force of (super)nature, unapologetic deluded self-promoter and thoroughly adorable chaos gremlin, who's quickly becoming one of my very favourite anime characters.

RINKO KIKUCHI, probably my VERY FAVOURITE Japanese actress EVER, thanks in no small part to her DEFINITIVE turn as Jaeger pilot Mako Mori in Guillermo del Toro's Pacific Rim, although I first discovered her as gloriously idiosyncratic demolitions expert Bang Bang in Rian Johnson's criminally overlooked The Brothers Bloom. Also rightly known for her acclaimed turn in Babel, we most recently saw her in typically fine form in Michael Mann's agreeably edgy new true crime series Tokyo Vice ...

KRISTEN STEWART. Yeah, I know, some folk are STILL likely to be rolling their eyes at this choice, but ever since Panic Room I've ALWAYS thought she was something special, EVEN when she was doing Twilight. Okay, so it's taken her A LONG TIME to shake the godawful spectre of Bella Swan, but she's DEFINITELY pulled it off by now, playing some truly AMAZING characters in a bunch of really great movies, most notably Underwater (see above), the criminally maligned and unjustly ignored Charlie's Angels reboot and her incredible recent turn as the late Diana, Princes of Wales, in Spencer.

DELENN, as played by Mira Furlan (Lost), the ambassador of the alien race, the Minbari, in one of my very favourite TV shows of all time, Babylon 5. From humble (albeit also EXTREMELY mysterious) beginnings, Delenn went on to (rightly) become THE main female lead in the show, carrying the weight of one hell of a sprawling, epic sci-fi saga plot on her more-than-able shoulders.

KATY O'BRIAN. Basicallythe core inspiration (at least in a roundabout way) for the lead character in my ongoing online fantasy novel series Never Split the Party, Kesla Shoon, Katy is 100% what I love in a genuine physically powerful woman - tough as nails, sexy as hell and, paradoxically, an absolute sweetheart. I first stumbled across her as George, the very best character in Syfy's guilty pleasure TV series Z Nation, but she's finally REALLY getting the attention she's long deserved, already earning fast fan-favourite status as Jentorra in Ant Man & the Wasp: Quantumania.

ZOE SALDANA. Ever since she started to come up in the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, she's been steadily growing herself one hell of a reputation playing a succession of strong, frequently badass women in cinema, most notably in The Losers, James Cameron's Avatar movies and OF COURSE as Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy.

SOFIA BOUTELLA. Ever since I first saw her busting some truly incredible moves in those glorious "Keep Up" Nike ads from the mid 00s, I have always been SUCH a big fan of this incredible dancer-turned-actress. She first REALLY captured our attention in the first Kingsman movie, but she's shone ever brighter since in the likes of Star Trek Beyond, Atomic Blonde, Climax and Hotel Artemis. Personally I CANNOT WAIT to see what she does with THE LEAD ROLE in Zack Snyder's incoming new sci-fi epic Rebel Moon ...

ALISON MOYET. One of my favourite female vocalists when I was growing up, I recently rediscovered her music when I started one of my music fan deep-dives through her entire back catalogue, and I'm absolutely LOVING IT. Starting out in the frustratingly short-lived early 80s electro pop group Yazoo with Erasure's Vince Clarke, she truly came to fame with her dynamite solo debut album Alf, as well as a killer cover of That Ole Devil Called love, but she's been going strong ever since thanks to one of the greatest voices around.

ANNIE LENNOX, formerly of The Tourists and The Eurythmics. Another one of the 80s all-time great frontwomen, Annie is a statuesque Scottish goddess who is rightly best known for her SECOND tour of duty with multi-talented musician Dave Stewart, but went on to have an equally astounding career as a solo singer-songwriter with a string of masterful records from the 90s right up to the present. Add to that her undeniable ICON status in the LGBTQIA+ community and you've got a bonafide androgynous goddess on your hands ...

GRACE JONES. Ever since she played Zula in Conan the Destroyer, Mayday in A View to a Kill and one seriously STRANGE vampire in Vamp, I've been a fan of this Jamaican model/actress/singer and undeniable fashion ICON. She continues to be a wonderfully weird and truly unique individual with her own unapologetically challenging style to this very day, and I love her for it.

DEBORAH CHOW. A fantastic up-and-coming Canadian filmmaker, who made a modest splash with her feature film The High Cost of Living before cutting her teeth on a series of impressive TV directing gigs on the likes of Copper, Reign and Mr Robot before truly coming into her own on The Mandalorian, which directly led to her helming THE ENTIRETY of 2022's rightly acclaimed Obi Wan Kenobi series. I'm really looking forward to whatever she does next.

CHARLIZE THERON. If there's one actress I've become a fan of mainly through her playing GENUINELY UNSTOPPABLE kickass women, it's Ms. Theron. The South African-born actress looks ABSOLUTELY AMAZING when she's stalking down a catwalk in her Dior ads, but as far as I'm concerned she looks HER VERY BEST when she's taking roomfuls of men apart with her bare hands in Atomic Blonde or a big fucking axe in The Old Guard, which will soon get a sequel I for one CANNOT WAIT FOR ...

MARISHA RAY, ASHLEY JOHNSON & LAURA BAILEY, the Ladies of Critical Role. Sure, there have been other women who've come and gone in a variety of excellent guest slot roles through the years the live-play TTRPG webcast series has been going (from Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, Ashly Burch, Sumalee Montano, Mica Burton and Aimee Carrero to, of course, the legendary Aabria Iyengar), but these three have always been the core, the heart and the undeniable BACKBONE of this amazing ongoing D&D adventure, and long may they all continue to reign ...

#international women's day #courtney laplante #viola davis #ellen ripley #power #power chainsaw man #rinko kikuchi #kristen stewart #delenn #katy o'brian #zoe saldana #sofia boutella #alison moyet #annie lennox #grace jones #deborah chow #charlize theron #marisha ray #ashley johnson #laura bailey