#Shut Up Kapu

[keena-kapu]

The best part about the d&d movie hands down is

H i m

[treesnutsandleaveswrites]

Finding Home

Pairing: The Bad Batch x Reader (Polyam)

Summary: Your mission with the Batch is a success and you get time to relax

Warning: mentions of weapons, fluff, light angst

Word Count: 1582

A/N: Just a little relaxing chapter for you all xoxo

pt xiii, pt xv

XXXXXXX

You laid on the ledge, watching over the others through your scope.

“Lodestar, anything?”

“No movement whatsoever.” You responded, looking to your side where Omega was laid next to you with binoculars, “Omega?”

“All clear. Nothing.”

“I’m going in. Echo, cover me.” Hunter affirmed.

You nodded, looking through the scope of your rifle again. You watched as he and Echo made their way through the small valley, moving stealthily between the rocks. You then averted your attention to your surroundings, looking out for some unwanted company. Tech and Wrecker were on the other side of the valley, waiting just above also.

“Um… Lodestar?” Omega caught your attention, “What’s that?”

She handed you the binoculars and helped you look to the direction she was observing beforehand. You then saw the lizard-like creature stalking Hunter and Echo’s trail. You quickly gave the binoculars back before speaking into your communicator.

“Hunter, your 5 o’clock!”

He turned, pulled out his knife, and swiped at the creature. It moved back and hissed at him. You positioned your rifle and prepared to shoot, but then Omega exclaimed.

“Wait! Behind it! Look!”

You furrowed your brows before moving your scope to see a nest full of eggs.

“Hunter! Move away slowly! Put your dagger away!” Omega instructed. He hesitated, but did so, which also caused the creature to retreat.

“There’s an alternate path to your left.” Tech declared, “It’s fairly faster than the one you’re taking now.”

“Better timing next time, Tech.” Echo grumbled.

The lot of you made your way back to the speeder after retrieving what Cid’s client wanted. You helped Omega into the speeder before looking at Wrecker as he readied his bike. You smirked and signalled Hunter to drive the speeder while you made your way to the other speeder bike.

“Race you back, Wreck.”

He laughed, “Oh-ho, ad’ika! You’re on!”

You boarded the bike and nodded to him while starting it up.

“Do us the honors, Omega?” You insisted, which caused her to grin.

“Ready… set… GO!” She cried and you took off with Wrecker, who was whooping.

The both of you egged each other on, but then the speeder caught up and found its place between you two. You looked briefly to see the small smirk on Hunter’s face as he maneuvered the speeder. You laughed and revved the bike, overlapping both the speeder and Wrecker.

“Oh no you don’t, ad’ika!” Wrecker shouted, urging the bike.

You and him were at the same pace, but before you could reach the house, Hunter managed to outrun the both of you. You slowed your bike to a stop before hopping off it and laughing while Wrecker grumbled. Omega cheered as she got out of the speeder while Echo laughed at Tech, who’s hair was unkempt and goggled were dusty. Hunter patted Wreckers shoulder to comfort him. D-5 rolled out of the house, circling you.

“He-Hello! Home, home, home!”

You urged him back towards the house, “Kapu might be back in town. The sun’s not up yet, so we can go see him in an hour or so. Come on.”

Omega rushed into the house with D-5 while you all followed behind her. You and the Batch relieved yourselves of your armor, then you went into the kitchen to make a meal for everyone. Omega played with D-5 on the floor while Hunter was discussing some things with Echo, Tech was messing with one of his devices, and Wrecker was knocked out in one of the chairs. This was a sight you missed, it had something new in it, but was still missing a little bit of something else. You managed a small smile while going back to cooking. You then placed a large bowl down with the food along with some plates.

“Dig in.” You announced.

They didn’t deny the food being offered and started eating. It has been a long time since they’ve had a real cooked meal other than rations and Mantell Mix, so they cherished every bite taken. You stood, watching and admiring them. You were finally relishing that they were really here with you and it wasn’t some fantasy you would often have after the incident on Coruscant. Omega was a great addition to the Batch, but it didn’t fully fill the hole where Crosshair was supposed to be. If he were here, you knew the two of you would be yelling over each other, but then ended up in one another’s arms as if you hadn’t left. You felt a small bump and looked down to see D-5.

“Sad. Star sad.”

You shook your head and crouched down, “You keep bumping into people like that, your balance module will come out of place again.” You pushed him back towards Omega before making your way to the bed where Hunter was sitting, having finished eating. Echo had moved to the sofa where Tech was, talking to him about his arm or something like that. Omega was leaning against the chair Wrecker was sitting on, eyes getting droopy. You laughed gently before going over to her and picking her up.

“C’mon.”

“Not tired.” She murmured as you placed her on the bed behind Hunter, moving the covers so she could get under them.

“Wrecker used to say the same thing.” You whispered while tucking her in.

You turned back to the others while taking your seat again.

“You should rest too.” Echo insisted, “You haven’t since your last mission.”

You shook your head, looking down to your hands, “I… don’t sleep that often anymore. I’ll be alright.”

D-5 rolled in front of you, “Bad-bad dreams.”

You sighed, “Mind your business before I shut you down.” You kicked him gently.

“You sure it wasn’t you who made his balance module wonky?” Tech smirked.

You rolled your eyes, “Wow… when did you find your sense of humor?”

He tossed a pillow from the couch towards you, which you caught.

“Hey,” You whispered, “Omega’s sleeping!”

They all managed to chuckle, nearly all the tension off their shoulders.

“It’s been a while since you’ve all relaxed, huh?’

Echo nodded with a sigh, “We’ve had to deal with a lot… bounty hunters, jobs, even Crosshair…”

“This… is different than just staying on Ord Mantell and waiting for Cid to send us off on a job.” Tech admitted, “It feels almost… like before.”

You nodded, “Yeah… I was thinking the same thing.” You smiled gently, “I really missed this.”

“We missed you, mesh’la.” Hunter murmured, bringing you closer to him and placing a kiss on your head, “So much…”

You looked at them as they all nodded, which caused tears to come to your eyes. Hunter placed a hand on your face and shushed you.

“It’s alright, cyare, we understand.”

Wrecker spoke up, “Are you… are gonna come back with us? To Ord Mantell?”

You took a moment to look at him before shrugging, “I don't have much here. This place was just… refuge. It was never home.”

“Kamino was home-”

“No,” You muttered, “Kamino wasn’t home. Not to me. Kamino was an escape from my past… Home was with you. All of you. That was home.”

“Are you ready to come home then, cyar’ika?”

You looked at them all before nodding, “Yes. Yes, I am…”

*******

You stood in the shop while Kapu talked to Cid through the holo device.

“Yeah, your boys got it. They’ll be back soon.”

“Good. Nice doing business with ya, Kapu.”

“Does that mean I get that date?”

Cid scoffed before hanging up, which caused Kapu to laugh.

“She loves me.”

You rolled your eyes with a smile before heading to him.

“Gonna miss me, Kapu?”

“I’ve been tryna get rid of you, girl!”

You laughed and set down a bag of credits, “Here.”

“What for?”

“Letting me stay here?”

He picked up the pouch and poured it out into his hand, then used another had to take half the pile before putting the rest of the credits back into the pouch and tossing it back to you.

“I ain’t no charity. And take D-5 with you so I don’t need to worry about smashing him with no door again.”

You nodded before walking out with the Batch. You hiked up your bag on your shoulder and looked down at Omega as she was holding D-5.

“Gonky will have a new friend!”

“Gonky still works?” You asked incredulously while Tech nodded.

“Surprisingly, yes.”

After a bit of walking, you all arrived at the ship and you stood there for a moment, taking in the sight of it.

“Wow… still looks the same.”

“Wrecker wanted to put Senator Amidala up there above the hatch.”

“I thought that was just a joke!” You exclaimed.

“He thought it’d cheer us up after Coruscant.”

You shook your head with a smile while boarding the ship.

“I’m glad you didn’t or else I would’ve turned back around.”

Omega rushed in with D-5, climbing up into the gunner’s mount. You furrowed your brows slightly.

“It’s her own little space…”

You nodded, “That’s good. It’s hard dealing with you guys all the time.”

“She’s used to it by now.” Echo laughed before making his way into the cockpit.

You placed your bag down and walked into the cockpit also, relishing the feel of it again. Omega rushed in and sat in the seat that used to be yours. You smiled and took the seat that was once Crosshair’s.

“Alright, setting route for Ord Mantell.” Tech announced as everyone settled in.

XXXXXXX

Taglist: @darkangel4121 @lightning-wolffe @alucas528 @rintheemolion @shadowfoxey @butch-medusae @gabile18

[nicknederson]

nancy drew games rating by cooking/food minigames present in them

secrets can kill: no food minigame in either version. can’t even order a burger. shit game. 0/10

stay tuned for danger: there is mention of pizza and there are bagels physically present. cannot take the bagels. also a shit game. 0/10

message in the haunted mansion: no food. no cooking mini-game. nancy is just eating broken porcelain in the corner of her room. shit game. 0/10

treasure in the royal tower: there is mention of a bag containing fifty frozen chicken wings but we are denied access to the chicken. shit game. 0/10

the final scene: there’s just gross ground pizza in this game and you can’t even steal concessions. shit game. 0/10

secret of the scarlet hand: there are diarrhea inducing cookies that nancy vandalizes art with but no other food. literally a shit game. 0/10

ghost dogs of moon lake: nancy subsists solely on jerky, raw worms, and soda. shit game. 0/10

the haunted carousel: there is food nancy can eat but nothing beyond that. thin fucking ice. 3/10

danger on deception island: cooking minigame which gives you the power to kill someone as well as available food. excellent game. 10/10

the secret of shadow ranch: you can make a cake and interact with vegetables. i will allow it. 5/10

curse of blackmoor manor: available food and a cooking mini-game for birds that, again, gives you the power to kill someone. excellent game. 10/10

secret of the old clock: nancy can carry around a raw fish in her purse but she cannot eat it. there is pie, but it is merely a construct. thin fucking ice. 1/10

last train to bluemoon canyon: great cooking mini-game even if it’s for a limited time. can kill someone in spirit with a cheeseburger. nancy can’t eat herself sick with anything so that kind of sucks. 8/10

danger by design: parfait mini-game, cookie mini-game, tea mini-game and rats free for nancy to devour as she wishes. good game. 8/10

the creature of kapu cave: shaved ice mini game and i guess technically the frass sorting mini game since nancy could eat that if she felt like it. do not get to see a pineapple in person once. good enough game. 4/10

the white wolf of icicle creek: cooking mini game with multi-facets and the ability to harass people with seasoning. nancy is apparently just eating snow but i’ll allow it. excellent game. 10/10

legend of the crystal skull: no cooking mini-game but plenty of food nancy/bess can eat themselves to the point of endangering their lives. acceptable. 5/10

the phantom of venice: both gelatto and poisoned sausage as well as plenty of bird feed for nancy to munch on if she pleases. passable game. 4/10

the haunting of the castle malloy: no available food besides bricks but there is a drink mini-game. also a passable game. 5/10

ransom of the seven ships: i’m pretty sure there’s fruit but nancy can’t eat it. all she can consume is sand and the adrenaline of the hunt. shit game. 0/10

warnings at waverly academy: no food, but a fantastic cooking mini-game. purpose, eavesdropping, and unholy culinary abominations of toasted tomato bagels. excellent game. 10/10

trail of the twister: nancy only eats candy and nothing else. it’s like being six years old again and not trusted with kitchen implements. thin fucking ice. 2/10

shadow at the water’s edge: bento mini-game, but no consumable food for nancy besides the leaves in the garden. she must graze like a deer to survive. acceptable game. 5/10

the captive curse: nancy can eat pretzels until she becomes an over-salted corpse. an efficient and strategic way of surviving during an investigation. no cooking mini-game, but nancy can dunk her head in a bucket of well water so that makes up for it. great game. 8/10

alibi in ashes: no cooking mini-game but there is enough ice cream for nancy and the drew crew to force their bodies into complete digestive shut-down. passable game. 5/10

tomb of the lost queen: no cooking mini-game. no food. nancy only has the sand and locusts. shit game. 0/10

the deadly device: again nancy is forced to subsist on candy and gummy bears. no cooking mini-game despite being there being a kitchen. barely passable game. 4/10

ghost of thornton hall: there is only the tea mini-game and no available food. nancy is eating rocks in the graveyard, but at least she can put seven limes in her tea to prevent scurvy. good enough. 4/10

the silent spy: cookie making mini-game and plenty of food for nancy to shove into her hungry mouth hole. acceptable game. 8/10

the shattered medallion: no food and no cooking mini-games. nancy is seemingly expected to cannibalize her fellow contestants to survive which is a concept i’m into. thin fucking ice. 1/10

labyrinth of lies: no snacks besides thanos. shit game. 0/10

sea of darkness: cooking mini-game that is limited to still images and requires math. no available food for nancy besides the snow and soren’s sweaters. i’ll allow it. 5/10

midnight in salem: there is a cooking mini-game, but the enjoyable parts are limited and unrepeatable. no available food besides the pancakes nancy makes and carries in her pockets. remedy making mini-game is acceptable, but pointless. thin fucking ice. 3/10

[brooklynislandgirl]

📝 for the answering of applicable questions, please!

~Quietly, in the Lower Garden District~

~Colour~

The man behind the counter is ready to reach over and strangle her. She can see it in his expression, so put upon by each time she shakes her head and asks if she can have another sample made. She almost wishes he would try, he'd lose more than the hour that she's been at this. That might be uncharitable of her but the man reminds her of the kind of person who, when not wearing his little vest, is exactly the kind of person who sees Beth and Anakin walking down the street together and curls a lip, makes passing commentary to other middle-age white guys. Too poor, too weird, too questionably ethnic to suit them. The kind of person who would walk faster when it got dark, or would lock up before they could make it to a door. There's more of those than either one of them care to acknowledge, and the irony is almost delicious. Except that sometimes Anakin cannot help but to be very aware of that kind of prejudice and it really takes another chunk out of his self-confidence.

"Allow me to explain again," she says softly, in crisp and enunciated haole. "I said I want a very specific shade of blue. A hint of royal with a tinge of cadet number five. Then mix at the edges a touch of Prussian and just enough Turkish Steel to give that depth soft edges. Then overly sky atop it all. Or better yet, please find me a customer service specialist who can, in fact, understand what I am looking for because clearly? You're not it." That might be her fault, she does want to paint the living room the exact shade of Anakin's eyes.

~Song~

She doesn't play as well as Andy could, and she would never be a singer though she enjoyed it maybe because it was more about intent than execution, one of the few things that held true in absolute. And sometimes neither one really mattered when he folded himself up like an envelope just so he could rest his head against her chest and instead of plucking strings, she only ran fingers through his hair. He closes his eyes and she focuses hers across the back yard. Beyond the pool and past the grass. Colours blur and fade and there's a ripple of dissonance within the Tapestry to make a boundary between what is solid and inflexible and what is hidden in a space outside of the Tellurian. Words they don't use in every day conversation. She isn't quite singing now instead humming a tune that would reveal more than maybe they're ready to dive into. Other words they don't use, either. Her palm comes to rest on his brow as tender as she knows how. The other reaches around him to tuck one of the knitted blankets around him. He doesn't seem to mind the combination of warmth between herself and the acrylic, is maybe the only other person who could be cold in anything else less than 80 degrees and 90% humidity. It takes an infinite amount of patience, skill, and mana to redirect the rain to a different part of the city. He'll forgive her weariness even if he doesn't understand why she will go to bed early, sleep in late. And that's okay. He doesn't need to know. It's better if he doesn't, it would spoil the gift. 'Cause I'm gonna make this place your home.

~Scent~ The balcony door is open letting muggy air move sluggishly in through the French doors. Beneath her the bed is a little too stiff for comfort. Her laptop almost too warm as it rests on her thighs and only serves to remind her that she should probably get out of the charcoal grey suit she's wearing. She closes the screen and pulls her glasses off, raising them so they rest in her hair. Takes a sip of the wine she'd bought at...some store she won't remember the name of... but that came recommended by the bellhop.

She didn't have the forethought before leaving for Baton Rouge to steal borrow something to bring along. For reasons that she didn't want to explain because there's no very polite way to explain she's grown used to having him sleep beside her. That there's something soothing that comes wafting up from his skin the closer he gets, arm wrapped around her, leg half thrown over. At the end of a day there's his natural chemistry that mixes with clean laundry and cigarette smoke, something sweet and spicy from his preferred night cap. Sometimes there's blood. Sometimes the distinct smell of wood or metal from something he's working on for himself, the kind of tinkering that seems to bring him peace like nothing else can. There isn't an exact name for it but she can recognise it at a thousand paces. It makes her want to burrow furtively into his chest cavity and find some way to live inside of that newly hollowed out space. Maybe just thinking about it was all she needed. Maybe it's some new kind of magick trick. Regardless, she'd managed to doze off just long enough to be startled when the door of her hotel room clicks shut and he's there. Pulled out of her day dreams and turned into flesh. With exactly the kind of apologetic grin she's become as familiar with as she is the smell of him. "Guess, I jus' couldn't sleep." And she knows there's more going on behind the sheepish look, and the way he stands at a polite distance away, maybe waiting for permission. She doesn't say a word. Only turns down the previously pristine other side of the bed before slipping from hers. The white silk blouse hits the floor seconds before she disappears into the bathroom.

~Meme~ She eyes Anakin. Looks at her phone. Back and forth for five solid minutes before she just starts giggling. Which turns into a laugh.

~Sound~ It's those little sub-vocalisations that get her. Every near guttural groan, every single one of those breathless whimpers that cling to the edges of her senses soft as cobwebs or hard as thunder. There are so many layers between them, so much context to be drawn from even a half of a sigh. They are a siren song even if she doesn't know what rocks he wants her to dash herself on.

~Setting~

She cringes. "I don' wanna tell ya." He's helping her work on a psychological profiling assessment that's required of her continuing education class, which is all part of her professional development. But she's worried because it's going to sound incredibly racist, coming as it is not from a white-passing woman of colour but one of incredible privilege who absolutely knows what it's going to sound like. But she cannot resist the look of self-accusation and anxiety that creeps into his micro-expressions and doing anything else would feel incredibly dishonest. Something she doesn't want to foster in him. "Somewhere 'round sunset. Da bayou waddah look like it on fire. Dere's some soft Zydeco music goin' on in da backdrop. Air's hot an' heavy like steam 'tween lovers an' if ya real quiet, can hear da bayou jus' come alive wi' oddah souls. Dere's pirogues bobbin' along, an' you can smell some ono grindz cookin' somewhere. Spanish moss all hangin' down from cypress an' willow trees. A mixture of old spirituals an' dat beautiful, melodic pidgin dat get spoke down dere...I know is nevah really li'dat.... also make me t'ink of witch blood an' Mokole dat pass as gators... all dem ghosts an' da kine ya nevah can put ya finger on but dat give ya chicken skin jus' t'inkin' 'bout..." ~Fashion Style~

Clothes litter her floor. Flung without a care to their resting places. Some on the edge of her bed or the arm of a chair. Suits and jeans and tee-shirts. Undergarments and socks. Like some small hurricane exploded out of the closet, just with less water. There's sarongs too. Luau shirts that just aren't him. Shoes too. Finally, she steps back and examines her handiwork. A frame work of satin boxers that will caress the most delicate parts of him without bunching or pinching. An accent of which are picked up in the suit lapels and bow tie. White shirt, black buttons. Silver cuff-links. Socks that are thin as a Friday night prayer, and absolutely voluptuous Paolo Scafora oxfords in a blue so dark they look black at first glance, polished to a mirror gloss. Dior and Stefano Ricci. Famous labels from famous houses of style.

If the gala wasn't required...Anakin wouldn't be seeing the light of day and there'd be very different reasons the clothes would be laying scattered about.

But she kind of also misses that scruffy plain, slightly tattered tee-shirt and skinny jeans even she would have a hard time getting up past her own hips, and questionably aged converse. Aesthetically speakin, Anakin is ever clothing designer's wet dream and she has never wanted to be a circular scarf more in her life. "Wow. Jus'....wow." ~Feeling~

"Belonging."

It's all she says before she kisses him. Softly and sweetly, a little wet from a stray tear that slips down between their lips. Admitting this is admitting that maybe, just maybe, she loves him, too. Which puts a countdown on everything. Which means that he's going to find the wherewithal to leave her and to take with him every that makes her feel even the littlest bit real. She doesn't know if she'll survive the loss, so it's best that she make the most of it before he goes. ~Animal~ "If you were one dem changing breeds? You'd be a were-fossa. Dey are dese medium sized ....well. Dey kinda look like cats, but also...dey don't. Related to da civet but also like...mongooses. Mongeese? Wha'evah. Dey from Madagascar. Da Malagasy got kapu of a kind an' actually are sorta afraid of dem, an' wi' good reason...dey carnivorous ay-eff." She glances over. "Don' laugh! Dey beautiful an' rare an' I really like dem a lot. An' I'm not gonna tell ya any more about dem. Gonna make a new animal, an' call it a' Anakin." There is every possibility that she will do this. Some day.

~Holiday~ Christmas. It will always be Christmas. Not the lights and snow and carollers, though there's plenty of that to go around. Not the chill and dank air, not the interminably long night, not even because of gifts. It's not a childhood of Santa surfing or canoeing, and it isn't sandcastles and malasadas left by the lanai doors from Hawai'i, either. Maybe it's a touch of the peace and goodwill often associated with the season, and how he came to find her when he needed her the most. But if she had to give just one reason, it's that he brought her back a sense of wonder that she'd thought was lost when her world had shattered. He took something terrible and turned it into something beautiful. That isn't an ordinary, every day kind of magick and she doesn't know how she will ever be able to express her love and gratitude for him.

"Wha'ya t'ink about mebbe da Bahamas dis year? Get out of da city for a lil while, I promise I won' make ya go for da beach."

~Season~

When Beth thinks of seasons, she thinks of it being a mainland phenomenon. Her own islands only really have two: Kau from May to October, where everything is beautiful and averages about 85 degrees give or take, and Ho'oilo from November to April when the best tides bring in the biggest waves. It's only cooler by about ten degrees. Which is maybe why she always feels so cold so far away from home. And why she likes it here so much. She knows other places have as many as six seasons, broken up into more agricultural and solar tied patterns of weather and climate and sometimes even just spiritual nature. But taking all of Anakin into account, she would have to say... "Monsoon. It's da time of life-giving rains. But also it can be dangerous for the same reason. Cool but lingers along your skin. An' it's somet'ing I keep wi' me always, waitin' for it."

[askmyfandoms]

My Lilo and Stitch AU Main Languages

Tantalog is the native language of Jumba and Turo in Lilo and Stitch and Stitch! Anime:

A

A Niga Chan Doonga (But There's Water)

Aba Chooka (Help, #You Right#)

Aba Loocha (Door)

Aba Loosha (There It Is, Gone)

Aba Nootcha (Phone)

Aba Tooka (What About, How About Something Else?, Not This)

Aba Tooky (What's up?)

Abata Iki (Forget It)

Accata (Alright/Clear)

Acha Booka Moopa (That The Best You Can Throw At Me?)

Acha Kaba (Me Too)#

Achaba (Good Idea)

Achiba (Liar)

Achi-Baba (Friend)

Achi-Kaba (Weird, Here They Come, #Iv Got You#)

Achi-Kata (You)

Acoota Chi-Meeto Igatta No Mootah, Nagga To Nala Itume Tidooka. (Angel's Song) (Heed Me, You Are In My Power. Henceforth, Nothing Shall Be Too Cruel Or Too Abominable For You. You Can't Escape.)

Acoota Chi Tay (Your Turn)#

Achooga Moopa (Everyone Attack, #End In Sight, Everyone Go#)

Aga Ba (What Does It Say? Why? Stop)

Aga Bata (Something Much Better)#

Aga Bato (Bring This?, Like This?)

Aga Chaba (Good Luck, Go Get 'Em)

Aga Chiga (Missed Me)

Aga Chu Chiba (What Do You Want Done With (Subject)?)

Aga Do Baba (And That Works?)

Aga Gata (Enough)

Aga Paba Taka (What Just Happened)#

Aga Pobo Takka (Your All Done For)

Aga Tabba (It Can't Be, Can't Do That, Your Done For)

Aga Pobo Takka (Your All Done For)

Aga Tabba (It Can't Be, Can't Do That, Your Done For)

Aga Tagga (Here It Comes)

Aga Takka (There It Goes, There It Is)

Aga Tooga (There It Goes)

Aga Tookie (This Is Awesome, Here We Go)

Agaboo (Oh Well)

Agata (Look At Me)

Agatoo (Then It Happened)

Aggaba (Stop, Let's Do This, Goodbye)

Aggaba Pituga (I Have An Idea)

Ah-Qae Jihad (Blast Him)=

Ahua Shalom Bye (Good Morning)=

Aka Boocha (Let Me Out!)

Aka Chata (Shut Up)

Aka-Choota (Gotta Go, Piece of (Derogatory))

Aka-Choota Tu (You Better Leave)#

Aka Chunga (Don't Worry)#

Akare Asaid (It Looks Scary)=

Aka Taba (Was A Mistake, No You Don't)

Aka Tibi Baba (Something There, There It is)

Aka Toga E Moopa (What Are You Doing Here?)#

Aka Tooka (I Have An Idea)

Akata (Bring It, Show It)

Akatu Bata (These For You)

Akatu Baba (I Can?)#

Akootah (Lets Dig, Lets Go, Right Away, Heed Me)

Akootah Naga Pitu (Heed Me No More Bad)

Aku Bata (That Looks Like It)

Ah-Chooga Moopa (Get Back, Take That)

Allaf (Five)=

Allanet (Fifty)=

Ama-Gata (I'm Fine)

Ama-Taka (Here I Come, #I Want#)

Ama-Take (I'm Taking These)

Annibo (Why Not)

Aroomba Micha Nigicha Aba Tooka (Something Has Happened That Is Very Bad)

Asal (Ball)=

Asafi (Table)=

Ashi Salaam (How Are You?)=

Asyrifah (Excuse Me)=

Ata Bookie (That Hurt)

B

Ba'aq-quasr (That Is Too Loud)=

Baacraphi (Volleyball)=

Baaheth Jihadi (Fight)=

Baari (Fan)=

Baba Taka (Not Fair)

Bachooga (Bye)

Baka Chika (Back At You)

Baka Zika (Back Off)

Barambah (Monster, Scary)

Bachoota (Safe, Good)

Bacha Iki (Whatever)

Bagata Tay (Make All Better)#

Bajo (Thanks/Agreed)

Baquaa (Toilet)=

Bata Naba Gata (Your (Derogatory))

Bo (Very, Much)

Bo Chifa (I Like It)

Bo Niba (Boyfriend, Girlfriend)

Bo Ninga (Good Food)

Bo Tia (Take That)

Boocha (Bad)

Boochi boo (Target Of Affection)

Boojiga (Searching)

Bookoo (Bye)#

Bootifa (Cool)

Booza (Got Him/Her)

Bon Chiba (Eat This)

Brasmathi (Basket)=

Brinut (Tiny)

Brokuba (Broken)

Bucha Chi Bagga Chan Chiti (Let's Cause Some Havoc)

Bum (Two)

Bupi Runun (Change This)

Butifa (Cool, Good, Beautiful)=

C

Cama'ahar Teh Tebracres (What Is Your Name?)=

Chaba Ika Pituga (Stupid Head Anyways)#

Chabata (Come And Catch Me)=

Chaggida (Accomplished)

Chagata Questa (Your Done For)

Chappati (Bread)=

Chatti Naba (Where Is My Equipment)

Chi-Chabada (I Promise, On My Honor)

Chi Chitu (Watch Out)

Chi Gata Questa (Your Going To Be Destroyed)

Chi Mitu (Your Going To Get It, #Give It To Me#)

Chi Mitu Nala Questa (Your Going To Be Destroyed)

Chi Mito (Your Going To Get It)

Chiba Chu (Come On You)

Chiga (Then That)

Chiga Baba (Get Back Here)

Chigida (That Way)

Chigi Bay (Darn It) [Caught Peeking Upon Creation In LiloAndStitch2]

Chika (Got You)

Chabba (Enemy)

Chabila (Derogatory)

Chigi Bay (Darn It)

Chigida (Prepared)

Chiti (Immediately)

Chiti No Nuba (Now You Can't Get It)#

Chito (Sleeping)

Chooga (Run)

Choota (Derogatory Phrase)

Cho Waba (I Have This)

Chuchotoo (Worries, Good)#

Chu Bata (Show Off, Stuck Up)

Chu Chomba (Thank You (Very Much))

Chu Gata Meega (Now Your Mine)

Chu Gata (Subject) Meega Questa (Come To Me Or I Will Destroy)

Chu Gata Questa (Now Your Destroyed, Now Its Over)

Chu Juju (Your Not Going Anywhere)

Chu Nitcha (You Missed)

Chu Taba (Take That, And That)

Chubi Iga (Get The Bad Guy)

Chumpy Chibba (Finally, Lets Go, Prove Better)

Chunga (You)

Chungabee (You Go)

Clogga (More)

Comja Ooga (No Cousins)

Cooma Tay (Fascinating)

Coota Ni Guy Igatta (Came To See Big Show)#

Crabba Snabba (Uh Oh)

Crabba No Pugy (Uh No Kidding)#

Creega Migi (Throw Me)

Crichaa (Tenis Court)=

Chaba Naga (It Wasn't Me)

D

Da Chatti Nay (But I Was, No I Don't)

Dabida (Curious)#

Dagida (All There)

Dagita (All Better)

Deketa (Die, Be Gone)=

Digja De-Baba (Release Him/Her/It)

Dinko Tey Fabba (You Are Fat)=

Do Gaba (Thank You)

Do Chooee Sabicha? (Jealous Are You?)

Doonga (Darn It, On It)

Doonga Haba Blabla (Darn It I Don't Like That)#

Doni Gatchi (Gift)

E

E Gaja No Fibi (Let's Make Them Pay)

Ecata (Let's See)

Ecata Tikka Tikka (Let's See The Prize)

Echi (Correct)

Eega Chooty (He's Evil)

Eegalagoo (Wow)

Eegata (Darn, Incoming, Let's Do It)

Eela (Fortunately)

Eesta Kuani Wanga Moomba (There Is A Huge Asteroid Coming)

Eeta (That Way)

Egataby (Understood)

El Kayo Tay (Sounds Like Fun)

Emba-Chua (You Said It)

Enjaji (This Will Work)

Enjiba (There)

Enjibay (That)

Enjibida (What Now?)

Esa (Warning, Its)

Esa Faba Abida Loochiday Chigida Daka An Taga (We Have A Big Problem Can You All Help  Out?)

Esa Ma Meqa (Who Am I?)

Esa Me Guts (Your Responsible)#

Eqa Ma Coota (Your A Coward)

F

Fabras (Ache)=

Feeboo (Tired, Sleepy)=

Feeboogoo (Bring It On)

Frovo No Pugy (You Got In The Way, #Messed With#)

G

Gaba (What?)

Gaba Bo Taka (What Are You Doing?)

Gaba Chitchu (What Did You Say?)

Gaba Chooka (Where Were You?)

Gaba Do Cootay Chaba (Why Are You Dressed So Strange?)

Gaba Gee (Who?)

Gaba Ik (What's That?)

Gaba Ika (What's That?)

Gaba Ika Tasoopa (Whats The Big Deal)

Gaba Itsa Sasuba (What Time Is It)

Gabagi (Pick It Up)

Gablia (I Can?)

Gagitalk (All Clear)

Gamboo Bo Gabi (Release Me, Don't Move, Help Me)

Ganti Batiba (Get Away From Me)

Gashta (Understand?)

Gata Noby (We'll Crush Them(It, Her, Him))

Gatachoo (Cannonball)

Gatchi Nosty (Are you Sure?)

Geetcha (Klutz)

Genga Chi (That's Not You, Cheer Up) [Cheering Up Lilo In LiloAndStitch2]

Gengiba (Wonderful)

Gengibay (Good)

Gengibay Karta (Don't Worry I Took Care Of)

Gengenjiba (Wonderful)

Goobaja (Lets Go)

Gooba Ki (Whats The Point?)

Gootcha (Hello, Hey)

Go Pimca Chinti (I'm Here)

Goo Bata To Patchi (We're Coming Up On Him)

Got Radock (Way Is Clear)

Graazi (Right)=

H

Haba Gaba (You There?, You In There?)

Habaja (Wait)

Habata Iki (That's It)

Habida (Understand)#

Haga Bata (What Is Here?)#

Haga Blabla (Feeling Sick)#

Haga Taga (I Will)

Haga Tay (Your Help Is Appreciated)#

Hagata (Here)

Hagata Chooga (Come Get Me)

Hagatu Chooga (Come Get Me)

Hagrea Sofia (Mall)=

Hajiba (Ready)

Hajmha Sihkism (Enthusiasm)=

Hakkiah (One)=

Hakri Deika (Debris)=

Hak Tienet (One Hundred)=

Halal (Toast)=

Halebye (Taxi)=

Hama Taka (Come Get, We'll Use)#

Hamacha (Tasty)#

Hamicha (Tasty)#

Hapdelup (Up)=

Harash (Trash)=

Hassiniyadh (Sea)=

Haza (Here)

Heegata No Feebee (Don't Give Up, You Can Do It)=

Hoogala Lana Queena Boom (We're Evacuating Before The Boom)

Hoogita (Set)

Hoo-gata (I See It)

Hoo-gatu Gogo (Still More To Do)

Huaa Allah (Master)=

Huaa Awazi (Spirit)= Hum (One)

Huznet (Twenty)=

Huzziuh (Two)=

I

Iba (This)

Ichiba (Sighted, #There It Is#)

Ichi Ta Nuba (Ta Da)

Igaba (Really?, #Get Him#)

Igeeba (Hopefully, Approaching, Get Away)

Igatta (No Way, I Agree There Is No Way, Victory, Success, #Where#)

Igatta No Feebee (He Won't Win Again, This Time You'll Get Him)

Iga (He)

Iga Bachoota (Your Good)

Iga Batooga (Your Going Down)

Iga Do Achi Kopa (You Should Look Over There)#

Iga Me (Give Me)

Iga Me Na Guala (Now You Pay Me?)

Iga Naku (That's Outstanding)

Iga Pituga (Bad Person)#

Iga Pitugi (He's Bad)

Igi Ba (Do It)

Igi Taka (Up Here)

Igi Tooka (You Help)

Igaba (Check It Out)

Igame (I'll Fix, Give To Me)

Igato (Stop It)

Igato Gogo (Stop Before We Go)

Igeeba (Let's Go Now, Wonderful)

Ih (Yes)

Ih Too Jay (You Too)

Ikatta (Gone, Look There, This Way)

Ika Na Nista Chi (What's Going On?)

Ika Spubata Gata (I've Got It Now)

Ika Patooba (Baldy)=

Ika Patooga (Let's Do It, #Be That Way, Stupid Head#)

Ika Patootie (Stupid Head)=

Ika Taba Loocha (It's This Way)

Ikeeba (Sure Did)

Iki Bata Bata (You Know What We Should Do)#

Iki Bobo (You Don't Do Anything Bad, Nothing Bad)

Iki Patiga (That Good?)

Iki Pataba (Your Right)

Iki Pa (Sounds Good)

Iki Patchooga (You Fool)

Iki (Your)

Iky (Yuck)

Iky Bahwah (Come Back)

Imhaater (Computer)=

Inga Toosh Mishta (Your Crazy)

Iniga Wipo (Get Rid Of Him)

Injibay (That)=

Iname Me Guaba Te (I'm Taking You Shopping)#

Ingiba (Welcome)

Ipu (Take Away)

Isa (Is, Am, Are (To Be)=

Ishita (Fool)

Itaga Pitugi (Kiss My Pitugi)

Ita Mitay (Look There)

Itchaba Kunika (Team Up?)

Itchu Nawa (Why Not Me?)

Itishiba (Foul)

Itume (Abomination)

J

Jan (Four)

Jaalba (Something)=

Jaba Ramid Nye Hassin (Long Time No See)=

Jalipaa (Radio)=

Jal Wadis (Rubble)=

Japdelup (Down)=

Jerudai (Eight)=

Jerunet (Eighty)=

Jhua Tehrqua (Good Night)=

Jigiba (Villain)

Jo Pigi Cons Patuba (Now It's Around Here Somewhere)

Jua'aquad (City)=

Jugaar Juice (Juice)=

K

Ka-Meega Ka Chooga Ta Weesta (Leave This To Me I'll Get Him(Her, It))

Kaba (Bad)

Kabchithi (Eggs)=

Kadoonboon (Thank Goodness)

Kadoona Meega (Where/What Am I?)

Kafu Ha (Not Fair, Cheater, (Derogatory))

Kaki Mienna (You Can Do It)

Kali Ashol (Accomplished)=

Kamitcha (Awesome Food)#

Kanasha (Tried To Stop)

Kanet (Seventy)=

Kaphong (Monster)=

Kantijibe Zi-Zi (I'll Fix It)

Kapu (Imprisoned, In Trouble, Captured) (Hawaiian For Forbidden) Kata (Watch This)

Kata Boo Tay (Look What It Did)

Kata-goo (Did It)

Kata Baka-Dooka (Can I Destroy)

Katcha (Trash)

Katcha Booga (Trashing It)

Katchaka (Broken, Trash)

Kachi Noosty (You Sure?)

Katchooba (Oops)

Katchoobida (Here They Are)

Katchooga Naga (Your Wrong) Kavi (Seven)=

Keeba (And This)

Keesha (Because)#

Keesha Mi Guts (Positive, #Your Sure#) Keeta (Wrecked)

Keetcha (Six, Next)

Kenjuju (Ate, Eaten)

Kha Araimi Shol (Absent)=

Khalido (Notebook)=

Khalifaud (Six)=

Khalinet (Sixty)=

Khodro Esafhan (Car)=

Ki Tooga Naga (I'm Outta Here)

Kodain (Bookcase)=

Koobaja (My Mistake)

Koogoobita (Show)

Koraadami (Books)=

Koota Tay (Intruder's Spotted)

Kurdaic (Cake)=

L

Leecha Nowa (Much Farther?)#

Le Je Impordement (It Is Captured)=

M

Maathinya (Luggage)=

Magaba (And That)

Magata (There He Is, Right)

Maladhi (Television)=

Maqa Jojo (Look Here)

Maqa Maqa (Look, Quickly)

Maqa Tay (Time For A Beating)

Maqa Zika (I Take)

Matyr (Cousin)=

Me Gata (Warning You)

Meega - Me/I/I'm

Meega Achi Kaba (I'll Do It)

Meega Boota (I'm Bored)

Meega Chaba (I'm Better)

Meega Choota (I'm (Derogatory Phrase))

Meega Chuba (I See, I'm Better)

Meega Chula (I Watch)

Meega Donga Igatta (I'll Check It Out)#

Meega Hoogata (I'll Go)

Meega Ita Googoobita (I Am Going To Be Entertainer)

Meega Itume (That Is Abominable To Me)

Meega Naga Chita Coota (Not Good Enough For Me)

Meega Nala Questa (I Will Destroy)

Meega-O-Itume (Get Away From Me)

Meega Pojo Naga (Won't Stop Me)#

Meega Taka In Putoba (Can I Still Help?)#

Meega Trandoca (Change Me Back)

Meeo Dakka Ingatta Poju Nagga Nagga (I Can Catch An Experiment Without You)

Meepa (Fast)

Meqa Naba Gatay (I'll Figure It Out)

Miki Miki (Gimmie)=

Mocheeka (Mine)

Mockeecha (Mine, Your Mine)

Moogata (Found You)

Mootah (Evil)

Morcheeba (Very Nice)

Muchoo Hoogata (Very Little Place, Very Little)

Muhaari (Pool)=

Muquad (Everything)=

N

Naba Da (Don't Do It)

Naga (No)

Naga Baba Boocha (Not Good Is Bad)

Naga Bi Begeta (I'm Not Hungry)

Naga Bo Chifa (Don't Like It)

Naga Boodoo (Don't Want To Do It)

Naga Bootifa (Not Cool)

Naga Busa# (Think Nothing Of It)

Naga Cheeka (You Missed)

Naga Chi Bo Chifa (None For Me Thank You)*

Naga Chu Ta Chu (No More Evil)#

Naga Hoo-gata (Don't See Anything)

Naga Igaba Chua (No More Running)

Naga Kata (Don't Do It)

Naga Kata-goo (Diddn't Do It)

Naga Meega Kaba (I'm Not Bad)

Naga Meega Deeka (Don't Make Me Do It)

Naga Meega Pokuba (Never Make Anything Better Than Me)

Naga Moba (Don't Want To See Go)#

Naga Nota (Don't Know)

Naga Pataba (Not Listening)

Naga Pita (I Don't Like Doing This)

Naga Su Nika (Can't Hear Anything)

Naga Takabah (No Way)

Naga Tay (Could Not)

Nagga Tikka Tay (Your Not Smarter)

Naga Todo (Do Not)

Naga To Kaba (Not Coming Down)

Naga Tu (Not You, Not For You)

Naguala (Money)

Najaaladi Diwali (Bomb)=

Nani Gati (Stay Here)

Natta Taba (Take That)

Nigoba Naba Chooba (Play The Part)

Ninga (Food)

No Jaba (Unexpected)

No Waqa (This Hair)

Noogy Bay (Frustration)

Nooga Shaa (Your Fault)

Nu Pujee (Clean)#

O

O Utymain (Useful)

Ochaka (Oh No)

Ochika (Agreed)#

Oga Gata (Bring It On)

Oga Taba Bring It On)

Ogi Gigi (So Small)

Ohufi (Greetings)=

Oka Kata (Didn't know)

Okie Taka (Okie Dokey)

Okie Taba (Okay Lets Go)

Okiga (Think About It)#

Oobaga (What The)

Oochiba (Attention)

Ookaba (For You, Here)

Ookata (Not, Something Went Wrong)

Ookata Yoshi (Something Does Not Want Us Here)

Ooga (Smash)

Ooga Feeboo (So Tired)

Oogata (Darn, Warning, Take This, Important)

Ooga Taba (Something Is Happening, #Unfortunate#)

Ooga Taba Gaba Ik Naga Chiba Iky (This Will Not Do It Is Hideous)#

Ooga Taba Choota (Something Is Happening With The Choota)

Ooga Taka (Whats Happening, Stop That)

Ooja Ba (Pretty)

Ooja Mageebay (Hope It Will)

Otigy No Iba (Heard That)

P

Paathi Bras (Soap)=

Pamsha (Probably)

Pano (Subject) Ishka (But (Subject) Said)

Parvaaci (Roller Skate)=

Pasawa (See Ya)=

Pee (Five)

Peligiba (Please)

Pencha (Done)

Phaa Thouy (Cereal)=

Phaa Thoy Gho (Run)=

Pichu (Your Right)

Pita So Naja Ingiba (Then I Flew Around) [Description of Stitch's dream LiloAndStitch2] Pitcha (Done)

Pitu (Bad)

Porchuba (Probably)

Por Man Chiki (Your Mom Could Do Better)*

Poovoos (Something Else)-

Praajat (Tub)=

Prepshi (Soda)=

Preshi Moothi (Skateboard)=

Pujara (Boy)=

Pu Man Chiki (Your Mom Could Do Better)

Pusha (School)

Q

Quan (Destruction)

Quala Chifa (Not Satisfactory)#

Quala Chifa Pi Nolo (That Is Really A Shame)#

Quana Chi Doonga Fava No Pugy (We're All Wet Lets Dry Off)#

Questa (Derogatory Phrase, Destroy)

Quimmish (Sure)

R

Raban Jiba (How About That)

Rah'quadon (Achieve)=

Ranga Neega Questa Tingu (I Am Fed Up With You)

Ranga Pitugi (My Backside)

Robaapaskit (Learn)=

Ro Bata Chito (I Was Sleeping)

Rumba (Hey)

S

Saari (Girl)=

Sabaza (Surprise)

Safiya (Bed)=

Salsa (Follow Me, This Way)=

Saza (Incoming, Threat, Danger, Bring It, There)

Shaalthabye (Experience)=

Shiralli (Watch)=

Shirq (Left)=

Shol Asahiah (Abandoned)=

Sibata (Finished)

Smick (Wrong)#

Smidik (Unfortunately)#

Smish (Sure)

Soka (Sorry)

Snagga (Lost)

Snagga Booza (Lost Him/Her)

Speeni Gatu (Show Off)

Spiggi Bay (Darn It, Broke It)

Spubata (I'll Teach You, Smells Like, Come Back Here)

Spubata Iky (Stop Making A Mess)#

Sqeeba (Squirt)

T

Taaksi (Capsule)=

Taalsa (Sink)=

Tagga Gati (Where Am I?)

Tai Chi Sheng (Exercise)=

Takiba (Better)#

Takka (Thanks, #Trouble#)

Tebrica (Pencil)=

Tel Ashal (Nine)=

Tele Sharov (Four)=

Tienet (Ten)=

Ti Maqa Nai (I'll Take Care Of You)#

Tiznet (Three)=

Tiba (Alright)

Tikka (Smarts)

Tikku (Smarts)

Tiki Baba (Sure Is)

Tinjibee (Don't Worry)

Ting (Three)

Tingu (You, It, He, She, Ect.)

Tingu Jo Faba (Your Fat, Your Also Fat)

To Kaba (What Is Happening?)

Todaga (Away)#

Todo (Do)

Toga Meega Pitugi (Look At My Butt)

Togga Chata (Where Am I?)

Toobaga (Moron, Idiot)=

Toochotoo (Land)

Toogie (We)

Toogie Naga Chifo (Your Not Doing This To Us)

Tooka Sabusa (We Have Trouble)

Tookaba (We Both Thank You)#

Tookie (We)

Tookie Bawabah (Lets Get Started)

Tookie Bawabah Achi-Baba Maqa Maqa Mimichi Bonaba Iki Bobo (Lets Go Friends Follow My  Lead To Battle)

Trang Nang (House)=

Tsi'Cong (Bang)=

Tubija (Your Fault)

Tu Bligida (She Is)

Tu Micha (Time To Go)

U

Una Skally Boosh (Where Is It?)

V

W

Waba (Look Here)

Wasa (Whats Up?)

Watugi (What Happened)

X

Y

Yadelep (Accuse)=

Yaga Nooba (Taking You Down)

Yagiba (Yeah)

Yana Polo Iki Bobo (Either She Drives Or I Drive)

Yu Porma Dissy (Your Mother)=

Yuuga (You)=

Z

Zaghdad (Android)=

Ziba (Or This)

Zitnet (Thirty)=

Ziz-Ziz (Electricity, Sparks)=

This is the result of my in depth study of the language known as Tantalog through our good friend Stitch.  Culminated over several years by obsession alone this has been gathered with hundreds of words and translated to best the best of my ability for you all now.  Some words are repeated with multiple spellings where appropriate, and some phrases are divided up for ease.  This is the key for this so that you better understand:

Word (Translation)

Ending with a #: Translated from 'Stitch! the Anime".  

Ending with a =: Gathered from online resources, honestly I don't think many of these are very correct.

English

Kweltikwan

Japanese

Hawaiian

Plorgonarian

Other Alien languages

Other Earth languages

[xavierpak]

Xavier was starting to see a pattern emerge; Every time he was scheduled to spend a day at Masters, every single time without fail, something major would happen in the up and coming days, making him swear he'd never step foot into that cursed building every again. Kapu, Win, Gen... It felt as though office gossip had found its way into every single significant relationship of his life, making him afraid to open his mouth, wary not to expose anything that could've landed him in a further exposing. Simple, he thought, maybe he should just keep his mouth shut.

He was down at a next-door café inbetween his meetings, a second double-espresso in his hands, his chest fighting a battle with exhaustion and ache.  He did not want to talk to anybody. Of course, before long, a shadow appeared by his table, hovering over him. "Don't test my fucking patience," was all he said, hoping the stone-cold expression on his face would deter the unwelcomed visitor from sitting down.

[vacationdxm]

New Projects In Mumbai - Financially Real Estate Market Rises

This is a complete databook report, covering key boutiques near me information on the Japan Interventional Cardiology market. A key difference with CureVac's vaccine is that it uses natural, non-modified mRNA to set off an immune response "as near nature as attainable", Haas stated. Did China shut its wet markets? In Hong Kong, for example, there is a widespread network of wet markets where hundreds of locals store everyday for their meat and vegetables. Although the ban on selling wildlife stays in effect at the markets, the move continues to be controversial, and a growing chorus of experts is calling for a permanent ban on the markets in China and beyond. Gains continued in other monetary markets too. Robust technical solutions are provided by these new advancements in the sphere, therefore growing financial efficiency, reliability, and high quality of technical merchandise. The state of affairs remains difficult for non-COVID-19 therapy options corresponding to medical radioisotopes, which are used in prognosis and treatment of most cancers and certain well being conditions by healthcare suppliers all over the world.

Every year, tens of millions of patients are administered with radioisotopes for prognosis and therapeutic purposes. Based on battery kind, the lithium-ion batteries are expected to carry the most important share of the market between 2018 and 2026. The lithium-ion batteries have very excessive vitality and energy densities, which ends up in lower weight with low standby losses, and excessive life expectancy. The companies competing on this market embrace Khiron Life Sciences Corp, Elixinol Limited, The CBD Skincare Company, Endoca BV, Kapu Maku LLC (Populum), Fab CBD, and Cannuka LLC. A plunging inventory market would current a superb opportunity to buy into these prime-tier firms. Tax revenues may plunge as firms and residents flee high tax states. There is a high impression of photonics applications in smart metropolis infrastructure with respect to communication technologies, sensing, and good lighting. Thus, a high demand for CBD is being witnessed in India, which can prove beneficial for the growth of its CBD skin care market over the forthcoming years.

[texanredrose]

The Right to Rock Steady

@dashingicecream asked for some angsty Elderburn with hurt/comfort, so here’s something set in her RWBY!Rock universe, same continuity as @keena-kapu‘s various fics. Also, thank you to the members of the Dash server for their invaluable assistance.

Yang stared at the stage, absently twirling a stick in one hand. It usually helped her think but the motion brought nothing but annoyance now, feeling awkward and sluggish. She usually twirled with her right hand. Yeah, she could do either, but she preferred the right.

Now... it just didn’t feel right.

“That was a pun,” she said to no one in particular and without a trace of mirth in her voice. Not even her own sense of humor could distract her from the thoughts swirling through her mind, disjointed memories playing in a loop. She thought coming and seeing the stage before they played, visualizing herself behind the kit, would help, but she couldn't see it, couldn't begin to imagine the screaming fans and the lights and sitting behind the set- she could get part of the visual, but not all of it. Not like before.

Her fingers spasmed, the muscles still not used to doing the majority of the work, day in and day out. Switching dominant hands- it wasn’t something she’d ever thought she’d have to do, yet here she was, dropping a drumstick like some newbie sitting at their first kit. She didn’t even look down as it clattered to the ground, just kept staring at the stage, the very one they would be playing on tomorrow night. The starting point for RWBY’s come back tour.

That’s when it hit her like a ton of bricks. “I can’t do this.”

Even after months of physical therapy to adapt to the prosthetic.

Even after months of physical therapy to make the phantom pain go away.

Even after months of healing and fighting and breaking and healing again.

She couldn’t go back to being Yang Xiao Long. That wasn’t her anymore. The loud drummer who would take on the world and keep swinging, go out on a bender and play the next night- there would be alcohol backstage, of course there would be, and she couldn’t, no, that wasn’t her, it wasn’t-

“Yang?” 

Her head snapped up, and only then did she realize her gaze had dropped to the floor as tears fell, snot leaking from her nose. Hurriedly, she wiped at her face and turned her head. “Go away.”

“You know that won’t work on me,” Winter said, walking down the isle between the seats to the front row, still a good fifty meters from the little barriers that ringed the stage- a good sized mosh pit for the fans but a barren, open space that set her on edge for some reason. The woman walked around, easing down into the seat beside her and crossing one leg over the other, straightening out the lapels of her long coat and brushing the tails off her thighs.

And just sat there, quietly, waiting for Yang to break.

Which... she did.

“I can’t do it.” She scrubbed at one eye with the heel of her left palm, sobs beginning to break free from her chest. “I can’t- I can’t do this.”

“You can’t or you don’t want to?”

“Does it fucking matter?” She shot to her feet, rounding on the woman and with fire in her eyes as she threw an arm towards the stage. “I can’t go up there and pretend I’m her! I’m not! I’m not- I’m not her anymore!”

It always came back to this and bile rose in the back of her throat as she remembered the first time she’d shouted those words at Winter.

Just like back then, and every time in between when she felt like it wouldn’t get better, her girlfriend weathered them, tilting her chin up proudly to stare straight into her eyes. “Yes, you are. You’re still Yang Xiao Long. No one can take that from you.”

“He did!” She wouldn’t say his name. The boiling blood running through her veins would turn cold if she did and she needed that anger now as she began to pace. “I’m not going to be able to- to- to get up there tomorrow night and play- I can’t even twirl a damn drumstick! I-”

She blinked.

That’s all it took, because when she opened her eyes, she wasn’t in front of the stage at the venue- she was in a darkened alley way, flat on her back, a heavy boot on her stomach keeping her down, looking up into the lenses on those horrid shades he wore, his mouth gaping open in a primal scream as the pipe lifted up and-

“Yang!” She blinked and it faded, the sight and sounds but not the memory of what was to come, and the pain in her arm flared once again, making her knees weak. Yang slumped against something solid but soft that held her up even as her anger drained away completely, leaving nothing but an agony that refused to abate. She clutched at her arm- her real arm, not the hunk of metal attached to the end that clicked and whirred, responding to stimuli that she couldn't feel herself, because she didn’t have an arm anymore, she couldn’t do this, she couldn’t- “Yang, listen to me, please.”

“It doesn’t matter,” she said, through the snot and the tears and the sobs bursting from her chest as she shook, terrified by reliving the night again and again and hating every moment of it. “Stop! Stop- someone make it stop-”

“Sundrop!” Startled, she looked up into blue eyes and couldn’t, for the life of her, understand why there were tears streaming down the woman’s face. “Can you see me?”

Slowly, she nodded, suddenly aware of the hands on her biceps holding her up, keeping her steady. When had she even stood up? “Y-yeah.”

“Okay.” Winter nodded, sniffling but still seeming in control. “Alright. Come with me. Let’s sit down.”

She was led on unsteady legs to the nearest chair, pulled into her girlfriend’s lap and immediately curling up. Hugging her knees to her chest with her good arm, she let the prosthetic hang, pressing against the woman's chest- it probably wasn't comfortable but she couldn't seem to process that moving it would be beneficial in any way, because it just felt like there existed this void at the end of her stump that she could and couldn't feel, and it made it so hard to tell what was real. She hated feeling like this- weak, scared, suffering- but it wouldn’t stop, she’d never get better. “There’s no fixing me.”

“Hush.” A pair of lips pressed lightly against the top of her head as Winter’s arms wrapped around her, holding her gently. “It’s not as simple as that. You aren’t like your bike, where it just takes swapping out a part to be good as new. You’re a person; people aren’t like that. There’s no ‘fixing’ any of us.”

She didn’t respond to the reassurance, too focused on the little drops pattering against her shoulder. Finally, Yang turned her head to look at her. “Why are you crying?”

“Because you’re in pain,” she replied, blinking rapidly to clear her eyes as one hand cupped Yang’s cheek, thumb brushing away tears. “If I possessed the ability, I would reach into your mind and take away the memories- the nightmares, the moments where you forget where you are, the times you’ve nearly been crushed by this. I would take them all away.” Then she shrugged. “But I can’t. I can’t make this go away. I can’t bring you that peace and it hurts to see you like this, trapped in this memory alone. I'm trying to help but I'm not sure how and it hurts.”

Yang squeezed her eyes shut and tucked her chin into her chest. She felt so small then. She remembered a time when Winter was worse than her sister, never admitting fault and never even insinuating that she could err at all, but that felt like a different lifetime. She'd started opening up the more they'd hung around, and even more when they started seeing each other as more than just friends, but the past few months, it was as if the dam had burst. Maybe it was reciprocation, because Yang couldn't keep anything to herself anymore, feeling the need to release her anger, her fear, her frustration in whatever manner she could, and it seemed like every time she broke down sobbing in anger or sadness, Winter would be there to be honest, encouraging, sometimes in a blunt way and others like she was wearing kid gloves... 

Haltingly, in between the hiccuping sobs tearing from her chest and the sniffling to keep the snot at bay, she finally voiced the words that had sat at the back of her throat for months. “Why are you even still here?”

“There’s no place I’d rather be.” The arms around her squeezed tighter. “I will be here for you, for every step of the journey. That was the deal.“

That only made her sob harder. She should be strong enough to push Winter away. What was she getting out of this? Except sleepless nights when Yang woke up from another nightmare, constant verbal beatdowns from an ungrateful... whatever she was now. Bum? Washed up has been?

She was nothing.

“Sundrop?” With a sniffle, she looked up, noting that Winter seemed to be better composed now. How long had passed? “May I try something?”

“Sure.” The mutter came out wet- she probably looked disgusting with snot running down her face and tears staining her cheeks. Ducking her head, she wiped some of it off on her scarf before being scooped up into her girlfriend’s arms, startling her. “Hey-”

“I just need to move us a bit,” Winter said, her voice calm and steady, though there was a little warble at the end. “Will you trust me?”

“... yeah.” That seemed like a silly question. After everything her girlfriend put up with, how could she not trust her? She’d seen Yang at her worst- her absolute worst- and somehow stuck around, the crutch she could lean on every time.

She really didn’t deserve someone like Winter. Before, when she was her- whole and strong and ready to take on the world- she might’ve been good enough. They were just getting to the part in their relationship where they were serious, where they weren’t sneaking around trying not to get caught. It was easier, then, because she had no fears- she thought herself invincible. With Winter beside her, she was happy, because only she could make the woman laugh without restraint, coax smiles and even giggles from her, and all sorts of things. When they were together... the rest of the world didn’t matter. She could do anything.

Now, fear ran through her veins. She avoided poorly lit areas, kept her back to the wall, watched everyone- everyone- she didn’t recognize. Crowds made her anxious... how could she even think she'd be able to stand up in front of thousands and perform? At first, it seemed like the obvious choice, to show that bastard that he couldn't keep her down, but now... well... maybe... maybe he succeeded.

He didn't actually kill her that night... but he might as well have.

Blinking, she became aware of herself again as she was shifted away from Winter’s body and sat on a throne behind the drum kit on stage- not her rig, of course, but the one used by their opener, some little band called Juniper or something. Fleetingly, she admired their drummer’s dual kick drum pedals and extra cymbals, the corner of her mouth twitching; whoever sat behind this monster of a set up had to love their job to keep up with the sort of lines that would require them all. Then, her expression fell as she slumped on the stool, because she'd never be able to keep up with someone like this.

Maybe they could ask this drummer to cover for her, seeing as she wouldn’t be able to play the following night. It wouldn’t be RWBY but... maybe RWBY just didn’t exist anymore.

“I hope they’ll forgive us for using their equipment,” Winter said, turning on an amp off to the side and plugging it into a bass guitar, adjusting the strap so it sat comfortably.

“That’s just one of our tuners.” She recognized the little stamp on the neck. Then, her brows furrowed. “Wait, you play?”

“It’s a recent hobby I’ve picked up.” Her girlfriend flashed her a small smile, taking a moment to gather her bearings before beginning to pluck out a bass line from one of the songs off RWBY’s debut album. While better than Yang would’ve expected for a newbie, the woman obviously lacked Blake’s skill and familiarity, and her timing was off, dragging some notes out and hurrying others, nearly missing some because of it.

“Your rhythm’s off.”

“Beg pardon?”

“Your rhythm,” she said, making a vague motion with her hand. “You’re off beat.”

“I see. Let me try again.” Starting from the beginning, Winter gave it another go, and while she didn’t repeat her previous timing mistakes, she made entirely new ones instead. “Was that better?”

“No- I mean, it wan’t bad, but... here.” She turned, settling her foot on one of the pedals. “I’ll give you the beat.” The thump of the kick drum boomed out as she pressed down, echoing in the venue with such perfect acoustics that Yang couldn’t help but smile, nodding her head along as Winter played the bass line a third time, the notes singing out in time with the thumping of the drum. “Yeah. Like that.”

“That did sound rather nice.” Her girlfriend smiled, picking out a few notes before humming softly to herself. “I wonder.” A few more notes followed, belonging to no song Yang recognized but forming a sort of melody all the same. “Now, if I just...”

Closing her eyes, she let the bass notes wash over her as Winter followed some unseen sheet music, still offering a kick to keep time, and in her head she could stack the sounds together- the toms, the crashes, the hi-hat. Yang hadn’t had a proper jam session since before everything happened; Blake hadn’t quite been able to face her until recently, and even then the two hadn’t really talked things out like they should. The bassist probably blamed herself and she was in no position to comfort her. Yang wasn’t mad- Blake couldn’t have stopped the attack anymore than she could’ve, not with how drunk they were- but that probably wasn’t how her friend and bandmate saw the whole ordeal. Coming together long enough for Ruby to talk them into the come back tour, with Weiss watching anxiously and throwing in her two cents to coax them into the deal.

Now that she thought about it, she really hadn't listened to any music since the incident. She normally hated silence, always craving some sort of white noise or providing her own by tapping out rhythms on whatever hard surface happened to be nearby, but she'd avoided the radio and news shows, not wanting to see his face or hear his name. Usually, she put on a telanovella- she couldn't speak or understand Spanish, but she might be picking things up a little, and the drama did a lot for context. But she always thought the soundtracks playing behind the dramatic moments lacked a certain... oomph.

Her fingers twitched and she opened her eyes, looking down and spotting the pouch hanging off to the side of the throne, filled with sets of drumsticks- either a precaution against the drummer breaking them or tossing them out into the crowd like Yang liked to do, she couldn’t tell. Plucking two from the bunch, she bobbed her head as Winter continued to play, finding just the right point to jump in with the hi-hat.

Now accompanied properly, her girlfriend began throwing some flare into the melody, screaming down the string to land on the next note. The wail of the bass on the higher notes contrasted nicely to the toms while the thrumming of lower notes made the cymbals ring brighter.

“Sing something!” She called out above the crash of the drums and the thrumming of the bass.

Winter furrowed her brows, hardly faltering in her playing. “This isn’t a song!”

“Don’t need words!” Yang smiled, going through a rapid progression across the toms before going back into the melody. “Just sing!”

They couldn’t add in a guitar, obviously, but she’d found a knack for picking out the parts needed for a four piece band, and adding some sort of vocal component would help her nail down in her head how it should go. The bass and drums drove the impromptu song forward, so it would be the job of the others to dress it up, really push it to the next level.

She might not have the same amount of training and practice, but Winter could sing just as well as her sister, managing to move from note to note at half time, lending a beautiful, haunting quality to the driving beat. It was exactly the sort of union between classical singing and punk rock that helped make RWBY so distinctive, and Yang felt a little burst of excitement swell in her chest.

This was the part she loved about being in the band. The drinking, the shows, the jets, the traveling- all that was well and good, but she loved the music. Bringing things together, radically different elements and mashing them into something people could bang their heads to and shout at the top of their lungs to an empty city. The pulse of a rebellious heart pounding in all of them and they'd made that clear with every song and every show- every lost set of drumsticks, every broken guitar, every impromptu encore. It drove Qrow crazy because he could never understand it, never really feel it the way Ruby did, the way Weiss did, the way Blake did... the way she did.

She crashed again, and this time not in the sense of breaking down into a useless mess for someone else to put back together. This time, she lost herself to the music, launching into a drum solo just like the old days, even adding in a flourish with the sticks before settling back into the beat and letting Winter take over, her fingers flying as she did her best. Blake would probably be able to turn the solo into something that would make the old rock gods weep, and with a nod towards her girlfriend, they brought the jam to a close with the lingering deep notes of the bass and the crashing of cymbals ringing out into the empty venue.

"That was awesome!"

"It truly was," Winter said, her voice conveying enough wonder that it piqued her curiosity. When Yang looked over, she saw the woman standing there, absolutely gobsmacked. "I've never seen or heard or... anything like that."

"Well, you're learning." She shrugged, setting the drumsticks back in the bag- surprisingly, she hadn't snapped the one in her prosthetic hand... huh. "When you... uh... when you play with people, you can just jam-"

"I don't mean that. Well, I suppose I do, but..." She shook her head, slipping the bass strap over her head and setting it back on the stand, not bothering with the amp. "I... never actually had the opportunity to watch you play. Not from this close, anyway." Her girlfriend took a few steps towards the kit, eyes darting around as she searched for words. "It was- incredible, absolutely breathtaking to watch. You appeared to be entirely in your element, enthralled with the music, and all off the cuff." She stopped hardly a step away, looking down at her with a smile. "I daresay you looked exactly like Yang Xiao Long."

Blinking, she looked down at her lap because she could feel a blush rising in her cheeks- and for a number of reasons. Seeing the genuine amount of awe shining in blue eyes, realizing that she'd never personally invited Winter to come watch them perform or given her a backstage pass- Weiss had, a few times, but that might've been before they officially started dating- and just... she couldn’t deny that it felt great to play again. Her shoulders felt a little sore, likely because she hadn’t stretched them out or warmed up, just jumped into it straight away. Her right shoulder felt a little weird but, considering it was moving a lot more weight than before, she kinda expected it, and the physical therapy was geared towards strengthening it for that very reason.

She... very well might be able to do this.

“You really think so?” She glanced at the woman as she knelt down beside the throne. “Think I’m good enough to fool them?”

She made a vague motion towards the empty seats soon to be filled with screaming fans.

“You’re fooling no one; they’ll come tomorrow expecting to see Yang Xiao Long sitting behind the drum kit, and that’s exactly where you’ll be, giving them a show they’ll brag about to everyone they know for years to come.” Winter reached into her pocket and drew out a long, thin box wrapped in yellow paper with a purple bow, the edges crumpled somewhat- likely from when she’d picked Yang up earlier. “I... actually thought it would be prudent to celebrate the occasion. So I got you this.”

Furrowing her brows, she took the box in her right hand, using her left to tear away the paper. “You should’ve told me; I didn’t get you anything.”

“You just gave me the private show of a lifetime,” Winter replied with a smile. “I’d say that’s quite the gift.”

Yang laughed, prying open the plain white box beneath the paper and cutting herself off with a gasp, quite nearly choking on air. There, on a bed of soft cotton, lay two drumsticks- yellow, with a long, snarling dragon wrapped around each, the design etched into the wood and filled in with glass or something, so the sticks felt smooth and cool to the touch. At the very bottom were her initials plus a little something extra, causing her eyes to go wide.

“Winter...” She looked up, unsure how to articulate anything for a moment, words flying from her grasp.

“I’m not quite certain they’re entirely usable, if the design holds any bearing on the sound, but I thought you should have something to mark the moment.” Her girlfriend leaned up, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “This is who you are, Yang. You’re the drummer, the beat, the pounding drive- your the rhythm of my heart. So keep playing. I know you can do it.”

As much as she appreciated the sentiment, her mind remained stuck on the little detail. “At the bottom...”

“I had them inscribe your initials. YXL’s, lest there be any doubt as to whom they belong.”

“Wait, Y-X-L’s?” Yang started smiling, trying hard to hold in her laughter. “That explains it.”

Expression falling from beaming encouragement and adoration into concern, Winter glanced at the sticks as they were pulled free. “Explains what?”

To demonstrate, she flipped the sticks around to show off the bottom, where just under the dragons’ curled tails proudly stood the initials, all the same size and spacing with no punctuation to be found.

Winter’s brows furrowed. “They forgot the apostrophe.”

“Nah, they just got my whole name.” She couldn’t possibly resist. “Yang Xiao Long Schnee.”

White brows climbed to her hairline, a splash of panic amid the overwhelming surprise. Obviously, she hadn’t checked over the custom sticks herself for any mistakes in the design. Her mouth worked, opening and closing in fits without any words coming forth, and Yang opted to save her girlfriend from the awkward moment... in her own special way.

“I hope you talked to Ruby first; she’ll get mad if she finds out you proposed without asking her blessing.” She teased, smiling and laughing. “I’m not sure how we’ll be able to afford the dowry.”

“Hush, you,” Winter replied finally, running a hand through her bangs. “I’m sure I can get them replaced.”

“Oh, no.” Yang immediately pulled the sticks out of reach, hiding them behind her back. “You’re not taking these away! No take backs!” She didn’t miss the fact her girlfriend said ‘replaced’, not ‘fixed’. Even if the error wasn’t intended, it seemed like Winter wasn’t keen on dismissing the prospect entirely or even insinuating that she might be against the idea. She just didn’t plan it. “But when you propose for real, I expect something a little more impressive than custom sticks.” A pause. “I gotta be honest, though, these are awesome.”

“I’m glad you like them.” Relieved for the most part- the way her eyes darted away, as if she was mentally filing something away for later consideration, went by unremarked- Winter nodded towards the kit. “Perhaps you could use them during practice-”

“I’m using them tomorrow night!” She pulled them out to admire them again, biting her lip. Frankly, it would be nice to have something to ground herself to this moment tomorrow, when she’d be combating anxiety and all manner of demons in within the confines of her mind. Something to remind her of the exhilaration she felt just juamming out, letting the music take control- a constant reminder that she could again reach where she used to be. “Thank you, Snowdrift.”

She leaned over, smiling into the kiss and tempted to draw her girlfriend into something a little more heated but pushing the thought aside. For one thing, she wouldn’t disrespect another drummer’s kit like that, and for another, she’d rather focus on the upcoming show.

When the kiss broke, she stood up, pulling out her scroll and opening the group chat for the band, which hadn’t been touched in the months they’d spent broken up. Tucking the drumsticks into her belt, she focused on the blinking line in the chat box. Yang took a deep breath, tapped on a few settings to update her name, and then messaged everyone with an alert.

Boomeryang: Hey @punks! Gotta favor to ask. RubeCube: oh hey yang! what’s up? RubeCube: also nice s/n? RubeCube: i don’t get it. T_T Boomeryang: I’m Yang and I’m comin’ back at ya. Boomeryang: Like a BOOMERANG. RubeCube: oh! Weiss: Some part of me hates that you forced me to read that with my own two eyes and some part of me hates that it made me laugh. Welcome back, Yang. Boomeryang: Stay salty, ice queen. BlackCatMagic: That’s better than a doc note. RubeCube: that’s such a neat idea! dibs on yo-yo! Boomeryang: Anyway, favor time. Can we add Winter on as a back-up singer? Weiss: Wait. What. Ro-ro: like that! how’s that, sis? Boomeryang: Perf, Rubes, 10/10, I’m so proud. BlackCatMagic: Now there’s two of them. Great. Weiss: What. Boomeryang: C’mon, Blakey. Play along! Ro-ro: it’s fun! BlackCatMagic: What would I even be? Weiss: CAN WE GET BACK TO THE ‘WINTER AS A BACK-UP SINGER’ THING PLEASE? Ro-ro: something to do with Ro-ro: oh, yeah, i guess we should talk about that. Weiss: I’m glad you’re so enamored with my sister, Yang, but I need more context for this request.

Yang looked at the woman walking beside her, a hand on her shoulder guiding them both towards the venue’s private entrance. Even if she was probably about to be shot down, she had to try.

Boomeryang: stg, I was gonna try to pull out for tomorrow night. Just had a long moment of doubt. Winter pulled me out and I’d just Boomeryang: I’d feel more comfortable if she’s on stage with us. Even if it’s just off to the side. She doesn’t even have to sing, really, but I just found out she can, so I figured that’d be a good cover. Boomeryang: I guess “with me” would be a better way to put it. Weiss: Oh. Weiss: That’s fine. Boomeryang: Really? With the caps lock thing I was expecting a no. Weiss: I was more concerned you thought I wouldn’t be able to perform. Weiss: I had my pride to consider. Ro-ro: truth time weiss. are you really okay with this? Weiss: Honestly, yes. Weiss: It’s been years since we last sang together but I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about it before. Why should now be any different? Weiss: Wait. Yang, have you even asked her if she’d want to? Boomeryang: Weeeeeeeeeeell, not yet, but I kinda figured it’d be easier to see if it’d fly before trying to talk her into it. Ro-ro: i mean, if weiss is okay with it, so am i! two sets of sisters on stage! it’s gonna be so kickass! uh, as long as blake’s okay with it, too. Blaching4aCig: I have no complaints. Blaching4aCig: I could even put in a call to Sun. He’s practically a brother at this point. He could... do flips in the bg??? Blaching4aCig: Nvmd that’s a dumb suggestion. Boomeryang: ... Blake wtf is that? Ro-ro: hey maybe he could provide back-up vocals too? he can rap pretty well! Boomeryang: Blake. What are you doing right now? Ro-ro: you should def see if he’s interested! Boomeryang: WUT R U DOIN RN WITH THAT SN!? Blaching4aCig: Aching for a cig = nicotine craving = a recurring thing that always comes back, something I know all too well Blaching4aCig: This is why you aren’t the song writer. Boomeryang: This is why YOU are “the emo one”! You and those damn cancer sticks! Ro-ro: hey i think it’s creative! and i think we shouldn’t hold ourselves to anything super serious rn. Ro-ro: tomorrow’s the first show of the come back tour! let’s be silly and have fun w/ it! let’s get comfy with playing again! Ro-ro: i’ve really missed all of us playing together SeasonalAllergies: Well put, Ruby. Adjustments for everyone’s comfort and benefit are hardly a ‘favor’. Boomeryang: gfdi Weiss, you and Blake are a fuckin pair I stg SeasonalAllergies: Are we NOT doing themed nicknames based on the premise of ‘things that come back’? Boomeryang: You’re not even allergic to anything! SeasonalAllergies: And you aren’t a boomerang! Ro-ro: i dunno she probably comes for winter a lot Ro-ro: *comes back Ro-ro: *to Boomeryang: RUBY! SeasonalAllergies: asdfghjkl SeasonalAllergies: It’s not like she’s wrong. Boomeryang: WEISS! Blaching4aCig: Yeah, hotel walls are p thin, FYI. Boomeryang: BLAKE! Boomeryang: ALL OF YOU! FFS! Ro-ro: 1- that was autocorrect and 2- just no kissy faces on stage k cause qrow might actually kill one of us and i rly don’t know who Blaching4aCig: Probs Winter Boomeryang: He’d try. SeasonalAllergies: ‘Try’ being the operative word there. Boomeryang: Also, how is your autocorrect on if you’re typing lower case ‘i’s? Ro-ro: hey, so i’m goin to go put winter in as a back-up singer! ttyl! Boomeryang: RUBES GET BACK HERE! Boomeryang: I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE! SeasonalAllergies: I’d say she knows where you sleep... Blaching4aCig: ... but you don’t do much of that, now do you?

A laugh burst from her lips as they walked across the parking lot, shaking her head at Winter’s curious expression.

Boomeryang: When did this happen? Boomeryang: It’s MY job to make jokes like these! Boomeryang: *I* do the teasing around here! SeasonalAllergies: Welcome to the new and improved RWBY, where no one is on their own or solely responsible for telling terrible jokes. Blaching4aCig: We’ve had months of you being a pun spectre lingering in the backs of our minds and making light of everything. Blaching4aCig: Now it’s time for you to reap what you’ve sowed.

Tearing her attention away from her device, she looked over at her girlfriend. “Hey, Snowdrift? Do you think you’d... maybe like to come on stage tomorrow night?”

Winter raised a brow as they reached her car, popping open the locks with the fob. “I don’t want to crowd you. Are you sure you’d like me to come?”

“Yeah.” She nodded, leaning against the car and watching Winter’s expression from across the roof. “I think I’d like you to be there. Maybe do some back-up vocals?”

She mulled it over for a moment. “If Weiss and the others have no objects, I’d love to... though... I can’t imagine what I might own that would be appropriate-”

“Say no more,” Yang said, smiling wide and pulling the door open- using her left hand, which still felt awkward, but she didn’t want to risk the metal-on-metal sound. “We’re going shopping. To the mall!”

As she settled into the passenger seat and buckled up, Winter smoothly slid into the driver’s side with a thoughtful hum. “There will be a lot of people at a mall.”

“Well, yeah.” She nodded, swallowing thickly as her anxiety spiked. “But I gotta get over it some time.”

Before she could fully relax into the car seat, a hand slipped into hers, squeezing lightly. When she looked over, her girlfriend smiled softly. “How about a thrift store instead? You’re about to play your first show in months. I think it might be prudent to take things one step at a time, don’t you think?”

“That’s not really my style.” Yang smirked, leaning over for a kiss. “But for you... I guess I can do that.”

“How very sweet of you.” Fingers entwined with hers as Winter raised their hands, pressing another kiss to the back of Yang’s as she started the car up. “I love you, Sundrop.”

“I love you, too,” she replied, smiling as they pulled away from the venue and started heading towards some downtown shop her girlfriend had seen. In the back of her mind, the doubts lurked- what if she froze up, or dropped a stick, or snapped at a fan- but the hand in hers gave a light squeeze and her other hand- despite being the prosthetic- plucked the sticks from her belt and swore she could feel them, warm and cool in turn, wood and glass. Two forged into one.

Yang really didn’t know why Winter stuck around. But for every minute they had together, she would make the best of it.

“Sundrop,” her girlfriend said, in that faux casual way she used whenever she had a joke she wanted to tell and was trying not to spoil it. “Do you know why every store loves it when you shop there?”

“Why?”

“Because you really drum up good business for them,” Winter replied, looking so damn pleased with herself that she had to laugh.

Author’s Note: When I asked “what are things that always come back?” I was immediately accused of asking for the sake of puns. So, like... y’all weren’t wrong and that pretty much is a safe bet when it comes to me asking questions. If it’s not for a fic, that is, so this is really a two-for-one deal.

[rhnuzlocke]

Epilogue

[Two years later, the Pokemon League stadium in Ever Grande is full once more. The last few stragglers are settling into their seats and everyone is waiting for the match to begin.]

Announcer: Ladies and gentlemen, the challenger has made it through the Elite Four and will now face the reigning Champion. Should he lose this final battle, he will receive the title of Victor to acknowledge his victory over the Elite Four as well a cash prize. Should he win, he will receive the title of Champion and all the honors and responsibilities that go along with it. Now, please welcome your current League Champion, Ren Kosugi!

[The crowd erupts as Ren walks out onto the field followed by her team.]

Announcer: And her defending team, Tāraki the sceptile!

[Tāraki leaps forward and spins, performing a complicated sweep with his tail, then roars at the top of his voice.]

Announcer: Akahata the mightyena!

[Akahata raises her ruff and snarls sparks flying from her jaws.]

Announcer: Māia the taillow!

[Māia swoops off of Ren’s shoulder, twirls in the air and lets out a boomburst that shakes the stands.]

Announcer: Putenga the breloom!

[Putenga’s tail cracks like a whip as she strikes. She then leans back on it to deliver a powerful double kick.]

Announcer: Kata the grumpig!

[Kata bounces forward and waves to her fans, basking in the applause.]

Announcer: And Naihi the absol!

[Naihi slices to and fro with her horn before flashing her long foreclaws and letting out a long ghostly howl that echoes through the stadium. The cheers and chanting continue until the announcer's voice booms over the speaker once more.]

Announcer: And now, please welcome the challenger, Josh Takamoana!

[Josh and his team walk out onto the opposite side of the field. He has grown another inch or two and is a lot less scrawny than he used to be. He is also dressed a great deal better and his leather vest shows off his tattooed arms.]

Announcer: And his team, Fang the mightyena!

[Fang raises her brown hackles and barks out a challenge, dark energy massing around her jaws.]

Announcer: Shade the Crobat!

[Shade leaps up with a burst of air and glides in a tight circle, leaving vapor trails from all four of his wings.]

Announcer: Poppy the mawile!

[Poppy turns her back to the crowd and bares her huge fangs before her huge, crocodilian jaws snap shut like a bear trap.]

Announcer: Frightful the talonflame!

[Frightful rockets into the air and scatters flames like a firework.]

Announcer: Inlé the froslass!

[Inlé fades away into a lavender mist only to reemerge in a completely different location with her exaggerated jaws gaping wide and a sinister cackling echoing through the stadium.]

Announcer: And Kapu the manectric!

[The shiny manectric zips to the front, leaving a trail of electricity in his wake. He howls, fur glistening like a starry night as sparks shoot from his pelt.]

Announcer: Champion and challenger, shake hands.

[Ren and Josh walk forward, but Ren breaks into a run for the last few strides and jumps on Josh. He catches her easily but gives her a disapproving look.]

Josh: Could you behave for two minutes? This is kind of a big deal for me.

Ren: I’m sorry. I’m just so fucking proud of you! You even beat Steven!

Josh: Well he does have the type restriction. Can I put you down now?

Ren: Yes. [Josh sets her down.] So you want serious Ren, huh?

Josh: Please.

Ren: Alright then, [she wipes her hand down her face replacing her smile with an intense expression] gameface. I’m gonna stomp you flat, hotshot.

Josh: We’ll see about that.

Ren: [offering her hand] Let’s do this thing.

[They shake hands firmly, both smiling now, and walk back to their respective sides of the arena. Ren nods to Tāraki who gleefully takes the field and motions to Frightful who spreads her wings and takes to the air.]

Announcer: The Champion has chosen sceptile and the challenger has chosen talonflame. Let the battle begin!

[Ren mega evolves Tāraki right off the bat to up his fire resistance but Josh and Frightful keep up with the flame charges, building speed until they are faster than the mega sceptile. Even this is not quite enough and Tāraki snags the talonflame out of the air and slams her on the ground. Tāraki’s victory is short-lived as Inlé takes him down with a single ice beam. Naihi takes his place and the froslass does her best to stay out of reach of her old teammate. She is faster and weakens the absol considerably, but Naihi eventually lands a critical night slash and Inlé goes down. Poppy takes her place and josh mega evolves her using the keystone on his wrist. She takes Naihi down with a play rough and Putenga takes her place. Ren and her breloom play the long game, trying to bog the mega mawile down with leech seed. Putenga manages to land paralysis by closing quarters, but Josh and Poppy throw it off and finish Putenga with an iron head. Kata jumps in and finishes the mega mawile off with a series of charge beams from afar. Kapu rushes forward to face her, using his superior speed to dodge her supercharged psychic attacks and strike back with his own charge beams. A psyshock and thunderbolt meet in the air and send both parties reeling back. Next Māia and Shade duke it out for quite a while. They are both fast and almost equally maneuverable but Māia eventually wins with a perfectly timed boomburst only to have to withdraw to be treated for the crobat’s poison. Finally it is just the two mightyena’s facing off. Josh and Fang go for a sand attack/crunch combo to weaken and disorient their opponent and Ren and Akahata respond with a thunder fang that paralyzes the other mightyena. Fang intercepts Akahata’s rock smash with a sucker punch and follows it up with a take down. Akahata goes tumbling but bounces back to her feet and delivers another rock smash right to Fang’s skull. The brown mightyena can’t get away due to paralysis and collapses.]

Announcer: The challenger’s mightyena is down. Champion Ren Kosugi wins!

[The crowd erupts into cheers and Josh walks out onto the field to check on his pokemon. Fang lifts her head and he kneels down to hug her tightly. Ren walks out to check on them and two medics come to see to Fang. Ren offers Josh her hand and he takes it. She pulls him up and they wave to the crowd before taking a bow.]

Announcer: Josh Takamoana is awarded the title of Victor for his triumph over the Elite Four!

[Ren smiles and Josh hugs her as the people from his box and Ren’s file out into the stadium. The first to get to them is a young woman who looks a lot like Josh. She throws her arms around him and he hugs her back.]

Hannah: Ahhhhh! Josh! You did so well! Who would have thought my baby brother would be a Victor?

Josh: You’re only a year older than me.

Hannah: You’re the youngest and that makes you the baby forever. No exceptions.

[Josh sighs. The rest of the group, consisting of Hartmann, Brenton, Terra, Moana, Whenua, Kai, Wally, Steven and Zinnia, has arrived by this point.]

Hartman: Ugh, this is why it’s better not to have siblings. [shaking Josh’s hand and patting him on the back] Congrats, bro. That was something else.

Ren: Long time, no see, Hannah.

Hannah: Sorry! [giving Ren a kiss on each cheek] Did you really have to beat him?

Ren: It is my solemn duty.

[By this point Terra and Moana have shoved Hartmann and Brenton out of the way to offer their own congratulations. They move aside to give Whenua space and she offers Josh a wordless fistbump, which he is both shocked and honored to receive. Wally is next to shake his hand.]

Wally: That was even closer than my Victor match! [to Ren] I still say I’ll beat you one of these days.

Ren: No fair! Let me rest.

Kai: [shaking Josh’s hand] Congratulations, that was really awsome.

Josh: Thanks. [turning to Steven] Oh, Steven, is Sanmei going to be okay?

Steven: She’s fine, but I may have to take her to Puaka to be polished and sharpened. The medics here don’t have the equipment. [shaking his hand] Congratulations on beating me, Josh.

Josh: Thank you. Congratulations on your master’s.

Steven: [beaming] Thank you. I’ve been working on it so long it doesn’t feel real.

[Zinnia elbows Steven out of the way and Josh holds out his hand, but she gives him a cuff on the shoulder instead.]

Zinnia: You couldn’t wait another week until Stony was out of town so I could fight you, kid?

Josh: Are you ever going to stop calling me ‘kid’?

Zinnia: Nope.

Josh: Then I definitely had other plans and couldn’t.

Steven: What she means is she’s proud of how far you’ve come.

Zinnia: Shut up.

Steven: I’m just trying to help.

Josh: Hey Wally, are we still recording tomorrow?

Wally: If you’re up for it. I really like that improvising you were doing last week and I thought of a way to teak it to fit into the composition. I was hoping we could try a few variations.

Josh: Sure thing.

Ren: Okay, glad that going well, but Josh and I need to have a little chat if you’ll excuse us. [taking his arms and steering him away] We’ll meet you all outside.

[They leave their friends to chat among themselves in the middle of the stadium while they head for the champion side doors.]

Josh: What are we talking about.

Ren: Well, I know you may not super love me right now, but I could really use your help with something.

Josh: You’re the reason I made it here in the first place. It’s fine. Shoot.

[They go through the doors and down the hall.]

Ren: Alright then, there has never been a dark-type gym in Hoenn. In fact, there has never been a dark-type gym in most regions of the world and I don’t know about you, but that is seriously starting to piss me off.

Josh: People are superstitious. It isn’t fair, but what are you going to do about it?

Ren: I want you to start a dark type-gym in Mauville.

Josh: But—

Ren: Wattson is retiring soon and the gym has no fixed type. Wattson decoupled it from grid maintenance a while back. And sure Route 110 has a lot of electric types, but Mauville is also adjacent to the habitats of most of the region’s dark-types. It’s perfect!

Josh: You think I can be a gym leader?

Ren: Of course I do or I wouldn’t be asking. You’ve grown up a lot in the time I’ve known you. You’re even-tempered and responsible and devoted to your pokemon and the well-being of pokemon in general. You’re always trying to help others and give back to the community. Those are exactly the kind of qualities that make an excellent gym leader. Besides, Sydney and Wattson and I will totally help you every step of the way. It probably won’t re-open for a year, but whoever is running it is going to need some time to prepare, so you have to let me know soon, okay?

Josh: I’ll do it.

Ren: [thrusting her fist in the air] YES!

Josh: I’m— I’m really honored that you asked me.

Ren: You’re just the person for the job.

[Josh smiles a little to himself and puts his hands in his pockets as they turn a corner down a different hallway.]

Josh: So you’re making a dark-type gym and you already changed the League rules to have substitute Gym Leaders and Elite Four. Are you planning on turning the whole thing on its head?

Ren: My time on the throne is limited. I have to leave my mark!

Josh: Alright. I’ll do what I can to help.

Ren: You’re the best.

[Josh is to awkward to accept the compliment gracefully, so he says nothing at all, instead turning away so that she can’t see his face. They are nearing the end of the hall and door that says exit above it.]

Josh: Hey Ren.

Ren: Yeah?

Josh: Thank you for believing in me and… thank you for the family. I know I’m not good at showing it, but it really means the world to me. [He swallows thickly.] I still can’t believe they all came out to watch me, even Whenua.

Ren: [stopping] Josh…

Josh: [wiping his eyes] I know. I j-j-j— I didn’t think I’d ever have a family again. S-so thank you.

Ren: [reaching up to take his shoulder] You’re welcome. But just remember you helped build it too.

Josh: [wiping his nose] Okay.

Ren: Ready to go out and join them? I made dinner reservations.

Josh: [big sniff and then gameface] Yeah.

[Ren opens the door and everyone is waiting for them a ways off. The sun is setting behind them and the grass looks bright and golden in the light. The humans are all in a loose circle while the pokemon all mill about together. Inlé and Kata are having some kind of wrestling match while Fang is deep in conversation with Akahata and Naihi. Māia is leading Shade and Frightful through some sort of maneuver over everyone’s heads while Tāraki catches up with Jay and Kihei. The humans look up as Ren and Josh approach and make room for them. Ren makes her announcement and everyone starts clapping or patting Josh on the back and shoulders. He finally cracks a big grin and there is a chorus of “awws” from the gathering. Ren rallies them and they all head off for dinner together.]

[krokonoko]

Pkmn Sun/Moon in hindsight

Sun/Moon was maybe my most anticipated game of 2016. I was hyped MONTHS before the release and soaked in every bit of news and development like a frickin addict.

When the game was finally out... I had a lot of mixed feelings while playin it. I mean, I liked it! But looking back, I noticed how I’m remembering the game decidedly unfavorably. Usually, the moment I’m through with a Pokemon game I already can’t wait to restart it cuz I wanna try it out with new Pokemon. This time? I feel like coming back to Alola in fifty years would be too early. And I’m not alone with that. Some of my friends still haven’t finished the game yet...!

Now I feel like enough time has passed for me to be able to maybe draw some conclusions about Sun/Moon and my experiences with it. Warning: Critical opinions ahead.

(everything I’m writing here is about my experience. If you feel completely different about this, cool. But remember that I’m not claiming any of this to be facts. All I’m sayin is: This is my opinion.)

I feel like speaking about the Sun/Moon games as “the 7th gen” when neither the sister game nor the potential remake is out yet complicates the matter a bit, but for now, this is all we have to go on for this gen. And if things stay as they are now, the 7th gen might be one of my least favourite ones, despite HEAPS of things I absolutely adored about Sun/Moon.

Cuz don’t get me wrong. I don’t wanna dislike Sun/Moon, and they did a lot of things right. But the things they did wrong just made it one of the least worthwhile games in the Pokemon franchise in my opinion.

But let’s start with the positive.

- So many of the new Pokemon are frickin amazing. Not as many as last gen, but. Idk. Every gen, no matter how much I dislike it, gets props for good Pokemon. The idea of the starters per se was really cool and novel, and. Yeah. Uhm. Looking at the list of new Pokemon I’m actually a lot more underwhelmed than I initially thought. Especially cuz my love for so many Pokemon comes with this bitter aftertaste. Like, I love Salandit and Salazzle, but what is UP with Salazzle’s pose and the weird lore surrounding it and WHY did they have to throw all this bs on one of the few cool new Fire type Pokemon we got...? ...Ok we’re in the positive section, so. Yes. Some Pokemon. Really cool.

- Team Skull is a national treasure that must be protected.

- the plot in general was pretty alright. As in, I didn’t hate it. I even was a bit invested? I think this is the Pokemon main line game with the best plot overall. Unfortunately, this brings us to a whole other can of worms, but more on that in the negative section.

- I didn’t hate the NPCs! I even kinda liked some of them? And if you know me, you know I got an affinity for loathing NPCs in almost every single game, especially Pokemon games. But p much every one of the NPCs in this one had a bearable personality. Congrats, S/M, you succeeded where X/Y failed.

- I like the IDEA of Alolan forms, and a handful of Alolan forms are cool.

- The Pokemon Resort is neat.

- I really, REALLY like that they were trying to do something new with this one. Despite everything I’m gonna criticize later, I 100% appreciate their attempt to change things up a bit in terms of graphics as well as formula.

- Last but not least: NO HMs!!! I’m serious, if they keep this feature? Or rather just frickin delete HMs from existence forever? The 7th gen will always be in my good books for that.

-------------------------------------

on to the negative. Oh boy.

- I first thought the abolition of gyms and badges was a really interesting idea. I’m always for questioning time-honored traditions in games, and the whole gym-system has got to be one of the oldest traditions of all. All the more admirable is the attempt to try something new instead. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out at all imho. The Island Journey was nothing but confusing to me. When before we had eight gym leaders, eight battles, eight badges and that was it, we now have seven Trial Captains (one of which you don’t even get to exchange more than one line with before the Elite Four) plus a couple of former Trial Captains, four Island Kahunas, eight Totem Pokemon, a FUCKLOAD of Z-Crystals (some of which kinda replace badges) and five Trial Completion stamps. Add to that the Kapus, tho most of them don’t even do anything.

What I’m sayin is: SHIT’S CONFUSING AF. At least for me it was.

And the trials themselves aren’t all that interesting either. I have to fight Yungoos all the time anyway, why do I gotta fight three more as part of this frickin trial? Why does the trial itself often feel like it’s just stalling?? And while I found Kiawe’s trial hilarious, it’s just... it’s nothing that could replace gyms for me, ya feel?

Here’s what I think is the problem: Removing the gyms made me realize that they’re not just an old tradition of the games, but part of the absolute core of what makes a Pokemon game a Pokemon game. Training for the gym, fighting your way through the trainers until you finally reach the strongest of them and battling it out? That’s so frickin satisfying! And not just that, it also gives you a sense of progress. 

And replacing that with this confusing Island trials that sometimes are Pokemon fights, but can also be puzzles that range from alright (Mallow’s trial) to just. Really. Idiotic. (Sophocles’ trial) ...Idk it just removes all sense of progress you had. No matter what, gym leaders are figures of authority. But in this case, there were just SO many trials thrown at you left and right, you couldn’t really take this new NPC seriously that the game just shoves into your face in order to provide you with Steelium Z or whatever.

Idk. Maybe the games just can’t do without the gyms. Maybe there’s a way to replace them. This was not it.

- The Z-Crystals. When I said I’m always in favor of trying something new with old established game laws? Yeah. Sometimes this turns out wrong. Sometimes, it’s “doing something new just so that you’ve got some BIG NEW COOL THING” .

You know, I never was a huge fan of the whole concept of Mega Pokemon? As in. I liked that Pokemon could only evolve so many times and could NOT evolve back, cuz that was something that set it apart from other franchises revolving around trainable monsters. This was a time-honored tradition I LIKED. But I wasn’t super against mega evolutions either. I was just kinda. Neutral on it.

But the fact that it turned out to be nothing but a fad which they quickly tried to retcon and replace with these dumb frickin ~*~huge strong attack~*~ things? That shit drives me NUTS. We had to spend the entire sixth gen getting lectured by every NPC about how special and important and mysterious mega evolutions were, just so that they could drop that shit entirely?? For what, ~*~stronger attacks~*~?? Jesus CHRIST with a man bun.

With mega Pokemon, I at least KIND of see the appeal. But the Z-moves? The animations get SUPER tedious after using the move twice. You’re pretty overpowered the entire game through anyway. I don’t WANT these ugly crystals, I was already annoyed with the mega stones, you’re gonna drop it for some new hot shit next gen anyway, get this shit AWAY from me >:/

- The endless. Frickin. Hand-holdies and stalling. Usually, after the first day of playin a new Pokemon game? I never wanna put it away. I just wanna keep playin and playin. The first day of playin S/M, I actually hated the game with every fiber of my being, and it felt terrible. That never happened to me before. Slight annoyance with the game? Yeah. Actual friggin hatred? Never!

The way the game kept stalling and stalling and dragging its feet killed every last bit of the INTENSE excitement I started out with. You wake up, you go talk to someone, day’s over, you wake up again, go talk to someone again, blaah blaaah blaaaaah... I think it takes you half a frickin hour of playin before you get your first frickin Pokemon...! You know how long it usually takes to get your first Pokemon in p much EVERY SINGLE POKEMON GAME?? Not even FIVE MINUTES. 

Maybe they thought they needed to ease us into the new setting and all but OH my GOD I just wanted everyone to SHUT. UP already and let me start my frickin Pokemon journey! Which usually, you do not long after you got your first Pokemon. Not in S/M, however. You gotta watch cutscene after cutscene, klick through heaps of uninteresting dialogue, and when the NPCs finally let you set out? They’re still there. Always. Interrupting you. Talking to you. Explaining things to you that every frickin child can find out by themselves. Which, incidentally, p much all of us did. When I was ten, I played the red version, which explained NOTHING except for how catching Pokemon works, and I STILL FUCKING MANAGED. And ten-years-olds today aren’t dumber than we were back then! And this quenches every bit of desire you have to find out things by yourself.

LIKE. You see your first patch of grass. ALL you wanna do is THROW yourself into that thing, roll around in it until you’ve seen all the new Pokemon and askdhkasdh. But the moment you prepare to leap, the game goes “Hey, wait -insert player name-! Ha ha, it is me, an NPC! How are you and your Pokemon getting along? I see you’ve discovered this patch of grass, but let me warn you-” AND THEY KEEP GOING ON FOREVER and they just, IDK, EXPLAIN that there are Pokemon in there which you KNOW and you wanna GO and follow your innermost desires as a gamer and DO THE THING. But the game. Won’t. Let you. Until it’s stalled all of your excitement to death.

And you really feel like the game’s taking you for an idiot what with how the NPCs guard and guide your every step. I have never played a Pokemon game that felt so much like I was on rails, and the NPCs decided how fast I go, where I stop and even where I move my fucking head. Every part of the island is sealed off so that I can only go there when the game WANTS me to. Yeah, this is an element that’s always been THERE in Pokemon, certain points you can’t pass before you’ve fulfilled this and that task. Tho I mean. In the very first game, they basically let you decide in which order to take on the last gyms by yourself. In S/M tho? It’s just egregious how you can’t take a SINGLE STEP without having to get some NPC’s permission first.

Basically, this is a problem Pokemon has been suffering from for a while now. Have a short look at this Sequelitis video in which Arin explains exactly what the issue here is. Watch until 22:15. S/M did everything wrong in that regard. You don’t gotta constantly nag at the player to, whatever, go into this school and fight a bunch of kids or we won’t let you continue on your journey. We play Pokemon. Because. We like. Pokemon battles. We WANT to explore the world. We WANT to find and catch and train more Pokemon. But making all that a guided and guarded task makes it feel tedious. To quote Arin: It’s annoying. It feels like your mom and creates an “you can’t tell me what to DO” attitude.

When you played Pokemon back in the days of R/B/Y, G/S/C or R/S/E, you didn’t play the game to save the world from Team Rocket or Team Magma/Aqua. What I mean is... People sometimes act like the plot is what makes a good Pokemon game. But I think the exact opposite is the case: Pokemon games don’t need a plot. Sure, throw an evil team to defeat in if you want to. But don’t make it the REASON why I’m on this journey. This is what made B/W so stale and terrible for me. You only need to watch the intro-animation of the game and you’ll see it: They prioritized plot and NPCs over what this game should be about: Your Pokemon journey. And the more the plot is trying to butt in on this journey, the more NPCs just keep holding you back with making you click A a bunch, the more detrimental it is to the game.

To make it short: Didn’t you always hate it when you stepped outside the first few towns, ready to take on the Pokemon world, make new Poke-friends, train them and love them and catch them all and- wait, there is the guy who teaches you how to catch Pokemon in a two minute tutorial you can’t skip. Doesn’t this kind of bum you out for a second there? Yeah, that’s what the first, IDK, SIX HOURS or so of S/M felt like to me...!

This also leads to the replay value of the game tending towards zero. I usually play through a Pokemon game many times cuz I wanna try out as many Pokemon as possible. But while I found the plot reasonably entertaining while it was all new to me, clicking through it again will be the biggest frickin hassle.

If I’m being super honest, I feel like they did this to drag out the game time. I remember that when I first played X/Y I was through the game in two days. Cuz if you switch on the EP-share, you don’t need to do anything anymore, you just fly through the entire game, which makes it a bit dissatisfying as well. And X/Y had its share of NPCs that were holding you back at the start of every new Route, telling you what to do and why you should go down this one-way-street to speak to Professor Sexypants or whatever. But with S/M, it really felt like they were trying to make up for a smaller world. Which leads me to the next part.

- Not a fan of the graphics and the overhauled world-structure. I liked the little chibi-Trainers. Especially in the sixth gen. They were perfect. The trainer models in this game just look awkward imho. But that’s not my biggest concern. That honor goes to the new world structure.

The overworld in Pokemon used to be grid-based. So every object was placed in a grid and you were forced to walk on a grid, which they kind of broke up a little in the sixth gen, in a good way. But this time they went with an organic, natural world. And this. Just. Doesn’t work. The way they did it at least. A rectangular patch of grass is okay in a grid-based world. In an organic world a huge patch of grass with nothing else in it... just looks goofy and kinda empty. And that leads to the whole world feeling this little bit. Empty. The rooms are huge, but you can’t interact with anything. The furniture is prettily rendered, but what use is this pretty couch when I can’t even SIT ON IT?? We used to be able to sit on things, GF...! And this may seem like a minor concern but it’s just so symptomatic for everything wrong with the environmental design.

Which is a shame cuz I bet they put in a lot of effort into your surroundings. Unfortunately, removing the grid probably made that a bit more challenging, which lead to the routes becoming smaller. Or at least feeling smaller.

I don’t even wanna get started with how much the camera angle annoyed me most of the time...!

But back to the trainer models. Another problem that was really bothering me about the trainer models was the battle intros. The illustrations in the sixth gen are maybe the best battle intros the franchise has ever seen. Ken Sugimori’s style has evolved so much, and every character was designed with so much care! Every single one of them had so much character and I love just looking at these guys, the Delinquent, the Sky Trainers, the Artist Family... Such great designs, so much soul!

But with the new models replacing the illustrations, we had cameras zooming in on blurry and pixelated faces with uncanny valley-ish expressions and blank stares. They could’ve used the new models to give each trainer a different pose or expression, especially upon losing, but they didn’t even do that. And the unfazed, always smiling face of the protagonist has long become a meme. We also had a significantly less amount of trainer models to fight against. The trainer classes stayed roughly the same in amount, but they re-used the models constantly. To me this just. Smells like unfinished work.

- I think it’s p cool the game is set on Alola. It’s refreshingly different from everything we’ve had before. The team definitely did their research and put a lot of effort into depict a fictional version of actual Hawaiian culture. But compared to X/Y, where we had so many different shades of environmental design, so many cool atmospheric locations, S/M just felt. Bland with its repeated happy-go-lucky-island-vacation mood.

- what was the frickin photo feature even there for. I was so here for a mini Pokemon-Snap, but what we got was just disappointing.

- What the fuuuuck is up with the Pokedex entries. Can we take that ~*~dark and edgy~*~ shit away from my Pokemon game please?

smaller complains include:

- the introduction of a quest diary was nice and the Rotom-Dex was cute, but ultimately useless and annoying. It constantly badgered and reminded you about quests that were impossible to avoid while completely staying silent about those that could very easily be forgotten.

- While I mentioned that I like the IDEA of Alolan Pokemon, I hate how they were mostly just trolling with them. Instead of more cool stuff like Alolan!Ninetales or Alolan!Marowak, they gave us Dugtrio and Graveler with hair.

- fuck the fact that when it comes to trainer customization and clothes, an entire array of colors were missing from my game just cuz I got Sun. If you trainer is customizable, you gotta go all the way and not make it ridiculously complicated for one half of your players to get clothes in a color they want.

- while we’re at it: fuck the Festival Plaza. Shit’s confusing, counter-intuitive and boring.

- What the FUUUCK was up with that Ash!Greninja thing? They were obviously planning on making this the next big thing, you know, Pokemon taking on features from their trainers. But then it probably got too complicated with all the Pokemon and all the customization features, so they dropped it. But why introduce Ash!Greninja then?? Do I look like Ash? No! I don’t even watch the fucking show! Do I know this Greninja? Fuck no I don’t! So why do we have this ~*~special bond~*~ or whatever is necessary for that thing to change its form?? What was that entire useless fucking gimmick except a reminder of what could’ve been?

- SOS battles are the most annoying feature in the history of ever. Had they just given us wild Pokemon encounters DOUBLE BATTLES, like we had them in D/P/P or B/W!! Anyway, just. Go look up “SOS battles Pokemon annoying” and you’re gonna see enough ppl explaining why this feature was the last thing we needed.

- I’m REALLY not part of the git gud crowd. I think Pokemon shouldn’t be too hard. For example I think it’s a nice touch to always show which attack is how effective against what. But the fact that status conditions don’t do shit anymore is a bit sad. The Pokemon either heals itself after two rounds, or you can just pet the poison away in a ~*~fun minigame~*~ with graphics stolen right of the 00′s.

- Legendaries are the fucking cancer that kills this franchise, and after X/Y and its mercifully low number of legendaries (six, to be exact, which is a number so low in fact that we haven’t seen it since the second frickin gen), I thought we’d finally reached the point were GF is over spamming us with these fuckers that are good for nothing except trials of patience. And S/M with this friggin TERRIBLE post-game-plot of “hey here’s two dozen legendaries. Catch them plz and u get munz.” Without even the EXCUSE of a plot. Just. *throws hands up* Fuck this.

- OH AND ALSO fuck GF for not giving the Litten crowd the quadrupedal fire tiger they deserved.

Thiiiis got a lot more negative than intended. But as I said initially, I’m surprised myself at how many negative emotions I have towards this game, despite the fact that I actually enjoyed it while playing it.

Generally I think this game just feels majorly unfinished to me. I’m very interested in Stars and whether it’s gonna be better or worse than it’s predecessor. In any case, I can only hope that Pokemon will stop centering around dialogue-heavy interaction and realize why we’re all really playin this game: To be the very frickin best, like no one ever frickin was.

And that p much concludes my rant. Anything you disagree with, anything you feel the same about? S’alright, we can talk it out ^^

[keena-kapu]

The past few days outside of offline I’ve fallen out with my best friend of 10 years, who was like a brother to me, who I’ve stuck with through thick and thin; but I finally had enough of some of the stuff he’d been doing the past couple of years both to me and to many of our mutual friends. I love him, and I know he’s better than this because he has been before, but as things currently had been I couldn’t keep doing it anymore.

Jesus fuck I am not okay. That is the hardest thing I ever had to do, I’m not even kidding. I’m a mess, I’ve been a mess the past few days at work and outside of it, but you know what the worst of it is? The worst of it is that when I was trying to explain what has happened, I asked people what I should do to fix it and I was advised to do nothing and wait. I feel so helpless knowing this is out of my hands, but I’m also so used to going a million miles out of my way to try and make stuff right. And yet it has been such a huge relief to know that it’s not my responsibility to do anything at this time.

Yeah, this post isn’t really anything. I’m okay, and I will be okay, I’m able to get the help I need very easily so please don’t think this is me doing a cry for help. I’m more just trying to get the thoughts out of my head.

[keena-kapu]

Had a weird dream that I watched the newest series of R/WB/Y and for some reason Pyrrha was randomly there first episode with no explaination and Weiss hugged her, then when someone came to kill Pyrrha again Weiss was a weregrimm and apparently had been the whole time, and I remember that for some reason was the thing that made me decide I’d never attempt again, I don’t even know why since I love the idea of a weregrimm lmao

[keena-kapu]

Kapú returns to tumblr for the first time in years only to talk about being horny for the dragon, power move.

Good news! Twitter is a shit show so I endeavour to try and be here more, and I’m about to make that everyone’s problem!

[keena-kapu]

The nerd urge to dress as my d&d character for no other reason other than fun

[keena-kapu]

GUYS WILL SMITH SLAPPED THE SHIT OUTTA CHRIS ROCK LIVE AT THE OSCARS

I haven’t seen any posts about it yet and just wanted y’all to know it’s more beautiful than anything I could imagine

I want a print of this

[keena-kapu]

Friend got a good pic of me at the fur meet today