#When the shrimp did i get into dandys world

[blehpierrot]

Beep beep beep beep........... Oh sorgy that was just my gay alarm. It beeps when homosexuality

[elefishwrites]

Hihi, may I have the pleasure of reading some romantic shrimpo x reader hcs from you? Have a nice day !!

yes, yes you may! :D very kind anon here~☆

shrimpo's an incredibly charming character honestly- like yeah i know his whole gimmick is that he hates everyone but it sort of circles back around to being endearing for me xD

"hateful sweetheart" ★ shrimpo x GN reader hcs

pairing ❥ shrimpo x reader (dandy's world)

relationship ❥ romantic

reader's gender is not mentioned!

dividers by @/bumblethecat ⊹₊⟡⋆

♡ Shrimpo... Oh boy, Shrimpo

♡ Getting him to just not hate you is a challenge all its own, so if you're in a relationship with this shrimp, it means you're probably gonna need patience. Like, a lot of patience.

♡ But, once you're past that, it's surprisingly not the worst!

♡ He's not really used to being friendly with someone, much less being romantic, so he's gonna be... Awkward at times

♡ He probably talks about you really highly, but he does so in the same sort of condescending way he does about himself

♡ Like "[NAME] IS SO MUCH BETTER AT THIS THAN YOU!!! JUST GIVE UP, YOU'LL NEVER BE AS GOOD AS THEM!!!"

♡ He gets flustered really easily, so even something as small as holding hands in front of people is enough to have him refusing to make eye contact with you or anyone else in the room

♡ That said, PDA is usually a no-go unless it is something small like that. Being affectionate in front of other people is embarassing for him...

♡ Immediately on the opposite end of that, though, he's touch starved!

♡ Once you're behind closed doors he'll be a lot more open to affection

♡ He's actually very cuddly, but he's also very stubborn about it

♡ He doesn't like initiating because that means directly asking you for affection in most cases, so sometimes you'll just catch him staring at you with rosy cheeks and have to figure out what he wants from there

♡ On the occasion he does put aside his own pride long enough to ask he'll always yell about how he hates being cold or something, literally anything not to admit he just likes your touch

♡ He prefers positions where you can both wrap your arms around each other, but he doesn't really mind as long as you two are close together!

♡ Onto something completely unrelated, you have to stop him from fighting people a lot

♡ You've become the individual the other toons go to whenever Shrimpo's about to try and beat someone

♡ You always have to grab him and drag him away from whatever confrontation he's in to go calm him down. He'll struggle around and grumble at you the whole time, but he won't try to get away when you let him go...

♡ Everyone is confused as to how you can keep him pacified; You're the only one who's been able to do so without sustaining some variety of injury

♡ You're also usually the one to tend to any cuts or bruises he sustained during the altercation. If you didn't know how to dress a wound before, you're about to learn!

♡ Shrimpo really loves you, even though he's bad at showing it sometimes. He's really trying, please be patient with him!

"...I HATE BEING COLD."

You blinked, looking up from what you had been doing to be met with the flushed frowning face of your partner.

Shrimpo glared at you, though his eyes held no malice; If anything, there was something expectant in them.

You stared back, searching through your brain for what possibly he could want. Seconds passed with nothing but silence between you two, and from an outside perspective, one could easily assume you two were locked in a standoff.

It clicked after a bit. He wanted to cuddle!

You asked him as such with a smile, offering him a seat beside you.

He grumbled something you couldn't make out as he moved to slide in next to you. He didn't object when you wrapped your arms around him, nor did he when you gently pulled him against you.

He sat there for a moment, content to simply bask in your warmth, before slowly returning your embrace.

His grip was tight, just enough so to be secure but not uncomfortable.

...You weren't going anywhere for a while. You didn't mind though. You were happy in each others' arms, even though one of you probably wouldn't ever admit that.

You mumbled out an "I love you" which was met with a huff and a "I HATE HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU TOO."

With that, you both fell into a comfortable silence, which would soon become snores as you drifted off to sleep.

He wasn't cold anymore.

[pukefactory]

if you’re up for it, could you write a shrimpo x reader (gender neutral) where after getting into a relationship, shrimpo starts pulling the reader aside for angry kisses or cuddles to calm down?

i love your writing <3

Thank you, Anon! I’m so glad you enjoy my writing, and I hope you like this request just as much!

⁺‧₊˚ ཐི LOVE TO HATE YOU ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺

.ᐟ Summary: A Compilation of Headcannons Featuring A Cuddly Shrimpo X Reader

.ᐟ Character(s): Shrimpo the Shrimp (Dandy’s World)

.ᐟ Genre: Headcannons, SFW

.ᐟ Warning(s): None - Completely Safe!

.ᐟ Image Credits: @sceneryocean

⳻⳺ Shrimpo doesn’t ask for kisses. He takes them. If he’s mad—which is always—he’ll grab you by the wrist, drag you to a corner, and shout something like, “I HATE BEING MAD, FIX IT!!!” before aggressively pressing his face against yours. It’s a kiss, technically, but mostly just Shrimpo angrily squishing his mouth against yours before stomping off, face redder than usual.

⳻⳺ He acts like cuddles are your idea, even when he’s the one dragging you onto the couch and throwing a blanket over both of you. “I HATE THIS. I HATE THIS SO MUCH,” he growls, arms locked around your waist. When you try to leave, he tightens his grip. “NO, SHUT UP. YOU CAN’T GO. SHRIMPO WINS.”

⳻⳺ Shrimpo never admits to wanting affection. Instead, he’ll snatch your hand with a glare and yell, “I HATE LOSING YOU IN CROWDS.” There is no crowd. You’re in an empty hallway. He just refuses to say, I like holding your hand.

⳻⳺ If anyone so much as looks at you wrong, Shrimpo is in their face. “WHAT DID YOU SAY TO THEM?! YOU WANNA FIGHT?! I’LL WIN. SHRIMPO ALWAYS WINS.” He’ll stay mad for hours after, muttering, “I HATE THEM. I HATE THEM SO MUCH,” while aggressively nuzzling against your shoulder.

⳻⳺ If someone calls him out on his soft spot for you, he snaps. “I HATE THEM!!!” (He does not. He adores you.) “I DON’T CARE ABOUT THEM!!!” (He does. So much.) Then he yanks you into a side room, scowling. “…TELL THEM I HATE YOU.” You do not. Instead, you kiss his forehead. He turns pink and screeches.

⳻⳺ Shrimpo is short. You are (probably) taller. He hates it. “I HATE LOOKING UP AT YOU!!!” But when he’s mad and needs comfort, he climbs onto something to be your height, grabs your face, and kisses you aggressively before jumping down and pretending it never happened.

⳻⳺ If he gets upset around the other Toons, you know what’s coming. “COME HERE.” “Shrimpo, I’m talking to-.” “NOW.” Suddenly, he’s wrapped around you, face buried in your neck. Everyone is staring. You try to say something, but he shushes you. “I HATE EVERYONE LOOKING AT US.” Then why are you doing this, Shrimpo?

⳻⳺ He insults you right before demanding affection. “I HATE YOUR FACE. IT’S SO ANNOYING.” You blink. “…Oh.” Shrimpo grabs your collar. “NOW LET ME KISS IT SO IT BOTHERS ME LESS.”

⳻⳺ Shrimpo claims he doesn’t nap. But when he’s mad, he’ll grab you, yell something like, “I HATE EVERYONE, BUT YOU’RE WARM!!!” and immediately pass out on top of you. If you move, he growls. “DON’T. MOVE. SHRIMPO NEEDS THIS.”

⳻⳺ Late at night, when he’s too tired to keep up the act, he tugs on your sleeve, glaring at the floor. “I HATE ASKING.” You sigh. “What do you want, Shrimpo?” He hesitates, then whispers: “…hug.” If you tease him, he screeches and leaves. If you just hold him, he goes quiet.

[brittle-biscuits]

Victorian themed Dandy's World Love Confessions fail

The foggy floors in Gardenview were alive with whispers of an unusual competition. Vee, Connie, Scraps, and Ginger—each with their own Victorian flair—had decided to confess their love to Y/N. Their plan? A competition of rivals to win Y/N’s heart. However, as you expect this didn't go well.

Vee, ever the dramatic one, decided to woo Y/N with a serenade in front of his room. Dressed in a velvet waistcoat and clutching a lute, she sang a heartfelt ballad about love and destiny. Unfortunately, her voice annoyed one shrimp headed felon he came in and threw something at her head sending her tumbling into a puddle of ichor. Y/N peeked out the door just in time to see Vee drenched.

Vee: SHRIMPO YOUR GONNA PAY FOR THIS

Connie took a more intellectual approach. She penned an epic poem titled Ode to the Bag head gentleman and planned to read it aloud in the Gardenview library. The setting was perfect—candlelight flickered against the mahogany shelves. But as she began reciting her verses, she tripped over her long Victorian gown and knocked over an entire shelf of books. The crash echoed through the building as Connie scrambled to get out of the mess, mumbling apologies while Y/N chuckled nervously from the corner.

Connie: HOW DID I TRIP IF I DONT HAVE LEGS IT MAKES NO SENSE

Scraps, the eccentric tinkerer, built an elaborate steam-powered contraption designed to spell out “I LOVE YOU” in fireworks in the kitchen. The machine sputtered and hissed as she unveiled it to Y/N with a flourish. But instead of fireworks, it launched a barrage of soot-covered confetti directly into her face. Scraps coughed and waved her arms and tail wildly as she disappeared into a cloud of smoke, leaving Y/N both amused and slightly concerned.

Scraps: wait I would have caused a fire with the fireworks

Ginger opted for a more traditional approach: baking a cake for Y/N. She spent hours crafting a towering confection adorned with sugar roses and delicate icing swirls. However, as she proudly presented it to Y/N in the Gardenview dining room, she tripped over Pebble’s tail (he had been napping under the table). The cake flew through the air and landed squarely on Ginger’s head. Covered in frosting and mortified, she could only manage an awkward laugh as Y/N tried not to burst into laughter.

Ginger: *sigh* I know ironic

After witnessing all four attempts—and failing miserably at hiding his amusement—Y/N decided to take matters into his own hands. He approached each of them in turn and planted a soft kiss on their lips as a gesture of appreciation for their efforts

Y/n: I'm just glad you 4 thought of me

Vee turned beet red and fainted dramatically onto a nearby chaise lounge.

Connie stammered incoherently before collapsing into a pile of books and phasing through them.

Scraps froze mid-cough, her mechanical goggles fogging up before she toppled over like one of her failed inventions.

Ginger let out a squeak before fainting backward into what remained of her cake.

Y/N stood there for a moment, shaking his head fondly at their unconscious forms before walking off into the foggy night.

Y/n: heh so adorable

When they all regained consciousness later in Dandy’s shop (thanks to Shelly's smelling salts), none could look at Y/N without blushing furiously. The competition may have ended in comedic failure, but they all agreed on one thing: it was worth every embarrassing moment just for that single kiss.

And somewhere deep within Gardenview’s shadowy halls, Dandy himself chuckled softly at the absurdity of it all.

Dandy: heheheh it's adorable and sad it's sadorable

(this is just something I thought of I was like hey why dont I make a dandy's world au where everything is victorian era style maybe I should draw each character in that style)

At least Y/N got the message somewhat, that’s gotta count for something.

[crowvert-bird]

quick warning: i dont support the creator (u know which one) of dandys world, i just like the game, thats it

second batch lets go!! went waay too hard and spent 2 weeks instead of 1 lol, it was pretty hard coming up with redesigns for them ngl but honestly i like all of the ones i finalized!! i gotta start making sure all of them have unique silhouettes tho cuz i just realized a lot of abilities rely on that and i wanna stay true to that

first batch , third batch , LAST BATCH

waaay less aggressive rant below cut

srry for being so aggressive in the first batch and not even explaining y (i forgot to add that)

lemme explain myself, the reason im even doing this in the first place is cuz the game literally advertises itself as a mascot horror game and then proceeds to have JUST humanoid object show charatcers, which would normally be fine with me but it literally has mascot in the genre name so my expectations on the character designs were raised and after looking at all the designs i was disappointed

and i say JUST humanoid object show characters cuz they dont even do anything cool with most of the objects theyre designed after and some of the color palettes just feel so... low effort?? and that ticked me off the absolute most, i did see cool things like actually changing vees face turning it into a blue screen when hit and twisted boxs head opening up when chasing u and some of the abilities but thats all i remember honestly

like im fine with indigo parks designs cuz theyre canonically basically disney so the designs fit and they have little things like patterns on their body, and object shows are extra ok cuz theyre literal objects in an object show (no shit)

i guess the thing that fully set me off was shrimpos canon design, i get the synbolism with making him a shrimp and i really like it which is y i kept it in the redesign (bottom feeder that is at its best as a meal)!! but they just executed it so poorly??? it just feels like they didnt even try u kno? to the point that it made me wanna redesign all the characters i didnt like the design of cuz they just felt so basic and generic

i guess the problem was that i expected the game to have designs that id enjoy when in reality they had another audience in mind and a legit good and fun game to develop, it wouldve been better for them to focus on making the gameplay good instead of just the character designs (even tho its a MASCOT horror game, its still a game), especially when in my eyes i can make better designs than them, all a matter of opinion

still gonna do redesigns and play the game tho, its fun i like it!!

[deadly-espresso]

(OC: Diana)

(Note: The "Extra Rare" tier refers to a hypothetical tier between Rare Toons and Main Toons. Toons in this tier can have a 2nd ability like Main Toons, but only possess the 15-star stat distribution of a Regular Toon. Their Twisted counterparts would be rarer than Rare Twisteds, but slightly more common than Main Twisteds.)

Yeah... I actually had ANOTHER idea for a Toon OC that was Quentin's wife... but it took me a while to come up with a design for her that I was happy with. Welp, here she is... in all her divine glory.

As one could easily guess from her look... Diana's a real diva, a prima donna, if you will. Like her husband Quentin, she's got an arrogant streak, and often expected things to be done the "correct" way. She was especially known for her fashion and dancing skills, considering herself to be the most beautiful Toon to ever get to shine on the big screen. She was known to get angry over trivial things like Dazzle looking sad all the time or Teagan's tea tasting too sweet.

That said, she does have her good qualities. She loves her husband Quentin dearly and sincerely, considering him to be the center of her world. The two were rarely seen without the other during the early days of the Dandy's World cartoon, and Quentin just seemed to bring out Diana's better qualities like her attention to detail and problem-solving skills. Diana also cherished her son Glisten, teaching him the roots of how to be beautiful and exceed one's limits. Glisten himself was noted to resemble his mother quite a bit, with the ribbon he frequently wears being a keepsake from her. However, Glisten did end up inheriting Diana's desire for perfection and not looking weak as well.

Diana was not just obsessed with being beautiful, but also being adored and admired. Early on in Gardenview's history, Diana actually had a favorable perception with audiences, frequently sharing the spotlight with Quentin, but as the show went on and more of Diana's flaws started to show, her audience perception soured. Diana thought she was getting more popular, but in reality, people were booing her more and more. It wasn't even like the situation with Shelly where people thought she was forgettable- instead, Diana was really, really hated. They really wanted to see Diana fail for being so snobbish and entitled. By the mid-1990s, Diana was getting fewer roles, with Quentin having more episodes without Diana and Diana's role being largely superseded by her son Glisten. Initially, Diana was mostly unaware of her bad reception and was really proud to see her husband and son shine, but then Diana overheard one of the Toon Handlers saying that Teagan was more popular than she was. Diana didn't like Teagan, and saw this as an insult. She tried to stop Teagan from going on adventures with the other Toons by breaking her handle, but this injury was able to be fixed, and Diana would receive a harsh punishment when she was found out to be the one behind the injury.

However, the real breaking point for Diana happened in 1999, when she found out that people liked Shrimpo more than her. Diana was absolutely flabbergasted that people could enjoy a hateful shrimp more than a princess like her! So Diana snapped and tried to get Shrimpo murdered during a live event, but it didn't work out. Shrimpo survived the murder attempt, and when Diana was found guilty, the Gardenview staff decided to enact a permanent punishment- she was to be locked in her room... forever. That way, she could never again hurt another Toon or find out that someone liked someone else over her. The conditions were isolating- while she was given bare necessities in order to survive and her husband and son were able to see her at set times, Diana was still never allowed to leave her room. Her mental health deteriorated as she would often spend days staring at the only clock in her room, waiting for a day where she would be free, or staring into the vanity desk's mirrors, trying to reassure herself that she was still beautiful. None of the guests seemed to notice what happened, and her stardom was soon lost for good with the closure of Gardenview in 2002. With nobody looking after her, she was left to starve in her room, until one day, Dandy managed to pick its locks open...

Notes about Diana's active ability, Pirouette d'éventail:

Note 1: This ability uses the same sound effect as Flutter's "Floaty Dash" ability.

Note 2: This ability works on ALL Twisteds, including Twisted Dandy. If Twisted Razzle & Dazzle or Twisted Rodger are hit by this ability, they will be knocked away.

Notes about Diana's passive ability, Glistening Gems:

Note 1: This ability's item detection behaves similar to Pebble's passive ability.

Note 2: Diana herself is affected by her own passive ability. Since she already produces a light, she has a bigger light in blackouts than even the likes of Brightney.

Note 3: If there is more than one Diana in the party, the "larger light" effect does stack, but the "item detection" effect does not.

And some more trivia:

I was originally planning for Diana to be a brilliant-cut diamond, but I later changed it to be a princess-cut diamond to make her head look more distinct from Quentin or Glisten.

Diana is noted for being stern and stoic, though sometimes her emotions get the better of her. She's considered to be hard and sharp, but also brittle, just like a diamond.

Diana has always had quite the rivalry with Teagan. Although Teagan wants to be Diana's friend, Diana still hates Teagan because she thinks her tea is terrible and she thinks she tries too hard to please others.

Here's her transparent too because yes

[poppyseed788]

Random Dandy’s World Fanon Pet Peeve I have:

Food toons being disturbed by seeing others eat whatever food they are. It’s just… so clearly not canon and yet it’s the default assumption in the fandom. What makes it worse is that there’s only one character who seems to have a problem with eating whatever food they’re related to, and that’s Finn, but the whole fandom thinks he would eat fish. Like how did everything get so mixed up.

Analysis under cut for those who want me to back up my claims

Alright, so firstly, Food Toons and Cannibalism.

This is most easily demonstrated AND DEBUNKED with Ginger. You will see MANY fan works involving her being traumatized seeing others eat gingerbread cookies (which I admittedly find funnier than with others on the list due to her having a bite taken out of her), but that is WEIRD considering HER ABILITY IS GIVING PEOPLE GINGERBREAD COOKIES.

Like… her whole Thing is making gingerbread cookies for people to eat!! Okay, she’s more about decorating them, apparently her cookies taste bad, but still! She has no issue with making mini versions of herself and feeding them to others. It’s unclear if she herself eats cookies, but she does NOT take issue with others doing it.

The others have less evidence, but it would be weird if Ginger was the only cannibal toon so we can assume this sort of thing is normal. In any case:

Sprout: he bakes sweets, it’s possible he uses strawberries in them, especially since his cupcakes are pink. He could theoretically be avoiding using strawberries, but considering the evidence with other toons I’m assuming he wouldn’t.

Cosmo: they literally sell his head as a food in the Diner which, well, he seems very involved in. He is a baked good and he creates other baked goods for people to eat. Doesn’t seem to have any issue with being a cake and a baker.

Teagan: Technically she’s a cup, not tea, though she DOES always have it in her head so it COULD be vital, who knows. In any case, they love making tea for others and throwing tea parties.

Shrimpo: They sell cooked shrimp that looks just like him in the Diner. You COULD say he hates that, and he hates cannibalism, and he hates when people eat shrimp, because he hates everything. I can’t really argue with that. But if you look past him hating everything, well, most food toons seem to enjoy sharing whatever food they are with others, and Shrimpo is very full of himself, so he might actually like eating shrimp and seeing others eat shrimp. He is a COOKED one, after all, he’s a food toon like the others. He seems to enjoy violence and himself, I think he would enjoy cannibalism tbh. But I can also agree with anyone who says he would hate it cuz, well, he hates everything.

Alright, so that’s my case for “food toons are okay with cannibalism”. Most of them are based around it entirely, so I really don’t see why the idea that they are disturbed is so popular.

But in my post I also mentioned Finn, so here we go.

Finn is the ONLY toon to show discomfort at the idea of certain foods being eaten because they resemble someone, but in this case that someone is Barnaby, his toy fish.

He has a dialogue with Sprout where Sprout considers making seafood (btw this is evidence that he does more than just baking) and Finn seems well. It’s hard to tell exactly what he’s feeling since he just says “…” “Sprout?” but it can be assumed that it’s negative.

Sprout reminds Finn that Barnaby is just a toy fish, but Finn says that he is so much more to him. I admit, there are ways you could see this as Finn still being cool with eating fish, he was just scared that Sprout would cook Barnaby specifically, but like, that’s kind of weird considering he is very much aware that Barnaby is plastic, he just treats him like he isn’t.

There’s also the fact that Finn loves fishing, it’s like his whole thing, so you’d think “ah, he likes fishing. Most of the time when you fish you end up eating it.” Which makes total sense. But considering how much he seems to care about others eating fish it’s possible he just catches fish to release them back into the water. He is a children’s cartoon character, after all, maybe they thought the guy who teaches you about sea life EATING the beloved fishies was too much. Who knows…

Finn not eating seafood is less solid than food toons eating themselves, but I guess it just sort of bothered me that SOO many people believe that Ginger would be scared of others eating gingerbread cookies when that’s BLATANTLY not canon, the only toon showing ANY sort of discomfort at others eating a specific food is Finn who they simultaneously believe is cool with it.

Make whatever you want and headcanon whatever you want it doesn’t have to match mine, just a little pet peeve I wanted to talk about lol

[astral-pr0jectile]

Finally caved and played dandy's world...finished poppys mastery quest which I know is not that big of a deal, but oh well. Stupid shrimp got me to play the game >:( also the first thing I did was get him when I had enough ichor....

[berlysbandcamp]

Mazouni - A Dandy In Exile - 1969/1982

1958, in the middle of the liberation war. While the rattle of machine guns could be heard in the maquis, in the city, the population listened at low volume to Algerian patriotic songs broadcast by the powerful Egyptian radio: "The Voice of the Arabs". These artists all belonged to a troupe created by the self-proclaimed management of the National Liberation Front (FLN), based in Tunis and claiming to gather a "representative" sample of the Algerian musical movement of the time.

1960, cafe terraces were crowded and glasses of anisette kept coming with metronomic regularity, despite the alarming music of police sirens heard at intervals and the silhouettes of soldiers marching in the streets. The mood was good, united by a tune escaping from everywhere: balconies, where laundry was finishing drying, windows wide open from apartments or restaurants serving the famous Algiers shrimps along with copious rosé wine. Couples spontaneously joined the party upon hearing "Ya Mustafa", punctuated by improvised choirs screaming "Chérie je t’aime, chérie je t’adore". The song, as played by Sétif-born Alberto Staïffi, was a phenomenal success, to the point that even FLN fighters adopted it unanimously. Hence an unfortunate misunderstanding that would trick colonial authorities into believing Mustafa was an ode to the glory of Fellaghas. 

1961, Cheikh Raymond Leyris, a Jewish grand master of ma’luf (one of Algeria’s three Andalusian waves) who was Enrico Macias’ professor, was killed in Constantine, making him the first victim of a terrorist wave that would catch up with Algeria at the dawn of the 1990s by attacking anything that thought, wrote or sang.

Mohamed Mazouni, born January 4, 1940 in Blida – “The City of Roses" both known for its beautiful ‘Blueberry Square’ (saht ettout) in the middle of which a majestic bandstand took center stage, and its brothels – had just turned twenty. He was rather handsome and his memory dragged around a lot of catchy refrains by Rabah Driassa and Abderrahmane Aziz, also natives of Blida, or by 'asri (modern music) masters Bentir or Lamari. He would make good use of all these influences and many others stemming from the Algerian heritage. The young Mohamed was certainly aware of his vocal limits, as he used to underline them: "I had a small voice, I came to terms with it!". But it didn’t lack charm nor authenticity, and it was to improve with age. He began his singing career in those years, chosing bedoui as a style (a Saharan genre popularized among others by the great Khelifi Ahmed). 

1962, the last French soldiers were preparing their pack. A jubilant crowd was proclaiming its joy of an independent Algeria. Remembering the impact of popular music to galvanize the "working classes", the new authorities in office rewarded the former members of the FLN troupe by appointing them at the head of national orchestras. In widespread euphoria, the government encouraged odes to the recovered independence, and refrains to the glory of "restored dignity" sprung from everywhere. Abderrahmane Aziz, a star of 'asri (Algiers’ yé-yé) was a favorite with Mabrouk Alik ("Congratulations, Mohamed / Algeria came back to you"); Blaoui Houari, a precursor of Raï music, praised the courage of Zabana the hero; Kamel Hamadi recalled in Kabyle the experience of Amirouche the chahid (martyr), and even the venerable Remitti had her own song for the Children of Algeria. All this under the benevolent eye (and ear) of the regime led by Ahmed Ben Bella, the herald of the single party and vigilant guardian of the "Arab-Islamic values" established as a code of conduct. Singers were praised the Egyptian model, as well as Andalusian art intended for a nascent petty bourgeoisie and decreed a "national classic"; some did not hesitate to sell out. These Khobzists – an Algerian humorous term mocking those who put “putting-food-on-the-table” reasons forward to justify their allegiance to the system – were to monopolize all programs and stages, while on the fringes, popular music settled for animating wedding or circumcision celebrations. Its absence in the media further strengthened its regionalization: each genre (chaâbi, chaouï, Kabyle, Oranian...) stayed confined within its local boundaries, and its "national representatives" were those whose tunes didn’t bother anyone. The first criticisms would emanate from France, where many Algerian artists went to tackle other styles. During the Kabyle-expression time slot on Radio Paris, Slimane Azem – once accused of "collaboration" – sang, evoking animals, the first political lines denouncing the dictatorship and preconceived thinking prevailing in his country. The reaction was swift: under pressure from the Algerian government, the Kabyle minute was cancelled. Even in Algeria, Ahmed Baghdadi aka Saber, an idol for fans of Raï music (still called "Oranian folklore"), was imprisoned for denouncing the bureaucracy of El Khedma (work).

For his part, Mazouni was to be noticed through a very committed song: Rebtouh Fel Mechnak (“They tied him to the guillotine”). But above all, the general public discovered him through a performance at the Ibn Khaldoun Theater (formerly Pierre Bordes Theater, in the heart of Algiers), broadcast by the Algerian Radio Broadcasting, later renamed ENTV. This would enable him to integrate the Algerian National Theater’s artistic troupe. Then, to pay tribute to independence, he sang “Farewell France, Hello Algeria”. 1965: Boumediene's coup only made matters worse. Algeria adopted a Soviet-style profile where everything was planned, even music. Associations devoted to Arab-Andalusian music proliferated and some sycophantic music movement emerged, in charge of spreading the message about "fundamental options". Not so far from the real-fake lyricism epitomized by Djamel Amrani, the poet who evoked a “woman as beautiful as a self-managed farm". The power glorified itself through cultural weeks abroad or official events, summoning troubadours rallied to its cause. On the other hand, popular music kept surviving through wedding, banquets and 45s recorded for private companies, undergoing censorship and increased surveillance from the military.

As for Mazouni, he followed his path, recording a few popular tunes, but he also was in the mood for traveling beyond the Mediterranean: "In 1969 I left Algeria to settle in France. I wanted to get a change of air, to discover new artistic worlds". He, then, had no idea that he was about to become an idolized star within the immigrant community. During the 1950s and 1960s, when parents were hugging the walls, almost apologizing for existing, a few Maghrebi artists assumed Western names to hide their origins. This was the case of Laïd Hamani, an Algerian from Kabylia, better known as Victor Leed, a rocker from the Golf Drouot’s heyday, or of Moroccan Berber Abdelghafour Mociane, the self-proclaimed “Vigon”, a hack of a r&b voice. Others, far more numerous, made careers in the shadow of cafes run by their compatriots, performing on makeshift stages: a few chairs around a table with two or three microphones on it, with terrible feedback occasionally interfering. Their names were Ahmed Wahby or Dahmane El Harrachi. Between the Bastille, Nation, Saint-Michel, Belleville and Barbès districts, an exclusively communitarian, generally male audience previously informed by a few words written on a slate, came to applaud the announced singers. It happened on Friday and Saturday nights, plus on extra Sunday afternoons.

In a nostalgia-clouded atmosphere heated by draft beers, customers – from this isolated population, a part of the French people nevertheless – hung on the words of these musicians who resembled them so much. Like many of them, they worked hard all week, impatiently waiting for the weekend to get intoxicated with some tunes from the village. Sometimes, they spent Saturday afternoons at movie theaters such as the Delta or the Louxor, with extra mini-concerts during intermissions, dreaming, eyes open, to the sound of Abdel Halim Hafez’ voice whispering melancholic songs or Indian laments made in Bombay on full screen. And the radio or records were also there for people to be touched to the rhythm of Oum Kalsoum’s songs, and scopitones as well to watch one’s favorite star’s videos again and again.

Dumbfounded, Mohamed received this atmosphere of culture of exile and much more in the face. Fully immersed in it, he soaked up the songs of Dahmane El Harrachi (the creator of Ya Rayah), Slimane Azem, Akli Yahiaten or Cheikh El Hasnaoui, but also those from the crazy years of twist and rock’n’roll as embodied by Johnny Hallyday, Les Chaussettes Noires or Les Chats Sauvages, not to mention Elvis Presley and the triumphant beginnings of Anglo-Saxon pop music. Between 1970 and 1990, he had a series of hits such bearing such titles as “Miniskirt”, “Darling Lady”, “20 years in France”, “Faded Blue”, Clichy, Daag Dagui, “Comrade”, “Tell me it’s not true” or “I’m the Chaoui”, some kind of unifying anthem for all regions of Algeria, as he explained: "I sang for people who, like me, experienced exile. I was and have always remained very attached to my country, Algeria. To me, it’s not about people from Constantine, Oran or Algiers, it’s just about Algerians. I sing in classical or dialectal Arabic as much as in French and Kabyle”.

Mazouni, a dandy shattered by his century and always all spruced up who barely performed on stage, had greatly benefited from the impact of scopitones, the ancestors of music videos – those image and sound machines inevitably found in many bars held by immigrants. His strength lay in Arabic lyrics all his compatriots could understand, and catchy melodies accompanied by violin, goblet drum, qanun, tar (a small tambourine with jingles), lute, and sometimes electric guitar on yé-yé compositions. Like a politician, Mazouni drew on all themes knowing that he would nail it each time. This earned him the nickname "Polaroid singer" – let’s add "kaleidoscope" to it. Both a conformist (his lectures on infidelity or mixed-race marriage) and disturbing singer (his lyrics about the agitation upon seeing a mini-skirt or being on the make in high school…), Mohamed Mazouni crossed the 1960s and 1970s with his dark humor and unifying mix of local styles. Besides his trivial topics, he also denounced racism and the appalling condition of immigrant workers. However, his way of telling of high school girls, cars and pleasure places earned him the favors of France’s young migrant zazous.

But by casting his net too wide, he made a mistake in 1991, during the interactive Gulf War, supporting Saddam Hussein’s position through his provocative title Zadam Ya Saddam (“Go Saddam”). He was banned from residing in France for five years, only returning in 2013 for a concert at the Arab World Institute where he appeared dressed as the Bedouin of his beginnings.

At the end of the 1990s, the very wide distribution of Michèle Collery and Anaïs Prosaïc's documentary on Arabic and Berber scopitones, highlighted Mazouni’s important role, giving new impetus to his career.  

Living in Algeria, Mohamed Mazouni did not stop singing and even had a few local hits, always driven by a “wide targeting” ambition. This compilation, the first one dedicated to him, includes all of his never-reissued “hits” with, as a bonus, unobtainable songs such as L’amour Maâk, Bleu Délavé or Daag Dagui.

[softboywriting]

Christmas Eve | Werewolf AU | Shawn Mendes

Summary: You and Shawn spend some time together on Christmas Eve and he spoils his big Christmas surprise. [baby mention] [fluff]

Word Count: 1.7k

|Masterlist in Bio|

You wake up on Christmas Eve morning to see snow blanketing every inch of the world outside. It weighs heavy on the old pines, bowing the branches, turning dark pine needles vibrant glittering white. The landscape around the cabin is completely untouched as far as you can see, not even the deer or the rabbits have braved the snow yet. It's peaceful, relaxing in a way that only the first snow of the year can bring.

Shawn wraps his arms around you where you're stood at the sliding glass doors to the deck. The snow has gathered against the glass, a good four inches if you were to guess. Shawn lays his head on your shoulder. “Good morning honey,” he kisses your neck, flooding you with warmth.

“Good morning.” You reach up, threading your fingers through his thick tangle of hair. He has been letting it grow recently and you can't complain. His hair is gorgeous and the more you can grab the better.  

“What do you want to do today?”

“Sleep more?”

“I was thinking we could go for a run.” Shawn noses against your neck and nips at your skin. “It feels like it's been ages since I've shifted.”

You giggle at his attentions. His lips leave warm little wet spots on your skin as he kisses up and down, pleading his case. “I would have to bundle up. It's very snowy out there, or did you miss that?”

“I know,” he groans. He pulls away and walks around in front of you, blocking the view. “I really need to shift though. I'm itching to feel wild again. Please, I really want you to come with me.”

“Okay, okay.” You chuckle at his big eyes and pouty lip. “Your such a puppy sometimes I swear.”

Shawn kisses your cheek. “Wolf. I'm a wolf.”

“Yeah yeah.” You wave him off and go to search for some warm clothes to layer up with. Shawn would be perfectly fine and dandy with his thick fur coat. You are almost jealous of him, almost want  to say no because of the cold, but you know he wants you to be out there with him, that it means a lot.

___________________

Half an hour later and you find yourself standing in snow that is far deeper than you initially thought. Your boots are covered and you're thankful you decided to wear your coveralls that your mom got you last Christmas. They come down over your boots and keep the snow out completely. You're sure you look like a stay puft marshmallow girl, standing in the middle of the back lawn in your white coat and coveralls, but you don't care. No one can see you. Your closest neighbor is over a mile away.

Shawn bounds out of the forest, having run in there as soon as he got outside while you were still dressing. His dark fur is a stark contrast to the brilliant snow and though it's beginning to stick and cake on his outer coat, he's still very visible.

You laugh as he jumps back and forth, coming toward you where you're perfectly content by the house. As he approaches you take note of just how big he is. It wasn't often you saw him in this form, in fact, he usually doesn't shift unless he's really in need of it like today. So you're always in awe of his large stature. Shawn wasn't like a big dog, not really like a regular size wolf either. He was bigger, like a wolf from a Grimm fairytale.

Shawn approaches, butting his head against your stomach and nearly knocking you back. His head alone was nearly the size or your torso.

You can't help but wonder if he was abnormally large because of his alpha genetics or because he was also a large human. You thread your gloved fingers into the fur around his neck and it's deep, your hand keeps going, fingers wiggling until they reach the base.

“Your fur is thicker than I remember.”

Shawn nudges his head against you again and this time you do fall back onto your butt. The soft snow breaks your fall for the most part. Shawn flops down beside you, laying his head across your stomach.  

“You're way too big,” you laugh, struggling to sit up then running your hands through his fur on his back. “Does the snow feel good?”

Shawn wiggles around on to his back, wallowing in the snow. He may not like being called a puppy but damn if he didn't act like one.

You stand up and he flips over to stand as well. You know he wants you to come out into the woods with him, he always did. It wasn't like there was much for you to do, he just likes the company. Shawn takes off for the trees again and you trudge through the thick snow after him.

An hour or so passes and you're exhausted. Between the energy spent walking through the snow and entertaining Shawn, you're completely wiped out. Shawn likes to chase you in the woods, it is his favorite game actually. When there wasn't snow it wasn't too bad, you could actually try to run. With the snow as thick as it is, it's like running through molasses.

Shawn runs up behind you, nudges you with his head or nips at your hand. That means you should run. So you do, well you try. Running is more like a lopsided hurdle that gets you no distance at all. Shawn circles you, staying away like he's stalking his prey from a distance until he decides to pounce. When he does he comes running at you, leaping through the snow until he gets to you and licks at your face instead or knocking you down like he usually does. This goes on over and over again, running and stalking then licking, until you wave your arms, signalling you give up.

__________________

Once back at the house you step into the kitchen through the back door and Shawn follows you. He shakes off and you glare at him. The snow flies everywhere and you are not cleaning that up. You turn your back, not wanting to watch Shawn shift back to his human form. You had seen it twice and both times it was disturbing enough that you didn't want to witness it ever again.

“You're good,” Shawn says softly and you turn around. He is naked, stepping into his boxers he left on the stool before shifting earlier. His skin is pinkened, a result of being out too long even in his wolf form.

“You look cold,” you chuckle, stepping out of your coveralls. “Like maybe you could use some snuggles.”

“I'm a little chilly. I may have rolled in a little too much snow,” he says sheepishly. He walks over to the fridge and opens it, grabbing a plate of leftovers from last night and putting it in the microwave. It's chicken and pasta with steamed vegetables but only enough for you to get full on probably. He was always starving after a run.

You hang up your winter gear and go to wrap your arms around him from behind, pressing your face into his back and kissing his light colored birthmarks between his shoulder blades. “How about you go put some clothes on and I'll make some more food. There isn't much on that plate.”

“Can I have more chicken?”

“Yes, we have plenty.”

“Do we have any of the popcorn shrimp left?”

You laugh. Of course he would want both. “Yes. I'll make both. Go get dressed.” You kiss his back once more and give him a little shove.

“Don't act like you don't want all of this,” he says, tossing you a cheeky smile as he walks toward the stairs.

“Later big guy.”

“I'll hold you to that!” He yells as he heads to the bedroom upstairs.

__________________

Half an hour later and Shawn is full and content, stretched out across the couch while you watch the holiday baking championship together. You're sitting with your legs out on the giant ottoman that is pushed flush to the couch, blanket on your lap with Shawn's head resting on your thighs. It's his favorite way to snuggle aside from laying on top of you and squishing you within an inch of your life. But he's too full for that now.

“Who do you think would win in a bake off, me or you?”

“Really?” You chuckle. “Are you actually asking me that?”

“I can bake,” he says defiantly, looking up at you.

“You can burn.”

“Is that a challenge?”

You raise your eyebrows. “Name one thing you've ever baked.”

“A bun.”

“A bun?”

Shawn turns and presses his face against your stomach. “A bun in the oven.”

“Are you- Shawn, how did you know?”

“I just know,” he mumbles, hiding his face against your stomach.

You run your hand through his hair and tug a little so he will look at you. “I was gonna surprise you tomorrow with the news.”

His cheeks are pink, splotchy and flushed like they get when he is drunk or embarrassed as he avoids eye contact, looking down at your shirt instead. “I noticed last week.”

“Mmhmm. How'd you notice? I've been hiding it so well.”

“You smell different. Not weird, but different. I noticed when we took a bath together.”

“I guess can't hide my scent.” You chuckle and Shawn nuzzles your tummy. “Is the baby why you were less pouncy then you usually are when you're shifted?”

“Yes, I didn't wanna hurt you or the baby. I'm sorry I knocked you down anyway, I forget how big I am compared to you.”

“It's okay, I think the tiny little baby to be can survive a small tumble backwards into the snow.”

“Okay good, I was a little worried. Are we going to tell my parents tomorrow? Because I don't think I can keep a secret like this for very long. I've been dying to keep from telling you that I knew.”

You laugh. No wonder he was itching to shift. He had probably been driving himself up a wall he was so excited and trying to stay quiet. You won't make him go any crazier than he already had gone. “Yes, we can tell your parents.”

Shawn presses his nose into your tummy once more and growls. “Merry Christmas baby.”

You smile and run your hand through his hair and he begins to fall asleep, face still pressed against you. “Merry Christmas bud.”

____________

Thank you so much for reading! Please reblog and share! Also please let me know what you think! What’s your favorite part(s)? Would you like to see more werewolf christmas stories? 

Reblog and Let Me Know! Thank you!!!!

[nyappyforeverbr]

100 Questions&Answers: Yuuki MEMORIAL ARTIST BOOK

In addition to several photos AN CAFE Memorial Artist Book also brought an interview and a special questionnaire of 100 questions with each of the 5 members. Here is the translation of the 100 questions with Yuuki’s 100 answers.

Translate: Japanese>Portuguese by Hiyori Portuguese>English by Shiro 001 How many sushi can you eat? 15 002 Which sushi's ingredient do you like? Breaded shrimp, tuna, corn and salad 003 If you have to eat something until you die, what it would be? Mochi 004 Which kind of lamen do you think has the strongest flavor? Tenkaippin 005 What do you in like in a hot drink? Bergamot Orange by Earl Grey 006 Which mixture do you think most matches rice? Shogayaki 007 What flavor of chewing gum do you like? Blueberry 008 What flavor of candies do you like? Milk-based 009 Soba or udon? Udon NOTE: Soba is a pasta made from buckwheat and udon is made from wheat only 010 Of your whole life, what was the most painful experience you've ever faced? (referring to physical damages) When I fell in the show 011 One part of body that demonstrates more confidence? Nose 012 What do you think about old times? Sloth 013 If you had won 100.000 yen what you would make? (Around 900 dolars) Renovate the furniture of the house 014 And about 100.000.000 yen? (Around 900.000 dolars) I would buy a house for me and my family and put the rest into the savings 015 I know this is kind out of reality, but if you could have a wild animal, which would be? I would be the capybara, they are very cute 016 To Cook, wash clothes, clean the house. Which one do you do better? Cook 017 If you were going for a walk with your girlfriend, where would you go? Hot Springs 018 Where would you spend your last days of life? (If you were an old man where would you want to live?) and why? Somewhere in a countryside, I think because I would have more social contact and I would do an exchange program 019 Is there anyone you consider to be the strongest person in the world? Of course it’s the candies 020 An anime character, manga, etc. that you consider to be the strongest?Deadpool 021 If you could turn into some anime character or something like this, who would you choose? The spiderman 022 First CD you bought? The album of Morning Musume 023 Your preferred winter song? “Yuki no Hana” 024 Your preferred xmas song? Meri Kuri 025 Forgetting that you were part of a band, if you were about to start one, what would it take? And why? A bass, they play fast and I can barely hear 026 And what would be the name you would choose for the band? Sweet Sweet 027 If you went to a desert island and could only take three things, what would it take? 1. Survival Knife2. Solar battery3. Cellphone 028 Do you know how to swim? Yes 029 Something you would never want to happen? Bungee jumping 030 If you were a child, how would you like to be called? At that time I seriously wanted to change this, something like Ramune, I even thought in DQN 031 Do you speak when sleeping? If yes, talk about something already happened to you.For now there is no information to prove this 032 If it was your last day of life, what would you do? I would like to stay with the person I like 033 What was the longest time you could stay awake? I guess it was about 60 hours or less? 034 If you could become someone important in history, who would you be? I don't admire anyone in particular... 035 Do you use a lot of emoticon on LINE? Have you been using LINE lately I’ve been using! The emoticon is Tsukkomi Kuma 036 What's the biggest lie you've ever told? "Hm? This? Afro? Yes Yes! It's my natural hair!" 037 Write the kanji that you think represents 2019 and why? 探 Because I'm looking for my new “me” NOTE: kanji's meaning is: to feel around for; to fumble for; to grope for; to search for; to look for 038 The most expensive thing you bought this year? On Kanon's birthday, I bought him an automatic machine to prepare several types of egg NOTE: If you’re interested in know how this looks like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zk0dfEiiBS8 039 The most convenient thing you bought recently? A cardcover for the Suica card, I bought this year NOTE: Suica (スイカ Suika) is a rechargeable contactless smart card, electronic money used as a fare card on train lines in Japan. 040 A number from 0 to 9 that you like more than others? 04 41 Your longest finger without the middle finger, is it your index finger? Ring finger? Or are they both the same size? Ring finger 042 The word you most speak? “I don’t know, but…” 043 At what time do you think "I'm being bourgeois"? When I prepare a dish and the ingredients are all very expensive 044 If you could have powers, which one would you choose? Power to make barriers 045 If there was a magic word that said things would happen, what would it be? Oh, yes! 046 If you have to choose a follow up for the curry what would it be? Cheese 047 Some kind of punishment game you'd like to avoid? Need jump from somewhere high 048 Do you like of a specific hour? Why? The night. Because I prefer night-time habits 049 How much would you pay for a T-shirt? 2.900 yen (Around 27 dollars) 050 Tell something you would say to you 10 years ago.Are you living!? Are you happy with this!? 051 If it was 50 years ago, what would you be doing? I would be happy... I guess? It would be all right... I guess? 052 How could you imagine yourself 10,000 years ago? I think the language would be completely different... 053 What is the first impression you have of each member of An Cafe? Miku: A handsome guy; Takuya: A reserved stylish dandy; Kanon: Ha? He scares me? He scares me?; Teruki: has a high voice 054 If underwear could have another name, what would you call it? “what you wear underneath” 055 A live that you can not forget? The first live in Shinjuku 056 During those 15 years which member has changed the most? I would not say one in particular. Other than me, if it's just about them, I think their feelings have changed. 057 Do you prefer the traditional breakfast or bread? I don't eat breakfast 058 A teacher you always remember? He was a teacher who was always angry 059 The most fun song in a live? "Darling” and “Hatsumitsu + Lemon = ?” Look like happy songs to me 060 Where do you most like to do a live? Shinjuku Reny 061 A thing you most buy at a convenience store? Jasmine tea 062 If you were not an artist, which career would you choose? A confectioner ... I guess? 063 Which city goes through your head before a live? After I joined An Cafe,, the first city we come back, Kagoshima 064 A stationery item that you like? Ruler 065 An electronic device that you like? Electric oven 066 A person you think is erotic? A friend from high school age 067 What do you think of the vocaloids? Incredible. They are conquering the world, no? 068 A TV show that you like? Ame Talk 069 What's the first live you've been? Precisely in Bou's last live 070 How many pairs of shoes do you have? I think about 3 pairs 071 What is your average time in the bath? 30 minutes, I think 072 A mobile app you liked right away? LINE 073 Do you use a computer for what purpose primarily? I want to use at the same time I use my cell phone 074 What have you found funny lately? Those funny things that happen on TV 075 Who would you most like to meet? My best friends of long time ago 076 When you were a kid, who was your superhero? It was a Power Ranger (I just can't remember which one) 077 The flavor of Umaibo that you like? Mentaiko (Pollock roe) NOTE: Umaibō or "delicious stick" is a small corn cylindrical snack from Japan. 078 An entertaining artist that you like? Tokyo 030 79 First time you did a makeup? After I joined An Cafe 080 Talk a little bit about your first live. I didn't understand very well what I could do and always was standing without doing anything at all (lol) 081 Do you prefer night or day? Night! 082 When you can't sleep what do you do? I watch lives about games 083 Not counting your part in the band, which musical instrument do you like? Guitars, because they're so stylish, no? 084 The oldest memory you have? When I was a kid, I asked them to buy me a gumball machine 085 What color do you like? Black and white 086 What is your favorite mascot? Kanon 087 Where do you usually buy your clothes? GU! 088 Are there any manga or magazines that you buy frequently? One Piece 089 How long you already waited for a person who did not show up? I calculate the exact time of things, so it was about 3 hours and 24 minutes 090 How many times can you do sit-ups? Lately I'm not counting, so I don't know... 091 At this exact moment how much you have in your wallet? When I saw it was 534 yen (Around 5 dolllars) 092 Which Cocoichi curry do you think is the most spicy and the topping? Level 2 and cheese topping NOTE: Cocoichi is a Japanese restaurant franchise specialized in curry 093 Subject at school that you was better? Physical education and music 094 Subject at school that you was worst? Apart from those I’ve mentioned now... 095 What do you do before each live? I get worried about the setlist and keep reminding myself over and over again 096 What is the essential item for a live? Cell phone and recharge batteries for backup 097 Are there any objects that you can not throw away? Things that make me have memories, even just a little bit, I can't throw it away 098 What do you usually buy at McDonald's? French fries! 099 What do you use at bedtime? For over 1 year I have been wearing a jersey shirt 100 Leave a message to Caffekos. Thank you very much for your support! From now on I want us to continue living supporting each other!

[lowkeysebastianstan]

Hey Hun, I hope you're doing well. I get what you mean about feeling detached during the ending scene, I felt the same. As of rn I've completely disregarded the way they ended Steve/Bucky relationship with each other by pretending it never happened. But as of right now that's not what I'm upset about (I'll cry about it but there's other stuff to focus on). The movie as a whole has major plot holes. There's so many questions that I have about the time traveling thing that just don't make sense?

yeah, im good, thank you! <3 just dandy, skipping along :)

well, yeah. there are plotholes, and plotholes within the plotholes, it’s like a neverending donut that keeps folding in on itself. to be fair though, that was going to be the case as soon as they decided on time travel as the out, time travel is a paradox in concept, and it’s hard to write consistently. i mean it can be done, but most times it just doesn’t work. and they tried with their whole “it doesn’t change anything” spiel, but obviously they fucked up as with a lot of things. 

just the split timeline concept, the infinite realities. ppl say that, well, maybe steve saved bucky, and then that’s okay, well, yes, but what about the steve in that timeline? where was he? well, he was frozen. so then he never wakes up? okay then. so the bucky that steve saves in this new timeline, he’s also just being left? or did he save him before he fell? did he kill himself before the war, did he lurk around the corners and took himself out just after he’d gotten big? did this bucky never fall off a train, didn’t captain america sacrifice himself here? then what of hydra? what of shield? that didn’t exist in this timeline? okay, good. excellent. it’s a brave new world. actually, im kinda liking this, im closing plotholes af. anyways, so this brave new world, without hydra, without shield, therefore without the avengers, how do they fare when thanos comes? they just stay dead and dusted? does steve fix that too? does he move on to other timelines, erasing buckys and steve as he goes? and then, when he pops back to “our” timeline, bc he must have popped back, he didn’t just emerge, bc ffs that would mean that the timelines weren’t separate, that it would have consequences, that everything he changed got changed here too, (and no, please, don’t go, “oh no, we don’t know that, maybe he just popped back but landed on the bench, no. (im not talking to you, im talking to the ones that try to defend this) tHIS IS A MOVIE, SHOW DON’T FUCKING IMPLY AND DEMAND YOUR AUDIENCE HAVE TO SPEND WEEKS WITH MENTAL GYMNASTICS TO FUCKING MAKE SENSE OF IT!), so the two cannot have converged, but yet there he is, shield in hand, old as sin, and answering sam like all he and peggy did was fuck, which makes sense for this steve, he did after all go back in time to get some. 

bc what they said was that, your past is still your past, the past will be your furute and nothing will change. with you. with the person who goes back. but what about the rest of the fucking world they go back to? what about everything they change about that. are they gods now? can they work the worlds they inhabit to their will? can steve rogers create a world without shrimp? apparently so, i guess.

hey, maybe steve teamed up with thanos, i mean, in a world without shrimp hydra, the population growth must be through the ozone layer, maybe he could nudge him a little and tell him to only wipe out the top of the food chains, you know, like a, still shit, but somewhat sensible plan. 

anyways. i dunno what they’re thinking, i have no clue. im just a poor sod on the internet, im sure other ppl can point out all the mistakes i made in this post, but whatever. whatever my sins are at least i didn’t fuck up a perfectly good character and made him into a shitheel, and i take comfort in that.

thank you sm for asking, i do appreciate it even if i might come off as a bit on the salty side, im just tired, but i just can’t seem to let it go. it’s like that one summer fling i had all those years ago, who moved on, i checked their fb, they’re really happy, but i figure i should look them- okay i’ll stop.

hope you’re having a wonderful day, read some fics, enjoy a better steve, and stay awesome. <3

[salty-yu]

day 3 - apocalypse surprise!!! its still oihina surprise pt.2!!!! i aint proofread 

also did i forgot to mention its another sad ending & someone dies

ao3 link

-

One night, when they're curled up in their hideout, Hinata says, "it's kinda fun, y'know." Oikawa nearly smacks him for making light of this fucking destruction, but manages to reign in the turmoil inside of him to fix Hinata with an unamused stare. Hinata snorts, fingers tightening protectively around the barrel of his rifle, and elaborates, "before started, I was having the worst time of my life."

And Oikawa gets it, understands how not everyone had a pretty decent life like he did before the world fell into complete and utter chaos. So he let's Hinata's somewhat disturbing comment slide, in favor of peeking out of the only window in their hideout. Their hideout is, in simpler terms, a fucking tree house. The only thing that makes it real special is that Oikawa and Hinata had spent weeks digging a wide and deep trench around it, hadn't even bothered to do more than that, because god already knows the undead are as dumb as cardboard boxes.

In the dark of the night, Oikawa can hear the screams of the occasional runaway, the revolting groans of those who once lived, and a multitude of other not-so-pleasant sounds. The sky is brighter now, the stars seemingly on blast. There's really no need for streetlights when the stars are out. Hinata tells him there never was a need for lights on Earth because the stars have always been this bright, they were just never visible because of the man-made brightness. It's one of the first realizations Oikawa has, suddenly aware of how much mankind had taken away from nature.

He guesses this apocalypse is the universe's way of checking them back in place.

-

There's a walled city somewhere on the coast of Japan, where the rich had all traveled to right away when news of the revived dead had reached the headlines. Of course, other civilians were allowed into the city if they passed all health checks. The possibility of even the smallest virus coming into the safe haven was unfathomable, and many were turned away if even the smallest symptoms of a cold appeared. Oikawa proposes they travel there, so they do.

The trip is sure to be a long one, so Hinata takes extra care to pack as many granola bars and waters into their small bags. The first obstacle they face is before they even leave the confines of their tree house. Oikawa says it's best to travel with light clothes, and pack another set if necessary. Hinata says it's best to wear multiple layers, because if they were to be attacked and bitten, it would be harder for the teeth to break through multiple layers. They settle on a medium of two layers, and packs third set into their bags.

They leave on a sunrise, guns clutched in their hands, bags tight around their shoulders. The undead hardly make appearances during the day, as the strong UV rays hurt them (or so the scientists claim). Still, they're on the defense for the first few miles, before they reach a gas station and Hinata abruptly announces his need for a potty break. Oikawa stays put outside for a moment, before ducking into the desolate convenience store and snagging as many small food items as he can. There's a gun shot from somewhere in the building, and Oikawa freezes in place, before hastily shoving the snacks into his pockets, and rushing outside.

When he gets back to where he had last seen Hinata, the younger man is standing at the door of the bathroom, glancing at the floor nonchalantly. "What the hell happened?" Oikawa questions, grasping Hinata in his arms to examine him. His big brown eyes meet Oikawa's in confusion, before something akin to understanding forms, and he snorts.

"Sorry," he says, voice rough but soothing, "there saw a cockroach."

The first emotion to flood Oikawa's systems is an overwhelming sense of fondness for this shrimp. Then he sighs in relief, fingerless gloves brushing Hinata's bangs back, before gently slapping his cheek, fixing Hinata with an unbelieving expression.

-

When they're a few days into their trek, and Hinata has started complaining about how horrible his gym shoes are, they stumble upon a holy grail with air conditioning. In the midst of a town, there' a tall, kind of decaying, building twinkling just at the horizon, and Hinata jumps eight feet when he sees it. "It's a Walmart!" He exclaims, and they rush inside. They almost forget to do a complete scan of the room, until there's a groan from around a shelf, and Oikawa rushes to shoot the brains of one of those monsters through. After that, they're careful again as they wander through the huge store.

It's like the heavens answer to ever single one of Hinata's requests, because they somehow stumble into the shoe section right away, and Hinata manages to find a new pair of shoes he likes, and are in his size. Oikawa doesn't have much luck, settles on a black pair of trainers, and calls it a day. "Don't I look amazing?" Hinata calls from where he's modeling his new shoes. Oikawa agrees, hypes Hinata up as he prances around with his new kicks, before they both dissolve into a fit of giggles.

When they go to leave, Hinata sets a stack of neat quarters on the check out, flashes Oikawa a soft smile, and says, "what? I'm not going to completely steal these."

-

"Holy fuck," Oikawa grunts, pushing the butt end of his gun into a brain-eater's head, hears the sickening crunch, before rushing over to where Hinata is fending off another two. He's shorter than the two monsters that surround him, but faster, and he swings around a bat they'd recently picked up like a toddler just learning the basics of baseball. Oikawa figures it doesn't matter how he swings as long as he lands a hit. Oikawa loads his gun up again, aims at a leg, and shoots. There's a disgusting groan from one of Hinata's attackers, and Oikawa rushes over, kind of does the same lead-up he did for his volleyball spikes, before landing hard on a head.

He mopes the destruction of his new shoes.

His thoughts are cut short when Hinata shouts, and Oikawa quickly returns into fighting mode. The undead figure is slowly beginning to overpower Hinata, but they don't get far before Oikawa presses his gun to the side of its head, pulls the trigger, and watches the writhing body go limp. It's silent then, except for their panting breaths, and Oikawa clamps a hand down of Hinata's shoulder. "You good?" He questions.

Hinata looks down at the blood covering his body, not even his, and says, "just dandy."

-

"Can we take a break?" Hinata asks a few days later when they're walking through the blazing sun again. Oikawa shrugs, as if saying, why not. They're ridiculously ahead of schedule, even through all the necessary "shopping trips" Hinata made them take along the way, and Oikawa knows they'll reach the walled city in a few more days, tops. They've been traveling for a little over a week now, and with each step they take, he can almost smell the sea.

"We can rest all of tomorrow if we want," he says, glancing down the highway they'd been walking on. Upturned cars and smoke blur his vision, and the beating rays of sunlight don't help much either. He raises a hand to shield his eyes from the light, narrows them at a highway sign. "But I reckon we don't," he tacks on, "the longer we travel, the dirtier we'll be during the examinations."

Just as he's about to suggest they continue, there's a wrenching sound from behind him, and whirls around to find Hinata slouched over and dry heaving. He rushes over, taking a water bottle from Hinata's pack to push into his hands. Hinata really can't take it anyway, too busy throwing up absolutely nothing. Oikawa runs a list of all the food they'd eaten that day, recalls the fucking apple tree Hinata had climbed, and swears under his breath "No more grabbing shit off trees," he spits, but his actions contradict his words, and he cards his fingers through Hinata's wild hair.

Hinata doesn't argue back, gives what Oikawa assumes is a nod, before he heaves some more. The only thing that really comes out of his mouth are strands of saliva, and Oikawa hopes he feels better before they reach the walled haven.

-

"It sure is cold," Hinata says the next day, when the sun sets uncharacteristically early, and he's left tugging his shirt closer to his body.

Oikawa hums, squinting into the distance. "Is it?" he murmurs, not really paying attention. They're coming up to another highway sign, this one finally with the name of the city they're traveling to, and Oikawa thanks the heavens. "'M not really cold."

"Well I fucking am," Hinata huffs, and swings his backup around until he's wearing it on his chest. He unzips t, and ruffles through it as they walk, until he comes up with the hoodie they'd each stashed into their packs. Oikawa snags Hinata's bag from him to help, waits for Hinata to tug the hoodie over his shoulder, before shoving the bag back into his hands. "Better," Hinata sighs, and falls into step with Oikawa again.

They haven't even walked another whole mile yet, when Hinata starts complaining about the cold again, fingers buried deep in his sleeves. He almost looks cute with his big sweater and red nose, and Oikawa's heart skips a beat. They stumble into another one of those highway gas stations, and decide to all it a night. Hinata snuggles into Oikawa's side, teeth chattering loud, until he dozes off, and Oikawa is left on guard.

-

"Hinata, watch it!" He shouts, his voice cracking, when another group of undead beings crawl out of an upturned car. He quickly tugs Hinata behind him, aiming his gun and knocking two out right away. He gets busy with another one, fingers digging into decaying flesh in an effort to push it off of him, and he almost had it, until another one, torn at the waist, comes dragging itself at Oikawa and manages to grasp his ankle. He tumbles down then, fighting with the two, until he finally gets the upper hand again and is shooting at them both.

When he's up and running again, he remembers Hinata, and turns wildly around to look for him. Just as he catches sight of the bright head of hair, he hears the sickening moan of another bastard, and his heart nearly falls when he sees the wretched monster not even a whole foot behind Hinata. "Hinata!" He yells, points his gun, nearly faints at the empty clicks. He sets to loading his gun, eyes alternating between the weapon and Hinata, and he's about to lose his mind at Hinata's slow ass reaction, when the figure walks right past Hinata, sickly pale hands reaching for Oikawa.

Oikawa's brain is in overdrive, and his fingers finally push the load of bullets into the gun. He quickly cocks his arm at the enemy, and with one loud crack, the body is on the floor, and the air is quiet again. When the situational panic finally fades, he glance at Hinata with wide eyes. Hinata seems even more confused than Oikawa, and his own expression is reminiscent of a deer in headlights. "What the hell," Oikawa murmurs, stuffing his gun into its hip slot, before rushing over to Hinata. "What the hell," he's repeating, hands grasping Hinata's shoulders, and looking over him. "Why the hell did that zombie just walk right fucking past you?!"

"I-I don't know," Hinata gasps, eyes wide and a little mad. "I don't know, I don't know," he cries, hands reaching up to card through his hair.

If there's one thing Oikawa's learned from this apocalypse, it's that the whole group can't be panicking at once. In their case, only one of them can be panicking at a time. So he sets his hysteria aside in favor of dealing with Hinata's. "Shh," he soothes, allows his own heart rate to slow again, before pulling Hinata snuggly into his chest. "It's because you didn't move," he explains, probably to both of them, "they don't attack what doesn't move, right?"

-

"Aren't these pretty?" Hinata exclaims when they stumble into what used to be a new square. He's marveling at a patch of fire lilies growing on an abandoned flowerbed. Oikawa saunters over, crouches next to Hinata, until he's eye level with the flowers too. The inside of the petals are a soft orangey color, almost like Shouyou's hair, that fade into a flaming red. He picks one, and Hinata says, "heyyy, flowers have feelings too, y'know."

He ignores him in favor of setting the flower in Hinata's hair, the stem easily gliding into the depths of Hinata's bright trusses. Hinata himself falls silent, eyes wide as they watch Oikawa. "There," Oikawa says when the flower is safely nestled, and flashes Hinata another smile. The inside orange compliments Hinata's hair, and the bright red compliments the flush on Hinata's cheeks. He looks absolutely lovely, then.

-

When they finally reach the walled city, Hinata cries in relief, and Oikawa hides his own alleviation with laughter, tugging Hinata closer for a hug, the shorter man muffling his wet sobs into the crook of Oikawa's neck. Oikawa laughs because he hasn't felt this safe in so long, and they haven't even gotten in yet! He turns to cover Hinata with a complete hug, their bodies pressed tightly together from chest to thigh. "We made it," he sighs into Hinata's sweaty scalp, something that should be gross, but doesn't feel like it because its Hinata, for goodness sake. 

"Thank you," Hinata cries while they wait in a line for the health examinations, and he still hasn't let Oikawa let go of him. "I thought I was gonna die," he admits, one hand loosely wrapped around Oikawa's hip. He sniffles. "I'm weak, and I'm not a fighter, and-and," he stutters, more fat tears trickling down his cheeks. "I woulda died without you," he sobs, burying his face into Oikawa's chest again.

"There, there," Oikawa says, gently patting his head. "It's all good now, Hina-chan," he comforts, pressing the softest of kisses to his forehead. Hinata nods into his chest, and his shaking shoulders slowly come to a stop. "They're going to give us a nice little house, where we'll live together," he says, imagining how good things will be for them now. "We're going to live together forever," he says, and then murmurs, "I love you, y'know?"

Hinata shakes ins his arms again, and Oikawa just barely catches the, "I love you," he mumbles back, before Hinata's dissolving into another quiet cry. All Oikawa does then is run his hands down Hinata's back, brushing Hinata's hair back to press the softest of pecks to his temple. 

-

-

-

There's a red light going off somewhere at an examination table to his left, and Oikawa mentally laments the failure of fellow civilian who couldn't pass the examination test. He wonders what type of symptoms that person was showing, and a sense of pity settles in his chest. 

The flashing comes to a stop, only to start up full force again, this time even louder, and there's security guards in hazmat suits rushing towards Oikawa's left again. Oikawa can't help it, turns his head a little to peak, but al he sees is the bright yellow of the suits surrounding a screaming figure. Poor soul. He turns back to the medic checking him. Another second ticks by, and suddenly, he realizes he recognizes those screams. His head whips around to do a double take, standing on his toes in an effort to see who's being removed, desperate to prove his brain and ears wrong. 

He's about to let it go, push it off as some paranoia, when there's a tuft of orange peeking through all the rubber yellow, wild brown eyes looking around frantically. Oikawa's heart drops, and he's surging forward, hands slamming down on the plastic walls of his medical area, banging on the surface until his medic, and a few others are reaching forward to detain Oikawa. "Where are they taking him?" He shouts, watching as the men in sits wrestle Hinata out of Hinata's medical room, past the waiting lines they'd spent hours in, and out of Oikawa's sight. "Why are they taking him?" He cries, craning his neck in a last attempt to see his Hinata. 

"That patient has been found with traces of the apocalyptic virus in his DNA," someone says, and Oikawa's heart is hammering in his chest, pounding in his ears. 

"No," Oikawa breathes, flashes of Hinata flickering through his mind;  his blindingly bright smile, his bell-like laughter, his brown eyes wide with fear, his clothes drenched in blood, neither of them knowing whose it was, marking it off as a zombie's. "No," Oikawa repeats, and the memory of the undead completely ignoring Hinata comes to mind. "No!" He screams, and tears leak down his eyes. 

He and all the healthy civilians are herded into an area afterwards, and it takes two security men to grab Oikawa. He doesn't put up much of a fight anymore, letting them drag him over to a large door outside of the walls. They pass even more examination lines, more security men, a line of kneeling people all the way at he far edge of this make-shift camp. Infected civilians. His head travels down the line, catches sight of a bright head of hair with a flower peeking through it at the very beginning of the line, and his heart aches in his chest. 

His precious companion is being sent back into that wretched world, he realizes, and whimpers. The security men drag him on, and he trips, feet scudding against the dry land. He glances up again, and notices the two men in dress suits at each end of the infected line, and almost misses the glint of a silver gun. His eyes widen, and he watches as the men load their guns. What are they doing, he panics.

He's shoved into a new area, and the guards let go of him. He quickly whirls around, eyes frantically searching the area again, until they finally land on the suited man by Hinata. "Hinata!" He shouts, surges forward only to be pushed back into his area. The man loads his gun, and a set of doors begin to close before Hinata, just as the first gun shot rings through the air. 

[hades-pa]

do prime numbers haha

All right motherfucker strap in

2. Age 

19

3. City that you live in

Fairfax, VA

5. What do most people know you for?

I’m honestly not sure these days, hopefully for being someone who doesn’t take shit from anyone but that’s not necessarily the case

7. What are your passions? 

Writing, doing what’s right in the world

11. What was the last thing you learned?

The full origin story of Wonder Woman and how she’s based off two women of a poly relationship and there’s a lot more to it 

13. Turn ons 

Respect. Justice. Ear kisses. A good slap on the ass.

17. What is the best birthday gift you have ever received?

Last year I had no one around for my birthday and my best friend swooped in and took me laser tagging and then going home to drink and watch movies, and honestly that meant a lot more to me than I think he knew.

19. Do you sleep during class?

I’ll doze for 8 minutes and start awake and then be fine for the rest of class

23. Text or call?

Mostly text unless I’m driving

29. When was the last time you read for fun?

About an hour ago

31. What is the best gift you could receive right now?

Someone to clean my apartment and move me into a new, cheaper apartment, with a fully stocked fridge and liquor cabinet

37. Why do bad things happen to good people?

Either karma for a bad thing they did or someone did such a bad thing that some of it spilled over and splashed other people. Just an uncaring universe made of stardust and entropy trying to keep the balance, and sometimes normal lives get in the way.

41. What do you invest the most time in?

Sleeping

43. What’s the difference between loving and liking someone?

I don’t want to say it’s how much you would do for that person but a combination of that and that blossoming feeling of warmth in your chest and then also calling it a stepping stone of friendship levels with mutual, unconditional love being at the top.. i dunno I’m just spitballing

47. Do you believe world peace will ever exist?

Yeah

53. How many countries have you visited?

Over a hundred

59. What is your favorite quote?

“Do no harm, take no shit” always comes to mind though I’m sure there are better out there

61. What is your greatest accomplishment? 

Not killing myself yet

67. Do you have a job?

Not really

71. Is tumblr your favorite website? If not, then what is your favorite website?

That site where you click a button and it donates to an animal shelter

73. Does money equal happiness? 

no, but it’s certainly very handy dandy to get to a secure place with enough material goods or whatever and having the means to get an education or to travel which I believe do add up to happiness. So no, but it fucking helps.

79. What is your favorite animal? 

Fox. Or the Peacock Mantis Shrimp. Maybe Tardigrade.

83. Does age necessarily equal maturity? 

oh jesus fuck no, of course it doesn’t

89. How many digits of pi can you recite? 

like 6? 3.1415926 ok so like 7 but whatever

97. Is it harder to love or to hate somebody?

Hate. Hate is an active thing that you have to put energy into, love is just kind of there. 

wOWZA

[revengebodyjourney]

Day 4 (12/30/17)

Well be being you would think after my wreck yesterday that i would be allowed to relax and get to sleep in....in this house fat chance...i could probably die and i would be brought back to do something that there was no need for. 

After being abruptly being summoned form my bed to help with a valve on the toilet. I prepared myself breakfast...I still have not gotten the items i need to make something different so i went with my usual easy and quick to make. That right...4 slice of bacon and two large eggs prepared scrambled style. Instead of coffee i had a nice refreshing glass of low fat milk. 

The day went on i of course tried to return to my vast comfort area of sleep  (bed) but was not allowed too. Errands had to be run and preparations for the impeding drop in temperature (yeah btw weatherman where is the snow i was suppose to see like yesterday?) Only person in the world that can be wrong 99% of the time and still keep their job...weatherpeople. 

Upon returning to the house I got a surprise my books i had ordered recently had come in which meant i finally had something to read lol.

The picture is actually of lunch...my grandmother was not in the mood to cook nor did she feel like cleaning up the kitchen when we offered to cook and even when we said we would clean she said she had not spent all morning cleaning the whole house just to have it messed up again. Before any of y'all think the house was a wreck this is the lady that mops the floors 5 times a day with pure rubbing alcohol and then steam mops them with her shark...she also vacuums the tile floor. If you are now catching my drift to the pointless-ness of her ferocious approach to keeping the house cleaner and looking like a home no one lives in. I really think to her a house should no signs that a person is ever there. *rolls eyes*

Anyway for lunch we went to Asian City hibachi grill. I of course start thinking, “well sh!t, what am i going to eat at this place.” Of course being low carb i had to stay away from rice and soy sauce...i know should have just shot myself on the way in and saved myself the torture of wanting it. Well handy dandy google came in the clutch. Plus a big shout out to the chef from being so nice and handling all my requests with a smile and telling me it would be no trouble. He was even nicer and double checked if butter was okay to use when preparing my food. I ordered steak medium well and shrimp without the soy sauce. I of coursed asked for no rice and then got loaded down with the hibachi veggies (no soy sauce once again). I did get some of the mustard peanut sauce and ginger sauce on the side just to dip my meat in. 

While running some more errands to prepare for more items falling apart in the house since it is a little over 20 years old and everything seems to want to go out or leak...i realized i wanted some coffee. So i went to Starbucks and got myself a grande Christmas blend with a splash of coconut milk and a pump of sugar free mocha syrup...the person taking my order even reminded  me about wanting cinnamon ( i may have been going to Starbucks to much to have people reminding me of what i usually order). Anyways I was like oh thats perfect thank you ma'am....and then i kinda of stopped. Quick question: have you ever met a person and you are not exactly sure if they are (wish for you pro-gender choice people, however i do hate to inform you there are only two genders and your DNA no matter how much you change the outside is going to show you the gender you really are.) This was one of those moments i had said ma'am and was not really sure if i should have. The person was oh thank you and nice so i guess i had said the right thing or being the customer service job have become use to ppl saying ma'am or sir by accident. However I must say this person had lovely handwriting...i wish i could write as neat and elegant as this person had when they wrote my order on the lid. 

Of course once home i wanted to relax since i had been going and going just like that bunny on the commercials....but oooohhhh no the Christmas tree, which was in a corner out of the way and being left alone by all the animals in the house, had to come down. I did not put that damn thing up, fighting getting all the lights to come on, have the angel perfectly looking down but not too much, decorate the ribbons on it to perfectly match the angel, make sure the branches were fluffy and full, place each ornament in just the right spot so the tree did not look crowded and do this a couple of times due to my OCD...to have it not stay up for even three weeks because someone in the house felt that the tree had hijacked the house and made it messy. Not to mention i had to listen to all the critiques about how i decorated it and did it when the same person critiquing wanted nothing to do with it....ill be damned I'm dealing with that. So i continued to relax and kept getting asked when i was gonna take down the tree...my first response was if you want it down so bad you do it but of course i can't be rude or disrespectful (although everyone else can) 

After some time i realized i was hungry and it was close to dinner time...once again i came to the realization there was not much in the house that i could make quickly and stay with in the bounds of my diet I'm trying to keep. So i improvised. I found “ready to cook” Tyson chicken strips and threw those in a pan then chopped up two strips of bacon and tossed those in as well and let it all simmer together. Now i like my food to taste good...if I'm gonna eat it , it has to have flavor. So i sprinkle in a little cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. I think throw in some minced garlic (the world market kind). let that simmer all together a bit and i realize i need some kinda veggies...well i love baby spinach so i grab a handful and toss it in letting it all cook and welt down together. Honestly or just throwing it together it was pretty delicious...the pepper seasoning really helped to make it good. All was accompanied by a large cool glass of water. 

I was trying to be very reserved today in my eating due to the fact i would not be able to make it to the gym with everything needing to be done and the weather was rather nasty (i was not feeling that). I keep track of all this in my “Lose it” app on my phone and really watching my nutrients especially the carb percentage. Also I know I'm went out of my guidelines yesterday with chick-fil-a and the fact tomorrow is New Year’s Eve and i know I'm gonna be cheating with food right and left so i had to watch myself today. Im even considering going in tomorrow and doing a two hour long workout just to not feel to guilty later.  

Great news...i did amazing on my percentages...44% protein, 44% fat, and only 11% carbs...which if i am not mistaken is my lowest carb count yet!!!!!!!!

Well that is it for today...probably will not have a post tomorrow due to the fact of new year’s eve...or i might do two or three mini posts to keep the update going depends on how my day plays out. Well I'm out y'all...Mr. Sandman calling my name..TTFN.

[aion-rsa]

Netflix’s Project Power, and the Creatures That Inspired Each Ability

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Spoilers for Project Power to follow

Not for nothing are we called Den Of Geek. So when we were given the chance to chat with Project Power directors Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost and discovered that for the film they basically became massive science and nature nerds in creating some of the effects, this was very much ‘our bag’. 

Project Power imagines a world where a street drug, just known as ‘Power’ imbues the user with almost super-heroic abilities but for just five minutes. The trouble is, exactly what powers you are going to get can’t be predicted. Some get strength and speed, others get instant death. 

Each person in Project Power is effected differently and Joost and Schulman explain that they used examples from the natural world to add to the realism of the piece.

“That was something that we developed with the writer Mattson Tomlin and with our VFX supervisor Ivan Moran,” says Joost. “It was really just a product of us wanting to understand how power works and what it did to the human body and where these powers came from. We really didn’t want it to be magic or an alien, something from outer space. We wanted it to be something that was at least kind of relatively grounded in reality. The more we researched these animal powers, we were like, “Oh my God, these things all exist in nature already. Why not just let ourselves be inspired by that?”

There are examples explained in the movie which sound incredibly cool – a man who runs as fast as a big cat, another who shoots sharp bones from under his skin like the real life so called ‘Wolverine Frog’. But it’s not all sunshine and roses.

“It all started from a desire to take superpowers and ask ourselves what would actually happen to your body if you had that ability? What would be the side effects?” Schulman explains. “In the world of Project Power, superpowers come with super side effects. If there are side effects, then that had us thinking of them as science-based superpowers. Then we asked ourselves, where could you actually get a superpower? Well, maybe it’s lying dormant in your DNA. If it’s in the animal kingdom, it could potentially be in a human strain, and maybe the pill just reawakens those abilities.”

It’s a smart starting point for a film that really leans into the idea, allowing for some amazingly fun set pieces. Joost and Schulman break down some of our favorite Power moments, characters and creature-based set pieces from the film.

(L-R) Henry Joost, Jamie Foxx and Ariel Schulman on set of Project Power

The invisible man

Early on in the movie we see a man carry out a bank robbery who appears almost invisible – he’s blending in with his backgrounds perfectly as he moves through the streets – chameleon-like, you might say, though the inspiration for his power was actually a fish. 

“If you take, for example, the invisible guy who’s actually camouflage guy, we all know that in real life invisibility is not really a thing. But there are animals that have such sophisticated camouflage that they appear to be invisible, like the cuttle fish and different cephalopods and lizards,” Joost explains. “We really dove into, how does that animal produce that effect, and that’s what we were trying to replicate with the visual effects.”

“I don’t know if you can notice, but the patterns on his skin are meant to mimic the surface of ink pods that are on a squid’s exterior and those pods, which can produce any mixture of color, are reflections of its surroundings,” Schulman adds. “Whether the audience picks up on that or not, for us, it was the only way we could dig into a scene and figure out what was happening, if we could understand how it was working.”

The big bang

“Well, it’s a bit of a spoiler, but the inspiration for the final power of the film, I won’t even say whose it is, is the chemical reaction that occurs when you put two grapes in a microwave…” says Schulman. Yes that’s right, two grapes. We also won’t spoil exactly what happens, to whom and why, but it’s an explosive finale inspired not just by grapes but also an unusual creature.

“It’s an effect that occurs in the animal kingdom with this animal called the pistol shrimp, which basically moves so fast that it creates a bubble of air that becomes plasma,” he explains. “This is a tiny, little animal, but we were like, ‘What would it look like if you created that on a macroscale of a person?’”

The python

In one memorable action sequence Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s cop, Frank fights with a guy whose limbs seem to defy nature, bending in ways the human body usually doesn’t. The crazy thing about this scene is that much of it was done for real.

“That guy’s name is Xavier and he’s a dancer from New York City that we made a dance film with a few years ago,” says Schulman. “When it came time to figure out what power Joseph should fight and who was going to do it, we thought of Xavier because he naturally has this extraordinary ability to dislocate several joints in his arms.”

“We thought, Oh, that’s cool. Maybe we could turn that into a rubbery python power, where you can use that ability to strangle your foe like a snake does. Since he already did it, that checked another one of our boxes, which was trying to do as many of the action scenes practically as possible and then adding flourishes of CGI to that,” he explains.

JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT as FRANK in PROJECT POWER Cr. COURTESY OF NETFLIX © 2020

The bulletproof cop

Gordon-Levitt’s power is one that’s particularly handy for a law man. When he takes the pill his skin thickens until it so strong it becomes impenetrable to bullets.

“It was inspired by two animals. It was inspired by the armadillo, which has the famously armored skin. Then it was also inspired by this microscopic creature called the tardigrade,” says Joost. 

“It’s the most hardy organism on Earth. They find them underwater, deep sea, and in volcanoes. I think maybe they can even survive in space for certain amount of time. They’re also called water bears. They’re really cute. You can look them up. They’re invisible to the naked eye, but we gave Joe some homework on the tardigrade and armadillo to check out before.”

These tiny creatures even became part of the director’s aesthetic choices for Gordon-Levitts tranformation scenes.

“The patterns you see forming on his skin are very similar to the pattern of the tardigrade’s exterior,” Shulman explains.

Nature’s own hulk

“If you’re going to explore science-based versions of superpowers, you’ve got to figure out how to do a scientific version of the Hulk,” laughs Schulman. He’s referring to the painful-looking power bestowed on ‘Project Power’ boss ‘Biggie’ played by Rodrigo Santoro.  

“That one was actually really tough. I don’t know that we have a specific animal version, although it’s a hyper-speed version of the growth any animal goes through and the growing pains that any animal endures,” says Schulman.

“It was inspired by conditions like gigantism and Marfan syndrome and stuff like that where the body is growing uncontrollably,” Joost explains.  

“Mike Marino who did the special effects makeup, really had fun with that. I think he’s got six nipples, three eyeballs and nostrils…” [The Hulk, not Mike Marino, we assume]

“The Hulk is awesome, but the Hulk grows so uniformly that he looks like Mr. Universe. We thought it would be interesting if a huge man grew uncontrollably and at random, and that it hurt a lot,” adds Schulman. “That was something Rodrigo, the actor, thought he could really work with, which is the pain of growing that big and what it does to your clothes. That hurts the most when you’re a dandy.”

“That’s right. Sharen Davis, who is the costume designer, put him in a suit,” Joost explains. “If you look really closely, it’s got this cross-hatched material that expands. It’s designed to get bigger, but he gets so much bigger than his clothes, he still rips through them. If you look closely, you can see that he was anticipating that maybe he would grow big that night.”

Running hot and cold

Two major set pieces in Project Power involve extremes of the same power – that of thermoregulation and what happens if it goes wrong. It’s showcased with the character of Newt (Machine Gun Kelly) and later with a character known as ‘frozen girl’. He explodes, she freezes to death in spectacular style.

“They’re actually opposite sides of the same spectrum, the power of thermoregulation, which almost every animal in the animal kingdom has. It’s the ability to maintain your body temperature in extreme scenarios,” Schulman explains. “Some animals can do it better than others. A polar bear can keep itself regulated in freezing cold. But if you’ve taken too much power or you have a bad reaction, it’ll go bonkers.”

“The idea was what would happen if your thermoregulations went completely out of control,” says Joost. “This is stuff I don’t expect anybody to pick up on, but, with Newt, if you look really closely at some of those shots of him right before he catches on fire, you’ll see that there’s superheated steam shooting out of his pores.”

The Newt sequence occurs at the start of the movie and it was a key introduction to the world of Project Power.

“In our initial pitch to Netflix, we said, ‘With the first power in the movie, the fire guy, we’re going to set the bar for realism right away. The idea is that we’d like to come as close to setting the actor on fire as possible. CGI fire isn’t what we’re looking for here.’” Schulman explains.

“The ultimate solution was a full-burn bodysuit, integrated with LED lights to cast interactive light. After every performance by Machine Gun Kelly, a stuntman would step in, having watched the monitor, and would imitate his exact movements in bursts of 10 seconds, completely on fire.

“It was extraordinarily time consuming and lasted about a week for that two- or three-minute sequence. Ultimately, we had real fire in a real location. A lot of the people we’d worked with said they hadn’t seen that or done that in 20, 30 years.”

Schulman says this death, and that of the girl freezing to death – which he describes as a really intricate process – were the ones he was most proud of.

“Those were huge learning experiences for us,” he says. “I think, Henry, we, more or less, achieved what we’d initially imagined in our heads, which doesn’t always happen.”

Joost concurs: “Yeah, I’m happy where it ended up.”

Project Power is available to stream now on Netflix.

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