#It also works in a symbolic way I think. Mr. Xiao as one of the last remnants of that period that is lost to tales

[fragmentedblade]

I'm honestly obsessed with Mr. Xiao. He may be my favourite (very) tertiary character ever. I love everything he adds just by being how he is in the context of the worldbuilding and sidequests of the Xianzhou. Arguably something similar happens with master Huaiyan

[chalkrevelations]

Huh.

Well, this is not the next episode reaction you were expecting, but a while back, in the middle of the night, while I was ready to cry from working on a pharmacology paper, out of nowhere, Youtube threw up Street Dance of China S3 Ep1 at me. And yeah. I am, admittedly, f’kn weak for a dance show. (There are enough SYTYCD episode reax on my old Livejournal that I feel there’s no point denying this.)

So – no, actually, wait. FIRST of all, I do NOT believe the “towel vote” we ended up being given for the opening routines from the four captains. That was the most blatant bit of bullshit chicanery I’ve seen in my LIFE, and I say this as a person with a ton of SYTYCD episode reax on my old Livejournal, and I also say this not because Wang Yibo ended up last (well, not entirely), but because I saw Wallace Chung’s routine. As someone closer in age to him than to the other three captains, I have to give him props for trying, but come on, man. The critique that Yibo got from random contestants – if the subtitles are to be believed, so I realize this needs a grain of salt - basically boiled down to “it was too good for the stage lighting.” :hands: Also, I saw your face at the reveal, Wallace, and you were as shocked as I was. No way you got more towels/votes than Wang Yibo. Not unless there’s some super wild undercurrent of nostalgia propping you up, which, I guess could happen, because literally all I know about pop culture in China, current or otherwise, is filtered through Tumblr and Youtube, both notoriously suspect, but … anyway. There’s got to be a TON of behind-the-scenes manipulation going on for Yibo to be rock-bottom with last pick of teams but then also to end up with THAT pool of possibles. Are you kidding me with this?

ANYWAY, what I wanted to say is that I actually really like Wang Yibo here, and it’s not just because he’s the only captain I have even a sliver of familiarity with, and it’s not just because Lan Wangji was banging Wei Wuxian. I do realize all of this is influenced by whatever edit they’ve decided to give a particular captain or contestant, but I’m impressed with the way Yibo immediately starts team building by getting his group into a warmup, getting them dancing together, getting them dancing with him before they have to worry about dancing for him. (I mean, come on, Jackson Wang. The way to get people to stop being nervous is not to say “Stop being nervous! It will make you fuck up!”) The way Yibo immediately recognized and responded to his group’s concerns about that one dude copying someone else’s routine probably also bought him a lot of return investment. He’s dressed to work it, in his sweats and his flannel (what IS that fake-leather TAC vest and random leg holster-looking thing, Jackson Wang?). He’s convincing me he really loves to dance, he can’t hold still while he watches the contestants, he’s wandering over into other captains’ turf when it sounds like there’s a dancer performing who he might like to see, he’s being the best Yibo he can be, and I’m grooving along, wind in my hair, totally down for this ride. He’s also adorable at the beginning when all the other captains are like, my goal for this season is to slaughter the competition and dance on their graves! And he’s like, well, I’d like to … make some friends? And learn some new stuff? I don’t know if the perpetual Humble Student schtick is natural or persona, or whether it’s general or specific to dancing, but it’s working for you, my dude. This is also made better (read: ironic), by the fact that it’s immediately before the towel reveal, when he flips over to utter disbelief and gets all sulky for a while over the “fact” that his dance routine got the least votes.

Also, OH WAIT. This is where that clip of Yibo dancing with his crew ALL OVER HIM came from that I saw floating around a few months ago, isn’t it? You’re telling me those guys had never danced together before and had like, three minutes to throw together that routine? I’m even more impressed than before. Meanwhile, the towels symbolize courage and challenge, Mr. Emcee? OK, fine, cheesy reality show blah blah whatever. Can we get to the dancing now?

I’m going to put the rest of this behind a cut, because it got super long, because it turns out, when you watch in 5-minute increments, it takes two and a half weeks to get through a single episode, but you actually can see and have opinions on all 5,328 contestants, plus every single one of the captains’ battles. Meanwhile, I’m trying to convince myself this is not going to be another series of episode reactions, but 1) I do have the benefit of not having a ton of hometown media giving me a next-day play-by-play, so even though this is six months old, everything’s a surprise; 2) I am, admittedly, f’kn weak for a dance show; and 3) it’s easy to watch in 5-minute increments between researching drug interactions in hypothetical hypertensive patients with stable ischemic heart disease, erectile dysfunction, and seasonal allergies. So, I guess we’ll see. It’ll be slow going, though, because I don’t ever have two and half hours to sit down and watch an ep cover-to-cover – if it happens, it will likely keep happening in 5-minute increments. Meanwhile, there is a metric shit-ton of nattering below the cut, so caveat lector. No, seriously, I kept adding to this little by little until it became a monster. Hashtag long post (remorseful).

OK, I am generally out of my depth here, as this is not at all my area of dance not-really-expertise, but some reactions:

Team Wang Yibo: I can see why he didn’t want to choose between Colin and Dian Men – Colin might have been a touch better technically and a better showman, but Dian Men didn’t seem to have a single wasted move – but, also, my dude. Yibo. You maybe should look a little bit less stunned and overwhelmed by the mere presence of Colin, it’s giving me ideas about your taste in men. Continuing with the powerhouses, I probably shouldn’t even attempt to critique Klash, but I did feel like he was a bit stiff in some of his footwork; that final V kick, though, shit, that’s what having that kind of upper-body strength is for. Bouboo … I mean, excellent flexibility and control, of course, but mainly I’m just terribly amused that Yibo got last pick of teams but somehow ended up with the guy who’s literal world champion, and who’s just as useful for getting into the other captains’ heads – without even trying – as he is for his talent. And then there’s a montage of Yibo giving out towel after towel after towel, and my dude, you cannot keep up this pace. There are still too many dancers to see, and you don’t have that many towels. AAANNNND Towel Battle #1 (See Footnote 1).

Team Jackson Wang: I do like Gai Gai, although that may be influenced by the fact she’s working in the twilight area between hip-hop and contemporary that I have more familiarity with - but also, I suspect she’s pretty good in her genre. I thought Xiao Jie was inconsistent and didn’t stick the landing on his initial attempt, so I have to give you that hesitation, Jackson, even though you’ve somehow ended up the villain in my inner narrative for this show, for no particular reason I can yet discern. Maybe it’s that you’re the direct competition for Yibo’s team in the towel battles. Good enough. Anyway, Xiao Jie definitely stepped up his game for the battle with Bingo, so I can kind of see why both of them got a towel, but we’re not even halfway through this, and most of y’all are giving away towels like you have an endless supply. Yang Kai is a fucking menace with fantastic musicality, and I’m just gonna say it and take the fallout - I think he gave a better performance first time out of the gate than any of Yibo’s powerhouses did. Whatever power Klash has got, whatever skill Bouboo has got, Yang Kai feels more explosive and engaging, at least in these initial showings. He’s going to be one to beat, I’d hug him too, if he was on my team and was going to help me WIN. Yibo’s probably lucky that happened during his little stroll over to check out the competition, so that he can see they’re definitely competitive and be prepared for it. Also, Jackson, I have to admit - that face you made when Chao really kicked in? That was the same face I made, because wt actual f, you have a literal secret weapon – secret because he CAME FROM NOWHERE and NO ONE EVEN KNOWS him, how is that even possible, how did he get that good – fluid, creative, controlled, incredible musicality - without anyone having any idea who he even is? And then there’s a montage of Jackson just giving out towel after towel after towel, and my dude, you need to slow down. You can’t just be like, “THEY LOVE DANCE WITH ALL OF THEIR WHOLE HEARTS!!!!1111!!!!11!” I get it, but everyone there loves dance with all of their whole hearts, and there are not enough towels to send all of them on to the next round. ANNNND, Towel Battle #1 (See Footnote 1).

Team Lay Zhang: lol at how diplomatic you’re being, Lay Zhang – your team’s fierce roar startled you, OK. At this point, I suspect you’re the street most likely to have a knife fight break out before this is all over. I do like Alex, I think he’s got a lot of interesting, super-clean details in his moves, and he’s engaging - I cannot BELIEVE you made him battle that dude whose moves were so mushy, Lay Zhang, it leaves me doubting your ability to judge this thing. At first I thought maybe you were just looking for an excuse because you wanted to see Alex freestyle, but then you actually said something about both dancers being equal, and my estimation of you plummeted, and also sadly, my sound dropped out for the actual battle, including the part where the clearly inferior dancer fell over and then accidentally POPPED ALEX ONE IN THE EYE, and I TOLD YOU SO. I do agree it’s a good idea to make dancers in the same genre do some battling, so you can kind of plan out your towels and put together a team with broad strengths, instead of giving out towels like you’re making it rain for the first 20 contestants, and then you have 1,375 more people to get through, with 3 towels left, as EVERYONE ELSE seems to be doing, so it’s nice that at least one of you guys is thinking – if not actually acting - strategically. That was clearly not even a contest, though, GIVE ALEX HIS TOWEL and send him to the next round. Xiao Bao is hilarious, with his concern that his team captain, who’s into krump, which is “beating,” isn’t going to appreciate his waacking, which is “slapping.” I also don’t know a whole lot about waacking, so thanks for the primer, Xiao Bao, and don’t worry, your performance is just as engaging for those of us who don’t know what we’re watching as you are generally. You deserve that towel for your ability to interact with and engage your audience, alone. Lingo is a good solid performance, although he’s got his team captain strategizing edited over some of it, and here’s the thing: we are 1:56:00 into this, at this point, with another half hour to go, and all of you are starting to disappear into the sea of dancers who are very good at what you do, but at generally the same level? Anyway, Lingo, I approve of your ability to interact with your audience (read: your captain) to ensure engagement, too, so keep that up. Annnd, we actually haven’t seen that much of you guys, but it’s time for Towel Battle #2 (See Footnote 2).

Team Wallace Chung: I’m glad Su Lian Ya insisted on performing, I thought she started off slow but warmed up, and that ending was creepily fantastic and had me spontaneously grinning at the screen in delight. Then we lose sight of this group for a really long time, actually. We go back to find Wallace putting through a couple of urban dancers who we barely see, but who apparently claim to have some choreography experience, and he really likes that. TI shows up, and they’re solid, but honestly, not as good in this performance as they were in some of the stock footage the show threw up to introduce them, but Wallace remains super-excited about the idea of choreography and sends at least choreographer Zhang Jiang Peng through to the next round. And then, we really haven’t seen that much of you guys, either, which maybe doesn’t bode well, but it’s time for Towel Battle #2 (See Footnote 2).

FOOTNOTE 1, aka TOWEL BATTLE ONE, Team Yibo vs. Team Jackson, 3V3 freestyle: First of all, I have to say, I love Yibo - Mr. I Just Wanna Make Some Friends And Have Some Fun - being all, “I have three crappy white towels I’m stuck with for coming in last place that I can’t use to send dancers to the next round and that I DO NOT DESERVE, and I am getting BACK the colorful towels that ARE RIGHTFULLY MINE. I am coming for whoever is in my way.” Team Yibo is Bouboo, Klash, Dian Men, and OK, given what we’ve seen so far, that’s the safe choice, but honestly, I think we’re just taking some things for granted right now, and I’m not sure they actually have given the best performances so far. Yeah, I said it. Team Jackson is Yang Kai, Chao, and Xiao Jie, and … ok, on that last one, I think you probably could have substituted Bingo, but all right. Yang Kai is a definite yes. Chao will be great if he can stay out of his own head and not psych himself out, but given what we’ve seen so far, he’s an obvious pick. First round, Yang Kai vs. Klash, and Yang Kai is still a fucking menace, with super lines. Klash definitely stepped up his game for the battle, and I can’t get over the upper body strength he’s got, to get that kind of airy bounce in his moves, but to be honest, I can’t even be mad the first round went to Yang Kai and Team Jackson. Second round, Yang Kai is still … y’all, the beautiful lines from this guy in his poses, I can’t get over them, but I think he doesn’t have the stamina, his footwork is getting sloppy. Bouboo also steps up his game for an actual battle, his fluidity and control is amazing, and yeah, round to Team Yibo. Round three, Xiao Jie gives it a decent effort, but the polish isn’t there; meanwhile Bouboo is still in champion mode, and I was kind of surprised this was a split vote and went to another round. Xiao Jie absolutely surprised me, coming back stronger on his second try, although I suppose a more familiar genre helped, but Bouboo continues in champion mode. Round four, Chao looks like he’s going to throw up right before he steps out there, and then as soon as the music starts, it’s like, he doesn’t even think. The music just moves him. I feel like his dance vocabulary is more limited than Bouboo’s, though, and Bouboo’s flow is amazing at this point, so I feel like the judges just want to drag this out and see more dancing when we go to one more round. Strong effort all around, but yeah, round four and two towels to Team Yibo. I can’t really complain about that. I do feel like Yibo’s powerhouses have been holding back until now, though, and I’m not sure how I feel about THAT.

FOOTNOTE 2, aka TOWEL BATTLE TWO, Team Zhang vs. Team Wallace, 3V3 w/ captain: lol, Team Zhang really wants someone to pick the Sailor Moon song because they know Xiao Bao and his waacking will tear it up. Anyway, Team Zhang includes Lingo and Xiao Bao, who does not get his Sailor Moon song and continues to be hilarious in his disbelief about being chosen to participate in this battle, when he’s not looking almost as sick as Chao from Team Jackson before HIS performance. Team Wallace includes Su Lian Ya – and honestly, despite how I’m getting ready to bag on him for the entire rest of this battle recap, I like that Wallace put one of his female dancers up there for the battle - and some dude named Ba that they haven’t given us any footage of, up ‘til now, at least that I can remember and who I … don’t even know has been formally given a towel and sent on to the next round, yet? Oh wait, he must have, because there’s talk in the pause for choreography about somehow using the towels during the battle. Wallace relies on Su Lian Ya and Zhang Jiang Peng to choose Ba, and then Ba ends up choreographing a lot of the performance, at least from the edit we see. I continue to feel you may be in over your head, Wallace. This feeling … is not assuaged by your performance in the first round, which is fine, but not really up to the level of almost anyone whose name I’ve bolded so far in this entire recap. Also, using the towels was a cute idea, but it doesn’t translate well, and Team Wallace has a lot of wasted time throwing the towels around instead of actually. You know. Dancing. Lingo gets a credible solo during Team Zhang’s performance, and even though Xiao Bao is clearly lost during a good bit of his backup dancer duties, he manages not to throw up, which – given this team’s general skill level – should be enough to give them the first round, EXCEPT SOMEHOW Team Wallace gets the point from the judges, who then try to justify this inexplicable decision by saying Team Wallace had better interaction, I guess because of the hot mess with throwing the towels around, but adding that Team Zhang was more scattered, which what? More scattered than the hot mess with the towels? I’m not buying this. I can’t tell if they’re propping up Wallace or fucking with Lay Zhang’s head, but I’m having bad acid flashbacks to the many and varied ways dance show judges will try to gaslight you, telling you that things you just saw with your very own eyes did not actually happen when it’s right there! On camera! Visible, despite whatever edit bs you’re pulling! ANYWAY, they’re definitely managing to fuck with not only Lay Zhang’s head, but Xiao Bao’s, and Xiao Bao still doesn’t seem to have his choreography down, but they manage to pull it together enough to take the second round, which to be honest is kind of a muddled mess on everyone’s part. The only one who really stands out to me on this go’round is Su Lian Ya, but OK, Team Zhang might have had it slightly more together as a unit. And then, yeah, OK, I think they were fucking with Lay Zhang’s head, because we then find out that, holy shit, the song the show powers-that-be chose for the tie-breaking third round is that gd Sailor Moon song, and we can all see the writing on the wall. Poor Team Wallace is no match for Xiao Bao, who frankly, carries this entire round on his shoulders without breaking a sweat and barely needs any backup dancers to do it. There’s some ridiculously dramatic reveal of scoring, with the judges dragging out their decisions like this was any actual contest - I’m beginning to suspect that some of them grew up with Wallace Chung posters on their bedroom walls - but finally, round and towel to Team Zhang.

Cut to a little bit of Next Time On, and wow, the first two-and-a-half-hour episode is over, and we aren’t finished with the initial round yet. It’s gonna be Christmas before I make it halfway through this season.

[somucherry]

Show Recommendations Non-Thai BL:

A list of shows I’ve watched or am currently watching (Aka not including things I haven’t started yet) for @zouisalmightie 

China- The Untamed (50 Episodes, Netflix, Viki, WeTv):The series follows the adventures of two soulmate cultivators who travel to solve a series of mysteries that link to a tragic event in the past.  Plot heavy story, Lots of characters, due to Chinese censorship lots of homoerotic symbolism and subtext. The leads of the show sing the OST and it's beautiful, Wang Yibo and Xiao Zhan are both members of Idol groups. Korea- Where Your Eyes Linger (9 Episodes, Youtube, VikiPass): The series follows a chaebol and his friend/unofficial bodyguard. This is one of Korea's first forays into BL series. It's short, but has decent pacing and plot.  Mr. Heart (9 Episode, Youtube, VikiPass): The series follows two boys, one that is training/running a marathon, and the other who is his pacemaker (helps him stay in the same pace). It's short, sweet and to the point. I'm really fond of one of the boys because he was on Produce X 101. Philippines- Gameboys (13 Episodes, Youtube): First Bl Drama to come from the Philippines. Follows a live-stream gamer and his fan—who found each other online during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and the Luzon Island community quarantine. This one is a bit cheesy at first but does get better, it is however a little bit sad (TW. a death due the pandemic, not the leads.) A season 2 is in the works. Hello Stranger (8 Episodes, Youtube): Amidst the lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, two college boys cross paths for a school project. Jock/Nerd Trope/Hate to Love. I actually enjoyed this one more than Gameboys, but I'm in the minority I think. The leads have amazing chemistry (or kilig in Tagalog). A movie is in the works. 

In Between (14 Episodes, Youtube): The most important part in a relationship is not the hello or the goodbye but the In Between.  This is about the boys' love (BL) story of Taurus and Otep. Friends to Lovers Trope. While the show is mean’t to be about Taurus/Otep I actually fell in love with the sidestory of Ronin and Makisig more. And I was disappointed that in the end we didn’t get really much of anything for them (unless there’s a planned season 2 that I somehow missed knowing about.) 

My Day (11/14 Episodes, (Airing Currently), Youtube): A romantic comedy series about a young determined culinary intern named Sky making his way into a multi-billion-dollar food company and his boss Ace. Some of this show didn't really hit the mark ie. the writing was very lacking amongst other issues for me but I'm sticking it out because the leads have amazing chemistry and I'm glad I did because it has one of the best intimate scenes that has come from a show this year. (I'm still very much not over it) Quaranthings (7/8 Episodes, (Airing Currently), Youtube): follows the friendship of two boys, and the love that will blossom between them while on community quarantine. Roommates to Lovers Trope. I'm really enjoying this drama even though it makes me want to bang my head on the wall, Judah's character irritates me (also in the minority here). GAYA SA PELIKULA aka Like in the Movies (5/8 Episodes, (Airing Currently), Youtube):  tells us about Karl, a 19-year-old recluse architecture student in the middle of an identity crisis and his new roommate. This just started so I don't have much thoughts about this one so far, but it's been decent.

I have other BL’s I would include but I wasn’t sure if you’ve already seen them (Skam, Yuri on Ice, american BL’s Etc.) I also plan on doing a post about Thai BL’s but there’s to many to include on this post. 

[coquelicoq]

the untamed ep 35, aka: what is a hand but an instrument of the body? what is sex but a duet of the flesh?

i can’t handle all the wangxian in this episode. i cannot. as a refresher for everyone, this is the episode in which:

we watch wwx watch lwj bathed in moonlight on a bridge. i was trying to remember the word to describe the look in wwx’s eyes as he gazes upon this sight, and it turns out the word is literally “moony.” COINCIDENCE?? (probably, since this show is not in english, but shhh.) this scene is all about that gaze baby...like of course we as the audience can also see lwj looking ethereal and beautiful, but it’s not about him, it’s about how wwx feels about him, and how wwx feels about him is that lwj literally hung the moon. you guys. you GUYS

lwj is crushed because wwx doesn’t remember offering to carry lwj on his back. think about how much lwj must have thought of that over the years. think of how heartbreaking it must be to hear that it wasn’t important enough for wwx to remember. think of how much it must hurt when wwx acts like he would never make or accept such an offer because it’s so embarrassing. i mean. ouch

lwj tries to fix wwx’s leg and wwx won’t let him. wei ying! just let him touch you goddammit! he’s trying to show his affection! he wants to take care of you and be close to you!!

lwj fixes wwx’s flute and then they have THE most sensual duet of all time. VERY intense eye contact. the SMIRK. close-ups on hands. close-ups on lips. i can’t remember who said this (sorry) but i read somewhere that this was their equivalent of a sex scene and yes. that’s what’s happening. hands and lips. moving in sync. harmony. building intensity followed by content satisfaction. the only way this could be more symbolic would be if wwx were playing a xiao instead of a dizi, if you know what i mean

wwx says he’s mostly fixed his leg and lwj wants to know what the fuck that means (understandably, it’s a weird thing to say wei ying) and wwx is like “oh should i show you? you wanna see me ~naked~ lan zhan?” wow how much do u just want lwj to call his bluff there cuz i...would love to see that interaction ngl

subtitle of the episode: mr. fan man returns: 2 fan 2 curious: revenge of the saber, part 1

nhs gives us a bunch of nie family history and says “i don’t know” a lot. listen, i respect a man who’s secure enough to admit his own ignorance. that doesn’t apply here because nhs does actually know everything and is lying about it, but i just wanted to get that on the record for everyone’s reference

oh so wwx remembers the exact sentence nhs said to him like 20 years ago about a fan wwx didn’t even like, but he can’t remember offering to carry lwj around on his back?? god wwx your memory is so rude

i spent this entire episode thinking lwj was about to get sauced and i was so excited. any time wwx had some alcohol i was like IT’S HAPPENING but it did not happen :(

nothing happens until the very end when lwj just throws back a shot outta nowhere! what a cliffhanger! how thrilling!! thank goodness there was still time left in the day and i could just go straight into the next episode, which brings us to...

ep 36, aka: cock a doodle fuckin doo, motherfuckers

oh my god this is definitely my favorite episode, this is 100% going in the rotation of things to rewatch when i’m very sad

(the other things in rotation: any episode of schitt’s creek, seasons 3 & 4 of parks & rec, that one episode of angel where he gets turned into a muppet)

tfw wwx lugs lwj back to their room, fondly exasperated, and puts him to bed...nghhhh. he holds his hand. he pats his cheek. he fucken. tucks him in god it’s so precious ugh i’m gonna barf with joy, disgusting

i would like to thank all the fic authors who have transferred the energy of this scene into their own works. what you’re doing is very important and i salute you

wen ning! he's not dead! and he's a WHOLE ASS CUTIE!!

wwx is not taking any of this kneeling shit. “isn’t it nice to converse standing up, wen ning? yeah all the kids are doing it, you should try it sometime, it’s the hot new trend sweeping the nation”

the jin clan locked him up and was using him? why is everyone so mean to this poor sweet baby??

ALERT. ALERT. THE MOMENT HAS COME. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. I REPEAT. THIS IS NOT A DRILL!!

CHECKENS!!!

VANDALISM!!!

these idiots literally signing their names at the scene of the crime. come on, guys! this is like rule #1 of Crime Club. better keep your day job lan zhan because quite frankly you suck at this whole being a criminal business

okay ahaha i didn’t know this was gonna happen but when they get back to their room someone is trying to steal their fancy spirit bag and it’s hilarious because lwj is just the picture of agility while he’s flitting around swordfighting all graceful and whatnot, and then as soon as he gets close to wwx’s face he immediately forgets about everything else and just goes back to being a drunk infatuated mess

he’s “thirsty” but when he gets the water all he tries to do is dump it on his head...lwj are you trying to take a cold shower...which kind of thirst are we talking about here

how is this scene so funny and so touching at the same time?? i’m appalled, how dare you, i can’t just be rewatching this all the time, i have a job and sleeping to do, i’m so mad about this

wwx please have some mercy on lwj, he is probably very hungover and here you are tormenting him. his life is flashing before his eyes in that pause after “i like...” if anything you should be telling him about the vandalism because i feel like that could actually catch up to him someday lol but for god’s sake don’t be coy about it, his heart can’t take it

okay okay everybody here we go! the train is leaving the station, next stop yi city! i am ready for some junior disciple cuteness! lay it on me! choo fuckin choo babey!!

[rqs902]

qcyn ep 10 aka an episode that really made me happy!! but also really made me miss season 1..........

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG WU CHENGZE AND CHEN SIJIAN AND XU FANGZHOU OMGOMGOMG IM SO HAPPY FOR THEM!!!!!! OMGOMGOMG THAT BOTTOM ROW AHHHH I WAS SO SURE THAT CHENGZE WASNT GONNA MAKE IT BUT OMGOMOGMOG YESSS AND THANK GOODNESS SIJIAN OMGGGG YESSSHSHSHS AHHHHHH 

phew thank goodness lin mo made it tho, now i feel like there’s not much left for me to do cept wait for this show to end bc im pretty sure thats as far as he’ll get, and im so so relieved he made it to the top 20 thats all i was asking for, i just wanted him to be able to participate in every stage. so now im just excited for when he gets out what mr tyger will do!

man iqiyi really skipping even 14-19 man..... 

wowowowow long lost xixi spirit of the knght footage that we never got to see T__T

LOOOOL LONGHAN THE POOR CHILD HAHAHAHHAHAHAHA HIS INTERACTIONS WITH YIXING ARE GOLD

awwwww huaiwei’s feeble “are yall not gonna clap” was so sad... but also i was kinda expecting his fall with the 2 vote restriction bc huaiwei is hilariously fun and everyone likes him, but hes not as much bias material.... lol shi zhan awkwardly stuck between two crying people lol

HAHAHAHHA CHEN SIJIAN ‘why cant we just talk to each other’s face to face’ HAHHAHAHA I LOVE HIM 一點都不說唱 HAHAHHAAH

lol zhenning exposing shi mingze is the content im here for! mingming is the cutest bub omg 

LOL WTF IS THIS THIS EDITING IS SO EXTRA HAAHAH

wow a rare zhan yu teardrop mole sighting!!

lol how much u wanna bet it was rigged that the first one was for wenhan from yangyang

aw huaiwei and yueyue....... ok but is he really telling them that they shouldnt go to the hospital if they get third degree burns?? bc as a future healthcare professional im gonna to strongly disagree on that one........ please take care of yourselves and your health first.........

HAHAHHAA I LOVE XIXI AND JUNJIE’S FRIENDSHIP HAHAHAH the fact that sijian was like “lol its junjie” as soon as xixi got called out ....oh my goodness this is the sweetest thing oh my goodness 

aw zhenning being so caring towards wang zhe.... but luckily wang zhe did really well in maze :) 

i hope we get to see more of these letters in the extra clips.... im waiting for jia yi’s letter to lin mo ;_; i see that mr tyger group hug ahhh also was that lin mo that wenxuan was hugging at the end bc their friendship is really aw too

OH MY GOODNESS IS THAT SUN ZELIN IN A CF/?!?!?!! OMGGGGG MY CHILDDD HAHAHHAHAH OMGGGGG YESSSSS CHEN SIJIAN TOO!!!! WOWWOWOOW AMAZING!!

aw junjie looking for happy for his friends even tho he likely wont make it this round.....

aw shi mingze and zhenning aww look at zhenning rising to the top, he really became people’s one pick after retreat huh hahaha 

man this might sound kinda mean (im really not trying to be) but what are the chances jia yi will keep falling and fall out of top 9 so mr tyger can continue as 5.... LOL im sorry i love the child but tbh i dont think being in top 9 will be worth his time as much as being reunited with his favorite geges......

aw poor mingming so nervous.... reminds me of quanzhe from last season that one time iqiyi kept panning to him during elims....

i wonder why there’s a bunch of them missing from the special class / the charity activity this time..... are they all in the hospital again???? like lin mo, jia yi, wenhan.... would zhan yu be with them to watch over lin mo and jia yi? 

lol why does bo yuan know the maze choreo, did he learn it in like 30 seconds?? gu landi with his saxophone!!!!!!!!!!!

ok can we pls talk about how ymm is in such disbelief that he went up so much?? i really hope this helps him gain more confidence....... AND OMG HIS SMILEEE 

omg chen youwei bringing up yi xiao.... aw this just makes me think of when youwei kept chanting jin fan’s name during the first elims.... and now wang yi and li yuzhi are left watching from below..... omgosh wu chengze is crying so hard.... do you think its bc his bff sun zelin ranked beside him last time but this time..... he’s not gonna be able to continue with him? (omg im just thinking about how sun zelin talked about chengze high-fiving him and going out of his way to wish him good night every night before bed... their friendship is...... so important......) honestly im gonna miss sun zelin and his silly humor and his adorable personality... he recognized he wasnt as skilled but he still tried really hard and dreamed big and im proud of how far he made it! 

wait i have a question, if ymm has this many solo stans then who else were they voting for with their second vote if not wen yechen??? MINGMING’S SMILE IS THE MOST PRECIOUS OH MY GOODNESS omg cutting to a crying shi mingze their friendship is so important MINGMING YOU DESERVE THIS 

HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHA YAO MINGMING KEEPING IT REAL HAHAHHAHAHAA SO REAL IM CRYING HAHAHAHAHAHA BO YUAN’S FACE HAHAHA AND THEN YIXING HAHAHHA

wow waiting for them to announce who ranked #1 is just as suspenseful as it was on “all for one” -- aka not suspenseful at all........... ITS WENHAN OK WE GET IT NO ONE THINKS ITS GUAN YUE IM SORRY

lol i just looked up bo yuan’s birthday and hes like 9 months older than lin mo but now that hes eliminated does this make lin mo the oldest trainee on the show..... 

omgosh im gonna miss the sound of feng junjie’s voice screaming

omgosh zhan yu helping lin mo lift his box out aw!! aw zhan yu and jia yi working together.... aww them all working together

aw zhenning and shi zhan friendship!!!! LOL THIS IS SO CRINGE HAHAHHAHAHA wow i just realized the S symbol reminds me of a sadder looking yoyo class symbol from “all for one” lolololl 

ooo at least we’ll get another junjie ep of YAA!!!! and sun zelin too!!! SHI MINGZE YOYO POWERS/??!!? omg reminds me of bi wenjun ;_; i miss our yoyo prince ;_; omg they reused the puffy suits from last season LOOOLLLL wait but im sorry xixi i cant look at that colorful one without thinking of lou zibo ahhhhhhhhh I MISS ZIBO TOO and qian zhenghao in the tiny alien one omg that was such a iconic moment!!!!! and qin fen in the overblown monster one ahhhh I MISS SEASON ONE IM SORRY I FEEL LIKE ITS LATE ENOUGH IN THIS SEASON THAT I CAN SAY THIS WITHOUT FEELING LIKE IM BEING BIASED BUT SEASON ONE WAS BETTER ---- but i still love many of the kids from this season, its not their fault this season has just been generally more frustrating and less focused on all of their friendships. but season one just seemed generally more enjoyable, fun and lighthearted, yet emotional in a positive manner

LOL theyre all so obviously reading off a script this is pretty funny WHY IS HANYU SO CREEPY HAHAHHAHAHAHHAHA 

FENG JUNJIE 28 NOOOOO ahhh i thought shi mingze would make it too........ man wang yi 38?? i thought he’d be higher.... man chen sijian’s literally the only rap line trainee left wtf............ wow wang jiayi really dropped so much throughout this show.... 

wait i wanna hear the full version of shi mingze’s speech, i feel like he mightve said more about his friendship with mingming... i guess now that i think about it, mingze having ranked rather high last time was rather impressive considering iqiyi hasnt given him much time to shine......

ooof ok im kinda hoping 20 will be gu landi or shao haofan bc their vocals really would’ve earned it. omgosh gu landi asking chen tao if he can sit next to him ahhhh so cute

im yao chi praying for gu landi... but i feel like its gonna be chen tao bc freaking wenhan’s “gwi ze” LOL

yep

not surprised

man the audience be sleeping on gu landi’s talent..... 

omg this is my new favorite friendship omg gu landi is so supportive towards yao chi im crying.... 

lol they keep saying the top 9 is 換血 but literally i feel like the only new person is zhenning...???? 

OH MYGGODNESS DID THEY JSUST CALL FENG JUNJIE IM SSHAKINGN!!! MASD;ALSKD;LAKSD;LK;LS;AKLDK YEASSSSSSSS!!!!!SKJSALDKJSALKYESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS THANK YOU THANK YOU THAKN YOU OH MY GOODNESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS IM SO PSODKALSKDJLAKJDSLK DSALKJSALASD IM IN DISBELIEFASLDKJALK IM LITERALLY CRYING SO HARDR IGHT NWOWWWW AHHHH OMGOMOGMG THIS IS THE BEST NEWS IVE HEARD ALL DAY OMGGGJGGGGGAHHHHHHHHH THNAK GOODNESS AHHHHHHH LAKJSDLAKSDLKL HE CAN STAY WITH XIXI TILL THE END THANK GOODNESS OH MY GOODNESS IM SHAKINGG 

hahhahahahhaha fjj: i didnt imagine i would be picked by the old men... yixing: i can tell :)  LOOOOL JUNJIE YOUR FACEE HHAHHAHAHAHA

wow today is a such good day wow feng junjie made it wow im so grateful wow this is a great day wow life is great isnt it 

ahhh im wu chengze chanting wu zelin sun zelin wu zelin sun zelin 

aw lin mo and wenxuan are really so close....

just dont say wenhan LOL

lol the old men really like zhou shiyuan so im not surprised... he does deserve it tho!

oo good for haofan! 

honestly they prob made sure the old men didnt pick yechen, zhan yu or bo yuan again... sadly..... but also sad they didnt notice gu landi....... omgosh look at zhan yu pumping his fists in the air even tho he knows its over... this is his “pretending to be mature gege” side, trying to appear positive for his bros... i wanna see lin mo and jia yi’s full thank you speeches and see if they mention his again T_T

WANG JIAYI TELLING HUAIWEI ITS OK TO NOT BE STRONG IS SO IMPORTANT. ahhh hes really a caring friend

oh gosh seeing the top 20 choosing their final songs makes me think back to last season and im getting freaking mack daddy flashbacks and im shuddering in fear LOL “ITS OKAY” WAS AND STILL IS THE SUPERIOR SONG IM SORRY ITS JUST A FACT

LOL THEY TEXT THEM!??! on the bright side, this just reminded me that top 35 will still get to be in ep 11 so yayyy we get another zhan yu stage!!!!!!

lol this earth ad is even more cringey.................. the ending credits.... i see lin yuzhi! and xixi got a cool shot :D im surprised lin mo didnt get any shots haha and that they didnt show mr tyger at all during the hugging portion at the end but oh well i guess..... 

tbh this was a minimal lin mo exposure ep but its ok, im still grateful that he got a few random closeups (which is more than i can say for some of the others) and now that hes safely in top 20 i honestly think my work here is done LOL. there’s not much more lin mo fans can do for him. theyve gotten him onto all the stages and i dont think any amount of work will get him into top 9... and ive said before i dont even really want him in top 9 bc id rather he stay with mr tyger and help them stay relevant bc theyll need his help to do so, especially since jia yi will probably make top 9. 

(from here is where i go into a rant about season 1 vs season 2.... LOL)

lets be honest, ranking 16 is too low for lin mo to make it lol....... last season the only kid who made top 9 who wasnt already in top 9 by ep 10 was yanjun... and yanjun had been on a steep upward trend leading up to the last ep (lin mo went from 17 to 16... theres minimal momentum there lol) and then bi wenjun going from 12 to 10 was the other surprise. xikan going from 18 to 13 was impressive, but he still wasnt one of the contenders for the 9th spot. i think at the end it was bu fan, qian zhenghao, bi wenjun and you zhangjing right? out of those 4, the lowest ranked in ep 10 was bi wenjun at 12..... so going from 16 up to 9 would be really really unlikely, unless lin mo somehow makes an even greater impression on the audience during the mentor collab stage than yanjun did last year.... which i think will be impossible bc literally the entire audience fell in love with yanjun during the “zero” performance in last season’s ep 11 lol it was crazyyyy.... but anyway i think ive reminisced about last season enough this rant.... can you tell i really miss it? honestly ive tried to stay as positive as i could throughout watching qcyn and i gave iqiyi the benefit of the doubt from the beginning that “oh maybe it just doesnt seem as great as the first season bc we havent gotten to know the kids yet, the show’s just started, we’ll learn to love it later” ---- but we’re on ep 10 now and i just.......... i still dont think i got to know the kids as well as i did last season and its not their fault, theyre not any less lovable kids (some of them i really like!!! more than some of the kids from last season!) but this season’s editing is really just disappointing. i really miss last season and it was honestly so much more enjoyable to watch..... i thought about this the other day, if lin mo had been eliminated during the last round, would i still be watching this show? and i thought about it and i honestly think i would... because i really like some of the other kids like mingming, junjie, xixi, jia yi, guan yue, chen sijian, etc. but i really dont think id be as eager to stay up to date with it. ive fallen behind on yaa and dont even look forward to watching fanafan anymore bc lin mo hasnt been on any of those (no, i dont count the yaa ep he literally only got 1 second of screentime in) these side shows are fun, but not as fun as fanafan from last season. they feature the same kids over and over again (literally yuehua trio was the ONLY kids on fanafan 2 weeks ago and then they were 1/3 of the ep last week too??? and hmm how come there are kids who have been on yaa multiple times yet there are also kids who have never been on it at all???? that’s just so unfair.....) without fanafan from last season, would you zhangjing have made it into top 9?? fanafan was the medium thru which he really showed us how hilarious and fun and lovable and sweet and sassy he was (whereas on the actual show he showed us his true, undeniable talent) and im just here wondering, if qcyn’s fanafan had featured ye ziming half as much as they had featured you zhangjing or his partner in crime yanjun (who both ended up making top 9), would he have at least made top 35? or how about chen sijian and wu zelin? or feng junjie?? or su yuhang?? where would they be now? why hasnt lin mo been on fanafan at all??? if given the chance, would people actually be appreciating zhan yu’s hilariously weird and crazy personality that we NEVER got to see?? sigh.......... 

OKAY WHERE ARE ALL THE EXTRA CLIPS IMMA FIND YALL

[lessonsfrommadamexmas]

The Moon Festival

This story was written for a fic challenge on the theme of celebrations, and I was sorted the Chinese Moon Festival, so I adapted it to Xing. This is also the first time I write about Almay and Xing. :) 

Summary: Alphonse, Jerso and Zampano travel to Xing and their first stop is the Chang clan. 2.4k words. Link to AO3.

- - - - - 

i. Moon shaped

 The scent of baking cake and nuts decorated the little house where May lived, nestling in every corner and chasing noses curious for the delights they would have a chance to experience in a few hours. Jerso, Alphonse and Zampano followed the princess of the Chang clan to the kitchen while she told exciting stories about the dish she had chosen to make for Mid-Autumn Festival.

 Al had to admit that upon arriving in Xing, he was surprised by the life she was carrying, for little had changed from what he knew about the princess. May lived alone in a comfortable but not luxurious home and worked side by side with her people. Everyone treated her like a princess and a hero who had conquered a voice for her clan before the new emperor and brought better days for them, yet May wanted nothing more for herself than what the others had.  

 – The festival takes place on a full moon, so we also call it the Moon Festival. Pay close attention and you’ll see goddess Chang’e on the surface of the moon.

– Goddess Chang? Like your clan? – asked Jerso sitting by the table.

 – Chang'e. – she repeated, emphasizing the "e" with a sound similar to an "a". – Legend goes that we once had ten suns in the sky. They were brothers and every day one of them traveled the planet, bringing heat and energy. However, they preferred each other's company and one day decided to travel together. With that, the soil was ruined, the waters began to disappear and the animals to die. But the brothers no longer wanted to stay apart, so emperor Yao sent his most powerful archer to defeat them.

 – Yao? Like Ling? – it was Al's turn to interrupt.

 – Exactly! – May replied, heading for the oven to check the small lunar cakes, round and stuffed with a paste rich in spices.

 – I wonder how the emperor of Xing is celebrating the Moon Festival. – Zampano asked, peering anxiously at May’s exquisite dish.

 – Certainly with a party even larger than this one. – Jerso commented.

 – Undoubtedly, it's an important celebration to all of us.

 – But, please, continue the story of the goddess Chang'e, May.

 – Hou Yi, the archer, was married to Chang'e. He killed nine of the suns, forcing the last one to follow its routine alone. This left their father, Emperor Di Jun, furious, so Hou Yi asked the Queen Mother immortality for himself and his wife. She granted him two doses of elixir for helping Earth and restoring life and fertility, but there was one problem: his apprentice saw when Hou Yi gave the elixir for Chang'e to hide, and decided to approach her alone to steal immortality for himself.

 – They should have taken it at once. – Zampano pointed it out what he considered plot hole.

 – Yes, but Hou Yi liked his life as it was and only wanted it for an emergency. Without being able to defend herself, Chang'e drank all the elixir, which was a big mistake. It was for two, and whoever consumed all of it would become a god. Hou Yi arrived in time to see her beloved rising to the skies to inhabit the moon. Desolate, Hou Yi had to live the rest of his days alone, staring at the image of Chang'e on the surface of the moon. He turned her into a symbol of his struggle to bring prosperity to his people, and offered her a feast with her favorite food.

 ii. Common sense

The sky embraced them in its dark blue cloak and Alphonse waited with the lanterns as May, Jerso and Zampano collected the cookies they would bring to the party. Leaning over the window of the living room, Al struggled to see the outline of a woman in a long dress on the round satellite. He did not want to disappoint May, but he'd decided it was best to let her show him than to lie about what he could see.

 The girl's light and hurried footsteps vibrated the floor toward him, and the Amestrian turned his head toward the hallway.

 – I’ll carry the lanterns with you, they're on their way. – she announced entering the room.

 May wore purple and blue, and had Xiao-mei lodged on her shoulder. It was the first time the boy had seen her wear her hair in a single bun, with only two braids running down her back.

 When Al wrote to May to inform his itinerary and the time they would spend with her clan, she made him promise to stay until the Moon Festival. As she didn’t give much explanation, he understood that the princess wanted it to be a surprise. Now, the more he saw and heard, the more Alphonse realized the importance of the party to the Changs. The clan was once among the poorest of Xing, withering away, but with Ling’s promised assistance – who gave them the peripheral land for cultivation – this was their first year of great prosperity in a long time. The first year they had much more to thank than to ask for on the festival.

 – I was here observing the sky. – he said as May approached. – I'm not sure if I can see the goddess Chang'e, although I think I can see the skirt of her dress in that ... – Al tried to raise his arm to point at the window, but was prevented by May.

 – Mr. Alphonse, do not point to the moon! – the girl shouted in astonishment, holding his hand in the air, and Xiao-mei shook her head in disappointment.

 – Oh, sorry, is anything bad gonna happen? – Al asked nervously.

 – Who knows! But I think I stopped you in time, why would you do that? – May's expression of disbelief was replaced by heroically arched eyebrows. – Luckily, I was here.

 – Yes, thank you very much for letting me know.

 If his brother was there, he would say that that was a huge nonsense and would point to the moon only for the pleasure of defying superstitions. But for Al that was the best part of immersing himself in a different culture: the surprises of little gestures, as well as the replacement of an instant of worry by the relief of having escaped a wave of bad luck.

 iii. Reflections the night brings.

 The party took place everywhere, and all the doors were open turning the village into one single home, with large outdoor tables, lanterns scattered on the floor and music splashed in the air.

 The group of tourists was finally delighting themselves with the lunar cakes. The delicacy had a thin crust and a perfect note of sweetness, but also a heavy filling that challenged them to eat anything else offered on the banquet. Jerso and Zampano looked ready for any food they could place their eyes on while Al drank his tea and began to calculate the space available in his stomach when May invited them to join a conversation.

 Sitting on the floor with colorful lanterns around, the group admired the moon and shared their detailed impressions of it. The cold breeze of fall dissipated in the warmth of that gathering. One by one, Alphonse was attentive to everything they said in search of recognizable words, while May added precise translation at the end of each comment. Then, the ancient lady extended her palm invitingly towards the blond boy.

 – Mr. Alphonse, it's your turn. – the princess informed, seeing that he was caught off guard.

 – May, but I'm not good enough with descriptions yet, I won’t know what to say.

 – Don’t worry, just talk and I’ll translate. – she encouraged him. – The important thing is to participate. So how does the moon make you feel?

 Alphonse rested his hands on the grass and looked up. He allowed himself to be enveloped in the night, mesmerized by the golden glow emanating from the full moon, and soon found a place that was familiar to him, although the opposite of the present moment.

 – For a few years, the night was a constant reminder of how dark life was. I was empty and sleep didn’t come, so I watched the moon either from the window or on outdoor walks, so often that I would get tired of the skies. I didn’t know that goddess Chang'e was there with me, so I couldn’t feel less lonely while everyone slept. – the boy spoke slowly without taking his eyes off his object of study, and heard as May repeated his words in Xingese. – I knew I was surrounded by life, but I could’t feel it as my footsteps touched the grass and the cats felt my touch. As unreachable as the moon. But today, here with you, the night has never been so alive, and the moon has never been so close. It’s gained flavor and texture reflected in our meal, and thanks to you, I can now associate the moon with hospitality, tenderness and festivity. Thank you.

 Still distracted, the boy waited for the last words of the princess, but was surprised by a sob in her voice.

 – May, you're crying!

 – Mr. Alphonse, that was so beautiful. – She covered her face with her hands and Xiao May buried her nose in her shoulder.

 She was not the only one. Around him, the other Xinguese seemed touched by his story, and Al saw Jerso and Zampano discreetly wiping their eyes.

 – Thank you for sharing the wisdom of your experience, my dear. – Al was able to comprehend the old woman's words, who smiled at him. – You made our night more special.

 iv. What the tongue has yet to learn

 A couple of miles away from May's house, the strange quartet formed by a tiny girl with her little panda and three tall guys watched the street theater perform the story of Chang’e. Alphonse noticed that the dialogue was scarce but too flourished for their comprehension, so he was glad to have learned the story earlier and dismiss translation now. May’s Xingese lessons had focused on communication and efficiency instead of poetry, and the four of them built together a small dictionary of technical terms that could be important in their research. For their journey, that would be enough.

 The play was visually rich like everything else in that night, but the tourists were yet to be surprised by a parade. Dancing dragons invaded the streets along with more lanterns in various formats. Colored birds flew around them as they advanced and the lake multiplied the lights of swimming fishes. Looking down the mountainous terrain, Al could see the pastures and plantations that brightened the days of the Chang clan.

 Jerso and Zampano abandoned the parade to visit yet another table, while May and Alphonse promised to join them later. Not long after they left, May was spotted by a girl in red dress who Al believed to be her cousin. She took the princess by the arm and talked in her ear, then shot a giggling look at the Amestrian boy. May shouted her an annoyed "take care of your life!" in their mother language and she left grinning.

 Al was invaded by self-awareness. He always felt comfortable and happy in Xingese attire, but wearing it wasn’t enough to make him belong. Did he look ridiculous trying to fit in with his blond hair and blue eyes and taller stature?

 – So what did she say?

 – Err, it wasn’t anything important. – the princess waved her hands in an attempt to shove off the question, a gesture mimicked by Xiao-mei.

 – May! How will I learn Xingese if you don’t teach me? She looked at me, I know she was talking about me. Was it anything bad?

 – It was nothing like that! I'm sure she was not looking at you. She just said that the Moon Festival is also a time to try your luck in love ... You know, it’s a time of prosperity, so for some people it’s a time to plan life and find a pair.

 – Oh, really? – it was all he could say as he acknowledged the real meaning of the girl’s comment.

 – See? I said it was no big deal! Look, if you stayed longer, I could teach you more Xingese, so do not complain to me.

 – I'm sorry, May. But I'm not on this journey alone. Jerso and Zampano, we have so much to do. Besides, I need to be there when my brother returns, to discuss what we learned on our first trip.

 – Yes. I know you have to go. – she smiled, but it did not look as lively as her other smiles. – Tomorrow morning ... And that this is not the best route on your way back to Amestris.

 – I don’t want to be unfair to you. I cannot ask you to wait for me without knowing when I'll be back ...

 – What are you talking about?

 The parade had come to an end and people around them were getting disperse. The two of them had to walk to the nearest tree to escape from the chaotic crowd.

 – I’m saying that I like you, May. I like you so much, but I see how you belong in this place. How you fought for Xing, to enjoy with your people the life you have today. And I, I have to go back to my home, so I can’t just kiss you and ask you to compromise ...

– Kiss? – her eyes glittered at that word, stealing from him a line of thought.

 – Did I say kiss?

 Al felt his cheeks burn, but he could not quite understand why shame invaded his confession. What he felt for May made him happy, and he was under the impression she shared the same feeling.

 – Alphonse. – she used only his name for the first time, abandoning formal treatments like he’d asked of her many times in the past. – I waited two years to see you again. And I can wait two more to kiss you again if so needed. Two, not four. – She put her hands on his shoulders and locked her lips on his, tenderly and discreetly, not letting herself be noticed in the crowd.

 Al grinned, and Xiao-mei jumped to his neck giving the boy her version of a kiss on the chin.

 – So you do wanna date me?

 – Of course, yes. I heard you're an excellent fighter, not very temperamental, and a gentleman.

 – I'll be back. – Al promised, holding her hands. – As soon as I can.

 – Or I'll go visit you. Who said I don’t feel like traveling as well?

- - - -

[knightofbalance-13]

Fucking Eye Colors

http://dudeblade.tumblr.com/post/165656377489/rwby-theory-yangs-eye-colors

Apparently Dudeblade can’t anime.

Because this makes more sense than claiming that it’s because Tai had blue eyes, and Raven had Red eyes!

Maybe in the real world but this shit is incredibly common in anime where kids most likely end up as mixtures of their parents or younger versions. And RWBY is clearly an anime so...are you just so out of touch with anime and animation in general that you forgot people don’t have to follow reality in animation and that a character’s design will always say something abnout them? Because if you weren’t then you’d catch on that Yang’s design makes it clear that outwardly she’s like her dad but really shares more with her mom.

Hello tumblr, and welcome to RWBY Theory! The only place where you’ll find confusion as to why the writers don’t just reveal that Summer is living with Raven’s tribe, and that they keep the others up with their constant horizontal dancing because they’re both bad moms.

Meaning Dudeblade will pull evidence and reasoning out of his ass you justify his “theories” and not take actual evidence into account. IE He’s just like the person he’s ripping off, Game/Film Theory.

Speaking of moms, let’s talk about the team mom of RWBY, Yang Xiao Long.

I’d rather not because each time you talk about Yang it’s either to shift blame about her problems onto her dad or uncle or to glorify her or to make her into a lesbian with Blake, not understanding that bisexuality is a thing. Either way, I end up disliking Yang more and more because of you.

Ah, now weren’t these the good ol’ days? The days when the biggest thing that the rwde tag had to complain about was that the villains were bland, and that we knew nothing about Ren or Nora’s backstories?

You mean the times that never existed and you’re making up to hide the fact you’re all sociopaths?

Good times. Good times.

I guess it would be good if the times ended with everyone in the rwde tag getting their mouths sown shut or having them officially banned from the RWBY fandom but that’s just me.

Instead, them guys in the rwde tag complain about Jaune getting too much screentime, Sun eavesdropping on Blake with a lame excuse, and… a Shipping War? great. It’s like the freaking Zutara vs. Katang war all over again. Only between a heteronormative couple, and an LGBT couple. So I guess it’s more like the Makorra vs Korrasami war, only less civil… And less fun.

A. You mean lying about Jaune having too much screentime due to misandry.

B. Not like SUn is socially awkward and was under pressure and Blake’s dadf hates him and looks like a goddamn Joestar.

C. You misspelled “heterosexual”...oh you meant that: Well, I wouldn’t take that from mr. “heterosexuality is a cliche.”

D. Only got yourselves to blame for the shipping war: if you people didn’t encourage rabid Bumbleby shipeprs to be irrational fucks about gay ships and act like it was either Bumbleby or queerbaiting, none of this would happened.

E. We STILL haven’t gotten to the so-called “theory.”

Back on track here! Let’s get into Yang’s parents.

How about we don’t because you have clear bias against male characters and for female characters, especially Taiyang and Raven respectively. Expecting you to be impartial about either of them, especially BOTH of them, is like expecting Starscream to stay loyal: Complete stupidity.

So between the oversensitive ablest, and the insensitive deadbeat, we somehow ended up with the only character who bothered to learn how to fight even in the event that she lost her weapon. Now, let’s take a look at eye colors of both of them.

By “oversensitive ableist”, he means “guy is a good father but I have a terrible mom so I’m gonna project all my problems with her onto him because he made one joke I personally was not okay with.”

And by “insensitive deadbeat”, he means “Mass murderer who left Yang, came back once, spat in her face and telling her “I don’t love you” through her uncle, ignores her disabled, depressed daughetr and then tried manipulating Qrow using Yang.”

See what i mean? Dudeblade tries putting these two as equal when one is one of the best dads in anime and the other is basically the female equivalent of Gendo fucking Ikari. 

Also: Taiyang was shown sparring with yang in the first scene of episode nine BARE HANDED so even THAT doesn’t work.

Now, genetics says that Tai’s eyes should be dominant, as blue eyes tend to be a more dominant trait? - Well, no.

Some genes can be recessive, but given how unlikely it is that Yang got a mix between her parents’ eye colors (Read: It’s impossible), we have to turn to science to deduce something…

Or, considering RWBY follows physics and logic in character design and fight scenes as much as her dad Gurren Lagann, we can take a look at instead TROPES to figure this out. And there so happens to be a trope like this: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PatchworkKids And look, Yang is an example! Almost like science is flexible in media...

Which gets complicated when we take into account of Yang’s Semblance… Or rather, this makes it less complicated.

A screenshot from the Wiki states:

As we can clearly see, Tai was negligent to the point that he decided to NOT train Yang how to win without her semblance beforehand. 

Of course it’s Taiyang’s fault, not that it doesn’t work with Taiyang’s personality as he is shown to do that thing Yang never does and work around his opponent, constantly harms in that Yang isn’t doing things right and tries helping her out. Or that this is more likely a problem with Yang’s personality of being hot headed, rash, blinded by anger and just plain short sighted like when she fought an opponent with a clear advantage over her in area (Neo and Neon) or weaponry (Adam) but didn’t change a goddamn thing to move around these obstacles. No it has to be the character with a dick right?

This is why Yang has dropped in my favorite characters’ list: Because you people REFUSE to hold her accountable for her actions and blaming everyone-no I’m sorry: every MALE around her for her actions.

Sorry about that. Must be some leftover salt from before. Erhem, As we can see, Yang’s eyes are something is only mentioned offhandedly as being a side-effect - Something that has never been seen by any other semblance.

Except Adam’s semblance which causes him to glow with power and is noted to being similar to Yang’s (http://rwby.wikia.com/wiki/Semblance#Adam_Taurus). Great job with the research there.

No other characters’ eyes change when their semblance gets activated (Aside from Neo, but she’s an illusionist). In fact, outside of Neo’s illusion semblance, and Klein’s… Whatever, no other character has a drastic indicator to their semblance either. Eyes might glow, or colors may shift, but nothing as drastic as a complete change in eye color.

Aside from Adam...and Ruby and her red covered self...and Blake with her clones..and Ren and his grey scale filter. Gee, almost like you DON’T know what you are talking about.

In fact, no other semblance that’s been seen has a side-effect this drastic. Outside of Ruby’s rose petals, or a brief glow in the eyes, no other character has eyes that change completely in color when it’s not their direct semblance.

So wiat, is it unique or not? you go back on your statement in literally the next sentence and yet you continue on like nothing happened.

This leads me to the theory at hand: Yang’s eyes are naturally red.

And as we will soon see, this doesn’t work.

See, I believe that Yang’s semblance is basically on 24/7. And that semblance is basically what the wiki says, but she has it active all the time. It is only when she  is calm, and doesn’t have it active that her eyes are lilac. The lilac coloring of her eyes is a disguise. Much like how Yang disguises her inner self (The hurt little girl who had to grow up fast, and didn’t have much of a childhood) while the red eyes are what she wants to be - A woman powerful enough to dish back what the world throws at her, because it’s crapped on her that much.

Except that ISN’T who Yang is. Yang DID have a childhood, the way she is carefree and generally happy shows that she grew up with a childhood and ISN’T hurt. and Yang certainly ISN’T the type to hide her feelings: When she was angry with Blake, she showed it, When she was sad at Blake not trusting her, she showed. When Yang was conflicted about her mother, she showed it. Yang is the definition of “Heart on their sleeve.”

The person you people keep describing is RUBY. But I think you don’t want to admit it because if you did, then Kuroyuri suddenly makes sense.

Back on the subject of YANG: it is Yang’s ability to get back up and do what ever she sets her mind to as well as her straightforward and honest nature that her Semblance represents with her red eyes showing the similarities between herself and Raven. So whatever you’re talking about makes no sense.

PS: it CAN’T be active all the time: Semblances consume Aura so it just CAN’T be active all the time.

Yang’s semblance doesn’t have the side-effect of turning her eyes red, it has the side effect of turning her eyes lilac when not active.

Why? Ignoring the fact that Semblances run on a limited source: For symbolism, this would mean that on the surface she is more like her mother but her outright aspects reflect TAIYANG, not RAVEN. her eyes only change to red when she is angry, when Yang is the most like her perpetually angry mother. It just makes sense if you just take it as is instead of making all this up so WHY are you doing this?

After all, we never really see young Yang’s eyes until AFTER that traumatic event. That even could very well be what activated her semblance. And then Qrow and Tai decide to convince her that lilac was her natural eye color all this time to sway her from trying to find out about Raven…

And well, we know how that goes.

... Oh, that’s why: An excuse to make the males look worse. Great...

But hey, that’s just a theory!

Thanks for reading!

And just like Matpat, y6ou are ignoring facts and canon to justify your theory, thus DEFEATING the purpose pho a theory.

Of course, MatPat has SOME crediblity, you never had any.

[furederiko]

Tis the story of a boy so small, but with a dream so big. Can his bravery and strong determination alone earn him a place among the legendary saviors of the universe? Episode 10 has the answer to that...

- Wow, we're getting an early mecha fight AGAIN. Which shouldn't be a surprise since the preview did already hint that we ARE getting another official member to the cast. Anyways, this episode's MotW is Malistrate Mothma. His name obviously refers to a moth, but it also reminds me of my little knowledge of "Star Wars". Obviously unrelated though. - This mecha action is interesting, because it's the first time we see Taurus Voyager being used as the main arm, while Dorado Voyager takes the left side. Nothing is wrong with said gimmick, but I'm rather taken aback that the team has to switch limbs position to deliver the finishing blow. Budget issue? By the way, Leo Red uses #24, Scutum Kyu Globe to form a virtual Shield during this fight. For a very handy item that has been made available very early on as part of DX Kyutama Set 01, this season sure took a long time to utilize it, huh? - Back in Orion, our focus character Kotarou Sakuma, is trying to transform into a Kyuranger using the Canes Venatici Kyu Globe. Gotta love that pure unadulterated and naive enthusiasm! Can't help but wonder how he would look if he becomes a 'Hunting Dog Kyuranger' though. LOL. Obviously, the experiment fails, because as Commander Xiao has explained last week, Canes Venatici is only a Skill Kyu Globe. Kotarou does make a fair argument when he questions about Xiao's new ability to transform (which also earned his character shot, a minor update in the opening sequence), but silent loner Stinger coldly shoots him down by telling him to go home. Aaaaw, buzzkill. But really, our room actually went silent as soon as he started speaking. So that says a lot. - Lucky offers to take Kotarou back home, while the boy is eyeing another item: the #22 Ursa Major Kyu Globe. Yep, that's the 3rd Kyu Globe debuting in this episode, and there are more! Lucky doesn't realize that Kotarou had snucked a Constellation Blaster for his keeping. You've got to admire the boy's determination to become a Kyuranger, though I'm positive some audience might find this character to be 'annoying' as well. Personally, I like the boy, I think he's a good character. But that's probably because I feel Lucky's personality is already tolerable. The fact that Kotarou acts more responsible than Lucky about being a Kyuranger should easily make you root for him more. By the way, the Voyager's cockpit is totally tailor-made for one pilot, eh? Look at how cramped when two people are in it! - While Kotarou and Lucky are off with their own small adventure, things aren't exactly looking good at the Orion. Naga has been discovered unconscious in his room, thus Xiao deduces that an enemy has infiltrated their ranks and masquerading as one of the Kyuranger. Acting all Great Detective-like, but instead uses the Kyulette to guess the perpetrator... which then points out to himself. LOL. Bigger problem arise, because all of a sudden, Orion is heading towards the sun on its own. Hmm... it's a little early, but is this supposed to be a Summer metaphor? - Mothma lives! Yes, we saw him escaped his Consumarz earlier and sprinkled some weird gold dust along the way. If I don't know any better, it's this 'gold dust' that's causing havoc to the Orion. Spoiler alert, that IS indeed the case. After all, the dumb MotW conveniently monologues his plan on broad daylight! It makes for a nice excuse to make the other Kyurangers occupied though, as the duty to take care of Mothma rests upon Kotarou and Lucky's shoulders. Well, plus one, because when the Ursa Major Kyu Globe is conveniently thrown from Kotarou's bag towards Leo Red's Constellation Blaster (talk about sheer luck!), the ghost of Supreme Commander Big Bear comes out. And he possesses the boy's body! TRIVIA: This possession thing is obviously a nod to "Kamen Rider Den-O", whose protagonist later appeared as a child version as well. It also reminds me of Zyuoh the World in "Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger". Another sign of bright future for Kotarou's actor: he handles the soul shifting scene like a pro! - Well, surprise, surprise! The spirit of Big Bear (who has an interesting dialect, by the bearu) hasn't been able to 'pass on', because his successor Xiao, is an incompetent and irresponsible leader. LOL to that. And eventhough some might say that the whole shenanigans that's at the same time happening on Orion is too silly, I think it actually clarifies Big Bear's concern wonderfully. Because rather than working out a reasonable solution, Xiao is stirring up suspicions among the Kyurangers instead! - But so do Lucky! He properly uses the Canes Venatici Kyu Globe's hunting ability to sniff out and track Mothma's whereabout, but ends up at a Yakitori joint instead. Once again, Kotarou demonstrates that he's the more mature one of the two, thus Big Bear's rebuttal that a child shouldn't join the war is actually rather pointless. Just like Xiao to Lucky, he and Kotarou are actually one of a kind! Of course, this quick sidetracking turns out to be useful, as we get to know Kotarou's primary reason to join the Rebellion. A promise to his younger brother Jirou, and to be a "shining star of hope". A savior for his own home planet. Aaaaaaw!!! Ain't that sweet and grand? - The reveal of what really happened to Naga is well... silly, but also hillarious, because obviously Xiao has been exaggerating things up from the beginning. But what's more funny is when Champ reminds his fellow mechanical members, Balance and Raptor, that they shouldn't have any problem with the sun's burning temperature. Using the #41 Microscopium Kyu Globe, Raptor analyzes Orion's outer layer, and discovers that the gold dust was microscopic particles of Mothma that are taking control of the spaceship. Maaan, these Kyu Globes are convenient, eh? Kudos to the writers for making good use of its various functionalities. - Unfortunately, only Mothma's defeat can fix this. Which means it's still up to Lucky and Kotarou to save the day. Seeing Kotarou's bravery to take back the Leo Kyu Globe, Big Bear grants the young boy his power, giving him access to both the Ursa Major and Ursa Minor Kyu Globe. And so, Kotarou Sakuma becomes the first Earthling Kyuranger, as #11 The Big Star, Ursa Minor Sky Blue is officially born! NOTE: Of course, Kotarous isn't the first young kid to be part of a Super Sentai team. This is undoubtedly a nod to Dairanger's KibaRanger, and also Ohranger's KingRanger. The color blue might very well be a subtle nod to Justin Stewart of the American counterpart, though Ursa Minor Sky Blue has yet the ability to transform into an adult-sized Kyuranger. - I really dig the design of Ursa Minor Sky Blue. But what I love most about him, is the weapon choice assigned to him. Since he clearly doesn't have a Ryuu Tsueder, nor his own mode of Kyu the Weapon, Ursa Minor Sky Blue (ain't that name a handful) utilizes his wrecking bal... I mean, scarf as a means to attack. Serving as some kind of whip, and rope as well, so it's unique! With Big Bear's instruction, the Ursa Major Kyu Globe gives him the ability to grow giant, and stomp the enemy. Hence why his roll call is called Big Star, right? - I almost forgot! Leo Red also uses the skill of #39 Lacerta Kyu Globe to climb walls like a lizard, allowing him to attack Mothma mid-air. This particular Kyu Globe has debuted before via commercial in episode 2, but it's the first time in the story. With the addition of Lacerta, we officially get 6 new Kyu Globes in one episode! #11, 22, 24, 39, 41, and 42. - The battle is won, and Kotarou earns his Rebellion neat-colored jacket (oddly, he's not taking the spotlight in the ending sequence). Stinger doesn't seem pleased about it, and perhaps we might see more of this soon. Looks like we're closing in to the next arc as well, as Big Bear openly asks Xiao about Argo. I guess those are the stories for next week, right?

Overall: Kyuranger probably started out as "What if 'One Piece' takes place in space, in a Star Wars-esque universe", but the addition of Commander Xiao and Kotarou slowly but sure evolved it into its own story. Yes, you might argue that they are basically representing Brook, and Tony Tony Chopper, including the use of similar color tones. But their personalities added more 'colors' and 'flavors' to Kyuranger, not just quantity. Since this is obviously a children-targetted franchise, Kotarou is clearly present as some sort of surrogate of, or even a role model / symbolism for the young audience. So an episode that dwelved on his big dream to be a hero, should've naturally been a highlight. Problem is, while I did enjoy both running plots in this one (the Kotarou-Big Bear bit was inspiring, while the Orion's catastrophe side was equally serious and hillarious), Ursa Minor Sky Blue's debut was... well, contradictive to the rule of the season. In some way, it violated the narrative, by implying that Big Bear has had a Kyuranger power on his own, when we know that shouldn't be the case (as evidenced by Mr. Pega, and also Xiao). At the very least, it didn't synchronize well with last week's plot point, and that has taken out a heap of its score. So all in all, a good episode, but could've been better. Next week: Lucky lost his luck? That's a 1st. And the 2nd, a 3-parter Mecha debuts.

Episode 10 Score: 7,9 out of 10

Visit THIS LINK to view a continuously updated listing of the Kyutama / Kyu Globes. Last Updated: April 18th, 2017 - Version 15. (WARNING: It might contain spoilers for future episodes)

All images are screencaptured from the series, provided by the FanSubber Over-Time. "Uchu Sentai Kyuranger" is produced by TOEI, and airs every Sunday on TV-Asahi. Credits and copyrights belong to their respective owners.

[play-read-write]

Bride To Bee

Fandom: RWBY Word Count: 2422 Ship: Bumbleby

So this one is for @blakexiaobong. Some of the people at @rwbysecretsanta couldn’t get it done so I got called in to write one for you, hence it being so late, sorry about that. Heard you like the bees so thats what you get. Hope you enjoy it.

“A tale as old as time, a song as old as rhyme, beauty and… the beast.” Weiss sang, letting her voice trail off. A round of applause followed as she gave a small curtsey. Holding the microphone she looked out and says “To the happy couple, may your happiness last longer my company, which I’ll be making sure lasts a very very long time.”

A small laugh goes out as she steps down from the stage. Taiyang steps up in her place. “Thank you for that, Weiss. Now it’s time for some speeches. Since I’m already here and you can’t push me out of the way, I’ll go first.” He pauses and looks around, his eyes settling on Blake and Yang. “Yang, my daughter, my sunny little dragon. Since the day you were born you have lit up my life. I’ve seen you go through a lot, some highs and some lows. I’ve seen you at your worst, and I’ve seen you at your best. Now I can truly say I’ve seen you at your happiest, and that is all I ever wanted for you.

Blake, I remember hearing about you first. My daughters writing me letters about their teammates. I remember when Yang started mentioning you more and more, and the tone changed. We have one thing in common, and that’s that Yang has made both our worlds brighter. Now it’s up to you to keep her as happy as she is now. I don’t doubt you can. Welcome to the family.”

The newlyweds smiled and Yang gave Blake’s hand a squeeze before they joined the soft applause as Taiyang stepped off. Next up was Ruby, stepping up on stage and lowering the mic down to her level. “Uh, hey guys.” She says, “I’m not really comfortable in front of people like this, but I can do it for a few minutes.” She takes a deep breath. “Yang, you’re my big sister, and you’re the best big sister someone could ask for,” She points at Weiss and adds quickly “Quiet Weiss I get to say that today it’s her wedding.” Laughter went through the crowd. Ruby let out a nervous giggle and went back to the speech. “Yeah, you’re the best. You were always there for me, from the day I was born and every day since. Even when I thought you weren’t, like our first day at Beacon, you were just doing your best to help. I love you.

Speaking of that day, it’s also the day I met Blake. She can be a bit… off putting when you first meet her, as most people here know, but I knew the moment we met she was good. Probably because she saved me from Weiss yelling at me. Then we got to know each other better and she became one of my best friends. I got the up close view when she and Yang got closer, and I saw how they changed. Smiling brighter when around each other, becoming more open, and just being happier together. I couldn’t ask for anyone better for either of you two, and I’m glad I could be there to see it happen. Oh, and also, I’m still going to be there to make sure it keeps happening. I’ve got two big sisters now; you can’t get rid of me.” She gives a big grin as she hops off the stage. She walks over and gives them both a hug before going back to her seat.

“Alright here, looks like I’m up next.” Qrow says, walking onto the stage and taking the mic. “Don’t worry, not gonna make too much of a fool up here, just got a bit I wanna say. Now, I ain’t been around for everything, spent a lot of time away. Always made sure I came back though. I had two little nieces to come back to after all. Now one of them isn’t so little, other one kind of is. Gotta say she made a good pick here, firecracker over here will need someone to keep her calm, and the embodiment of shadows here can use someone to brighten up her day. Don’t worry, I only nickname the people I like. Ain’t that right, Tai Rack?”

“Shut it, bird brain.” Tai calls out.

“Real original. Anyway, I was never one for settling down myself. For some though, it’s the best choice you can make, and it sure seems like the two of you made a good one. To a very long, very happy, and hopefully not too exciting life.”

“Nice speech old man!” Yang calls out.

“Hey, watch it. I ain’t afraid to mess up a wedding, wouldn’t be my first.” He says as he gets off of the stage.

Next up on the stage came Kali, taking the mic herself. “It looks like I’m up next then. Your father wanted to make a speech, but he’s afraid he’ll start crying if he does. I certainly can’t blame him either. My little girl finally all grown up. When you ran away as a child we were so afraid we’d never see you again. Then you came back as a huntress in training, with a team of friends at your side. It was the first time in a long time I’d seen you smile. Now, here we are, and I get to see that beautiful smile so much more, thanks to this wonderful woman at your side. It makes me so happy to see you’re happy as well. So, Yang, to steal a line from your father, Welcome to the family.” She puts the microphone up and steps down, moving over to hug both Blake and Yang for a moment before heading back to her seat.

Yang stands up with Blake, turning to face the crowd. “Alright people, party time! Let’s cut some cake!” She cheers.

…

“Now welcome to the dance floor, for the first time, Mrs. and Mrs. Xiao Long.” The DJ calls out as Yang and Blake step onto the floor. Taking a position they begin to dance as all around them their friends and family watch, Gold playing over the speakers.

“It’s still weird hearing that.” Blake says as they danced.

“Yeah it is. You still sure you don’t mind taking my name?”

“Yang we’ve had this talk. Belladonna is a great name, but it has too much attached to it with the white fang. I’d rather move forward always having part of you with me.”

“It’s our wedding day, you don’t have to keep trying to be so romantic. You’ve already got me.”

“I’ll make sure I’m worth keeping you too, by trying every day. I expect the same though.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll never stop.”

“Perfect.” Blake says as the song ends, Yang holding her close and leaning down to kiss her. Once they break apart Taiyang walks over to them.

“I do hate to break up the loving couple, but I was hoping to have a dance with my daughter?” He says.

“As was I.” Ghira says, coming up behind him.

Yang and Blake share a look and a small smirk. “Sure.” Yang says and steps over, right up to Ghira, while Blake steps up to Tai.

Both men are confused for just a moment before laughing a bit. “Funny.” Tai says.

“Well you did say I was part of the family now.” Blake says.

“That I did. I’d be happy to dance with you, as long as…” He looks up at Ghira.

“Go ahead.” He says, “I have my other daughter to dance with for now. I’ll take the next one.”

…

“Oh come on, don’t be so stubborn.” Yang says.

“Nope, nuh uh, can’t do it, not happening, no way.” Ruby says.

“Just one dance, Sis, please?”

“Yang you know I can’t dance.”

“I’ll lead, you just follow. It’ll be easy.”

“Can’t, nope, nada.”

“You really going to turn down a bride on her wedding day?”

“Everyone will be watching though.”

“Ruby, you’re a grown woman and a huntress, maybe the best huntress. At all. Ever. You can’t be scared of people watching you.”

“Why not? You’re scared of scissors.”

“You wouldn’t say that if you knew what me and Blake got up to.”

“Ew Yang!” Ruby says, making a face, “Don’t do that.”

“I’ll stop if you dance with me. Or if you don’t I might get bored and go into detail.”

“Ugh, fine, I’ll dance with you.” She says and stands up.

“Awesome, I knew you’d come around.” Yang says, leading them both onto the floor. “The day wouldn’t be perfect without getting a dance with my sister.”

“Well consider yourself lucky, you only get one.”

“So I don’t get one?” Blake asks, dancing beside them with Weiss.

“What? No, I don’t want to do another one.”

“Would you turn down a bride on her wedding day?” Weiss asks.

“Already used that one.” Yang says.

“I’ve never had a little sister before.” Blake says, “I’ve got one now, and I’d love to dance with her.”

“Alright.” Ruby says, “One each and that’s it.”

“Never change, Ruby.” Yang says with a small laugh.

…

“This was supposed to be a good day.” Yang says, starring in horror.

“Please tell me when it’s over.” Ruby says, covering her eyes.

“I never thought the universe could be this cruel.” Blake says.

“I think it’s hilarious.” Weiss says.

The four of them stared on as Taiyang, Qrow, Ghira, Kali, and a few more parents of various guests all formed a conga line dancing around the room.

…

“Go Jaune! Go Pyrrha! Go Jaune! Go Pyrrha!” Yang led the chant as the two in question danced, a large circle having formed around them as they did so.

“Oh that ain’t nothing! Check this out!” Nora calls out and drags Ren into the circle. After just a moment the two of them start dancing, taking over the center of the circle for a minute before stepping aside, challenging Jaune and Pyrrha. Thus ensued The Great JNPR Dance Off. Reports on who won vary from person to person, Nora and Pyrrha both claiming victory for their side while Ren and Jaune both gave it to the other. In the end, the real winners were those who thought to record it and upload it to the CCT for the world to see.

…

“Ruby, no.” Yang says.

“Oh come on it would be so easy.”

“I said no.”

“You can’t deny it would be useful.”

“That’s just not how it works.”

“What is it now?” Blake asks, sitting beside her wife.

“Ruby wants to turn our wedding rings into small guns.”

“You’re kidding.” She says, after a moment of silence she adds. “Of course you’re not.”

“I’m just saying, it could store enough dust for one good shot. You never know when you’d need that.”

“Ruby.” Yang says, “It’s a wedding ring. It’s a symbol of my love and devotion to Blake, it’s not a gun.”

“I don’t see why it can’t be both. I mean, what’s more devoted than always being prepared so that you can come home to her?”

Yang opens her mouth to answer, but stops. Blake speaks up instead. “Well I certainly didn’t expect that much of a logical argument for this topic. Thank you for thinking of us, Ruby, but we’re good for now. If we change our minds we’ll let you know.”

“Alright. Still think it’s silly though.” Ruby says.

…

“So, that was one hell of a time.” Yang says as she and Blake start to clean up a bit, the guests having left.

“That it was.” Blake says, smiling over at her. “It was great.”

“Better than I expected from a wedding.” Ruby says, walking up to them.

“Ruby.” Yang says, “I thought you left.”

“Pfft, nah.” She says with a wave of her hand. “We stuck behind to help you.”

“We?”

“Of course ‘we’ did.” Weiss says, walking through the door. “We’re not going to leave you to do this on your own.”

“Uh, thanks guys.” Yang says. “You really didn’t have to.”

“Of course we did, your our teammates, friends, and your both my sisters now.” Ruby says as she starts to clean up.

“Plus you’re both brides. We can’t have you ruining your special day with chores like these.”

“Right.” Blake says, “It’s just that…”

“Look.” Yang says, “We love you guys, a lot, and we love being with you, but we kind of want some alone time as wives.”

“So go home.” Ruby says.

“What?”

“We refuse to leave until this place is cleaned up.” Weiss says as the two of them keep going about it, “But we’re not going to go home with you, no matter how much you ask, so if you want to be alone, then go home and enjoy yourselves.”

“What was that part about asking?” Ruby asks.

“Oh come on, we’re not related to you, Weiss. You could consider it a wedding gift. You’d have fun.” Yang says with a smirk.

“Really Yang, hitting on me on your wedding day?”

“Hey it’s a gift for her too, I said join not replace. I ain’t letting go of her and she knows it.”

“I kinda hoped she’d stop hitting on all of our friends now that she was married.” Ruby says, “Guess I was wrong.”

“You can’t expect that.” Blake says, “Yang likes to say nice things. I wouldn’t ask her to change.”

“I married the perfect woman.” Yang says, looking at her with a smile and then giving her a kiss. She looks at Weiss and Ruby. “So… we can really go home and you’ll clean this up?”

“Happy to do it.” Ruby says, “We decided to help so it’s fine.”

“Really, we’re good. You two can go home. We’ll handle it.” Weiss says.

“Best. Teammates. Ever.” Yang says. She walks over and grabs them both in a big bear hug.

“Ugh, Yang, breathing!” Ruby says, causing Yang to let them go.

“Thank you, really.” Blake says. “We’ll call you both tomorrow to talk.”

“Yeah, definitely.” Yang says, walking over and taking Blake’s hand. They both wave as they leave, walking out the door.

“So.” Yang starts as they approach her bike. “You ready?”

“Yang, I just married you, of course I’m ready.” Blake says as they get on.

“Alright then, hold on tight.” Yang says, starting it up as Blake’s arms wrap around her waist. Then they take off, heading not just home, but into their new lives as a married couple.