#also there's another guy who i'm less than thrilled about on that team but i may stomach his bullshit just to see even a little bit

[svtskneecaps]

BROTHER WHAT DO YOU FUCKING MEAN RTGAME WAS IN A FUCKING MCC WITH TECHNOBLADE I THOUGHT HE WAS A FUNNY HAHA VARIETY STREAMER WHO DID MINECRAFT COMMUNITY BUILD STREAMS I WAS ALREADY BLOWN TO SMITHEREENS SEEING HIS ASS IN AN MCC WITH FUCKING JAMES MARIOTT AND JACK MANIFOLD SMACK IN THE MIDDLE OF A PERSONA 5 VOD NOW YOU'RE TELLING ME HIS ASS PLAYED THE FUCKING THIRD EVER MCC ON THE SAME TEAM AS FUCKING TECHNOBLADE WHAT DO YOU MEAN HOW IS HE EVERYWHERE I DON'T UNDERSTAND

[drifting-pieces-blog-blog]

There's this rumors about the midnight suns movie (idk it it's confirmed) and they say moon knight is going to be in it? How do you think it would Work?

How do you think is he gonna interact with the rumoured members?? (According to am article and post in Twitter that I read) Since their different from the comics: dr.strange, wong, Elsa Bloodstone, Blade, Dane Whitman, Wanda,Agatha harkness,ghost rider, man-thing

Now I'll tell you what I think, but there's always the chance that it does happen and I'm completely wrong. So to the future people out there that find this, I'm more than happy to be wrong.

I think the Midnight suns as a movie is going to be a clusterfuck and perform terribly. The issue is that we are taking characters that have gotten shows and haven't been introduced yet to the MCU. And a movie is expecting you to come in with this knowledge. So there is the chance for a lot of people go come in and go "Why do I care about any of this?"

There's also the problem that they are anticipating this and making it more friendly to new audiences by watering down the characters. So you get Moon Knight standing in the background not saying much or you get cheap shots at his DID with no explanation and he comes across as quirky insane violent guy.

This happens in big team up comics too. Which is partly why I dislike them greatly. When you put together a large group from all over, you are either expected to know their background already and be thrilled to see them together, or they become just another figure standing vaguely in the background giving reaction shots to things that more popular characters say or do.

If they are going to do Midnight Suns, they need to give it a series with multiple episodes to cover all the characters properly. But even then... You'll notice that their other series on Netflix that did this didn't perform well at all. It had decent writing, excellent acting, and gave voice to the other characters, but the audience really didn't connect and it just kind of went bottom of the barrel in ratings.

This gives Marvel the idea that people just aren't interested in these lesser B rated characters (characters that aren't Captain America and Iron Man and Spider-man) and then they devote less time and money to them.

I mean, Marvel is already giving less time and money to their shows and even their movies. The CGI has dropped quality significantly. And with them putting everything into CGI and less practical effects, it just means that everything looks terrible. (Werewolf by Night my beloved you were beautiful and people need to devote more time and money into practical).

My fear with Moon Knight going into ANY big time movie that is not strictly about Moon Knight is what has happened to him in all the comics in the past that did this. He becomes a shape in the background and cheap pot shots about his mental health become gag worthy. He becomes that crazy guy that no one trusts because he is unpredictable and violent.

I WANT to see a show that brings in characters that are more on his level. I want to see a show with Jack Russel, Elsa Bloodstone, and Moon Knight. These are the OG of the Marvel Monster phase in comics. They started out together. They deserve to meet up.

Heck, Blade needs his own stuff first. I'd love to see Ghost Rider get a GOOD reboot and start to pal around with Frank Castel because those two love JUSTICE. (Though they are on different levels and there is the lack of development that would happen in that capacity).

I think the best thing Marvel has done so far in shows is having Frank show up in DD. Their diametrically opposed forces go SO well together and always have.

So on the line of who would go best with meeting up and working with Moon Knight? I'm back to Jack Russel and Elsa Bloodstone.

The MCU potential there is BEAUTIFUL. We have two comic book legends that have been given knew life through the MCU and are different than their comic book origins.

We have Jack Russel who understands what it is to be monstrous but also know that to be a monster is not to be evil. That often times the evil comes with being human.

Then we have Elsa who learned that of all the humans and life she has known, only the monster was the one who deserved pity and care.

Then we have Moon Knight... Well... You know what I think about Moon Knight because I could go on and on into another essay here.

SO ANYWAYS. I think Jumping into Midnight Suns is the wrong step. I think they need to work smaller and perhaps give back the Marvel Monster series. Get back to the start.

Give Werewolf by Night a series that explores the monsters and lesser liked characters. Get Man Thing back in here. Get Brother Voodoo and his zombies (though that has the potential in today's age to become Problematic if not handled with care, but amazing if done RIGHT)... Heck! Get Blade involved through this. Introduce the Vampires. (Reese in the MCU????? Yes Please).

SO yeah... I could be wrong. I'd love to be wrong and see how they do it and see it done well.... But I have concerns and honestly, I think Marvel has concerns too. They obviously WANT to do it. But two years in tells me that they still haven't figured out HOW to do it. And Oscar taking on more and more outside projects tells me that he also doesn't think they are doing it well either. (He said he'd only come back if he liked the script. That man has the right to be picky, bless him).

[mejomonster]

Checked out Desire Catcher ep 1:

Thrilled the lead actors aren't as young as I expected

The main Luo guy looks so familiar to me, what have I seen him in before....

The other guy looks familiar too, but I think he looks like Khaotung from gmmtv and that's why

Luo Fei.... Luo fei.... Luo fei? You mean like Luo wenzhou and fei du????!!! I am aware the fei in fei du is费, and this one is fei 飞. But. Hear me out. Is this an original script? Maybe the script writer ships zhoudu. I can imagine, even if its not true. ToT

The setup, if at any point it turns magical/sci fi etc, reminds me of death note: being able to kill remotely and investigating that and all. And I do love some magic in an otherwise mundane reality story

Right now it's like that movie where ppl hear a trigger word then kill, except here they die

For some reason I heard some ppl saying this was gonna be bromance vibes? Well, I'll find out. I do think though that it will likely lend itself to such option (like Under the Skin perhaps? I haven't seen Under the Skin yet though)

I WILL say that... while there's the whole danmei not airing situation, and completely made shows not airing that were bl novel adaptations... mango TV is just the kind of bitch to drop an original script bl through the cracks. First, because they've written original script bl before (wasn't Killer and Healer an original script first before novelization?). Second, because it seems original scripts With bromance undertones is getting a much easier time airing right now: one example being League of Nobleman, another being Pledge of Allegiance. So any original script with Any level of gay stuff I imagine is having an easier time airing rn (also in mango tvs case right now? They're not high Press releases. There's a LOT of eyes on say Sha Po Langs drama than on this random one).

I like the vibe of this show. It's leaning darker/more realistic, feels like the kind of novels I read. Like Justice in the Dark, it has a dead animal early on and a murder scene early on. Not sure how many cdramas skew that direction in scary (or dark idk?) But this one clearly is going that route. Which I personally like (again giving me Under the Skin vibes).

ZHAO YUNLANS DAD IS IN THIS PLAYING A SHADY BITCH (GO FIGURE)

the old professor man almost... looks like he could also be Shen Weis old professor mentor from Guardian, but I don't remember that face as well... so this old professor guy could be from a number of dramas I've seen

Not to compare to Justice in the Dark cause I imagine it's totally unintentional, so it's just funny to me. But I Did Notice we have a Captain Luo, a girl cop whos on his team with That Haircut, and a guy cop who's a little less put together than Luo who talks to That Girl and you... you gotta admit visually they look a lot like Lang Qiao and Xiao Haiyang in casting and just character roles (initially) in the story. If I saw someone filling Tao Rans role I'd be really !!!. But no Tao ran like guy yet. However, our consultant? Ohoho... he's a criminal psychology consultant is he (like Fei Du), his professor helped get him in with the cops (like fei du you say?), he's a bit of a little shit (!!!fei du?!!), he's got slightly longer hair (was that a character design choice or just how the actor looked, either way very Fei Du). And I find it all just a Touch funny. ToT (also I miss Justice in the Dark). It's not Actually like Luo wenzhou/fei du though, as these two don't seem yo know each other and therefore Luo hasn't raised him for like 7 years. The dynamic is therefore Way Different.

I almost get a touch of Guardian or Torchwood vibes and I'm not even quite sure why, cause this first episode was Not campy at all or comedic. It's fairly like Beyond Evil type, murder mystery procedural and a bit heavy. But mm just like... design choices I think. Not the writing, not the directing or sound, just like the sets. The sets look way less bizarre than guardian don't get me wrong. But something about certain choices In them. The touch of bright colors at the first murder scene. The odd pink light. The glowing globe on the desk. The room of papers on the wall and a big crane light. The weird dining table on the roof with a big outer building sign in neon across the street. The focus on the Nokia phones, the Lolipop. Just like... lots of small detail decisions but they strike me as Not quite usual, enough to make it not seem like The Bad Kids (and those kind of realistic shows) in set design. Maybe... a bit like Tomb of the Sea? How tots was mostly realistic looking but there'd be a fucking stuffed animal in a kidnapping living room. Little details you notice enough to oddly remember.

All that said? I Like the set designs a LOT. It feels like Watching a murder mystery novel. It's similar to Justice in the Dark in NAILING the right atmosphere, a good coloring gradient for realism but also Slightly distorted/unknown, in sets that look done enough to feel lived in and like actual places, and with the kind of unique small details a Real place might have (like a fake office might just have office stuff, but THIS Xue guys office has some unique knick knacks so it feels more like an actual place thay could exist, etc).

I'll probably give it more eps. It was my kinda thing. Didn't absolutely capture me in ep 1 but honestly I saw just enough familiar faces that I was partly playing guessing games of where they were from in my mind and so it'll probably take me a few eps to settle and just click or not with it

I loved it's opening and ending though and... usually if I like those 90% chance I like the shows

[morningstar-chronicles]

jayden.

jayden james finnegan (he/him) is an oc of mine based on a real person (PLEASE do not come for me i know i have a problem ok i KNOW). he originally comes from a whodunnit story i wrote about a series of arsons in a high school. i shared a lot of the enemies-to-lovers arc he has with his in-story love interest, morgan fay (they/them), who is basically just me in another font. despite this, i still manage to be jealous of them when i write scenes. his face claim is akeem osborne (which, he's not a totally correct pick for jayden, technically the ethnicities don't match up, but akeem was the closest person i could find physical features-wise).

(read more bc this is a long post)

i meet jayden in fourth grade, when he befriends my longtime friend named joel corbyn (he/him). joel and i stop talking shortly after, and for a while, i kind of view jayden as the reason (even though he is well and truly not). cue some CR trauma involving another ex-friend's meddling, and boom! jayden and i hate each other.

in fifth grade, jayden and i have two separate conflicts that both involve us getting expelled from our previous school, and we both end up in seacoast boarding academy's probatio program. we're less than thrilled to see each other, but after some character development on my part and his, we become friends in or around ninth grade. eventually, around eleventh grade he asks me out and i say yes.

jayden is kind of an asshole (lmao), but not really in an evil way so much as a funny way. really he's only mean to people who deserve it, but he's very witty and goofy. he's definitely a class clown type of person, and he's extremely popular, whereas for most of my life i am not. he's on the football team, he's a skater boy, and he's "too cool for school" (read: he has ADHD and dyslexia- the school system has failed him and he feels like he's just stupid, makes an attempt to convince himself and other people that his failure to meet academic expectations is a conscious choice and not a personal failing. also yes he and i make demigod jokes, because i have ADHD and dyscalculia. he jokes that he's a greek demigod, i joke that i'm a roman demigod). he does really good in one class though- any math class. this is because the math classrooms have access to audio pens, and highlighted words can be read out loud to the user through headphones. despite usually being a brilliant situational observer, jayden somehow never makes a connection between the audio pens and his success in the classes.

jayden's family life is insanely complicated. his parents have been divorced since early childhood. his father is a violent alcoholic and has been jailed several times. his mom remarried a guy named stephane, and jayden now has one full-blood older brother (kaden, he/him, two years older), one step-sister sharing no blood relation to him (genevieve, she/her, three years younger), and one maternal half-sister (rosalie, she/her, five years younger). his dad moves back in with them when we're about seventeen, causes many problems, and his mom and stephane briefly separate during this time (everything ends up being okay with them, though). jayden has a pretty strained relationship with his dad, and during this period of time he definitely comes to stay with me or another friend more often than not. his family's not rich necessarily, but they would be considered pretty good living standards for middle class.

he's a disaster bisexual. he loves wearing maxi skirts, painting his nails black, and when i do his eyeliner. he loves red roses and hoodies and those little goofy valentine's day teddy bears. despite being on the football team, he's a fairly wiry, thin guy, and i'm definitely stronger than him physically lol. he's honestly probably better suited to soccer than football, but i guess his friends are all on the football team. he's 5'10", which means that even though my DR self is taller than my CR self, he is still very much taller than me. we both love coffee dates, and we frequently go out to just sit and talk in a coffee shop for literal hours. he gets a latte and i get a black iced coffee and every single time he makes some kind of joke about it and me being nuts and i make a joke back about him being a wimp. i love him so much and i'm definitely going to make an entire second post talking about this man because he's just so awesome and amazing and i love him ok bye

[legion1227]

Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania Review

It could've been better, but it was still pretty fun.

That's how I would describe some of the Marvel projects released throughout phase 4, like Thor: Love and Thunder. However, I did enjoy Quantumania more than Love and Thunder and would put it above it.

Scott Lang, Hope Van Dyne, and their family are living a more tranquil life after the events of Avenger: Endgame. But it doesn't take long before Ant-Man, and the Wasp, find themselves trapped inside the Quantum Realm on another adventure.

There are a handful of pros and cons pertaining to the third film in this trilogy. Character-wise, the film is lopsided. The film introduces Kathryn Newton as Scott's daughter, Cassandra Lang. As an actress, Newton's performance comes off wooden a couple times throughout. Moments where she must display genuine worry for her father fall flat as she looks nonplussed. However, her character didn't annoy me anywhere near as much as it might have others. Her interactions with the rest of the cast were decent enough. Side characters introduced in the Quantum Realm are far less engaging. Bill Murray's character felt a tad squandered and easily forgettable. Then there were a handful of other alien creatures who harbored cool designs but lacked as memorable characters. As I write this, I fail to remember anything notable about their personalities. There was the alien who loved holes? The buff girl? The guy who also played Chidi in The Good Place?? (Amazing show, btw). They all looked cool, but their side-plot about revolting against their oppressor Kang was lacking.

Speaking of Kang, Jonathan Majors as the Conqueror was undoubtedly the best part of this film. Quantumania laid the foundation for Majors' presence as the next big bad for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and did so convincingly. Kang the Conqueror is a menacing villain and has the potential to be just as threatening as Thanos, if not exponentially more. Watching him beat the shit out of Scott, as much as I do like him and Paul Rudd was almost thrilling. The film drags but starts to pick up once Kang steps on screen and stands face-to-face with the titular Ant-Man.

As for the man himself, Paul Rudd as Ant-Man delivers another solid job. Unfortunately, he's surrounded by a cast that could stomach do more. Evangeline Lilly and Michael Douglas as the Wasp and Hank Pym have minimal moments to shine as opposed to their last two films. Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet Van Dyne gets more play here than she did in the previous film, and here her dynamic with Kang is explored; it's one of the more fascinating developments in the movie.

I'd willingly sacrifice some side characters if we found a way to bring back Scott's crew from the last two films. Jeff Loveness and his writing team found the time to fit in a flashlight alien with no personality but couldn't fit in Michael Pena, T.I., and David Dastmalchian?

At least the setting and action scenes were enjoyable. The Quantum Realm itself looked well as the cast explored a vast world that looked straight out of Star Wars. The choreography and fight scenes throughout packed weight and thrilled me well enough.

In conclusion, it was a fun film. Definitely room for improvement, but a fine time nonetheless. They laid a solid foundation for Kang, and Scott's character being riddled with this anxiety was a great touch for him. The end-credit scenes were the most hyped parts of the film for me, and I'm looking forward to seeing where we go next in the MCU. 3.5/5. (Good, could've been better.)

Also, MODOK was in this. He was okay. Didn't hate him, didn't love him, just okay.

[stuckybarton]

Unintentional Father VI

SUMMARY: Steve Rogers had always liked you, from the first time you had stepped foot in the Avengers Compound, to your no-nonsense perspective in the world. Never taking shit from anyone, especially Tony; everyone liked you, liked your son who you bring along from time to time upon the request of Pepper Stark and many of the women in the compound. So how was it possible that he was here talking to Director Fury with you, and the small little fact that he was the father of your adorable blue eyed baby. How was that even possible when he couldn’t even ask you out on a date properly? CHARACTERS: Steve Rogers x Reader; son!OMC (Grant); Tony Stark, Wanda Maximoff, Natasha Romanoff, Sam Wilson, Bucky Barnes; Pepper Potts WARNINGS: Unplanned/Unwanted Pregnancy. Talks of Grammar Mistakes. English not being my first language. [Not Beta’d tho] WORDS: 1,493 A/N; Another short one, I know where I want the story to go, but somehow it's not letting me and I just find myself adding more chapters than i had initially intended. But oh well, more chapters to write for me and more chapters for you guys to read.

MASTERLIST || Joing the Taglist Playlist I was listening to while writing this. Boop.

Part 6: The Choices We Need To Make

You had taken the pregnancy test away from the eyes of Steve and the rest of the medical staff. The fear of being pregnant once again had scared you shitless.

Walking back and forth in front of the three test resting on the sink, you being to wonder how it had happened. How could you have been so careless to let this happen. You were on your pills and Steve had been religiously using condoms to prevent this from happening.

You two had talked, another baby in the future was for the two of you, but not right now. Not when Grant has just turned one and not when so much chaos had been happening to you and to everyone you are associated with.

As the timer had sounded, you had taken a peak at one stick and all the blood from your face had disappeared. Two lines. Now turning your attention towards the other test, the sight of another pair of positive test had you now questioning what was to happen now.

You can't be pregnant. Not like this. Not when things were starting ot be good again.

Taking the test with you, you had made your way back to the medical bay--Steve no longer in the room and there was less people in the office. Dr. Cho had welcomed you with a reassuring smile.

"It's positive." You had whispered to the doctor. Fearing anyone else knowing would mean Steve would also be aware. The overprotectiveness and your residency back in the compound would become a certain.

"I'm assuming this isn't planned?" Dr. Cho had smiled hoping to kill away all the fears you were having for this moment. For this situation you were not so prepared for.

"I have a one year old and there is a fucking target on my back when the world found out Grant was Steve's child." You had admitted knowing there was no one harm in letting someone you could trust to keep this quiet know about your fears.

"Will you keep the baby?" Dr. Cho inquired.

"Yes." You answered without an ounce of hesitation. No matter how sudden this pregnancy was, you would never think about killing it. No matter if Steve wanted the baby or not.

"I'm sure Captain Rogers would be thrilled with the news." She continued to assure.

"That's not what I'm worried about." You muttered.

For the next half hour, you had allowed the good doctor to tend to your injury. It had become a question to both of you how quick the bruising was disappearing and the pain you had once felt was fading away.

"I can coordinate with your OB in the morning, to give you a head-start." Dr. Cho smiled taping the last of the bandage around your wrist.

"Thank you."

As you were handed the painkillers--safe for the baby of course, you had a mission to find Tony and the rest of the team, hoping to get some more insight on what had happened in your apartment.

The sight of Steve in the common room with Grant in his arms had placed you at ease. No matter what chaos or danger may come in your way, you knew Steve would be there. If not him, the rest of the team would.

A baby, another addition to this family of yours. It scared you so much, not because you weren't prepared for it, but more about what was happening around you. What you weren't ready to acknowledge was the fact that Steve wouldn't always be there for you because of his job. and you were not going to make him choose because of it.

Approaching your boyfriend and son, this was a slice of heaven you never thought you needed. Holding on to Steve's shoulders and lingering at the sight of Grant, beaming ear to ear at the sight of both of his parents in the room. Only now did Steve had a look at you, and only now did you see the fatigue of everything that had happened tonight finally wash over him.

"Let's head to bed?" You offered, finding a way to avoid the topic of your pregnancy as much as possible.

With a gentle nod, the both of you made your way to Steve's former apartment inside the compound. It was still something that boggled you. How Steve's own little space wasn't so little compared to the entirety of your shared apartment. Everything in his apartment was still the same since you had left. The only different the place had was a separate playset for Grant to use on his own--an inkling in you knew it was Tony's doing.

"I've heard Happy is getting the rest of our stuff in the apartment." Steve had explained as you three made your way to the bedroom.

You only nod, not wanting to fuel more into a possible argument with him. Staying here longer than necessary wasn't something you wanted to do, but for him, for his son, you had to keep your opinions to yourself.

"Get yourself clean up." You muttered finally taking hold of your son.

Steve had not protested, nor did he make any remarks of you joining him. Instead, he had went straight to the bathroom.

Your attention turned towards you son. Eyes sparkling as he took hold of the collar of the shirt you wore. Only now, in the privacy of your own space did everything finally fall apart and your son, your son that was grasping onto you was only reason you had left to not just breakdown and cry your heart out. You made it your mission to get your son ready for bed.

Eyes lingering on the temporary crib set up on the far end of the bed. Even as you knew it was way past Grant's bedtime, there was something stopping you from moving. Many things at this very moment was keeping you from moving from where you now sat on top of the bed.

What was going to be the life you were to live now? With a second baby on the way. With this uncertainty in your life, as you felt more like a hostage more than a mother and a girlfriend to Steve Rogers.

"Y/N?"

Breaking from your stance, you were surprised with how fast Steve had showered--or how long you had been in a dazed that you never realize that your son was already half asleep in your arms. Looking up towards your boyfriend, all the guilt in his system become tenfold of your own.

"Clean up, I'll get Grant ready for bed." He smiled, a smile that barely even reached his eyes anymore. Without an ounce of protest left in your body, you allowed him to take your son and find your way to shower and clean away the last of tonight's grime away from your body.

~

Steve has lost track of time after he had placed his son in his crib. How the fatigue in his body was stopping him from getting up on the bed and checking up on you. His beating heart and wandering head brought him back to the briefing room, the danger that had almost happened to you and to your son. Had it not been for Sam and Wanda, the possibility of you or his son in the hands of HYDRA, to be experimented on like what they had done to Bucky.

It had shook him to the core, and the responsibility he had to take now becoming bleaker and bleaker as time goes by. A choice needed to be made and it wasn't as hard to make as he had once thought it would be.

He felt the bed dip from behind him. He took a moment to let you get comfortable before he turned to pull you into his arms. Hands holding onto your hands. Holding onto you far too tight fearing you might disappear before he could do anything, but gentle fearing he might suffocate you with his grasp.

"I promise, this will be over soon." He whispered, but you never responded. It brought so much fear in him, how this would taint your relationship. The fear of your leaving him because of this, how this moment would be the reason you up and leave, taking Grant with you.

Instead of the reassurance he was so used to have you give him, he was met with your shaking shoulders, doing your best to keep the sobs to a minimal. Steve knew, something had to give, one way or another. The choices he needed to make meant keeping his family safe, keep you and Grant safe from the people that could take you away from him.

"It's gonna be over soon, I promise."

But he didn't believe it as much, but it was the only reassurance he could give in a time where he wasn't sure who to trust anymore with the safety of his family.

[spacedewey]

In August 2014, an old acquaintance I'd not spoken to in years hit me up out of the blue to ask me if I wanted to move to a city I'd never been to and do a job I had zero experience in. "I don't know how to do that," I said. "Neither did I 3 weeks ago!" he replied. I was in a complete dead end at my current job, and desperate enough to ask for more details. It was a software implementation job. A friend of his (Someone I knew even less, but a little) had been doing this job for a company based in Europe, with very little presence in the US, but now they were getting to a point he couldn't do it alone anymore. He tried to hire people, couldn't find reasonable candidates, and eventually called up our mutual friend. He, in turn, asked various people he thought would be good for the job. I was the only one to express interest.

A month later, I was moving. This new job came with an almost $20,000 a year pay raise. Literally life changing. I found myself in a completely insane work situation. It was just the 3 of us in a little office in a building otherwise full of aging lawyers. We had no oversight. Our nearest corporate presence was hundreds of miles away in another state, and our main employer, thousands of miles away in Luxembourg. We did our jobs, and well, but there was no "look busy" kind of crap in the downtime. We were downtown in a growing city, in walking distance of dozens of cool lunch spots. We goofed off, took long lunches. Our "boss's" brother also lived in town, and he and his wife would come play board games with us at work on Friday afternoons. We often went to the liquor store first. We had "flex time," and I never showed up to work before 10am. I was making more money than I'd ever seen in my life doing this. People I told about my job didn't believe me. It was surreal.

The job slowly got more professional as we got busier over the years. We hired more people, some of them didn't last, moved to a bigger, nicer office, hired more people. In the process, we actually got our own offices in a cool building with nice views out the windows. We still sometimes took long lunches and played board games, just with a larger staff and less often. People brought their dogs to work every day. The original person who called me up and told me about the job quit the company, but by 2018, I found myself working on a team of 6 people I genuinely liked, no friction, no assholes, no conservatives, no anti-vax people, none of the shit you're bound to run into in an office setting. Just people I actually enjoyed hanging out with and 2 or 3 dogs, depending on the day. And still no real oversight, no bosses within a hundred miles, no rules other than get your work done. The job was harder and more demanding, but continued to feel too good to be real.

Then in 2020, we started working from home. Which I very much appreciate, I am grateful every day to be able to hide out at home during all this, but it's pretty lonely by comparison. By November 2021, my 2 favorite coworkers had quit, and the company had announced they would not renew our lease. Work from home permanently. The guy who hired me, who'd been my "boss" and become my good friend in that time, transitioned to a different job in the company, no longer anything to do with me professionally. I report directly to Luxembourg now, which is really fucking up my sleep schedule. Everything I liked about the job vanished, and now it's me, sitting in my house by myself all day, bored. I know 99% of people who changed to work from home during the pandemic are thrilled, and more power to you, but for me, it kinda ruined everything. It's a real bummer. No work situation I'm ever in again will be as fun as that first 5 years and change.

[watching-pictures-move]

Movie Review | Lady Street Fighter (Bryan, 1981)

I've seen Renee Harmon, the star of Lady Street Fighter, likened to Tommy Wiseau, and there certainly similarities. Both have extremely distinct screen presences and accents (Harmon's is German, Wiseau's is...nobody knows) and obvious delusions about their acting abilities. Yet while Wiseau's The Room has a much larger cultural footprint than anything Harmon was involved in, I can't help but find her a much more likable presence. For one thing, from what I know about the production of The Room, Wiseau doesn't sound like a whole lot of fun to be around, and the movie contorts to his ego in a way that provides for obvious amusement but not a lot of warmth. From the films I've seen Harmon in, she seems like an integral part of their nutty, bad movie fabric but not necessarily the centre of gravity, and while I don't profess to be an expert on her career, I do know that her sometimes collaborator James Bryan spoke pretty well of her in Stephen Thrower's Nightmare USA, which I'm currently going through. And as dumb as it is, the fact that Harmon's default expression is a kindly smile while Wiseau's is...something else, makes her a lot more approachable as a screen presence in my eyes. What biographical details I do know of Harmon help interpret her career as some kind of immigrant...well, success story might be a bit generous, but gumption is admirable and a little moving. Some of these things might seem irrelevant to their output, but when you're comparing bad movie weirdos, a logical rubric doesn't present itself so easily.

Of Harmon's work, I'd previously seen Frozen Scream, a masterpiece of incoherence, and The Executioner Part II, a vigilante actioner and fake sequel with probably the worst acted PTSD freakout I've seen in a movie. In both she played crucial supporting roles, but in Lady Street Fighter (not to be confused with Sister Street Fighter, the rock solid karate flick with Etsuko Shihomi and Sonny Chiba), she's the star, and the effect is less like Wiseau in The Room and more like Steven Seagal in On Deadly Ground, where the movie is ostensibly delivering genre thrills but has those subverted by an unabashedly weird lead performance. Like Seagal in his film, Harmon is given a number of extremely interesting outfits, like an excessively studded leather jacket, a shiny gold jumpsuit and a great big hat. And while Seagal has characters speak often of how fearsome and formidable he is (R. Lee Ermey says at one point that "He's the kind of guy that would drink a gallon of gasoline so he could piss in your campfire!"), in Harmon's movie, they keep talking about how hot she is and making objectifying comments, usually referring to her breasts. And like Wiseau subjects us to ample shots of his ass in his movie, Harmon spends an awful lot of time getting in and out of the shower, and attempts oral sex on a telephone and a piece of celery (the latter of which is a recurring theme in the movie). In another context I might find this off putting, but knowing she was a major creative force behind the movie, it's actually a little endearing.

Lady Street Fighter was directed by James Bryan, and like in his best known film, the regional slasher Don't Go in the Woods, the technical sloppiness lends itself to the unintentional avant garde, as when a shootout is staged awkwardly enough to feel like a montage of completely unrelated footage (as Harmon blows away her enemies, Bryan blasts through the 180-rule), or a torture scene keeps cutting to black to hide the fact that the torture is very obviously not making contact with the victim. The plot is...who's to say? Okay, it involves Harmon looking to avenge her sister (the torture victim, played by Harmon while writhing topless with her tongue sticking out), an evil organization called Assassins Inc. and a beardo who very obviously can't be trusted yet Harmon teams up with anyway. There's also a weirdo sex party full of sex weirdos (and a bunch of guys in togas) during which the host allows his daugher, who has the mind of a child, to attend, which seems extremely ill-advised. Most of these are standard action thriller elements (okay, maybe not the weirdo sex party full of sex weirdos), but Bryan's assembly plays like the screenplay was fed through the shredder and taped together with half of the pieces missing, distilling the movie's narrative to a crude abstraction of the real thing. The transfer I watched is of a grainy print where the colours have been desaturated, as if the movie was left out in the sun too long and faded like an ancient manuscript or eroded like a historical artifact, and the fact that the movie was shot in the '70s but only released in 1981 adds to this archaeological quality. (At one point someone wears a Van Halen shirt, so I assume that part was not shot before '78, when they released their debut.) And on the soundtrack hums a moron synth take on Morricone, giving the movie a nice, braindead ambience to solidify its distinct bad movie wavelength.

[forkanna]

[AO3] [WATTPAD]

NOTE: Here we go. Little bit of a shift in this chapter... you'll see. Thanks for keeping up with this fic and all your comments!

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Everything was rather quiet for a couple of days. Rise threw herself into practicing her vocals with every spare moment, meeting with her manager and conferencing with her record label over the phone. She needed the distraction. Without any clear course of action with Ai, she had decided to let that matter fade into the background. Maybe something would come to her eventually.

On Sunday, she and the gang decided to go fishing, since that was one of Narukami's favourite activities and they were all missing him lately. For most of them, it simply meant getting to wave around poles and wade into the water, splashing each other. Kanji and Naoto resented this because they were much more serious about the matter, but the others didn't pay them too much mind.

"Hey, why didn't you invite Ai?" Chie suddenly asked as they re-baited their hooks. "She too snobby to get down here in the river with us?"

Rise laughed. "You're kidding, right?"

"Yeah," she responded, giggling right along. "No way would she be caught dead touching a fish that's not cooked."

"No… I meant that she wouldn't want to hang out with me anymore."

"Why not?" Yukiko asked. "I thought you were becoming sort of close with her."

Wow, how oblivious could they be? "Not anymore."

Once she had explained properly, which took the better part of half an hour, most of the joy had been sucked out of their springtime activity. Rise did feel a little bad about that, but it was as much their fault as hers, so she didn't spend too much mental energy on sympathy for her friends.

"Gosh, that is so sad," Teddie said with a pronounced pout. He really did seem genuinely disappointed not to have another friend. "I know you guys didn't really mean to hurt her feelings."

"Guess I thought he'd be over that by now," Chie confessed quietly.

"Yeah," Yosuke added. "Like, as long as he stays away from my butt, I don't really care what he does with his time. And man, he looks way better in drag than even Teddie did, so…"

While Teddie was harrumphing as if genuinely offended, Kanji chuckled harshly as he twitched his line in the water the tiniest bit. "What is it with you and that gay panic, bro? I'm surprised your Shadow didn't look more like mine."

"H-hey, I'm just a healthy, red-blooded Japanese male! I like girls who are actually girls! Is that a crime?"

"I'll buy you a butt-protector to keep all the dicks out," Chie cackled bemusedly. Yosuke just grimaced.

"I'm… starting to get why she didn't want this getting out," Rise sighed.

"Hm?" Yukiko said as she turned back in her direction. "What is it?"

"Nothing."

"No, that sounded important. I wouldn't want to hurt anyone's feelings…"

Which she appreciated. Even if the others were a little oblivious sometimes, Yukiko genuinely meant well all the time. Every minute of every day. "It's just… I'm no big expert on this subject, but you guys can see how much work she put into being taken seriously as a woman. Because she looks like one! Nobody could tell! And I think I haven't paid much attention to how hard that must have been for her… I'm… wow. And I really did almost ruin her life."

Not that she had been unaware of that before. She thought she understood, and she did — better than her friends did, for sure. But listening to them casually treat her like a drag act, a joke, a source of anxiety for Yosuke's extra-fragile masculinity, peeled back just enough of the curtain. Now she knew that she really didn't know anything at all.

"Don't be so dramatic," Chie sighed. "Like you said, he was able to play it off, and he's giving you a lot more shit now than is necessary compared to what you did on accident. Like, scales balanced. If he wants to keep being a dick then that's on him."

Rise shrugged helplessly as she tossed her fishing pole back onto the shore. "You're not wrong about that part. I'm not saying her trying to get revenge on me is right. I'm just saying I understand why she feels so betrayed. Didn't really get it before, but…"

"I still don't get it now," Yosuke grunted. "The whole thing makes me super uncomfortable. But it sounds like he already had the surgery, so… doesn't that mean he's a girl anyway?"

"What? No, it's… nevermind that part." She had been about to insist that Ai did not have "The Surgery" yet, even though she had probably undergone several other minor procedures. But that was the kind of detail that would get her even deeper in trouble than she already was, so she cut herself off.

"Well, I'm with Chie," Yukiko said cautiously. "You have apologized for hurting her, you didn't intend to in the first place. If she were a true friend, she would accept your apology."

"I'm not sure it's that simple."

They all turned to look at Naoto, not having expected her to speak. The girl was wearing a very thoughtful expression underneath her newsboy-casquette cap. "What isn't?" Teddie finally prompted when everybody had been quiet for a little too long.

"This situation with Ebihara-san. She's living her life as transgender, and you have jeopardized that life. Even if on accident, I can see how she would interpret that as an attack."

"Come on," Chie sighed. "Any idiot knows the difference between on accident and on purpose."

"Not necessarily. In law, there is such a thing as 'gross criminal negligence'. This means that even if it's an accident, even if you did nothing with the premeditated intent to do harm, you can still cause harm and be held accountable for it. At least, partially."

"So you're saying it's okay that this asshole is trying to frame our friend for cheating?!" Yosuke burst out.

"Hm? Oh, no, not at all," Naoto insisted, a slight crease in her brow. "But this is a matter of criminal pathology. Even if Ebihara-san is not a criminal, she is perpetrating criminal acts; understanding them requires the same skill set. Motive. Means. Opportunity. We already know the last two, more or less; security isn't especially tight at Yasogami High. I'm sure it was a simple matter for her to sneak into the classroom and pilfer the answer key, then sneak it into Rise's bag when no one was looking. So all that's left is… why?"

"Because he's a petty jerk," Chie provided immediately.

"It's not that simple."

"No, it really is. Maybe you guys get something about how serious us gossiping about him was that I don't, but I don't care. You don't treat a friend like that. Period! Even if he's really pissed at Rise, she did apologize, she's trying to make it right. He's not acting like a friend at all. So I say, screw him! Just let him self-destruct and be alone. And if he won't stop being a jerk to you, we will be jerks right back. I'm not going to sit around while he drags you down for something you didn't even do on purpose."

Rise felt a rush of affection toward Chie Satonaka. Even if she couldn't completely agree with everything she was saying, it was nice to know her friends had her back — that these were true blue friendships that had lasted beyond being part of the same Investigation Team. The passion with which she spoke, and the anger she clearly felt toward Ebihara because she was attacking her friend, made the existence of those bonds unmistakable.

However… she also couldn't ignore the way Naoto's brow furrowed further. Kanji also rested a hand on her shoulder. Was she simply upset about losing an argument, or was there more to that?

"I can't disagree with what you say. I was merely trying to point out that in Ebihara-san's estimation, Rise may deserve vengeance more than she does in any of our estimation. She is viewing the situation differently than we are."

"Well his 'estimation' sucks," Chie grumbled.

"Maybe," Rise finally cut in with a discomfited sigh. "But can you guys… can you promise me you won't do anything mean to her without asking me? At least that? I know she's being a jerk, but it's because I messed up. Huge. So this has to be between her and me."

None of them looked too thrilled with that. Yukiko nodded immediately, seemingly satisfied right away that she was doing what was asked of her by her friend. The others were a little slower to agree but they still all did at some point or another, dissatisfied as they were.

"Thanks. And I'm so happy you have my back, I can't express that enough. But I have to figure this out on my own."

"You got it," Kanji grunted as he started reeling in a fish. "Shit… it's a big one… but I'm not gonna forget how you looked when that old bag accused you of cheating. That ain't right. Ebihara better make it right eventually, or his ass is grass."

What an ominous threat. Well-meaning, but ominous. Rise knew she would have to sort this matter out post haste — before she had to find out just how far her friends were willing to go to come to her aid.

                                          ~ o ~

All of this gave birth to a very determined Rise Kujikawa, and this was the one who walked into school on a foggy Monday morning. Ai had done enough damage; she had to forge ahead as if everything was fine. Her new tactic had to be not to let the bullying get to her, because she better understood it was just her friend being hurt by her own actions. And if she wouldn't accept her apology… there was nothing more she could do.

But she didn't have it in her to give up. That option was stricken off the list. Rise was no quitter.

Everything was fine until her second-to-last class of the day. Rise had mostly focused on schoolwork and chatting with her other friends, taking her mind off more depressing matters. Gearing up for a promotional video she was supposed to shoot soon; that would be a first step toward reestablishing herself as an artist, even if she still didn't intend to go back to singing full-time until she graduated. And the class with Ms. Sofue was fine in and of itself… for the first ten minutes or so.

That was when she noticed the smell. At first, she was looking around the room to try and figure out who had lost control of their bowels in such close proximity to other students. Maybe it was something they had for lunch?

A brief investigation ten minutes later revealed the true culprit, once everyone was looking at her like she was being most unladylike. Deep in the recesses of her desk, which she never used to keep anything since she would just have to move it again after class, someone had stuffed an old sandwich. Unless she missed her guess, there was natto and egg on it, among other things. But there was too much mold growing inside the sandwich bag for her to be certain.

"Oh GOOD GOD!" cried one of the boys nearby, covering his face with his arm. "What's in that thing?!"

Waving at the air with her crooked heka, the teacher coughed and demanded, "Please dispose of your lunch in a proper manner from now on, Miss Kujikawa! Make no mistake, even I have no interest in mummified food!"

A few of them were able to wrap it in some paper and drag it to the trash can, amid Rise's protests that she had never seen it before. Nobody believed her, because the natto tended to make it seem obvious that it had come from Marukyu — even though their speciality was tofu, not other soybean offerings. A lot of bickering back and forth broke out until the teacher banged her cane on her desk.

"Enough! Miss Kujikawa has technically broken no rule, even if it was her sandwich. So we'll say no more about it. Please, open your books again and turn to page…"

But the entire class period, Rise couldn't stop thinking about the sandwich. She already knew who it was; only one person at that school was stupid enough to actively mess with a famous pop idol. The instant the bell rang, she pelted out of class so fast that quite a few students gasped. By now, she knew what class Ai was supposed to be in around this time… and where she could find her.

                                          ~ o ~

"Oh!" gasped one of the girls in the locker room when Rise barged past her. "Do you even have this class? What are you doing in the-"

"Ebihara?" she asked. Some girl with a towel wrapped around her hair pointed further into the room. Rise stormed over there to find a towel-clad Ai preening at the mirror hanging on the inside of her locker, running the brush through her hair over and over. "Thanks for your present."

Smirking a little, the girl didn't even glance over. "I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Yeah? You don't recognise it?"

Everyone gasped when she threw it onto the bench nearest Ebihara. That was nothing compared to the chorus of disgusted noises that followed once its foul stench began to pervade the air within the steamy room. Even still wrapped in the plastic bag, it was horrendous.

"Oh, GOD," Ai joined in, though she was chuckling just a little. "Why would you be carrying that thing around? Just to throw at me like that?"

"Why?" she demanded. "This has crossed the line from mean to just… weird! What's the point of stinking up the classroom?"

Full of false innocence, she pressed a hand to her chest as she said, "Why, I don't know. Sounds to me like someone just forgot to throw away her lunch. Maybe you should be a little less wasteful. Then again, as rich and famous as you are, I bet you don't care at all."

A ripple of murmurs spread throughout the room. Rise knew that they didn't really care about the sandwich, or about wastefulness, but they were highly concerned with this argument between two students playing out right in front of them. Gossip fodder. So she decided not to give them any more ammunition.

"Okay. We'll just throw it away." She snatched it off the bench and flashed Ai a poisonous smile. "Have a lovely day, Ebi-chan."

"Don't you mean Ebi-kun?"

Rise stopped dead in her tracks. She actually looked around for what assholes had said it, determined to give them a dressing down. Even if they were fighting, nobody got to talk about her friend like that. But she realized it had come from Ai herself. "What?"

"You were one of the people that started the rumour, right?" She looked so haughty, arms folded over her chest and hip cocked to one side. "So I'm surprised you let it go that easy."

Deciding to play along, she smirked and shot back, "I heard you showed off the goods to some other girls and it proved it was false."

"Yeah. But since when do people like you care about facts? You would much rather be right than the truth prevail."

"People like- okay. Whatever this is, whatever you want from me, I'm done with it. I thought we could try to be adults and move on, but all you want to do is start a war — one I'm not interested in fighting. Just leave me alone if you really can't stand me this bad, okay?"

Ai laughed and took a step forward. "Rise-Risette, the gossip-monger. And now, the cheater! What terrible thing are you going to do next?"

"I didn't do anything in the first place!"

"You know you did." The smile disappeared for a second, leaving her friend's features full of cold fury. But it was so brief that most of the other girls probably wouldn't have noticed; then she was smiling like rainbows were shooting out of her ass again. "And hey, if you want to try to blame me for all of it, go ahead. You might as well."

"No, that's not necessary. Maybe it's just a series of tragic coincidences."

"Uh huh. Or maybe you're just a self-destructive pop idol, a little brat who couldn't hack it in the entertainment industry, and now that you're stuck in boring old Inaba, you want attention again. Don't you see you're going about it all the wrong ways?"

So that was her game. Now Rise could see this for what it was: it wasn't just any one incident meant to slander her and give her a bad name. All of them together were supposed to paint a picture of a celebrity spiraling out of control. Rise was going to turn into the Japanese Britney Spears if Ai Ebihara had anything to do with it.

"You really want to destroy me that badly?" she hissed now that they were so close their noses were almost touching. All the girls around them were whispering and chattering, watching the drama intently. The rub was, they were gossiping so much about what they were saying that they couldn't even actually hear what they were saying.

"You can bet on it. I told you I was going to, unless you destroy me first. And I think you will. I think you are exactly the kind of person who will shoot in self-defense."

"That isn't me," she breathed, glancing down at Ai's body. It was so close to her own… she couldn't help looking, couldn't help feeling flustered even though they were fighting right now. "We both know that. You're just mad I messed up, and you won't let me apologize, and you won't leave it alone. There's nothing else I can do."

"Yes there is." Then she hiked an eyebrow slightly, lowering her voice to barely a whisper. "What? What are you looking at?"

"Nothing. Just… trying to figure out what to-"

"You were trying to figure out if you could see my dick. Weren't you?" As Rise felt her brow furrow, Ai chuckled and pressed on, "Do it. Go looking."

She could feel her temper flaring hotter. It was getting hard to control. "Stop being so gross. I wouldn't do that, I haven't done that, and I'm not going to do that."

"Why not? Come on… all you have to do is rip this towel off me. Show the world. Maybe I'm tucking again, maybe I'm not. But wouldn't that be great if you exposed a scandal in the women's locker room? Risette the Hero, saving all these poor girls from the freak."

"You know — you know I have never once in my life called you a freak, why do you want me to hurt you so badly? What do you get out of it? Are you some kind of psycho masochist?!"

"Sure! Go with that. Even more reason to save everyone. Do it." No movement. "Clock's ticking. The longer you wait, the weirder it's going to be that we're standing here whispering to each other."

But Rise's mind was racing. She still had no idea really why she was pushing so hard for her to attack, to be so vicious. She thought back to the revelation she had when walking home — about Ai, about what these attacks meant for their relationship. And when she thought of it that way…

Everything came together. Of course, nothing was for certain until she heard it straight from the horse's mouth, but now Rise thought she understood the reason her former friend was trying so hard to get her to treat her like vermin.

"No," she whispered with a small smile.

"No? Aww, I guess the games continue then," Ai said with a fake, exaggerated pout. "You're going to have to be a lot tougher than that to make it as a star."

"Actually… let's play a new game. Unless you want to give up now?" Her pleading face returned. "Please, please just stop. I'll leave you alone if that's what you want, or we can go back to being friends and… try to put this behind us. But I'm not giving up, not going away. So…? Maybe?"

Ai shook her head. "This isn't your game, you don't get to change the rules, princess. So nice try."

"Fine," she sighed… before sliding her arms tightly around Ai.

"H-hey!" she burst out. Then a little louder, "Oh my GOD, now Risette is trying to molest me!"

Before the gasps really had a chance to deepen, Rise sobbed, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you, I just… I just love you so much Ai, a-and when you… when you pulled away, I didn't know what to do! Can't you forgive me?"

Even the girls who weren't watching before were glued to this scene now. And even though she could tell Ai didn't like losing control of the situation — hated might have been more apropos — she still drew back to gape at her.

"What… did you just say?"

"I asked you to forgive-"

"Cut the bullSHIT!" she snapped loudly enough that one smaller girl yelped and fell back on her ass, scrabbling for the nearest bench. "You can't mean that. Not in front of all these people, you… they'll know you're- if you say how you feel, that's…"

"I don't care about them! I love you, Ai, I… I didn't mean for us to end up this way!" Her bottom lip wobbled hard as she took a shaky breath. "But if you really can't forgive me, I'll understand! I just… I can't go on with us hurting each other like this!"

"Oh, this is so not going to work," she scoffed… until she saw a few of the girls putting their hands on Rise's shoulders, comforting her as the big fat tears rolled down her cheeks. Offering tissues, petting her hair. "Are you- wow, you guys can't be buying this! It's an act!"

"Hey, don't be so mean!" said some girl with bobbed hair; Rise thought her name was Matsunaga, but she couldn't remember at the moment. The moment Ai's gaze was on her, she said much more quietly, "S-sorry."

"Oh my GOD. Fine. Whatever, I'm out of here."

But a wall of girls blocked her way. They were all glowering at her now, looking ready to throw down; they would never have challenged alone but there was safety in numbers. Ai's eyebrows shot up, unimpressed… but the more she looked at all of them, the more anxious she appeared. Not frightened, just uneasy from the attention. The constant attention, while wearing a towel… prospect of a fight… she backed into a corner and they started to advance on her. This would get seriously out of hand if someone didn't step in.

Someone stepped in.

"Please, just give me another chance," Rise provided smoothly as she slid forward through the throng of girls, taking up Ai's hand — which was immediately yanked out of reach. Her voice was taut with emotion as she pleaded, "That's all! I'll show you I can be a better friend, a-and those pranks? Forgotten! And I won't ever tell another lie about you again, I promise!"

Ai took another good look around at the student body standing in opposition against her. The wheels were turning behind her eyes. Then she glared down at Rise with a shake of her head. "You… conniving… snake," she muttered.

Some of the girls heard it, and looked more scandalised. And because now everyone else was behind her… Rise felt comfortable allowing a smug, triumphant smirk to take over her features. Just for an instant. She even mouthed a few choice words:

"You only have one way out."

Oh, she had never seen Ai look that angry before. This wasn't just annoyance or rage. She looked murderous. But it only lasted a second before she sighed, shut her eyes, took a breath.

"Rise… fine. I know… I went too far. Can you forgive me?"

"Wow, really sounds authentic," one of the others closest to the lockers scoffed.

"No, really." When Ai opened her eyes again, she was smiling weakly. "I have missed you. I just didn't know… I was so angry when you started that nasty rumour."

"I know. It was a stupid mistake! And I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you, if you just… take me back! That's all you have to do." She took both of her hands, ignoring the way nails were digging into her own. Petty little revenges were par for the course now. "Just be with me."

One could hear a pin drop in that locker room. Ai pulled her close and whispered softly, "You want to play this game? We're playing it on a national level."

"Bring it on," she replied in kind, smirking again — even while her heart pounded in her throat from the closeness. "But c'mon, I beat you this round."

"Shut up."

Such a chorus of "WHOOOOO" went up when they kissed that it felt like they were shaking the foundation of Yasogami High. Probably because, metaphorically as well as literally, they were. Game-changer indeed.

                                          To Be Continued…

[afoxysunny]

Robbie as Bullock

This post will probably differ from the others in structure and be a lot longer for one big reason

When choosing Miraculous for the Lazytown characters i really wanted to only use ones that we've already seen in use in Miraculous Ladybug and know how they work from there.

For Robbie i broke that rule. I don't really remember what first made me consider it but it probably had to do with the fact that i think the Ox Miraculous, just aesthetically, would fit Robbie perfectly!

So for this one i had to start from scratch completely, no reference for a canon hero design, no idea what power or weapon he'd get, no clue what the phrase to transform could be.

Of cause i used the most references for him but here are the ten i found most important

Obviously i don't expect any of my speculations to become even remotely canon once we find out what Stompp, the Ox Miraculous, actually does but i hope it at least makes sense for now.

I like how I've drawn all the others standing head on to face the camera and Robbie just leans there. That's because you have to think he doesn't care, the little Tsundere

Concept Overview:

In the Miraculous Ladybug episode we meet all the Kwamis, including Stompp, he is the most actively concerned about Nooroo so now that the Butterfly Kwami is back I'm sure Stompp would want to stay around him. With Sportacus partnering with Nooroo, teaming up Robbie and Stompp made the most sense to them.

Design Notes Incoherent Thoughts I had to justify what I'm Drawing:

Purple and Blue - it amused me no end that with the choices i made blue Sportacus got a purple Kwami and purple Robbie got a blue kwami. I did kinda dislike at first how little blue the costume has in comparison to purple but i decided i don't have to make a decision because apparently the canon show can't make up its mind about Stompp's colour either. The blue and purple can always be swapped if i decide i don't like it

Harness - Ox' are hard working animals, mostly used to pull heavy objects. For that purpose they get strapped into a harness. Obviously i had to include that in this design, the chain hanging from the collar around his neck has a similar purpose (it only occured to me way too late how kinky it looks please ignore that)

Cape? No cape? - because of the imbalance in colours i briefly considered giving him a cape like a Matador would have but only for a second or so. I wanted to keep Robbie's iconic body shape untouched by a bunky cape, also the few times he wore a cape in the show he really struggled with it and also i think it would've clashed with the tail

Tail - speaking of which, an ox' tail has that frizzy end to it but i really liked the chain as his tail so to emulate the thicker part at the end i hung a padlock there. And that really worked. Not only bc that's just how bulls and ox are kept in check with their strength but also because the oblong shape of a combination lock makes for a fitting shape and can be used in universe. You see, Robbie is not that good with just saying what he wants or expressing how he feels. This four letter combination lock is magic and kinda betrays and helps him at the same time. It spells out any given four letter word that fits his mood best at any given moment

Miraculous Nosering - if a Lazytown character would unironically get a nosering, it'd be Robbie. I'm sorry, i don't take criticism on that

Horns - he needed horns. He just did. Look how good he looks with horns! But for real, in Miraculous Ladybug Chat Noir gets actual cat ears so he can get actual horns, also like Chat he the white parts of his eyes turn yellow like Stompp's while keeping his signature grey iris

Hair - ox' are mostly shown with like bangs covering their eyes so i couldn't resist ruffling his usually so perfectly done hair up to make it fall a little like that

Weapon - my first thought of "Miraculous takes cliché traits for animals to base their powers on so i guess bullfighting is the way to go here" made me really sad. This "Sport" is so disgusting i wanted to cry and puke while reading about it. I'll spare you the details but in addition to the Matador in the arena there's other guys too to weaken the bull before the Matador kills it, one of them throws knives. Miraculous Ladybug likes combining weapons with toys so I'm giving him darts. They are fastened to the front of his harness and i think how they can be used is along the lines of, once he zhrows them with his super strength and they pin into something they can only be removed when he allows that, also like the ladybug's jojo they can fly how long and whatever direction he wants, and probably also is able to just manifest them back to himself if ever one gets lost

Miraculous Power - again, just pure speculation here, but the powers we so far know of are all loosely based on an exaggerated cartoon trope of each animal so for the ox that is hard working and persistent and for the bull that'd be aggression and tunnel vision. While typing this i get the urge to add blinders to his mask but i digress. So i made up an exaggerated power that'd fit both but when i told my test group (two people) one said "oh, kinda like Bloodhound from Apex Legends" and the ozher said "so like hunter's mark from DnD" i play neither so i don't know but maybe you do do that's the short version of the explanation xD his power is based on the cartoonish depiction of a bull seeing something that bothers him and then charging at it for as long as he can until he gets it. Once Robbie focuses on an enemy or someone running away or someone he is following for whatever reason he can use his power to keep track of them. No matter how far away they go or where they try to hide. It sounds OP as shit but think of the Snake and Bunny who can both time travel and then say that again. The catch is he needs to use it while that person is still in clear sight for him so i think it balances a little better

Name:

Do you know the difference between a Bull and an Ox? Well, let me mansplain it to you anyway

The reason i kept switching between drawing inspiration from bulls and ox' is because it's the same animal. Those are both names for an adult male cow. The only difference being that an ox is castrated and a bull is not. Stompp is the Ox Miraculous so tough nuts Robbie, literally. But making babies isn't really on his to do list anyway with Sportacus as his partner so who cares.

Anyway, I had the design done and like always i struggled a lot with naming it

But then i learned a Bullock is not only a cool word that seems to be a mix of bull and lock like his design is but it also is the official name of a male cow too young to be castrated yet! Isn't that just perfect? I think it is

Also I'll include in this section the phrases one needs to speak to have Stompp transform them into this Ox themed Superhero and for the power to activate. If you think of something more fitting for either please let me know!

Transformation:

simple version - horns up / horns down

More detailed - time to charge / time to loaf

(charging is when a bull starts running blindly at something; loafing is the professional farmer term for a resting cow)

Power: Target Charge, Locked On, or my personal favorite option Head-On. Again going with the more in depth terminology, that's what the running style of a bull is called when he's chatging at a target

Story:

Robbie lived in Lazytown but when the kids grew louder and older and he got more annoyed wih not having his peace and quiet he just up and left. He spent a lot of time traveling around, living wherever it was comfortable and leaving when it wasn't anymore. Thanks to being an inventor and overall talanted crafty person he got by pretty easily as there was always a company running on "hire a lazy person for an important job, they'll find the easiest solution for the most complicated problems" so he never really had to worry.

Whether by coincidence or fate Robbie and Sportacus run into each other and despite Robbie being a little difficult they both immediately feel strangely drawn to one another. With time going by they meet more often, at first more or less by chance but eventually they plan to meet up regularly. They might have very different ways of doing it but they share a common lifestyle: helping out others to live a comfortable and fulfilling life.

Only after Sportacus was chosen to be the new Guardian of the Miracle Box he finally asks Robbie to join him, full time by his side traveling in his airship around the world wherever they may be needed. Of cause only for moral support and such, obviously. You see, they always enjoyed each others company and sort of over time eased into a relationship like coexistence but neither of them ever really acknowledged that. Only when Sportacus got Nooroo's power to sense other people's feelings that barrier of miscommunication fully fell. Robbie is incredibly bad with conveying his emotions but now Sportacus can sense that he has potentially the most powerful and purest emotions he ever encountered. Not only is each feeling of his powerful but when there is more than one at play they don't mix together and muddy each other but instead boost even more. He knew before that he wanted Robbie to join him but that discovery made it a necessity.

Despite not being able to actually say so Robbie is thrilled to come along. Only over time and with a lot of painfully slow conversations they manage to agree to make their relationship official.

Stompp, the sassy Ox Kwami, regularly bursts out of the Miracle Box to want to check on Nooroo and slowly he and Robbie bond over telling Sportacus and Nooroo to go easier on themselves and let a little responsibility get taken off their shoulders so eventually they team up and Bullock is created.

Thanks to Robbie's hard work to better himself with Sportacus' help, Stompp's magic transformation provides him with a tail that conveys his feelings for him.

When they hear that Lazytown has been wiped clean of grown-ups Sportacus immediately flies them over there so Robbie can check on his hometown. Finding only a few children, now teens, left there Robbie recognizes them and the two form the plan to give them Miraculous' too so they can help to find their lost family, friends and neighbors and fight together to bring them back.

Wow that was so much to read and you did it! I'm so impressed and thankful! You deserve a pat on the back (if you want one) and a cookie and/or sportscandy on your way out

[uomo-accattivante]

One of the things you can’t help noticing when you talk to Oscar Isaac is just how incredible he is at playing the part of Oscar Isaac. It’s not that he’s putting on a performance. But when you talk to Oscar Isaac, the public idea of Oscar Isaac begins to make a tremendous amount of sense.

We talk a couple of days before the release of Netflix’s new Triple Frontier, an action-adventure heist/American military allegory flick (it’s a lot) that Isaac stars in, and Isaac manages to, within the span of a few minutes, quote Shakespeare and express guilt about shoplifting in his college days. In other words: He’s sensitive with a risky streak. It’s no wonder the Internet has declared him its boyfriend (and more recently, its husband).

This quality, of course, is part of what makes Isaac so compelling to watch when he’s playing an actual role. He seamlessly shades his characters with duality; by turns he can play dour and charming, cerebral and clueless. Take Triple Frontier. Isaac portrays a character, Santiago ‘Pope’ Garcia, who is essentially a stand-in for Donald Rumsfeld. He’s tasked with rallying an all-star gang of ex-Special Forces agents (played by Ben Affleck, Charlie Hunnam, Pedro Pascal, and Garrett Hedlund) to execute a covert heist of a South American drug lord. It’s an ill-fated, and perhaps misguided, operation, but Isaac makes you believe that nothing can go wrong—and, moreover, that what they’re doing is inherently right, all while emitting a sense of manifest failure.

On the heels of turning 40, Isaac hasn’t given much thought to where he wants to take his talents for portraying complex characters next, only that he wants to scale back. “Doing the circus thing can get tiring after a while,” he says. Though, it won’t be long before he talks about what a thrill it was to train for a daunting high elevation chase scene. The change of tune comes off genuinely; he digs a good adventure, but also wants to settle down. It’s both. And it’s Oscar Isaac, so you believe him.

Happy birthday!

Thank you.

Did you do anything exciting?

We had a little bit of a house party. We just moved to a new place. So we thought, “Why not trash it? Have a party.”

It was a pretty big birthday [40]. As you move into middle age, are there new kinds of roles you're interested in playing?

No, not necessarily. But it's just kind of fun to start a new decade.

Do you have a philosophy in terms of how you choose roles generally?

Oh no, if only. Things would be so much easier. Choosing roles is really more like falling in love. I don't have a specific type that I'm looking for. It's just kind of if I read the thing or speak to the director or see some art that's connected with it and it incites something where I can't stop thinking about it, then I keep moving towards it.

Tell me about how you fell in love, then, with the character of Pope in Triple Frontier.

I worked with J.C. [Chandor] on A Most Violent Year. That had gone well. And I knew he was somebody I could trust in the editing room. You could try lots of different things and he won't make you look like an idiot. And then he talked to me about the kind of guy this is, the parables behind the whole movie, it being an allegory to the way the United States has operated throughout the world, and how in some ways my character is the Donald Rumsfeld of the story. [Pope] says, “Look, we can do this. We can take out a really bad guy. We'll be rich. We'll be in and out. No problem.” And so there's a bit of hubris there about their skills—even though these characters are incredibly skilled. But he underestimates the team's greed.

Once I became involved, we started having conversations. We thought an interesting complication—and one thing that would make it not feel so cliché—would be making the character of Pope actually from the area that he's been working in. There's a familial connection to it, so there's something more at stake. He wants to take out this guy not just as a trophy but because he actually thinks it'll make a difference.

In Annihilation you also played someone in the military. And I read that you at one point had considered joining the Marines. Is there something about diving into that military world that attracted you?

Yeah. That's definitely something I had been into when I was younger, and I had imagined that that was an avenue I could've gone down for my life. And I was very near going to boot camp and starting that whole process, and then other things happened that took me away from that. So I think there's always something inside of me that wonders about the What if? of it.

I can be quite a good student when it comes to certain things. So learning the mechanics of working with the weapons, learning about situational awareness and clearing the room, the team-building exercises—all those things, I got very excited by. And also, there was a lot of high altitude training.

What was that like?

What was cool was that all of us had a different physical task. Garrett [Hedlund] was the MMA fighter and there was a whole MMA fight that ended up getting cut down quite a bit. So he ended up spending a lot of time training that way, training with jiu-jitsu. Pedro [Pascal] spent a lot of time with the cockpit and flying. And then Charlie [Hunnam] and Ben [Affleck] both found things that were specific to their characters. And for me, I knew that I was having to do this extended chase sequence in Colombia, which was between 10,000 and 13,000 feet, depending on exactly where we were shooting. So I knew that was something I needed to train for just so I'd be able to do more than one take without throwing up. And I found a place here in New York that's a hyperbaric chamber that's able to replicate what it's like to run in different altitudes. They have a treadmill in there. And an oxygen mask, and even a tent you could sleep in at night to get your blood saturated with oxygen.

When you were preparing, what kinds of things did you learn about the military that surprised you, or that you didn't know when you were considering joining the Marines way back when?

I was a kid back then, so I didn't know much. I was like, “I'll get fit. I'll get money for college. I'll go in there because some of my friends are planning on going in there as well.” There were some people I admired who had been. This was like 1998. But the reality of it is the amount of sacrifice—not just physically, but emotionally. Being separated from your family for long, long periods of time. And especially special forces guys, who are just the elite, top of the top. There's this sense of [it being] these tough guys, these killers, chest-pounding guys. The truth is the people we spoke with [have] humility and soft-spokenness and ethical codes they go by, [there’s] lack of rejoicing in violence, the desire for connection, and the way deadly force is viewed—all those things I found to not be clichéd adolescent ideas of what being a military guy is.

The movie is very much an allegory about the American military and the country's greed. But how did you internalize the individual sense of greed that you're portraying in the film?

There's something that's epic about it. It's a very primal tale. Macbeth is the same thing. Macbeth is a heroic soldier. The entire first part of Macbeth is everyone saying what an incredible soldier Macbeth was, what he did, how he was fearless, courageous, how he saved his men. He is the hero. And then that little thing gets in there like an infection, this thought, What more could I have? "What do I deserve for everything that I've done?" And that’s mixed with the violence the person is seeing. So that for me was very interesting. Noble people who have a tragic flaw that brings them down. For my character, it was less the money. It was more revenge, taking out this one guy he's been hunting since he's been down there. He actually believes that if he cuts down this head, the rest of the thing will fall.

Did you return to moments in your life or career where you caught yourself letting greed get the best of you?

I think when I was in college I definitely did some damage at the Tower Records across the street. And the Barnes & Noble... And a couple liquor stores. There was a sense of, “I am a college student. I can barely make ends meet over here. This is a big company; they're not going to mind if I take this book of poetry.” So I could justify snagging a few items here and there. But of course Tower Records closes down, and I can't help but feel at fault.

It’s not your fault.

It was a flawed system. They had the bargain DVDs right next to the place where you walk out. So you could just put [your bag] right there next to it, go through the metal detectors, and then reach back and grab your bag.

Do you think you could graduate from Barnes & Noble theft and pull off an actual heist?

No. I wouldn't know where to begin or what to do. Anything I know about it is from movies.

Are you a fan of the heist genre?

I like the heist genre thrown on its head. My favorite movie is Dog Day Afternoon. And that is another thing where it's like, Let's do this thing. We're going to rob a bank. In and out of there. And everything that happens after that is, to me, the most exciting part. It's people in extreme situations. I worked in a hospital when I was younger, and that's something I learned a lot from, seeing people in extreme situations. You see the entire spectrum of humanity in those moments.

As a musician and a big music fan, how do you use music to get yourself in the mindset of a role?

I've done that for ages. Often for me, it's less specific about, This makes me think about this thing. It's more about what gets me to a place of readiness, openness. What makes me feel connected to the earth a bit more. Sometimes I'll put together music that I find inspiring thematically, or tonally. But I think if it's something that needs any real depth of emotion, there's this one guy named Ernst Reijseger, an incredible cellist who did the soundtrack to Werner Herzog's Cave of Forgotten Dreams. I listen to that and it puts me in a primal state. It opens me up so I'm able to receive anything that's floating around inside without judging it too much.

Were you listening to that for this role?

For this one, there were a couple moments when I did. But I think I listened to a lot of Sepultura, a Brazilian hardcore metal band. It gave a sense of the chaos and the violence, and it has some Brazilian kind of tribal elements to it. So it felt like a bit of a mix of everything they're getting involved in down there.

What's the best piece of direction you've gotten in your career?

The first one that comes to my mind was just like the sweetest way of saying "Tone it down." A great writer, Hossein Amini, he came over and in the sweetest way said, "The camera is just not able to capture what you're doing right now. We don't have the technology yet to get what you're doing. So you just have to bring it down a bit so we can capture it on the camera."

My editor insisted I find out about the footage you filmed for the Disney Parks upcoming Star Wars-themed lands. Is there anything you can tell me?

I'm afraid I can't, because actually I don't really remember [laughs]. I think some of it happened in the middle of filming the actual movie. So they were like, "Hey, today you're coming in and you'll be in the cockpit." So it's those kinds of situations. I'm sure I'm in the cockpit and I'm screaming about something important.

[buffster]

Doomed (BTVS 4.11)

This is part of my ongoing Buffyverse Project, where I write notes/meta for every episode in an attempt to better understand the characters and themes of the shows. You can find the BTVS list here and the ATS list here. Gifs are not mine.

Doomed opens exactly where Hush closed--with Buffy and Riley silently staring at each other. There’s a distinct difference in the question they each have for the other: Buffy wants to know who Riley is while Riley wants to know what Buffy is. It’s already obvious that Riley has a job while Buffy has a calling. 

Of course, Buffy already knows much more about the Initiative than Riley knows about the Slayer. She does learn the official name they have for supernatural creatures: HSTs, or Hostile Sub-Terrestrials. Hard to take them seriously with that name. 

Buffy: I'm the Slayer. Slay-er. Chosen one? She who hangs out a lot in cemeteries? You're kidding. In every genera--You know, I really don't feel like doing the routine. Ask around. Look it up: Slayer comma The.

Amazing that Buffy’s ran into a group less competent than the Watcher’s Council. Buffy isn’t exactly thrilled Riley isn’t the normal guy she thought he was. After Angel, she’s just not looking for drama. Right now she’s looking for “not Angel” more than she’s looking for “new guy”. 

For some reason (the inconvenience of moving him, perhaps?) Spike is continuing to live with Xander. I can see where all the Spander fics launched because they’re definitely arguing pretty bad. I’m assuming Xander’s parents haven't noticed their new house guest or they’d be demanding more rent. Spike is basically useless around the house and Xander demands he step up. Surprisingly, he tries...but ends up shrinking his clothes and having to wear Xander’s. I guess all-powerful vampires don’t have to bother with laundry. 

Xander: No. You're not a guest. You're a vampire and you have no soul and I don't get exactly why we're not making you into Spike-on-a-stick.

Spike: Wish you would, if it's gonna be like this.

(breaks something) Property damage I can do.

Xander: That's it! I am way past through with you. Hate to break it to you, Oh, Impotent One, but you're not the"Big Bad" anymore. You're not even the "Kinda Naughty." You're nothing but a waste of space. My space. And as much as I always got a big laugh watching Buffy kick your shiny, white bum, and as much as I know I could give you a little bum-kicking myself now, I'm here to tell you...you're not even worth it.

Buffy has this habit of keeping her problems bottled up post-Angel. I think the confusion of her friends being traumatized from Angelus plus her still having feelings for him caused her to shut down. And honestly she never goes back to the way she was (I’m referencing her not talking to Giles or Willow about Riley being a commando, here). 

Buffy: I've so got a reason. Pretty darn good one. The last time we had an earthquake, I died.

Giles: Yes. I know that. And therefore completely understand your anxiety.

Buffy: Oh, good. Hate for my little"untimely, horrible death"concern to be ambiguous.

Now that I’m thinking on it, Buffy’s death was brushed under the rug a bit. Thinking she was going to die had to be horribly traumatizing and probably left scars akin to being a survivor of a brutal attack. But BTVS doesn’t have time for PTSD. 

Forrest: Well, the way I got it figured, Slayer's like some kind of Bogeyman for the Sub-Terrestrials. Something they tell their little spawn to get them to eat their vegetables and clean up their slime pits.

I found it a bit weird Riley doesn’t know about the tales of the Slayer while Forrest does. Riley ranks higher than him. Perhaps it’s alluding to his blinders when it comes to what he’s working for? Forrest, on the other hand, has narrowed everything down to black and white thinking: the HSTs are just animals. Riley hasn’t really looked into the Initiative while Forrest has and likes what he’s found just fine.  I feel like I’ve seen this mentioned before, but I’m definitely getting Forrest-has-a-crush-on-Riley vibes. He’s super dismissive of Buffy and extremely jealous anytime Riley worries about her over him. 

Willow decides to head to a party alone in the hopes that Buffy will eventually show. I hated when Willow overheard Percy mocking her. I really wanted to have some faith in humanity and believe the “jock” saw the “nerd”’s value. Willow ends up crying in some random dorm until she realizes she’s next to a dead body.

Buffy: Wow. See, I was kind of unsure about where the party was. And then I saw the flashing red lights and the ambulance, and it's like... oh, right, of course. Carnage. Death. It's a Buffy party.

After some research the gang and the Initiative realize something big is coming. We get to see that both sides have their advantages: Team Buffy has more knowledge of the occult while Team Initiative has convenient gadgets. 

Giles: It’s the end of the world.

Willow: We did this already.

Xander: it is losing its impact a little.

Giles: End of the world. Divisions break down, Hell itself flows into our lives like a sea of fire. Loss,tears and heart-rending pain without end for every human man, woman and child on this earth. Death ten times over. For each of you and everyone you love.

Xander: Hmm. Feeling the impact again.

I love when a television show is able to make fun of itself, so I loved the exchange above. After the world is supposed to end multiple times you stop believing the heroes won’t stop it. 

Buffy and Riley run into each other while on patrol and finally have The Talk.

Buffy: Can't... any of it. Can't be with you. It's a mistake, it's a huge black pit of a mistake and I can't go there again.

Riley: Again? You've dated me before?

Buffy: No. But I've been involved with...you don't know what my life is like.

Riley: And I'm dying to find out!

Buffy: Operative word: dying. There's too much risk -- there's too much... It's just doomed, okay, and I can't do doomed again right now.

Riley: I don't understand where this is coming from. I know you like me. And it's not like we don't have anything in common.

Buffy: But it's --

Riley: Buffy. I'm thrown by this. I'm confused. But I can feel my skin humming -- my hands, my... every inch of me. I've never been this excited by a girl and I'm not trying to scare you, not gonna force myself on you but I am by God not gonna walk away because I think it might not work. I don't know what's happened in the past --

Buffy: Death. Pain. Apocalypse -- none of them fun. Do you know what the Hellmouth is? Do they have a fancy term for it, 'cause I went to high school on top of it. For three years. We don't have that much in common. This is a job to you.

Riley: It's not just a job --

Buffy: It's an adventure, great, but for me It's destiny. It's something I can't escape, something I can't change. I'm stuck.

Riley: You don't have to be. You're not in high school anymore. You can change things.

Buffy: Riley... No.

Riley: I know it seems like --

Buffy: My answer is no.

Finding out Riley knows about the supernatural upped the intensity of their relationship in a way Buffy just wasn’t ready for. In the back of her mind I think she imagined slaying would stall and eventually end her relationship with him, which made him safe. She didn’t have to worry about going through something real again. But now that they could really fall for each other she’s running scared.

Xander: Is too. For one thing - that's my shirt you're about to dust. And for another - we've shared a lot here. You should have trusted me enough to do it for you.

Willow: Xander-

Xander: What? He wants to die. I want to help.

Spike attempts suicide (badly). I get they were trying to throw in a comedic moment there, but I don’t know...it feels like Spike hasn’t tried sufficiently hard to get the chip removed to throw in the towel. And I haven’t really seen signs of depression up until this point? I guess it must be difficult to change your lifestyle and not just forcefully take what you want after centuries, though. I’m not going to get into the politics of suicide here because the show kind of toys with what’s okay when it comes to vampires. It’s okay to murder them because they’re just things, so it’s not surprising it’s okay to mock their attempts to kill themselves.

Forrest: I don't know about this girl, man. She's got you whupped something fierce, and you haven't even--

Riley: You'd be wise not to finish that thought, private. Now carry on.

Forrest is gay Forrest is gay Forrest is gay

Riley: You've got this twisted way of looking at things. This -this doom and gloom mentality. You keep thinking like that, things are probably going to turn out just the way you expect.

Buffy: You know, there is nothing more dangerous than a psych grad student. 

Riley: Buffy -- where's the bad here? It just turns out we're even more well matched than we thought we were. I mean, you're a--fry cook. And so am I.

Buffy: Right. But you're an amateur... fry cook and I come from a long line of fry cooks who don't live past twenty-five.

Riley: Which is exactly the attitude I'm talking about! I know the risks of what we do. I also know it's more rewarding than any other job on the planet. And fun-

Buffy: Fun? Right. The last person I knew who believed that is in a coma right now because she had so much "fun" on the job.

Riley: I'm not saying you shouldn't take your work seriously-

Buffy: But just turn my frown upside down, is that it? I wish I could - but this isn't the kind of gig where you hang it up at the end of the day and snuggle with your honey.

Riley: But why? Why can't it be?

Buffy: I've tried it, okay? And every time, things fall apart - and I get sucked right back into the uber evil.

Riley: Welcome to the story of the world! Things fall apart, Buffy. Evil - it comes and goes. But the way people manage is, they don't do it alone. They pull each other through. And, sometimes, they even enjoy themselves. If you weren't so self involved, you'd see that!

Buffy: You don't know what you're talking about. You barely know me. 

Riley: I know that it's not just the job thing. I'm sure there's some good looking guy that done you wrong in there too but mostly I think you want to stay down in the dark place.'Cause maybe it's safer down there.

I’d like to point out that Buffy has picked up Angel’s habit of trying to run off in the middle of things. Or maybe they were just well matched there. I’m also going to go out on a limb and say at this point Riley hadn’t lost anyone on the job. He says he knows the risks like he doesn’t really know, know what I mean? Doesn’t this make you wonder if Riley was on the other side of this conversation with his future-wife post Buffy?

Spike: I should think you'd be glad to greet the end of days. I mean, neither one of you is making much of a go at it. You. Kids your age are going off to University -- you made it as far as the basement. And Red here. You couldn't even keep dog boy happy. I mean, you can take the loser out of high school-

Willow: I see what you're doing. You're trying to get us to dust you-

Spike: Am not. I just don't want pity from geeks more useless than I am.

Willow: We are not useless! We - we help people. We fight the forces of evil-

Spike: Buffy fights the forces of evil.You're her groupies. She'd do just as well without you. Better, I'dwager - since she wouldn't have to go about saving your hides all the time.

Xander: That is so not true. We're part ofthe team. She needs us.

Spike: Or - you're just the same 10th grade losers you've always been - and she's too much of a softy to cut you loose.

Man, Spike. Cut right to the heart of things why don’t ya? It makes sense we’re finally acknowledging Willow and Xander’s inferiority complex. It’s been in the background for awhile. We see from Spike’s smirk that he doesn’t really mean the things he says; he’s just trying to cause conflict. But he knows exactly how to do it. 

I’m a big fan of nostalgia so I loved the scene back in Sunnydale High. I read in the script that we see Amy’s mom there but I missed that. I’ll have to look again. During the fight scene Spike learns he can fight demons, which is a great revelation for him that allows him to take out some aggression and feel strong again. Buffy and Riley team up to save the world. 

Riley: Well, hey! Willow. Xander, right? What are the chances, huh? I was just passing by - and I thought I heard people inside-

Willow: You were just passing by...in your GI Joe outfit? 

Buffy: No offense - but you are looking wicked conspicuous.

Riley: I am? But it's... paint ball and then the aftershock and I-

Xander: So you're one of the commando guys, huh?

Buffy, your Faith love is showing. Riley doesn’t recognize Spike (which, really? They really do view them as animals). 

The episode ends with Buffy and Riley kissing. She’s decided to take the leap.

Character Notes:

Buffy Summers: She is a “Capricorn on the cusp of Aquarius” making her birthday January 19. She labels herself (somewhat sarcastically) as passionate, artistic, and inquisitive. When she patrols she gets bored and memorizes things on masoulems like cereal boxes. 

Riley Finn: His code name is “Lilac One”. 

Willow Rosenberg: She’s very bothered by Percy calling her a nerd because she thinks she’s distanced herself from that. She was even dating a guitarist. 

Xander Harris: When they need to leave Sunnydale High, Xander runs to help Spike out because he’s fallen down. 

[dancekickboxcardio]

I don’t know about you guys. But when you are on your technology 📱 💻 , do you guys notice that it doesn’t do exactly what you want or you operate it like usual to no go or something is just not right. I am a computer 💻 graduate student right. Also, I had a desktop when I was a kid. I never read the instructions on how to use them or studied 🤓 how Microsoft Office works. I learned as I go. When I was working as a caregiver, I actually had a MICU contract with the Clinic a semester before graduation among all things, my client’s husband was interested in the area and picked my mind on the topic. He was amazed at my troubleshooting skills when his printer 🖨 would not work. It is really trial and error based on knowledge. My German radio 📻 won’t play. All systems are in place. I disconnect the Bluetooth and played the app. The audio was coming out of my phone 📱. I also had changed Internet connections 🔗 from DSL. Our family plan has unlimited data 🌐. Well, I am enjoying 😊 it as I want it. I had a piece of cake 🍰. I didn’t ask for heavy whipping cream. I should learn to getting by. That’s how most people live. There is something powerful in keeping yourself in check. It spills out in many areas of life. I slept 🛏 in and without guilt. I don’t have an oversleeping 💤 headache 🤕. I am happy 😃 even if I am not anywhere but the gym 🏃🏼‍♀️ 💪🏾. I wanted to take a picture 📸 of the new TRX like training area. There are boxing 🥊 bags. How exciting 😆 . I was like a new kid on the playground. Soaking in every details of this novel machinery. I was like, “What are those big disk for, how about those handles?” It was thrilling. You forgot that it’s suppose to intimidate you and many people were already enjoying it. I didn’t want to take their privacy by putting them on my tumblr. I saw Mark Consuelo training with the team. They looked 👀 so good 😊 like they have bonds. He looks angry 😤 tough. I always see him like he is a puppy 🐶. When I went around to check the new stuff, I was trying to have a feel of how everything is. Usually being in a room full of boys does not bother me. But since being in the hot 🥵 sauna 🧖🏼‍♀️ night time 🌃full of only older men, I seemed to be aware of my womanly 👩🏼 presence. It was like that stepping into the big boy training machines. The place seemed packed with stuff in all areas. That says a lot about membership. I didn’t want to be the petulant courageous in the room. There are many forms of tough but it doesn’t need to insist and push everybody around. I had no choice but to cut through the people working out. I said hi 👋🏾 to heart ❤️ attack but really I am not there. I am not up. I am slowed in reaction. I am not feeling bubbly. I didn’t want to disrupt his weightlifting. I caught him in the middle of. He is so cute in baby blue shirt 👕. He doesn’t go for cute it seems to me. I guess fatherhood does things to him. He seemed happy 😃. He’s less serious on uncharted territory. Yeah, he’s like oozing with confidence. He doesn’t look 👀 it, but I feel that he is changing. I was being strict. I need my colorful 🎒 backpack. I am also changing my lip 👄 color. Fall 🍃🍂🍁 Someone suggested to keep my summer colors. Ok, para tú. I had plans on going to the health club today even if I am skipping yoga 🧘🏼‍♀️ for full back muscle healing ⛑. When my alarm ⏰ rang, I decided without guilt that I can take #namasteinbedallday . That’s what I am doing. I slowed myself to sleep 😴 last night. I was reading 📖 a book.

I didn’t shut off right away. My mind continued to process. It’s just how it is. I can take like supplements or teas 🍵. Nyquill. I even woke up several times during the night. I am not in a bad mood 😒. I usually am because sleep 😴 is important part of functioning healthy and I know that and I am on it. I am doing what I can to do exactly the best way to increase my day’s productivity 📊📈. Today, the question ❓❔❓ begs if I should allow things to happen to me instead of me reacting and doing things to counter it. My answer right now which is different from my first solution is a balance. A push and pull. But what I had in mind is to let go. Maybe I am being too hard on being too hard. Does that make sense. It’s like you want this result so you are sticking to your approach but there are other factors that are acting upon the situation. Instead of charging at the same spot, allow it to unfold and attack. Capish 👌🏾.

I am almost done ✅ with the Lady Cop 👮🏻‍♀️ book 📚 and I can’t wait 😊 to return it. I wondered 💭 what the librarian said about the stolen book in my purse 👜. My audio dropped 🔽 and another elements presented itself, the server retrieval. The problem must be somewhere in Germany 🇩🇪. If you are schooled 🏫 in the infrastructure of the World Wide Web, you’d be amaze at the speed at which we receive information ℹ️ and the many hops it actually takes to get to us. Let me pull the class that I found invaluable from Dr. Chuck of Michigan University. It is a free course unless you want a certificate.

I lost my train of thought ✍🏾 🤔. I maybe a zombie 🧟‍♀️ slow to react and didn’t want to be bothered 😕 but I had stuff going through my mind 🧠. I find myself smiling 😃 and on further stimulus I tried to keep a straight face. I was noticing how there were many guys and they were so excitable. They keep on touching their hair, adjusting their glasses, stretching 🙆‍♂️. I suppose they want to be at their toes or they just had a full day already . Sometimes I am like that. But this day I was more, shucks I don’t want to slip from the belt on soft knees. I kept taking breaks and that’s ok. I found that I needed distraction even if it’s something I generated for myself . I remem what was on my mind. I want to know if my package 📦 shall be delivered. I think my Mom is here. I smell beef 🥩 cooking 🥘 on the stove. What an olfactory sense 👃🏾. I already drank my fit Americano ☕️. There was cold espresso on the fridge. I took many breaks oft times to relieve myself or grab a towel or check out what’s new. I have a song 🎶.

“What's new Buenos Aires?

I'm new--I want to say I'm just a little stuck on you

You'll be on me too!

I get out here Buenos Aires

Stand back--you ought to know what'cha gonna get in me

Just a little touch of star quality! “

Boy, I am up.

I just called the library , they said to bring the police 🚔 report. Thank God, I was thinking and included it on the list of items lost. I didn’t even list the cost of the Bagley Mischka wallet which would increase the value 💲💲💲💲 of the theft. My lipsticks 💄. My Tahari sunglasses 🕶 which is a little over a hundred bucks. Of course, I didn’t pay 💰 full price. What did I say? Cheapies for those without jobbies 😂. I know why Dad is a little worried 😟. He is sleepy 💤. He pulled long hours 🕡 for overtime opportunities that’s why I had to cancel 📞 my Derm 🥼 appointment. He’s bro is sick 🤒 with an infection. He’s the eldest. Is there going to be a death 💀? I maybe impervious not because I don’t have a heart ♥️ but the devastation has already been anticipated. I cannot do anything about it and I must know how to deal. Did you guys know that McCain’s son went back to his duty for like if I got it right 8 months 📅 and just returned to grieve? That’s the reality for those who serve in the armed forces even if your Dad was like a Presidential Candidate. You have to keep yourself together, honor him in the best way, and do what is your duty. That could be emotionally packed and loaded.

The day was plain really. I keep on bumping into Katie. She’s so dedicated at her job. I like her. Stacey left. She’ll be missed and I’ll always look 👀 to see if she came back. I didn’t see the newbies. I haven’t seen Jocelyn. I suppose she’s doing good for herself. She tells me she doesn’t earn a lot. I told her how I started selling books 👓 . You are starting. It get’s better. Adulting, you stick to it, you keep on, focus on what must be done ✅ and plan on a better future. There were no classes 💃🏼 afternoon. I didn’t make it to the sauna 🧖🏼‍♀️. I had to cut my time by 15 minutes ⏱ in second cardio ❤️ . I am happy 😃 that I already put in my work earlier. I stayed 30 minutes over early afternoon treadmill. So if you put it in a overall sense, I bested goal 🥅 by 15 minutes over. I saw Ahmed. I was so happy 😀 to see him. We know each other in the studio when I feel like being in the left corner. He said he has back issues too and I recommended Gina’s easier yoga 🧘‍♂️ classes. I remember Root. There was another one. I should check it out if anyone asks. Before taking my break I saw Lorene and stopped 🛑 to say hi 👋🏾. She noticed my water 💦 with lemon 🍋 and I had mention my nausea 🤢, headache 🤕, faintness 🌀. I met Jean a pediatric ICU nurse. She had a life changing medical 🏥 event. But without hesitation she recommended the Epley maneuver. Promising. It must be done ✅ by a medical practitioner and I keep on asking if a chiropractor 👨🏻‍⚕️does it. It sounds drastic. I told dance 🕺🏽buddy, we are human and we all have problems. We deal with it the best that we can. We have to determine for ourselves what’s the best action. Like if I know that folding down makes me sick 🤒, then, don’t do it. I just thought that if the prob persists for longer than 6 mons. shall I go to the ear 👂🏾 doctor? Also, aromatherapy and perhaps peppermint oil. Essential oil infused mat cleaner 🧼.

[dearophelia]

You KNOW what I'm gonna ask about, yeah?? Tell me about your James/Liara! How do Nora and Olivia feel about the relationship?

(this is all your fault)

They were friendly (and friends) during the war, but it took a couple years afterward for both of them to be even in a good mental headspace for dating anyone (everyone in this universe has some level of PTSD because how could you not), and about another year for them to gravitate toward each other.

Olivia is thrilled about it, because Liara’s happy - as long as Liara is happy and healthy, Olivia cares not one iota for anything else (that it also makes James happy is an added bonus).

Liara keeps coming to her for advice, because Liv and Garrus are relationship #goals so she thinks of course Olivia would have Sage Advice to pass on. Olivia is like “a) my sexual experience with human men is zero, go talk to Ashley, and b) it is a goddamn miracle Garrus and I survived our own stupid Blowing Off Steam plan, I am not an excellent resource in Early Relationship Navigation.”

(Olivia tries anyway, and her advice always boils down to “talk to him.” Liara eventually figures out that the reason Liv and Garrus are outwardly relationship goals is because privately they talk to each other about stuff.)

James asks her to dinner (having to do the awkward “like…a date” clarification when she thinks he’s just inviting her with a bunch of friends), and they’re both super nervous in the beginning; neither one of them has done Proper Dating in a while (if ever), and there’s the added worry about what happens to their friendship if this goes south. They end up having an utterly disastrous third date - literally nothing they planned worked out well - and it ends with them having ice cream for dinner at like 2:00 in the morning, unable to stop laughing; it helps break the nervous tension between them, and Liara kisses him, totally on impulse mid-laugh, right there in the street.

James doesn’t actually know that Liara is the Shadow Broker. He had his curiosities and theories about what she was doing in that room and how she knew everything, and also why everyone was making jokes about it; but he figured it wasn’t his business so he never asked, never pushed, never thought too hard about it. Olivia drops it into conversation one night, says something about how there must be perks to dating the Shadow Broker, and James does a “wait what” double take. Liv fucking loses it, because that was by far the WORST kept secret on her ship and James is not a stupid or dense guy, and about falls out of her chair laughing.

(Garrus deadpans that James was probably too busy doing push-ups. James flips him off. “I hate you both,” he grumbles.

Liv/Garrus and Liara/James become, somewhat unsurprisingly, Couple BFFs.)

James mentions it to Liara a few nights later, and she’s sweet about it - doesn’t give him crap for it knowing or not noticing, just smiles and confirms it for him. He grins, tells her that she can get their biotiball tickets from now because the only seats he can get are lousy.

(Liara hasn’t minded the lousy seats - quite the opposite; she’s with James in them, and he’s just so excited about the game. So excited. Can rattle off stats and talk about players and knows team histories and rivalries back a hundred years. And she’s pretty indifferent toward biotiball before sitting in those lousy seats, but she starts to enjoy it - and the important thing is that James loves it and he’s so enthusiastic and happy

She agrees to getting them the good seats, because the seats she can get have better beer)

The two of them live on Tereshkova Station, because that’s where James is stationed (and where the N school Villa relocated to because I forgot it was in Brazil until I was like 45k words in). Liara builds a new Shadow Broker base post-war, but she doesn’t live there most of the time. She largely works remotely from their home; Oriana Lawson is actually the one who runs the day-to-day operations of the base itself. Liara tends to keep her work separate from James and the Alliance, but she does pass things along as she finds them; Alliance brass knows that James has some connection to the Shadow Broker, but they have no idea he’s married to her.

They do end up having kids, but much, much later - their daughters are about 20 years younger than Nora.

Speaking of Nora, she adores Aunt Liara and Uncle James. They’ve both been in her life forever, and they’re basically family.

For a while, she tries not to rely on Liara too much for additional intel, but at one point James takes her aside and says “the whole point of being an N soldier is knowing how to get the job done at any cost; if you need to call Liara to pull some strings, call Liara to pull some strings.” Her team knows she has Shadow Broker connections, but again they don’t know who or how. They even hide out on the base during one mission, trying to wait out some pirates.

It’s very weird at first having James as her CO; they both have a little trouble navigating “you used to braid my hair” and “now you’re ordering me into hostile territory to shoot some people in the head” in the beginning. But they work through it - it doesn’t get less surreal, but it gets easier.

[casuallydelightfulobservation]

Shaye: So, I thought that now's maybe a good time to check in on everyone. Sounds good?

Suzuki: Yeah, I guess I don't mind.

Asai: I think that it's really nice when we get together like this. It's been too long.

Watanabe: I guess. I just wonder why we're having this get-together. Our boys keep each other, and us, updated on how everyone else is doing.

Hiratsuka: True, but I know that I'm not telling my student everything. I'm guessing that's true for all of you.

Kaleney: Absolutely. If I told Mizuki everything, I bet he'd tell everyone in the thought that he'd be helping me.

Shaye: K, are you sure about handling Mizuki alone? He sounds like a handful.

Kaleney: Yeah, he can be, sometimes. But I'm getting help soon. I'm thinking maybe another student could help with Mizuki's... the way he spaces out and gets lost a lot.

Watanabe: A new student can do wonders, but it can also backfire. Trust me, you don't want it to backfire.

Hiratsuka: Well, I'm also getting a new student soon. I think Takashi's going to love it.

Suzuki: Yeah, I remember Ayato pretended that he wasn't thrilled when Yuki came along. And when Hana came Ayato didn't bother pretending. He and Yuki were both thrilled and Hana was quickly welcomed.

Shaye: Sounds like Hayate when Seung first came. I was a little worried because I didn't know how either one would react to the other, but thankfully they got along great from the start. Now, Dae-hyun on the other hand, decided that it would be a great idea to drive the other two crazy the moment he arrived.

Asai: No! What happened?

Shaye: I don't want to remember. Let's just say that I was seriously considering moving Dae-hyun to another location for his safety. On a number of occasions. In hindsight, maybe I should have..

Watanabe: And? How did you get them to get along?

Shaye: Well. It wasn't easy. But being a neutral party helped. After one particular nasty fight, that could have killed Dae-hyun because Hayate and Seung teamed up to take him down, I told everyone to take a timeout, alone. I then talked to them, separately, and told them that they were hurting me with all this infighting and that I couldn't live with this anymore. And stuff.. *ahem*

Suzuki: oh, you poor dear. Would you like to tell us the rest?

Shaye: to make a long story short, after a long cooldown period, everyone got together and I guess the boys came to an understanding. I don't know about what, but I can guess.

Watanabe: Wait. How can you not know? Weren't you there?

Shaye: Hah. Actually I was kicked out. They said it was something 'between men' and that they'd let me in when the air was cleared.

Watanabe: That's heavy. It looks like whatever they agreed on worked, because it seems like they get along well.

Shaye: well, they mostly stay out of each other's way. They get along when they have to, but.

Kaleney: Hey, W, didn't you get a new student recently?

Watanabe: Ah, yes. Taiki, the sweetheart.

Asai: How's that working with Fuuta? I can't imagine that he were too happy when Taiki came. That name's adorable, by the way.

Watanabe: I know, right? And it really suits him! Well, Fuuta will always be Fuuta, let's put it like that. He was quite mean to Taiki from the moment he arrived. I thought that, since it was still Christmas, kind of, Fuuta would be in a good mood. Instead he insulted Taiki and locked himself in his room for days. Me and Taiki ended up spending New year's alone together.

Suzuki: That sucks. I mean, is great that you and Taiki got to spend some time together, but that was a shitty move by Fuuta.

Watanabe: I guess I can understand him. Instead of celebrating during Christmas, we spent the whole holiday rearranging everything to make room for Taiki. Last year we celebrated properly and I think he was pissed because it wasn't about him this year. I mean, we ate good food and gave each other presents, but I think that Fuuta wanted to ignore the fact that Taiki was coming to the very end and instead he had reminders everywhere.

Hiratsuka: Fuuta is a selfish ass. Maybe it's just me, but damn. How'd you handle it?

Watanabe: No, he's not selfish. He just doesn't like change.

Asai: you said nothing about him being an ass.

Watanabe: well that's because he is an ass. Haha. Anyway, me and Taiki left him alone so he could mope and spent some time getting to know each other. After four days had passed and Fuuta was still locked in his room, I just went and talked to him through the door, because of course he wouldn't let me in. I spent hours talking to him about how things would change and what wouldn't change and stuff. After a while he came out. And while he's still not exactly nice to Taiki, they talk and are ... more or less friendly.

Hiratsuka: let me guess. Taiki's the more friendly one and Fuuta's the less one.

Watanabe: well. Yeah, pretty much.

Asai: thank heavens that it'll be a while before I get my second student.

Kaleney: well that was a fun talk about things that can go wrong when you introduce new students. I don't think that Mizuki will be displeased in any way, but now I'm having doubts. Thanks for that, guys.

Hiratsuka: whatever happens, happens. I for one am ready and excited to meet Takashi's roommate. I know that he is too. He hasn't talked about anything else for days.

Kaleney: I don't know which is worse, your student won't stop talking about it and my student forgets that a new student is coming soon.

Asai: really? He forgets?

Kaleney: well, recently he has begun expressing interest in a new student, but the next day that's forgotten. I'm hoping he won't forget the day the student arrives.

Hiratsuka: I can tell you, someone who doesn't shut up about things is way worse.

Shaye: Aaand on that note, maybe we should stop now.

Suzuki: I am very glad that you guys don't share this stuff with your students. They'd be complete messes.

Asai: well, they can read this blog, right? Won't they find out anyway?

Hiratsuka: Of course the could, but Takashi won't read a post that's tagged with Teacher talk. I think the other boys respect that as well. Some more than others, of course.

Watanabe: True that. And even if they read it, they don't talk about it.

Kaleney: I'm ending this right now, or we'll never stop. Bye guys!

All: See you soon! Bye!