#5 dollar wrestling

[hadiasuud24]

Don't skip, please help you improve your health!!🆘 🍉 🇵🇸😭

Hello, my name is Hadia Saud. I lost my husband, Moamen Akl, the bodybuilding champion

We lived a happy life, we had a house and a gym. He participated in international tournaments held in Lebanon, Algeria, Egypt, China and others and contributed to his winning many titles.

But since October 7, our club has been destroyed. Then my husband was martyred in an air strike, and after that my mother, who worked in an institution that exploited her private needs, was martyred. “I lost my father, who was a tailor, and my brothers as well, and now I take care of my younger brothers.” Talaat (15 years old), Khalil (14 years old), Ritaj (10 years old), Sobhi (9 years old), and Tayseer (6 years old) suffered an eye injury that required an expensive surgery. Zahra (5 years old) never stops resisting psychological pressure and bedwetting.

We are now in northern Gaza and we suffer from a loss of security in food, drink, clothing and medicine

We are threatened with death every minute, from the continuous bombing that has not stopped.

Since October 7, we have been displaced more than several times after being bombed. Our house was completely destroyed, and we are now in a school for displaced people. We suffer from skin diseases due to the lack of water and the lack of drinking water. There is no place for us in these crowded and displaced places, and there is no support for us and my brothers in the north.

I also need your donations so that we can escape death and travel for survival treatment, as travel costs are very high. Help me and my fellow children so that we can escape death and start over in a better place.

Please hope it grows

Every day I face a difficult life. There is nothing that I am still the support for my brothers in everything after my father and mother, and in everything in this life.

I try to provide some food for at least half of the morning every day for my brothers, and my battle to obtain clean drinking water, if any, is still ongoing, as we are on the cusp of a normal winter. How can I do this? Let us bring clothes and a cover to protect us from the cold weather

The daily struggle to survive in the hope of reaching a decent life. I address this request and ask for basic assistance for us in trying to travel for me and my brothers and to perform an urgent operation for my injured brother before he loses his eye.

These donations will be used for food and medicine and will be used for travel and treatment...

I endured this life like no one else did. Wrestling, days and my spirit to be steadfast for my brothers

I ask you to support me so that I can get rid of this fear that clouds my mind and thinking

Your donations and assistance can speak greatly in our lives

We thank you from our hearts for your generosity and support. I need your support to motivate us for the time, which will give me hope for me and all my brothers and end the difficulties until this collective gathering ends

🆘🆘🆘🆘🆘🆘🆘🆘

Each (55 Swedish krona = 5 dollars)

100 dollars = 1100 kroner

It will make a difference 🙏🍉 Be the one to help us

Every donation can make a real difference and give us hope until this war ends.

Our team at #GazaVetters has rigorously vetted and approved this campaign, earning it a spot on our official list at #65 .

https://gofund.me/643f45d0

[baddiewiththebook]

Over the Years | e.m x reader | p. 5

-> The origin story of Eddie Munson, and how he fell in love with the worst person he possibly could - his best friend.

-> eddie munson x you (she/her)

-> friends to lovers, slow burn, angst

-> warnings - strong language, suggestive themes, smut [18+]

a/n -> This chapter goes along with the next. As promised, the second part will come out within the hour of this one being posted.

-> <-

September 1982

“I hate boys.”

You let yourself into the Munson household by using the spare key "hidden" underneath the 'Welcome' mat on their front porch. It's become a little habit of yours to barge into their home.

Wayne sits on the couch with the television on far too loud for anyone with a normal hearing range. Unfortunately for him, Eddie has left him nearly deaf with all of that noise coming from his room. It would have been a quiet evening by himself with Eddie out at band practice, but Wayne should know better by now that you'll show up like you live here.

When you plop down next to Wayne, he doesn't hesitate to offer the plate of food he's just dished up for himself. He wrestles with his age to get off the couch, then walks through the kitchen to find a new plate.

“Thanks,” you chew through a dry biscuit. Wayne says he likes the outside crispy, but you’re sure that he will be down to nothing but gums when these rocks break his teeth off soon.

Wayne rounds the kitchen island with a brand new plate of food for himself, and an extra napkin for you to hold under your chin. Although he knows very little about clothes, he can see the shine still on that new blouse of yours. He would hate to see you ruin it with some gravy and a bucket of fried chicken.

Wayne sits down again next to you, “Eddie isn’t here.”

You sniffle over the pile of mashed potatoes, “I know.”

Dressed up like you’ve got somewhere to go and you have no one to take you there, Wayne can make a guess of why you might be here.

“What happened?” Wayne nudges you.

You’ve got on the nicest pair of pants you own with a bright blue top and a pair of kitten heels. You’ve taken your mother’s jewelry, which Wayne is sure she’s not pleased about.

“Isn’t that your mom’s necklace?” Wayne asks dumbly.

You cross your arms. “Rodney ditched me.”

“Who?”

Kids these days and their drama. Wayne can hardly keep up with Eddie, and now he’s got you here crying on his couch. You’re hardly a bother anymore. It’s more bizarre when you’re not here eating his food, watching his television and napping on his couch.

“Rodney said we’d go out Friday at seven,” you tell Wayne. “It’s Friday. It’s eight. No Rodney.”

Wayne could not imagine disrespecting a young woman like that. You've got to be out of your mind if you think making a promise like that can just be tossed out of a window.

“I’m sorry, kiddo,” he pats your knee. “Want me to kick his ass?”

Wayne’s become a father figure to you in a way, since you don't have one. Your mom refuses to tell you anything about the man that got her knocked up. That's a direct quote from what she says. You're not being rude.

“No,” you let a soft laugh sneak past your sorrowed heart.

Wayne's television hums. You watch the wheel spin onto one hundred dollars, and the contestant cheers as she gets to guess another letter.

“Brook Shields,” you guess the answer.

Wayne cocks his head at you, “how did you get that so fast?”

You shrug, “I’ve seen Endless Love.”

“Endless- what?”

“Keep up old man,” you joke.

Wayne grunts, “not you too. I get enough of that shit from Eddie.”

You sit with Wayne that evening with dry eyes, except for the occasional tear falling from laughing a bit too hard at his bewildered expression when you fill in nearly all of the answers to the game show he loves so much.

“What are you going to do with that brain of yours?” Wayne asks as the program nears the end, and the screen begins to dim.

You shrug your shoulders, “I don’t know.”

“You’ll go to college though, won’t you?”

“I can hardly afford groceries,” you reply.

It is an honest answer. Your mom is out of a job, aside from her new night time prowling. She tries to sneak out while you’re tucked into your blankets in your bed. It doesn’t always pan out that way. You’ve heard the heels clicking in the kitchen, before she leaves into the night time.

She’s back before you wake up. And, she’ll take you off to school before she goes to bed for most of the morning. You can only assume this by the way she’s dressed in pajamas without any makeup when you come home.

Wayne watches from afar. Your mom has been stepping back in their friendship recently, and he wonders if everything is okay at home. When he does catch glimpses of her through the living room window, she's a bit gray and a bit dull. Her usual cherry cheeks are sunken. Her eyes are swollen. Her clothes are scandalous in her own definition.

A flood of headlights break through the blinds in the Munson trailer. If the lights aren’t enough to warn you that Eddie is about to plow through his front door, then the absolute deafening sound of bass and guitar blasting through the speakers in his van would give you enough of an inclining.

Kicking his boots off in different directions outside the home, Eddie stamps out his cigarette on the porch railing, and he flicks the nub somewhere into the night.

Dancing his way into the trailer, Eddie first catches you sitting next to Wayne in a bright blue get-up. Isn’t it a bit much to be that done up for some boy? Yes, he knows about Rudolph. That silly little boy from one of your classes. He’s been following you around like he’s got a leash tethered around that funny little sweater vest he wears to school. Really? A sweater vest? It’s a bit pompous if you ask him.

Randy has got to be the most snot-nosed booger-eater that Eddie has had the misery of meeting. He’s got these judgy little eyes that squint in Eddie’s direction any time you hang around him at lunch. Not to mention how bushy his eyebrows are. If you like caterpillars that much, Eddie can find you one around the trailer park that you’ll like much more than - what’s-his-name.

“How was your date?” Eddie hesitates to hold back to venom corroding his teeth. It’s silly to be jealous of some guy. Eventually you would be with someone, and Eddie would find his someone. It’s just strange to not have you at band practice. You haven’t missed a single one - well, now you have.

Your face falls at the mention of Rodney.

In the past few hours, you forgot about the ache in your chest that Rodney never showed at your front door. The absent sore on your heart reopens. Your throat closes a bit.

There was a pinch of hope that you held onto that he might show up with a reasonable excuse. Or, he’ll at least be bold enough to show up and to beg for a second chance. With the time approaching midnight, the odds are withering away into nothing.

“Good,” you fib.

Naively, you lie to Eddie.

“How was practice?” You ask secondly.

A spark lit his bottom on fire and he was bounding about the trailer like a wild animal. Excitement radiates off of his skin.

“You won’t believe what happened tonight!” He yells a bit too loudly for old Wayne, who wiggles his pinky into his ear. “We got a call back from the Hideout! They want to see us perform!”

“That’s great, Eddie!”

“Congratulations, kid.”

Wayne has to stand and clap Eddie on the back to congratulate his nephew. The pair of them look to each other adoringly, before either of them remember that you’re still there on the couch.

“I should go,” you know how late it is, and your mother - er - she would be shivering in worry by now. Probably. “I’m really proud of you, Eddie. Can I come to the show?”

“There’s no way I can perform without my best girl,” he wraps you in a strong hug, “Tuesday at seven! I want both of you there!”

“You got it,” you punch his chest a bit awkwardly.

When you do leave, Eddie takes the spot you once sat in on the couch. He switches programs because whatever game show Wayne is watching is not to Eddie’s taste. Eddie prefers something that will make his skin crawl.

“Ed,” Wayne clears his throat, “I think we should talk.”

“Talk?”

Wayne stands in front of the television blocking Eddie from flicking to yet another channel.

“Your little friend got stood up on her date,” he teeters back and forth, unsure if you want Eddie knowing this. But, you’re his best friend as far as Wayne is concerned.

Eddie frowns, “what?”

“She’s been with me all evening,” Wayne sighs. “The poor girl is rattled. I mean- you know you cannot do that to a woman, right?”

Wayne begins to turn everything into a lesson. As he lectures Eddie, the lines of reality begin to blur. You’ve been stood up by this douche? Nothing gets past Eddie like that. The ridges of his knuckles turn whiter than snow.

“Eddie,” Wayne scratches his forehead, “I need you to promise me that you’ll never treat a woman like that. You know better, right?”

Eddie hasn’t brought a girl by the house yet. It doesn’t occur to Wayne how horrible the people treat Eddie at school. He assumes it’s just a bit of play and a bit of teasing. Eddie can handle himself for the most part.

“Yeah,” Wayne snaps out of his head when Eddie finally speaks up, “I got it, Wayne.

-> <-

[Sep 1982 . . . again]

tags -> @leelei1980 @sheneedsrocknroll92 @jesuisbuginette @starrywhitenight @meetmeatyourworst

[pookielious]

'— finally, schmitz said "let's wrestle" well, I had done a little wrestling in college, so I accepted the challenge. The match was a very , very short and ended with schmitz going to the hospital with 2 cracked vertebra. — I had a constant line of requests from fellow soilders asking me with a smile on their face, "will you break my arm for 5 dollars ?" '

Beyond band of brothers, dick winters

[prettyinlimegreenboots]

Taking Comfort (In Your Arms) - Outtake 1

Happy Saturday! This is the first outtake of "Taking Comfort (In Your Arms)", and it was requested by @instructionsnotincluded for me to include it in the extras. I had originally written the bike races but when it came down to how long I wanted the story to be, it initially got cut. BUT - I have decided to share it with all of you.

This takes place during Chapter 5.

“Let’s go! Come on everyone! Bike races in the mess call! Who’s in?” 

The call caused Addie to look up from her drink, her head immediately whipping to the left where Bucky and Buck stood. 

Bucky placed his drink down on the counter, with a grin. “I’m in.” 

“Me too.” Buck’s timber voice called out as he set his drink down, pushing away from the bar. 

Sighing, she shook her head at the two. Boys will be boys. John held his hand out for her, fingers wiggling as he looked over his shoulder at her. Stepping forward, she linked her hands with his as they headed towards the mess hall. 

Following the crowd, she attempted to keep her footing as she was tugged along. Bucky squeezed her hand, smirking at her, causing her to laugh. He was so happy at this moment that she just took him in, remembering the happiness on his face. Curt was safe in Scotland, the feeling on the base was easy-going and now bike races would determine who would be victorious after a night of drinking. 

Entering the mess hall, Bucky tugged on their linked hands, causing her to stop. Twirling her around, she hastily bumped into his chest with a laugh. “Bucky?” 

“Kiss for good luck?” His voice dropped to a whisper, his hand coming up to cup her jaw, thumb rubbing it slightly. 

Pushing onto her tiptoes, she placed a sweet kiss on his lips. “Good luck, Bucky. I’ll be over there rooting for you.” 

He stole another kiss before tapping her nose before heading over to where the boys were discussing which bikes they would take. Addie shook her head at them before making her way over to where Josie, Tatty, and Helen all stood. “We were wondering where you were.” 

“Bucky needed a good luck kiss from me.” She rolled her eyes at them as they laughed. 

One of the men with a wad full of cash stopped in front of them with a grin. “Placing bets ladies?” 

Tatty and Helen both nodded, pulling out a dollar before placing a bet on Buck. “He’s the only one that hasn’t had an ounce of alcohol.” 

“I see money changing hands, hope some of that’s going on me.” Bucky pointed in their direction, winking at Addie as she laughed. 

Her eyes narrowed, watching Bucky and Buck push their way to the front. “Rank has its privileges, boys!” 

“Out of the way!” Bucky barrelled his way to the front behind Buck. 

Laughing, Addie shook her head at Buck’s call as hoots and hollers erupted from the crowd. 

“Here’s the deal, boys. You got one lap to the officers’ mess, two laps to the enlisted men’s mess. When you hear the start pistol, go! Are you ready?” Graham called, looking at the men. 

“Let’s go, Graham!” Bucky called, bouncing the bicycle tire. Addie grinned, watching him shift from side to side in excitement and anticipation. The unbridled excitement looked good on him. Addie sighed, wishing that excitement and happiness would just last.  

“Hands on handlebars, boys!” Graham called before the pistol sounded. 

Addie pinched her lip between her two fingers as she watched Buck jump out to an early lead with Bucky on his tail. She shook her head at the two as they threw jabs back and forth as they raced around the area. Getting swept up into listening to the cheers and whoops around her, Addie was knocked sideways while Jack and Crosby both knocked her shoulder as her piercing whistle for Bucky sounded. 

Her eyes went wide when she saw Buck skid, falling down, with Bucky right behind him. Biting her lip, she saw them wrestle, Buck pushing Bucky back to the ground attempting to get up and back on his bike. A laugh escaped her mouth at their childish behavior.  

Suddenly, a siren pierced the air as she stopped. Looking around, she saw the confusion on everyone’s faces as it continued to wail. “Hold up! Hold up! Don’t you hear those sirens?” 

Over the loudspeaker, someone called out. “All personnel, take shelter. All personnel, take shelter.” 

Jack strode over to where Buck and Bucky were still on the ground, calm as could be. “Heads up, fellas. Alright, let’s head to the shelters.” 

“I had you beat.” Bucky said, pushing off the ground, knocking Buck’s shoulder before he offered him a hand up. Once Buck was on his feet, Bucky searched the area, looking for her. Giving a nod to Josie, Tatty and Helen, she made her way over to Bucky’s side, lacing her fingers with his.

Hastily exiting the mess hall, Addie trailed behind the two men as they guided everyone towards the safety shelters. Once outside, Bucky tugged her along until they were in the brick layout of the shelters with a sigh Buck looked at the illuminated sky, biting his lip. “Looks like they’re hitting Norwich.” 

“Some poor bastards are getting it handed to ‘em.” Bucky remarked, leaning against the brick, tugging Addie closer to his side, throwing an arm around her shoulder. She leaned into his warmth with a sigh, seeking the comfort he was providing. 

Addie’s eyes went wide as she searched the area for Josie and her father. She saw her father standing with Colonel Harding, waving at him as he caught her eyes. Josie was standing near DeMarco, his coat thrown over her shoulders. Addie grinned at her before turning her attention to Buck and Bucky’s conversation.

“We could be next.” Buck sighed, watching the sky light up with bombs, sirens still wailing in the background. 

Bucky gave him a look, reaching for Addie’s hand, giving it a squeeze. “Oh, we’re getting through this.” 

“Says the gambler.” Buck gave him a look, shaking his head. Bucky exhaled, looking between Addie and Buck. “Well, if I’m gonna bet on anything, I’m gonna bet on us, Buck.” “You sound like my dad, Bucky. My father liked to drink. When he drank, he gambled. I can’t tell you the amount of nights I spent sleeping on benches in Casper’s parlors and pony tracks. Didn’t matter if it was a ball game, horse, dog, game of cards, he’d bet. He’d usually lose.” Buck mused, keeping his eyes on the sky, avoiding his friends’ eyes as he told his story. Bucky eyed his friend, concerned within his eyes at Buck’s tone. “Mmh.” Buck sighed. “But he kept doing it. He’d always tell me when his luck was down, “Gale, this time I can feel it.” Was always looking for the shortcut.” Bucky gulped a gust of air through his teeth. “Buck?” “Mm-hmm?” Buck avoided his gaze as Bucky called his name again. “Buck.” Bucky gave him a look, Buck meeting his gaze. “That’s why you don’t like sports.” “Mmm.” Buck agreed, a small smile gracing his mouth as he looked at the scene in front of him. The night sky continuing to light up. Addie stayed silent, listening to the two go back and forth. Squeezing Bucky’s hand, she smiled, feeling his thumb rub back and forth against the back of hers. In that moment, there wasn’t a damn thing she could say, just had to let the two talk it through. “That RAF prick was right. These daylight missions, they’re suicide.” Buck sighed. A squeeze to her hand caused Addie to smile. She looked up at Bucky, who had a fist in front of his mouth, before he muttered. “Then why didn’t you agree with him?” Buck inhaled deeply, slowly letting it out. “Didn’t like his delivery.” Addie scoffed at that, shaking her head at the two. Her nerves had lessened the longer they stood there. She had to admit, despite the awfulness those bombs would cause, it was kind of beautiful, if you forgot being in the middle of a war and a bombing target. Though she didn’t forget, she was glad she had all of her people around her, while standing in the cold. A shiver ran down her back, causing her teeth to chatter. Bucky chuckled, running his hand up and down her back, trying to generate heat. “Huh. Well, if you aren’t a betting man, what’s the move?” Bucky side-eyed him, watching his best friend carefully. “We lead our boys through it.” Buck exhaled, a calmness crossing his face. Scratching at his jaw, Bucky inhaled deeply. “We do.”

A tear ran down her check at the seriousness of Bucky’s tone. Looking out into the darkness, she bit her lip, not wanting to give away her emotions. Tugging her close, Bucky leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of her head, a gentle reminder that he was still there, standing by her side. 

“You’re thinking awfully loud over here.” Bucky’s voice dropped to a whisper, ducking down to catch her eye. “What’s going on in that big, beautiful mind, Addie?” 

Clearing her throat, she looked up, looking between the two men that had become so essential, important, in her life in such a short period of time. “Promise me something?” 

Buck and Bucky traded glances with one another, uneasiness rolling off their body language. Bucky sighed, biting his lip. “Darling, we’re in a war. I’m not sure if I can promise anything.” 

“Then tell me you’d do your damndest to get home, get back to me and this base.” She looked away from Bucky to Buck. “Both of you.” 

Sighing, Bucky reluctantly nodded. “I promise, no I swear to you that I will do everything I can to come home to you.” 

Addie nodded, pushing to her tiptoes to brush a soft kiss to his lips before squeezing his hand. Turning from Bucky, she raised an eyebrow at his best friend, who chuckled softly. “Yes, Addie, I will do everything I can to come home to you and Marge.” 

Little did she know, those promises would become essential in the upcoming months. It was something she held onto while impatiently waiting on letters or news of those that had gone down. 

Thank you for reading!!! What did you think? Feedback would be much appreciated. Also, if there's an outtake that you'd like to see or want to see something that wasn't include in the story, send me a message or leave a comment.

Alternative Reunion

[sassy-radio-hazbin-queen]

This is my version of Loonatics unleashed. I decided to do my own version. So some major differences are.

1- The Loonatics take place in 2017 which makes it's a bit more relatable to us. I love the designs of the future but I have to admit I found it weird with all the new technology the phones still look very early 2000s 😂.

2- The looney tunes are there Great Grandparents not 300th Great grandparent.

3- Duck and Rev are Girls. I wonder how come there was only one girl in the team. There supposed to be descendants not carbon copies 😒. I mean we're they saying girls can't be descendants from boys.

4- Ace and Lexi are Fraternal twins. Guys I'm sorry I just can't seem to ship them. They are descendants of Lola and Bugs bunny who are in a canonical relationship. It's a cute ship don't get me wrong. But for me it's just weird.

5- The Loonatics are young adults. Wikipedia says there teenagers but these guys are in universitys?? There ages are. Slam and Tech 22, Ace and Lexi 20 , Rev and Danger 18.

6- Zadalvia is NICE to Danger.

7- There backstories. Starting with Slam Tasmanian.

First off he can Talk. I never understood why they gave Wiles and Roadrunner descendants talking abilities but not him.

He lived in Tasmania and has an Australian accent kinda like Hugh Jackman. Some humans said they were going to take there home unless Slam comes up with 100,000,000,000,000,000 dollars. ( Which is impossible) so he signs up for American wrestling. He goes to America but finds out it's not what he thought. However a meteor changes his life forever. He has a younger kid sister who is his biggest supporter and lived with his mom after there father walked out on the family. Loves to cook. His birthday is May 4th and yes the others do joke and say May the 4th be with you much to his annoyance. Zodiac is Taurus ♉

Next up Tech e Coyote

His backstory is kinda complicated. He was diagnosed with Asperger's when he was 4 and was often bullied to the point where he is TERRIFIED of public speaking. He has lots of stim toys and sometimes didn't feel like talking. During college he befriended a shy bullied girl names Mallory and eventually fell in love with her. Unfortunately there was an accident he caused by mistake and she ended up becoming the Mastermind. He tried with inventing again but after several accidents he was kicked out of the university. However a meteor changes his life forever. Birthday Dec 30. Zodiac Capricorn ♑.

Next up Ace and Lexi

I decided to do these two together since there twins so they basically lived the same lives. Ace is the older twin and is a daredevil who got in trouble with his parents alot. As for Lexi she was a very sweet girl who everyone liked. She was definitely the angel to aces devil personality. However this came at the cost of her getting bullied and Ace getting detention alot in high school. ( Because no one messes with a guy's younger sister especially if she is your twin) at college though he seemed to mature a bit and Lexi learned how to deal with bullies with her one passion Dancing. She loves Ballet. And Ace wanted to be a Actor like his Great Grandpa Bugs bunny. Unfortunately try outs didn't go well for either. But a Meteor changes there lives forever. There birthday is Oct. 13 making them Libras ♎

And now for everyone favorite talkative roadrunner Rev Runner.

Ok so like I said Rev is a girl runner. She had a pretty standard life. However her parents never believed she had ADHD just thinking she was faster than normal or not paying attention to them. Her younger brother Rip is 10 in this world and as far as she is concerned. She is more his mother than there own. Harriet and Ralph are pretty rich and practically use there kids to help make money. Rev being the oldest was put under a lot of pressure growing up. Ralph often would push Rev to her limits. To make things worse he was Willing to Marry her to some Creep to get more money. Luckily she got away. Unfortunately she couldn't take her brother with her. Something that still crushes her. She started work at a diner as a waitress. She was miserable until a certain meteor struck earth changing her life forever. Her birthday is Feb 1. Her Zodiac is Aquarius ♒

For the Final loonatic. My personal favorite Danger Duck

( this is the only gif of him are you kidding me 😂)

Anyway like Rev she is a Girl. And the youngest of the team. Her life wasn't exactly easy at all. Her parents were murdered in front of her by psycho clowns at age 5. Then she went through several foster homes with all of them sending her back cause she was a ' problem child'. None of them realized she was lashing out in grief. She practically grew up in the system. She had only one friend. Pinkster Pig. However when he got adopted he started changing and bullied her throughout high school. When she hit 18 she was kicked out of the orphanage and was homeless taking off jobs just so she can sleep somewhere. Her latest job and place was at a pool place. After a hard day of work. A meteor changes her life forever. Her birthday is July 25. Her Zodiac is Leo ♌

As for Zadalvia. Since she is an alien I decided to make her more like avatar. She has a striped tail. And is green skin. Her outfit is Blue. And she has Orange hair. She is 35 years old. Her backstory is pretty much the same. Except I decided to have Optimus ( I dont know how to spell his name) is possessed by the robo stuff he wears. There parents died when she was young and he became an adult. After years of ruling freleng he found a robot costume and put it on. Unfortunately it possessed him. He imprisoned his sister but she escaped with the help of a rocket. Resulting in the meteor. Her birthday is September 3. Her Zodiac is Virgo ♍.

And that's basically my version of the Loonatics hope you like them 😊

[dalekofchaos]

Rock inserting himself into the Wrestlemania main event hurts everyone who built themselves up for a main event spot

I'm sorry, but Roman vs Rock hurts everyone.

It hurts Seth and Drew, since that's the obvious direction now that Punk is out of action. Oh and now it gets even better. Now they wanna unify both belts(again) You introduced a new world title when they refused to have Roman drop the belt to Cody, tried to legitimize it, buried the title, buried the champion holding it and want to unify it 8 months later. Y'know what would have been the best solution to all of this? Having Drew go after Seth so it's now Seth vs. Drew, & you still keep Cody vs. Roman. Drew taking Punk's spot in the Seth match would make so much sense for his current character.

It hurts Rhea and Becky. This is Becky's Rocky story and this is Rhea's chance to finally main event Wrestlemania and finally proving her worth as Women's Champion when this stupid fucking company refuses to use her as said Women's champion

It hurts Bayley and Iyo. Bayley FINALLY wins the Royal Rumble and looks to be getting a main event spot now that Punk is out of action and there is a story behind it. Bayley and Iyo now are not main eventing.

Neither women's matches are main eventing Wrestlemania. AGAIN.

It hurts Cody. He never should've lost last year. Then they gave him shit as an excuse to "face adversity" a nonsensical Brock Lesnar feud with no rhyme or reason, a bad Shinsuke feud. I'm sorry Shinsuke is not who he used to be in NXT and he just has go away heat with me, that feud was bad. And the nonstop Judgement Day interruptions. Cody has been eating shit all year, he finally wins the Rumble and now he gives that spot up to The Rock and looked like a putz in the process and gave up said spot to a man who is bad at promos in this day and age, gassed 5 minutes into a brawl and would not survive a main event match against Roman.

Cody just doing a 180 and challenging for Seth's participation trophy championship is just bad booking. Roman's title is STILL the championship that his father lost. It is THE WWE Championship. Fucking over the story in favor for Dwayne is bad booking and bad writing. No one wants Dwayne and this is coming from someone who isn't that big of a Cody fan.

Who does this benefit? It doesn't benefit Roman. He doesn't need to be legitimized as the Head of the Table. HE'S ALREADY HEAD OF THE TABLE AND HAS GOTTEN A RECORD BREAKING REIGN. HE DOES NOT NEED IT!

Rock does not need to be the one to break Roman's reign. What does it say that no one could break the reign? Not Cody, LA Knight, Sami, Orton or Drew can do it, but Rock can?

He used his power as a TKO board member to force the match and killed two years worth of build up in Cody Rhodes for a part timer that was gassed against Jinder. JINDER! and you fucking expect me to believe he's gonna last an entire match against Roman Reigns? I hope the fans boo him out of the fucking building.

Congrats, you buried your entire roster to inflate Dwayne Johnson's already inflated ego.

Things The Rock has ruined to get his way:

Ruined the fast & furious franchise

Killed DCEU with Black Adam

Lost $60 million dollars in the XFL 3.0 and had a tv deal so bad he had to merge with the USFL just to continue

Just ruined the biggest storyline in WWE in the best wrestling boom period since the attitude era

Congrats Dwayne, hope it was worth it 🙄

[hyperfixated-on-cod]

Some random Soap headcanons bc y’all seemed to love my post about Price yesterday🤭

Again, most of these will be NSFW, so MDNI🔞

(Also my asks are open for headcanon requests💜)

This man is so severely ADHD. Like, he’s medicated because of his job but as someone who’s also medicated for ADHD, that shit only goes so far. His chaotic energy gets so much worse when he’s unmedicated for whatever reason and he tries to be so careful about making sure that doesn’t happen while he’s working.

He’ll wake you up at 3am with a plate of cookies in his hand, fresh out of the oven, saying “Do you want a cookie?” very casually as if it’s not literally 3am.

Uses his big puppy dog eyes to his advantage. Anytime you’re like upset with him or something he just looks at you like 🥺 and goes “but but but🥺”

Soap may not be the youngest of the group, but he sure as hell acts like it. To put it into perspective, he’s the younger sibling who never gets in trouble.

He has a lot of… things. Trinkets. If he found a thing and he liked it, he brings it home and he has a shelf just for his trinkets. Cool rocks, old toys from a thrift store, a piece of shiny broken glass…

When going to the beach, he brings a bag just for seashells and sand dollars, and will ask to get ice cream every 5 minutes.

If you’ve been apart for awhile, he WILL run and jump into your arms, no he does not care if you’re smaller than him. He will expect you to catch him.

NSFW

He growls when he is about to cum, most of the time.

Call him “Johnny” when you’re jerking him off. Trust me.

If any single one of these men are a switch, it’s Soap.

MASSIVE praise kink, sometimes in a submissive way (e.g. calling him a good boy while he whimpers in your ear), sometimes in a more dominant way (e.g. “you’re doing so good for me, Johnny,” while he pounds you into oblivion).

Really loves playful wrestling that turns into having sex.

If you’re AMAB and he’s feeling submissive, Soap is such a cumwhore.

Loves using toys on you and himself.

If you have to be apart for a period of time for whatever reason, he refuses to let himself cum until he sees you again. It’s not a rule you two make for him, he just chooses not to do it because he wants to save it for you.

The only person he’ll share you with is Ghost and I think we all know why😂

[qrttt-takk]

Postal Doe x F!Reader HC's

(I fell in love with her from the moment I saw a poostall royale playthrough, she's like a smelly ferret to me (⁠*⁠˘⁠︶⁠˘⁠*⁠)⁠.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡)

🏷️: SFW & NSFW, Established relationship, Just really deranged topics...

SFW

-Doe is really protective of you, she won't outwardly show it though but you can definitely catch it through her actions (having her arm around you, giving everyone else but you a mean look, ECT)

-She's gross. Super gross. If you're with her you're either gross too or into it. Doe can go like maybe 1 week and a half without a shower, realistically she would only shower more frequently to impress you

-She watches LiveLeak videos for fun and also has a shit ton of gory movies on DVD, if you're into that then she'll always invite you to her trailer to watch some but if you aren't she's cool with watching normal stuff or movies at the nearby theatre

-Doe has the shittiest diet known to earth, if you get with her you'll probably feel real bad and start cooking her homemade meals, a major upgrade from her dollar store tv meals (she thanks you in many ways)

-She likes to sleep a lot, longer than you at least, it gives you the opportunity to tidy up her place and maybe do her laundry. Doe has a knack to neglect herself but you do try convincing her not to.

-Despite being pretty deranged, Doe actually has really decent advice if you're struggling through something. She takes both logic and emotion into consideration and does try supporting you and your decisions

She encourages you if you're prone to have self-esteem issues, she tells you just how wonderful and amazing you are and how she's lucky to have someone like you

-Super big on pet names, she calls you a bunch of random things but her main ones are, "Sweetheart", "Darling", "My Girl"

-She likes showing off her dumb arm tattoo thinking it makes her 10x more badass and cool (it does not)

-Doe has really light green eyes, she's kinda insecure about them so that's why she always wears her signature sunglasses. When she has them off she's always squinting and darting her eyes around, not even trying to make eye contact

-She's a smartass, and pretty sarcastic. Sometimes you can't tell if she's fucking with you or not so 70% you're taking her bait, by the time you figure out her deal you've already spiraled into a dumb meaningless argument,

"You know, sometimes we shouldn't take things for granite"

"...You mean granted?"

"What? What are you talking about I know what I said"

-Something so god awful and traumatizing can happen to her and she'll chalk it up as "just not a good day", Doe frequently comes over to your place with a shit ton of questionable bruises and wounds, you patch her up distraught but she kisses you and strokes your hair telling you not to worry

-She likes popping all your hand and toe joints despite how much it hurts, it's a bonding activity

-Play wrestling with you all the time, either at her trailer or your apartment the bed is gonna need to be refitted, you always get your ass put in a headlock but you're not a sore loser. Afterwards you always tell her she needs to get on WWE ᕙ⁠(⁠ ⁠:⁠ ⁠˘⁠ ⁠∧⁠ ⁠˘⁠ ⁠:⁠ ⁠)⁠ᕗ

-She loves pickles on her burgers, if you hate them and make it known sometimes she eats like 5 of them at once and french kisses you with the pickle flavor on her tongue, it makes you gag so bad but she cackles like it's the funniest thing ever. If you do love pickles though then she gives most of hers to you (she's such a good gf)

-Doe is definitely taller than you, her boots just add more to her ridiculous height, she likes to carry you and give you piggyback rides...it's fun until she trips and lands face first on the floor with you (⁠´⁠°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥⁠ω⁠°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥⁠｀⁠)

-When you tell her she kinda looks like that one chick from resident evil she either has passionate sex with you or beats you to a bloody pulp no in between (she's crazy)

NSFW

-Doe is definitely into public humiliation, she'll touch you whenever she wants wherever... your reactions and sounds are really cute to her and she'd want to elicit more from you. One day she gets you to wear vibrating panties, it was probably one of the most exciting days of your life

-Shes willing to kill anyone you want gone, of course she wouldn't go crazy or anything but if there's a coworker at your job you've been complaining about for ages she'll ask you if you want them to "disappear" for good. You're well aware that this woman needs to be in an institution but it just makes her sexier

-Doe has a good gun collection, and a gun kink. If you're into it and down to try she'll fuck you with the barrel of her favorite handgun, threatening to pull the trigger and make a fucking mess that you'll be alive long enough to feel and witness

-She's down to try anything. Like, anything. If you have a kink you want to do 9 times out of 10 she's willing to try it out, anything for her sweetheart

-Piss kink. Did you seriously expect any less? The 3rd time she went down on you it was crazy, you begged her that you had to go to the bathroom but it just encouraged her to hold you down by the thighs and coax the piss out of your overstimulated cunt, she made sure not to spill a drop as you bucked and whined against her relentless mouth

-Doe has way too many toys, some you're pretty sure you haven't seen ever in your life... she'd rather blow her paycheck on something crazy she found on Reddit rather than groceries (you give her a bunch of shit once you find out)

ฅ⁠^⁠•⁠ﻌ⁠•⁠^⁠ฅ ฅ⁠^⁠•⁠ﻌ⁠•⁠^⁠ฅ

Hope you guys enjoyed, not enough people make content about this crazy doe...she deserves love too (⁠人⁠*⁠´⁠∀⁠｀⁠)⁠｡⁠*ﾟ⁠+ .... Definitely not done with her, planning to make an X reader drabble eventually

[zealfruity]

Clones as Incorrect Quotes 2/2 Master Post (Domino Squad Lives AU and Fives+332nd Live AU version)

Unholy mixture of random generators, unsolved/ghost files banter, and things my friends have said

Mostly just headcanons following below

A few notes for these: Tup is NB he/they. Hardcase is genderfluid. Vaughn is agender they/them. Nax is a she/her. Jesse has no idea how any of this works, someone help him. Domino Squad Lives AU has the main blue boys interact with the 212th on a more personal level, so some of these involve a mix of the two groups. Every single character is having an existential crisis in the other AU. NO CLONESHIPPING HERE!

(Domino Squad Lives Fix-It AU):

Echo: Do you take constructive criticism?

Cutup: No, only cash or credit.

Waxer: The best part of an oreo is the cookie part, not the frosting. Deal with it.

Echo: Darkness without light is an abyss. Light without darkness is blinding. You cannot have a coin with one side.

Boil: YO SOCRATES! IT'S A FUCKING COOKIE!

*Everyone is playing a board game together*

Cutup: I will put 'A' down to make 'A'.

Droidbait: I will add onto your 'A' to make 'AT'.

Hevy: I will add onto your 'AT' to make 'RAT'

Echo: I will add onto your 'RAT' to make

'BIOSTRATAGRAPHIC’.

Hevy: *flips the board*

Cutup: *standing on a balcony and sneezes*

Fives: *standing on the roof* Bless you.

Cutup: God?!

Cutup: Get in loser, we're going shopping.

Droidbait: This is a McDonald's drive thru.

Nax: Arson? Oh, you mean "crime brûlée".

Wooley: I need life advice.

Cutup, sipping Gatorade and eating cookie dough: You came to the right person.

Fives: *coughs blood*

Droidbait: Don't die, Fives!

Fives: Don't tell me what to do!

Cutup: I'm not mean. Name one mean thing I've ever done.

Droidbait: When we were younger, you convinced me eggs weren't real.

Cutup: They're not.

Droidbait: Haha, very funny.

Cutup: I'm serious. Didn't you hear?

Droidbait: No... what happened?

Cutup: …Why would you fall for this again-

Shapeshifter: *transforms to look like Cutup*

Cutup: Okay, are you like BLIND? You look nothing like me. First off, I'm way taller. Secondly, I DO NOT look so sleep deprived and lastly, if you could drag comb through that hair you're like a 7 on a good day and I've been told I'm a constant 10.

Droidbait: Quitting! It's like trying, but easier.

Hevy: I like to play this game called nap roulette. I take a nap and don't set an alarm. Will it be 20 min or 4 hours? Nobody knows. It's risky and I like it.

Cutup: Hello friends!

His Squad:

Cutup: You might be wondering why I'm stuck to the ceiling

Cutup: You're mean!

Droidbait: You're meaner!

Cutup: Yeah, well, you're ugly too!

Droidbait: You're uglier!

Cutup: You're a dumbass!

Droidbait: You're a dumberass!

Cutup: You think "dumberass" is a good insult!

*Cutup and Hevy are planning to break in somewhere*

Cutup: We need to distract the guards.

Hevy: Right.

Cutup: What are we gonna do?

Hevy: I'm gonna break their elbows while you poke their eyes.

Cutup:

Hevy:

Cutup: Deal.

Nax: Hey, DB! Did you know you’re my BFFLWYLION?

Droidbait: What the hell is that supposed to mean?

Nax: Best Friend For Life Whether You Like It Or Not.

Droidbait:

Droidbait: That’s one way to say it, I guess…

Wooley: I am strong! I beat Droidbait at arm wrestling!

Hevy: Anyone can beat Droidbait at arm wrestling!

Droidbait: Hey-

*Cutup sends more than 5 messages in a row*

Hevy: I ain’t reading all that.

Hevy: I’m happy for you tho.

Hevy: Or sorry that happened.

Cutup, to Wooley: You know, Hevy can be really aggressive, so it's important to take all the necessary precautions when approaching.

Cutup: *blows airhorn at Hevy* GET FUCKED!

Hevy: *Posts a super low-quality image to the group chat*

Cutup: If I had a dollar for every pixel in this image, I’d have 15 cents.

Hevy: If I had a dollar for every ounce of rage I felt in my body after I read this text, I would have enough money to buy a cannon to fire at you.

Jesse: Actually I did the math, Cutup would have $225, not $0.15.

Cutup: Fam I’m right here....

Wooley: If I had a dollar I would buy a can of soda :)

Tup: while you’re there could you buy me an apply juice please?

Wooley: Sorry I only have a dollar.

Tup: :(

Jesse: Hey I just realized my friend is right, Echo would have $22,500 because it's a dollar for every pixel, not a cent.

Wooley: If I had $22,500 I would buy a can of soda and an apply juice.

Jesse: You can buy anything you want with $22,500.

Fives: Yeah and he wants soda and apply juice.

Echo: Apply juice to what.

Fives: Directly to the forehead.

Rex: Great chat everyone.

Droidbait, opening a Capri Sun: Guess I'll drink my sorrows away.

Echo: Time for plan G.

Wooley: Don’t you mean plan B?

Echo: No, we tried plan B a long time ago. I had to skip over plan C due to technical difficulties.

Droidbait: What about plan D?

Echo: Plan D was that desperate disguise attempt half an hour ago.

Tup: What about plan E?

Echo: I’m hoping not to use it. Cutup dies in plan E.

Boil: I like plan E.

Oddball: Are we really going to let Hevy keep Beam?

Cody: We kept Cutup.

Kix: Someone’s trying to break in. Call the cops!

Droidbait: *loads shotgun* I got this.

Kix: Last week you fell up the stairs, what do you mean-

The poor Jedi that got Cutup assigned to them after the war: I assume you realize that this kind of idiocy will not be tolerated in this Order.

Cutup: Is there any kind of idiocy you would be more comfortable with?

*At the police station*

Denal: Hi, I’m here for Domino Squad.

Corrie guard: Who’s Domino Squad?

Denal: Ah, you must be new.

Fox: What has the galaxy ever done for you?! Why would you wanna save it?!

Jesse: Cause I’m one of the idiots who lives in it!

Hevy: How does that even work?

Droidbait, mocking him: hOw dO yOu UsE a cOmPUteR aNd KnOw wHaTS GoiNg oN iT DoEsNt mAke SeNSe?!

Hevy: Your face doesn't make sense.

Cody, to Trapper: If you see Cutup, give him this message *makes a neutral face*

Cody: He’ll know what it means.

*later*

Trapper: oh, and Cody said to give you a message.

Trapper: *makes a neutral face*

Cutup: Oh no. The neutral face of displeasure.

Hairdresser: How would you like your hair cut?

Fives: Preferably with scissors, but a sword could be badass.

Longshot: If you don't stop talking, I'm going to jump out of that window.

Cutup: ...We're on the ground floor.

Longshot: I know but I want a dramatic exit.

Hevy: I have no respect for Santa. Don’t sneak in through the chimney and undermine my authority by bringing my family presents. Walk in through the front door and fight me like a man.

Denal: What do you call disobeying the law?

Domino Squad: A hobby.

Denal: *crosses his arms*

Domino Squad: That we do not engage in.

Droidbait to Tup: First rule of battle, vod’ika... don’t ever let them know where you are.

Hardcase, shooting out of frame: WHOO-HOO! I’M RIGHT HERE! I’M RIGHT HERE! YOU WANT SOME O’ ME?! YEAH YOU DO! COME ON! COME ON! AAAAAH! Whoo-hoo!

Droidbait: 'Course, there’re other schools of thought.

Hevy: Really love that airports have to specify that you're NOT allowed grenades. Like damn there go my traveling plans

Droidbait: Ideally we get down there and Cutup’s just dead. And then we can end the mission, and I can go home. Obviously very sad, thoughts and prayers, but... I don't have to go down there, then. So... *weighs options between his hands* Lose brother, don't have to go in the tunnel. I think it comes out to be a wash, to be honest, so…

Hevy, about possibly getting too beefy for the armor: Regulations won’t look as good as my thighs will so they aren't valid.

Fives+332nd Live AU (possible official titles include Bones In The Ocean AU and Resistance Leaders AU, I’m workshopping it rn)

*The squad has just arrived in a new city. Fives looks around at the wanted posters to see if he’s on any of them.*

Omega: Fives, are you a criminal?

Fives: Not here, I'm not!

Rex: Uuh, watcha got there?

Fives, with a lightsaber: A smoothie.

Fives: Damn, Tech, are you secretly cool?

Tech: Well, poker is just math, so I guess it depends on if you consider the mathematician, Carl Friedrich Gauss, cool.

Fives: I do not.

Ahsoka, texting CF99: Want to help me murder someone?

Echo: Sure who we hitting?

Ahsoka: someone who looks evil

Some guy: What am I supposed to do?

Bounty Hunter Fives: If I were you? I’d try and make peace with whatever deity, pantheon, or Divine Other you believe in.

Some guy: I’m an atheist.

Fives: Then just get ready to die I guess.

Fives: So, are you two friends?

Omega: Yes.

Crosshair: No.

Fives: Hello Crosshair, made anyone cry today?

Crosshair: Sadly, no. But it’s only 4:30.

Fives: If you put a milkshake in one yard and crack open a cold one in another yard, which yard would the boys go to?

Echo: Schrödinger's boys.

Crosshair: FUCK!

Wrecker: What about cracking open a cold milkshake?

Tech: As we all know, the milkshake brings the boys to the yard. The presence of the boys is a prerequisite for the cracking open of a cold one, but cold ones do not have any inherent boy-attracting abilities. Milkshakes, however, do.

Tech: All else being equal, the boys would proceed to the milkshake yard. While it is possible to announce the presence of cold ones in the hope of attracting some boys, the pull of the milkshake is much more powerful by comparison.

Fives: ...

Echo: ...

Crosshair: ...

Wrecker: ...

Tech: Mind you, all of this nonsense hinges on whether or not the boys are back in town.

Fives: It’s impossible to make a sentence without using the letter a.

Tech: Despite your thinking, it is quite possible, yet difficult, to form one without the specific letter. Here’s one more to further disprove your theory.

Fives: Fuck you.

The self-taught medic with no license in the lower levels: Fives’ a 10 but that's all we know about him.

Kix: Bottling up negative emotions is bad for your health, so you shouldn't do it.

Ahsoka: I know, that's why I bottle up all my emotions, both positive and negative, so it cancels out.

Kix: Th-that's not how that works-

Fives, to the BB: The real secret to immortality? Not dying. You want to be immortal? Okay, that’s easy. Just don’t die. That’s it. Refuse to die. There you go.

Tech: But how-

Fives, ignoring him: “But how”, you may ask. Well, easy. Just don’t do it. Refuse to. Say “no thanks”.

Echo: *nods sagely*

All of them: If I can't cause tiny bits of chaos every day, I think my body will shut down.

Fives: FIGHT ME, YOU NERD ASS SLUT!

Tech: At least try to sound slightly more sophisticated when you threaten someone.

Fives: Oh, I'm sorry. I should ask; dost thou want to engage in a duel, my good bitch?

Tech: Somehow that's worse.

Rex: Think you can answer some questions without the usual level of sarcasm?

Crosshair: If you can ask the questions without the usual level of stupid.

Hunter: Didn't you die?

Fives: That was months ago, dude. Things change.

Omega: A mosquito tried to bite me and I slapped it and killed it.

Omega: And I started thinking.

Omega: Like, it was just trying to get food.

Omega: What if I went to the fridge and it just slammed the door shut and snapped my neck?

Hunter: Are you ok?

Jesse 5 months into Resistance work: You know I think my life has value.

Wrecker: Who are you and what have you done with Jesse?!

Fives: I'm so sad woa woa womp womp.

Echo: I am tired of fighting my own demons, give me physical ones.

Fives, months into being on the run: I’d kill to go absolutely ham on a dexter-grade hamburgussy.

Echo: Nothing wrong with a little government overthrowing in the sake of friendship.

Wrecker: Aw you little reg guy.

Dogma: Shut up do not call me that.

Omega: Gentleman ori’vod.

Dogma: Stop I am a STRANGER who is RUDE!

Echo after Fives tells him that he tried to assassinate Palpatine: Yeah I think fighting the Chancellor’s a pretty good way to get labeled a traitor.

[shuxiii]

Everyday pt. 6

Hanni Pham x reader pt1, pt2, pt3, pt4, pt5, pt6, pt7, pt8, pt9, pt10, pt11, pt12, pt13

a/n drink your milk everybody even the adults so your bones get yummy yummy milk if you are lactose intolerant, eat your veggies. credits all to ''every day'' by David Levithan.

Day 6003

I am not alone when I wake up the next morning.

I am sharing the room with two other boys—my brothers, Yeonjun and Beomgyu. Yeonjun is a year older than me. Beomgyu is my twin. My name is Soobin.

Soobin is big—a football player. Beomgyu is about the same size. Yeonjun is even bigger.

The room is clean, but even before I know what town I’m in, I know we’re not in the nice part of it. This is a big family in a small house. There is not going to be a computer here. Soobin is not going to have a car.

It’s Yeonjun’s job—self-appointed or otherwise—to get us up and out. Our father’s not home from the night shift yet, and our mother’s already on the way to her job. Our two sisters are about done with the bathroom. We’re next.

I access and find that I’m in the town next to Haruto’s, over an hour from Hanni’s.

This is going to be a hard day.

The bus ride to school takes forty-five minutes. When we get there, we head to the cafeteria for free breakfast. I am amazed at Soobin’s appetite—I pile on pancake after pancake, and he’s still hungry. Beomgyu matches him bite for bite.

Luckily, I have study hall first period. Unluckily, there’s still homework that Soobin needs to do. I push through that as quick as I can, and have about ten minutes of computer time left at the end.

There’s a message from Hanni, written at one in the morning.

Yn,

I want to believe you, but I don’t know how.

Hanni

I write back:

Hanni,

You don’t need to know how. You just make up your mind and it happens.

I am in Laurel right now, over an hour away. I am in the body of a football player named Soobin. I know how strange that sounds. But, like everything I’ve told you, it’s the truth.

Love,

Yn

There’s just enough time for me to check my other email address. There’s another email from Haruto.

You can’t avoid my questions forever. I want to know who you are. I want to know why you do what you do.

Tell me.

Again, I leave him unanswered. I have no idea whether I owe him an explanation or not. I probably owe him something. But I’m not sure it’s an explanation.

I make it through to lunch. I want to go immediately to the library to check the computers again. But Soobin is hungry, and Beomgyu is with him, and I am afraid that if he doesn’t get his lunch now, there won’t be anything for him to eat until dinnertime. I checked, and there’s only about three dollars in his wallet, including change.

I get the free lunch and eat it quickly. Then I excuse myself to the library, which inspires no shortage of taunts from Beomgyu, who claims that “libraries are for girls.” A true brother, I shoot back with, “Well, that explains why you never find any.” A wrestling match ensues. All of this takes away time from what I need to do.

When I get to the library, all the computers are taken. I have to loom large over a freshman for about two minutes before he freaks out enough to give me his space. Quickly I check out public transportation and find out I’ll need to take three buses in order to make it to Hanni’s town. I’m ready to do it, but when I check my email, there’s another message from Hanni, dated just two minutes ago.

Yn,

Do you have a car? If not, I can come to you. There’s a Starbucks in Laurel. I’m told that nothing bad ever happens in a Starbucks. Let me know if you want to meet there.

Hanni

I type:

Hanni,

I would appreciate it if you could come here. Thank you.

Yn

Two minutes later, a new email from her:

Yn,

I’ll be there at 5. Can’t wait to see what you look like today.

(Still not believing this.)

Hanni

My nerves are jangling with possibility. She’s had time to think about it, and that hasn’t turned her against me. It’s more than I could ask for. I am careful not to be too grateful, lest it be taken away.

The rest of the school day is unexceptional … except for a moment in seventh period. Mrs. French, the bio teacher, is hectoring a kid who hasn’t done his homework. It’s a lab assignment, and he’s come up blank.

“I don’t know what got into me,” the slacker says. “I must have been possessed by the devil!”

The rest of the class laughs, and even Mrs. French shakes her head.

“Yeah, I was possessed by the devil, too,” another guy says. “After I drank seven beers!”

“Okay, class,” Mrs. French intones. “Enough of that.”

It’s the way they say it—I know Haruto’s story must be spreading.

“Hey,” I say to Beomgyu as we head to football practice, “did you hear about that kid in Monroeville who says he was possessed by the devil?”

“Dude,” he replies, “we were just talking about that yesterday. It was all over the news.”

“Yeah, I mean, did you hear anything more about it today?”

“What more is there to say? Kid got caught in a crazy lie, and now the religious crazies want to make him a poster child. I almost feel sorry for him.”

This, I think, is not good.

Our coach has to go to his wife’s Lamaze class, which he bitches about to us in detail, but it forces him to end practice early. I tell Beomgyu that I’m going to make a Starbucks run, and he looks at me like I have been totally, irredeemably girlified. I was counting on his disgust, and am relieved to get it.

She’s not there when I arrive, so I get a small black coffee—pretty much the only thing I can afford—and sit and wait for her. It’s crowded, and I have to look brutish in order to keep the other chair at my table unoccupied.

Finally, about twenty minutes after five, she shows up. She scans the crowd and I wave. Even though I told her I was a football player, she’s still a little startled. She comes over anyway.

“Okay,” she says, sitting down. “Before we say another word, I want to see your phone.” I must look confused, because she adds, “I want to see every single call you’ve made in the past week, and every single call you received. If this isn’t some big joke, then you have nothing to hide.”

I hand over Soobin’s phone, which she knows how to work better than I do.

After a few minutes of searching, she appears satisfied.

“Now, I quiz you,” she says, handing back the phone. “First, what was I wearing on the day that Minji took me to the beach?”

I try to picture it. I try to grab hold of those details. But they’ve already eluded me. I remember her, not what she was wearing.

“I don’t know,” I say. “Do you remember what Minji was wearing?”

She thinks about it for a second. “Good point. Did we make out?”

I shake my head. “We used the make-out blanket, but we didn’t make out. We kissed. And that was enough.”

“And what did I say to you before I left the car?”

“ ‘That’s the nice note.’ ”

“Correct. Quick, what’s Yunjin’s girlfriend’s name?”

“Kazuha”

“And what time did the party end?”

“Eleven-fifteen.”

“And when you were in the body of that girl who I took to all of my classes, what did the note you passed me say?”

“Something like, ‘The classes here are just as boring as in the school I’m going to now.’ ”

“And what were the buttons on your backpack that day?”

“Anime kittens.”

“Well, either you’re an excellent liar, or you switch bodies every day. I have no idea which one is true.”

“It’s the second one.”

I see, over Hanni’s shoulder, a woman looking at us quizzically. Has she overheard what we’re saying?

“Let’s go outside,” I whisper. “I feel we may be getting an unintended audience.”

Hanni looks skeptical. “Maybe if you were a petite cheerleader again. But—I’m not sure if you fully realize this—you’re a big, threatening dude today. My mother’s voice is very loud and clear in my head: ‘No dark corners.’ ”

I point out the window, to a bench along the road.

“Totally public, only without people listening in.”

“Fine.”

As we head out, the woman who was eavesdropping seems disappointed. I realize how many people sitting around us have open laptops and open notebooks, and hope that none of them have been taking notes.

When we get to the bench, Hanni lets me sit down first, so she can determine the distance that we’ll sit apart, which is significant.

“So you say you’ve been like this since the day you were born?”

“Yes. I can’t remember it being any different.”

“So how did that work? Weren’t you confused?”

“I guess I got used to it. I’m sure that, at first, I figured it was just how everybody’s lives worked. I mean, when you’re a baby, you don’t really care much about who’s taking care of you, as long as someone’s taking care of you. And as a little kid, I thought it was some kind of a game, and my mind learned how to access—you know, look at the body’s memories—naturally. So I always knew what my name was, and where I was. It wasn’t until I was four or five that I started to realize I was different, and it wasn’t until I was nine or ten that I really wanted it to stop.”

“You did?”

“Of course. Imagine being homesick, but without having a home. That’s what it was like. I wanted friends, a mom, a dad, a dog—but I couldn’t hold on to any of them more than a single day. It was brutal. There are nights I remember screaming and crying, begging my parents not to make me go to bed. They could never figure out what I was afraid of. They thought it was a monster under the bed, or a ploy to get a few more bedtime stories. I could never really explain, not in a way that made sense to them. I’d tell them I didn’t want to say goodbye, and they’d assure me it wasn’t goodbye. It was just good night. I’d tell them it was the same thing, but they thought I was being silly.

“Eventually I came to peace with it. I had to. I realized that this was my life, and there was nothing I could do about it. I couldn’t fight the tide, so I decided to float along.”

“How many times have you told this story?”

“None. I swear. You’re the first.”

This should make her feel special—it’s meant to make her feel special—but instead it seems to worry her.

“You have to have parents, don’t you? I mean, we all have parents.”

I shrug. “I have no idea. I would think so. But it’s not like there’s anyone I can ask. I’ve never met anyone else like me. Not that I would necessarily know.”

It’s clear from her expression that she thinks this is a sad story I’m telling her—a very sad story. I don’t know how to convey to her that it hasn’t all been sad.

“I’ve glimpsed things,” I say. Then I stop. I don’t know what’s next.

“Go on,” she tells me.

“It’s just—I know it sounds like an awful way to live, but I’ve seen so many things. It’s so hard when you’re in one body to get a sense of what life is really like. You’re so grounded in who you are. But when who you are changes every day—you get to touch the universal more. Even the most mundane details. You see how cherries taste different to different people. Blue looks different. You see all the strange rituals boys have to show affection without admitting it. You learn that if a parent reads to you at the end of the day, it’s a good sign that it’s a good parent, because you’ve seen so many other parents who don’t make the time. You learn how much a day is truly worth, because they’re all so different. If you ask most people what the difference was between Monday and Tuesday, they might tell you what they had for dinner each night. Not me. By seeing the world from so many angles, I get more of a sense of its dimensionality.”

“But you never get to see things over time, do you?” Hanni asks. “I don’t mean to cancel out what you just said. I think I understand that. But you’ve never had a friend that you’ve known day in and day out for ten years. You’ve never watched a pet grow older. You’ve never seen how messed up a parent’s love can be over time. And you’ve never been in a relationship for more than a day, not to mention for more than a year.”

I should have known it would come back to that. “But I’ve seen things,” I tell her. “I’ve observed. I know how it works.”

“From the outside? I don’t think you can know from the outside.”

“I think you underestimate how predictable some things can be in a relationship.”

“I love her,” she says. “I know you don’t understand, but I do.”

“You shouldn’t. I’ve seen her from the inside. I know.”

“For a day. You saw her for a day.”

“And for a day, you saw who she could be. You fell more in love with her when she was me.”

I reach out again for her hand, but this time she says, “No. Don’t.”

I freeze.

“I have a girlfriend,” she says. “I know you don’t like her, and I’m sure there are moments when I don’t like her, either. But that’s the reality. Now, I’ll admit, you have me actually thinking that you are, in fact, the same person who I’ve now met in five different bodies. All this means is that I’m probably as insane as you are. I know you say you love me, but you don’t really know me. You’ve known me a week. And I need a little more than that.”

“But didn’t you feel it that day? On the beach? Didn’t everything seem right?”

There it is again—the pull of the ocean, the song of the universe. A better liar would deny it. But some of us don’t want to live our lives as liars. She bites her lip and nods.

“Yes. But I don’t know who I was feeling that for. Even if I believe it was you, you have to understand that my history with Minji plays into it. I wouldn’t have felt that way with a stranger. It wouldn’t have been so perfect.”

“How do you know?”

“That’s my point. I don’t.”

She looks at her phone, and whether or not she truly needs to leave, I know this is the sign that she’s going to.

“I have to make it back for dinner,” she says.

“Thanks for driving all this way,” I tell her.

It’s awkward. So awkward.

“Will I see you again?” I ask.

She nods.

“I’m going to prove it to you,” I tell her. “I’m going to show you what it really means.”

“What?”

“Love.”

Is she scared by this? Embarrassed? Hopeful?

I don’t know. I’m not close enough to tell.

Beomgyu gives me no small amount of grief when I get home—partly because I went to Starbucks, and partly because I then had to walk two miles to get back home, and was late for dinner, which our father roundly chewed me out over.

“I hope whoever she was, she was worth it,” Beomgyu taunts.

I look at him blankly.

“Dude, don’t try to tell me you were just going for the coffee or the folk tunes they play on the speakers. I know you better than that.”

I remain silent.

I am assigned to wash all the dishes. While doing so, I turn on the radio, and when the local news comes on, Haruto Watanabe comes with it.

“So tell us, Haruto, what you experienced last Saturday,” the interviewer says.

“I was possessed. There’s no other word for it. I wasn’t in control of my own body. I consider myself lucky to be alive. And I want to ask anyone else who’s ever been possessed like this, just for a day, to contact me. Because, I’ll be honest with you, Chuck, a lot of people think I’m crazy. Other kids at school are making fun of me constantly. But I know what happened. And I know I’m not the only one.”

I know I’m not the only one.

This is the sentence that haunts me. I wish I felt the same certainty.

I wish I weren’t the only one.

Day 6004

The next morning I wake up in the same room.

In the same body.

I can’t believe it. I don’t understand. After all these years.

I look at the wall. My hands. The sheets.

And then I look to my side and see Soobin sleeping there in his bed.

Soobin.

And I realize: I’m not in the same body. I’m not on the same side of the room.

No, this morning I’m his twin, Beomgyu.

I have never had this chance before. I watch as Soobin emerges from sleep, emerges from a day away from his old body. I am looking for the traces of that oblivion, the bafflement of that waking. But what I get is the familiar scene of a football player stretching himself into the day. If he feels at all strange, at all different, he’s not showing it.

“Dude, what are you staring at?”

This doesn’t come from Soobin, but from our other brother, Yeonjun.

“Just getting up,” I mumble.

But really, I don’t take my eyes off Soobin. Not through the ride to school. Not at breakfast. He seems a little out of it now, but nothing that couldn’t be explained by a bad night’s sleep.

“How’re you doing?” I ask him.

He grunts. “Fine. Thanks for caring.”

I decide to play dumb. He expects me to be dumb, so it shouldn’t be much of a stretch.

“What did you do after practice yesterday?” I ask.

“I went to Starbucks.”

“Who with?”

He looks at me like I’ve just sung the question to him in falsetto.

“I just wanted coffee, okay? I wasn’t with anyone.”

I study him, to see if he’s trying to cover his conversation with Hanni. I don’t think, though, that such duplicity would be anything but obvious on him.

He really doesn’t remember seeing her. Talking to her. Being with her.

“Then why’d it take so long?” I ask him.

“What, were you timing it? I’m touched.”

“Well, who were you emailing at lunch?”

“I was just checking my email.”

“Your own email?”

“Who else’s email would I be checking? You’re asking seriously weird questions, dude. Isn’t he, Yeonjun?”

Yeonjun chews on some bacon. “I swear, whenever you two talk, I just tune it right out. I have no idea what you’re saying.”

Paradoxically, I wish I were still in Soobin’s body, so I could see exactly what his memories of yesterday are. From where I sit, it appears that he recalls the places he was, but has somehow concocted an alternate version of events, one that fits closer to his life. Has his mind done this, some kind of adaptation? Or did my mind, right before it left, leave behind this storyline?

Soobin does not feel like he was possessed by the devil.

He thinks yesterday was just another day.

Again, the morning becomes a search to find a few minutes’ worth of email access.

I should have given her my phone number, I think.

Then I stop myself. I stand there right in the middle of the hallway, shocked. It’s such a mundane, ordinary observation—but that’s what stops me. In the context of my life, it’s nonsensical. There was no way for me to give her a phone number. I know this. And yet, the ordinary thought crept in, made me trick myself for a moment into thinking that I, too, was ordinary.

I have no idea what this means, but I suspect it’s dangerous.

At lunch, I tell Soobin I’m going to the library.

“Dude,” he says, “libraries are for girls.”

There aren’t any new messages from Hanni, so I write to her instead.

Hanni,

You’d actually recognize me today. I woke up as Soobin’s twin. I thought this might help me figure things out, but so far, no luck.

I want to see you again.

Yn

There isn’t anything from Haruto, either. Once more I decide to type his name into a search engine, figuring there might be a few more articles about what he’s saying.

I find over two thousand results. All from the past three days.

Word is spreading. Mostly from evangelical Christian sites, which have bought Haruto’s devil claims wholesale. He is, for them, just another example of the world going to H-E-double-hockey-sticks.

From what I can recall, none of the many versions I heard as a child of “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” spent that much time pondering the emotional state of the boy, especially after the wolf finally showed up. I want to know what Haruto is thinking, if he really believes what he’s saying. None of the articles and blogs are any help—he’s saying the same thing in all of them, and people are painting him as either a freak or an oracle. Nobody’s sitting him down and treating him like a sixteen-year-old boy. They are missing the real questions in order to ask the sensational ones. I open up his last email.

You can’t avoid my questions forever. I want to know who you are. I want to know why you do what you do.

Tell me.

But how can I respond without confirming at least part of the story he’s created? I feel that he’s right—in some way, I can’t avoid his questions forever. They will start to dig into me. They will follow me wherever I wake up. But to give him any answer will give him a reassurance I know I shouldn’t give. It will keep him on his path.

My best bet is for him to start feeling that he is, indeed, crazy. Which is an awful thing to wish upon someone. Especially when he’s not crazy.

I want to ask Hanni what to do. But I can imagine what she’d say. Or maybe I’m just projecting my better self onto her. Because I know the answer: Self-preservation isn’t worth it if you can’t live with the self you’re preserving.

I am responsible for his situation. So he’s become my responsibility.

I know this, even as I hate it.

I’m not going to write immediately. I need to give it some thought. I need to help him without confirming anything.

Finally, by last period, I think I have it.

I know who you are. I’ve seen your story on the news. It doesn’t have anything to do with me—you must have made a mistake.

Still, it appears to me that you’re not considering all the possibilities. I’m sure what happened to you was very stressful. But blaming the devil is not the answer.

I send it off quickly before football practice.

I also check for an email from Hanni.

Nothing.

The rest of the day is uneventful. And I find myself wondering once again when I started to think my days would contain actual events. Up until now, I have lived for uneventfulness, and have found smaller satisfaction in the art of getting by. I resent that the hours seem boring now, emptier. Going through the motions gives you plenty of time to examine the motions. I used to find this interesting. Now it has taken on the taint of meaninglessness.

I practice football. I get a ride home. I do some homework. I eat some dinner. I watch TV with my family.

This is the trap of having something to live for:

Everything else seems lifeless.

Soobin and I go to bed first. Yeonjun is in the kitchen, talking to our mother about his work schedule for the weekend. Soobin and I don’t say anything as we change into our sleep clothes, as we parade to the bathroom and back.

I get in bed and he turns out the light. I expect to hear him getting into bed next, but instead he hovers in the middle of the room.

“Beomgyu?”

“Yeah?”

“Why did you ask me about what I was up to yesterday?”

I sit up. “I don’t know. You just seemed a little … off.”

“I just thought it was strange. You asking, I mean.”

He heads to his bed now. I hear his weight fall on the mattress.

“So nothing seemed off to you?” I ask, hoping that there will be something—anything—that rises to the surface.

“Not that I can think of. I thought it was pretty funny that Snyder had to end practice so he could go, like, learn how to help his babymama breathe. But I think that was the highlight. It’s just … do I seem off today, too?”

The truth is that I haven’t been paying that much attention, not since breakfast.

“Why do you ask?”

“No reason. I feel fine. I just don’t, you know, want to look like there’s something wrong when there’s nothing wrong.”

“You seem fine,” I assure him.

“Good,” he says, shifting his body, getting into the right position with his pillow.

I want to say more but don’t know what the words are supposed to be. I feel such a tenderness for these vulnerable nighttime conversations, the way words take a different shape in the air when there’s no light in the room. I think of the rare jackpot nights when I ended the day at a sleepover or shared the room with a sibling or a friend I genuinely liked. Those conversations could trick me into believing I could say anything, even though there was so much I was holding back. Eventually, the night would take its hold, but it would always feel like I was fading to sleep rather than falling.

“Good night,” I say to Soobin. But what I really feel is goodbye. I am leaving here, leaving this family. It’s only been two days, but that’s twice what I’m used to. It’s just a hint—the smallest hint—of what it would be like to wake up in the same place every morning.

I have to let that go.

[thief-and-dragonfly]

Don't skip, please help you improve your health!!🆘 🍉 🇵🇸.

Hello, my name is Hadia Saud. I lost my husband, Moamen Akl, the bodybuilding champion

We lived a happy life, we had a house and a gym. He participated in international tournaments held in Lebanon, Algeria, Egypt, China and others and contributed to his winning many titles.

But since October 7, our club has been destroyed. Then my husband was martyred in an air strike, and after that my mother, who worked in an institution that exploited her private needs, was martyred. “I lost my father, who was a tailor, and my brothers as well, and now I take care of my younger brothers.” Talaat (15 years old), Khalil (14 years old), Ritaj (10 years old), Sobhi (9 years old), and Tayseer (6 years old) suffered an eye injury that required an expensive surgery. Zahra (5 years old) never stops resisting psychological pressure and bedwetting.

We are now in northern Gaza and we suffer from a loss of security in food, drink, clothing and medicine

We are threatened with death every minute, from the continuous bombing that has not stopped.

Since October 7, we have been displaced more than several times after being bombed. Our house was completely destroyed, and we are now in a school for displaced people. We suffer from skin diseases due to the lack of water and the lack of drinking water. There is no place for us in these crowded and displaced places, and there is no support for us and my brothers in the north.

I also need your donations so that we can escape death and travel for survival treatment, as travel costs are very high. Help me and my fellow children so that we can escape death and start over in a better place.

Please hope it grows

Every day I face a difficult life. There is nothing that I am still the support for my brothers in everything after my father and mother, and in everything in this life.

I try to provide some food for at least half of the morning every day for my brothers, and my battle to obtain clean drinking water, if any, is still ongoing, as we are on the cusp of a normal winter. How can I do this? Let us bring clothes and a cover to protect us from the cold weather

The daily struggle to survive in the hope of reaching a decent life. I address this request and ask for basic assistance for us in trying to travel for me and my brothers and to perform an urgent operation for my injured brother before he loses his eye.

These donations will be used for food and medicine and will be used for travel and treatment...

I endured this life like no one else did. Wrestling, days and my spirit to be steadfast for my brothers

I ask you to support me so that I can get rid of this fear that clouds my mind and thinking

Your donations and assistance can speak greatly in our lives

We thank you from our hearts for your generosity and support. I need your support to motivate us for the time, which will give me hope for me and all my brothers and end the difficulties until this collective gathering ends

🆘🆘🆘🆘🆘🆘🆘🆘

Each (55 Swedish krona = 5 dollars)

100 dollars = 1100 kroner

It will make a difference 🙏🍉 Be the one to help us

Every donation can make a real difference and give us hope until this war ends.

Our team at #GazaVetters has rigorously vetted and approved this campaign, earning it a spot on our official list at #65 .

https://gofund.me/643f45d0

I will share

[hi-im-razz]

Silly Game Time: Dracula and a Werewolf are having an arm-wrestling match, and you've got $5 to bet on who'll win. Place your wager!

5 dollars on the werewolf

[gasolinehornet]

Silly Game Time: Dracula and a Werewolf are having an arm-wrestling match, and you've got $5 to bet on who'll win. Place your wager!

damn, hm, is the werewolf a sad British man?

I'm getting on Dracula, 5 dollars isn't that much anyway🙏😔

[jackalope78]

I've been thinking about how some of the things we learn early in life don't ever really leave us. They might fall down deep into our subconcious, but they're still down there and they will bubble up at the oddest times.

I grew up Mormon, I even went to BYU. I was a faithful, believing member well into my late 20s. But somewhere in there I just kind of stopped going to church. I didn't have any one moment where the 'shelf' came crashing down, it was a gradual leaving until I was in my 30s and realized I was just kind of done. And sure, I could point to things like the Church's involvment in Proposition 8 in California. Or the 5 billion dollars spent to build a mall on temple square in SLC (you know, a supposed holy place where they built a FUCKING MALL). Still mad about that one. There are any number of things I could, and have, point to and say, oh that was my moment. But they weren't, not really. They were just steps on my way out. And because there was no moment where that shelf came crashing down, I never really wrestled with all the various beliefs I had learned and believed as a child and young adult.

So quick, brief intro to Mormon theology. God is Heavenly Father. He is literally the father of our sprits and we are his children. (yes, this does in fact imply that there is a Heavenly Mother, but you don't talk about Heavenly Mother OK. She's just there and you worship Heavenly Father and his son Jesus and that's that. And no, she's not Mary, and Oh god I'm getting sidetracked). The point I'm trying to make here is that God as our Father is an important part of Mormon theology. He loves us like a father loves his children. There is so much more, but that's the important bit for the story here.

Now as I said, I never had that shelf falling moment, so I never had a moment where I completely rejected everything I had been taught as a child. If you asked me what I believed now that I'm not a practicing Mormon I would probably say something about a divine... something that's out there and that everyone has their own way to access the divine. I'm not really an athiest, but I'm not really religious either. I'm... I don't know, not agnostic because I do believe in something, I just don't know what.

I was diagnosed with MS in April, but my body has been slowly deterirating for years now. And back in July when it was hot and awful and I was having a really bad day just struggling through life with MS, I had this moment where I was sitting down and feeling like absolute shit and this thought passed through my mind "No loving Father would let His children go through this."

And it kind of floored me. Because as I said, I thought I was mostly done with Mormonism, and that was a very Mormon based thought. But the absolute anger and rage I felt with that thought, directed at a god I couldn't claim to worship anymore, was visceral. I knew that there was no way a God who loved me the way I had been taught he did, the way my dad loves me, would let me (or anyone) suffer like this. And it felt shattering.

And look, I could, and did, use the theology I had been taught to come up with all kinds of logical reasons why our mortal bodies are fallable and we have diseases where the body turns on itself. But none of that logic could get rid of the anger at a powerful god who claimed to love me like my dad loves me, who also allows me to suffer something that I know in my bones my dad would take away if he could.

I've been sitting on this experience for a while now. I don't really know what to do with it. I can't really take it to other ex-mos I know, because a lot of them are angry in ways I don't relate to, and they're mostly athiests and like I said, I'm not. So where do I go with this feeling of betrayal and anger, a feeling that I don't fully understand myself?

I guess the answer is tumblr. So... uh...thanks for reading?

[wrestlingfaves]

Royal Rumble Marathon: 1991

We’re rumbling into 1991.

Spoilers for past Rumbles,

For those too young to remember, this year’s Rumble took place during the Gulf War. Vince had the brilliant idea to take Sgt. Slaughter, one of the most patriotic wrestlers of the 1980s and star of the GI Joe cartoon and turn him into Hussein sympathizer. Stupid. Personally, I think wrestling should stay away from real-life events as the industry reduces them to racist caricatures and stereotypes. Real-life wars are tragedies, not entertainment. I watch wrestling for entertainment.

I’m only reviewing the Rumble, but the undercard is pretty good:

The Rockers vs the Orient Express

Sherri confronts the Ultimate Warrior. Re-watching the older pay per views can be a depressing experience when you realize how many stars have passed way too soon. All four participants in this segment (Mene Gene mediates, Randy Savage ambushes the Warrior) are deceased. The two commentators (Gorilla Monsoon, Roddy Piper) have passed. From the first match, Mr Fuji has passed. We’re a half hour into this program, and we’re at a fatality count of 7. On a more positive note, Sherri is one of the most talented women the sport has seen.

The Barbarian (managed by Bobby Heenan) vs the Big Boss Man (add two more to the casualty count)

Sgt Slaughter (managed by General Adnan) vs the Ultimate Warrior. Sherri (in a new outfit) and Savage interfere in the match and, honestly, are the best part of this match. Adnan has passed on, so the number of deceased performers is at 10.

Koko B Ware vs the Mountie (managed by Jimmy Hart). The Mountie always gets his man! And we finally have a match where no one has died!

Dusty & Dustin Rhodes vs Ted DiBase & Virgil (add two more to the passed on category, we’re now at a total of 12 performers that have left us too soon. Side note: Dusty’s WWE theme is one of my all-time favorites. DiBase’s theme is also a banger. Virgil finally turns on the Million-Dollar Man!

The entrants of the Rumble in order of appearance:

Bret Hart (2nd time the Hitman has been the #1 participant)

Dino Bravo (managed by Jimmy Hart)

Greg Valentine (managed by Jimmy Hart)

Paul Roma (managed by Slick)

“Texas Tornado” Kerry Von Erich (Kerry ran to the ring – I can see why people were unaware that he had a foot amputated).

Rick Martel

Tony Atlas (or Samba Simba as he was known at the time…such a bad stereotypical gimmick)

Bushwhacker Butch

Jake Roberts

Hercules (managed by Slick)

Tito Santana

Undertaker (managed by Brother Love)

Jimmy Snuka

Davey Boy Smith

Smash of Demolition

Hawk of the Legion of Doom

Shane Douglas (post-Dynamic Dudes but pre-Franchise)

No-Show (Supposed to be Randy Savage but he was too busy running from the Ultimate Warrior)

Animal of the Legion of Doom

Crush of Demolition

Hacksaw Jim Duggan

Earthquake (managed by Jimmy Hart)

Mister Perfect (managed by Bobby Heenan)

Hulk Hogan

Haku

Jim Neidhart

Bushwhacker Luke

Brian Knobbs of the Nasty Boys

The Warlord

Tugboat

Lots of fresh faces in the 1991 Rumble: Roma, Von Erich, Atlas, Undertaker, Davey Boy, Douglas, Crush of Demolition, the Legion of Doom, Brian Knobbs of the Nasty Boys.

Taker clearly isn’t “Taker” yet as he only eliminated one wrestler and was easily eliminated by the Legion of Doom.

Hogan won his second Rumble (boring).

I said the 1990 Rumble was the most depressing when it came to deceased wrestlers but 1991 surpassed it: only 9 participants of the Rumble have passed but if you include the non-wrestlers/wrestlers in the undercard the total number is 21. Looking forward to a Rumble where the deceased count is less than five.

Rating: 5 out of 10

[idolswrestlingadventure]

Royal Rumble (1998)

Here we are, brand new year and what will become a recurring set of events to play through the year. Until we get the one per month era of modern times. More wrestling, in your face! But first, historical context, what happened in 1988? Personally, I was 4 years old, so not a lot for me to recall aside from trains and mushy food.

The 1988 Winter Olympics were held in Alberta, Canada.

The 1988 Summer Olympics were held in Seoul, South Korea.

The Soviet Union begins to collapse with the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian movements.

First McDonalds opens up in Yugoslavia.

The space shuttle Discovery launches, the first after the challenger disaster.

Netherlands wins the Euro’s 88 hosted in Germany.

The first WORM virus is distributed by the internet.

George HW Bush is elected President of America.

Notable Births: Skrillex, Jessie J, Jesse Plemons, Haley Joel Osment, Vanessa Kirby, Lizzo, Ana de Armas, Adele, Awkwafina, Conor McGregor, Tyson Fury, Melissa Benoist, Alicia Vikander, ASAP Rocky, Emma Stone, Zoe Kravitz and current member of Damage Control, Dakota Kai

Notable Movies: Die Hard, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Coming To America, Rambo III, Rain Man, A Fish Called Wanda

Notable TV Shows Launched: Roseanne, Red Dwarf, The Wonder Years, Mystery Science Theatre 3000, Rab C. Nesbitt, Who’s Line Is It Anyway, Family Fued, Wheel Of Fortune, Stoppit and Tidyup, Home and Away

Well, we’ve got 5 PPVs for 1988 starting with this Royal Rumble, so let’s get going! 

This episode of Magnum P.I. is a bit different than usual...

Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat V “Ravishing” Rick Rude - A comment given to me by a friend is that modern PPVs tend to be two contestants who swap between aggressor and victim every 5 minutes, and this match seemed to be some of this at the start. Ricky absolutely had the upper hand for the majority of the match and glad to see the tradition of cheating whilst the referee is knocked out never goes out of style. Good match, Ricky continuing to be one of my favourites from this era -Tier 3-

Friends, Romans, Countrymen...shut the fuck up

Now for some reason, we get a benchlift record attempt by Pino Bravo. Who, for some reason, and I can’t work out if this is a bit or not, constantly keeps shouting at the crowd to be quiet. His weirdly French manager also insists upon this, often going into fits of verbal dementia at what is happening whilst Jesse Ventura insists the record attempt is valid, almost too much. It’s weird how much screen time this is getting, but if it’s about macho steroid injected men doing manly things, then I suppose it fits the bill. Just very, very strange to watch.

Somewhere the creator of the Human Centipede is looking on...

The Jumping Bomb Angels V The Glamour Girls - Jimmy Hart is back, I kinda am tired of seeing him everywhere. His only gimmick is being incredibly annoying and giving the crowd something to cheer for when he’s knocked out. Luckily however this match is actually pretty good. The Bomb Angels showing some amazing agility and bringing a lot of energy that The Glamour Girls seem to miss. The Bomb Angels grab the win in a surprisingly good womens match for the era! -Tier 2-

The look the couple across the bar give you...

Side note: Jesse and Vince McMahon are being weird commentating on this match, they argue all the time and it doesn’t sound like a bit, either that or I’m getting worked somehow. Just sounds like Vince is being petty with Jesse’s usual bullshit. Bring back Gorilla Monsoon…

"One million dollars or I'll host Deal Or No Deal"

Storyline Update: The Million Dollar Man offers…a million dollars for Hogan’s belt. When Hogan refuses to surrender it, he decides to offer it to Andre The Giant to take the belt from Hogan. We don’t see the match on this occasion, but we do see the contract signing. Where a nervous Hogan gets a table thrown at him by a weirdly irate Andre. Seeing as Hogan stays the champion for a billion years, I don’t think anything gets resolved here.

Turns out squeezing the turnbuckle meant something else here...

The Royal Rumble 1988 - So at first I thought, hey Royal Rumble sounds fun. No holds barred ensemble of the greatest wrestlers in WWF at the time, all in the ring with fun knockouts. But sadly it’s just a cluster-fuck of men pretending to struggle with a set of ropes. A few fun moments and appearances from notable faces, but overall a middling event with “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan taking the win -Tier 7-

Another side note: Jesse Ventura still being the strangest commentators ever, talking about how Vince is a pussy and would rather be reading Poetry and drinking Wine than watching wrestling…

Putting their heads together literally...

The Islanders V The Young Stallions - Never mind the Stallions, check out the Islanders! There’s some WWF history right there. Father of Tonga Loa and Tama Tonga, Sam Fatu being Rikishi’s brother and Jacob Fatu’s father. The Samoan heritage runs strong in wrestling! The Stallions showing their supreme art of steroid use and I’m pretty sure neither of them can lower their arms to their sides. This was a pretty standard match, nothing exciting sadly, even the crowd seemed somewhat checked out. -Tier 6-

Notable Dialogue:

Vince: "Did you his [a samoan] toes, looks like he could hang upside down on the ropes" 

Jesse: "That's a bit racist Vince"

Verdict: 5 Samoan Forefathers Out Of 10