#Afro Thunder

[matt-theater]

[imasradiantasthesun]

Ez’s Hunger Games aesthetics, part 13: Women (and Girls) of District Twelve, part 3

Lucy Gray Baird, Greasy Sae Deere, Ripper Flynn, and Maude Ivory Baird

[shadyfruittree]

[garden-ghoul]

it's so crazy how, eg, qin dynasty poetry feels in some ways extremely modern while coptic poetry from hundreds of years later (but part of the same "western cultural tradition" I grew up in!) can feel so alien and unexplained. like the project of chinese cultural continuity is an undertaking of absolutely unbelievable scale and success. holy shit

[riverofjazzsims]

@cinamun

Chillllllllle, like I said before, Mercy had not 1 damn friend in that room.

Sisterwifeauntiesidepiece, White lighting, and Joe Jackson ...shiiiiid just one big circle jerk of fuckedupness.

I feel for Mercy I truly do cause I dont know the mindset you are in to not want to break free of the trauma drama she is enduring...

Uhmmm how Jackson die again cause that lil Godfather II move she tries on Bishop might have been tested at one point on eat the cake anna mae Ike.. js

Apologies

[weirdo09]

i wanna know ur miles hcs :)

yay!!!!!

ok so miles listens to female rappers, you cannot tell me otherwise(that’s where he got his attitude from besides rio)

to me, he’s pan and transmasc but i love transfem miles as well so both, both is good

he can also speak fluent spanish and like the little asshole he is, he talks shit about people in spanish 🫶🏽

loves thunder storms bcuz why not? also when the lightning strikes, he feels a sense of calm(just me? anyways..)

oh his pronouns are he/she/they and he’s a short king 👑

loves being afro-boricua (not really a headcanon but i wanted to add it anyways)

is dating hobie and ganke bcuz i said so (punkflower and arachitech are 👌🏾)

he and gwen are the flirty friends that aren’t dating and would never think about dating but everyone thinks are dating

has stolen gwen’s clothes more than once, stealing clothes from his loved ones is his love language trust 🙏🏾

ok that’s all i have for now :] !!!!

[moralesmilesanhour]

Miles (1610 or 42 it doesn't matter to me really) x alt black!reader because i've been drawing it and i love it so far and i would for you do your own version of it

I've seen this prompt circulating for a while now and was never sure how I'd approach it sooo let's go!!

she plays bass

The pads of your fingers were red and sore as you plucked the tough strings of the borrowed bass guitar. The music room was empty now, but you were allowed an extra hour of practice. An amp had even been left out for you.

Your hand struck the front of the instrument repeatedly as you approached the part of the bass line that you always seem to miss, when the metal clang of someone pushing the door open interrupted you.

The lanky boy's expression was already sorry before he even opened his mouth to speak. A green puffer jacket was thrown over his royal blue uniform blazer and engulfed him (yours was currently tied around your waist).

When he finally did speak, he laughed nervously.

"Forgot my headphones. I'll be outta your hair in a minute,"

He took a glance at your afro, picked out carefully until it was nearly twice the size of your own head like a thunder cloud. Two beaded braids framed either side of your face.

"...Which you seem to have a lot of."

You stared at him blankly.

With a tight smile, he grabbed his headphones off of a stray music stand and nearly sprinted out of the room, making sure to stumble over an untied shoelace on his way out.

The next time you saw his face was in chemistry class, as your assigned partner for a lab. As the frumpy professor explained the procedure, the boy got your attention with a whispered "Hey".

You stared at him warily through tightly-lined eyes swept over roughly with black pigment.

"Yes?"

His eyes darted back and forth before settling back onto you.

"It's uh, nice to see you again. You play guitar, right?"

"Uh-huh. Why?"

"No reason," he shrugged, scratching the back of his head. "I just thought it was...cool. What kinda music do you play?"

You gave an equally non-committal answer:

"Rock, funk, whatever has a cool bass line."

Out of curiosity, you stole a glance at his red sneakers propped up on the stool he sat on.

"Your shoes are untied."

He grinned, like he'd just made a clever joke. "It's a fashion choice. I never fall, anyway."

You snorted, "Sure."

"Aye, you wear ripped tights in the winter and turn your uniform inside-out. Lemme have this one!"

This managed to pull a giggle from you, which unfortunately caught the professor's attention.

"Quiet in the back, please!" he admonished sharply.

Neither of you were paying attention.

You, because you were too busy trying to school your expression back to normal, and him because he liked the look of your crooked smile.

He saw it again after following the sound of your playing back to the music room during lunch time.

"Lost your headphones again, or are you following me?"

"Care to have an audience?" he smiled, grabbing a seat for himself.

You pursed your lips in consideration before answering, "Alright. You better not invite your friends in here, though. Music room's mine between classes."

He raised his hands. "You got it, relax. Not like I got friends to bring."

"Is that why you came over here to bother me even though we don't even know each other's names?"

"No, I came to figure out what that fire ass song was," the boy leaned back in his seat, and smiled. "And I'm Miles, by the way."

"Y/N," you said with a sheepish grin. "And thanks. Composed it myself."

Miles' eyes widened. "Damn. Can I hear it again?"

"Sure."

The piece was unfinished, but it was sharp, dynamic. Plenty of bass-slapping to go around. You even managed to nail that one part that your fingers usually slipped on.

"I still need to work out the ending, but...yeah. That's pretty much it," you remarked casually. "Thoughts?"

Miles let out a low whistle. "You need to finish that ASAP. Are you in a band?"

You set the guitar down, and cracked your knuckles. "Nope. I just play by my lonesome, for fun."

"So no one's heard you until now?"

"Nope."

There was silence for a beat, then you asked, "Do you play anything?"

He shook his head.

"Not all of us have that gift, I'm afraid. Wish I did, though."

You looked around the room, scanning the instruments until you landed on an acoustic guitar.

An idea.

"Say, Miles," a smirk spread across your lips, "How would you like to change that?"

Miles immediately caught your drift and perked up.

"When do we start?"

[guiltygearconfessions]

dnd 5e builds for base strive cast (+ goldlewis!)

Sol: either an Artificer (Battlesmith) w a Barbarian (Totem) dip where his Steel Defender is his bike and Elk/Bear rage is dragon install OR a Wizard (Bladesinger) with a belt (headband) of giant strength and Tasha's Otherworldy Guise as his DI

Ky: Hexbalde Warlock w a Battlemaster Fighter dip since he seems charismatic and his patron cld be the Thunderseal. His manouevres: Trip (Stun Dipper), Lunge (Foudre Arc), Riposte (Vapor Thrust). Meanwhile, Eldritch Blast = Stun Edge, Booming Blade = Dire Eclat, can blow his limited spell slots on Lightning Bolt (Sacred Edge) or Hasted Booming Blades + Relentless Hex or just Thunder Step (RTL). Possibly take a sorc (Storm) dip or the Metamagic Adept feat to transmute spell and change his damage types to lightning + gain flying speed.

May: Ranger (Beastmaster) for sea animal shenanigans. Possible dips into Paladin (Devotion, to the Jellyfish Pirates) or Fighter (Cavalier) for mounted combat features and bonuses (e.g. Find Greater Steed)

Axl: Ranger (Horizon Walker) + Monk (Kensei)/Fighter (Battlemaster). The boring and "correct" answer here is pure bladesinger wiz using a flavoured whip for the Time Stop spell, but the teleportation offered by Horizon Walker and the idea of slipping between planes of existence seems flavourful. Ranger features also have a bit more trap laying flavour. Monk bonuses for movement speed + unarmoured defense to remain slippery while dressing casual.

Chipp: Monk (Shadow) with the Fey Touched and Shadow Touched feats for access to Shadow Teleport + Misty Step + Shadow Blade and maybe a small spellcaster dip into Sorcerer (Shadow) if only to get Quickened Spell for ninja flavour + Mirror Image (multiple Chipps!)

Potemkin: although a pure Fighter (Champion) is tempting, the 4 attacks per turn feels at odds w the slower, lumbering idea of Potemkin. Instead I propose DM fiat to allow smiting while Unarmed, then build Potemkin as a Variant Human (base feat used to learn Unarmed Fighting style) with full Paladin (Glory or Redemption). His devotion and larger than life presence give him moral power behind his blows which are weighty (big ass smites) but infrequent (2 per turn). The other athleticism, tanky abilities come from his Paladin subclass features. Spells like Command and Compelled Duel reflect his intimidating presence and ability to control the field. Spells like Thunderous Smite and Destructive Wave reflect his sheer terrain-altering strength. Feats could include Grappler, Tavern Brawler, Tough.

Faust: Pure Wild Magic Sorcerer or an even split btwn Wild Magic Sorc and Life Cleric. Dimension Door/Misty Step for teleports. Items could represent by: Meteors (Minute Meteors), Bomb (Delayed Blast Fireball), 100T Weight (Earth Tremor/Earthquake), Donut/Banana (Healing Word/Cure Wounds), Afro (reflavoured Web since its also a control debuff that turns into damage after fire exposure), Minifaust (so many summon spells but I like the idea of Guardian of Faith from Cleric), Trumpet (Insect Plague), Hammer (Catapult). And then Haste can be used with Quickened Spell to simulate item throw super. Tack on a couple fighter levels perhaps to Action Surge and emulate the 100 tension version + give some oomph to the occasional scalpel normal.

Millia: not base dnd but i think she fits a Blood Hunter (Lycan) pretty well. The flavour of undergoing a dangerous and forbidden procedure for power, the hair transformations... probably uses Rite of the Oracle (psychic) and Blood Curse of Binding (tandem top) to hold enemies in place for devastating up close "mixups" while still remaining highly mobile.

Zato: Fighter (Echo Knight) w a Monk (Long Death) dip (or, potentially, Undead Warlock). Fragile but frequently summonable puppet fighter w a Monk dip for the "unarmoured melee fighter" vibe + undying flavour or Warlock dip for more spell slinging vibe+ access to flight spells.

Ramlethal: taking a bit more from her Xrd incarnation, a mixed Cleric (Twilight) for access to Spiritual Weapon for the "remote/hovering sword" + a hover/fly movement rather than regular walking and a Warlock (Hexblade) with the Eldritch Smite invocation to burn spell slots for chunky damage that knocks enemies flat on their asses (Mortobato).

Leo: Rogue (Swashbuckler ) + Barbarian (Totem). Probably a Tiger/Elk Barb for the movement speed and the animalistic vibe, while the Rogue levels and Swashbuckler features give the idea of a speedy duelist who occasionally snipes out big damage hits from "converting" movement speed based mixups. (also Swashbucklers benefit from Charisma, which leo definitely has since hes led so many soldiers to their deaths 🥰)

Nago: Fighter (Samurai). I think a majority of Nago's features and design are reflected in this subclass- the idea of a fighter who takes a slow and measured approach while occasionally bursting into a flurry of sudden violence. The high level Samurai feature of taking another turn upon getting dropped also kind of feels like Nago blood rage- a last second gambit at the verge of defeat type of deal.

Gio: Monk (Astral Self). Gio's features as an unarmed, unarmoured, mobile fighter w a not-quite animal spirit are perfectly encapsulated in this subclass, down to her appearance transformations at high tension

Anji: Bard (Swords) with Fighter (Battlemaster) dip and the Dual Wielder feat. Swords Bard explains his armoured twirl (Defensive Flourish) and other more magical effects like the butterfly, koi, and his cinematic super. Battlemaster Trip (rekka low), Push (corner carry off fuujin), Sweep (spinny spins), Parry/Riposte (dedicated counters).

I-No: Oddly enough i dont think she's a pure bard. If anything, I think her style seems more offense oriented than support, so she probably has way more Sorcerer (storm) levels for flying and her other magic shit. For her Bard dip, probably a Whispers bard to play into her role as a mysterious and menacing antagonist figure.

Goldlewis: Paladin (Watchers) with a Warlock (GoO) dip. Watchers paladins already deal w abberations and aliens, and his smites could be flavoured as his big behemoth typhoons/down with the system. Warlock spells and blast reflect the gadgets stored by his alien.

Wow! Points for being so thorough! This is cool

[segacity]

Afro Thunder 'Ready 2 Rumble Boxing' SEGA Dreamcast

[rahuratna]

JJK: Encounters across the animeverse

Part 1: Na Nami Nami

Happy birthday to Nanami and Nami!!

This is crack. I have no adequate explanation.

Nanami had a feeling about today.

The strange vortexes he'd been hearing about had not yet made an appearance on any of his own missions. Gojo and Itadori had been together when one such anomaly struck. They'd been investigating a large and seemingly dangerous spike in cursed energy, when they had been caught in an unnaturally strong electric storm.

The vortex (portal, whatever that swirling maelstrom had birthed) had opened before their eyes and ejected a ... person. If that's what it could be called. The person in question was a very tall skeleton wearing a feather boa, a top hat and had been in possession of an afro-style hairdo.

This very strange individual had taken one look at Gojo, complimented his beautiful blue eyes and asked to 'see his panties'. Needless to say, Yuuji had been telling the story for days on end, crying with laughter every time, and Gojo had been looking quite sulky. Nanami secretly wished he could have been present for that.

The skeleton had introduced itself to Itadori and Gojo as 'Brook, the musician' and proceeded to play them a series of beautifully rendered musical pieces. Nanami was, once again, slightly jealous. All he encountered on mission were cursed spirits who tried to eat him. Why couldn't he ever come across a flashy skeleton with musical talent and an afro?

The most pressing question of all had not been answered, though. What exactly was Brook? He had given Itadori and Gojo the impression of being in possession of some power and skill, enough to keep them on guard. But all he'd done was play them a couple of songs and then, when the portal had reappeared, he'd lifted his top hat, blown Gojo a kiss and disappeared.

In light of these events, Nanami was ready. If any portal opened up near him on one of his missions, he was certain to investigate it thoroughly. Not that he was longing for something like that. No, not at all. He wasn't the kind of sorcerer who looked to spice up their missions with the mysterious or unexplained. Nothing exciting to see here, for anyone who cared to look at the increasingly long list of monotonous slog work he had to get through ...

Straightening his coat, Nanami sighed and picked up the pace. He had a possible exorcism in a meat packing facility to get through. Oh joy. Nothing like bringing home the bacon. 

The facility in question was in the industrial zone just outside Shibuya. Surrounded as the building was by many other such plants, Jujutsu Tech had made full use of their contacts within the police department to clear out the area and make sure that no employees were on the premises. Nanami entered through the cordoned-off front doors and made his way carefully through the lower floor. If his information was correct, the higher grade spirits had installed themselves on the upper floor.

Somewhere outside the facility, thunder rumbled. As he made his way carefully up the staircase, Nanami began to feel an eerie sensation. It was the feeling he had grown to associate over the years with a spike in cursed energy, but this was somewhat different. This felt ... off. He could sense the proximity of the cursed spirits on the floor above, and something else.

There was a sudden commotion on the floor above. Something had alerted the spirits to his presence, perhaps, because their energy signatures were going haywire. He could hear their aggressive ghoulish shrieks echoing down to where he stood on the stairs. And ... was that ... a woman screaming?

Without warning, a loud electric clap of noise sounded from close by. The clean smell of burning ozone told Nanami that this was no longer a safe area to be. Something about the similarity to Gojo and Itadori's encounter was keeping him in position, however. Would he also be encountering something ... strange today?

Swearing under his breath and taking the stairs three at a time, Nanami prepared himself for battle, his sword drawn and at the ready.

What was going on? Hadn't the facility been cleared before he'd arrived? Had someone been missed?

Of all the strong, brave and capable members of the Straw Hat crew, it had to happen to her. Not that Nami didn't think of herself as capable, she was just ... capable in a less overt, more sneaky sort of way.

The first of their crew to experience it had been Brook. He had been playing a lazy afternoon refrain for them, after one of Sanji's sterling suppers, when the freak storm had come lashing by and sucked him right into what looked like a portal of some kind. Nami hadn't thought too much of the storm, initially. Such strange weather phenomena were common occurrences on the Grand Line. But the portal had been ... new. She'd certainly never seen anything like that before.

They had all been frantic after losing Brook, but he'd reappeared, unharmed, after a few hours from a similar portal, waxing lyrical about a 'blue eyed beauty who could outmatch the dawn'.

Sanji had been horribly jealous, but the rest of the crew were just relieved that their musician was back intact.

The monster shuffled past, and she had just breathed a sigh of relief when the boxes were swept away by a powerful blow. Nami screamed and moved in the same instant. Her cat burglar reflexes were probably the only thing that had saved her from being beheaded. Knees shaking slightly, she looked up from where her quick somersault had taken her, locking gazes with what looked like some kind of praying mantis monstrosity, its rolling eyes following her with predatory intent.

And now, this. And boy, was Nami's luck just enviable. Unlike Brook's idyllic little jaunt with a pair of pretty blue eyes, she was in some kind of dingy building being hunted by creepy monsters.

Monsters? Nami didn't know if that's what they really were. All she knew was that she had to control her breathing really carefully, because right now, one was walking right by her hiding place, it's horrifying, gargling whispers about 'canned beans on toast' reaching her from where she crouched behind some boxes.

Nami felt real fear begin to take hold of her. This was no game. This thing was trying to kill her. And it didn't look like any of her skill with words and sleight of hand would do her any good here. Reaching for her belt, she slowly drew her Climatact. She wasn't sure how it would function here, but she could at least manage a small distraction. Readying herself for flight, Nami was about to try something, anything, when he arrived.

The only warning she had was the tap of heavy footsteps behind her, a rushing sound as he passed right over her head and the powerful wave of energy that coursed from the weapon he held as he brought it down on the praying mantis creature's head. There was a horrific squelching noise as the monster split apart down the middle, purplish liquid pouring from the gaping wound that bisected it.

The man stepped back, flicking his blade with a quick, neat motion, cleaning it of excess blood. Something about the motion, as well as the height and power of the man, reminded her a little of Zoro. He turned to her, and she saw a stern, angular face, neatly combed blonde hair and eyes hidden behind a strange pair of shaded glasses. She wondered briefly how they stayed on his nose.

"Are you all right?"

His voice was deep, reassuring and melodic. Nami felt more at ease immediately, but her experience with all manner of scoundrels on the high seas kept her on guard. For now, she'd keep up the 'damsel in distress' act.

"I - I'm fine, I suppose. Thank you! And ... what exactly is that monster?"

He eyed her in silence, and she wished he would take the glasses off. His expression was unreadable. Finally, he sniffed and turned away, his voice carrying to her over his shoulder.

"Those are cursed spirits. Not everyone can see them."

Scrambling to her feet, Nami followed him. She had enough sense to know her ticket out of this place when she met it.

"Cursed ... spirits?"

"They infest places like this. And it is my job to ensure that they are removed."

"So ... you're some kind of battle priest?"

The man coughed slightly.

"Hm. Not quite. But before we go further, I must insist that the formalities are dispensed with."

"What do you mean?"

To Nami's surprise, the man stopped and bowed before her.

"Nanami Kento. Grade one jujutsu sorcerer. And you are?"

"A ... sorcerer? And did you say ... Nanami?"

"Ha." Nami scratched her cheek and stuck out her tongue. "Well, I'm Nami. Just Nami. Navigator of the ... well. I'm a map-maker by trade."

"Yes?"

One of Nanami's thin eyebrows raised almost to his hairline.

"I prefer to refer to people by their family name until I am better acquainted with them."

"Oh. Well, I don't have one of those."

He regarded her in inscrutable silence once more before turning on his heel.

"Nami it is, then. Did you say you were a ... map-maker?"

"One of the best! I'm documenting the high seas. I've already mapped most of East Blue. Once I get back to the Grand Line, I'll continue my work."

The silence from Nanami was growing heavier and Nami began to feel a tad nervous. Was this man affiliated with one of their enemies? She'd certainly never seen any wanted posters with his picture or description on them before.

"Grand Line? East Blue? I've never heard of these places."

The feeling of uneasiness was growing stronger by the minute. Nami's tone became a little more defensive.

"What do you mean? Everyone knows about the four oceans and the Grand Line. Have you been living under a rock?"

"Not quite. If I'm right ... hmm. Do you by any chance, know of a skeleton with an afro who can sing?"

Nami's brow cleared immediately. So that was it. The portal had sent her to the very place Brook had arrived at before. Someplace very far from home, if this man hadn't even heard of the oceans. All the same, she had to tread carefully.

"Haha. Are you making jokes at a time like this? A skeleton with an afro? I think you'd better lay off the strong liquor, sweetie."

"Please refer to me as Nanami. And I don't drink when I'm on the clock."

Wow. No sense of humor at all. And this man couldn't be charmed, as she was learning. Changing tack, Nami slid a little closer to his side.

"Fine. I just want to get out of here. So I think I'll stick with you for now, just in case something ... else shows up."

"Something else will show up."

"How do you know?"

"Cursed spirits, like the one we just encountered, will attract others of the same kind."

"Oh. Ew."

"And you'd best be prepared. Maybe get your cursed tool ready."

"My ... what?"

He glanced at her sideways and she caught a glimpse of very, very shrewd brown eyes behind the shaded lenses.

"The one you have on your belt. You were about to defend yourself against the spirit right before I arrived. I assume it's useful for more than pole vaulting, yes?"

"Uh ... well. Yes, you're right. It is my weapon. But I'm just a map-maker, as I've said. I only have basic self defense skills. If it's okay with you, I'll just ... stay right here behind you and - "

"Self defense? Did you learn how to evade attacks like that with such basic lessons?"

Nami gritted her teeth. This guy was no sucker. Not at all. No sirree.

"Fine. I've got your back."

"Oh, that gives me a lot of confidence."

"I don't like your tone, Mister."

"Forgive me for not finding you reliable."

"And why wouldn't you find me reliable?"

"Could you give my wallet back? My credit cards are in there and I don't want to go to the bank to apply for new ones."

Huffing in increasing annoyance, Nami slapped the wallet into his outstretched palm.

"I just wanted to confirm your identity."

"Is that why my cash for lunch is missing?"

"Oh, fine! Here. It's not like I can use this currency where I'm going anyway."

"And where would you be going?"

"Back to - "

Nami stopped short, realizing her error. This sly, sly dog of a man. He was now eyeing her in what could only be amusement.

"You seem awfully sure that you'll be back where you came from soon. Tell me, young lady, do you really not know of any skeleton with an afro?"

"No!"

The man called Nanami was, unfortunately, correct in his prediction of more cursed spirits being present.  Nami soon realised that he wielded some kind of technique that allowed his blunt blade to do devastating damage. He'd explained about the ratios to her, for some reason. She wasn't sure why he'd reveal information like that so openly to someone he didn't know, and in front of the monsters no less, but she assumed that he had his reasons.

She did her best to stay in the background, but he wasn't having it. It wasn't that he put her in any danger. He just seemed to be expecting her to play her part, something Nami wasn't very accustomed to. She worked better from the shadows! She was a cat burglar for a reason! But desperate times called for desperate measures, she supposed.

While she couldn't deal much physical damage, Nami did what she did best. Run away. The creatures infesting the building homed in on her as a soft target each time, and while she wheeled, dodged, somersaulted and made full use of her speed and flexibility to dance around their attacks, Nanami followed like a steadfast, cleaving thresher, slicing his way with deadly precision through every spirit in his path.

When Nanami found himself in a rather tight spot, surrounded by spirits, she used her Climatact to create opposing fields of hot and cold air within the small room. The spirits were not paying her much attention at that moment, and so, did not feel the hair-raising change in the atmosphere. Nanami did. He looked her way briefly, before nodding.

The dark clouds that had collected within the small space gave up their electric burden, a swing of Nami's staff bringing down a controlled bolt of lightning right into their midst. Screaming and clawing their way to safety, the spirit's bodies burned and dissipated under the onslaught. Nanami, in the meantime, had dived to the side of the room, dispatching any spirits that escaped with deft sweeps of his blade.

He stood, performing the quick swipe of his sword that she was becoming familiar with.

"That should take care of the issue."

"Wait, what?"

"I don't sense any further spirits in the vicinity. We've taken care of them."

"You mean ... we've done it? We cleared out all the monsters? Just us?"

"Yes. Thank you for your assistance."

" ... oh."

Breathing hard, her stomach still tied in anxious knots from the numerous narrow escapes she'd had, Nami felt a growing sense of ... elation. Those monsters had been tough and she'd helped take them down without any of the other Straw Hats present!

Raising her Climatact in the air, she uttered a short cheer.

"Yay for Team Na Nami Nami!"

"Excuse me?"

She pointed between the both of them.

"Nanami. Nami. Nanaminami. Na. Nami. Nami."

"I - what?"

"What? Oh come on. Even you have to admit it. It's catchy, right?"

He gave a long suffering sigh before pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Let's just ... find the exit. It's well past lunch time and I need a coffee."

"You're paying for my food right?"

"I suppose."

"I want something nice. Don't be a cheapskate, now, not after all the help I gave you!"

"What's your definition of nice?"

"Hmm, five courses at least. With drinks and dessert. And if they have a bar, I want in on that. Oh, hey, what kind of fashion are the women around here into?"

Nanami was very glad that his monthly salary would be paid soon. First, there had been the issue of her attire. The girl, Nami, was dressed for the beach, in a green bikini top and jeans. Nanami was now beginning to feel envious of the people who were coming through the portal. Judging from her talk of seas and map-making, the place she hailed from was obviously near the ocean.

Once they exited the facility, the young woman  looked around her with interest. She twirled a strand of her flaming orange hair around one finger, a gesture she seemed to perform when she was about to ask for something. Just seeing it made him feel like a stomach ulcer was coming on.

"Well, this place looks sort of run down. Where are all the nice shops and the restaurants?"

"Not far from here, actually. But first, here."

He handed her his coat which she took, glancing at him curiously.

"We aren't close to the seaside. You may stand out dressed like that."

"Oh. All right then."

She shrugged and pulled on the coat, folding up the sleeves and tucking it into her jeans to form some kind of oversized fashion statement.

"Hmm. You've got good taste in clothes, at least." She wrinkled her nose. "But that tie of yours. Gross."

"It's not gross."

"Please. You look like an understated version of Trafalgar Law."

"Who?"

"Some guy who loves animal print. Yours looks like ... what animal print is that? A cow?"

"It's a random design," he countered stiffly. "Now please let's go. I'd like to eat soon."

Then, there was the question of her appetite. Nami could really pack away the food. He'd taken her to a simple cafe in the nearby area, despite her protests and demands for compensation with five-star dining. She settled down soon enough with a steaming cup of coffee and some pastries in front of her. Nanami also bought some sandwiches and a hot soup to keep things healthy. The facility they had cleared out had been rather frigid, and he would rather she didn't develop a chill.

"You said that you draw maps, correct?"

Nami nodded before scarfing down another pastry.

"One of the best. Here."

She slipped a piece of what looked like parchment from her pocket and slapped it down on the table.

"Take a look at that. Finest penmanship and accuracy this side of the four seas."

Namami looked over the small fragment. Granted, he wasn't familiar with the finer aspects of map-making, but the attention to detail and finesse certainly didn't escape his attention.

"And you're in this ... map-making endeavour alone?"

"Oh no."

Nanami could tell, from the way her expression immediately brightened and took on a softer cast, that she was telling the truth.

"I'm part of a crew. We're ... very close. We have each other's backs. They're all very strong and talented. Kind of like you."

"And the skeleton?"

She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"All right, fine. That's Brook. The ship's musician."

"Interesting. And how does he - "

"Don't ask. Please."

"Very well. But, pardon my curiosity, does he play - "

"Yes, he plays the electric guitar. They call him 'Soul King' Brook."

"Fascinating."

He took her back to the facility when they had finished their meal. It had been roughly three hours, approximately the same amount of time that 'Soul King' Brook had spent in their world before the portal had re-opened.

Already, Nanami was feeling that strange sense of otherness, that hair-raising energy on the air that had heralded Navigator Nami's appearance. Soon enough, the storm that brought the inter-dimensional gate had made an appearance, the disturbance in space-time creating a warping effect that left one feeling a little queasy if they looked for too long.

Nami hopped fearlessly towards the portal and Nanami almost stopped her. How did she know that it was safe? How did she know for sure that it would take her back to her place of origin?

As if sensing his worries, the girl with bright orange hair winked and tapped the side of her nose.

"Are you stressing yourself out again, old man?"

"That's Nanami to you."

Her expression turned serious for a minute, taking him in.

"You should worry less, you know. Our Captain never cares about what tomorrow brings. I guess some people see that as reckless. Maybe even irresponsible. But I've spent enough time with him to understand a little better."

"Understand what?"

"Your dreams won't wait for you. Don't waste your life being ... cautious. Here."

She produced the fragment of map from her pocket once again.

"Keep this. Maybe one day, you'll find yourself on the Grand Line. And if you do, come look for the Straw Hat Pirates."

" ... pirates?"

But she was already halfway through the portal, her hair billowing in the energy stream.

"And thanks for the compensation! I'll keep this as a souvenir!"

Tongue out in her signature mischievous pose, Nami was holding something up between two fingers.

His wallet.

Clapping a hand to his pocket, Nanami sighed when he realised she had at least been thoughtful enough to leave his credit cards behind.

[pumpkinsy0]

I need my Purly cuddling in a warm bed under some dim lit fairy lights. Ponyboy tossing and turning from a nightmare as Curly sleepily holds him, whispering in a husky voice: 'I won't let nothin' hurt you, doll.'

They sleep soundly to the noise of gentle rain and thunder. Just cute, sleepy, tired boyfriends cuddling. They'll fight another day but the night will be gentle to them.

pony and curly sleep w their limbs just everywhere and their limbs are just intertwined, theyre both drooling, perchance letting a snore out here or there

both of them tend to wake up in the middle of the night and the other mumbled for them to go back to sleep

its either they fight for the sheet from the other or the sheet is just on the floor theres no in between

when curlys durag or bonnet is slipping off, pony just slips that bad boy back into place and by GOD is curly thankful (even though in the morning when curlys afro is all fucked up and misshaped pony giggles)

[tacticalspider]

aight so i listened to a podfic (read by giveemhellkidd) of "the science of sleep" (written by chimneythunder) while cleaning my closet a few months ago and basically it rewired my brain chemistry enough that i drew TWO seperate posters for it...and will probably draw another as my art abilities continue to grow and develop. the first one posted here was finished literally this morning and the second one a few weeks ago (idk when exactly). i couldn't find tumblr blogs for either the author or narrator but i hope fate intervenes and they see this anyway. their creation has impacted me so.

image descriptions in alt and under the cut

[image number one shows a colorful drawing of a poster, done mostly in marker. "the science of" is written in large yellow letters at the top of the paper, and "sleep is written in even bigger letters at the bottom. Behind the letters, there's a zig-zigging silvery line bisecting the page. on the left side, the background is blue, showing mikey way in the back wearing a grey shirt and a red bandana. he's got light skin, small rectangular glasses, straight brown hair falling into his face, and is smiling. to the right and a little bit further down the page is gerard, with light skin and dark hair falling into his face, which is partially hidden behind a sketchbook with blue colored sketches on one page. he's also smiling. even further down the page and to the left is ray, who has slightly darker skin and a curly golden brown afro. he's smiling and is wearing a black misfits shirt. the other side of the jagged line has an orange background and the aforementioned people are mirrored on this side, only as the danger days versions of themselves. mikey has his red kobra kid bomber jacket on and is pointing his red ray gun down and to the left. his hair is bleached and he has black sunglasses on. gerard has the yellow party poison mask, dyed red hair and blue bomber jacket. his bright yellow ray gun is being pointed above his head. ray is in side profile, facing towards the center of the page with his blue ray gun being held parallel to his face, both hands on the hilt, pointing it up. he's wearing his black jet star jacket, but it's partially obscured by two grey rectangles made to look like strips of tape, with red words on them reading "a novel by chimney thunder." this is right above the final E and P of "sleep." finally, at the very front of the page, his comparitively giant face bisected by the big jagged line, is frank! he has light skin and black hair and his eyes are closed. on the left side of the line, his whole closed eye can be seen and his eyebrow, which has a piercing in it, since his hair is cut very short. his ear is right in front of ray. on the right side of the jagged line, his hair is long and falling into his face, covering his eye. we can just see the side of his nose and bits of his cheek. finally a tagline is written on the poster. on the left side is written "good morning frank..." and on the right side "have you taken your medication today." finally, the signature "tactical spider" is written across gerard's head on the left side]

[image number two is pretty much exactly the same as the first one, only this one is mostly done in colored pencil and therefore the colors are bit lighter and less blended. the orange background on the right side is an ombre that gets lighter as it goes down. instead of being grey, mikey's shirt on the left side is black and is meant to have duct tape on it, on which it reads "arts and crafts." the bottom of frank's nose can be seen on the left side and we can see a small nose ring. also, there are two small slashes through his left eyebrow. the red words above the word sleep have no background and are much harder to read, though if you can read them you'll see they say "based on the novel by chimney thunder." finally, the "tactical spider" signature is written along gerards arm on the right side. end id]

[angelxd-3303]

A Bit Random But I Saw Your Fire And Thunder King Luigi And Mario Designs And I Thought Of Something. I BET Luigi And Mario Don’t Take There FireBrand And ThunderHand Powers Seriously After They Finally Get Use And Adapted To Them. Like Luigis Over Here With A Charger In His Mouth Charging His Phone And Marios Over Here Cooking Marshmallows, Like There Just Zapping Each Other And Goofing Off Like Bros Do- 😂

XD

I love this idea so much!! Luigi would definitely zap Mario when he's not looking, I imagine the guy's hair would puff up like an afro, lol.

Mario would get him back though. Maybe he'd wait until Luigi was in the shower. Then he'd use his firebrand to heat up the pipes, and by extension, the water. It would only be for a second, of course! Just to hear Luigi shriek, and then promptly begin cussing in Italian.

This of course leaves Peach and Bowser wondering how they fell so hard for these morons...

Great, now I have to draw this!

[afrothunderxx96]

Afrothunder why is there thunder in your afro

GHYUVRFIKLOKIMYNYBGBVRDCSCS

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Rio funk: The stigmatized dance that reigns in Brazil’s favelas finally enters the museum

The Rio Art Museum has dedicated this season’s grand exhibition to telling the story of the rhythm born in the city’s marginal neighborhoods, which combines African-American soul music and Indigenous elements

In the middle of an afternoon on a weekday, seeing such a long line to enter a museum in Brazil is quite striking. Even more extraordinary is that a good part of those waiting to buy tickets are under the age of 30.

The exhibition, Funk: A Cry of Boldness and Freedom, has been a huge success since it opened three weeks ago at the Rio Art Museum (MAR). Through 900 works and objects, it reviews the history of this rhythm — Rio funk — which was born in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. The exhibition explores the relationship between the American soul music of James Brown and the demands of the Afro-Brazilian movement in the 1970s.

Rio funk — often mistakenly considered to be the preferred music of gangsters — has been triumphing for years in the peripheries of Brazil. Little by little, it’s finally acquiring the status of a respectable cultural expression, a path that samba already followed decades ago.

In the two rooms of the MAR that are hosting the exhibition, which runs until August 2024, the sound is thunderous. Visitors who have never been to one of these massive dances — which are held outdoors at dawn under plastic tarps in peripheral Brazilian neighborhoods — feel as if they’re standing next to a wall erected with speakers, which hammer out the funk. This is the same rhythm that catapulted Anitta, the great diva of Brazilian music, to international fame.

Continue reading.

[when-did-this-become-difficult]

aah thank u @peachteaandanarchy! I love ask games

Coffee or tea | early bird or night owl | chocolate or vanilla | spring or fall | silver or gold | pop or alternative | freckles or dimples | snakes or sharks | mountains or fields | thunder or lightning | egyptian mythology or greek mythology | ivory or scarlet | flute or lyre | opal or diamond | butterflies or honeybees | macarons or eclairs | typewritten or handwritten | secret garden or secret library | rooftop or balcony | spicy or mild | opera or ballet | london or paris | Van Gogh or claude monet | denim or leather | potions or spells | ocean or desert | mermaids or sirens | masquerade ball or cocktail party

tagging loads of people cause i think this game is fun & i hope somebody enjoys it! no pressure tho: @hausofmamadas, @bellinitini, @drabbles-mc, @imperatorkhaleesi, @afro-elf, @actuallylorelaigilmore, @otherpens, @ergothereforethus, @rosewinterborn, @alliluyevas, @slowthunders, @deepshadows, @hod-the-blind, @illgiveyouahint, @garbinge, @flightlessangelwings, @artemiseamoon, @proceduralpassion, @criatividad-e, @mandaloria314, @nothingbutthedreams