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turtletaubwrites · 5 months

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I Won't Waste It ~ Part 7

Pairings: Zoro x Fem!Reader, Sanji x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 2,738

This is part 7 of the Series 'We've All Got Needs,' linked below:

We've All Got Needs Masterlist

Ao3 Series Link

Summary: You set ground rules with the cook and the swordsman, and spend some much needed time with a friend. Zoro speaks up.

Rating/Warnings: Explicit Sexual Content, Fem!Reader, 18+ Only, MDNI, Reader-Insert, Smut, Alcohol, Rough Sex, Penis In Vagina Sex, Swearing, Casual Sex, Overstimulation, Multiple Orgasms, Condoms, Shameless Smut, Hair Pulling, Aftercare, Friends With Benefits, Crewmates With Benefits, Relationship Discussions, Zoro is a dick at first, but he's learning

A/N: Alright friends, please don't get mad! Zoro can be a dick, but we love character growth over here! I hope you enjoy this installment, and the next will be posted tomorrow! 😊 (Y'all can thank medical leave for these quick updates, today was the first day I've left my house in a week, lol)

Scowling at your morning reflection, you leaned your elbows over the sink. I’m fucking beat.

You took a little extra time getting ready to try to make up for your exhaustion. Especially since breakfast was starting to feel like a battlefield.

As you greeted everyone, you noticed Zoro leaning against the wall. He followed, and sat next to you. Robin’s knowing smirk made you bite your lip, looking down at your plate.

Zoro kept a grip on your thigh under the table, while Sanji brought you a caramel latte with a flower design on the foam. Usopp had asked you something, but you couldn’t hear over the assault of attention, until your captain spoke up.

“I told you Usopp, Y/N’s sick. Chopper, can fevers make you go deaf?”

“Actually yes, a high fever can cause cochlear damage-”

“She’s not sick, she’s just been having trouble sleeping. Right, Y/N?”

Nodding, you gave Robin a grateful smile.

Needing some air, you avoided their eyes and walked out on deck, yawning as you stretched.

“You’re coming to my room tonight.”

Zoro’s whispered demand tickled across your neck before you turned to face him.

Yawning again, you leaned toward him.

“I can’t tonight, Zoro. I need to get some rest.”

Your breath hitched when you saw his eyes shift, and you took a small step back.

“What, now that cook treats you like a little princess, and you don’t want to fuck me?”

The sound of a lighter sparked behind him.

“I believe the lady told you she wanted a break, Marimo.”

Zoro spun, his fingers touching the handle of a sword.

“Fucking stop it, both of you. I’m not a piece of meat to fight over.”

Sanji looked at you with wide eyes, while Zoro clenched his jaw. You glared at him, stepping forward again. “And Zoro, I enjoy our time together, but there’s a line. You agreed to this, so speak up if you can’t handle it.”

Zoro’s lips pursed a bit, and it looked like he was grinding his teeth while you continued.

“Clearly we need some ground rules.”

You sighed, walking over to the railing. You caught Nami waving from the crows nest, and you held in a laugh, grateful to know she was there.

When you turned around you could almost see the violence in the air between them

Oh fuck, what have I gotten myself into.

“Okay, rule number one; no fighting over me. The whole point of this arrangement is to keep things casual, and I won’t put myself in the middle of your feud.”

Zoro's veins pulsed in his arms as he clenched his fists, and Sanji seemed to be desperately trying to ignore Zoro’s presence.

“Rule number two; no one gets their feelings hurt when I want to take a break. I’m fucking tired, and I’m not a doll you can use whenever you want.”

They both looked appalled, Sanji flashing hateful eyes toward Zoro as the swordsman swore, and started to apologize.

You held your hand out to stop them, and kept going, trying not to draw their eyes to the thumbs up waving from the crow’s nest.

“Rule number three; we need to come up with some sort of system to keep things fair. I don’t want to have to choose between you guys, and get caught in your pissing contest.”

Sanji looked at you with puppy dog eyes, while Zoro crossed his arms with his signature scowl.

You paused for a moment, feeling exhausted.

“So, what’s the system?”

“Let her catch her breath, moss head.”

“You don’t know what she needs, waiter.”

“Guys, seriously? Stop.”

They had leaned toward each other, and you could practically see their hackles rise.

But they went instantly silent at your words, and turned to face you.

You held in the shiver that ran through you at how these two powerful men just obeyed your command so quickly.

“Let’s alternate. One day with Zoro, then the next day with Sanji. And I get to take breaks without you destroying the ship.”

Zoro kept scowling, and Sanji still looked like everything you said was magic. Again, you had to bite back laughter at these two ridiculous men.

“Plus! You can both sleep with other people too!”

The blank stares they both gave you made you pause for a minute.

“... Okay then, good! Do we all agree to the terms?”

“Of course dear-“

“Sure-“

“Great! I’m going to get some work done.”

You practically ran away from them, chewing on the inside of your lip to keep from squealing. This is insane!

You didn’t want to spend the day in the kitchen making oils and tinctures until you’d seen Zoro again. They’d agreed to the rules, but you didn’t want to test his limit while he watched you spend the day with Sanji.

Instead, you spent it with Chopper. Now and then he’d share some interesting facts from his books while you were cataloging ointments, salves, and other supplies you’d made. Making sure they weren’t expired, and logging what you should make soon.

“We go through arnica cream like crazy, I’ll put that on our priority list.”

“Good thinking!”

It was so hard to be in a low mood around Chopper, and you found yourself smiling, even as you made your way through the hall to dinner.

“Y/N.”

Zoro’s voice was low behind you, and you took a breath before turning to meet his eyes. He was looking everywhere but you, and you’d never seen him with his shoulders slumped like this.

“I’m sorry, Y/N. I shouldn’t have talked to you like that.”

You stared, watching him struggle, clearly feeling shitty about this.

“No, you shouldn't have.”

You said it with a soft voice, but stayed firm.

He nodded, meeting your eyes.

“It won’t happen again. I’m sorry.”

You nodded, releasing a breath.

“Thank you, Zoro. We can talk more tomorrow if you want. I’ll meet you in your room after dinner?”

Zoro’s lip twitched just a bit, and that tiny smile made you feel at ease. He nodded, heading into the galley.

After dinner, you walked toward your quarters in a daze.

Nami caught your eye in the hall, and she flashed a bottle of wine from under her jacket while nodding toward her room.

You closed the door behind you both, then mock hissed at her.

“You thief.”

“Former! Now I’m a pirate. And pirates plunder.”

She took a swig before handing it over.

“I figured you could use some company that isn’t trying to stick a flag in you.”

“Oh, you are so right.”

You probably should have gone to bed early, but you had needed this time with your friend. You’d managed to spend a decent amount of time not talking or thinking about boy drama, but it inevitably came back up.

And this time it was all your fault. Maybe I’ve had too much wine.

“Soo, Nami?”

“Uh huh?”

She’d been digging in her closet, but twisted around to face you.

“Would you, uh… Would you want to join an arrangement with either of them?”

Her mouth fell open, and she laughed loudly before clamping her hand over her face and sitting next to you.

“I’m sorry, I didn't mean to laugh like that.”

You were laughing yourself, leaning your head into your hands.

“No, it’s totally fine. This whole thing is fucking ridiculous.”

“No, it’s not that, I just…”

Her tone had gone soft, almost serious, and your laughter faded.

“I just, I don't know. I've never been interested in that. I’ve tried before, but-”

She glanced at you, then shrugged before staring up at the ceiling.

“I know it sounds weird. I love to hear about it, but I just… don’t want to do it myself. With anyone. If that makes sense.”

You smiled at your friend, touching your hand to hers.

“It makes sense, Nami. I don’t think that’s weird at all.”

She beamed at you, and you felt shivers of warmth for your friend.

“I’m just bummed you won’t be able to carry some of this load for me.”

“Ha, ew! I don’t want any of that load, you can keep their junk all to yourself!”

Finally crashing in your room later, you felt so filled with happiness that you didn’t even think about tomorrow.

Luckily tomorrow included the boys on their best behavior, although they were still vying for your attention during meals.

I need to set another rule for that.

You felt Sanji’s eyes on you as you left after dinner, and shivered as you made your way to Zoro’s quarters.

He let you in, as if he’d been waiting behind the door. You half expected him to pin you against the wall. Instead he led you in, sitting on the floor across from his chair. You took a seat, barely breathing. This was not Zoro’s typical stoic silence. Your knees fought as you tried not to bounce them.

He started to speak, then coughed, clearing his throat a couple times.

“I’m really sorry, Y/N.”

“I know-”

“I’m not good at this.”

He gestured vaguely between you, then looked away. You chewed your lip not to smile.

“I just. I like you. And I like what we’ve been doing together.”

“I’d say ‘like’ is an understatement, Needy.”

You caught yourself teasing his own words back at him before you could stop it. You had a second of panic, worried you’d pushed him too far.

Zoro looked up at you, his face tilted with that evil smile that made your pulse race.

He seemed to be fighting to keep his voice even, but the heat kept building.

“I promise to do better. Can you forgive me?”

Your breath was high in your chest as you felt the air shift around you.

“Yes, Zoro. I forgive you.”

He lifted onto his knees, coming only a fraction closer to you.

“Can I make it up to you?”

You gave a small gasp, and his smile of satisfaction made your eyes flutter shut for a moment.

“Y-Yes, please.”

Zoro was suddenly kneeling between your legs in his chair, hand fisting in your hair. He gripped you hard enough to make you whimper, loving the feeling of him taking control. He licked along your neck, sucking and biting your earlobe as his free hand gripped its fingers into your thigh. He pulled your hair even tighter, and you cried out for him as he chuckled in your ear.

“I knew you needed me to touch you like this. You need me to hurt you, just a little bit. Don’t you, Y/N?”

You couldn’t keep your back from arching, and he used the hand on your thigh to pull you roughly until you were sitting on the edge of the chair, quivering for him.

“Should I repeat the question, Needy?”

His dangerous words had your body aching, wetness pooling between your thighs.

“No. I, uh-”

“What do you need?”

He breathed those words against your lips as his eyes burned into yours.

You could barely hear your desperate whisper as you answered him.

“I need you to hurt me, Zoro. Use me, please.”

He forced his tongue into your mouth. His kiss felt like he was taking from you, and you moaned into him.

You fell back into the chair as he released you. Your eyes rolled back in your head as he pulled himself out of his pants, dragging a condom over his long, twitching cock.

“Wrists or throat?”

You looked back at his eyes, his growled words not registering.

“Pick one.”

“Uh, wri-wrists,” you whispered, almost panicked.

“Get on your knees.”

You joined him on the ground, heart pounding.

Zoro tore at your pants, dragging them down just above your knees before grabbing you by the hair again.

“Beg me.”

You almost went limp, his grip in your hair keeping you upright.

“P-Please fuck me, Zoro. Please let me feel your cock-”

Zoro shoved your head down to the side, and you caught yourself on your hands and knees. He moved behind you, and you whined. Needing him, dripping for him.

Feeling his length dragging along your skin, you begged even more. He leaned over you, grabbing and pulling you by the arms until you were upright, flush against the front of his body. He nipped along your neck while you shook.

“I’m gonna give you what you need. And I'm gonna take what I want. And you’re gonna keep your fucking mouth shut while I do it. Does that work for you, Needy?”

“Y-Yes, please, Zoro. I need you.”

He growled, and you gasped as he forced your arms behind your back. He pushed you forward, but held your wrists in one of his strong hands while he circled your entrance.

You chewed your tongue, panting with pain and pleasure as he slammed into you, so fucking deep. He used your arms like handles, pulling you while you whimpered, trying so hard not to scream.

Tears were streaming down your face, and you were overwhelmed, overpowered. Your pants still trapped at your thighs created so much pressure as he fucked you from this angle.

“That’s right, Needy. You want me to fucking use you. That’s why you’re being so good and quiet for me, huh?”

You nodded for him, whimpering as he shoved into you even harder.

“I can be that for you, Needy. I can be the one that makes you feel this way. Fuuck… Your pussy loves being used, doesn't it, baby?”

Tiny sobs left your lips as your body proved him right.

The angle he was holding you at was wearing you down, but he held your arms where he wanted you, forcing himself into your body as it tried to go limp.

You came on his cock, tears and drool leaving your face instead of screams. And he didn’t stop.

Zoro pushed you forward, using an arm to catch you before you hit the floor.

Then he shoved you face to the floor while he kept ramming into you.

“Finger yourself, Needy. I’m gonna take what I need now.”

Moaning, you tried to move your arms, but they were still almost numb from his grip. You didn’t need to though. The new angle, and Zoro’s groans above you brought you close again.

“Fuck, I know what this needy pussy wants, huh, Y/N?”

He fisted your hair as his thrusts became erratic. You moaned your ‘yes’ for him, writhing under his control.

“What do you need?”

Panting, you begged while he brought you again, your pussy milking him.

“I need your cock, Zo-Zor-”

You had to stop talking or you would have screamed. You shook under him, body bucking while you came so fucking hard. Even with your own body convulsing, you felt Zoro pulsing inside you, loving the moans he let out as he released.

You lay together, gasping and twitching, until the sensations were too intense and he pulled away, cleaning himself off while you tried to relearn how to breathe.

Zoro came back to you with a towel, cleaning you off before rolling you onto your back, and helping you slide your pants back on.

His face was unreadable, and you stopped yourself from asking if he was okay. He promised he’d use his words. I can’t let myself worry about his every expression, it’ll go too far.

You swallowed as you tried to listen to your own advice.

Then he sat against the wall again, dragging you to lay across his chest. Your breath froze as he gently stroked your arm while he rested his head against the wall to look at the ceiling.

You didn’t know what to say. This was the most awkward moment you’d felt with him so far, and you were trying so fucking hard to not take responsibility for this grown mans feelings.

“Thank you.”

You gingerly pushed yourself up, sitting against the wall beside him so you wouldn’t have to look up at him.

“For what?”

He met your eyes, his lips twitching into a small smile.

“For giving me another chance. I won’t waste it.”

Your lips parted as you stared into his deep, dark eyes. His words sounded so soft, so genuine. Your breath seemed caught in a strange moment, like you were somehow separate from the room you were in. Zoro didn’t look away.

“You’re welcome.”

Thank you for reading! 💜

TurtleTaub Fanfic Masterlist

Part 8

Buy me a coffee ☕🙏🏼

Tag List: @astheni-a

A/N: I'd love to hear your thoughts on Zoro here. 💚 I hope you enjoyed the ride!

#zoro smut #zoro x reader #Reader Insert #Fem!Reader #Smut #mine #One Piece smut #Opla smut #opla zoro x reader #zoro x you #zoro fanfic #zoro fanfiction #x reader #turtletaub fics

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natigail · 7 months

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I've seen the rise, the fall and the rebirth of DanAndPhilGAMES. Honestly, I cannot believe we have arrived at this day and they obviously had to announce it in the most exaggerated and hilarious way. It's so them, and I am still trying to come to terms with the fact that we're going to get gaming videos by Dan and Phil post coming out.

I had just started watching Dan and Phil properly in the summer of 2014 and just a couple of months later, the very first video on the gaming channel dropped. Since then, the regular gaming channel videos have been such a huge comfort for me and so many others. Then came the hiatus, an indefinitely decision that caught the channel in limbo. It's made sense, in many ways leaving 2018 and entering 2019 spelled an important shift for the boys.

They retired several of their old projects, even pinof, and started to separate the entity of "Dan and Phil" and as such the gaming channel also had to go. I was gutted to see it go, but I trusted the boys were doing what they needed. And in the years that's followed, I've kept a small hope that it was never quite dead until they definitively said so. Hell, Phil had recently mentioned checking to see if Dil on the Sims save was okay, and we knew they still had that cursed Dil Howlter head from TATINOF somewhere in their nostalgia pile.

Today they used that very papier-mâché head again. The motherfucker rose from the grave and called the boys daddies, which honestly had me pausing and just doubling over in laughter at their horrified faces. And let's not even talk about the tweet an hour before the video cordially inviting us, as if it was a fucking wedding we were about to attend!

Dan and Phil are nothing if not extra, and I love them so much for it. It's been over nine years that I've followed along with their content and lives, and tonight just proved that I will never be dragged from the phandom. The instant surge of excitement, anticipation and a little dread upon seeing the invitation tweet and the video thumbnail still got me like I got into the boys yesterday. It's still so palpable in my chest even now, and I cannot stop smiling.

The gaming channel is and has always been full of comfort content for me. Dan and Phil know it too. They put it in the video, they put it in the video description, and just the way they handled this whole announcement all radiates that they're so aware of it. They know we've been here, waiting patiently, until they were ready to come back to it.

I would have accepted it if they had really decided to kill the channel, but man, oh man, I am delighted that it instead has come back from the grave. Risen with static flutter and a menacing Sims character who's story isn't quite over yet.

We get to have the regular banter back, but now with no filter at all. They don't have to conceal parts of themselves that they weren't ready to share, even if the gaming channel always felt more open and intimate.

I am extremely ready to parasocially see two domestic nerds laugh, bicker, scream and make questionable noises. I just know I will be right there besides them. Thank you to Dan and Phil for bringing back our comfort channel. It's a gift and we won't forget it.

#there i feel a bit better a bit more sane if only marginally #i just have a lot of feelings about these two tall british nerds #also the timing of this like obviously it had to be this month #october #spooky week #i am hoping that's making a comeback in like a week or so #that would be incredible but honestly i'm excited for anything #anything they want to make for us #dan and phil #DanAndPhilGAMES #nina natters #my tumblr dabbles #talking in tags

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opia-tarot · 2 years

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🔞asteroid placements i find hot🔞

☄️circe-ascendant (especially difficult aspects)

You already know how much i love these aspects. I don't need to elaborate, but i will until u all get sick of it. I'll gladly do anything for these people, or be anything. They have a dark energy about them, idk it makes me OBSESSED.

asteroid aphrodite-venus

These people are the definition of charmers. They make people swoon and stumble over their words.

medusa conjunct ascendant

Umm excuse me? Who gave u the right to be so intimidating? I can spot these people so easily, their eyes are like daggers probing everyone and cutting so deep i feel way too exposed around these people. I love it ahaha

sirene 1h

These people are so yummy. They know they have people wrapped around their finger and it's so attractive.

sirene 8h

Oof. I can't. These people are beyond mysterious. I just wanna figure them out. So so so seductive and sultry. They have the art of push and pull so easily used in their favour. And what's even crazier?! These people usually don't realise how seductive they are.

aphrodite 1h

They're so bloody attractive!! Like without fail. Yes obviously it depends on other placements, but like wow. Seriously like art on legs. mona lisa who? picasso where?

sirene square ascendant

These are the people who literally strike and seduce. You won't even realise how deep you're in it until you're trapped ahaha. They are so strikingly attractive. Their appearance literally makes people do crazy things. Megan knees at the ready.

sirene 3h

Why is your voice so attractive?!!!! Seriously when these people speak i'm enticed, i can't process anything. Without fail these people have either a sexy singing voice or they speak and pants are dropping.

sado trine mc

especially if it's in scorpio oof. Anyway. These people will literally grab everyone's attention. They make people painfully OBSESSED. It's something they can do so easily, no effort needed.

asteroid fox in fire signs (aries🥵)

HOT. So hot. Ruin me.

lisitsa in the 5h

These people are so seductive and they can have anyone they want, including me😊

Sado in scorpio

They seem like they can take you to the dark side and make u theirs. They almost seem dangerous. I like it. Their sex appeal is so dangerous because it's a weapon. Weaponize it and use it on me?🥺 ahahaha

eros conjunct mars

They have this sex appeal that's so potent, almost suffocating. I love it

gaussia in scorpio

These people are shamelessly magnetic, they can literally attract anyone ahaha. I've seen it first hand. Honestly ughhhh so addictive

gaussia-jupiter

it enhances their magnetism, it's self explanatory but i had to include it

sirene 2h

They always seem like they're hiding something ahaha. I love their mystery and how they seem so complex. They're literally an unsolvable puzzle. I love it. Their layers make me wanna dig.

fox-asc/ 1h

I'm aware these people tend to get sexualised often, so i don't wanna be too extra, but like oh my gosh. Every time i see someone attractive they’ve usually got prominent fox somewhere, it's ridiculous

asteroid fox in capricorn

honestly can't express how sexy this placement is. The definition of cold seduction, Like yes baby ignore me ahaha. They seduce by being cold or blunt idk but it works. People will take the bare minimum from them ahaha. Like they look in my direction? Life mission accomplished ahaha

lisitsa- asc

every attractive person has this aspect. I'm aware it's usually used to analyse female attractiveness, idc about that. I don't include gender in my posts so idc. Every and i mean every attractive person i've seen or met has this aspect. They are HOT and stupidly seductive. They could breathe and suddenly everyone is asthmatic. idc bitch i'm gasping for their attention ahaha.

kallisto-asc

These people are seen as attractive by everyone. It doesn't matter if they're not conventionally attractive, they are attractive simple.

eros conjunct/square ascendant

I won't stop talking about these placements ahaha. The sex appeal?! Oh my.

cassanova-asc

So usually these people are seen as players or heartbreakers. But like you can break my heart baby. Shatter it. bob the builder, i can fix it.

aphrodite conjunct mars

stunning, show stopping. spectacular. They have a delicate sex appeal.

charis-ascendant

They have a satisfying appearance. Their appearance is used to charm. They usually have really nice smiles too. A lot of hot people have this aspect

medusa in leo, virgo, cap, aries

HOT. The person no one can seduce because their self worth is so high and they never lower their standards. I love it sm.

sirene in fire signs, libra and capricorn

The are so good at the art of seduction, it's just so easy to them ahaha. The bad bitch placements.

charis 5h

They usually have a very playful charisma about them. They have no issues attracting partners and general admirers. Pick me.

charis in scorpio/ 8h

They have a seductive charm and it's not try hard or in your face. They have an it factor.

juno-ascendant

These people age so well, dilfs and milfs honestly. They always have nice skin and a bright smile.

nymphe in virgo

same reason as juno-asc. These people usually have really unique facial features too.

I like every placement i’ve mentioned so far in capricorn and scorpio btw but u should know that by now ahaha. Also aries and leo.

#astrology asteroids #astrology #astro notes #astro observations #opia tarot

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shijiujun · 7 months

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OFFICIAL NOVEL: Kiseki Dear to Me Rundown From Start to End (A PRETTY LONG POST)

I briefly shared a brief read through of the last two chapters (and also what we can expect will happen in episodes 9-13) for Kiseki Dear to Me yesterday, and now that I have a bit of time, here's a slightly more detailed look through the novel! The drama was adapted from the novel so I think we can more or less expect some of these details in the novel turn up in the drama as well, although I've already seen some differences, mostly due to timing.

Also another thing to note is that the novel's protagonists were clearly Bai Zongyi and Fan Zherui, so the others really don't feature in terms of deepening relationship at all, but disclaimer that I'm still doing a skim through for now, haven't had time to read every word ;-;

Title: Kiseki Dear to Me (same name) Total: 1 Prologue + 10 Chapters + 2 Extras + 1 Special Feature (?) Author: Lin Peiyu, who's behind quite a number of well known TW BLs, including H3T

NOVEL SPOILERS IN FULL BELOW

(1) Prologue

Ai Di curses as he and Bai Zongyi leave the prison, and he makes the mistake of looking back as it's considered a taboo for released prisoners to look back at their place on incarceration (because it means you're gonna go back)

BZY: Well if you obey the law from now on you won't have a chance to come back, and Ai Di goes: Who the hell do you think I am of course I'm going to get into trouble and how can you say that to me, I protected you for a year!!

Chen Yi picks Ai Di up in a sports car and Ai Di scolds Chen Yi because how's he gonna give BZY a ride in a two-seated but Chen Yi doesn't want to bring BZY any more potential negative trouble, and drives off

Ai Di is like why is it so depressing when I should be happy and Chen Yi said: That your damn problem and Ai Di is all: We haven't seen each other for a year and you're still so nasty to me

(2) Chapter 1

Mostly the same as the drama, BZY meets FZR who's injured for the first time, Ai Di goes crazy hitting people when they lose FZR

Chen Yi teases Ai Di saying if he smokes any more he's not going to grow taller to which Ai Di says, "Are you so damn great just because you're 180cm?!"

FZR cooking > All these are the same, the only thing is they packed eps 1-3 all in the first chapter

In the car when FZR is picked up by Ai Di and Chen Yi, they talk a bit about how FZR is someone that Chen Dongyang passed to Chen Yi to protect and that's why he puts so much attention on him, and FZR is like "oh so anyone who matters to Chen Dongyang you'll protect? oh, i forgot, except for Er-Ye (second boss, Zhou Minglei) and ISTG Chen Yi is so damn wild?! He goes, "He's (Zhou Minglei) is still alive, that's as much as I am tolerating him" (because he's jealous he gets to be with Chen Dongyang) > THIS IS WAY MORE OBVIOUS HERE THAN IN THE DRAMA

(3) Chapter 2

Technically when FZR leaves BZY's house and intends not to see him again, they next meet in the school in drama with FZR as a teacher, but in the novel, FZR comes back to the house drunk with BZY cuz he missed BZY unconsciously and also because BZY was working at the place he got drunk at, and also got into a fight at

Ends with scared-of-the-rain scene with FZR comforting BZY

(4) Chapter 3

WHEN THEY WAKE UP IN BED THE NEXT DAY THEY ARE ALREADY GETTING SMEXY WITH EACH OTHER like cuz they're in the same bed from FZR comforting BZY who was scared of the rain the night before, and when they wake up, they couldn't help it and FZR basically pounced on BZY - they don't go all the way tho, strictly hands only until Ai Di calls and interrupts them

Ai Di treats FZR's wounds and we can really see how great friends they are because Ai Di is lived as hell that FZR is hurt and cursing up a storm and FZR is all "if I die, do you wanna bet you'll be the saddest out of everyone?" LMAO

And we get the student framing scene, but FZR is not a teacher AT ALL he's there as BZY's cousin, and he comes to school all decked in like riches and everyone is like OMG IS BZY A RICH BOY

After that we get the same thing i.e. FZR asking BZY if he did well at defending him, the hug and the likes

Difference is BZY gets home that night and gets a fever because he was burnt by the chemicals from the incident in the classroom with the girl who framed him after not handling rejection well

FZR takes care of him really well and they're really attracted to each other and can feel that deep connection and are super drawn to each other idek how to put it

Ai Di ends up at a "part-time job" without telling Chen Yi

(5) Chapter 4

Gangster boss meeting NOT in the bathhouse but in a regular meeting room and everyone is present, and obviously Zhou Minglei is scolding Chen Yi but Chen Dongyang is obviously protective over Chen Yi and excusing his actions (same as drama)

Chen Dongyang tries to convince FZR to go back to his family

FZR goes back to BZY after a while (at least a few days or weeks because everytime they reunite in this chapter and past few chapters, FZR makes a comment about how he's now taller etc.)

BZY confesses, and wishes to grow up faster so he can have FZR

(6) Chapter 5

FZR avoids BZY and asks Chen Yi why they all keep asking him to go back to the Fan family (same as drama), then he runs back to BZY's place because of the rain and BZY is hurt (same as drama too)

And then yes same the drama they sleep together for the first time (and a few times after lol)

(7) Chapter 6

The morning after, unlike the drama, they do get their second morning round in

And then some time after BZY actually gets to orientation at med school, and somehow finds out that FZR might have something to do with the Fan family, and realises he's not FZR's match in terms of status

FZR talks about his past, and then BZY tells him again that he loves him for him, and then FZR says "you're my man" and BZY goes insane obviously

After they confirm their feelings again, FZR decides that he can't keep living the half-gangsta life and decides to leave the gang and head back home

He bids farewell to Chen Yi and Ai Di quite formally like with a cup of tea and they don't say goodbye because from today onwards their paths are different and will never cross again (WTS?!?!! drama much?!)

Chen Yi tries to look for Zhang Teng

(8) Chapter 7

BZY's fam comes to visit, and then they stay over

FZR suggests that BZY moves in with him and same as drama, all the sweet promises and trying to build a future together

While they're rolling in the sheets, FZR threatens BZY and say if he dares to break any promises to him he would kill him LOL

(9) Chapter 8

Chased down by Zhang Teng's men just after they move in together

There's no backstory for Zhang Teng and FZR either, ZY just plain hates Chen Yi and co, and the same thing where he ends up dying too

As FZR is undergoing surgery, BZY asks Chen Yi and Ai Di if they're cops or gangsters and Ai Di is like oh the latter, and then FZR's grandpa, dad, younger brother and mother come

They meet but don't say much to each other and then afterwards BZY is no longer able to see FZR, and FZR's parents sell the house and tell BZY not to cling onto FZR anymore etc., and FZR basically realises what a shitty ass home FZR lived in and why he wanted to run away and join the gang

BZY's dad ends up in the hospital and he's at the hospital when Chen Dongyang finds him and convinces him to take the rap for FZR, and BZY himself realises what grandpa Fan is doing, he wants to break them up

But he agrees anyway because if FZR wakes up and turns himself in it might be a death sentence

Chen Dongyang is super unhappy he had to pass the news to BZY like this under grandpa Fan's requests, who he owes a favour too, and really hates and regrets that he ruined BZY's future, and he scolds Chen Yi and tells him that they would forever owe BZY one till the day they die

Ai Di goes to the hospital, sneaks in and whispers the news to FZR hoping it'd wake him up, so turns out Zhang Teng went after FZR because he realised he was from the Fan family (wtf is the link idk, they don't really say it here) after FZR's third uncle let the news leak to him

He tells him BZY is in jail and what grandpa Fan did to him and FZR finally reacts, but he asks who Ai Di is after he wakes up

Ai Di: SERIOUSLY?!

(10) Chapter 9

BZY gets out of jail, returns home to his dad and sister, and poor bb is depressed af. They urge him to go back to med school since he doesn't have a record anyway, but he tells them that he hurt his head in jail and has severe short term memory loss, like he can be saying one thing one moment and forgetting it the next and saying it again, he needs his notebook to help him remember

They both know why he went to jail and dad is guilty af and angry af at FZR but BZY told him he doesn't regret doing it for the person he loves

Dad tries to creep up on BZY but BZY reacts very badly, because he had to protect himself in prison from terrible people

And while his brain can't handle med school anymore, BZY takes the money that grandpa Fan and Chen Dongyang promised his four years ago and opens a dessert shop to sell the desserts he promised FZR he would make for him

FZR at this point is getting scolded by his grandpa, and his younger bro, heir to the Fan family, is speaking up for him

Once FZR leaves the room, grandpa Fan tells younger bro to make use of FZR and squeeze him dry because that's all the use he is

But once the younger bro leaves his grandpa, he meets FZR outside and tells him not to give too much of a shit about what grandpa said, and that's when it's revealed that FZR has NOT lost his memories

Younger bro has been hiding it for him all this while and they're working together - FZR wants revenge against third uncle and also his grandpa a little, while younger bro doesn't want to sit at the top of the family but still be subject to grandpa's control

Younger bro was also the one who told him all about BZY and what grandpa did to him the moment he woke up from the accident four years ago, and that's how he managed to pretend to be amnesiac in time

FZR is filled with guilt and self-blame and pain because where BZY is that's his home, but now he's ashamed to see him, but he still can't see him either because he needs to revenge first, makes sure it's safe

A new cafe opens near a university, and BZY makes the best desserts - his sister asks him why he doesn't go find FZR, and he just doesn't dare to anymore because of the way he is now, broken - AND SIMULTANEOUSLY FZR and his younger bro are seated in a car outside the bakery and younger bro is like "miracles don't happen just by you sitting on your ass here" and FZR also doesn't dare to go in and see BZY

He threatens his bro and makes him go in to buy desserts for him, and tears up when he realises all the desserts are familiar to him, that BZY was keeping his promise, but still doesn't go in

BUT SNEAKY LITTLE BRO!!! On the note he gives BZY, he writes a message "FZR didn't lose his memory, if you wanna see him come to xxx place tomorrow"

And BZY is convinced by his dad to take the leap

BZY goes to the address as stated the next day and realises he knocked on younger bro's door, and younger bro is like he's NEXT DOOR thanks

BZY goes in and sees FZR asleep, and a bottle of sedatives next to the bed. He wakes him up, and FZR thinks he's a figment of his imagination in his dreams because FZR, through the four years, has been using sedatives to fall asleep because that's the only place he sees BZY

They sleep together, FZR still thinking it's a dream, and only a bit later when he feels pain he realises that FUCK IT REALLY IS HIM

THEY ARE FINALLY WHOLE!!! THEY open their hearts to each other again and tell each what they're thinking and how scared they are etc., and they've found their way back to each other again

(11) Chapter 10

FZR and BZY are seeing each other again with FZR running between Taipei and Taichung, and then he finally runs into FZR's dad again

He's apologetic and regretful and ashamed, but dad is now understanding and gives his blessings

On the TV, news of Taiwan's imminent gay-marriage bill is on and BZY plans to propose and marry FZR, and FZR promises that in the future, he'll write in his notebook for him, he'll remember and make memories for them both

BED TIME! Happily ever after

(12) Extras + Others

Extra 1 is the scene in the drama where BZY's sister sees them kissing in FZR's living room

Extra 2 is between FZR and his brother, and his younger brother basically tells him that he's always known what FZR's mother was doing but he never cared about it because no matter what she or FZR did, whether he acted stupid or smart or whatever, FZR's brother's status at the heir would never change, and FZR is like wtf bro firstly, that's hurtful, secondly, you're telling me I could have just been less emo all these years, and then FZR's bro drops a bomb that HE IS GAY TOO and he's seeming someone and FZR is like "omg is grandpa Fan going to have a heart attack you've got two gay boys here huh"

Special Feature is just a routine day between dessert maker BZY and busy businessman FZR, a sweet, sweet day <3

-----

ALRIGHT AND THAT IS IT!

Okay I'm honestly not at all surprised at the loopholes in the writing in the novel it's quite characteristic of quite a number of the authors' books LOL and I'm so damn happy the drama decided to take it up a notch and give colour to Ai Di, Chen Yi, Chen Dongyang and Zhou Minglei because DAMN the novel treated them like third-class citizens ok barely like a handful of mentions I'm like WHY DO YALL EVEN EXIST HERE IF NOT TO BE GAY AND BECOME CPs

Sad Zhang Teng too, he was literally just a token villain CAN U IMAGINE

HAPPY WATCHING THE REST OF THE KISEKI DEAR TO ME DRAMA YALLLLLL <3 No need to be scared of extended dual amnesia plot pain UNLESS we get a drama canon deviation

#kiseki dear to me #kdtm #kiseki: dear to me #chen yi #ai di #fan zherui #bai zongyi #nat chen #jiang dian #hsu kai #taro lin #lin yutong #kdtm novel #for all the peeps who need to know the novel #but can't and there's no tl #kdtm spoilers #spoilers

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onyourowndaisymae · 11 months

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Hello! If possible, could I request the Obey Me brothers + dateables and their reactions to an MC with dyscalculia? If not, it's totally fine!! I hope you've an awesome week <3 !!

obey me brothers + an mc with dyscalculia (pt. 1)

in order to get shit out in even a remotely timely manner, i've decided to now and in the future start splitting asks into two individual posts based on character group (brothers vs dateables/side characters). it was between that and shortening the posts and since i'd rather bite my own fingers off than put out content i'm not proud of, this is my solution! so let's call this part 1 to this ask. also sorry it takes me obscenely long to post i am a mess

content warnings: none

"Dyscalculia is a learning disorder that affects a person's ability to do math. Much like dyslexia disrupts areas of the brain related to reading, dyscalculia affects brain areas that handle math- and number-related skills and understanding." - Cleveland Clinic

Lucifer

lucifer is such a dad about this, like i cannot express this enough.

he knows you have dyscalculia before you even arrive in the devildom. he sees it on your paperwork before they pull you from the human realm, so he's already preparing the best strategies to assist you. he will, however, wait until you say something about it to make that information known.

he will make you bring your math homework to his office every night so he can check it. that is not optional. he doesn't care how much you hate it, because at the end of the day you need to pass. tough love, in a sense.

but, on that same note-- he's not actually mean about correcting your work. it's very odd. you'd expect big, bad, "i'll string mammon up from the ceiling on any given day" ass lucifer would be a brutal teacher, but he's really not. he knows that you brain simply does not work the same way as others, so he's extra particular about his explanations. he doesn't ever call you out in a way that makes you feel stupid. this proud demon never wants to make you embarrassed over something you can't control.

ideally, you'll come around on doing homework in his office every night. he thinks this is the perfect choice for both of you. his office is quiet and warm, with the soothing sounds of a crackling fire comforting you as you work. he can make sure any distractions (aka, his brothers) are completely out of sight until you're finished for the night. he'll also be right there in case you need any help-- he'll drop whatever he's doing and help until you're sure you've got the problem down.

lucifer is protective of this time together. it's the one time where he's certain he can do more for you than the rest of his brothers, and he's determined to prove you won't ever need to turn to them for help.

if you get overwhelmed with your homework, he's easy on you for the rest of the night. lucifer knows when to call it quits-- he'll slide your homework away across the desk and set a reassuring hand on your back. he doesn't speak as you get all your frustrations out, whether they be tears or anger. it's easy to forget that lucifer is actually an older brother. but in moments like these, full of quiet comfort as he carefully works you down from the ledge, you think maybe he's not so intimidating after all.

Mammon

oh, you're not good with math? join the club, bestie.

mammon takes an embarrassing amount of time to realize that you've got dyscalculia. like, a near impossible amount of time. you're not hiding this information from him. he's seen lucifer help you with your math homework, heard you talk about special accommodations for tests, hell, you've even said it aloud! this man would lose a spelling bee to a box of bricks.

you eventually ask him if he knows what dyscalculia is. he tries to play it off like he knows, but of course, he's not a great actor. you let him flounder for a little bit before choosing mercy and explaining the concept to him. it takes him a bit to understand that it's an actual learning disorder and you're not just making shit up to explain why you suck at math.

mammon prefers when you do homework together. in his head, he justifies this by saying he'll be close by when if you need his help. in reality, he'd probably do more harm than good to your grade. he spends most nights trying to coax you into working on homework in his room. at the very least, he'll be able to spend some alone time with you

reality is often disappointing. you do actually spend most nights doing your math homework together... at the kitchen table, while lucifer sits between you two and makes sure you get your work done in a timely manner. no talking, mammon, or he'll hang you from the stairwell by your ankles.

don't ask him for help. just... don't. you'll honestly do worse than if you had just tried yourself.

if you get overwhelmed trying to do your work with dyscalculia, mammon is right there by your side. you won't be doing anymore work tonight, that's for sure. he'll pull you into his arms, red-faced and sheepish, as he soothes your frustrations with gentle, murmured affirmations. you are so much more than this math shit, alright? don't forget it.

Leviathan

levithan simply won't pick up on something as subtle as your difficulty with numbers. even if he notices it, he'd never say anything. what if he's wrong? what if you feel bad about it? what if he offers to help you with that math homework you're struggling with three feet in front of him and you hate him for it? oh god, maybe he should mind his own business. what if he's making all these assumptions about you-- assumptions that you'd hate him for? he can't handle if you-- oh, what? you want to talk about it with him? haha, no worries. totally chill. levi's nothing if not totally chill.

you have to tell levi about your dyscalculia if you ever want him to know, or at least tell one of his more loose-lipped brothers. he's willing to talk about it if you are. but no matter how close you are, he would never bring it up first.

he's got passable grades. he'd probably do better if he applied himself, but honestly, he's far too interested in throwing himself into another anime or video game to dedicate much brain space to school. if you want to do homework with him, he'll probably opt to play a game on some handheld next to you to keep you company. he's extra considerate to keep his headphones on and stay quiet for you. he's just honored you want to spend time with him like this.

you want levi to help you with homework? are you sure? you don't want one of his smarter brothers, like satan or belphie or-- you're sure you want him? he's not convinced he's stellar at tutoring or anything, but he'll try. he brings out his own (rushed) homework and explains his thought process to you... funnily enough, helping you points out the flaws in how own work, which he can now fix before turning it in. helping you has quiet literally raised his grades in the long run.

if you get overwhelmed, levi is quick to panic. please don't cry. his best solution is to distract you. wanna watch him beat this level? wanna start an anime together to take your mind off of it? you guys end up wasting the rest of the night recreating the HoL and demon brothers in the devildom equivalent of the sims. so much for raising your grades together... lucifer is not happy hearing how easily both of you got distracted (but lets it slide when he realizes it was math homework you skipped).

Satan

satan is an observant fellow. he probably knows within your first month at RAD that you've got an issue with numbers. he might not know the exact diagnosis, but he can tell you're not nearly as confident with math as you are in other subjects. he notices you're more dodgy about anything to do with numbers. he had not intention to bother you about it, of course, but he'll watch with a bit of curiosity as you encounter these sort of situations-- he doesn't understand you, after all, and he wants to know why.

by the time you guys are on friendly terms, he'll offer to help you with any homework you might struggle with. satan gives no indication that he knows you're not the most confident in math. while he hates lucifer, satan still knows the value of pride and dignity in these situations. he waits until you approach him one night for help-- bashful, a little ashamed, all interesting emotions for him to witness up close-- and carefully guides you through the work. that's when he sees it. you have an odd way of interacting with numbers. there he notices little mess ups when counting, longer pauses mid-equation, how quiet you are as he helps you out... interesting. guess he'll have to keep assisting you for now.

when you do eventually tell him, he... i mean he basically flat out tells you he knew from the moment he watched you solve a math problem. hopefully that explanation doesn't upset you. it's just facts. one time you had to pay for something at a festival stall in cash... watching you try to calculate the combination of coins and bills you should hand over was painful.

he doesn't really mind accommodating your dyscalculia. you, at least, aren't just a dumbass with no explanation (like mammon, he's talking about mammon). satan will usually ask if you want his help before stepping in, out of courtesy, but usually prefers to handle number-related tasks himself. it just goes faster.

if you get overwhelmed with your homework, you'll see satan get really confused. he didn't think it was something that could upset you in that way. he'd sooner expect you to get pissed off and storm out, y'know? that he can relate to. he'll follow your lead on this one. what would make you feel better? if you want to power through, he'll do his best to explain everything as simply as possible. if not, he'll do something with you to take your mind off of everything.

Asmodeus

it's easy to write asmodeus off as some sort of surface-level ditz, but that's truly a disservice to the bubbly demon. he's still one of the most powerful demons in the whole realm, after all. but he's always been good at picking up those small details-- your dyscalculia is something that stumps him for awhile, but eventually, he figures out something is up.

the main problem is shopping. he'll often drag you along with him to majolish, either as a pack mule to carry his things or as a lovely little doll to try on every outfit combo his pretty little head can put together. the real issue came about as he tried to get your help calculating a running total for the items in his arms. see, asmo is quite good with numbers (new headcanon alert? honestly i'm into it i now declare asmo's a secret lil math whiz). so as he's adding up the prices, he'll shout numbers at you from another changing room and ask you for help. what's $74.36 + 189.20? quickly! oh, too late, he's got it. will you remember $263.56? now say that back to him?

when you inevitably stumble through every single number-related task, even just counting certain things in the bag, asmodeus realizes that maybe you're just not that good with numbers. not in the way that mammon is, that's just general stupidity (so mean!), but in a way unlike you are with anything else. eventually he'll stop handing off number-related tasks to you and take a couple extra seconds to do it anyways.

asmo would help you with homework, but that requires doing his own homework, you see. and considering the fact that his nails are wet AND the devildom culture reading sounds boring as hell... he doesn't have any plans to do it. in fact, he'll calculate just what assignments he can skip while still passing. if he's not going to do his homework, he'll at least keep you company while you do yours! expect quite humming as he scrolls through social media next to you.

on the rare occasion that he does in fact do his work, asmo is more than willing to help you with your math homework! he does, however, have a system. first of all, you guys are studying in his room with the door closed. not to hide anything from the others-- unless you'd like to take advantage of the closed door?-- but to keep his brothers from interrupting you. then the two of you will spread out on his floor or his bed and get to work. if you help him with devildom history, he'll gladly help you with math!

if you get overwhelmed by your math homework, asmodeus is quick to ditch school work for the rest of the evening. honestly he didn't want to do it either! he's almost excited to be there by your side and comforting you-- in part because it's him you're asking for comfort and not his brothers, and in part because he gets the chance to charm you with one of his greatest strengths: hospitality! expect an evening of pampering with no expectation of reciprocation. he enjoys running you a bath (won't even joke about joining you... this time), doing your skincare, painting your nails... it's your call. he just can't wait to take your mind off of the stress and remind you just how wonderful you are.

Beelzebub

beelzebub doesn't even come close to finding out about your dyscalculia until you tell him. he thinks watching people work is a little rude, and he's usually too busy snacking, or thinking about snacking, or planning his next food order, or-- you get the picture. and even if he did notice you struggling, he'd kindly turn the other cheek to give you privacy. he might mention something to belphie later, considering how smart his twin is and all, but it's always out of a place of genuine concern and care for you. beel is trusts you to respect your own limits and, if you want him to know about your struggles, to approach him when you're ready.

beel is the type to have a structured homework routine. he just gets too distracted when left to his own devices! his stomach can lead him to the wildest of places. beel goes to the same spot in his room every night with a mountain of snacks and gets to work. belphie is usually somewhere in the room to "supervise", mainly acting to keep his twin on task when his brain goes into overdrive. no beel, you didn't miss fangol practice. it was cancelled tonight because of the weather. is lucifer making dinner toni-- i don't know who's on dinner duty. no, don't go check. beel.

if you're joining him to actually do your work, belphie is thankful. you essentially take over his job of "beel wrangler" and allow him to sleep peacefully nearby. if you're there to be a distraction, it's only a matter of time until you're either wrangled yourself (much to belphie's irritation) or shooed out of the room until beel finishes his work.

tutoring from beel is really collaborative. you tackle each question together, one at a time, until the assignment is complete. he wants to hear how your brain processes the question-- learning difficulty and all-- then he'll share his thoughts. somewhere in there the two of you will usually find the right answer. if not, belphie's always willing to try to help the two of you.

if you get overwhelmed with your math homework, beel is quick to comfort you. what can he do to help? he's got some snacks if that would take your mind off of things. actually, these are new ones from the convenience store across town. in a couple of minutes, you're playing a devildom version (and surprisingly tamer, considering this is supposed to be hell and all) version of beanboozled. beel never guesses a flavor incorrectly. eventually you and belphie are just feeding a blindfolded beel jellybeans and watching him guess each and every flavor correctly. at least you're not struggling with your work anymore!

Belphegor

belphie, after sitting in his assigned seat next to you for exactly one (1) math class, asks if you've always struggle with numbers. blunt but to the point, i guess? he doesn't mean to be offensive or anything, but he's not going to sugarcoat it, either. he noticed you were struggling keeping up with the notes. you're welcome to borrow his if you need to.

(i feel the need to note here that belphie's notetaking is ass. he's on the verge of passing out each class period, so all of his work is slanted heavily and mostly undecipherable. it's a shame, really, because he's got good handwriting when he's awake).

he's found most often in his room or the attic curled up among the blankets. because they assume he's asleep, wherever belphie is tends to be a good study spot. sometimes he'll beckon you to join him on the bed as he tries to distract you encourages you to pace yourself. other times he's fast asleep with the lights on, leaving you to your studies on the floor or at a nearby desk/table.

if you specifically request his tutoring, he'll make time for you. sure, he'll probably be half asleep and will appear in your room to help at an odd hour between naps, but he'll be sure to come. the problem is that his "tutoring" is mostly him just telling you the answers. if you're cool with this, great! if not, he's a bit less helpful. it's best to just use him as one would the answers section at the back of the textbook to check if you found the right result and, if not, as a resource to work backwards and find your mistake.

if you get overwhelmed with your math work while doing homework in belphegor's room, he immediately suggests a break to help calm you back down. unfortunately, this is the avatar of sloth we're discussing-- any break he suggests will most definitely turn into a distraction that stops any and all progress for the rest of the night. honestly? sometimes that's what you need. sometimes you know you're going to stress beyond the point of improvement, and those nights need to be stopped before you crash. his first suggestion will always be to curl up together to take a nap. if you're interested, you should be aware that the "nap" will not end until the next morning. if you decide to be responsible and veto that plan, then you will probably both curl up to watch a movie-- your pick-- and spend the rest of the night far, far away from any math homework that'll stress you out further.

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gyokujyn · 16 days

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A Softer World Remix Masterpost

For the Captain America: The Winter Soldier 10th Anniversary Event, I may have gone a little overboard remixing A Softer World comics in the style of @asofteravenger. Here is a comprehensive list of every remix I posted, including the rejects which did not make the cut for the original event.

CATWS 10th Anniversary Event Remixes by Day

Key 💜: Personal Favourites ⭐ : Fan Favourites

🔴 March 26th: On Your Left ◽close enough for government work [prompt: PTSD; char: bucky] ◽is this progress? [prompt: first meetings; char: steve, nat, sam] ◽when home is a person SkyMiles won't get you there [prompt: the smithsonian; char: steve, bucky] 💜who the hell is bucky? [prompt: the smithsonian; char: steve, bucky]

🔴 March 27th: Steve Rogers ◽for a treat [prompt: guilt; char: steve, howling commandos] 💜guilt will quench a fire as surely as the thawing winter [prompt: guilt; char: steve, strike team] 💜haha that's a totally normal answer to the question [prompt: fave steve quote; char: sam, steve] ◽it's what they call a catch-22 [prompt: elevator; char: steve, brock, strike team] ◽put it on the list [prompt: Steve's List; char: steve] ◽what could go wrong? [prompt: camp lehigh; char: zola]

🔴 March 28th: SHIELD ◽either way I'll be leaving you bleeding [prompt: weapons; bucky, steve] ◽i'm so sorry [prompt: compromised; char: steve, nick] ◽it is cold. [prompt: fave scene; char: bucky] 💜probably the windows too [prompt: neighbor; char: steve, sharon]

🔴 March 29th: Natasha Romanoff ◽are you? [prompt: fave nat quote; nat, pierce] 💜as soon as he's dead i can be on my way [prompt: natasha romanoff; char: nat, bucky] ◽get loved loser [prompt: disguise; char: nat, steve] ◽now i want cinnabon [prompt: mall; char: steve, strike] ◽who needs good choices anyway? [prompt: redemption; char: nat, steve]

🔴 March 30th: TWS Cast ◽and they were first mates [prompt: tws cast; char: tws cast] ◽do you think we could catch lightning in a bottle twice? [prompt: press conference; char: tws cast] ◽shh he eepy [prompt: stunts; char: tws cast] 💜try a knife flip! [prompt: stunts; char: sebastian stan]

🔴 March 31st: Sam Wilson 💜c'mon sam it was one time [prompt: wings; char: sam, bucky] ◽extra virgin [prompt: fave sam quote; char: sam, rumlow] ◽have you ever known what it's like to feel the exhilaration of really flying [prompt: sam wilson; char: sam] ◽oops sorry maria [prompt: sam wilson; char: sam, maria] ⭐the graveyard of our memories [prompt: Dept of VA; char: sam]; all our mausoleums have eyes [prompt: none (bonus); char: bucky, steve]

🔴 April 1st: HYDRA ◽and in such creative ways [prompt: fave fight; char: bucky] ◽beatings shall continue until morale improves [prompt: project insight; char: none] ◽besides what grave could hold you? [prompt: strike; char: rumlow, steve] ◽how many gunshot wounds is an orgasm? [prompt: fave fight; char: bucky, steve] ◽oh it's supposed to be enemies TO lovers [prompt: fave fight; char: bucky, steve] 💜scream for daddy [prompt: hydra; char: pierce, bucky] ◽tony only watches vanilla het porn pass it on [prompt: project insight; char: tony] 💜what kind of monster leaves the milk out on the counter? [prompt: hydra; char: pierce] ◽you don't have to be the fastest runner you just have to be faster than Project Insight [prompt: fave fight; char: rumlow, sam]

🔴 April 2nd: Bucky Barnes ◽a ghost story [prompt: ghost story; char: bucky, steve] ◽and then you remember [prompt: memories; bucky] ◽baby did you forget to take your meds? [prompt: memories; char: steve, bucky] 💜but spare the rod and spoil the child [prompt: bank; char: bucky, pierce, rumlow] ◽i kicked off bucky's world revenge tour 2k14 and all i got was half-drowned in the potomac [prompt: revenge; char: bucky, steve] ⭐i've always been an overachiever [prompt: revenge; char: steve, bucky] 💜past tense [prompt: "but i knew him"; char: steve, bucky] ◽rlb [prompt: revenge; char: bucky, steve] ◽the unpaid internship of a lifetime [prompt: bucky barnes; char: bucky, zola] ◽what gives a ghost nightmares [prompt: bucky barnes; char: bucky, steve] ◽ya gotov otvechat [prompt: bank; char: bucky]

🔴 April 3rd: Cap Quartet 💜advanced car surfing for dummies [prompt: cap quartet; char: nat, steve, sam, bucky] 💜alexa play jolene [prompt: cap quartet; char: nat, steve, sam, bucky] ◽gotta catch 'em all [prompt: cap quartet; char: bucky, nat, sam, steve] ◽hi i'm captain america [prompt: bedside vigil; char: sam, steve] ◽or a blond carnie with hearing aids and really good aim [prompt: cap quartet; char: steve, nat, sam, bucky] ◽peer pressure [prompt: fave duo; char: nat, steve] ◽some people get both [prompt: found family; char: nat, sam, steve]

🔴 April 4th: To the End of the Line ⭐but you can't seem to convince them of that [prompt: devotion; char: steve, bucky] ◽cause i'm with you til the end of the line pal [prompt: to the end of the line; char: steve, bucky] 💜i stopped remembering the exact weight of your hand and now i only know it with a knife [prompt: 1940s; char: steve, bucky] ⭐or die trying [prompt: reunion; char: bucky, steve] ◽sorry officer we'll remember to use the gag next time [prompt: helicarrier; char: steve, bucky] ◽that'll teach me [prompt: identity porn; char: steve, bucky] ◽the good news it can't be illegal if there's no word for it [prompt: fave stucky scene; char: bucky, steve] ◽the safe word is jersey [prompt: devotion; char: bucky, steve] 💜this is not what getting railed means [prompt: helicarrier; char: bucky] 💜walt disney did not prepare me for this body count [prompt: identity porn; char: steve] ◽we've had too many next times already [prompt: schoolyard to battlefield; char: bucky, steve] ◽yes even that [prompt: helicarrier; char: steve] ◽you either die young or live long enough to become the cautionary tale [prompt: devotion; char: bucky, steve]

CATWS 10th Anniversary | REJECTS!

Key 💜: Personal Favourites ⭐ : Fan Favourites

Run | Series MasterPost featuring: ◽alexa play run this town by jay-z rihanna and kanye west [char: nick] 💜alexa play run by daughter [char: nat] ◽alexa play run (beautiful things)(highsociety remix) by awolnation [char: bucky] ◽alexa play run boy run by woodkid [char: steve] ◽alexa play run by onerepublic [char: sam]

Barbershop Quartet (feat. any two+ except Stucky) | REJECTS! ◽hands off the boots [prompt: natasha romanoff] 💜he's a smooth operator [prompt: none] 💜she's gonna bite someone [prompt: disguise] ◽untitled (working title: all of it goes) [prompt: cap quartet] ◽untitled (working title: do i gotta make more romanorogers?) [prompt: none]

Bucky | REJECTS! ◽and a whole lot of UST [prompt: helicarrier] ◽untitled (working title: are u new) [prompt: bucky barnes] ◽untitled (working title: head injury) [prompt: bucky barnes]

HYDRA (Pierce, Rumlow, Zola, et al. feat. others) | REJECTS! ◽and your very own unicorn [prompt: hydra] ⭐but i knew him [prompt: "but i knew him"] ◽gotta look out for your assigned alphabet soup guy [prompt: project insight] ◽i thought this was america [prompt: none] 💜like parking in a driveway [prompt: elevator] ◽the road to hell is paved with kicking your ass [prompt: none]

Nick (feat. the Barbershop Quartet) | REJECTS! ◽untitled (working title: and AARP!) [prompt: project insight]

Steve | REJECTS! ◽and almost dead is still slightly alive [prompt: steve rogers] 💜glory [prompt: steve rogers, character bleed] ◽it is a disney property [prompt: steve rogers] ◽knock knock mf (working title: this one might send me to hell) [prompt: memories] ◽untitled (working title: elevator) [prompt: elevator] ◽untitled (working title: good work ethic) [prompt: guilt] ⭐untitled (working title: trade off) [prompt: none]

Stucky | REJECTS! 💜alexa play who wants to live forever [prompt: to the end of the line] ◽all our mausoleums have eyes (alt panel) [prompt: none (bonus panel)] ⭐body language [prompt: reunion] ⭐he's a little confused but he's got the spirit [prompt: none] 💜how it makes you a weapon [prompt: none, memories] ⭐just your hand on my body again [prompt: devotion] ◽we call this a midwest goodbye [prompt: fave fight, helicarrier] ◽untitled (working title: terrorist) [prompt: fave fight]

#marvel mcu #catws10 #a softer world #a softer avenger #remix #catws10 rejects #jyn makes stuff

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kotamagic · 5 months

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Lore Olympus this week is whole lot of OOOOHHHH FFFFFUUUUUCCCCCKKKK!!!!!

No sooner has Apollo taken over than he starts cleaning out the dissenters, starting with Eros and Psyche. You know, like a real-world dictator!

Medical gods so corrupt? Why does the American Healthcare system come to mind? Oh yeah.... insurance.

Thank you, Eros, for pointing out the blatant repeat of history.

Oh, and just in case E&P won't be silenced...

...Apollo's got his Mom as his backup with his bullshit.

What pisses me off more is that Leto actually believes her son's bullshit. Like, I get that Zeus & Hera both shafted her when she was pregnant with Apollo and Artemis, but I'd like to believe that SOMETHING had to come off as odd to her about her son. However, given that I don't think she knows Apollo SA'd Persephone, there might be a lot more that Leto doesn't know (and should) about her son's deeds.

And Apollo doesn't stop at just Eros & Psyche. He signed the note as Hebe intentionally to get her out of the way without having to jail her. Ugh!

While Apollo is cleaning out the palace, Persephone is having a serious crisis --- Everything is turning to winter.

From some of her thoughts, snow and winter were a legend of the past, but that it hasn't happened in who knows how long. I wonder if autumn was just an extra long season until Persephone ate the pomegranate.

Needless to say, Demeter is furious that her daughter's very purpose is just flat-out gone. Naturally, she blames Hades, and for once, she's probably not wrong.

[IN B4 YES, PERSEPHONE ATE THE POMEGRANATE OF HER OWN FREE WILL.]

Could we blame Apollo's machinations for this? Possibly. It could be something related to the prophesy, but I don't think this is the case. In terms of Rachel's method of storytelling, there could be a deeper connection to the prophesy of Apollo's takeover.

I think Persephone causing winter instead of spring here was more a part of what she gave up when she ate the pomegranate. If my theory of there being an extra-long autumn is the case, then the pomegranate deal meant that winter happened instead. Persephone had to spend a whole half of the year in the Underworld instead of just 3/4 of it. That would likely put things more in line with not only the real world, but with the original myth as well.

I was going to put this bit in my own words, but Rachel just came right out and said it, so I don't have to.

I know that I and other LO fans have made guesses and speculations that turned out to be incorrect before. It happens. I know I've guessed wrong before. I think in this instance, Rachel didn't want an incorrect assumption to be made right out of the gate and nipped it in the bud immediately.

Anyway, thanks for coming to my LO post!

#lore olympus #lo apollo #lo eros #lo psyche #lo leto #lo persephone #lo hades #lo demeter #LO HOSTILE TAKEOVER

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hils79 · 9 months

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Hils Watches The King's Avatar - Ep 40

It doesn't feel like 5 minutes ago that I started this drama. It's so very bingeable.

It's been a real journey. None of this has been what I expected beyond the very basic concept of 'it's a drama about esports'. There have been so many wonderful surprises. There are characters that I hated that I now love, characters that I loved that I now love even more, and more ships than I ever expected to ship.

While I'm at it I want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has popped up in the replies to my posts or in my asks to either answer my questions or just yell about their favourite characters. I can tell this drama (and the novel and donghua) are so well loved and liveblogging this has really felt like a community experience. Thank you for not laughing at all the stuff I got wrong and for not making fun of me for shipping everyone. It's really been so wonderful and I almost don't want to press play on the final episode because I don't want it to be over.

But I need to see what happens so let's go!

Ah, okay. I misunderstood what happened at the end of the last episode. I thought they'd lost the game but no they could still win they just didn't have enough points to win the championship.

Is there going to be some loophole like the whole 'oh the ref's watch broke so actually you won'

HAHA! I fucking knew it! They got an extra two points for beating a league record. Because apparently that is a rule that has never been mentioned until now.

Eh, whatever. There was a nice moment with the fans before the found out they'd won

Ye Xiu finally gets the hug that he's needed since episode 1

Good lord how is there 30 minutes left? What's going to happen now that they've won?

God I hope Sun Xiang punches him

Except of course he won't because he's all grown up now. Also, typically it's the coaches/managers that get fired when a team does badly. I hope he gets booted

Love Shaotian dragging Wenzhou to his feet so he can cheer

Remember when their entire fanbase was just this guy. I'm definitely not crying at all

Look at that little half smile. He's grown so much considering they only lost on a technicality. I do think he's at least a little bit happy for Ye Xiu as the better player (for now)

GDI I can't believe I'm crying over Sun Xiang AGAIN

LOL remember when I thought he was going to be the antagonist of the drama when I watched the first episode. How wrong I was

Haha yes let's have a little joke about the time when I nearly banned you for life in the middle of an important game and caused your team to lose as a result

I have in no way been thinking about writing some King's Avatar fic with one based on the fact that Ye Xiu passes out after one drink

HAHA! Mo Fan pretended to pass out too so he doesn't have to talk to anyone. He is such a mood

Oh shit! I did not see that coming!

Oh no he looks so sad to see his former team like this, and it's understandable. He built that team from the ground up and put so much time and work into making them the legends they were

Yes, good. Baozi is cuddling one of his boyfriends as he should

Ah, yay, I'd forgotten about the team graphic. Time to add one more person right before the end

And finished! That was wonderful! Definitely in my top 5 dramas that I've watched this year. Might even be the number one, actually. I definitely should have watched that years ago when people first told me to give it a try. But, you know, I firmly believe you find things when you were meant to find them. Now was good.

I'll be starting a new drama tomorrow. If you were just here for my King's Avatar posts it's been lovely to have you. If you're sticking around for other liveblogs I'll see you tomorrow for more yelling :D

#hils watches #hils watches the king's avatar #hils watches cdramas #the king's avatar #cdrama

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olivetreehugger · 4 months

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introducing: dispatches from republic city

Hey any and all Bolin fans! I recently rewatched LoK and it reignited my love of this universe. About 10 years ago, I sort of latched onto a side character and shipped her with Bolin, but it never became anything until now. I have started writing this story, "dispatches from republic city" about Bolin and this side character, who I have named Tanana or "Nani" for short. I will place a link below for a separate post regarding this character and why I am shipping her with Bolin.

But for story's sake, I headcanon that Nani sounds like Susan Egan (she played Meg in Hercules and Rose Quartz in Steven Universe! Her singing voice is similar, but I also headcanon that she sounds like Annapantsu on Youtube-she's INCREDIBLE!). In the show, her height isn't well established, in some gifs she's the same height as the other girls, other times she is the same height as Tahno? So I'm dubbing her a solid 5'7, while Bolin started the show at a nice 5'8 and seems to have grown a bit taller? Just look at him compared to Mako in Book 4 and tell me he hasn't gotten taller! In my fic, he's 5'10.

anyways, moving on. This story takes place post-Book 4, but I've made some changes. I've always been a Makorra gal, don't get me wrong we love the gays in this house but frankly I never got the appeal of Korrasami. I won't get into why right now, I just always loved Makorra and that will never change. Oh, and call me bitter but in this world, Zuko and Katara got together *cough*. It really won't be mentioned, but it is my head canon and I'm sticking to it.

in this story, Mako and Korra have recently gotten back together, but the actual narrative doesn't focus on them too much. The story is strictly from Nani's perspective, with only one possible chapter dedicated to Bolin's POV. We'll see how it fleshes out!

See below for chapter one of "dispatches from republic city"!

dispatches from republic city

chapter one: once a wolfbat

rating: M for sex and violence, language and eventual S/A

The sound of the lunch gong split through the air like a cannon, just as Tanana barreled into the kitchen of Mama Chen’s Dumpling Joint. She hurriedly tied her apron around her waist.

She glanced up at the clock and winced. 15 minutes late!

Any minute now, Mama Chen would burst through the swinging door, ranting and raving about her repeated tardiness.

The scent of sizzling pork fat and vegetables wafted through the air, making Tanana’s mouth water. Her stomach growled knowingly. She hadn’t had single thing to eat today.

Slyly, she ducked past the fry cooks and swiped a bun from the platter next to them and stuffed it into her mouth so no one would see. She then glided towards the back of the kitchen, near the freezer, and spent a few quiet moments savoring her stolen meal.

This was now a daily routine. She’d work from noon until midnight—at least, that’s what her timecard would reflect. Tanana, or Nani, as she preferred--was usually at Mama Chen’s from about 12 pm to 2am the next day, spending an extra two hours clearing out the drunks, teenagers and straddlers while simultaneously helping to close for the next day. She would then stuff her bag with whatever leftovers (whatever she could hide, anyways), and walk to The Bookkeeper’s apartment where she stayed. She’d eat, leave the rest of in the ice box for the old lady, and then collapse wherever she could before waking up and starting the day all over.

All for two yuan a day, though if she charmed the right customer, she might get lucky and score a decent tip.

Ever since Kuvira’s mecha-weapon destroyed the downtown area, people moved in droves to the outer neighborhoods, meaning there was less of everything to go around-including work. For many, it was a struggle just to keep their heads above water. For Nani, it was an ice cold wake up call.

As she chewed and swallowed the rest of the salty dough, the brunette wiped a dribble of oil from her chin with the corner of her apron. Without missing another beat, she picked up a tray of discarded dirty dishes and began her work.

The mix of steam, oil, and body odor marinated in Nani’s hair and skin as she worked alongside the other unfortunates around her. She didn’t bother to learn their names, why would she? After all, Nani wasn’t here to make friends. And none of these people were “friend-material”, anyway.

They all seemed to have a silent agreement, though-as long as no one snitched on the other, they all kept to themselves.

Well, some of them did, anyway.

As another invisible fixture of the kitchen, Nani usually got a front row seat to the hushed confessions of the degenerates around her: the ones who cheated on their spouses, the ones who stole money from their parents to buy opium, the ones who got pregnant and left their babies in the woods.

Hearing such tantalizing gossip would leave a person reeling, bursting at the seams as they waited to regurgitate the story to another person, but not Nani. She’d learned a long time ago that being a snitch was a stupid form of suicide, and she had the scar to prove it.

Her life was otherwise an exhausting blur—what was a little gossip to pass the time? She would be lying if she said it didn’t give her a delightful thrill of power to know what made people stir at night, what made them ache from the inside out. To know that others were awful human beings meant she wasn’t as awful as she thought. And that was nice to believe, if only briefly.

The hours seemed to fly by quickly as Nani scrubbed, wiped and swept every inch of the kitchen. She wiped a few drops of perspiration from her brow as Mama Chen shoved through the doors.

“You!” The older woman pointed angrily at Nani. “Don’t think I didn’t notice your tardiness today. This is the last day you dishonor me. You’re fired!”

Nani felt her face instantly turn red as the other workers turned to stare at her.

She didn’t expect that.

Biting back a nasty response, she tore her apron off and let it fall haphazardly at her feet. She pushed past Mama Chen and ignored her when the older woman screeched something about “making sure she never worked in another restaurant again!”

The cool autumn air slapped Nani harder than Mama Chen’s words, but it was a welcome reprieve from the congested, sweaty air of the kitchen. She sighed and inhaled deeply, her nerves on edge as she suddenly realized that she was once again out of a job.

How could she explain herself when she showed up at the store early and empty-handed?

She started down the block, racking her mind with excuses to tell the Bookkeeper, who would undoubtedly assure Nani she was doing her best and to not worry about a thing. Still, the young brunette knew the elderly woman would have to worry about her next meal and the concerning lack of customers.

Another sudden gust of wind burst forth, smashing a flurry of discarded newspaper and ads into her face.

Nani stumbled back, the wall of stray papers temporarily blinding her. She sputtered as she ripped the sheets from her face, only for one of them to catch her eye.

It was a flashy advertisement, adorned with gaudy colors and symbols, calling hopeful talents to appear on Shiro Shinobi’s new radio channel 54. The advertisement promised the potential winner a chance at hosting their very own show on the channel!

She reread the last sentence over and over, her grayish-green eyes widening at the prospect.

Could it be?

Suddenly, Nani was on a stage, a crowd of mesmerized onlookers chanting her name as she crooned into a microphone for them. The camera flashes caught the glitter of the jewels on her dress so perfectly, momentarily blinding her, but it didn’t matter.

She was star.

For a moment, Nani dared to dream about a future that seemed impossible just moments ago. This… had to be a sign. This opportunity quite literally slapped her in the face!

Feeling giddy, she hurried back to the shop.

----

Taking one last glance at the mirror, Nani grinned with satisfaction.

She looked good, really good, like that poster of Cherry Wong hanging in Mama Chen’s. She even emulated the famous singer’s makeup, dark red lipstick and sultry cat eyes to bring out the green.

One of the first, and most influential, performers in the United Republic- Cherry Wong wowed audiences with her stunning features and incredible voice. She had a talent that no one had seen in those times. She was known for taking old Earth Kingdom poems and transforming them into melodious harmonies. Her music was enjoyed by both old and young audiences alike.

As a child listening from the partially open windows of the clubs, Nani marveled at her talent and was utterly inspired by her passion. She spent most of her free time practicing her sonnets and ballads, hoping to find her voice like Cherry Wong found hers.

A crash sounded in the room next door, followed by a cry of pain.

Nani jolted, rushing to the sound. In the hallway, a massive grandfather clock had toppled over, pinning the Bookkeeper under its impressive weight. Shards of glass and wood lay scattered around her. Blood trickled from the elderly woman’s mouth.

“Oh…oh…” the woman whimpered, shaking as she struggled under the gargantuan fixture.

Nani gasped, nearly frozen by the grisly sight. She fell to her knees, cradled the woman’s head in her hands and cried, “I’ll call for help!”

She wasn’t sure if the woman was shaking from pain or simply nodding her head, but she spent no time discerning the difference. The brunette gently laid the Bookkeeper’s head down and jumped over the sea of glass shards that littered the floor. She sped outside and flung the door to the store open, shouting for help.

The rest of the morning was a blur of people, police sirens, ambulances and cleaning up glass. Nani breathed shakily as the medics strapped the Bookkeeper into the stretcher. She reached out and squeezed her hand.

“Don’t let them take my shop,” the Bookkeeper moaned, her bandaged face soaked in tears.

Nani couldn’t say anything with the massive lump in her throat, so she mustered a nod and watched as the medics took her away in a flurry of sirens.

The tumultuous morning events had shaken Nani terribly. A jagged feeling of guilt dug into her abdomen as she returned to her room, her gaze fixated on the poster she hung above her bed. She peeled it off the wall and folded it gingerly, setting it on the mattress.

She turned away, prepared to give up this dream once and for all.

Unless…

Nani’s eyes tracked round to the bed where the poster sat. After a moment, she reached for it and unfolded the paper, gazing at it intently.

Guilt be damned. She would be stupid to waste the opportunity.

Betrayal accompanied the sound of the clanging keys as Nani locked up the store and darted up the street, her purse and the poster in her arms. Waving wildly, she was able to flag down a taxi and hurled herself into the backseat.

“To Studio 54, please.”

----

Traffic was actually quite agreeable that morning. When the cab finally reached the studio, Nani tossed what little money she had left into the greasy palm of the cab driver and pounced from the backseat onto the pavement. The sound of the cab speeding away barely registered as the brunette gazed up at the building.

The studio itself had undergone quite a transformation. It used to be a simple office building in Harmony Park, but with Shiro Shinobi’s attention (and money), it quickly became the hub for all radio-based creativity and communications. People from all over the world could be heard from this very building. Their stories, their songs, their lives…spread across soundwaves and flowing indiscriminately to anyone who could turn a dial, only to become a daily, integral part of that person’s life. It was magical, really.

Bright red, towering doors were cast open, inviting Nani inside with their promise of fame and freedom.

When she walked in, she noticed the line for auditions was quite short. Only a handful of people were in the queue. Directly in front of her stood a broad-shouldered individual who was just tall enough to obscure her vision of the ticket desk at the front of the line. Hopping onto her tip toes, Nani got a brief view of the desk and noticed the alarmingly short stack of tickets.

Her stomach turning to stone, the brunette reached up and twirled a strand of curls between her fingers. It was something she’d done since childhood, whenever she was intensely anxious.

With every auditionee, the stack got shorter and shorter. She watched in despair as the ticketer handed over the very last one to the man in front of her. Nani took a defeated step forward, the last glimmer of hope extinguished as the ticketer merely shook his head.

“Sorry, toots. Gotta be quicker next time.”

Her shoulders sank and her eyes stung as the failure dragged her under water. Her gaze traveled to the group of auditionees filing into the audition booth, the forbidden space meant only for the most auspicious, blessed individuals favored by the spirits.

Nani, as usual, was not such a person. The spirits must’ve really gotten a kick outta this one.

She chewed on her ire and hurt as she trudged back to the shop. The stone in her gut had turned into a burning lump of coal. What was worse, the humiliation of being turned away from the one thing she’d always wanted, or the immense guilt of closing the store and setting the Bookkeeper back for a stupid pipedream doomed to flop?

When she reached the decrepit little book store, she hastily let her self in and slammed the door behind her. Her eyes caught the broken grandfather clock, now shoved into a corner where it could no longer fall on frail old ladies. She locked her jaw in indignation.

Marching through the shop, Nani found the tiny radio she shared with her elderly roommate. She tore it from its perch on the counter and chucked into the trash outside. She ripped the poster from her purse and tore it to bits, letting the pieces fall around her like confetti. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror.

There she was, once again in a hapless celebration of her own failures and delusions.

“You’re never gonna learn, are you?”

----

It was an unusually warm autumn morning as Nani walked into the Bookkeeper’s hospital room. Clasped between her fingers was a large bouquet of petunias, the old woman’s favorite flowers.

“What a surprise,” the Bookkeeper murmured, lifting her head from the pillow to see the young woman at the foot of her bed. “Come, come sit.”

A sad smile tugged on Nani’s lips. The Bookkeeper looked so much smaller than she remembered. Her face had become jaunt and skeletal, her eyes barely open slits, her lips cracked and bleeding. Her neck was so weak she could barely lift her head.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” Nani offered.

“What lovely flowers,” the Bookkeeper said, as if not hearing Nani’s apology. “Find a vase for them, and put them in the windowsill. They like the sun.”

The brunette did as she was told and took a seat next to the old woman’s bed.

“I heard the most beautiful lady sing on the radio last night,” the Bookkeeper mused. Her eyes glittered with tears. “What a star she was. Did you hear her?”

Nani clenched her jaw. The audition was last week, so the stinging feeling of disappointment was still fresh. The Bookkeeper had unknowingly thrown salt right into her wounds.

The old woman turned her head weakly to smile at Nani. “I have no idea where she is,” she whispered, her tears falling down the side of her face. “She said she would be back, but I think she got lost.”

Concern set in as Nani watched the Bookkeeper’s face relax into silent, pleasant confusion. Her eyes settled on the ceiling, as though watching clouds in the sky.

It was later revealed that the Bookkeeper had cancer, and it not only ate through her bones, but it was actively chewing through her brain, too. Nani had thought it was simply senility easing its way in, a normal part of aging.

But this wasn’t normal aging. This was dying.

Nani sat at the Bookkeeper’s side for several days, comforting her as she cried out for people who weren’t there, moistening her lips with cool water, and mustering a brave face as she watched the woman who took her in waste away.

As the end drew closer, Nani knew what had to be done.

The woman deserved a proper burial at the very least. To sell the shop felt like betraying her, but what else could Nani do? She had no job, no support, and the shop hadn’t made a sale in months.

That’s what Nani told herself when she found a buyer. The guy was skeezy, but he paid a decent amount that would cover the Bookkeeper’s funeral and then some. He seemed rather excited to take the shop off of Nani’s hands, and frankly, she was eager to wash her hands of it.

The exchange went well, leaving her with a hefty envelope of cash under her arm and one less guilt trip to carry around.

Still, her eyes filled with tears as she watched the flames flicking at the funeral pyre. The Bookkeeper was kind and generous. She never badgered Nani for rent. She never judged or shamed her when she lost a job. She was just there…a trustworthy, safe fixture that Nani could rely on.

When the last of the flames died and the old woman’s ashes were collected, Nani walked to her grave site and placed the urn in the ground before piling a mound of loose dirt over it. She sighed, wiping her hands on the hem of her dress and sat back on her heels.

The sky was gray as she dipped her head and pressed her palms together, murmuring a final prayer for the old woman’s soul.

“Well, ain’t that a pity,” a male voice drawled behind her.

Nani tensed. She must’ve not heard the footfalls coming up behind her. She used to be good at that.

A disappointed clicking noise left the man’s lips. “Can’t say hi to an old friend?”

Nani’s heart pounded in her chest as sweat began forming on her brow. Reluctantly, she turned her head to see the tanned, curly haired man looming over her. His hands rested on his hips as he stared her down.

“M-ming.”

Her voice betrayed her as it cracked. She didn’t mean to, but the very sight of him had her frozen to the ground where she sat.

The earthbender smirked at her, his soulless gray eyes boring through her body.

“You’re a sight for sore eyes, sweetheart. Tahno had us looking everywhere for you. After a while, we just assumed you died with the other poor souls in the tunnels,” he said, his voice devoid of any concern.

Nani gulped as he lent down on his knees, meeting her eye to eye.

“Turns out, you’re just good at hiding,” he cooed, reaching out to caress her cheek.

The young woman gasped sharply as she jerked away, glaring at the man with a mix of terror and disgust.

A few moments passed as she tried to compose herself. “W-what are you doing here?” She questioned.

Ming glared at her intensely. “What do you think?”

A shiver ran down her spine as she digested his question. Wolfbats were known for being possessive of their mates.

Nani’s hands wandered behind her, grabbing fistfuls of grass before finally finding a rock. She swung her arm around, clocking Ming in the jaw with it.

“I’m not going back!” She screamed.

He went down with a loud grunt, and Nani took off. She didn’t dare look behind her as she darted away, lurching over tombstones, urns and dead flowers, desperately running away from the life she left behind last year.

As she zig-zagged through the cemetery, she could hear the sound of heavy stones whooshing past her, some just barely grazing the tips of her hair.

“You chose the wrong place to pick a fight with me, baby!” Ming taunted, his voice echoing not too far behind.

Nani’s heart pounded against her ribcage. Her eyes fixated on the iron gate at the entrance, hoping to clear its threshold before her attacker could reach her. Her legs ached as she pumped forwards, her breathing ragged. With every distressing step, the gate grew closer.

Suddenly, two tombstones came flying from opposite sides, sandwiching Nani between the slabs of rock, slamming her into the ground.

Ming was right. It was stupid to challenge an earth bender in a cemetery.

“Agh!” She cried out, her ribs cracking under the weight.

She could hear the sound of grass being trampled and winced when Ming’s face came into view. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

She squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing her fear.

“You were always such a stubborn broad,” he lamented.

Like an act of mercy, the stones fell away and the pain swiftly disappeared with them. Nani blinked, staring up at her old compatriot.

“Just kill me, then,” she panted. “I’m not going back to Tahno!”

Ming dropped to her level again, this time cruelly yanking her forward by her hair. She yelped in pain.

“You knew that shop was drowning in debt, didn’t you?” He questioned, quiet but threatening. “The bank sent a letter threatening foreclosure four months ago. You let my uncle buy a foreclosed business!”

Nani wasn’t sure how to respond. Since when did Ming have an uncle? Was this not about Tahno?

“I didn’t know!” It was true, she didn’t know just how bad the debt was. All she had were a few bills and the deed to the shop. And, damn, if she’d known San Ho was Ming’s uncle, she would’ve never sold the shop to him. Now, she’d really done herself in.

Ming pulled harder on her hair, and Nani cried out, clawing at his forearm as she squirmed under his grip.

Eventually, he released her. Nani fell back, gasping for breath as she watched Ming, petrified.

He crossed his arms over his chest. “Normally when someone pathetic and nameless crosses San Ho, they get whacked. But, we’re old pals-wouldn’t you agree?”

Nani diverted her gaze from him. ‘Pals’ was a strong word.

Ming flashed her a sinister grin. “When I heard about your little transgression, I had the option to send my uncle’s goons out to find you. But those guys, they aren’t exactly known for their self control, if y’know what I mean.”

Instinctively, Nani pressed her legs together tightly.

“Believe it or not,” the earthbender continued, “I was real down when you left us, Nani. I don’t think Tahno ever gave you credit for how talented you were, but I saw it.”

Drops of rain kissed the top of Nani’s head, soon becoming an overpour. The heavens above seemed to pour out their disfavor of her, thunderously crashing down like a typhoon in the spring. If she even dared to run again, the mud would only make the chase more difficult. Ming would capture her again, and would likely break a few bones to drive home his point.

She’d lost, Nani told herself. If tears rolled down her cheeks, Ming didn’t see them.

“Once a Wolfbat, always a Wolfbat,” she murmured, echoing Tahno’s words.

Ming shook his head, snickering. Nani snapped her head up to look at him through a curtain of sopping wet curls.

He chuckled at her confusion, replying, “Like I said, Tahno was a fool to ignore your talent.”

Apparently, he had other plans.

Nani would have to sell her body again, but not in the way most girls on the streets did. San Ho, Ming’s very rich and very corrupt uncle, owned a lucrative brewing company as well as a few dozen opium dens throughout the United Republic. He had quite a few connections with the Terra Triad, of which his nephew was an avid participant. His customers were often high-profile businessmen and women who liked getting drunk and high while being, well, serviced. Everyone appreciated good music and dancing, and Nani would provide. It was abnormally merciful, but who was Nani to refuse?

After all, Ming teased, there were worse ways to put her mouth to use.

----

Nani sighed as she picked up the cheap, shimmering silver fabric of the dress laid on the chair of her “dressing room”, i.e. a dimly lit walk-in closet with a futon on the ground coated in mysterious dried fluids.

She slipped out of her old maroon dress, undid her brassiere, and slid the new dress over her head. She shimmied and danced a bit until she was able to get the cloth over her hips. Eventually, the dress was on, and it actually fit pretty well, considering it had belonged to someone else. Nani’s breasts and back were very much exposed , however, leaving very little to the imagination. Even the most salacious lingerie wasn’t this provocative, but Nani knew her “audience” would appreciate it. Even more so, Ming and his uncle would be pleased.

As Nani rummaged through the box of costumes in front of her, she pulled out a feathered, boa-like head piece with a glittery band that matched her dress. She wrapped it around her head, careful not to disturb her curls which she’d smoothed down with gel earlier.

A heavy-handed knock startled her.

“Come on now, let’s see it.” It was Ming.

A deep sigh left her lips as Nani threw open the door. The earthbender was leaning against the frame, his eyes trailing up and down, a stomach-churning grin of satisfaction on his lips as he drank in her appearance.

“You look good enough to eat,” he muttered.

Nani didn’t look him in the eye as she walked past him, the look of disgust apparent on her face. She made her way to the long mirror in the hallway and stared at her reflection. The ridiculous headpiece, the exaggerated makeup, the scandalous outfit.

She was a show girl. An indentured show girl.

A mirthless laugh left her mouth without warning. You want fame? The spirits asked. Here’s your fame.

Ming sauntered into frame and put a cold hand on her shoulder. It took everything in Nani’s being not to recoil from him.

“The madame wants to meet you before you take the stage,” he said.

In another room, one more decadently decorated and much cleaner, sat the Madame. She was a tall, middle aged woman with a heavily powdered face and nails like knives. She was dressed in a silk red and pink kimono and a glossy black wig. She was pouring tea into a small cup.

“Madame Yoshino, I’ve brought your newest act, as promised,” Ming announced, keeping his fingers tightly curled around Nani’s shoulder as he led her into the room.

The exquisite woman stood from her cushion, cup in hand. She approached Nani with narrowed eyes. She barely looked at her before turning away in disgust.

“She’s dark,” she spat.

Nani’s eyes widened at the unexpected jab. Her hands balled into fists, nails digging into her palms.

Ming patted her back, replying confidently, “You’ve got plenty of porcelain dolls, why get another one when you can have a bronze beauty instead?”

Madame Yoshino glowered at Ming for a moment before turning her attention back to the young woman. She raised an inquisitive brow at her. She studied Nani’s figure, pausing over her chest and then her face, where she lingered for a long time.

Nani gulped as she tried, and failed, not to look the frighteningly intimidating woman in the eyes.

The madame grasped her chin and forcefully jerked her face from side to side.

“Open your mouth,” she demanded.

Nani gave her a hateful stare but complied when Ming slapped her ass with stinging force.

She bit back a yelp and let the Madame inspect her teeth.

“Hm…a few cavities, but overall not bad,” the older woman commented. She tapped Nani’s jaw as if to signal her to close it.

Shrugging, Madame Yoshino took a sip of her tea and settled her gaze on Nani again. “Where are you from, little miss? North or South?”

Nani understood her question, as many had asked the same. And she answered the same as she always did.

“Neither,” she replied boldly. “I’m from Republic City.”

Ming cleared his throat and pinched the back of her arm. Nani squeezed her eyes shut to keep from crying out in pain.

Madame Yoshino set her teacup down, waving her arms in the air with disdain. “No, no, no! That won’t do. From now on, you’re a Northern girl, you see?”

Another slap to her behind from Ming, this time less vicious. “Our little arctic fox,” he teased.

Nani bit her tongue until it bled. Hatred burned in her veins as the two continued to talk about her as though she weren’t in the room. To them, she was just a piece of meat to be devoured later, then regurgitated and devoured again…until she was completely unrecognizable.

Madame Yoshino dug her dagger-like nails into Nani’s arm as she dragged her onstage.

The brunette’s eyes darted around the room. The atmosphere was thick with the familiar scent of opium and sweat. The dim lights were a blood-red hue, blanketing everything in a sort of sensual, dangerous anonymity.

Her gaze turned to the door in the very back of the room. If she tried to make a run for it, Ming could easily block off the exit with his earth bending, or smash a rock into her head with a swipe of his hand.

Madame Yoshino took the microphone and introduced her as a “Northern Snow Princess”.

A stage light shined jarringly in her face, blinding her for a few seconds. As her vision adjusted, Nani took in the environment around her.

Various paintings and portraits of people engaged in lewd sex acts decorated the walls. Well-dressed men, and a few women, sat on various couches and cushions, pipes and sake glasses in their hands as young courtesans fawned over them. Their clothes were still on, but a few had their shirts unbuttoned, dresses turned askew, shoes missing.

This was nothing like her daydreams.

The clientele hummed in surprise and intrigue, a few even clapped. Nani couldn’t stomach looking at them directly, instead focusing on a portrait to the right of her. It was a photograph, blown up on a poster, of a naked woman, her large breasts like two moons shining bright in the night sky, with a green and pink folding fan splayed out between her legs, just barely covering her sex.

Somehow, that woman was using her sexual prowess as a form of power. Somehow, she was able to take hold of the narrative that she’d been sold into. It was in her eyes. Her body was hers, and no one could take that away.

Nani longed to be half as brave as the woman in the photograph.

An upbeat, jazzy tune began playing behind her and her hands trembled as she took the microphone.

Just sing, she told herself. It’s like riding a bicycle.

The words tumbled from her lips on cue as she timed herself to the music. It was a song about falling in love, or something silly like that. It wasn’t the most appropriate song for a brothel, but somehow it got people going.

As the song continued, Nani sashayed her hips to the melody, waving her arms in a rhythmic swaying motion.

The crowd was pleased, clapping along and cheering. Their enthusiasm would’ve been intoxicating had it not been for the fact that she could see them getting grabby with some of the courtesans.

She did her best to keep singing, to pretend it didn’t bother her. She murmured out a few more notes, humming along and dancing away, but then she saw it:

An older gentleman had his hands around a girl’s throat as he straddled her, his knee forcing its way between her legs. The girl was around Nani’s age, but her face was caked in geisha makeup to make her look older. Her eyes were wide with panic and terror, until they rolled back into her head. Her body went limp in the man’s grasp, but he didn’t let up.

All the while, the cheery cacophony of saxophones, trumpets, bass and drums continued their happy tune as Nani watched this man choke a dead body. Her voice had long been drowned out by the music. Or maybe she’d stopped singing altogether, she didn’t actually recall.

Her eyes were glued to the man’s hands. He just kept going.

The music got louder, the cheers got louder, everything sort of blurring together in the chaos.

It was in that moment that something buried deep inside Nani exploded.

A wordless, enraged shriek tore itself from her throat. She leapt from the stage, grasping the microphone stand in her hands. As she charged at the man, she held the pole over her head and brought it down on his face with a sickening crack.

He crumpled to the floor.

Nani’s hands shook as she dropped the microphone stand. The music came to a screeching halt. The looks of awe and wonder morphed into terror and disgust. Nani could feel Ming and Madame Yoshino’s eyes burning into her back, but all she could do was watch the man stir, trying to push himself up with his hands. Nani brought the pole over her head again.

But before she could deliver another blow, the thick scent of sulfur and ammonia filled the air.

Smoke seemed to pour from every orifice of the building, creating a cloudy miasma that rapidly replaced the oxygen in the room. Panic settled in, screams tearing through the atmosphere as everyone scrambled to escape.

Nani coughed as she tried to fight the smoke, stumbling over the bodies of the clientele as they dropped like flies around her. Her eyes and lungs burned as the smoke seared into her mucus membranes. She gasped into the crook of her elbow, but the fumes were too much. She staggered towards the exit, when something caught her ankle, causing her to lurch forward.

She was unconscious before she hit the ground.

----

The sound of jingling keys and steel-toed boots woke Nani up. Or maybe it was the raging, fume-induced migraine boring into her skull. She wasn’t quite sure, yet.

“Wake up, miss,” a deep voice beckoned.

Nani groaned as she opened her eyes. She slowly lifted her head, squinting as the figure of a uniformed man came towards her. Behind him, she could see a set of bars. Her mind quickly registered the cuffs around her wrists and ankles.

Eyes snapping open with alarm, Nani jerked away from the officer. She held her arms up to shield herself, but that, unsurprisingly, did nothing to stop him.

“Let’s go,” the officer said, grabbing hold of her arms and pulling her up.

“No, no, no,” she begged. “Please don’t do this!”

She writhed against his iron-grip as he dragged her out of the jail cell and through the halls of the precinct. In her peripheral vision, she saw Ming being carried away by two officers, except his cuffs looked different, like they were wooden—probably so he wouldn’t try to metal bend his way out of them.

Relief washed over her for a second, but only for a second. She then realized she was in a showgirl’s outfit, in a brothel, surrounded by opium, prostitutes and rich people who were above the law.

“I-I don’t belong here!” She said nervously. “You have to believe me.”

The officer scoffed at her. “You know how many times I’ve heard that before?”

She ended up in an interrogation room, sitting across a young detective with enigmatic amber eyes and dark hair. He had his arms crossed as he leaned back in his chair. He didn’t say anything for a few minutes; he just looked at her.

She covered her chest with her arms, suddenly very self-conscious of her very exposed body.

“I don’t know what you want from me,” Nani finally muttered, her voice hoarse.

The detective leaned forward, his elbows on the desk in front of him, as though eager to hear more. “Well, a statement, for starters,” he responded.

Nani shook her head, her glittering headpiece tilting down to one side. “What is there to say?” She retorted. “You found me in a brothel. I know what you do to women in brothels.”

The man raised one sharp brow at her. “Oh?” He replied, as though inviting her to continue.

A tickle started in Nani’s throat, reminding her that she was quite dehydrated. “Can I have some water?” She asked.

Nodding, the detective left the room. In seconds, he was back with a glass of lukewarm water, but Nani didn’t care. She threw her head back and gulped down the whole thing.

When she was finished, she placed the glass in between herself and the detective.

“I’m not some skirt,” she said flatly.

The detective nodded. “I know.”

“How?”

He swiftly laid out several photographs across the table. Nani leaned forward to examine them. There were photos of San Ho, Madame Yoshino, Ming, and several young women and men she did not recognize. Evidence of drug, alcohol and sexual paraphernalia was wantonly displayed in the images. There were also images of the brothel and other buildings within the Red Light District. Nani was surprised to see those pictures had been taken some time in the morning. They didn’t look so frightening in broad daylight.

The detective explained, “We’ve been watching this group for years-even had a few of our officers infiltrate their ranks to find information that could help us bring them down. They knew every face that walked into that bordello, except yours.”

Nani glanced at the detective and then back at the photos. She couldn’t stop looking at the faces of the young sex workers.

“We did however hear about an unsavory purchase that San Ho had made,” he continued. “Something about a foreclosed book shop?”

Her knee jerk reaction was to scream, “It wasn’t my fault!” but Nani held her tongue. Instead, she looked away.

“The woman I was staying with died,” she muttered. “She owned the bookstore. On her deathbed she asked me sell it.”

That little lie stung. Nani knew it was wrong, but it was better than the truth. The Bookkeeper had begged her not to let anyone take away the shop. Perhaps in her demented, cancer-ridden brain she knew the bank was going to take everything.

Leaning back in his chair, the detective appeared to take this in.

“Okay,” he started slowly, as though he was working out a puzzle in his mind. “So you sold the deed to San Ho, and then he somehow found out it was foreclosed. Then what?”

Nani sighed loudly. “Do I really have to walk you through every little detail?”

Reaching into his coat, the detective pulled out a yellow notepad with one hand and clicked a pen with the other. “Yes, please,” he responded. “Let’s start with your name.”

“Tanana, my friends call me Nani…at least they would if I had friends.”

“Is there a last name?”

“No.”

“Where are you from?”

“Born in Republic City.”

“Ok. Do you have any family we can contact?”

Curls shook furiously. “No family. Just me.”

The detective nodded. “How old are you?”

Nani bit her lip, hesitant. “I-I’m not 100% sure. Between 20 and 23, I think.”

His eyes flew up to her face, filled with confusion and possibly even concern.

“You grew up on the streets,” he responded, as though filling in the blanks. Despite her not asking him to.

The brunette’s expression was stone-like. After a while, the pity gets old.

Clearing his throat, the detective asked Nani to give her statement as truthfully and clearly as she could.

Eager to be done with it, Nani explained the events in the cemetery and the brothel, up until she met Madame Yoshino.

“I thought I was doing a show,” she explained. “But then I looked around, like really looked around, and I realized where I was.”

As she spoke, the detective scribbled furiously onto his notepad.

“Were you asked to perform any sexual acts?” He asked, his eyes not leaving the pad.

“Oh, no,” she responded nonchalantly. She noticed a dusting of pink on the detective’s face as he paused writing for a second. “But I saw quite a few people getting their rocks off in the audience.”

The writing paused momentarily, and then resumed. Nani watched the detective quietly as he wrote. His features just screamed with familiarity, but for some reason she couldn’t place it.

Seconds later, the man looked up and noticed her watching at him. “…I’m listening,” he prompted.

Nani shrugged, “I don’t have much else, sorry.”

Pursing his lips, the detective clicked his pen before stuffing it and the notepad back into his coat. He scooched his chair back and stood.

“Thank you for your statement,” he said curtly, resuming an air of professionalism. “My officers will be in here shortly to undo your cuffs and bring you your belongings.”

Nani nodded in response, watching him as he turned to leave. She almost let him go, but something nagged at her incessantly.

“Detective?”

He turned his head to look at her. “Yes?”

Rubbing the inside of her palm, Nani stared at the files in his hands. “What happened to that girl? Did she make it?”

A look of recognition flashed across his face, followed by somberness. Nani grimaced knowingly.

“No….she was one of ours,” he admitted soberly.

“Spirits….I’m sorry.”

A few seconds of uncomfortable silence lingered in the air.

“Me too,” he responded, closing the door behind him.

----

Less than thirty minutes later, Nani was freed. She wasted no time fleeing downstairs to the front lobby with her purse in hand, covering her chest. As she made her way down, she noticed a group of officers crowded around a radio, howling with laughter.

She paused, simultaneously amused and annoyed, wondering what they were listening to that was so funny.

“Turn it up, will ya?” A stout officer exclaimed, shoving one of his companions.

The taller, thinner one obliged, chuckling as he playfully punched the first officer back.

Nani lingered in the lobby of the precinct, her ears perked to the sound of Shiro Shinobi’s voice:

--“AAAANNND welcome back ladies and gentlemen to Channel 54 Radio. I’m your host, Shiro Shinobi, and tonight do we got a program for you!”

“Tonight, I am pleased to announce the premiere of our newest program, ‘Dispatches from Republic City’, hosted by the one, the only…

“MISTER BOOOOOOLIIIIIIN!!!! ALSO KNOWN AS NUKTUK: HERO OF THE SOUTH!”--

Nani’s eyes nearly bulged out of her head. Her mind went back to the day of the audition. The man in front of her….did she ever catch a glimpse of his face? Then she remembered, he’d said his name to the ticketer.

Bolin.

A festive, over-the-top jingle played over the soundwaves as the officers whooped and hollered in front of Nani. A tiny, likely overworked and underpaid intern scrambled behind her, spilling a week’s worth of paper shreds around her like a burst of confetti.

It would’ve been comical...if it weren't absolutely maddening.

Nani didn’t bother to listen to the rest of the program. She stared blankly ahead of her as she marched out of the precinct and into the chilly night air. She was burning with so much rage the cold actually felt good on her skin.

For a few seconds, she watched a slurry of satomobiles pass her by and contemplated walking into traffic. And she might’ve done it if she hadn’t looked up and saw a faded Nuktuk poster plastered on the wall of the building beside her.

No, she told herself. You’re not going out like roadkill.

She glared at the actor’s face, memorizing the face of the man who’d stolen her dream from her. Oh, she knew him. Maybe not personally, but she remembered him from her days with the Wolfbats.

He was a cocky Pro-Bender with a pet rat, big whoop. He got his fame when he starred in the movers, even bigger whoop. Who was he to steal audition spots? Didn’t he get his fifteen minutes?

Nani took one last look at the poster before tearing it down and ripping it to bits. People walked past her in the streets, staring at her like she was crazy, but she couldn’t give a rat’s ass if she tried.

She was furious, mostly at herself for giving up so quickly after the audition but also at the universe for favoring that big, dirt-pushing lug over her when it knew how badly she needed this.

Well, no matter. If the spirits could play tricks….then so could she.

She hurried towards the nearest hotel, intent on getting some decent beauty rest. She’d likely have to dip her fingers in some poor sap’s pockets to fund an outfit change. She wasn’t sure about the hair and makeup, but she would find a way. She always did.

After all, she had to look good if she was going to meet Nuktuk, hero of the South.

#legend of korra #bolin #makorra #lok #bolin headcanons #bolin x reader #bolin x oc #wolfbats #whitefalls wolfbats #probending #korra

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gren-arlio · 5 months

Text

We are so back. Well, I somewhat am. Welcome to Episode 11 of (Waku) Puyo Extras.

(What a lovely image of Rulue and Minotauros as a team. Surely nothing bad will bestow him...seriously, this image is amazing.)

Hey everyone, Gren here, back from my break. It was a nice break, and I was able to focus on schoolwork. We don't talk about my Pre-Calc grade (just know I got a C) but I got an A in every other class. This episode is a little late because I was focused on the Splatoon 3 Splatfest (I was Team Handshake, GGS to all,) but it's here nevertheless.

As the year is slowly coming to an end, my workload increases. I think this'll be the last Extras episode until the NEW Episode of Waku Puyo Translations. Which means me dying to Kikimora text. Fun, yeah? Yeah.

So, with my absence, what game will we cover this time around? Well it's one I've mentioned a couple of times, which is...actually kind of nice, no researching history for me; Rulue's Spring Break of Fists...or Rulue's Iron-Fist Spring Break. For today, I'll use the first version.

This game is thankfully one of the easier ones to get footage of. Besides, the game itself is fairly interesting with its current casting, with people that you don't really see every day. And hey, this is the first time we've properly covered Rulue here, so there's a first for everything.

With this, I really hope you enjoy this and my derusting of my skills.

Oh, and random thing. My account turned 2 recently, though I began posting...in April of this year? Wahoo.

What's the Origins for the Game itself?

Similar to many games I've covered here (if only I had a good computer, I would probably make a funny YouTube series,) Rulue's Spring Break of Fists is a Disc System game released on Volume 14 of Disc Station Magazines in 1997.

(The opening to the game. Nothing amazing, but certainly an...opening?)

The game itself is somewhat of a Choose Your Own Adventure game, with you playing as the lady herself, Rulue. Here, you get to...choose your own adventure. There's three main things you can do:

Find the five divine treasures.

Explore the land. Or "The Wonderful Land".

Gather ingredients to cook.

It's interesting how the character most associated with fighting has a game where... you kinda don't fight unless it's a very specific circumstance, which I'll get into later.

Visually, I won't deny, it depends from person to person. If you like the 90s Moe eyes, then this artstyle is genuinely amazing, but if not, lotta characters look weird.

(This is a prime example, with Kikimora. Her eyes are huge, and personally I like them, but I can totally see why someone doesn't.)

So for this episode, I'll throw a question/poll:

This'll last a week, and I'm curious to see.

-----

How About Gameplay?

Something I want to note for this game is that in this... there's a LOT of different dialog choices. You're gonna have split paths all the time, though to my knowledge, they more just impede you until you guess right...or get a bad ending.

(Something like this. Also, rare Black Kikimora appearance, though...with an item Rulue gets, she transforms back into Kiki? It's odd.)

Whilst exploring and doing the routes, something you'll note is that there's a lot of quizzes, questionnaires, etc. Now why does this matter?

Because some of these questions are fucking hilarious man

What do I mean? Well, y'all know Momomo? Silly little shopkeeper? Well, they ask you a question for a quiz, and guess what the question is?

How much Yen will it cost to buy Disc Station Magazine Vol. 1 through 13 on their online store?

(This is Rulue trying to solve that question. Lowkey...I forgot the answer.)

This guy really thinks I know. And I think inflation has really made these prices seem cheap in the long run...

Oh, and another question, one I've mentioned before. You encounter Witch in one of the routes (oh boy), and she gives you a quiz also, albeit one that's...certainly biased towards her, asking stuff is "How cool am I?" And them sorta deals. Though, one question is literally "What is the size of my top?"

This game loves its odd questions.

-----

So, What's the Story? Well, Stories?

Well, simply put, apparently this game is after Chaotic Final Exam, and is MUCH calmer than said game. People from the game apparently have new personalities due to the events of the game, and Rulue...is delivering letters given via Masked Prince.

As stated prior, there's three routes in this game:

Characters that appear on all routes are Arle, Rulue, Masked Prince, and I believe Momomo.

Route A:

Rulue sets to find 5 magic items. Most notable characters here are Apparently Schezo, Serilly, Draco, Minotauros, and shockingly, Count and Vamp.

(Quite the shock, eh?)

This route...is certainly interesting. Between seeing Mino battered and bloodied by a fight, a literal possessed Arle by Count (or Vamp,) you FIGHTING Arle due to that, same deal goes for Schezo, he also got possessed, and a final fight with Count if he was overly buff...it's certainly one hellva route.

(This is...wow. What an experience.)

Route B:

Rulue, with envelopes given via Masked Prince, has one of them stolen by something, and she goes to investigate it. Getting sucked into a "Wonderland," younalso get some backstory about Rulue, notably hearing her grandmother. I'll tell y'all, I was given help by people who work on the Puyo Nexus and other Puyo Translations:

Rulue and her grandmother were very close, and she gave Rulue a music box when she was about 5 years old, under a Sakura tree. When she turned 6, her grandmother fell ill, and Rulue, upset that she wasn't spending time with her on her birthday, breaks the music box.

However, when Rulue sleeps, she has a dream about her grandmother, with her saying to not be upset with her...and when Rulue woke up, she felt like she'd never see her grandmother again.

(Edit:

Notable characters here are Kikimora and Black Kikimora, Serilly, Rulue's grandmother, and Demon Servant. Yeah, he's alive in this game.

I forgot to credit the main person who did this part, @klug. That's completely on me, my apologies. They did help quite a good bit for this, so thank them for the research and info. Wouldn't have gotten this without them. Again, apologies for not putting credit.

Here's their Puyo Nexus page. Go check em out.)

(YOU'RE ALIVE IN THIS GAME?)

So you know when I said this game was a lot more casual? I look real silly saying that now.

Route C:

Easily the most casual route, Rulue...is trying to cook. The grill calls for her name. I'm not joking when I say that the only characters here are Momomo and Witch. I guess Witch can cook?

This route is uh, odd. You spent most of the time doing quizzes and route splits because...I guess Witch and Momomo feel devious today. This route is notable for Witch asking that question in her quiz and only having 5 endings...Yep. 5 endings.

Something I've neglected is the ending to these routes.

There's about 30 of them.

Yeah. Good luck.

(Autism be damned, Witch can apparently cook. Just have fun on the quiz.)

-----

So, The OST and Final Verdict?

The games ost is honestly decent. I can't describe it well but a lot of the music is just flat out solid, with no real complaints here. I'd say check it out at least.

And the final verdict?

The game itself is honestly very fun to browse and look around. The game gives us Rulue lore RANDOMLY that I'll gladly accept, Demon Servant, Count, and Vamp make an appearance, and the game, while confusing, is really fun to watch.

I'd say for Disc Station, it's very solid.

With that...that'll be all for today. Next week I won't post due to Thanksgiving and spending time with my family, but next time we meet, we'll finally continue our Waku Waku Puyo Puyo Dungeon translations after SO long.

See y'all then. Hope you enjoyed the show.

#madou monogatari #japanese translation #puyo puyo #sega #arle nadja #rulue puyo puyo #disc station #satan puyo puyo #witch puyo puyo #puyoposting #why did this game give me rulue angst

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sunshine-overload · 9 months

Text

[BSTS] Main Story S5Ch5 ‘Dark Flare’ Part 1

Getting these posted before the second half drops !

Chapter 1

-street, daytime-

???: (on phone) ...Yep yep. I just got to the shopping district I think. But somewhere along the way I messed up. Like come on, every shop here has similar signs and the streets are all so narrow~! I don't even know which street I just walked out of... I have no idea where I'm going.

-he spots saki-

???: Ah, hey hey Miss, you over there! I'd like to ask you a quick question...!

saki: Hm? Are you talking to me?

???: Ah thank god, thanks for helping me, luck must be on my side today!

saki: (I haven't even agreed to help him yet...)

???: I seem to have gotten lost you see... Could you tell me where this spot on the map is? Oh woops, I'll hang up first.

-phone beeps-

???: See here, this store. I'd like to go there.

saki: Hm? That place is...

???: Are you familiar with it Miss? I'm saved then~! I'm glad I don't have to worry about getting lost.

iwami: Weren't you already lost?

???: Ah, Iwa-san! Jeez, you could've showed up sooner~

iwami: Big talk for the kid who disappeared from our arranged meeting place.

???: But that's just cause I can't wait to meet Team B! I couldn't sit still any longer.

iwami: There's no point if you show up on your own, you'll just be turned away at the door.

saki: (Is this person a friend of Iwami-san...?)

iwami: Anyways, who would've thought you'd catch Saki-san here. Is it your hobby to get dragged into other people's business like this, young lady?

saki: Ahaha…

???: Huh, what? You guys know each other? Oh wait I got it! You must be the rumoured princess, right Miss? Nice to meet you, my name is... um...?

iwami: Hinata, got it?

hinata: Right right, that's what it was, Hinata! I'll be known as Hinata at Starless, alright? That's how things work there after all.

saki: U-um, yeah... Nice to meet you too, Hinata-san.

hinata: Ever since I heard that I'd get to see Team B's show today I've been super hyped about it! You should come with us!

iwami: This was some good timing, could you teach him a bit about Starless as we walk, young lady? Like the right route to take, you were headed there anyways weren’t you?

saki: Yes, I was planning to...

hinata: Yay! This really was a happy coincidence then. I'll be in your care, Miss ♪

—end

Chapter 1 extra

-hospital room-

nurse: Good morning Haseyama-san. The sun's shining again today. Let's see, blood pressure and body temperature are both normal... Hm?

haseyama: .........

nurse: Am I imagining things or?

haseyama: ko...nn...

nurse: He's regained consciousness!? Haseyama-san, can you hear me?

haseyama: ..........

nurse: Haseyama-san! I'll call the doctor right away ok?

-time pass-

kei: So, what you mean to say is that he woke for merely a moment and then fell back into unconsciousness?

nurse: Yes, I'm most sorry for calling you out here so urgently.

unei: There's nothing you need to apologise for! We are grateful that you contacted us. The fact he woke up at all means he should be properly out of his coma soon right?

nurse: I'm sorry, but we don't know that for sure yet.

unei: Is that so...

yakou: Did he communicate anything to you in the brief time he was awake?

nurse: I wouldn't call it communication but if I remember correctly... He mumbled "ko, nn" before falling unconscious again.

yakou: "Kon"? I wonder what he was trying to say.

unei: Maybe he was trying to say navy blue? (*kon-iro)

yakou: What would he have meant by that...?

unei: Kon...kon... Ah! Could he have been imitating a fox...!?

(*in Japanese 'kon' is the noise foxes make)

yakou: That doesn't make any sense either.

unei: Um, did he happen to say anything else?

nurse: No, it was just incoherent mumblings. Excuse me, but I must go and check on some other patients.

unei: Thank you for talking with us whilst you're so busy.

-nurse leaves-

yakou: If it was just incoherent mumbling as she said then it's likely it had no deeper meaning.

kei: We won't know until Haseyama himself has woken.

—end

Chapter 1 SideA

-locker rooms-

ran: Alright! I've done myself up to be one stunnin' young man once again today-!

kongou: Ran, the hair on the back of your head is still sticking up.

ran: What? But I just got done hair sprayin' it!

lico: Would you be quiet. I have to get set up here too so stop freaking out in front of the mirror.

mizuki: Geh, what's it matter spending so much time on that.

ran: Aw c'mon, why aren't ya more excited, we finally get to have another solo performance. Heath is lookin' healthy lately too!

mizuki: ...Are you sure about that?

heath: I'm fine. Rather, I'm actually feeling quite good today.

akira: Oh, the whole B gang is here, give it your all out there~

mizuki: The heck, what are you here for?

akira: I just came to collect something from my locker~ What about you? You look like you're all fine at least.

mizuki: Duh of course. So we don't need you getting involved.

lico: No need to blow up at every little thing, Mizuki. Akira's just here to check on us.

akira: Welp, if anything happens just give me a call.

heath: Mm sure. Don't worry though, we won't need to.

akira: I am your understudy just in case. Anyways, see ya~

-akira leaves-

lico: Well, it is true that Heath's role this time isn't on the stage the whole time. So we should actually be good. Rather than Heath, isn't it you we should be worried about right now, Mizuki?

mizuki: Huh? What's that meant to mean?

lico: What are you even going for with your interpretation of Oba Yozo? Shouldn't he be more timid?

mizuki: Who gives a shit about interpretations. All we need to do is match the energy of Heath's song.

kongou: While it's true our show gives a different impression than the source material 'No Longer Human', I think it's fine the way it is.

ran: Yeah it gives off a feelin' like 'if you're feelin’ rejected come on over here~' y'know what I mean?

heath: We don't want to be shoved into the box of what's considered 'normal' by society. Because that's how Team B is.

mizuki: Hahah, as expected your ideas are the best, Heath! Alright then, let's get goin' already you guys.

-mizuki leaves-

lico: Hey... I'm being serious here, please quit overdoing it. If I catch you looking even a little unwell I'm subbing you out.

heath: ...I know. I don't want the audience to ever have to see me like that again either.

—end

Chapter 1 SideA extra

-starless break room-

ginsei: .......

sotetsu: What're you reading?

ginsei: Ah!? Oh, it's just you two.

yoshino: Sorry for frightening you. Which script is that you're reading?

sotetsu: You were reading it with one intense expression, is it that immersive?

ginsei: Oh this? It's the script for B's current show. Kongou let me borrow a copy.

yoshino: Why are you reading their scripts again...

sotetsu: What are you scheming this time?

ginsei: It's not like I'm trying to involve myself in B's performances or anything. It's more like an analysis, I guess you could call it research.

yoshino: On the script?

ginsei: Yeah. Reading the other team's scripts has been great learning material.

sotetsu: Really?

ginsei: It's because I can analyse them more objectively than our own scripts. This one's especially interesting, seeing how it differs from the original source and how it's been adapted.

yoshino: 'No Longer Human' is what it's based on right?

ginsei: Yeah, that's it. Since Mizuki is the lead role it makes you see that Oba could even be depicted in this way. It's fun making new discoveries like this.

yoshino: Could it be that you're planning to continue properly studying scripts from now on?

ginsei: In my own way, yeah. So I'm planning to check out every show's script like this.

yoshino: I see.

sotetsu: There's no way you'll have enough time for all that.

ginsei: True, that's the biggest problem at the moment. If the staff shortage issue could be solved I'd be able to devote myself to it more...

yoshino: We have no choice but to ask the temp management team if they can hire more people. It's not like we can do anything about it... I think your efforts are a good idea though Ginsei. I have to do whatever it is I can as well.

sotetsu: Looks like a flame has been lit in you. Jeez, you're all so diligent.

—end

Chapter 1 SideB

-starless hallway-

unei: Ah, Qu-san. Could I borrow you for a moment? I have something I'd like to discuss with you...

qu: It's rare of you to seek me out, Unei-kun.

unei: In regards to this you're... No, you're the only one I could ask, Qu-san!

qu: Sounds like it's serious, what is it?

unei: Please, could you give me your opinion on my costume design once again!

qu: Hm...?

unei: I'm sure you'd give me a straightforward assessment of my design proposal! Here, I took a picture of what I drew...!

qu: I'm not sure I'd be much help with that.

unei: That's not true! You assessed my design last time, remember? If I can get your ok on the design then it's almost guaranteed everyone else will agree to it too!

mokuren: Don't block the hallway, you're in the way.

zakuro: It looks as if you're putting on a single act comedy. Though it is also true that I am quite interested in your design Unei-kun, to a surprising degree.

mokuren: Don't say anything unnecessary, Zakuro. And you too, Qu. Just refuse him straight up. If you're late for our reservation in lesson room 2 I won't be happy about it.

qu: Well, you heard them, sorry Unei-kun.

unei: Aw~....

zakuro: My my such heartbreak. If you'd like more ideas than that... Why not make a trial costume for yourself? If you do that then no one would interfere.

unei: Uu... B-but that wouldn't solve the problem...

qu: If you want to solve the main problem then wouldn't finding a costume designer be the best move? How's that been going?

unei: Um well, the temporary management team has been asking around within their acquaintances...! Taiga-san made a post about it on our blog too but so far we haven't gotten any responses.

qu: Probably because it's not that flashy of a job offer. I guess there's nothing we can do for now but wait and see.

mokuren: Unei, I couldn't care less what you do, but I won't let you off easy if you get in the way of our rehearsals.

—end

Chapter 1 SideB extra

-rehearsal room-

taiga: Their show’s starting soon, yeah?

takami: Are you concerned for Team B?

taiga: Nah, I wouldn't go as far as to say I'm concerned. But I wouldn't say it's unrelated, I'm just wondering how things are going to go, I guess.

akira: Why do you keep glancing at me?

takami: Well it's true that Akira has a relationship with them at the moment.

akira: Ew why'd you have to word it like that.

kokuyou: How stupid. All it means is that you weren’t needed this time, nothing more nothing less.

akira: I suppose~ Basically if Heath’s feeling fine and dandy then I don’t need to appear.

takami: That’s because Mizuki’s opinion that Heath is their one and only MC won’t change.

sin: As long as Heath doesn’t collapse then, hm? The water in the fountain has already overflowed. The time for enlightenment is still in the distant future.

taiga: Being their pinch hitter is even more of a pain than just being a regular understudy though. I mean, do B really plan to just continue handling things like this?

kokuyou: Who knows. As long as they aren’t hindering us I couldn’t care less.

taiga: Wouldn’t it cause quite the drama if we were to have a versus with B and Heath isn’t able to perform though?

kokuyou: If that ever happens then it would be on Mizuki to take full responsibility.

taiga: The responsibility of being a leader huh?

takami: I don’t think a malicious versus such as that would even happen in the first place.

kokuyou: You never know.

—end

Chapter 2

-starless lobby-

iwami: So, what did you think of Starless' Team B?

hinata: They were amazing...! I knew seeing them live would be completely different to just watching recordings! It's not even comparable! Do you always get to watch their shows like this, Miss? I'm so jelly-!

saki: You really love Team B huh, Hinata-san.

hinata: Well duh! I'm still freaking out just standing in the lobby here. I'm not dreaming am I? What am I gonna do if I get to meet Team B~!

iwami: Oi oi, isn't that the whole reason I brought you here?

saki: Huh? Then do you mean...

iwami: Oh, look who chose the perfect time to appear. Hey, Mizuki.

-mizuki walks over-

mizuki: If it isn't Kouichi. Saki too, what're ya doing standing around out here?

iwami: We had just been watching your show.

saki: The performance was great, I had a lot of fun.

mizuki: Course it was, it was a B show after all.

mizuki: ...By the way, who's the blondie?

iwami: I invited him along, his name's Hinata. He's a massive fan of Team B.

mizuki: Oh? He's got good taste then.

hinata: (gasp) ...Oh my god! H-He spoke to me...!

mizuki: Huh...?

hinata: Holy crap... Mizuki in the flesh makes such a huge impression! His gaze is so intense! Aha, my heart feels like it's gonna explode~! I'm so glad I came here today~!

mizuki: The hell's up with this guy?

iwami: I already told you, didn't I? He's a massive fan of Team B.

hinata: I've loved Team B for ages now. This is the first time I've gotten to see you perform in person, it was crazy intense.

mizuki: Ah, y-yeah...

hinata: Your show today was amazing as always obviously, but still, it was on a whole other level! Heath's rap was especially great! The song, his voice, he's just the best, I admire him so much! No scratch that, I respect him so much!

mizuki (awkward): Hahah, is that so?

hinata: Yeah, Team B really are the best aren't they? I want to join!

mizuki: You what...?

iwami: I heard that you lot were understaffed, so isn't this a good opportunity to increase your numbers?

mizuki: Quit saying stupid shit.

hinata: I'll rehearse till I drop! The name 'Hinata' too, I was given it by Iwa-san for this so...!

mizuki: No way. B is the five of us, no one more, no one less. As if I'd let some guy I know nothing about join us just like that.

hinata: Huh? So you're saying I can't then...?

iwami: I see, so the main requirement is that you have to understand who Hinata is then?

mizuki: What?

iwami: Well, that's how it is Hinata. Do something about this yourself from here.

-iwami leaves-

hinata: Ok, I will!

mizuki: What!? Hey, wait, Kouichi! What the hell... I don't get this.

—end

Chapter 2 extra

-starless office-

iwami: Appears you haven't fixed your worker shortage yet.

kei: Iwami... I didn't expect to be hearing that from you.

iwami: Well, I'm mostly just here to say hi. I felt like I should talk to you lot.

yakou: Is this about that person you brought along to be a potential cast candidate...?

sinju: The guy who wants to join B right?

iwami: Oh so you're all already aware then? That saves me the trouble of explaining things. Well, that's how it is, I'll leave him in your hands.

-iwami goes to leave-

kei: Halt. There is still something I want to inquire.

iwami: It's rare for you to ask so nicely when you're usually so rude to me. What is it?

kei: I want to know your true motive.

yakou: Yeah, why did you suddenly bring in a cast candidate...

iwami: You said you were understaffed so I brought someone in, what other reason would I have besides that?

sin: A notion that even the devil could verify.

sinju: It's surprising to hear that a new person just randomly showed up.

iwami: My apologies. But it's not a bad deal is it? He's rearing to go, no matter how you look at it he'll prove useful. He's of working age too of course. He won't cause the store any disadvantages.

sin: And what is it that you desire beyond this?

iwami: For this store to prosper, don't I keep telling you all this? Plus, as always there's been shady fellows hanging around the store’s vicinity... So wouldn't having more people here be beneficial?

kei: As an outsider you have no say in such a decision.

iwami: I'm well aware. I'll be leaving Hinata here, It’s up to you lot to decide what to do with him.

-iwami leaves-

sinju: I wonder if he really is doing this for the sake of the store.

yakou: ...I'm not so sure.

—end

Chapter 2 sideA

-rehearsal room-

mizuki: Alright, let's stop here for today.

ran: Ah~ I'm so tired. Isn't the last part of the performance way too complex?

lico: Aren't you the one who was whining about wanting it to be more flashy? Don't start complaining about it now.

ran: Ya but I didn't realise the difficulty would increase this much.

kongou: But because of that I think our show tomorrow will be even better.

mizuki: Make sure you get some rest. If any of you are shit tomorrow I'll beat your ass. Heath you too, you're banned from any solo practice today.

heath: I know. I'll be going straight home.

-hinata runs in-

hinata: Mizuki, are you done with practice!?

mizuki: You- Why the hell are you here!

hinata: I wanted to talk to you, so here I am! I really want to join B no matter what.

lico: What? Who's this kid?

ran: Someone Mizuki knows?

iwami: Kouichi brought him here...

hinata: I'm Hinata, nice to meet you all! But nevermind that, ohmigosh, Heath is here~! Your show the other day was seriously the best!

heath: ...Thanks.

kongou: I'm not exactly following but, why are you looking to join B...?

hinata: I love hip hop so I became a fan of B. I want to be able to rap like Heath does.

mizuki: That's obviously not gonna happen.

hinata: Aw but why~? Even though I love B so much...

mizuki: We don't need any other MC but Heath.

hinata: So you mean I can be a performer then?

mizuki: I didn't say that.

lico: Nevermind all that, the hell is even going on here? Explain, Mizuki.

mizuki: I don't know either!

hinata: Hey hey, I can perform too y'know. Here, watch!

-hinata dances whilst stumbling-

lico: Dude... He can't perform at all. Why the hell was he acting so confident about it?

ran: (laughs) He really can't huh. Well, his sense of rhythm is sorta there.

kongou: Even so... Mizuki, what are you planning to do about this?

mizuki: I got no fuckin' idea, go and ask Kouichi.

lico: That bastard... He really is the worst.

heath: .......

-heath leaves-

hinata: So, how was that? I threw some moves fitting of B in there right? Uh wait, huh...? What happened to Heath, did he leave already?

ran: Hm? Oh ya he's gone.

kongou: I wonder if something happened.

lico: Who knows, maybe he just had no interest in you.

hinata: Whaat-! But I really wanted to hear what he thought...!

—end

Chapter 2 sideA extra

-locker room-

sinju: Maica, Nekome! Listen to this, something crazy happened yesterday.

nekome: You seem pretty excited, is it something interesting~?

sinju: Iwami-san brought in a new cast candidate that's hoping to join Team B. He's called Hinata.

maica: Huh? What are you talking about? Why would Iwami-san... Is this what he meant?

sinju: Do you know something about it Maica?

maica: No... Well, what kind of person is this Hinata guy then?

sinju: I don't know, I haven't met him yet.

maica: He didn't introduce himself?

sinju: All Iwami-san told us it that he's leaving him here and we can do whatever with him. I think he's already met Team B by now at least.

nekome: Intriguing~

maica: How about you Nekome? Do you know anything about this new guy?

nekome: Hm? I've been too busy with my own matters to know anything else.

maica: That so.

sinju: I suppose it's a good thing, getting a new cast member.

nekome: Even without considering Heath's situation it's still better than nothing. Plus if there's more staff the the burden on those working in the hall will lessen.

sinju: That would definitely be helpful! Lately I've barely been able to make it to my shifts.

maica: True, but on the other hand, what will happen to Akira then?

nekome: Guess we'll have to wait and see~

maica: ...Also, whether he's hired or not may depend on what kind of guy he is.

sinju: Rindou said the same thing when I spoke to him before.

maica: You can't tell how capable someone his just by looking at them.

nekome: Well, that goes without saying.

menou: Yawns... Hey, is what you all just said true?

sinju: Uwah!? You were here too Menou?

menou: We're getting more hall staff then? So does that mean I can keep napping?

sinju: Of course not! Nothing's even been decided yet.

menou: Huuh~? That's too bad then.

—end

Chapter 2 SideB

-second rehearsal room-

kasumi: Hah~ Thank god, I made it just in time.

mokuren: Hmph... One more minute later and I would've sent you flying with a kick.

kasumi: I remember you said that and ran here as fast as I could.

qu: Were you busy with temp management work? As always you guys seem swamped with tasks.

hari: It would be advantageous for us to solve the understaffing issue quickly.

kasumi: Yeah I guess~ We were just discussing that before actually.

mokuren: Did you find someone new to hire? In that case what's the problem.

kasumi: Mm~ The issue is more with who brought in the new person.

zakuro: My my, seems yet another complex problem has arisen.

kasumi: Well y'see, yesterday Iwami-san brought in a cast candidate. It appears he's looking to join Team B, so it became a question of what we should do about this.

hari: If he's accepted would that mean Tam B has two understudies then?

zakuro: Hm... And what would the issue with that be?

hari: There shouldn't be any. I've heard that in the store's early days it was normal to have multiple understudies.

qu: I think the issue would lie with how those involved feel about it. Including Akira of course... What does Mizuki and his team plan to do?

kasumi: Seems they're undecided, which is to be expected. That's why he hasn't been accepted as an official member yet.

mokuren: In that case, we'll take him.

kasumi: What?

mokuren: If a new person is joining then I want him on our team. Even more so if Mizuki's wavering.

kasumi: Um but, we don't even know what he's like or if he's capable.

mokuren: Then we just have to drill him with dance lessons. It’s a perfect opportunity for you to teach them, Hari. You agree with me that having an understudy is necessary, so there shouldn't be a problem.

qu: ...You don't seem to be joking.

mokuren: Of course I'm not. If a member’s poor condition has even the slightest chance of ruining our dance then it's no laughing matter.

qu: That's... I can't refute that.

mokuren: It's decided then. I'll go and invite him.

—end

Chapter 2 SideB extra

-second rehearsal room-

qu: Mokuren, about that conversation earlier. You really are serious about recruiting him then?

mokuren: I already said that, didn't I?

zakuro: My my, the smell of commotion once again. The scent is quite enticing to me however.

hari: It is true that Team C are also in need of an understudy…

mokuren: Not just that either. Being in mixed teams for Christmas and the June Bride show wasn't half bad. Since I was able to experiment with new things.

qu: So because of that you want a new member to join us?

mokuren: If the mood stagnates then our dancing will rot. We can't be confined by staying the same forever. Kasumi, what is the name of this cast candidate?

kasumi: I heard that it was Hinata~

mokuren: Got it.

kasumi: Wait, you don't intend to look for him right now do you?

mokuren: I'm going to go and capture him before it's too late.

-mokuren leaves-

hari: By before it's too late they must mean before Mizuki's able to come to a concrete decision.

qu: How overbearing hm?

kasumi: I agree with the opinion that we need an understudy though~

zakuro: It is said that while some things remain unchanging one must still be open to the new. Even water that is unable to turn into clouds will stagnate overtime and become dead water.

hari: Seems like we're all of the same opinion here then.

qu: Hinata said that he wants to join B though didn't he? Wouldn't it be wrong to forcibly bring him over here.

hari: It would depend on how Team B sees it, but it's true that as things are now it could be considered a robbery.

kasumi: Well, whatever happens happens~

zakuro: Lately, Mokuren seems to be trying to find a new spark in the melodies themselves.

qu: I guess this means C has to evolve as well huh…

—end

To Part 2

#bsts main story #bsts team b #bsts translation

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