#I've grown very enamored of him as of late

[whereforarthur]

Love at First Podcast

Request: oh one where your a recent new youtuber who’s grown really fast and you get on bach’s and arthur podcast and arthur thinks you’re pretty and is instally his types when he finds out your interests are like his, like his cute like intrested in shark facts and playing chess <33

Pairing: ArthurTv x Youtuber!Reader

Category: Fluff

Word Count: 1.9k

*****

“Falling in love is very real, but I used to shake my head when people talked about soul mates, poor deluded individuals grasping at some supernatural ideal not intended for mortals but sounded pretty in a poetry book. Then, we met, and everything changed, the cynic has become the converted, the sceptic, an ardent zealot.” ― E.A. Bucchianeri

"Alright, love, you're on in three, two, one..."

The countdown echoed in my ear, and my heart skipped a beat as the podcast host's voice grew distant. I, Y/n, a London-based YouTuber with a burgeoning audience, had scored a guest spot on "The Bach and Arthur Podcast," a podcast hosted by none other than ItalianBach and ArthurTv. Known for their charismatic banter and intellectual discussions, the duo had stumbled upon my channel during a late-night scroll and had been asked by their viewers to have me on as a guest, thinking that me and Arthur would get along.

Arthur's husky voice resonated through the airwaves, "Welcome to the podcast, Y/n. We're thrilled to have you with us today."

My voice quivered slightly as I replied, "Thanks for having me, guys. I'm a bit nervous, to be honest."

"Don't worry," Isaac assured me with a chuckle, "We're just here to have a good chat."

The conversation flowed easily as we discussed various topics, from the latest YouTube drama to our favorite hobbies. It was when we touched on shark facts that Arthur's interest seemed to peak. His eyes lit up, and his enthusiasm was palpable even through the microphone.

"Oh, you're into sharks, are you?" Arthur's voice was a warm cup of tea on a rainy afternoon, comforting and inviting. "I've always been fascinated by those majestic creatures. Did you know that the average human is more likely to be killed by a falling coconut than a shark?"

My mind raced as I tried to keep up with Arthur's sudden barrage of facts. It was clear he had a deep love for these predators of the deep, and I couldn't help but be charmed by his passion. As we delved further into the topic, I found myself smiling more and more at his excitement. The way he spoke about sharks with such affection and admiration was like nothing I had ever heard before.

Arthur leaned back in his chair, a knowing smile playing on his lips as he listened to me share my favorite shark trivia. Inwardly, I was kicking myself for not preparing more. I hadn't expected to find someone as enamored with these creatures as I was, especially not a well-known YouTuber like him. It was like he had peeked into the secret corners of my soul and found the one thing that truly made me tick.

"So, Y/n," Arthur began, his tone smooth and curious, "What sparked your interest in sharks?"

I took a deep breath, ready to dive into my lifelong obsession. "Well, it all started when I was a kid. My granddad used to take me to the aquarium every summer. There was this massive shark tank, and I was just captivated by them. They're so misunderstood, you know? They're not mindless killers, they're just doing their thing in the ocean, keeping the ecosystem in check."

Arthur nodded eagerly, his eyes never leaving mine. "Absolutely. And what's your favorite species?"

The question caught me off guard, but I replied without hesitation, "The thresher shark. They're so elegant with their long tails. It's like watching a ballet dancer underwater."

Arthur's eyes widened in surprise, and a grin spread across his face. "Thresher sharks? That's a unique choice. They're quite fascinating indeed."

*****

In the midst of our shared enthusiasm, Arthur's thoughts veered inward. He couldn't believe the person he was talking to was not only beautiful but also shared his obscure interest in sharks. It was like finding a unicorn in a bustling London street. He had always appreciated a good-looking person, but to find someone as pretty as Y/n who also loved the same quirky things he did? It was almost too good to be true.

Isaac, ever the observant one, couldn't help but tease his friend. "Arthur, it seems like you've found your soulmate here," he said with a smirk, interrupting our shark-filled discussion. "The only thing that would make this better is if she was into chess too."

The room grew quiet for a moment as Arthur's cheeks flushed a faint shade of pink. "Well, as it happens," I began, a playful smile forming on my lips, "I've been playing chess since I was eight. My dad taught me, and it's been a bit of a family tradition."

Arthur's jaw practically dropped. "No way," he exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief and excitement. "That's incredible. I've been playing since I was about the same age."

The energy in the room shifted as the three of us swapped stories about our chess triumphs and defeats. Arthur's passion was contagious, and before I knew it, I was sharing tales of late-night tournaments and the thrill of capturing a king with an unexpected move. His eyes lit up with every detail, and I felt a flutter in my stomach as his gaze held mine, as if we were the only two people in the room.

Isaac couldn't resist the urge to stir the pot further. "So, Arthur," he said with a mischievous glint in his eye, "are you going to challenge our shark-loving, chess prodigy to a match?"

The tension in the room thickened as Arthur's cheeks grew a deeper shade of pink. He cleared his throat, trying to play it cool. "Well, I wouldn't want to impose, but if Y/n is up for it, I'd be more than happy to have a friendly game."

Isaac couldn't contain his laughter. "Oh, come on, Arthur. You're practically drooling over the board at the thought of it."

I blushed, a little overwhelmed by Arthur's intense stare but also thrilled by the challenge. "I'd love to," I said, trying to sound casual despite the racing of my heart.

Isaac leaned back in his chair, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Well, it looks like we've got ourselves a date, folks. Arthur, you're on."

*****

The podcast went on, but the underlying tension between Arthur and I was unmistakable. Our shared passions had created a connection that neither of us had anticipated. The conversation shifted to other topics, but my mind kept wandering back to the thought of our upcoming chess match. Would it be a friendly game, or would the competition heat up?

Arthur's eyes met mine, and I felt a jolt of excitement. He was more than just a handsome face; he had a sharp intellect and a quirky charm that was hard to resist. As the podcast wound down, the nervousness I felt earlier had transformed into a thrilling anticipation of what lay ahead. His smile was disarming, and the way his hair fell over his forehead made my pulse quicken. I found myself trying to imagine what it would be like to sit across from him, each of us plotting our next move on the chessboard.

The podcast concluded with a flurry of thank yous and promises to keep in touch. After we signed off, Arthur turned to me, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "So, when do you think we should have this chess showdown?"

I laughed, feeling the same thrill he did. "How about this weekend? We could meet up at a café in the city, somewhere with a decent table and a relaxed atmosphere."

He nodded eagerly. "Perfect. I know just the place. It's a little hidden gem, great for a quiet game and a cup of tea."

The days leading up to the weekend felt like an eternity. I found myself replaying our conversation in my head, analyzing every word, every smile, every gesture. It was more than just a chess game; it was a chance to get to know Arthur better, to explore the depths of his personality as we navigated the strategic dance of pawns and rooks.

When the day finally arrived, I walked into the café with a mix of excitement and nerves. The smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, and the soft murmur of chatter created a cozy backdrop for our battle of wits. Arthur was already there, setting up the board with meticulous care. He looked up as I approached, his smile warm and welcoming.

"You found it," he said, standing to greet me. He pulled out a chair, and as I sat down, I noticed the way his hand lingered on the back of mine for a brief moment. It sent a shiver down my spine, and I couldn't help but wonder if he felt the same connection I did.

We began our game, the pieces moving with a rhythm that felt almost like a dance. Arthur's eyes never left the board, his focus unwavering as he considered each move. I watched his expressions shift, the intensity in his gaze as he tried to outthink me. His hands, strong and sure, caressed the pieces with a gentle touch that was surprisingly tender.

As the game progressed, the tension grew. We both knew we were evenly matched, and every move was a delicate balance of aggression and defense. The café around us faded away, and it was just us and the chessboard. Our conversation grew more personal as we shared stories from our childhoods, our families, and the moments that had shaped us into the people we were today.

When Arthur finally claimed victory, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment. But as he leaned back in his chair and offered his hand for a congratulatory shake, the look in his eyes told me that the real prize was the connection we had formed over the last few hours.

"Rematch?" he asked, his voice hopeful.

I smiled, placing my hand in his. "Always."

*****

The crowd in the café applauded our game, and as we packed up the chessboard, I felt a new chapter in my life unfolding. Arthur and I had found common ground in the most unexpected of places, and I knew that this was just the beginning of a beautiful friendship—or perhaps something more.

The next few weeks were a whirlwind of chess games and shared moments. We discovered more about each other with every pawn that was sacrificed and every king that was checkmated. Our friendship grew stronger, and our bond deepened as we learned to read each other's moves both on and off the board.

One evening, as the sun dipped below the London skyline, casting a warm glow through the café windows, Arthur reached across the table and took my hand. His eyes searched mine, and I knew what was coming.

"Y/n," he said, his voice thick with emotion, "I can't believe I've found someone who understands me like you do."

My heart raced as I looked into his eyes, feeling the same vulnerability he did. "I know," I whispered. "It's like we're two lost souls who found each other in the most unlikely of places."

He leaned in, and our lips met in a soft, lingering kiss that seemed to hold all the promise of the future. The chessboard was forgotten as we realized that sometimes, the most beautiful connections are found in the most unexpected places. Our love for sharks and chess had brought us together, but it was our shared passion for life and the quiet moments between the moves that would keep us together.

As we pulled apart, Arthur took a deep breath and smiled. "Ready for the next game?"

I grinned back at him, feeling more alive than I had in years. "Always."

*****

@gvf23

@xxkatxgracexx

[mpregandproud]

Isaac II (Part 4)

I can't complain that my rest period is being boring. Three weeks of bed rest and between my hot flashes, anxiety, late night feasts and the surprise of Sandra's pregnancy I am living this one full of surprises. If someone had told me that I was going to experience my sixth pregnancy at the same time I was about to become a grandfather, I wouldn't have believed it. And it wouldn't be the last surprise we would receive in the same period.

Sandra and Cal came home to talk to us. He apologized to us for making this mistake, still feeling very guilty “for having ruined Sandra's life forever,” as he put it. By the time the two of us came to see each other we had already spoken to Sandra, and she seemed more and more convinced every day that she wanted to try to become a mother, but apparently Cal had not processed the shock of becoming a father at 20 years of age.

It's normal for a guy who is in school, in the prime of his life, and a flirt, to feel like this is the biggest mistake of his life. But as Isaac told him, “sometimes from mistakes come the finer things in life.” The reality is that he and I got pregnant by mistake the first time… well, and the last time too. Without disrespecting the truth, Sandra was also a “mistake” for her mother and me, but I love her madly and if you asked me now if I would be willing to make the same mistake again I would say yes with my eyes closed.

Speaking about my pregnancy, it is growing faster than ever. At only three and a half months gestation, it feels like I'm almost nine months along. Of course, I'm not carrying just one baby, I'm carrying four. And if that wasn't enough, my husband is giving me enough food to feed our 16 children, including those I gave birth to years ago.

I've grown a beard and my hair is growing very fast. At another time in my life I would have visited the barber much sooner, or I would have asked Isaac to cut my hair, but for some strange reason this man likes me with a look that I consider unbecoming of me: fat as a cow and with facial hair. I guess this is synonymous with true love, loving someone no matter what they look like.

I've always wondered if I would be able to love him too if he looked fat like I do right now. I've never seen myself in that situation, but I drool over him no matter what he does, so I guess the answer is yes.

That week our youngest children returned from camp, so we had a house full of people again. The quietness vanished overnight, although as the summer went on they didn't spend much time at home either. Charlotte and Ivana partied a lot with Cristina, who also returned from her trip with her college friend. Svetlana, my sister's daughter, also went out with them. Dylan, Nate, Philip and Edward share a group of friends, so when they are not at their summer jobs they go out together to the movies or to a disco. My nephew Boris, my sons Jason, Ken and Bruce and my friend Lucas and Adam's son Daniel have made their gang since they went camping. Patrick and Lucas' son Isaac have become very close, so much so that they don't usually hang out with their brothers.

As for Sandra, she spends most of her day with Cal. I admire how well she is handling her pregnancy and how confident she is with everything. She has inherited that confidence from her mother that I was so enamored with in college. Shortly after talking to us for the first time to apologize for getting Sandra pregnant, Cal came home and asked her to marry him. He said that although he doesn't consider himself traditional, he thinks it's best for the baby if he and Sandra start a family. He told us that he had some savings after working since he was 15 years old, and that a year ago he had inherited an apartment in the village where they can go to live together. Although he had many doubts at the beginning, in a matter of days he seemed much more confident than Sandra with their pregnancy. He will be a good dad and a good husband.

She said “I do” immediately. I don't know if the pregnancy hormones have made her more in love than usual with her guy or if she was already deeply in love with him before discovering the pregnancy. Cal is physically gorgeous, a strong man who looks like he was sculpted by Michelangelo himself. I understand my daughter perfectly in this aspect. I don't know either if it's the pregnancy hormones or that Isaac still refuses to fuck me, but when I saw that man on his knees asking my daughter to marry him between our rose bushes I was about to run out and say “I do” myself. The hug I got right then and there from Isaac stopped me. Just kidding, as a father this moment was almost as powerful as when I was told that Sandra, my ex-wife had given birth and I had become a father.

The wedding-to-be became the talk of the town. The most handsome boy in town and the most beautiful girl together, as if they had taken this story from a movie. Although, in truth, in those TV movies the girl is not usually pregnant when they ask her to marry them. Long live love, but they are aware that an accident has brought them together. Holding my daughter's hand, he came to where Isaac and I were with our children watching the proposal and told us a phrase that made me love him even more: “I will take care of your daughter and I will make her the happiest woman on earth, I promise”. There are no romantic men like him anymore.

I don't think the next generation of our family will live up to Cal. Especially my son Patrick who is very uptight lately. Since returning from camp he rarely interacts with the rest of his siblings, he has had several arguments with Philip and Edward about things at camp that I don't quite understand and he is with Isaac jr all day long, who to him has always been his cousin, even though they are not really related nor do they share genes, since when I gestated them I did it with genetic material from Lucas and an anonymous ovaries donor. When Isaac and I agreed to be surrogate, one condition I set was this: not to share genetic material with the children I was going to gestate.

The situation worried Isaac and me, as Patrick is at that age where he is elusive with his parents. He had always been very affectionate when he was younger, but lately we haven't been able to connect with him at all. I guess it will be a matter of letting time pass for him to approach us again, but I don't know what to do.

The thing is, one afternoon, the day I entered my fourth month of gestation, Isaac and I were watching a movie quietly at home, while Patrick and Isaac were in their room when Lucas and Adam suddenly arrived. They were furious. “Where are they, get Patrick and Isaac to come in here and clear this up for us!”, he said showing us two pregnancy tests. I was stunned again, and that was one too many times in such a short time with so much pregnancy.

Isaac went to pick them up and brought them both into the living room. The look on their faces was one of knowing they had been found out. What's worse, Isaac showed us a third pregnancy test, also positive, just like the ones Adam brought in his hand. “You can see the surprises don't end,” Isaac said, as always trying to lighten the mood, although this time he looked very worried.

They both sat at the table together, staring blankly at the three tests on the table, while the four of us adults stared at them, waiting for an answer that didn't come.

“Can you explain to us what these are?”, I asked. ”I think it's obvious, Daniel, they are positive pregnancy tests. The question should be who is expecting a child?”, Lucas immediately cut me off.

Young Isaac mumbled something that none of us understood. “What did you say, speak more clearly, my son!”, said Adam who was still furious. “Both of us! Okay? Fuck, we're both pregnant! Shit!”, reacted Patrick. Isaac next to him burst into tears. My husband and I gawked at each other, as did Lucas and Adam. “What?”, the four of us asked after a few seconds of disbelief.

If there's one thing I love about my son Patrick, it's when he gets sarcastic. Do not misunderstand me, even if it gets on my nerves as a parent, I admit he gets very funny without intending to. “I'd explain the process to you, but I think you already know it. Especially you two”, he said, looking at us, ‘who have given us one example after another of how to get a man pregnant", Patrick replied.

“Patrick, don't make things worse,” my husband Isaac told him with a seriousness that is not typical of him, who is more inclined to defuse situations. Patrick looked at him angrily, because deep down he knew his father was right.

“We've liked each other for a few months now. In high school we started seeing each other on the sly. We know that a relationship between the two of us is like a scandal, since we were gestated by the same man. People think we're family or something, like those medieval kings and princesses who married their brothers, but everyone here knows the truth. At camp we were given a tent for the two of us, and that's where we found the intimacy we hadn't had earlier. One thing led to another and we ended up doing what you know”, young Isaac finally said. All the anger with which Patrick speaks contrasts with how clear Isaac II, as my sister once called him, is when he has to explain something.

“Is that the reason why you are constantly arguing with your older siblings?”, I asked Patrick, lowering the tone of the conversation. I know we were very insensitive before, so deep down I also wanted everything to relax, since the damage had already been done.

“Yes, partly yes, although they don't know anything about it. Turns out Edward found us fucking in the tent, and told Philip. They both gave us a hell of a telling off. We tried to convince them that we really loved each other, that we were serious, but they wanted nothing to do with it. They said that between cousins this is not right. And although they know perfectly well that genetically we don't share anything, they refused to listen to reason,” Patrick replied. I know my son and I know he was more angry that they didn't understand his relationship with his boyfriend than the fact that they got pregnant each other. He really cares about his boyfriend.

“What about the third test?”, suddenly asked Adam. We had all forgotten about the test Isaac brought in his hand, but there it was, on the table. If they had already taken two tests, why did they need a third.

“It's mine too”, Patrick said. “We both took the test at Isaac's house. We were so shocked that we needed to know if it could have been a false positive, so we were going to take another test to confirm it”, he continued. “That test is mine, and his is hid in a drawer in my room. Both positive, so there are no doubts. We are definitely expecting children”, he finished.

“16 and pregnant, looks like an MTV show,” Isaac apostilled. The two young men didn't understand the reference, but Lucas, Adam and I looked at my husband wondering how this man already in his 50's is able to blurt out these comments at this time. It's his trademark.

Go to Part 5

[notesfromthepalace]

Vanilla Coconut

I don't mean to boast but I am a well-traveled woman and I know how it feels to be sought after by men from all Nationalities, okay.

And as said before, the Lord has sent me my African King so I am not looking for attention from other men or woman - I am beyond happy.

And as I write at one of my favorite places, "On My Mama" by Victoria Monet is playing - and I know I've been giving big body gyal and goals lately - "I look fly, I look good".

But back to being world-wide and highly sought after.

Prior to being with my Ghanian heart-throb, I have and have always been open to dating outside my culture and race, meaning dating men that are not Haitian, and also men who are not Black. Even now, with both he and I being Black, we're still of different cultures.

Friends, when I went to Europe at 19, the men were enamored. The hair, the curves, the skin, I was exotic to them.

Now, at 25, I understand some of it was the hyper-sexualization and fetishization of Black women, but for others, that were just mesmerized by the beauty, I allowed them to take me to fancy dinners and have amazing conversations about the world and everything glamorous and expensive.

Point being, I am not un-accustomed to they eyes of men that do not look like me.

Now, what I have noticed is you'll have men that are not black, but are well traveled and when they compliment you its:

"You are so beautiful"

Actually, it's always that.

But when it comes to American white men who are not from a diverse community - and you can tell their version of traveling is just being on guided tours and not immersing themselves in the culture of whatever country they're in, the compliments are either very racially insensitive or super "frat-boy" language:

"You're so hot" "You're so different" "I love how long and straight your hair is" "You're hot AF" "I always thought you were so hot"

Emphasis on the "hotness" thing right? That's how 16 year-old horny teenagers talk. And if I'm completely honest, after hearing it multiple times from the same person, especially with the statement being an assessment of just sex-appeal, it starts to make me feel a little uncomfortable just because I don't like being hyper-sexualized. And those comments usually come from a place of hyper-sexualization.

Sometimes it doesn't, but you mean to tell me that there are grown men who are well established who don't know how to talk to women?

Further more, there are women who are actually receptive to this type of dialogue?

*Bombastic side eye

Mind you, I am so messy when it comes to spilling the tea to the African Chief: I was literally on the phone with him telling him everything this man was telling me as he was slipping and sliding in my DM's, and still is - even after I said I had a boyfriend and that I'm not interested.

And of course, my Lover-man makes the joke "Oh, you thought you would get a man and other men would stop trying to get with you? No baby, you are a beautiful woman, men will always seek you".

Before I continue with the story, I just wanted to thank God for my man. He is truly a Godly man who understands that:

He is with a woman who loves him unconditionally - meaning I tell him these things because he's my man, but I am not going anywhere. He gives BIG HUSBAND BIG PROVIDER GREAT FATHER GREAT LEADER - and that's what I prayed for when I felt like I was ready to be with the love of my life.

He also understands that he is with a very desirable woman - meaning he's so secure in himself that he knows men will throw themselves at me because I am attractive. But he loves the fact that when we walk into places with me on his arm, we're the focus of the room - really me but we all get the point *wink wink

And we talked about it and from a Spiritual standpoint, the devil will always try to destroy good things. But my GOD is greater and rebuke all of that.

And even as I am writing this, this man is still in my DM's.

And yes, the Ghanian Protector will hear about this tonight.

But I thought this was just too juicy to keep to myself until the weekend.

Moral of the story is homie is giving single-white-female and the Ghanian King knows everything!

As always ladies,

Fall is here and it is time for the oranges and yellows, boots and coats, and smoky eye-shadow.

With love, a little shade and tea,

Sarah Chanel

bisous

[chillin-at-partys-bar]

Do you tell your friends / family that you write?

Have you ever written a canon muse that you first thought of ‘meh’ when they appeared in their canon show/movie/book?

Is there any fandom you regret exploring?

Do you plot a ship or see where it goes?

What’s something you find weird on here?

Questions for Mun

Do you tell your friends / family that you write?

I do! Actually, everyone who knows me knows I've made it my personality haha. Right now I'm writing sketch comedy for my city's sketch group, I have had a few of my sketches performed and will have two in our next show! A lot of my friends write too, we have a variety of genres from creative nonfiction to comedy to high fantasy. Not necessarily all of them RP but most of us have RP'd at some point!

My dream is to have a novel or two out, or more, so I tend to tell people to keep myself from backing out!

Have you ever written a canon muse that you first thought of ‘meh’ when they appeared in their canon show/movie/book?

I think Jessie is the main example of this one. I used to be scared of her when I watched Pokémon. And then I became a young woman in society and was like "Ah, I get her now." Haha. I love her and she is an angry woman in her twenties and I get it. Also I've met her VA (Rachel Lillis) and she was very sweet!

Also, Benn Beckman? Like I appreciated any RHP but of course I was most enamored with Shanks. But with some of the RPs I've been in lately it's made more sense to pick him up and now I'm a stan.

Is there any fandom you regret exploring?

I really don't want to call out the specific fandom, but I will in DMs if someone wants more tea. But there is a fandom for a muse that I still have that was just so polluted with bullying in like, constant call-outs, really, really forgetting people were the ones behind keyboards, and it was just mean. It really did a number on my own mental health with some of the things I experienced when I was in it. I've looked in on the fringe lately but seeing how some people still act I'm just... yikes. I've had a lot of fun in the OP rp world so I'm fine sticking here.

Do you plot a ship or see where it goes?

Yes.

I find RPs to just be slow. Which is fine, I'm a slow rper too, and everyone is busy. So I love when someone will just talk about muse relationships with me. Then if when we're chatting we decide a ship is where we want to go I love plotting that out so we can just write the good stuff. Sometimes the good stuff is the slow-burn, but that anticipation is what keeps me really motivated for writing.

So if anyone wants like, SmoLaw, SmoAce, MiShanks, or really anything just lemme know because then we can like... chat it out and write the fun stuff. Fun stuff doesn't corellate with smut either, it could be writing the fall, writing some angst, fluff, comfort, without having to spend time wasted on threads that aren't going anywhere. We're all busy, who has time for that? (Unless that's your vibe then you, you have time for that and take all of the time you want.)

What’s something you find weird on here?

Hmmm. Not much. I've been here for almost ten years at this point so there's not much I find odd. I used to rp on forums and stuff, and it was fun when everything was part of one connected world. But I know why that isn't the case here though I'd love for more threads/worlds/verses to be connected. Having characters gossip about other characters is just fun.

Though calling characters 'muses' is always a little odd to me but I've sort of gotten the hang of it. It sounds way more poetic than 'this is my garbage character that I sometimes mostly torture because destroying grown men is my passion.'

[yoshyushi]

20231101 Global People

Yu Shi: It's more important who you are

Yu Shi - born 1996 in Liaoning, Lingyuan. Entered showbiz through his performance as Ji Fa in 《封神三部曲 Creation of the Gods Trilogy》 in 2019. In 2023, movies starring him 《长空之王 Born to Fly》 《封神第一部 Creation of the Gods I》 premiered consecutively, where the latter won 9 nominations in the 36th Golden Rooster Awards.

19th October 2023, Yu Shi was interviewed by this magazine's reporter in Shuzhou.

In a coffee shop in Suzhou, Yu Shi arrives on time wearing a refreshing boyish smile. He greets the 《环球人物 Global People》 reporter, shakes his hand and puts on a Tang dynasty style top, folds his sleeves in a clean action, a smear of green is revealed, incidentally contrasting with the red backdrop behind him.

He sits on a chair, catches a glimpse of a guitar and strums on it while the crew sets up the lights. When he was eighteen, he who was passionate about music would learn and play to the songs he likes. But he never plays by the available sheet music - spontaneity is what he finds interesting about the arts.

"Is this guitar already tuned? It's tuned quite perfectly. I'll play with it again in a while," he sets down the guitar and the interview began.

Time retraces to the "First May release*", that was when many audiences' came to know Yu Shi. 《长空之王 Born to Fly》 was not his first movie but was his first movie to be screened. At that time, compared to the leading actors, Yu Shi was still "invisible".

(*T/N: the Chinese cinema have 3 key peak periods for movie releases that coincides with long national holidays and thus likely to garner higher box office sales: the Lunar New Year, First May labor/workers' day, Mid-Autumn Festival)

Two months later, his maiden movie made a belated arrival. During the 2023 scheduled release, 《封神第一部 Creation of the Gods I》 acclaims and box office sales went against the tide, even the "Zhi Zi Tuan*" became popular- great physiques, bright, testosterone oozing. Some have even commented that 《封神第一部 Creation of the Gods I》 had transformed the male standards in Chinese entertainment.

(*T/N: literally 'Hostage-son team', reference to the vassal state rulers who were forced to offer their sons as diplomatic hostages under the guise of serving the king in 《封神第一部 Creation of the Gods I》)

And thus, like a mainspring, life accelerated at neck breaking speed. Since the roadshow for 《封神第一部 Creation of the Gods I》 , Yu Shi nearly hasn't had a day of rest. No matter where he went, "fans" would gather. He says his most often spoken words now are "thank you" and "pay attention to safety". He persists in gym, there's always a gym equipment in his room. "If I end work late, I must train for a bit the next day before going for a swim."

In the face of sudden immense popularity, Yu Shi is relatively calm, as opposed to his parents who are worried. Each time before he ends his call, he must say "I will" to three things: "I will not be proud nor anxious, I will not forget my original intention, I will abide by the rules."

"They are worried I might become arrogant, but I will always assure them, I've grown up in these past years, I'm very clear about the person I wish to become, I won't lose myself because of these results."

The rebellious teen, the artistic youth

Speaking of his parents, Yu Shi spent 20 minutes speaking about his family: his mother had a gift for sports, his father a restrained cultured man, both exceptional aspects converged onto Yu Shi.

"My mother was amazing at running when she was young," Yu Shi said. "The provincial team had originally roped her in, but the elders in the family did not allow it." As for his father, Yu Shi used a single word to describe him, "poetic". His impression was that his father would always have a lamp lit in the study, "writing. His handwriting is really beautiful." There was a time his father was enamored with Xinjiang literature, and often talked about Liu Liang Cheng and Li Juan (T/N: Xinjiang authors) to Yu Shi. "At that time I was young and wasn't interested." After he grew older, Yu Shi opened up his father's bookshelf and gradually came to understand how wonderful these words were.

Such is the miracle of opportunity- at the end of last year (2022), Yu Shi received a script, and that was adapted from Li Juan's novel 《我的阿勒泰 My Altay》. He filmed the drama from March to May.

Yu Shi is similar to his mother, he displayed great abilities in sports from a young age, and is inherently rebellious. He was more daring than the others. When little, he was "the first in class" in all sorts of things, when he grew older, he left his hometown at age 13 to the city for provincial basketball. Just like how the elders had objected to his mother's entry into the provincial team, his father had also objected to Yu Shi learning sports. He first arranged for Yu Shi to join a summer camp, to overwhelm him. If he didn't do well he had to return home. "He wanted me to admit defeat this way." Unexpectedly, Yu Shi persisted for 5 years, from summer camp to youth training camp and became a second league national athlete, waking up at five thirty in the morning every day, with only half a day off each week where he could leave the training facility and could only go home once a year.

Yu Shi is also similar to his father, artistic on the inside. When he was young he liked watching Bruce Lee and Jet Li's movies, he loved re-enacting scenes from Hong Kong action movies. Besides basketball, his other passion is music, he listens to Zhou Yunpeng and Wan Xiaoli (T/N: folk musicians), learnt the guitar on his own, writing songs; he also liked reading and watching all sorts of books and videos, taking a delight in literature to general sciences, thinking that when it comes a time that these knowledge would come in handy if he has to perform any unique characters. Having filmed 《封神三部曲 Creation of the Gods Trilogy》, he fell in love with traditional culture from learning horseback riding and picked up 2 years' worth of mounted archery training and got himself shortlisted in the Asia region playoffs of the Archery World Cup. His habit now is to document and journal on his phone, but he would still do his serious writings and inspirations on pen and paper, like his father.

"When I was little shy of 20 years old I really liked music, and I got to know some people working in the music industry. And slowly people were telling me, why don't you try acting? That was when the thought was seeded in my mind," at that time, performing to Yu Shi was firstly, an interest that had yet to be uncovered and secondly, a potential means to make a living.

Starting from auditions, sets and sets of his profile and photographs were delivered. He went around to various sets and studios. The question he most often got was "are you a trained performer?" "No I'm not." And then, like a rock sinking to the bottom of the ocean.

With repeated dead ends, Yu Shi had also considered if he should just forget all about it, but he felt indignant. "It seems like everyone is particularly concerned with where I was trained in performing. Is it really not possible for someone to not have training?"

Finally, there was an opportunity for audition, it was a sports advertisement. "I felt it was pretty ok for my first time on camera." After the advertisement was broadcasted, 《封神三部曲 Creation of the Gods Trilogy》 production chanced upon it and invited him to enter their training camp. "They said they'll provide free acting training and courses, that really attracted me."

A list of 15,000 names, Yu Shi become 1 of 1400 who entered the auditions. The first round of auditions was to record a monologue in front of the camera, the content was a boy justifying his playfulness to his mother, making up an entire wondrous story. "Mom! I saw a spotted deer on the west side of Mount Yanting, I'll tell you, it was magical! Do you know that all of a sudden, it grew wings! I've never seen such a thing before, so I followed it and ran further and further away..." the lines were impromptu by Yu Shi, and after he was done he felt "really good", as if he had discovered a new world, "and this was the first time someone allowed me to speak (to have lines)".

2nd January 2018, after three rounds of auditions, Yu Shi became one of the 30 "backups" in the actors' training camp 《封神三部曲 Creation of the Gods Trilogy》, and thus the wheels of fate started to turn.

Metamorphosis in the training camp

《封神三部曲 Creation of the Gods Trilogy》 is touted as the most successful "star production factory" in recent years. Not only did the movie re-propelled Kris Phillips (Fei Xiang) and other veteran actors, it also brought attention to many unknown actors. To a rookie actor, the 24-week camp was a grueling training from inside out.

"Creation of the Gods boot camp" had two secrets to its success: all-roundedness and suffering.

All-roundedness refers to the coverage of the course. The training arrangement for Yu Shi and the rest were largely as follows: a day off a week, seven in the morning till nine at night, every day there was at least 12 hours of closed-door courses: besides performing lessons, they had to learn "li (etiquette), yue (music), she (shooting), yu (riding), shu (books), shu (calculation)", the six arts of a gentleman as foundation through wushu (T/N: martial arts), horse riding, archery, body building, drums, zither and other training. The cultural training was equally important, on history pre-unification, etiquette, oracle bone script (T/N: ancient form of Chinese writing), archeology, movie appreciation and analysis all in cycles. Every Saturday the actors have to put up an interim performance, to display the results of the training.

Suffering refers to the difficulty of the training. "I was an athlete and I almost couldn't endure through it. For example exercise lessons, the entire lesson was training just a single movement, or we had to be in horse stance* for half an hour." Another example was horseback riding. Besides basic knowledge and mounting training, there's great amounts of strength training. The actors were brought to Zhangjiakou Fengning to undergo field training on the plains, riding on the horses continuously for 60 kilometers. They even had to take care of the horses themselves in order to build close relationships with their horses through spending time with them.

(*T/N: a foundational position in wushu that involves holding at a half squat position)

Yu Shi named his horse "Olympics". There's a fruit tree at the ranch and he would pluck fruits for his horse every day. Since then, when ever Yu Shi got onto its back, "Olympics" would turn unusually quiet and very cooperative.

"At that time the expectations I had of myself during training was if they ever put me in a battlefield, I would really be able to fight with a bow and arrow." In the movie, the scene of Yu Shi letting go of the reins, turning and shooting astounded people. Having to wear 40 jin (T/N: approximately 20 kilograms) worth of armor and complete the action while riding on a horse running at full speed requires training every day until it becomes muscle memory.

Cultural and arts lessons were like walking on thin ice. "First, it was my original desire to learn, second it was that the teacher would always say "于是" (T/N: meaning "and so..." which has the same pronunciation as Yu Shi), whenever I hear that there's an anxiety of being called upon, I'll keep my guard on at all times."

The ranking of the interim performances for each of the subjects was never announced, the actors were also unaware of their actual standing. It was only until this year's roadshow that the martial arts director secretly told Yu Shi that he was ranked first in every subject in the training camp.

A first place did not guarantee that the role was his, but what set Yu Shi apart was the deep harmony he had with the character. When the training camp was almost over, the director arranged for everyone to talk about their past experiences, and that was when Yu Shi and Ji Fa (T/N: his character in 《封神 Creation of the Gods》) started to connect. In the movie, Ji Fa resisted the path his father had planned for him, so he played his cards and went to Chao Ge to become a hostage-son. In reality, Yu Shi also went against his family's wishes to become a basketball athlete. In the director's eyes, Yu Shi and Ji Fa shared similarities as idealists with youthful righteousness.

Half a month before filming commenced, Yu Shi was arranged for a costume fitting, and that was when he realized he was chosen for the role of Ji Fa. He wrote an extremely long backstory for his role. "The prelude was written in great details, right from when he was born. I wrote about Ji Fa's dreams, for example how my father bestowed me with a sword, which was used by Yin Shou. He worshiped Yin Shou deeply since, and then I wrote about the reason and his emotional journey going to Chao Ge..."

He showed these writings to the director and received a "pretty good" comment. "Just like how newbies at work receiving recognition from their bosses, I discovered I was able to do this well and felt really happy."

Act and film well, the rest are a bonus

At the end of August 2018, filming for 《封神三部曲 Creation of the Gods Trilogy》 commenced. Yu Shi's first scene was Ji Fa riding on his horse as he rushed back to Xiqi. At that time Ji Fa was exhausted, so it required the actor to grasp his actions and strength, yet to appear fatigued. "I couldn't use my legs to control the direction nor was I able to look forwards, I lost my sense of direction."

The scene was shot at the break of day, the most suitable timing each day was only 5 minutes. Due to these 5 minutes, the production crew filmed in Xinjiang for 5 days, Yu Shi had to get his make up done, prepare, and arrive at the top of the hill to stand by four to five hours in advance. When the first ray of light stuck the fields, the director's command would come through from the receiver in his boots, "Three, two, one, action!"

These words were like a magic spell, it makes Yu Shi forget about the filming set, forget about the equipment, forget himself, to relax and relax again, to get into the role and immerse in it. In that moment, he felt he had truly become Ji Fa- a boy who's about to become a man, a future king who's ideals have gradually awakened.

Thinking back on the year from the time of training camp to when filming wrapped up, Yu Shi confesses that the greatest takeaway has been finding the way of being an actor. "How to find my overall objective after receiving the role, how do I set my own sub-objectives in each scene, how to evoke his tone through the core mentality of the role, actions and other aspects that aligns with the character, and how to work with the entire team to present the best results."

These devices still influence Yu Shi's performance today. From 《长空之王 Born to Fly》 to 《我的阿勒泰 My Altay》 and also to 《欢迎来到我身边 Welcome to my Side》, he has followed through with it, relentlessly incorporating his personal perceptions.

"After getting famous, there are many people who are paying attention to your next role, does this create pressure in your performance?" the reporter asks.

"Actually, it really doesn't. I know that as an actor, shaping a character well will receive more attention, I won't forget my core work because of the attention. To perform and film well, to shape my character well, everything else is a bonus."

He's also awed at the wonders of fate. 3 years after 《封神三部曲 Creation of the Gods Trilogy》 wrapped up filming, he learnt horse back riding and read for enrichment and did work related to traditional culture. This was a process of dispelling his anxiety and was also a period of letting his emotions settle. He believed that all these preparations would come to good use one day.

"If it had premiered quickly back then, I may not have been able to cope with my situation now." 3 years of waiting was what his parents were referring to when they reminded him not to be proud nor anxious and to find his original intentions.

"I'm someone who's pretty good at psyching myself up. I'm not the kind to mull over things too much. The worries people have usually stem from comparison with others. At that time I was envious of people who could take on projects, but I knew instead of envy, I should be confident," Yu Shi says. "To improve isn't to compete with others but to be better than who I originally was."

Before 《封神第一部 Creation of the Gods I》 premiered, Yu Shi was filming 《我的阿勒泰 My Altay》 in Xinjiang, and played a Kazakh youth. He interacted often with the local nomads, got along with them, Kazakh language. Every sunset as the shepherds guide their flocks home, he would come forth to help. The evening skies of Xinjiang are almost like oil paintings, cows and sheep on the moving grass as the wind blows, time seems to stretch and he had more time and space to reflect on things on his own.

He recalled what Ji Chang (T/N: father of Ji Fa) told Ji Fa in 《封神第一部 Creation of the Gods I》 "It matters not whose son you are, more importantly it is who you are." This was a line that he loved the most, it had overwhelmed him when he filmed this scene with Li Xuejian (T/N: actor for Ji Chang).

"Life is long and yet is short," Yu Shi tells the reporter. "So we have to know who we are, who we want to become, to do our best in every task, not leave any regrets."

[yougainedlove]

Oooh! What headcanons do you have for Horrortale Grillby (or Horrortale in general)? :D

I LOVE HIM SO MUCH………….

I made up my own nickname for him since I couldn’t find a common fandom one, so if anyone wants to use it in their works, feel free to! :D

This is kinda long bc just like Mettafell, I have many thoughts and feelings about this melty boy

-

HorrortaleGrillby/Charby

The lack of magic that’s led to him slowly burning alive also means that it’s very difficult for him to touch others/others to touch him without being burned. He has a little bit of magic left and uses it to try and mitigate those effects; especially for very close friends and lovers, he doesn’t want them to be hurt. So if you touch him and come away with only a small burn, it means you’re very special to him, because otherwise he wouldn’t expend the energy to keep someone from having their flesh literally cooked by his flames. (There are ways to get past this, though given that most of those ways involve magic, they’re few and far between. His S/O is either going to have to be a person who can handle not having a lot of physical affection… or have the patience of a saint.)

He doesn’t speak often for good reason: it’s just too painful. His face is practically frozen in agony by this point, and he’s been holding that expression for so long now that any change in it hurts, on the same level as, say, popping a dislocated shoulder back into place. Instead he opts to just make moaning noises. Those who hang around him for long enough learn to decipher what they mean, though his actions typically speak for themselves.

However, if he has something very important to say, he will brave the pain of speaking. It’s frequently accompanied by ash and soot staining his lips, and his voice sounds absolutely destroyed, but that’s beside the point. This is almost exclusively reserved for tender moments when he manages to whisper, “I love you.” to his S/O.

He is weak, weak, weak. He has enough strength to cook whatever his customers can bring him, and that’s about it. Charby was alive during the war, fought in it, so it goes without saying that he’s closer to the grave than the cradle. Slowly starving to death has only made him more fragile. He could manage to overpower, say, a child, or someone weaker than he is… but if he had to actually fight? Oh, he’d be toast. Any battle other than a brief skirmish type thing would end with him dead.

Absolutely adores music. Before the famine, he used to have a jukebox in his restaurant. Most of the music was old but easy listening. Within the first year or two when the Underground began to run out of food and magic, along with the windows, the jukebox got broken too, and he misses it terribly. To have the air filled with music is something he longs for even though it’s a pipe dream. If his S/O likes to sing, someone who sings often around him… ah, God. That’s be the best thing he could ask for. When he hears music, you can just see his eyes brighten as if he’s remembering an old friend. If he ever regains magic to the point where he can effortlessly touch people without hurting them, the first thing he’s going to do is dance with his S/O ― “It’s Been a Long, Long Time” playing on a loop in the background.

If monsters finally make it to the surface, it’s going to be a huge adjustment. And yet… he’s more excited than anything. Look at all these options for things that he can cook! He would be able to feel creative again, and it would make him happy in a way that nothing during the famine ever could have.

He also serves drinks despite most of them having no magic and therefore exactly zero nourishment. As it turns out, alcohol is a surprisingly potent (if not exactly long-term effective) way to numb the pain of slowly starving to death. He’ll indulge in it from time to time too, and it’s become a habit to do it even when monsters get to the surface.

[sally-mun]

Ever met a celebrity or anybody famous? The most famous person I've met was a former pro boxer, by the name of Ray 'Boom-Boom' Mancini at a charity dinner at the banquet center I worked at 4 years ago. Nicest man you'd ever meet and he even sent me a signed autograph picture in the mail. I'm a Star Trek fan and I'd love to meet the cast of TNG, but autographs and conventions are so expensive. Of course there's the chance you could catch one of them on a bad day and get the brunt of it

If we’re including conventions, then yeah I’ve met several famous people before. I’ve met and gotten autographs and/or selfies from voice actors and screen actors, and I’ve occasionally met some artists too! Outside of that, though, I can’t really say I have. Even my best and most extensive meeting was still at a convention. You could even argue that Mario Marathon was kind of a convention in a sense, albeit a super limited one!

I wasn’t sure if I should include a list or not, so as a compromise I’m going to do so below a cut!

Voice Actors:

Sonny Strait (voice of Krillin) -- Got to spend basically an entire day with him! Unexpectedly encountered him at a convention waaaay way back in the day and he just kind of adopted me and the other handful of fans that were hanging around. He gave us all free DBZ CCG t-shirts, let us sit in the DBZ hummer, and signed anything we put in front of him!

Christopher Sabat (voice of Vegeta) -- I brought him a set of cookies made to look like dragon balls, and brought my favorite Vegeta card that I’d been saving for something like 17 years or so on the off-chance I could ever get it signed. He was so moved and impressed that he gave me two other autographs for free~

Todd Haberkorn (voice of Jaco) -- This was the same convention where I got to meet Chris Sabat, and I also brought him a box of cookies. He was so excited that he dug into them right then and there, and then when signing my card he even wrote “Thanks for the galactic cookies!”

Chuck Huber (voice of Android 17/Hiei) -- I’ve gotten autographs from him a couple of times for different characters. One of the items I got signed was one of the original Hiei action figures back when Yu Yu Hakusho first debuted in the US. He was impressed that I had it at all, let alone that it was in the box. (Amusingly, the only reason I did was because I had one previous to it that was out of the box on display and whose sword had broken. I got a new one intending to replace it, but just never opened it.)

Chris Rager (voice of Mr. Satan) -- SUCH a nice guy! We had a nice little chat and I offered him some dragon ball cookies I’d been handing out that day. He signed my trading card and took a selfie with me! I caught him at a panel where he told some absolutely amazing behind-the-scenes stories that I still tell to other people to this day.

Chris Cason (voice of Tien) -- Not much to say about this encounter, I didn’t get to say much more than a hello and thank you before he had to go. I’d missed the official signing session and just happened to catch him after a panel.

Team Four Star -- I catch these guys every opportunity I can manage, and every time I bring them some DBZ-themed treat. I refer to myself as “Snack Girl” when I come to get autographs, and at my last encounter Lanipator mentioned that I looked familiar when I came to the table, so I guess I’m making an impact! I have several stories concerning these guys, way too many to list here.

Little Kuriboh (YGOA voice of Merik, DBZA voice of Freeza) -- Amusingly I met him the time I was at a convention in my Piccolo costume, and that ended up being a whole conversation by itself. It then immediately turned into a conversation about Fallout because someone had brought him some New Vegas playing cards, lol. He was enamored with the trading card I had brought him to sign, and we had a discussion about a fund raiser he’d hosted to raise money for disaster relief where I’d won one of the auctions he’d held.

Kevin Conroy (voice of Batman) -- I found out very late that he was going to be in town, like maybe a week or two before, and dropped EVERYTHING to be able to meet him. When I was in line for an autograph I was so worked up that I kept getting light headed and having heart palpitations. By the time I actually made it to the table I was so starstruck that I could barely say anything. I’m pretty sure I said “I can’t believe you’re here” (??? wtf past-me) and something about him being so talented. He thanked me and didn’t really say much. I had also paid for a photo with him, and in the photo you can see my hand gripping the side of my leg REALLY tightly because I had a very strong instinct to hug him and I WAS NOT ABOUT TO BE THAT FANGIRL.

Charles Martinet (voice of most of the Mario cast) -- Holy shit, this man is playful! He was an absolute delight to talk to, and even just to watch with other people while I was in line. He was very open to whatever sorts of fan requests each person had and was just so warm and gracious with each person that came up. I mostly just wanted to shake his hand and tell him that Mario games basically set me up for the person I grew up to be today. The thing that amused me the most is that if you had him autograph one of the prints at the table, which had all the Mario characters on it, he’d do the voices of each character while doodling little word balloons for them~

Screen Actors:

John Barrowman (Captain Jack Harkness in Doctor Who/Torchwood) -- This was one of the first times I’d gone to a convention specifically to meet an actor. He was a lot of fun and did his best to be chatty, but his handlers were kind of hurrying people along. He was especially tickled by my name (I guess he doesn’t sign too many autographs made out to “Leda”), and he even signed a second item that we happened to have for free!

Cary Elwes (Wesley in The Princess Bride, among other things) -- This was another one of those moments where the weight of just WHO I was meeting got to me and I completely lost my voice. I think I said something about having grown up watching Princess Bride ever since I was a little kid?? I honestly don’t remember what I said, it’s kind of a blur. All I know is that I was so struck by the moment that I didn’t even remember to say that I also love him in the Saw movies.

Billy Boyd (Pippin in Lord of the Rings) -- Not a lot I can say about this one because it was a very fast-paced, conveyor belt sort of affair. We exchanged greetings and he thanked us very much for coming out to see him, and we all agreed that Pippin is totes the best hobbit.

Robin Lord Taylor (Penguin in Gotham) -- One of my favorite interactions meeting a celebrity, for sure! He was actually really interested in knowing about -me-, which completely threw me off-guard. He wanted to know where I was from and what I did for a living, and when I said I was a manager at Spencer’s he got really excited and squeaked “I LOVE Spencer’s!” While he was signing my doll I explained that Penguin is by far my family’s favorite character in Gotham and that we had a joke where, anytime the show switches back to him, we say “Meanwhile, with the REAL main character...” He got a big kick out of that~

Khary Payton (King Ezekiel in The Walking Dead) -- So I don’t watch a huge amount of Walking Dead, but I watch enough that I wanted to come along when my mom went to go get an autograph from him for my brother. He’s definitely the friendliest celebrity I’ve encountered -- so much so that he wouldn’t stay behind the table! He spent the entire time in FRONT of the table so he could hug every single person that came to see him! It was a nice strong hug, too, and he was just so welcoming and pleasant. I told him that, if I had to choose one of the communities in The Walking Dead, I’d absolutely choose The Kingdom. He threw his hands up to his sides and said dramatically, “You will always have a place in my kingdom!”

Penn & Teller -- This year my mom took me on a surprise trip to Las Vegas, and while we were there we got to see Penn & Teller perform, which has always been a dream of mine! After the show they came out into the lobby and they did autographs and selfies with anyone that wanted one, and I got to meet them each. It was a little disarming hearing Teller talk, and Penn was as funny as ever because he’d loudly comment whenever someone’s phone wasn’t working. During this trip I also had my Boris plushie as my “traveling doll” and asked if they’d take pictures with him as well, which they both obliged. Teller seemed particularly amused by Boris.

James Rolfe (the Angry Video Game Nerd) -- So I actually have kind of a long history with him, which originated with me contacting the show to donate a fairly odd peripheral accessory. I given a green light and provided an address, and since I was going to be mailing him anyway, I basically just got a big box and threw in any video game related stuff that I didn’t want anymore and didn’t feel like putting the effort into selling. It ended up being a HUGE box, so much so that I included an inventory list to make sure he didn’t accidentally throw something away. To my surprise he actually mailed me back an autographed AVGN print thanking me for the donations! I thought that’d be the end of it, but he’s actually since featured that peripheral several times on the show, and even included an Easter egg that I asked for twice! This year I got to meet him at Too Many Games and introduced myself as the one that sent the item in. He mentioned that they had a lot of fun messing with it.

Mario Marathon team -- I’m known as one of the regulars since I’ve been around since the first year, and a couple of years ago I was actually invited to the marathon itself as a player! It’s definitely one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and I only wish I could do it all over again! Everyone was just... wonderful~ I was there for several days so there’s obviously way too many stories to tell, but at least in this case you can always go watch the videos on Twitch.

Artists:

Steven Butler -- This was particularly amusing because I was the one that caught him by surprise. I happened to be making my way through the Artist Alley when I realized he was there, and since no one was at the table at the time I went over to talk to him. We had an awesomely long chat about his work (I was going through a sample book on the table) and his time drawing for the Sonic comics. He tried to bring it up as a talking point, and I told him “I know, I own some of your pages!” which REALLY threw him for a loop! He showed me some art for a new Sonic-style story he’s been working on, and I completely fell in love with a character that was clearly inspired by Sally (and I’m not just assuming, he confirmed as much). I then started talking about @fini-mun and how it’s only a shame he couldn’t meet Deebs too, and was talking about Deebs’ history with art and almost getting recruited to be in the Archie art stable as well and how they now do art streams. He was particularly interested in the streams, and I was like “Oh yeah, that’s actually why they aren’t here now, they have a stream today!” so he gave me a free print to pass along to Deebs as a show of interest and support!

Veronica Vera (from the Not Enough Rings comic) -- This was another chance encounter in Artist Alley. I was just kind of poking around to see everyone’s work, and I realized I recognized the comic she was selling. I commented that I loved that comic, and she said she was selling hardcover copies of the entire series. I love the comic and I wanted to show my support, so I bought a book and she signed the inside cover! Unfortunately Oliver Bareham wasn’t there at the time, so no autograph from him. Maybe one day if I’m incredibly lucky, I suppose.

Rich Koslowski -- This was at one of my very first conventions ever. He was an inker of the Sonic comics at the time, and I was only.... 12, I think? I mostly was just excited to be meeting someone that works on Sonic stuff, and I can’t remember much about the encounter aside from just babbling about liking Sonic. I remember him being very kind.

And unfortunately... Ken Penders --  This was at the same convention I just mentioned with Koslowski. As stated above I was only 12, and I was just excited to meet someone who works on Sonic stuff. I believe I was there because of a post on Archie’s Sonic website. Anyway what strikes me as the most surprising about this encounter is how -normal- it all was, at least as far as I remember it. I’ve heard some horror stories of Penders being horrible to fans at conventions, but at least way back at this time (like 1997 or so), he was passing for a normal human. He didn’t say anything mean to me (that I noticed), and he actually gave me some free Sonic loot, which I can’t imagine him ever doing nowadays. I still have the comic book he signed, and I legit consider burning it on a regular basis.

OKAY this ended up way longer that I thought it would. I think even -I- forgot how many people I’ve met before. If I think of anyone else I’ll add it to the list later!