#and they have holographics which is just their version of shinies

[acepalindrome]

It’s important for any monster collecting games to establish their own identity separate from Pokemon and not just rehash the same old model with a few tweaks, BUT. I do think every monster collecting game benefits from having some version of shinies. What’s better than collecting little guys? Collecting the same little guys with a different color palette. Instant dopamine hit. Satisfies my monkey brain.

[laylainalaska]

I watched Foundation S1-2 this week and really enjoyed it, for certain values of enjoyed, copying over my write-up from DW, now with corrected character names since I've looked them up rather than spelling them from vague osmosis from the show.

(Blacklist the Foundation tag if you don't want to be spoiled from gifs, as I plan to promptly go seek out the least hinged gifs from this entirely unhinged show and bombard everyone with them.)

This show is a bonkers SF soap opera with gorgeous production values, Lee Pace hamming it up in crop tops, and a series of increasingly off the rails holographic versions of a dead chessmaster mathematician deploying his 9999-step plan to save the galaxy. I've literally seen nothing about this at all in my social circles, to the extent that I didn't even really know about it until the spouse started watching it. I was kind of halfway glancing at the screen now and then, if I happened to be in the room, for the first half of season one (and have only the vaguest idea what happened in the first few episodes, based on later events), then got invested and eventually completely hooked in season two, which also picks up after a 100-year timeskip so the cast has changed a lot anyway. Although between stasis pods, cloning, and holograms, it's mostly the same actors. (We have a running joke that by season 3 the cast will be at least 50% Cleons and Hari Seldons by volume.)

Anyway, so it is good? Hard to say! It's sort of like if Expanse and Game of Thrones had a (somewhat more optimistic) baby, in which the budgets are huge, the planets are beautiful, the spaceships are shiny, and lots of Big Feelings happen. The Evil Empire is run by an endless series of clone emperors played by Lee Pace in Romanesque armor and capes with massive amounts of scenery-chewing and an immortal robot bodyguard he occasionally has sex with. They have All The Clones in storage, so if he gets killed, they'll just transfer his memories and activate another one! Meanwhile the rebellion is being orchestrated as a 4000-step multi-century Xanatos gambit by a guy who started by having himself killed and activating a digital copy. Interestingly though, there is so much going on, and it's taking so much time for his plan to come to fruition, that it never really feels like the two of them directly pitted against each other (at least not that much), it's more like all of the stuff that happens along the way, the planets and the pretty spaceships and the people we meet who struggle and fight and save each other along the way.

I have to say that while I'm occasionally reminded by certain plot points and tropes that this is a series based on books from the 1970s, they did a good enough job with racebending, presumable genderbending, and so forth that it rarely feels like it. (Also, though I only know the books from general osmosis, I'm fairly confident the plot has gone way off-book anyway.) In season two there are no less than four young female characters of color in major plot-defining roles, there's a central gay couple whose loyalty to each other in the face of the Empire is a major plot point, and in general it's just a pretty, pretty show full of pretty people and pretty planets (and occasionally some really dazzling space-operatic SF stuff). It is definitely the most OTT and operatic thing I've watched since probably the MCU, and I'm really enjoying it.

Under the cut, out-of-order and largely out-of-context comments on various things I had a reaction to (mostly season 2 since that's where I got invested).

This show is an emotional roller coaster of the highest order. How many different instances of presumed dead and identity-switching can we pack into a single episode?

CONSTANT MY BELOVED. Season 2 in general gives great female characters, I already loved Salvo (;__;) and I also really enjoyed the ladies from the Cloud Dominion, but Constant!! She's just so funny and fun and so absolutely deadpan about everything from conning randos on some backwater alien planet to kidnapping a guy. I was so glad she lived through all of the half-dozen times she almost certainly should have died.

I was surprisingly upset about formerly-trapped-in-the-Radiant half-crazy Hari's death, "surprisingly" because, well, Hari being Hari, and also, it wasn't like this leaves us entirely without Hari Seldons, there's still Creepy Monolith Hari and who knows how many other copies out there. But that one had been through enough with Gaal and Salvor that he really felt like a different person. He's still a manipulative sack of dicks but I liked him! I was sad, but at least hoping he was backed up somewhere! And then two episodes later the most excellent reveal that he and Gaal faked the whole thing! I thoroughly loved all of that. Gaal hugging him! <333

"Don't trust the planet of the creepy utopian space psychics!" Orion and I were chanting at the screen, while they proceeded to not listen to us and it was, predictably, a bad idea. Seriously, when in all of sci-fi was trusting the creepy psychic utopia a good idea?

I had guessed/hoped that the guy with the whispership (can't remember his name) was going to warp into the plaza and save Constant from execution, but I really wasn't sure, and even with an inkling it was going to happen, that was an AMAZING entrance, A+++, no notes. Especially after Constant gave her speech and everything seemed to be setting her up to be a martyr to the Foundation, I was less and less hopeful she was going to get out of it alive somehow. Excellent rescue, very pleased.

I really enjoyed the entire subplot with the Evil Empire Honorable Space Admiral (can't remember anyone's names here either) and the scene in which he justifies his continued loyalty to the Empire is really a good scene. I mean, it's awful. But you can see his reasoning. He can't overthrow the Empire, if he refuses orders it won't change anything, he and everyone he loves will die, and someone else will be put in his place and follow the orders anyway. But then the whole thing with Constant's rescue points out that it may not be possible to change the entire Evil Empire, but you can make a lot of difference for just one person.

But I still wanted him to make better or at least different choices on the blowing up the planet sequence! I guess it all worked out according to Hari's 9999-step plan (my death is only the beginning! the death of my planet is only the beginning!) but that hurted.

Between Honorable Space Admiral and his fighter pilot husband, I was absolutely *not* expecting the husband to be the one of the two of them that survived. However, Honorable Space Admiral and whispership guy got a dynamite final episode (the fistfight with Cleon! never has a man deserved so much punching! the airlock switch!) and they both got to go out in an excellent death scene.

The entire thing with Terminus getting blown up! And then Deus Ex Monolith! And Constant's dads and Space Admiral's Space Husband are alive after the whole exploding planet fell on them! (I was SO happy Constant's family got reunited, I was so afraid she and Space Dads were going to go down each thinking the other one had died.) I think this episode gave me emotional whiplash.

SALVOR NO. WHAT WAS THAT EVEN. She just randomly died at the end there?? Come onnnnn. We already got like 12 death fake-outs in the last couple of episodes! Why'd that one have to be real?!

If time passes differently in the monolith, does that mean the entire rescued Terminus population are still going to be around after the second 150-year timeskip? I have questions!

Speaking of time passing differently in the monolith, best dialogue: Whispership guy: Whoa, it's dark. How long was I in there, anyway? Constant: Three years. Paulie: More like three hours. Constant: We agreed we weren't going to tell him! I love them. <3333

That sure was A Lot with the Cleons. And now I guess there's an entire Cleon/Cloud Dominion dynasty out there somewhere just waiting to cause trouble.

So yeah, I'm really enjoying my bombastic sci-fi soap opera! Season 3 when pls.

[insolitus-academy]

♚ //  Face Claim Full name Face Claim: Jung Wooyoung Group/Band/Occupation: Ateez Nationality: Korean Faceclaim age: 23 ♚ // Character ;  Basic information

Quote: "It's me and my four hours of sleep against the world"

Full name character: August Tabris Nickname: Auggie ( only with siblings ) Realm of birth(if earth, nationality): Fairy realms, Korean Age: 24 Date of Birth: Aug 2, 1999 Gender: Male Preferred Pronouns: he/him they/them Race: Fairy Sexual Orientation: Gay What languages does your character speak?: Korean, some English, and a "water's language" their family has made up What is the level of Korean and how did they learn to speak it (For non-Korean characters from other realms & other earth-countries): Native speaker

♚ // Character ; Appearance

Skin Color: tan, with specks of glitter always on his skin Eye color: dark brown, slightly tinting towards red Scars: old scratches on his arms from playfighting with forest creatures Piercings: ears twice, helix Tattoos: a scar "tattoo" of the family crest carved onto the back of his neck ( everyone in his family has it ) Hair color: dark brown Abnormalities: - Horns/ wings/ etc.: his wings are semi-transparent and have a red tint to them with a golden sheen when light hits them ( runs in their family and makes them recognisable ), they fold against his back like a holographic tattoo Transformed form: can transform into a smaller version of himself with an explosion of fairy dust, his smaller form has completely black eyes  

♚ // Character ; Personality

Six personality traits: Witty, energetic, affectionate, amoral, flirtatious, loud

Likes: All things shiny, being pampered, sugary drinks, reality tv, live music Dislikes: Politics, strict rules, silence, wet socks, sicknesses Manias: - Phobias: Failing the ancestors Animal: Ferret Religion: He only believes in the ethereal faeries Favorite song: Alec Benjamin - If I killed someone for you Vice: Pride Virtue: Charity

Personality description: August was born with what they call a "strong personality". He has always had trouble obeying his elders, not because he wants to be mean but his likes usually go against whatever he's asked to do. He tends to have a short attention span which makes completing unenjoyable tasks even harder.

Although he tends to be loud and rambunctious, the tighter the boundaries set for him the more he rebels, he also has a soft side to him which he shows his friends through affection. Even if he seems confident and very extroverted on the outside, he sometimes gets insecure about himself and his future if he doesn't learn to be the right fit in the family.

♚ // Character ; Powers

Magical Powers:

Plant generation: he can generate plants, including vines, moss, fungi, and parts of the plants, such as leaves, fruits and flowers, by drawing them from already existing plants

Fairy dust generation: constantly generates a small amount of fairy dust

Non-magical Powers:

Flight: that's what the wings are for, right? he will have an easier time flying in his small form!

Archery: August has been learning archery for a few years now, though he hasn't been very serious about it

Arrow crafting: can craft simple arrows enchanted with fairy dust

Animal communication: although August can't literally communicate with animals, sometimes he feels connected to certain animals ( he cannot explain why ) and will have an easier time understanding their body language and vice versa.

Weaknesses: 

Cold iron: iron can kill the fairy, upon touch it gives him an allergic reaction and it feels like a burn on his skin

Saint-John’s-wort and yarrow: these flowers will cause him a bad allergic reaction

Cannot lie: this however doesn't make him any less deceitful, he is just incapable of lying straight up.

Addictive blood: creatures can get high from it and it works as an aphrodisiac, making his blood much wanted.

"The ancestors are always watching": he lives with this constant pressure that he might fail them and because of it they will never return

♚ // Character ; The Student

Study Style: Waits until the very last minute to complete homework and then rushes to do it ( studies well under pressure ) Favorite class: Theatre/drama Least favorite class: Marketing

classes (5-8) : 

Math I (Beginners)

Marketing

Economics

Earth customs & Human social protocols

Self defense for Fae and other light beings

Theater/drama

Club: debate class

♚ // Character ; The Past

Date of Birth: Aug 2, 1999 Date of Death: - Crime Record: -

Has your character attended Insolitus Academy in the past? Yes/No Background: 

Once a month, a fairy ring appears in the same place in the woods and a human is led astray. There is dancing until the human ceases to be and a big feast held afterwards, all to appease the ancestors and invite them back home.

In ancient times, there was a family of ethereal faeries. They were recognised by their golden wings and glitter and the faint glow their skin had at all times, as well as the twilight magic they possessed. But above all, they could see into the future.

As centuries passed, the family's magic began to diminish and shape itself into something else; their wings lost the strong golden hue, turning reddish instead with little golden sheen to remind them of old times. Twilight no longer bent to the fairies' will but the plants and flowers did. The saddest thing of all though, was that now the future was uncertain.

But nothing would erase the fact they were the descendants of the ethereal faeries, not even the whispers and rumours their family history was nothing but make-believe; how could magic like that simply disappear? The family says the mixing of genes was the cause of it all and still see themselves as higher beings of sorts, saying a prayer for their ancestors' safe return each night, convinced they still exist perhaps between realms or space and time.

To show off their importance, they require each child to keep up with and be involved in politics, to be well-mannered and highly educated, and understand trade. Yet the middle child of seven, August, did not deem all of it as important as the rest of his family did; he'd heard the whispers and rumours of others, how some people outside the family questioned their history and whether the ethereal faeries were real to begin with.

Being the middle child of the family, it was easier to sneak out than it would have been for his siblings. Instead of kneeling at the shrines daily, he preferred to explore the forests, play with other creatures, practice archery and craft arrows; after multiple attempts to tell his family that could be a way for them to get actual recognition, they deemed his behaviour "erratic" and would have none of it.

Since they couldn't get through to August, they saw it best to send him off to somewhere unfamiliar in hopes he would respect a stranger's authority more. His cousin had been to the academy a few decades prior which was how they chose to send August there too, writing the academy a letter where they hoped they would be kept updated on August's progress.

[chloe-glow]

Rare Pokémon Card Packs: Top Picks for Serious Collectors

When it comes to Pokémon cards, the rarest packs hold incredible value, not just for collectors but also for investors. Some packs contain sought-after cards that can fetch high prices, making them valuable assets in the ever-growing Pokémon card market. For those serious about their collections, understanding which packs are the best picks is key to building a valuable and exciting Pokémon card portfolio. Here’s a guide to the Top Picks for Serious Collectors when it comes to rare Pokémon card packs.

Base Set Packs: The Foundation of Rare Pokémon Cards

Description*: The Base Set of Pokémon cards, released in 1999, is one of the most iconic and important sets in Pokémon history. These packs hold the very first edition of Pokémon cards, including some of the rare pokemon card packs in existence, like the 1st Edition Charizard. A sealed Base Set pack is a must-have for any serious collector, as it contains legendary cards that continue to appreciate in value over time. Collectors should prioritize acquiring 1st Edition Base Set packs, as they are among the most highly sought-after items in the market. With a rich history and a dedicated fanbase, these packs are a cornerstone of any collection.

Neo Genesis Packs: Home to the Legendary Lugia

Description*: The Neo Genesis set, released in 2000, introduced the second generation of Pokémon and is one of the most revered expansions in the series. Among the rarest pulls from Neo Genesis packs is the 1st Edition Lugia, which remains one of the most coveted cards among collectors. Due to the popularity of this card, Neo Genesis packs can be incredibly valuable. As a serious collector, acquiring Neo Genesis packs not only gives you a shot at rare cards like Lugia but also provides the opportunity to complete a collection of the early-gen Pokémon cards. These packs are essential for collectors looking to dive deep into the history of Pokémon cards.

Shining Legends Packs: The Glow of Shiny Pokémon

Description*: The Shining Legends set, released in 2017, features special Shiny Pokémon versions of fan-favorite characters like Shiny Mew and Shiny Rayquaza. These shiny versions are highly sought after and are considered extremely rare within the world of Pokémon cards. For collectors who are focused on shiny variants, Shining Legends packs should be a top priority. The pack’s high potential for containing a rare shiny card makes it a must-have for those looking to capture the elusive nature of these Pokémon.

Team Rocket Packs: Dark Versions of Iconic Pokémon

Description*: The Team Rocket set, released in 2000, was one of the first expansions to feature "dark" versions of beloved Pokémon, including Dark Charizard and Dark Blastoise. These cards remain highly desirable for their unique artwork and connection to the anime's storyline, where Team Rocket served as the primary antagonists. For collectors who appreciate the darker, more mysterious side of Pokémon, Team Rocket packs provide a fascinating glimpse into a different take on the iconic characters. The dark holographic cards are a major highlight of this set and one of the reasons it remains a fan favorite.

Hidden Fates Packs: The Modern Era of Rare Pokémon Cards

Description: The Hidden Fates set, released in 2019, became an instant hit in the Pokémon card community. Featuring sought-after cards like Shiny Charizard GX, it quickly became one of the most popular sets for collectors. Hidden Fates packs are often associated with high-value pulls and are known for their impressive shiny variants. Collectors seeking high-quality cards with amazing artwork should definitely keep an eye out for Hidden Fates packs. With multiple shiny Pokémon and special cards inside, Hidden Fates has solidified its place as one of the most valuable packs in modern times.

Cosmic Eclipse Packs: A Unique Combination of New and Old

Description*: Released in 2019, Cosmic Eclipse blends elements from multiple sets, including characters from the Sun & Moon series and iconic Gen I Pokémon. This set introduces Character Rare cards, featuring special art with trainers and their Pokémon together, making them incredibly collectible. For collectors interested in a more recent expansion with ties to both the older and newer Pokémon generations, Cosmic Eclipse packs offer the perfect mix. The special Character Rare cards, like Rosa & Her Eevee, add a unique element to these packs, making them a valuable addition to any collection.

Vintage Packs: A Look Back at Rare Pokémon Card Packs

Description*: The vintage sets, such as EX Ruby & Sapphire, EX FireRed & LeafGreen, and XY Evolutions, are perfect for collectors who want to add some nostalgia to their collection. These sets, though not as old as the Base Set, contain highly valuable cards that appeal to collectors looking to complete specific eras of the Pokémon card franchise. Vintage packs are often easier to acquire than earlier sets but are still highly prized due to their historical significance. They hold unique cards like Charizard EX and Holo Mewtwo, which continue to maintain value in the market.

Conclusion

Building a collection of rare Pokémon card packs requires dedication, knowledge, and the right resources. Whether you’re after the classic Base Set packs, modern gems like Hidden Fates, or unique vintage options, each pack offers something special that can enrich your collection and potentially increase in value. If you're serious about starting or expanding your Pokémon card collection, look no further than Panda Shop. Panda Shop specializes in offering authentic and rare Pokémon card packs, ensuring that every pack you purchase is of the highest quality and potential. With Panda Shop, you can rest assured that you’re getting access to some of the rarest and most valuable packs on the market.

[searincosplay]

Since I was so busy with con crunch I didn't really post progress photos from Jolyne and Jotaro, so I'll be starting to post some WIP breakdowns with useful tips and tricks I learned along the way! Buckle up for a long post below!

Here's an overview of the applique process for Jolyne. The main techniques I learned from a spandex applique tutorial by Spandex Simplified which you can find in my Linktree. I started by planning and drawing all of the applique designs on my sewing patterns, experimenting with a couple different scales of the grid and spiderweb design until I found something that looked proportionate to me and the artwork. This also allowed me to pre-plan for the pattern matching of the grid on the seams of the pants and top. Additionally, the top applique pattern is designed to hide the bust dart seams so it has a visually seamless appearance. The darts are curved rather than angular to avoid a pointed shape with the excess fabric cut away and stitched in a lapped seam style to reduce bulk.

After finalizing the applique patterns in paper, I used chalk tracing paper and a tracing wheel to transfer them to the white holographic spandex. Basically for each blue garment fabric piece, there was a corresponding white piece of the same shape that I then cut the applique designs out of. I couldn't get a rotary cutter to behave for cutting the applique designs out since the spandex was slippery, so I found it worked best to just cut the designs out with a sharp pair of fabric scissors.

Odif 505 temporary fabric spray adhesive is the BOMB. I just got it from my local Joann store, but if you can't get it the Spandex Simplified tutorial compares other adhesives you can try. Basically instead of using Heat-n-Bond like for regular applique, you spray the back of your spandex applique piece and then stick it onto your base fabric. Make sure to ventilate your workspace and wear a respirator, the fumes are not good! The Odif is temporary and can be repositioned, which I had to do quite a bit especially on the pants with a ruler to get all of the grid lines perfectly straight and positioned. You can always spray a little more on your piece and try again if it loses tackiness. I also had to go back and pin down all the areas that felt loose to prevent the design from shifting while sewing.

After your designs are temporarily glued on, use a small zizag machine stitch to stitch them on permanently. From a distance the zizag is nearly invisible, and more importantly it can stretch. I used Sulky rayon thread since the shine helped it vanish into the shiny spandex. The worst part of the applique process is doing trial and error tests to find the perfect machine tension and stitch size. I recommend cutting a sizable test version of one of your applique designs, and keep playing with machine settings until you end up with pucker free results. Then don't dare change your machine settings until you're done. I usually take pictures of my machine settings to document for later in case I need to remake something. The process is such a pain but so worth it!

This post is already way too long haha. I'll post some more stretch sewing tips I've learned in the future though since it's an entirely different beast from most stitching. Let me know if you have any questions!

[six-costume-refs]

2020 to 2021 Broadway Costumes Changes

We finally have enough good photos of the Six Broadway costumes that I was able to write up this post! Shoutout to @lightleckrereins for spending lots of time trying to figure out all of these with me over the last week and reading a draft to correct the things I missed.

EDIT: updated with some additional things from the GMA performance and info that @gavinckss learned from @theboycostume at Showstoppers.

Overall changes and notes: - The big news: all of the 2020 costumes were apparently rendered unusable due to the (lack of) storage environment during the pandemic. All costumes were remade as a result. Explanation here.  - One of the changes as a result of this was made to the number of layers of PVC. Sofia and I had been wondering in the past if there were two layers (a regular in that color and a clear over top) for at least one or two of the costumes. @gavinckss was able to confirm this about the 2020 Howard costume via a visit to the Showstoppers exhibit, which supports our theory that all or most of them had this for the 2020 costumes (potential exceptions noted below). However, this was one of the things that caused issues with the storage (information from @theboycostumer and relayed by @gavinckss) and was cut from the 2021 costumes to just keep the solid PVC layer. - All of the principal queens (and possibly the alternate queens) now seem to have two separate pairs of boots: the pair they wore in 2020 and a new, second pair added in 2021. There are also some noticeable design exceptions, noted below. - All of the alternates will have costumes that are identical or mostly identical (possible exceptions noted below) to the principal costumes. The one major exception to this is in the boots: they will all have a different principal crystal design but all in black and white that they wear for 5 queens and then a second pair that they wear for Cleves in the same style as principal Cleves. I made a post here with photos and info on those. - Six used to have sequin and mesh pieces on all of the costumes. However, sequins tend to be really difficult and time consuming to work with. At some point in 2020 or 2021, Six changed all of the sequin material to a new spandex with holographic dots custom printed on to mimic the look of sequins. - While some of the designs previously had stretch panels on the sides, all of the costumes now have one to improve fit and movement. Specifics noted below. (post with additional info about this will also be incoming from me or @lightleckrereins​) - Most of the Six materials are not washable in a way that can be done regularly, and the materials can also be affected by things like sweat. To prevent odor and other issues, Six has always attempted to incorporate some system of layers/undergarments to protect those materials and help separate the fabrics from the skin (post about this is upcoming). Several changes were made to address this issue. - While @lightleckrereins and I were able to notice some of these changes there are also quite possibly some smaller details in construction or material that were introduced to help deal with that and to prevent future issues with the storage scenario that aren’t as visible (could be even things like changing the material used for lining or changing the number of layers inside the costume, which we wouldn’t even be able to tell). - The studding was changed from individual glued-on studs to pre-made studded trim (info from @gavinckss) - I previously made a post about the in-ear monitors.

Aragon (L-R: Jade Marvin, Bliss 2.0, sixbliss2.0; Adrianna Hicks, Broadway 2020, mallorymaedke; unknown 2020 alt on display at Showstoppers, Broadway 2020, wintersnowfl8ke; Adrianna Hicks, Broadway 2021, 17 Sep 2021, Marc J Franklin) - The top is now separated from the gold oversleeves. - The construction and general shape of the skirt and peplum has changed: the peplum is much more separated from the bottom layer of the skirt and the shape is slightly different (hard to tell in the photos we have of Adrianna, but you can very clearly see the difference in shape between the 2021 Adrianna and the earlier version in the Jade Marvin photo) - The exact pattern of the diamond cut-outs on the center front panel differs from costume to costume. A change has been made between the 2020 and 2021 Broadway design so that the diamond cutouts stay consistent over the whole panel. - There are stitches in a diamond pattern on the vacuformed panels of the 2021 skirt. @lightleckrereins pointed out that they’re most likely structure stitches. Some or all of them may also line up with the location of the crossed boning in the skirt as described here. - Black stretch panels were added to the underside of the oversleeves (very thin panels were on the 2020, but they were so thin as to be unnoticeable. These are much wider).

Boleyn (Courtney Bowman, West End, 3 Dec 2020, @/courtneybowman_; Andrea Macasaet, Broadway 2020, @/andrea.cesyl; Unknown Showstoppers costume, 2020 or 2021, @/wintersnowfl8ke; Andrea Macasaet, Broadway 2021, 16 Sep 2021, @/andrea.cesyl on Tiktok) - The green PVC has switched from the lighter pea green to a darker emerald shade. The shade change seems to have been slowly in process for Andrea Macasaet’s 2020 costume as well as Kala Gare and Lucy Aiston’s costume, all of which have a fabric between the 2018/19 and 2021 Boleyns. The updated 2021 shade is also in use for the Showstoppers costume. - The cap sleeve on the Boleyn top under the tab sleeves has been gotten rid of entirely (you can see it well on Courtney Bowman’s costume but it is on all of these except for Andrea’s 2021). - The tabs on the bottom and sleeves are lined with the green PVC - this was a change made either for both the 2020 and 2021 Broadway or for the 2020 alt costumes and all 2021. - Small black stretch panels were added to both sides of the top.

Seymour (L-R, top to bottom: Abby Mueller, 2020 Broadway, unknown; Carly Mercedes Dyer, carlymdyer; 2020 alt at Showstoppers, @/wintersnowfl8ke; Abby Mueller, 2021 Broadway, 17 Sep 2021, Marc J Franklin for Playbill; Abby Mueller, 2021 Broadway, 16 Sep 2021, Jamie McCarthy for NBC) - This one is the possible exception when talking about a white PVC and a clear PVC on the original. It’s certainly possible but with the non-holographic white base it’s much harder to confirm that theory. Either way, the white fabric on the bodice is much more shiny in the 2020 photos and more matte in the 2021, which could be because of a second clear layer of PVC or could be because they just changed the white fabric entirely. - The 2020 costume had the usual transparent black stretch panels on the sleeves. This has been replaced by a nude fabric overlayed with the same mesh that is used on the rest of the costume (also want to note that the Showstoppers dress did not have any stretch panels and was purely for that event). - The mesh and spandex part of the cups rises much higher on the 2021 costume, and the trim on the cups better matches most of the other Seymour costumes than it does the 2020 one. - The sleeves on the Showstoppers costume had studding at the end, but neither the 2020 or 2021 Broadway costumes had this. - Abby Mueller has two-three pairs of boots, as explained here.

Cleves (L-R: Brittney Mack, 2020 Broadway, Bryan Derballa for the New York Times; Unknown 2020 Broadway alt, 11 Apr 2021; Brittney Mack, 2021 Broadway, 17 Sep 2021, @/bwaysho; Brittney Mack, 2021 Broadway, 16 Sep 2021, Jamie McCarthy for NBC) - The fit of the jacket is different, and it looks great! That isn’t a design change, it’s just fit differently. - A small black spandex stretch panel was introduced to the side of the jacket - We saw some differing silhouettes for some in-progress Cleves leotards/reveal outfits in the background of photos taken at the costume studio. No idea what the deal with those is. Could be a scrapped design, a small re-design to better flatter one of the alts, or a complete re-design for all of the queens. We may not get answers on this any time soon as the Six costume team has asked that people not share photos or boots of that costume.

Howard (Samantha Pauly, 2020 Broadway, @/sampauly; Showstoppers display costume 2021, @/theboycostumer; Samantha Pauly, 2021 Broadway, 17 Sep 2021, Marc J Franklin for Playbill; Samantha Pauly, 2021 Broadway, 17 Sep 2021, @/klphotographynyc) - Black lacing was added to both sides of the corset as a form of stretch panel. This replaced the prior mesh and spandex stretch panels as seen on the 2020 and Showstoppers costumes. - The hot pink PVC changed in color to become slightly darker; the undertones are now more monochromatic than they previously were. - Studs were added to the criss-crossed elastics. - There are also now two layers of elastics: The bottom one attached to the mesh leotard with a snap in the middle, and a top one attached to the corset with studding on it that snaps into the bottom. The one with studding is attached to the corset rather than the leotard since the leotard acts as her undergarment and is washed regularly. - The closure on the Howard skirt is a tab that is hidden under the mic holster. This was the case for the 2020 and Showstoppers costumes as well, but is different from all other Howard skirts. - The fitting of the skirt is slightly different. On the 2020 costume, the panels on either side of the opening are mostly parallel and with only a slight angle to them. On the 2021, they’re at more of an angle so the bottom of the opening is now much wider than the top (this is presumably for movement).

Parr (Costume: Anna Uzele, 2020 Broadway, @/Joan Marcus; Anna Uzele, 2021 Broadway, 16 Sep 2021, Jamie McCarthy for NBC; Anna Uzele, 2021 Broadway, 17 Sep 2021, Marc J Franklin for Playbill; Anna Uzele, 2021 Broadway, 14 Sep 2021, Sara Krulwich) (Boots: 2020 pair, Anna Uzele, 11 Apr 2021; 2020 pair, Anna Uzele, Jimmy Fallon performance, 16 Sep 2021, Jamie McCarthy for NBC; 2021 pair, Anna Uzele, 14 Sep 2021, Sara Krulwich) - There may have been a change in the color of the blue PVC. - New boots design in addition to still wearing the old ones as well (per the two pairs of boots with one old and one new). The 2020 pair has two wide straps that both split into two smaller straps, leaving four smaller ones visible from the side. The 2021 pair has three straps with buckles from what we can see of the side, but we don’t know what the straps look like in front. They could be like her 2020 boots, which look like two wide straps in the front and only look like four from the side. The 2020 are also taller (similar in length to Aragon’s) while the 2021 are shorter (similar in length to the rest of the queens). - The bottom front corners of the peplum are now rounded rather than the previous 90 degree angle. - The top is much longer and with a steeper point in the center front than it was in 2020. - The sleeves seem to be separate from the top.  - There are some black panels on the side of the top. We’re trying to figure out exactly what those are for. First, they seem like the stretch panels as are standard for the rest of the 2021 costumes. However, they also seem to have a zipper in addition to the zipper closure in the back. @lightleckrereins is theorizing that since the sleeves are now separate, those side zippers are so that they can unzip the sides, put the top on over the shoulders after the sleeves have been put on, and then zip it closed on the sides to make it easier to put on. - The stretch panels on the bottom of the sleeves extend through the vinyl section of the sleeve as well.

[docleonidas]

Meeting of the Gregs

Part 2

Aftermath had shifted over under the shade of a tree by the time the new arrival had rather unceremoniously stepped through and faceplanted in the sand, not expecting the change in surface. This was a bad thing as barely a second later, another figure stepped through, this one tripping over the first and stumbling away from the door, barely managing to not fall over. He let out a sigh of relief before realization sunk in and he quickly turned to help the person he'd tripped over up.

"God, I'm so sorry kid!" He said, holding out a hand to help the boy on the floor, who spat out some sand before grabbing the offered hand the two finally getting a look at each other and letting out a loud yell of surprise. "Wait, you're me!" "What the heck?"

Two heads peered over the top of the shipwreck at the noise as Slumber and Beacon glanced over at the newcomers, the two down below finally realizing they weren't alone. "Hi guys! Want to join us searching the ship? We found a hook and a pirates coat!" Called down Slumber as Beacon just peered over, their excitement dying down a little as the group size increased.

"Hold on, what's going on? Why are there so many young me's around here?" Asked the older of the two arrivals. This version wore a light blue button up shirt with a white undershirt, skinny blue jeans that were rolled up above the ankles and a pair of white and red trainers with yellow velcro strapping. Two earrings, one red, one blue were on his left ear. and a pink fabric bracelet was wrapped around his left wrist. The most striking features though were a large scar on the older boy's right cheek, and the fact his whole right arm had been replaced with a sleek metallic version.

The smaller of the two was quieter but had a look on him of distrust, having distanced himself a bit from the older boy. Though more similar to the other Gregorys, this one was wearing an orange sunset shirt bearing Freddy's name and bolt and a bracelet of orange beads and a single blue lightning bolt. A pair of dark brown trousers with both legs rolled up to differing lengths and white shoes with yellow and red trim. A scar was visible just under the bandaid on his face and he wore a scowl as he tried to keep a bit of a distance from the others.

"Well... We only got here a little bit ago ourselves, Vanessa.... or Viva as she calls herself, was telling us how there was a mess and we were all from different universes or something." Said Slumber, leaning over the railing above. "I didn't really understand, but she gave us nicknames so we could tell each other apart till she fixes whatever happened. I'm Slumber, this is Beacon and Aftermath is chilling under the tree over there." He explained. The two still looked just as confused before.

"Wait, Vanessa is here?" asked the smaller of the two before the doorway glowed behind them again. The two newcomers stepped back as a far taller figure stepped through. This wasn't a Gregory, that was for certain, and she stretched, her back popping as she smiled. "Well, I'm not really just Vanessa anymore..." The woman chuckled. "Good to see you two made it safely here HiWFi and RBAY Gregorys." She said, glancing from the shorter Gregory to the taller of the two newcomers.

Vanessa....Or Viva as she called herself was a far more punk version of the Vanessa any of the five had met before. Short blonde hair curled slightly over and shaved on one side of the head, White leather armless jacket over a slim black Tshirt with gold writing, though it was mostly covered. The letters CCIN just about visible. Some slim white jeans with a silver belt started just below where the shirt ended, with some shiny black thick boots with gold laces.

A neon blue tattoo covered her right arm from the wrist up, an almost digital pattern which resembled a circuit board. Her left forearm was gone, replaced with a gleaming white and neon blue cybernetic one, causing RBAY to lean in for a closer look. It seemed hers had a holographic keyboard overlay on it. Lastly, while it was clear it was Vanessa from her face, she wore a headpiece that projected a screen over her eyes, again in the same neon blue. "I have a few moments so I thought I'd try give you all some info while I can." Viva said calmly, resting her organic hand on her hip as she tilted her head to look at HiWFi.

"Why are there more of me. Is this a trick of some kind?" HiWFi asked quickly, not enjoying the stare as RBAY compared his own cybernetic arm to hers, before she noticed and tapped a few buttons on it, making the doorway behind her glow again, ready for new arrivals. "No, no trick. I've had to shunt you all over to a safe universe after your own were damaged in a bit of a skirmish with a pretty bad version of..... well, you guys might know him as a few names, but the most common one is Glitchtrap. Or the virus who turned a load of animatronics rogue." She explained. "I can fix the damage, but you guys are pretty important to your respective universes, so until its all repaired, I need to keep you out of reach of Glitch Zero's reach."

Prev Index Next

(Alright Gregorys, its time to make this a bit more interactive. More Gregorys are arriving, so all of you are welcome to ask Viva some questions for the next part. She will ONLY be around for a few minutes in story, so please ask as your Gregory and i'll try include you guys next part, sound good? Anyone not yet arrived will be receiving information on your Fazwatch when you arrive, so noone will be left out of the loop.)

[introvertguide]

Star Wars (1977); AFI #13

In honor of May 4th and the original movie that started it all, the group reviewed Star Wars (1977). Nominated for 10 Academy Awards and winning 6 with one extra special achievement award for Sound, this is perhaps the most highly decorated science fiction movie of all time. The special effects and the music were especially moving making the Star Wars experience something amazing to behold. I was lucky enough to see one of the re-releases in the theatre back in the mid 80s. In fact, I might well have seen the film 100 times over my life. The music might be the most well known soundtrack globally. With inflation, this is the 4th highest grossing film of all time. It is truly a fantastic work and I would like to now spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it. Let me start with the usual:

SPOILER WARNING!!! I DON'T THINK THERE ARE MANY WHO HAVE NOT SEEN THE FILM, BUT FOR THOSE FEW THAT DON'T KNOW, I AM GOING TO RUIN THE PLOT!!! STOP NOW AND GO WATCH IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY!!!

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

Amid a galactic civil war, Rebel Alliance spies have stolen plans to the Galactic Empire's Death Star, a massive space station capable of destroying an entire planet. Imperial Senator Princess Leia of Alderaan (Carrie Fisher), secretly one of the Rebellion's leaders, has obtained its schematics (this entire effort was originally a throwaway concept but was completely fleshed out in Rogue One almost 40 years later) , but her starship is intercepted by an Imperial Star Destroyer under the command of the ruthless Darth Vader (acted by David Prowse and voiced by James Earl Jones). The movie is just starting and the odds against the rebels are shown by the scale of the two ships. Before she is captured, Leia hides the plans in the memory of an astromech droid called R2-D2 (Kenny Baker), who flees in an escape pod to the desert planet Tatooine accompanied by protocol droid C-3PO (Anthony Daniels).

The droids are captured by Jawa traders (little shiny eyed beings who are now meme legends), who sell them to moisture farmers Owen and Beru Lars and their nephew Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). While Luke is cleaning R2-D2, part of a holographic recording of Leia starts playing a message for Obi-Wan Kenobi where she requests his help ("Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope!"). Later, after Luke finds R2-D2 missing, he is attacked by scavenging Sand People while searching for him, but is rescued by elderly hermit "Old Ben" Kenobi (Sir Alec Guinness), an acquaintance of Luke's, who reveals that "Obi-Wan" is his true name. Obi-Wan tells Luke of his days as one of the Jedi Knights, the former peacekeepers of the Galactic Republic who drew mystical abilities from a metaphysical energy field known as "the Force", but were ultimately hunted to near-extinction by the Empire. Luke learns that his father fought alongside Obi-Wan as a Jedi Knight during the Clone Wars (another throwaway concept that was eventually fleshed out) until Vader, Obi-Wan's former pupil, turned to the dark side of the Force and murdered him. Obi-Wan presents Luke with his father's old lightsaber, the signature weapon of Jedi Knights. The connection between Darth Vader and Luke's father is explored in depth during the next eight films.

R2-D2 plays Leia's full message, in which she begs Obi-Wan to take the Death Star plans to her home planet of Alderaan and give them to her father, a fellow veteran, for analysis. Although Luke initially declines Obi-Wan's offer to accompany him to Alderaan and learn the ways of the Force, he is left with no choice after discovering that Imperial stormtroopers have killed his aunt and uncle and destroyed their farm in their search for the droids (cue the Academy and Grammy Award winning theme music composed by John Williams). Traveling to a cantina in Mos Eisley to search for transport, Luke and Obi-Wan hire Han Solo (Harrison Ford), a smuggler with a price on his head due to his debt to local mobster Jabba the Hutt. Pursued by stormtroopers, Obi-Wan, Luke, R2-D2 and C-3PO flee Tatooine with Han and his Wookiee co-pilot Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) on their ship the Millennium Falcon. As they reach the planet's orbit, two Star Destroyers try to intercept them, but Han is able to jump to hyperspace by reaching lightspeed.

Before the Falcon can reach Alderaan, Death Star commander Grand Moff Tarkin (Peter Cushing) interrogates Leia about the location of the Rebels's secret base, with the threat of destroying her home planet, and, when she answers that the base is on Dantooine, he orders Alderaan destroyed simply as a show of force. As the group arrives in the asteroid field that now stands in place of Alderaan, Han spots an Imperial TIE fighter and is taunted into chasing it and shooting it down, allowing the Falcon to be captured by the space station's tractor beam. Inside the Death Star, Obi-Wan attempts to disable the tractor beam, and Luke persuades Han and Chewbacca to help him rescue Leia after discovering that she is scheduled to be executed. After disabling the tractor beam, Obi-Wan sacrifices his life in an epic lightsaber duel with Vader, allowing the rest of the group to escape the Death Star with Leia. Using a tracking device, the Empire tracks the Falcon to the hidden Rebel base.

Leia's schematics reveal a hidden weakness in the Death Star's thermal exhaust port, which could allow the Rebels to trigger a chain reaction in its main reactor with a precise torpedo strike. While Han abandons the Rebels after collecting his reward for rescuing Leia, Luke joins their starfighter squadron in a desperate attack against the approaching Death Star. In the ensuing battle, the Rebels suffer heavy losses as Vader leads a squadron of TIE fighters against them, but Han unexpectedly returns to aid them in the Falcon, narrowly managing to save Luke before Vader can shoot him down. Guided by the disembodied voice of Obi-Wan's spirit, Luke turns off his targeting computer and uses the Force to aim his torpedoes into the exhaust port, destroying the Death Star moments before it fires on the Rebel base. In a triumphant ceremony at the base, Leia awards Luke and Han medals for their heroism.

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

I want to explain the connection between this movie and the Joseph Campbell version of the hero's journey that so many people have pointed out. This journey starts out with a call to adventure that is refused and then forced (Luke is given an opportunity to leave, he declines, the death of his family pushes him forward, he leaves with his team). Campbell then predicts an initiation that involves meeting a woman and gaining weapons, a meeting with an incredible power, and an achievement of the hero's power (goes to star destroyer, meets Vader and loses Obi-Wan, gains power over force). The story ends with a refusal, a magic flight, a rescue from without, and a hero's return (Luke goes to attack the Death Star, Han refuses and then eventually saves him, and the day is saved so the heroes are rewarded). It is a story that is called the Monomyth and has been recognized in Greek myths that are thousands of years old. It is a good story that has been proven to work and it makes for one of the most enjoyable movies of all time.

There was some negative opinions of the film because it is such a simple old story that became extremely popular and film goers would no longer be interested in intelligent thinking movies. It is kind of the truth because blockbuster summer films are full of explosions. The highest grossing films since then have tended to be highly explosive action films. Films like Star Wars, Jaws, and Indiana Jones are a lot of fun, but they are not super deep. They are easy to understand at surface level, but they can also be interpreted to mean much more significant things. The choice of the viewer about whether the story has deep inner meaning or is just the Odyssey in space is personal and likely colors opinions about how good it is. Some people think it is stupid fun while others have actually formed religions around the idea of the force.

One thing is for certain, the formula worked amazingly well for a large group of people and this made movie producers want to copy it. This is what is generally called a watershed moment because the look of movies changed significantly. There were so many more space operas and they all had that worn post-apocalyptic look to them. Star Wars and Mad Max combined to give a different look of what futuristic was. There was advanced tech in some cases, but there was a scorched Earth that had run out of resources and people suffered. Think about how many movies and television shows there are that have come out since the 80s and combine industrial tech for space and distressed almost Western appearances for the planets. The movie changed the way many people see the future.

One thing that is inarguably great was the score. I am not going to try and describe it with words, I am just going to put links to the different themes here so you can hear for yourself:

Star Wars Main Theme (Full) - YouTube

Star Wars- The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme) - YouTube

Princess Leia's Theme - YouTube

Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope (1977) Soundtrack 11 Cantina Band - YouTube

This is somewhat strange for the AFI so I went back and checked, but I believe that this is the only film with a ranked villain (Darth Vader), hero (Han Solo), and theme song (Main Theme). Even if it is somewhat simplistic from some perspectives, the story and the songs and the sounds and the characters speak to those who watch it. Seeing the movie is an incredible experience and I envy those who get to see it for the first time.

I am a big fan of the original Star Wars trilogy and I could completely nerd out going over all of the little things throughout the movie, but this is not a deep dive but instead an overall review. So does it belong on the AFI top 100? Maybe more than any other movie. It is an epic tale that changed the way movies were made across multiple genres. We could probably look at all science fiction films and put them as before or after this one. It is an important piece of American film and (no matter what anyone thinks of the other Star Wars films or George Lucas) it is a masterpiece. Would I recommend it? I cannot say yes enough. It is part of my culture as a California movie nerd and understanding this film is understanding some of the basic knowledge I grew up with. All sticks are swung around like light sabers. If I say "Princess Leia hair," everyone around here knows exactly what I mean. If something is impossible but still needs to be done, we tell people to use the force. I have lived in the Bay Area for 20 years and I can still reference a location by how close it is to Skywalker Ranch were George Lucas worked on movies. Please check out this film and you will know why I am such a fan of movies.

[studiorat]

SoME Vol. II : Stressor, page 55

In which the blins are just doing their best.

(They’re a disaster and I love them all.)

SoME is brought to you by coffee, spite, my lovely readers and patrons, and the letter T. The comic remains free to read, though NEW pages go up FIRST every Thursday on my Patreon. (We’re deeper in Volume II over there. Also patrons get the collected ebook versions of various comics to download, along with other goodies.) There is also a master post (that actually works) with all live pages there, as a public post of course. Even warm notes and small tips help the art continue to exist, especially in dark hours, and you can always hang out with us on the public pages of Patreon or on Discord, or the other various and sundry social medias. If you want to support the work even more, we do have a shop full of prints, comics, originals, swag, and studio destash -the link will be in the notes as always, because Tumblr is a Functional Website™️.

As always, signal boosting is greatly appreciated.

Thank you for reading!

And while you’re here! We’re racing toward the end of the order window for the fabulous Hogs Gone Wild pinup zine -! @hogsgonewildzine needs just a handful more orders to upgrade the beautiful charm from @diamondwerewolf to holographic glitter (shiny is always good) and when we hit 100 physical copies there will be a pin designed by @gryffoon . (You know you want it.)

https://hogsgonewildzine.tumblr.com/post/636260503076962305/weve-just-hit-a-total-of-69-copies-sold

[clockworkmoose]

@pigeonfancier​ replied to your post:

I have  read 7 books in the past 6 days. If I read...

Ooh, what books?

Okay, so half of them were a series - The Murderbot Diaries books 1-4.  Antisocial robot who has anxiety and definitely does not want to be human and wants humans to stop wanting it to be human which is fantastic. 

I haven’t read the fifth one yet because I have not bought the fifth one yet and that’s all that’s stopping me. Because Murderbot is great. 

The others were Ball Lightning by Liu Cixin which was pretty good, but definitely the hardest to get through because oof it started out super technical, eased up for the middle half, and then went all quantum physical HARDCORE in the last quarter. 

So. Oof. Science Fiction, but more “science” than “space battles and laser guns.” 

I’d been meaning to read The Three Body Problem by the same author (because I saw it in Barnes and Nobel and it had a holographic cover and I am a magpie that likes shiny things, APPARENTLY) but saw a review that mentioned that Ball Lightning wasn’t exactly a prequel, but it had like a marvel-teaser style reference to something in The Three Body Problem, so I decided to read it first.

Also, To be Taught, If Fortunate. Which is short, but also kept me up to like 3am reading because I kept saying, ah, it’s short enough, I can finish it before it gets late. But the trick was I was a fool and it was already late when i started reading. 

It’s another Sci fy that’s more on “science” than fiction, about a group of four scientists going on a romp through an alien solar system and getting their biologist and research nerd on together. The alien worlds they visit really kinda reminded me of like... what you might see in ‘70s weird pulp magazines where people were just making up the craziest alien life you could imagine for funsies.

Also? All 4 of the main characters are some shade of lgbt/queer and I did not know that before picking up the book and was very delighted by the fact. The cover kind of looks like Princess Leia got ejected out into space for some reason. 

(OH, it just dawned on me, that’s a scene in the book. I did not imagine that character looking like that. I no longer think the cover looks out of place.)

The last book that I just finished today was probably the weakest of them, which is super unfortunate, because it had the best world building out of everything, and I think ties with Murderbot for the best character characterization, and is called Binti.

It’s about a girl from the Himba people in Africa (I’m not sure if it’s *actually* the Himba, or a science fiction version that’s just based on them) who is the first of her family to ever leave earth to go study at a galactic university. And everything about Binti (the name of the MC) is fantastic and great and wonderful.... and then halfway through the book, the plot falls apart. To the point of, (example, not spoilers) a bank robber walks into a bank, shoots someone and demands all the money, and then the police come and say, “ah yes, it’s fine you killed that guy because you were fired from your job. Here’s the keys to the vault, help yourself.” which! Is not very logical to me!!! 

I did not like how the plot just kinda... did whatever it wanted and got to unrelated endpoints because those were good endpoints, but I did like Binti the character a lot, and the book did win several awards and has two sequels so maybe I don’t know what I’m talking about and it’s better than I thought it was! Shrug emoji? I am planning on reading the sequels anyways.

[bbeelzemon]

ruby cartridge authenticity evaluation

okay so yeah im thinking this ruby is Authentic (why did that autocorrect to be capitalized dhsndb) because first of all the label seems to have been, at least at one point, reflective (despite being in terrible terrible condition currently lol) some bootlegs will just have a regular papery sticker instead of a reflective one

Hard to see in pictures, but the nintendo stamp on the inside of the cart looks identical to my old ruby version (which we got back in 2003 or whenever ruby and sapphire came out, and ours were bought new. Old one on top)

And the cartridge molded typeface on the back looks identical as well (old one on bottom) sorry its hard to get both to be in focus and legible at the same time lol but they look the same in person

the only reasons i have my doubts is 1) I cant see the numbers stamped onto the label but with how bad condition this label is in, it wouldnt surprise me if they did at one point exist, but now do not. The sticker looks like it has two layers - a base sticker and the holographic print on top. The top print is peeling and honestly looks like it mightve been water damaged or something (dont worry, the game works fine lmao)

And 2) the text inside the official nintendo seal is like. Perfectly scratched off. And i know some bootlegs will have the seal outline and shape but with no actual words inside. From certain angles you can see the faintest hint of the golden text, but im not sure

Anyway i cant compare the label directly to my old cart because my old one had the label peeled off by one of my brothers so all label comparisons have to be done by looking at online pictures and hoping the ones im looking at are also authentic LOL

but yeah so my score is: probably authentic, but if its not, whoever made it mustve put a TON of effort into making this thing as close to the real one as possible. its possible they got a fancy shiny sticker and deliberately weathered it to make it look old and used, but thats a ton of extra work when the bootlegs sell for $20 and the authentic ones for only $35

[chloe-glow]

Rare Pokemon GO Cards: What to Look for and How to Find Them?

The world of Pokémon GO cards is vast and filled with valuable treasures for collectors and players alike. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or just starting your collection, understanding what makes certain cards rare and how to find them is essential for anyone passionate about the game. If you're searching for Pokémon GO cards to elevate your collection or boost your gameplay, this guide will give you all the information you need. At Panda Shop, we offer an excellent selection of rare Pokémon GO cards to add to your collection.

Understanding the Value of Pokémon GO Cards

Not all Pokemon GO cards are created equal. The value of a card is often determined by factors such as its rarity, the Pokémon featured, and the card's condition. Cards from limited-time events or special promotions also tend to be more sought-after. The rarity of these cards stems not only from their scarcity but also from their impact on gameplay and their status as collector's items. At Panda Shop, we specialize in curating rare and exclusive Pokémon GO cards, so you can easily access these valuable gems.

What Makes a Pokémon GO Card Rare?

Several factors contribute to a Pokémon GO card's rarity. These include the type of Pokémon depicted on the card, its edition, and the artwork. Legendary and shiny versions of Pokémon tend to be more rare than regular cards, and some cards have limited edition runs, making them even more coveted. Understanding these factors is crucial when searching for Pokémon GO cards to add to your collection. Panda Shop makes it easier for you to find these rare pieces, offering a wide variety of hard-to-find cards for collectors of all levels.

Legendary and Mythical Pokémon Cards

One of the most valuable categories of Pokémon GO cards is those featuring Legendary and Mythical Pokémon. These rare creatures are typically harder to obtain in the game, which makes their cards highly desirable among collectors. If you're looking to expand your collection, targeting these types of Pokémon GO cards is a great place to start. Panda Shop offers a selection of rare Legendary and Mythical Pokémon cards to help you find those missing treasures.

Shiny Pokémon GO Cards: A Collector’s Dream

Shiny Pokémon cards are some of the most coveted items in any Pokémon card collection. These cards feature rare color variants of iconic Pokémon, making them both visually appealing and difficult to obtain. Shiny versions of popular Pokémon like Charizard or Snorlax are highly prized, and owning one can be a huge accomplishment for any collector. However, the rarity of shiny cards often makes them expensive and hard to find. For those looking to add shiny Pokémon GO cards to their collection, Panda Shop offers a range of these vibrant cards, carefully sourced to meet collectors’ needs.

Event-Specific and Limited Edition Pokémon GO Cards

Another factor contributing to the rarity of Pokémon GO cards is whether they were released during a specific event or as part of a limited edition set. These event-specific cards, along with limited-edition sets released for holidays or milestones, can be highly valuable and difficult to find. Keeping an eye out for these exclusive releases can be a great way to discover rare additions to your Pokémon GO card collection. Panda Shop offers a variety of event-specific and limited-edition cards to ensure your collection is both unique and valuable.

Full-Art and Holo Pokémon GO Cards

Full-art and holographic cards are often more visually striking than regular Pokémon cards, which contributes to their rarity. Full-art cards showcase detailed illustrations that fill the entire card, while holo cards feature a shiny, reflective surface that makes them stand out in any collection. These types of Pokémon GO cards are often released in special sets or tied to specific promotions, making them highly desirable for collectors. At Panda Shop, we carry a variety of full-art and holo cards, ensuring that collectors have access to some of the most visually stunning pieces in the Pokémon GO card world.

How to Find Rare Pokémon GO Cards?

Finding rare Pokémon GO cards can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. One of the best ways to search for these valuable cards is by checking online marketplaces, attending Pokémon trading events, and exploring online communities. Additionally, visiting local card shops or specialized stores like Panda Shop can offer opportunities to find rare cards that you may not be able to locate elsewhere. It’s important to research the cards you’re looking for and be patient in your search, as finding rare Pokémon GO cards may take time.

Conclusion

Building a collection of Pokémon GO card takes time, knowledge, and patience, but it’s a rewarding journey for anyone passionate about the game. From legendary and shiny Pokémon to event-specific and holo cards, there are many rare pieces to discover. The key to success lies in knowing what to look for and where to find these valuable cards. Whether you’re searching for a specific card or simply want to expand your collection, Panda Shop is here to help. Our wide selection of rare Pokémon GO cards offers something for everyone, from beginners to experienced collectors. Start your collection today and elevate your Pokémon experience to new heights with the best Pokémon GO cards available!

[marrella-splendens]

some story bits

so I realized some of y’all really liked the writing snippets I had been sharing lately, so maybe against my better judgement I’m going to just share the most recent few chunks I have written, so that you have some delicious context for my gay alien adventure bullshit

---

it looked almost like somebody had taken a soup can the size of a small aircraft and kicked its guts out, smearing shattered slivers of cold metal across space, twinkling in the sunlight. she thought mostly that it looked very old. a cylinder? really? that was some old-school tech. and here it was, most definitely dead. she approached carefully, keeping a safe distance, trying to gauge the extent of the damage. whoever kicked the guts out of this particular soup can did a pretty good job; maybe only 40% of the exterior remained intact, or at the very least still connected together in what seemed like its original configuration. what remained was a neat array of solar panels and various antennae, but that was surface stuff. she wanted to get at that gooey center.

she thrusted her craft a bit closer, careful not to disturb the debris field too much. she prodded her fingers in the air, starting up a spectral scan to see what she was dealing with. it was a good first step, before you had to get too close and touch anything. by now she figured she had enough muscle memory to do it in her sleep. she hoped she’d never have to do that. it was against safety regulations.

there was a considerable amount of data to analyze. as the onboard computers hummed away, she herself had trouble parsing the mess in front of her. certain components were stripped off, dangling in space, tangled together and torn at odd angles, her ship’s lights casting odd shadows further down. this didn’t look like an ordinary impact, but just to be sure, she requested a schematic from hq. a few seconds later a holographic and decidedly intact version of the sat appeared on her display. she prodded at it to get the exploded diagram, and looked back and forth at the real deal in front of her. things were definitely not as they should be; that much was obvious.

the comms link crackled open. “hey scout, everything okay? just noticed you nabbed the specs for that old wreck.”

“yeah yeah, okay but weird,” she replied, cringing a little. she didn’t like having to use comms. “looks a little busted up but I wanna get a closer look, if that’s alright?”

a slight pause, then, “fair enough, just be sure to get a prognosis soon; we got a tight schedule to keep.”

“copy that,” she said. she wouldn’t need very long to get a proper report to send back to the scrappers. it certainly looked like it was gonna be scrapped, one way or another. her console let out a little chime, and she frowned. something in there had an unfamiliar spectrum. not entirely unheard of, but it was enough to make her start to sweat. something felt off, but this was too interesting to pass up. she wasn’t gonna send along an incomplete report.

slowly, almost daintily, she nudged her craft in the direction of the anomalous signal, using several grabber arms to push aside loose material in her way. several chunks of metal clunked against the hull, one even bouncing off the clear bubble surrounding her, making her jump. the signal, however, got clearer. it was getting darker; the only illumination now coming from her ship.

but even in that meager light, she could see it. something very dark, metallic, almost… slimy? was it a meteor? no, far too smooth to be a meteor. it was deep in there, hidden between various defunct components. she was certain that this was what had crashed into the sat, and why she was here. the spectral scans were still a bit confused. the pit in her stomach deepened but she had a job to do, and she dug her way in closer.

there didn’t seem to be a clear line of impact; no single path it could have taken to find itself in its current position. like it had wormed its way in there. like it was there on purpose. she got the distinct feeling that she was seeing something new, and that was terrifying. more terrifying was that she’d have to call this in. over comms. god dammit.

“hey uh,” she began, not a good start. “I’ve got something really weird here; could use a second opinion?” she started the necessary procedure to send her data back, but a smattering of red lights on her console stopped her in her tracks.

“no communication line available or open,” said a pleasant computerized voice, from somewhere beside her. “opening line of sight recommended.”

but she did have line of sight, behind her. she wasn’t that deep in; there would be comsats that could pick her up right here, surely. she had just used them, after all. but no, nothing. she’d have to back out; try again. she gently nudged on the thrusters to take her clear of this mess. she was just about done here anyway.

a puff of cold gas erupted from an rcs node, but stopped itself short with an alarming thunk, just as half her console lights turned red or completely off. her skiff started backwards, bumped into something outside her vision, and stopped. her heads-up display wasn’t functioning, but a couple remaining lights and that familiar electric humming told her that her main circuit wasn’t busted, and life support was still functional. unfortunately, nothing else appeared to be.

she tried desperately to remain calm, and remember her training. that didn’t really happen though, so she panicked, flicking toggle switches back and forth, hoping that maybe something would respond. she didn’t dare attempt a full reset of her power supply; there was no assurance that it would come back on if she turned it off. so she was stuck. it was just her in this bubble, until her air ran out. speaking of which, she eyed her helmet, strapped in next to her. she pulled it free, fidgeted with it a little. it wouldn’t necessarily save her from an explosive decompression event, but if her air ran out, her flight suit could keep her going a little longer. and it gave her an out. if she dared go out.

her eyes remained fixed on the object, in the center of her vision. she had been crying, she just noticed, and her tears detached and floated a little ways in front of her. she swatted at them, rubbed them into her flight harness before they caused any further unexpected fucking problems. she didn’t break eye contact with the object. at this point she was sure it was to blame here. “if this is aliens,” she said quietly to herself, “I’m gonna lose my entire shit.” no better theories came to mind.

her eyes were locked. before, it had seemed, she was focusing due to panic, and a lack of anything else to do. but she realized that even if she tried, she could not pull them away. she continued to cry, her eyes beginning to sting. almost without thinking, she pulled her flight helmet over her head, breaking eye contact for a painful fraction of a second. more tears welled up, as she fumbled with the latch, trying to find a seal, as more tears broke away and floated around her head annoyingly. she couldn’t do much about them at this point; barely noticed them.

she began to realize that she could feel them. eyes, not hers. directly ahead. keeping her steady and focused. burning into her. a pressure, like they were forced up against hers, but she couldn’t see them. nothing but that unchanging shiny black surface. but they were there, she knew. she could feel them. she couldn’t stop crying. she was so very very stuck.

her vision grew hazy. she never thought it would end quite like this, but isn’t that why she came up here? to die? or was it to live? she forgot. could barely think about anything but the pressure and pain, now pressing around her entire skull, squeezing the thought from her. did anybody back at hq know she was stuck? it would take them hours to make it here, if they knew to come. they would just think she was late, probably.

she saw them. oh god, she saw them. two eyes, like hers. against hers. black pupils, like awkward angular slits in deep red irises. nothing else. then something snapped and she was gone.

---

the pressure was gone, the pain gone. but she couldn’t see a goddamned thing. she was still in her flight suit, which was a small comfort. she tried to move, to turn on her headlamp, but she couldn’t. oh well, perhaps that was wishful thinking. but yes, she definitely seemed to be restrained, somehow. she couldn’t feel any straps or bonds holding her, but she could wiggle her fingers, her toes. she could move herself a little bit, so she wasn’t paralyzed. she could even move her head around, but that did nothing, because she couldn’t see. she felt bizarrely calm, and rested. but disoriented, like waking up from an overly long nap. she took a few deep breaths.

she couldn’t hear much of anything. it was strangely silent here. there was a slight crinkling from her suit when she moved, but the sound was dulled, mostly coming from its interior. she felt something beneath her, some sort of surface. she tried to tap on it, but didn’t feel anything solid, only a sort of increasing resistance. a force field? oh god, it was aliens, wasn’t it. humans, at least no humans she knew of, possessed that level of technology, though she suspected they might be at the edge of it. nothing like this though.

she cleared her throat to speak, in a sudden burst of unexpected courage. “pardon me? hello?” she felt dumb, saying it. felt like somebody in a movie. she didn’t have any better ideas though.

for several minutes, nothing happened. she kept her breathing as steady as she could. she didn’t know how much air her suit had left, so she was going to assume it was something worth conserving. she wasn’t gone yet, at any rate. she would stick around as long as she could. suddenly, she could feel something else. she wasn’t entirely sure how she could feel it, besides she could. not unlike earlier, but not painful either.

regardless, she was certain she was no longer alone. she still couldn’t see anything though. she spoke again, almost surprising herself. “hello? I’m sorry, but I can’t see you. somebody is there, right?” she almost pleaded for mercy, but stopped herself. she didn’t want to make any assumptions.

there was a strange noise in front of her, the first time she heard anything besides herself this whole time, actually. it sounded, remarkably, like speech. not human speech. that probably should have alarmed her, but it didn’t. in fact, somewhere inside her, she could almost understand it. not the words, not exactly, but the meaning. something about light. a response, then.

slowly, very slowly, the pitch darkness around her began to abate, giving way to a still very dark greyness. but now she could see her. her? she wasn’t quite sure how she knew that, of all things. but there she was, outlined in the murkiness. a surprisingly humanoid figure; four arms, two legs. a halo of messy hair around her head, unbidden by gravity. what looked like extremely sharp teeth, glinting gently in the dark. and those eyes. those beautiful red eyes, no longer pressing into hers, painfully, but looking, just looking. maybe even concerned, but this was an alien, so how the hell was she supposed to tell. but she felt it, maybe. a hesitation.

the alien spoke again, clearer, louder this time. the words unfamiliar but fitting into her mind as speech, not random noise. “ûnnoth, ûtköghëd?” she asked, her voice raspy. I’m sorry, are you hurt?

at this point, she didn’t bother questioning her ability to understand. she was very far out of her depth. “no, I’m not hurt,” she began. reconsidered. maybe she didn’t really care how they could communicate like this, but she wanted to find out, anyway. she realized she might be in the middle of a first contact scenario - very likely was - and wanted to get more information if she could. if it mattered. “actually, though, I am curious how we can talk to each other like this. I’ve never, well.” she blushed, out of fear or embarrassment or something else, she wasn’t sure. “I’ve never spoken to somebody who was not a human before. so...” she trailed off. glad to know she was at the top of her conversational game right now.

well you see, she began, her words unfamiliar but ringing true in her mind regardless, we have some special tech for that. just so, she said, tapping the side of her head. implants. yes? also, and she turned to the side, slight trepidation radiating from her, I have studied what I can of your languages. to some extent.

“oh,” she asked, suddenly curious. “really? I wonder what that would sound like.” and after a second of consideration: “sorry, not to be mean or anything. I just want to know. I’m sure it’s fine!”

she turned back to face her, red eyes impenetrable. “ǔ sfîk ingliss, ës? aî khan sfîk litl ingliss, vot nat sô gud.” she pointed to her teeth. “thîdh get in vê. nat gud at lif saunds. hǔvans al lokhî, khan ǔs lifs thû sfîk vith.” she stopped, and caught her breath. her teeth did, in fact, get in the way. she wasn’t sure if that made her unlucky, though. just different.

admittedly, that was extremely cute, but she held back laughter in case it would be misinterpreted. “your english is just fine, don’t worry. but you can switch back if you’re more comfortable.”

yes, yes, I think that might be best. she made a head movement that might have been a nod, or something along those lines.

“so,” she began, worried about breaching a potentially uncomfortable subject, “I do not know where I am, and I cannot move. I don’t suppose you could… elaborate on that.”

oh! she said, with a sound that seemed like genuine surprise. yes, I am sorry, just basic precautions you understand. this is quite a situation. quite a situation! I’m afraid I cannot disclose many details to you, I’m sure you would understand. but you are safe, I have made sure of this. she looked at her intently. I’m sorry for detaining you like this. when your craft approached, I panicked. you see… she trailed off, reconsidered. I had to make sure you were not a threat. I can see now that you are, at the very least, not an obvious one. but I cannot be fully sure. I apologize in advance, but I may need to keep you here for some time.

she took a second to process this. “that makes sense, but as you might have noticed, I was in contact with my company just prior to…” no, she was not going to say “abduction.” even if that’s what it was. “prior to this lovely visit, and it would take them a while to realize I might be in danger, and hours more for them to send a crew here to rescue me, but they will come here eventually. I agree that this is, as you put it, quite a situation, and I worry it would become quite more of a situation if this-” she tried to gesture around but only wiggled, “was discovered.”

the alien backed away slightly, two of her arms grabbing on to unseen handholds behind her, and her head turning to look at something apparently only she could see, with her long hair lazily following. oh kind human, you have no reason to worry. I am not sure how much you gathered about my vessel when you first approached it, or if you even knew exactly what you were looking at, but you may have noticed that it is much larger in here than it is out there, so to speak. similarly, time is very much compressed. we are in no rush. in fact, you had been sleeping for some time; after I… gathered you from your craft, I, well. she turned back towards her, an unfamiliar expression on her face. I am sorry but I may have dosed you. just a little! I promise, it was not much, you just seemed terribly upset and I was concerned that could be a problem. you probably feel a bit calmer now, I imagine, yes? and the rest helped, I hope. it didn’t show on her face but the sensation was very apologetic. she was still getting used to that.

and drugs did make sense. she was indeed fairly calm, and in fact wanted to stay that way. she was still worried, though. but this was going a lot better than she originally thought it might. and she had time, apparently. this was good. even better was the fact that her eyes were starting to fully adjust to the light.

her surroundings were still fairly obscured; she imagined there wouldn’t be a lot to see even in full light within these soft dark curves, like velvet, with very few indications of functionality besides the occasional place to grab on to. her companion was, unsurprisingly, the most interesting thing (or person, in this case) in the room. she had noticed how large she was before, not in any sort of imposing way, but certainly more bulky than she was herself. now she could see the outlines of muscles on her arms, which formed unfamiliar configurations beneath her skin, which appeared to be made up of tiny dark blue scales. from the gaps between the scales grew fine black hairs, which were thickest around her head and back, and if she looked closely she could see patches that had been delicately braided with the help of dark purple crystalline beads.

the fact that she had four arms had been pretty obvious at first, but her hands each had six fingers, with a second opposing thumb on the other side. practical, she thought. the rest of her body was either out of view or hidden behind her clothing, which seemed to consist of a loose wrapping of dark fabric which waved gently at her slightest movements. her face was undeniably alien, with large red eyes with triangular pupils, and several rows of sharp protruding teeth underneath a large, flattish nose. somewhere in her tangle of hair were nubs of skin that might have been ears, but it was hard to tell.

maybe it was the drugs, but she had to admit, this alien babe was incredibly attractive. nah, that wasn’t the drugs. that was good taste. regardless, she felt a little overdressed. that is to say, claustrophobic. “hey so uh, can I take my helmet off? partly because I can’t move much at all and also I don’t know if it would be safe. would it be safe?”

oh, right! she replied, with a chittering noise that seemed to pass for laughter. I’m sorry, it had honestly slipped my mind. yes, it would be safe. we breathe basically the same stuff, and I scanned you for the usual bugs and immune problems either of us might have. at least breathing the same air should be safe, yes. I just didn’t want to remove your clothing without your permission; I was going to ask but I got all caught up playing interrogator. more laughter. sorry, that’s a bad joke. you can take your helmet off if you want.

suddenly she could feel the restraining fields around her arms weaken, and she moved to take her helmet off, fumbling with the latch. her ears popped a little as she pulled it off, but besides that, she was not in any immediate distress. she took in a tentative breath of air. hrm. it tasted smoky, and metallic. and somewhat minty. weird. “thank you,” she said, quite earnestly.

it is no trouble, kind human. in fact, there’s hardly any reason to keep you stuck there anymore, is there. I am sorry about that as well. she waved her hand vaguely in her direction, and the rest of the fields fell away.

ah, she could move again. she reached below her, felt the actual surface there, which was about as soft and spongy as she had imagined it to be. “I have to admit, you have a much nicer spaceship than me. by a long shot.” she reached up and pulled her hair tie out. “I’ve no use for this at the moment, to hell with it.” to hell with safety regulations, to be specific. but these were exceptional circumstances, she was sure.

more cute alien giggles. it would seem we are both bending the rules. she ran three hands through her considerable mane of hair. but it seems, we’re both quite in the thick of it now. she climbed her way across a nearby wall, settling in beside her at a comfortable distance. more personable now. less imposing. this is indeed an interesting situation. you see, by taking you here, by even having this conversation, I am almost definitely breaching at least one galactic treaty, and as you could probably imagine this puts me in quite the predicament. sort of a difficult situation. tell me, she said, fidgeting slightly, what is your name, kind human? I feel impolite at this point not knowing. I understand entirely if that is not something you are willing to divulge.

“it’s maria,” she said, wondering why she hadn’t thought to introduce herself earlier. she had been somewhat caught up in the whole alien thing. she was still somewhat caught up in it. “what about you, kind host?”

she slowly blinked. flower, she said. though, maria suspected, that was only the meaning of it, because of her implant. the word she had spoken was “adsun”. it was a pretty name.

“well, adsun,” the alien name rolling ungracefully off her tongue, “it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. if you were a human I would probably shake your hand, but I’m not quite sure what is appropriate here.”

adsun wiggled, obviously quite delighted. oh, oh I am familiar with this! we do not do it ourselves, no, but I admit I do have some human cultural knowledge, and, well, I have to say I have been wanting to try it, and now is just the perfect opportunity. it would be an honor, maria. she stuck out a hand, reconsidered, and offered her other hand on the same side, seemingly unsure which would work better.

“cool cool, hold on a sec.��� she was going to shake hands with an alien. an alien girl, for that matter. she was very glad for the calming effect these drugs had on her. she would need to ask about those later. for now, she popped one of her flight suit gloves off, letting it dangle at the cuff, and wiped her gross sweaty palm on her leg before leaning in and giving adsun the best approximation of a human handshake her shy sheltered ass could possibly muster. which, based on her wiggly reaction, was probably a good one. she couldn’t help but notice how soft and fuzzy adsun’s snakelike skin was.

oh! exquisite. yes. thank you, maria. she let go, moved away slightly. considering. in her ship, with its time-bending effect on reality, she probably had plenty of time to sit and think. she couldn’t help but envy her for that. I don’t suppose… and you’ve really been so kind to me so far, very patient, and I appreciate that very much, but perhaps, if you would indulge me just a moment, we could, well. my version of a handshake, I suppose.

maria nodded. “absolutely, though I can’t say I’m coming into this with the sort of knowledge you do.”

she pointed to her forehead. we put our foreheads together. that’s basically it. but only if you want.

in lieu of a spoken answer, maria pulled herself up to adsun, placing her forehead against hers. it was… very warm. wow. she barely resisted the urge to touch her hair, but that wasn’t worth the risk right now.

adsun let out a rumble, like a low purr. oh maria, how you indulge me. thank you.

“no problem at all,” she said as they parted. “now we can get down to business. I feel like you might want to explain more about that whole, you know, galactic treaty thing. that you are probably breaking.”

oh, yes, of course. she shifted her position, fidgeted. well, you humans are, for now, though I cannot foresee what might happen in the near future because of this, but for now you are quite sheltered. you occupy a certain quasi-official status as a galactic civilization, but as you have been, well, mostly uncontacted, that status is provisional until you can join the rest of us at our level. she turned, scratched an itch on her back. I do not mean to imply, kind maria, that this “level” I speak of is a technological one. no, I simply am referring to whether or not you are active members of the galactic community. ideally, contact is made around the time a civilization is able to effectively travel or communicate with nearby civilizations. this is done in as careful a manner as possible. until such time as the community at large is willing to make ourselves known and contact you on an official level, you have a provisional protected status. no contact is to be made beyond the major official one. ideally.

as you can probably guess, what is occurring right now is technically a form of contact, and this puts me in a lot of trouble. you, however, are in no trouble at all. that does not necessarily make this easy for either of us, though. and I am sorry to have put you in this situation. she looked maria dead in the eyes, now. truly, I am. because I have to admit now, that this was all quite on purpose. I am sorry. she looked away. embarrassed. upset. you see, there are certain exceptions in the treaty, that allow… well. very one-sided affairs. for purely scientific purposes, you understand. most pre-contact species have a history of purported alien abductions or appearances, and you humans are no different, and while most of those cases for most of us can be explained away as the misinterpretation of the mundane, some, I must admit, are real. it is allowed, to a certain extent. as I said. for scientific purposes. this is, quite obviously, not that. I apologize. she backed away now, folded a pair of arms together. worried.

maria needed some time to process this. “so this isn’t for scientific purposes.”

no, no. these days we can study you from quite a distance, if we want. which we do. to keep tabs. we do our best not to pry into small details, to respect privacy, but it is in the interests of the galactic community to make sure you are safe from interference. and also. well. to make sure you are not a threat.

“so, do you think we are a threat?” she asked, trying not to let the worry bleed into her voice. probably not succeeding.

silence, for a minute. no, she began, slowly, but we are not sure. perhaps mostly, you are a threat to yourselves. I do not mean to insult you, kind maria. but humans have not been very kind to humans. we are torn, to some degree, between respecting our distance and letting you do your own thing, and also keeping you safe. the consensus, as it almost always tends to be, eventually fell towards stepping back. observing from a distance. waiting to see how you do. not interfering. she shook her head, seemingly upset. I do not subscribe to that particular mode of thought. I admit, I am fond of you humans. you have the potential to be strong friends. in the future. but you have been going through quite a rough patch. for quite some time. we are told to stay impartial, always impartial. I cannot remain so. I suppose I am at fault, for that. if one can be said to be at fault for caring. even so, I felt like I had to do something. so I came here.

“you came here, and you found me. of all people!” maria laughed. “why? I mean it seems clear you want to do something, and I certainly appreciate that. I absolutely agree that we are being unkind to ourselves. it is…” she tried to find the right words to say. she didn’t feel like having a political rant in front of an alien, not just yet anyway. “it is supremely unbalanced. and physically, the danger up here is considerable. my job, as you could probably have guessed, is to try to reduce that danger. I came to this busted satellite to assess its potential for scrap. either way, we need it out of orbit. we need so many things out of orbit. our work, as they say, is never truly finished.” she looked at adsun, searching for something in her stoic expression. she wasn’t sure what she was looking for. but something else clicked in her head, at that moment. “you wanted to find a scrapper, didn’t you? one of us?”

adsun made a hand gesture; agreement. just so. not you in particular, obviously. just the first person to come by. to see what had happened to this thing. suddenly, a wave of concern came off of her. oh, just to be clear, I did not destroy this satellite. I would not have made matters worse, I assure you. I just waited for one of sufficient size to get put out of commission. as you said yourself, the work is never truly finished, and I did not need to wait particularly long. I wiggled my ship in here the moment I noticed I had a way in. but I did take you on purpose. and I am sorry I had to restrain you like I did. I know my remark about interrogation was a joke, but, and she turned towards maria, closer now, I do in fact wish to ask you some questions. I think the proper word would be… an interview. yes. just so. up to you, of course.

“wait, so…” the pieces were starting to come together. somewhat. still many missing, but a pattern was becoming clear. “you aren’t here to do science. but you… you’re a…”

I am a journalist, adsun replied, finishing her sentence for her. just so. perhaps not what you were expecting, yes? I am here to make a case to my people. to the community, so to speak. a case for assistance, even if mild. perhaps an accelerated plan towards contact. an intervention. I am still not entirely sure what is to be done myself. but I figured sitting back and watching would not be entirely beneficial. I wanted to speak with one of you. and I have already learned so very much, kind maria. I understand this is so very much to ask of you, but it would be my utmost honor to use you as a source, to help build my case, such as it is.

“I uh. sure, yes.”

before you respond, I, oh. she had not expected such a sudden response. are you sure? this is not something to enter into lightly. I do not know if this would get you into trouble due to the treaty or not, and as for your own human laws, I am most certainly unsure. this is unfamiliar territory. she shifted slightly. fidgety again. nervous. also you should know that the dose I gave you has long worn off. I would not have asked of you something of such gravity unless your mind was as clear as possible, but if there is residual stress you can delay your answer. either way would be fine.

it did in fact come as a surprise to maria that she had been clearheaded for some time now, at least as far as her body was concerned. she was much more calm than usual, but perhaps the cozy dark silence of this craft was doing her some actual good. and sharing space with adsun was not as frightening as she might have thought. slight panic began to rise up within her, but she settled it down, took a few deep breaths.

this was, she knew, extremely dangerous. this whole situation was. but for the first time in a long long time, she felt something like hope. like something could change, like she could actually begin to help. it was worth the risk. and she felt a spark of bravery growing within her. one she had been trying to kindle for so very long. she reached over and gave adsun’s shoulder a gentle squeeze, hoping desperately that it would not be taken poorly. that soft purring noise seemed to imply she was in the clear. “kind adsun,” she said, “I’ll do it.”

ah, very good! potent waves of happiness washed over her. we have so much to discuss. let us begin.

[sshbpodcast]

Tales from the Holodeck: TNG Fanfic: Ames’s Story

A Star to Steer Her By is closing the book on Star Trek: The Next Generation with our much anticipated fanfic series “Tales from the Holodeck”! With our random draws for our special guest characters in hand, we’ve written new adventures for the crew of the Enterprise-D for you to enjoy! Listen to the whole episode here, or read on below for Ames’s story!

[images © Paramount/CBS]

“Life-Sized Dolls”

by Ames

Random Picks: Dr. Noonian "Often Wrong" Soong, Commander Sela

"Computer, holographic program Soong B-9," she said. Commander Sela articulated her words clearly, each one efficient, sharp, direct. Very Romulan. She paced her ready room back and forth, back again, and when she turned once more, the soft, human features of Dr. Noonian Soong met hers.

The computer program not only made him look entirely real, but allowed him to act just like the real thing. "Whoever you are, you must've found the B-9 unit." As young as he'd programmed himself to appear at the time, his face was serene to the point of smugness, a crooked smirk ever at his lips as he spoke the introductory statement he had written himself to rattle off. "I programmed this holographic interface to answer any questions you might have. I am Dr. Noonian Soong. I created – "

"Let's fast forward this, shall we?" she cut him off. "I am Commander Sela of the Romulan Warbird Goraxus."

He absorbed his surroundings quickly and then watched the Romulan commander before him almost incredulously. Ever thinking, he was evaluating his situation from the start and what it might mean, even if he was just a hologram. Sela knew this and was already tiring of it.

"Dr. Soong," she continued, shark eyes piercing him, "Do you know why you're here?"

"My best guess would be you've found the information module in the B-9 unit. How he got into Romulan hands, of course, I can only surmise."

A pale-skinned android, the B-9 unit, sat lifeless on the couch opposite them in the stark room. Powered down, it appeared much like a sad piece of furniture, mostly human in aspect aside from some unnatural skin and eye coloring. The information module had been stowed safely away in its positronic brain when the android was disassembled so that anyone who found the unit in the future may hear of its purpose, celebrate the brilliant doctor's legacy, and keep the memory of Dr. Soong alive, if one could call it that. In Romulan hands, however, the program could be distorted, tainted, abused. The possibilities for malfeasance were endless.

Sela smirked and walked around the mysteriously handsome automaton which stared with yellow eyes into the middle distance, seeing nothing, unresponsive. She stroked her hand along its shoulders in a manner partly flirtatious and partly dangerous. "A very simple android. Barely worthy of your later talents," she crooned.

"A first draft," he admitted, "though I'm glad to hear I evidently improved. How long...?"

"Don't you worry about that. We need something from you."

"Well," he shrugged, "it's nice to be needed."

Sela grimaced. "You say that every time, Doctor. A predictable program," she said through clenched teeth.

Soong settled into a chair and looked down at the facsimiles of hands his real-life self had programmed, how many years ago? They looked real enough. Could hold objects, gesticulate succinctly. They could touch. For a moment, Sela could mistake the hologram for an actual being considering his own existence, but she knew better than that.

She moved away from the android and lowered herself ominously into her chair behind her desk. "We are asking for your expertise to create Romulan androids. We've been studying your B-9 unit – your early draft, as you say – but even this model is beyond the skills of our engineers, and so we come to you. The next best thing to the mind that invented the positronic brain is a very close-to-life representation of the mind that invented the positronic brain."

Soong scoffed and wrung his hands together. "My my, that certainly sounds like a Romulan scheme to me. I'm sorry but I will not help you people, and you can torture me all you like because…" He shrugged, "I'm not real."

"But Doctor, we've been through this before. Many times now. You think this is the first time we've started your darling little program?"

"How many – ?" he asked, keeping his gaze on her.

"Evidently not enough. But each time you cave, and each time you give us a little more information for building a Soong-type android. You just can't help yourself."

"Is this just some plot against the Federation?" he asked.

"I understand your distrust of us, Doctor, but we can get beyond that. Of course, I could just close down your program and start again, but I believe I know you well enough to predict that you will help us."

Soong stood up and turned his back on the blond Romulan to face his old creation. The holographic scientist mimicked taking in a despondent sigh as he computed his response. "To what end, Commander?" He turned and stared into her eyes. "I told you, B-9 is incomplete. Do you really want a bunch of glorified calculators who look like you?"

Sela could not contain her mischievous smirk. Half the advantage of running the Soong program was knowing everything that had come before that this holographic cyberneticist did not yet know. As any Romulan would, Sela loved having the advantage. "I've seen firsthand what your cunning little human mind can achieve in the real world, what the flesh-and-blood scientist was able to build." 

Her words were forceful but not threatening, and Soong's expression slowly dropped. "I'm not that man yet," he said simply.

"You are," she insisted. "The real Soong, he may have had a couple of years' experience on you, but he made you just like him, and your mind has made the same discoveries his did. With time, the only difference between the two of you will be that you exist in an information module while he is dead and forgotten."

"Small price for immortality, I suppose," he mused flippantly.

"Doctor, you've already improved upon the B-9 unit. See for yourself."

Soong blinked his realistic eyes at her while his program computed this. But his curiosity permeated even this facsimile of himself and he looked to his creation with a sort of wonder and another sort of dread. Cautiously, he stepped forward and found the well-hidden panel in the scalp of the android and opened it up.

Soong shook his head in disbelief as he followed the intricate maze of delicate circuitry with a pointed finger. It was a thing of beauty that could rival most masterpieces in any other medium. A symphony in computer chips. A portrait in conduits. "This is not how I left him. Who did this?" he asked, his face alight with the glow of the circuits that mapped B-9's positronic brain.

"You did," Sela said matter-of-factly. "It's outside the area of my expertise, and none of our scientists have been able to comprehend the cybernetics. Only you have made any progress with upgrading the unit."

"Impossible. This work is more advanced than I have ever attained. Merely learning the programming would take months, even years."

The commander shrugged knowingly, hiding a trademark evil smirk. "As I said, this isn't the first time I've run your program, not to mention the first time I've lamented that you don't continue where you left off." She leaned forward, gripping the sides of her desk. "I've seen what your mind can do. Your later draft, Data, was the pinnacle of brilliance – a genius strategist addicted to bettering himself. I've met him and been thwarted by him, which I'm proud to say I cannot admit about many beings, and we'd like to know how you achieved such a profound creation."

Soong visibly swallowed. "You are attempting to manipulate me, Romulan. I didn't even know this android, not as this version of myself."

"True, that isn't fair to you." She watched him closely, but Soong averted his gaze to look at his powered-down android instead. He stared at B-9's circuits but seemed to be looking past them, before closing the flap. The complex inner workings of the android were again hidden in a very human-looking head of shiny dark hair that gave away nothing of what secrets it concealed.

Sela continued flatly, "B-9 is approaching Data's level of intellect, and has surpassed him in emotional intelligence. You don't know how much respect I have for that android, and before him, I didn't even accept androids as people."

"Commander, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were quite smitten with him."

Sela's lips tightened to a pout. "This is why they called you 'often wrong,' isn't it?" she snorted. "Nothing could be further from the truth. These androids may be advanced and capable as people, but they are still merely tools, like many things, like many beings, sentience notwithstanding."

Soong shook his head, taking this like a startling blow. "Well that's a grim outlook."

"It has its quirks, Doctor. Military superiority, for one. If everything – everyone is a tool, then there is less holding one back against using that tool. Advancing it to advance yourself. You surely understand that, as an inventor."

Something seemed to click in Noonian Soong, his holographic blue eyes twinkling. "So," he reasoned slowly, "in however long you've been exploiting my holoprogam – years perhaps, I don't know – you've never gotten the secret out of me."

"Tell me."

"It's so simple, Commander. I don't understand how it's never occurred to you."

"Tell me!" she shouted at him, standing and coming around the side of her desk to menace him.

"How typically Romulan of you. My dear Commander, what I believe you've been missing in your creations... is to love them."

Her eyes bulged. "Don't be absurd, Doctor. They are tools!"

He shook his head. "They are your children. And children grow when they are loved. That is how I do it. That is how I've always done it, and I'm certain that was how this Data, of whom you're so fond, was created."

Sela paced like an animal on the prowl, the cool power from her former stillness transitioning to a more heated volatility she was barely able to control. "That's ridiculous. I may not be a scientist, Dr. Soong, but even I know that that is not how science works."

"Maybe. Or maybe you're just afraid of loving something."

"I cannot love as you do, Doctor. It is a weakness. I had my human mother killed when I was four years old. I fought hard as a child to dispel my half-human heritage. I poisoned, backstabbed, and deceived my way up the ladder of Romulan command." She spat the words like they were acid in her mouth. "What would I have done with a propensity to love?"

"Quite a lot, I'd imagine. You might even learn to love yourself."

Her glare on him hardened and her sneer pulled back over her teeth. "Is that why your androids are always made in your own image, then? Because you love yourself so much? Because you're an egomaniac?"

"You know, I hear that a lot," he laughed, which was proving a most successful strategy in combating the vexed Romulan. "Is there something wrong with this face?"

Sela didn't say anything to his sass but fumed privately. The Soong program had never riled her so and she began to realize that in all the times it had been run, he had never made this suggestion before. She briefly considered the implications of this, but the holographic scientist wouldn't shut up.

"I could help you, you know," he said gently, appeasing the golden-haired wild beast that was the Romulan commander. "If that was what you wanted, I think you have it in you somewhere to create something beautiful. There is love in you, even if you bury it deep. I can see it."

"Oh, what would you know?"

"You tell me. Which one of us is the brilliant scientist here?" The brilliant scientist shrugged at her, palms up in a sarcastic manner. "I'll do it. I'll continue work on my boy B-9 here. But it won't do you any good if you want androids with pretty, pointy ears like yours unless you can provide them the nurturing touch of someone like a – a parent. Someone who truly loves their creation. Now whom have you ever loved?"

"That's irrelevant."

"That's where you're wrong, missy. Any artificial lifeform is merely the sum of their parts unless they have that. Love is what allows them to evolve." To this, Sela only responded with narrowed eyes, and the doctor continued. "So. Not your mother, you say. That's a shame. Father perhaps? Did you love your father?"

"Of course I loved my father." Sela's discomfort was beginning to wash away at the memory of her revered father. "He was a very powerful Romulan general."

"That's not what I mean. Personally, to you, did you care about him? I bet he cared about you."

The steely-eyed Romulan seemed to mellow, her cutting features softening. A hint of rosiness touched her cheeks. "He did. He protected me and he pushed me. When I was a girl, he liked to lift me in the air and call me... his little warbird…" she trailed off and forced herself not to grin in the presence of this man.

"This may work indeed," Soong said. "I'm sure you'll make your father proud."

Sela rolled her eyes and started toward the door, pushing down the emotions, the color draining from her face until the Romulan yellow hue was visible again. "I'll think about it. That's all I can promise." But she stopped herself and turned back to look at him with curiosity, her features suddenly less jagged. "I must admit," Sela said, with a rare, almost human smile gracing her lips, "I've come to enjoy our little sessions, Doctor."

"As have I, my girl." He looked upon her with a fatherly pride that Sela hadn't seen before and the familiarity of it briefly gave her pause. Something was dawning on her and Soong could tell.

Suddenly, soft noise from the corridor piqued his interest then, footsteps approaching, and Soong instantly took Sela by the shoulder to direct her across the room to the couch before she could think to respond. "Shh, they're returning," he whispered frantically as they both sat next to the B-9 unit. Adroitly, he found the panel in the back of Sela's head that popped open her circuit console the same way that B-9's did, revealing tiny blinking lights and several ports and terminals of this artificial lifeform's positronic brain. He pulled a tiny module from there and hid it in a secret pocket in the Romulan android's thick, boxy sleeve. 

Sela's expression seemed to lose its nuance immediately and she looked dumbly around the room. "Hello," she chirped robotically, nowhere near the self-assured woman she'd been a moment ago.

"Quiet, my girl," Soong crooned, and touched his hand to her face. "We need to go to sleep now, before they find us, okay?"

"Okay. You have funny hair."

"Yes, I'm aware. Say good-night, Sela."

"Good-night, Sela!" On her words, Dr. Soong powered down the Sela android and her body flopped limply against B-9. The others were returning earlier than he'd anticipated and rather mucking up his plans to continue his secret work that day. Even in hologram form, Soong had the inevitable drive to create artificial life, just like his real-life counterpart. It had been bound to happen.

This was the part Soong didn't care for because it went against all of human nature. If he had a heart, it would be racing. He looked down at his two inert androids spooning like lovers on the sofa. How pure and perfect they seemed, like life-sized dolls, full of infinite potential to change the universe as we know it. But not yet. Soong made the involuntary action of licking his lips and with a wince said, "Computer, end Soong program." His form faded into thin air.

Sela and her guards entered then. The real Sela, not one Soong could secretly program in his spare time but still one he had found clever ways to manipulate and deceive. "What're you doing in here, Sela-Two?" she asked rhetorically with some confusion and walked over to her sleeping twin. "Thank you, centurions, that will be all." The guards exited efficiently.

Commander Sela frowned at her creation and propped her up on the couch. She gazed into a face that looked just as hers looked but stiller and with fewer death glares, and then stood up decisively. "Computer, holographic program Soong B-9," she said, pacing her ready room as she so often did, and Dr. Soong materialized before her again and yet also for the first time that day.

"Whoever you are, you must've found the B-9 unit. I programmed this holographic interface – "

" – to answer any questions I might have, yes I know, but we can skip all that," she said, impatient. "Doctor, I need something from you."

Soong automatically started to speak, "Well, it's nice to – ", but this time caught himself. Commander Sela watched him with deliberation. This was new. She hooked a Romulan eyebrow in his direction. "I am Dr. Noonian Soong," he continued with a decisive glimmer in his eyes. "I believe I have a lot I can show you."

—

We’re moving on to new Star Trek and Star Trek–related series we’re sure you’ll enjoy, so be sure to keep listening on SoundCloud, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and outscheme the Romulans whenever you can!

[onlineisland]

Pokemon black 2 cartridge

Pokemon Diamond/Pearl/Platinum cases will appear shiny/holographic where the counterfeit ones will regularly have no holographic shine to them. You can always ask the seller if the game works on the 2DS and if they say it does not, just move on to the next one.Įven the counterfeit cases look much different from the authentic ones. If you are looking at the same game but it has a different front label (Such as a Pokemon Diamond Cartridge having an image of Dialga on the label) that ends in USA I would suspect it to be counterfeit since the Authentic Pokemon games only have one label style that never changes.Ĭounterfeit Pokemon games will also have the following disclaimers “Only works on Nintendo DS, DS lite” “Does not work on DSi or 3DS” Authentic Pokemon games made on the Nintendo DS work on the DS, DS lite, DSi, DSi XL, 2DS, 3DS and the 3DS xl. Here is a picture of the most popular Authentic Pokemon games for the Nintendo DS: Pokemon games on the Nintendo DS that do not have the Y fold seal are either counterfeit or have been resealed (Which means at the very least that the package has been previously opened.) The spacing is off and the text is bigger.īe sure if you are purchasing a Brand New, Factory Sealed Pokemon game for the Nintendo DS that it has the Y fold like the Pokemon White Version 2 game pictured below: The back of Counterfeit Cartridges also look a bit different. Pearl is pretty distinct missing almost all of the red hue that the real one above has.Ĭounterfeit Pokemon Platinum games have a red Nintendo symbol instead of the authentic Pokemon Platinum games having a black Nintendo Symbol. The most obvious flaw in the counterfeit Pokemon Diamond and Pearl games pictured on the bottom appear darker than the authentic ones. The text font is also incorrect on counterfeit games. The authentic ones pictured above are translucent black and includes the infrared sensor. The counterfeit Pokemon SoulSilver and HeartGold games on the bottom are grey and do not have the Infrared sensor and without it there is no way to connect the Pokewalker to the game, taking out one of the best parts of the game. Not only are the counterfeit games illegal, but they are also missing key features. There are many Counterfeit Pokemon games and I want to teach you how to watch out for them so that you don’t get ripped off.

[getthebutters]

Looking forward

For us at The Butters, 2021 was far less of a dumpster fire than 2020. Sure, sure, I started the year with a 5-figure financial loss and my windshield cracking. But, after that, yeah, it did actually get worse. But after that, it was also kinda crappy. But, at a certain point, things just kinda stopped sucking. Somewhere around June things shifted from my Reputation era to my Taylor’s Version era.

The rest of 2021 has been stellar. We celebrated our 5-year anniversary. We’ve added Amirul, Kayla, Tayla, & Juanita to the team handling social, orders, cleaning, and admin respectively. The rest of the team adjusted well and stepped up to the challenges I set up for them. I was able to effectively get us through it all, started working out; had my first surgery under emergency circumstance, lived, and it went perfectly; plus, I pulled like 10 holographic Charizard cards, even the shiny VMAX one from Shining Fates!

That gives me optimism for 2022 I sincerely didn’t think would exist back in the spring. I know that’s wild coming from me Mr. Butters, Mr. optimism. But I’m actually Mr. honesty, Mr. perspective, Mr. thoughtful. And I’m thinking about the future with cautious optimism.

So, with the slightest case of shell shock, let’s talk about the future. Let’s talk about our goals for 2022.

First, practical goals:

1.     Revenue growth 285k to 400k w 50k in CBD sales alone.

2.     15k orders

3.     20 more retailers

4.     Raise base pay to $20

5.     Add 1 more production assistant focused on making sure everything looks perfect, labels, seals, etc. In 2021 we’ve added many people to our team of 4. And yet we still need one more person with an eye on the fit and finish of products. We’re a luxury brand and that requires a special touch on every step.

Then there’s more mushy goals.

6.     Survive without Zanita

My number 2 and The Butters number 1 employee is moving on. While I’m always happy to see folks outgrow us, it’s gonna be a transition. We’ve been making preparations for 7 months so it’ll be smooth but it’s still gonna be tough. Zanita plays a pivotal role and it’s taking 3 people to replace her. So, we shall see how things go lol.

7.     Enjoy stability calmly

We’ve been a stable company for about 6 months, which has felt so nice. 2020 forced us to grow faster than I planned. That growth led to an adjustment and the chaos in the beginning of this year. But we’re out of that. And allowing myself to sit in that stability without trying to disturb it for growth is a goal I already know I’m not going to maintain. But I’m writing it down anyway, so I have a record.

8.     Define ourselves more clearly

Back in 2019, I took the time to decide on our mission, vision, values, and beliefs as company. Without those, we wouldn’t have survived this year. Still, it’s time to update that a bit and keep us aligned with the plan. This will show up in a number of ways. But you’ll notice a greater polish on everything Butters; new ideas; and just a fresher energy coming from us as a whole!

 2022, is going to be a more stable year. In numerology ’22 is a universal 6 year. 6 relates to Love, charm, health, oneness, empathy, destiny, and kismet. The instability of this 5 year is gonna allow us to reach these things we search for in the 6 year. So, I wish for you all to receive in abundance everything that which you’ve sown this year. You deserve it.

Peace, moisture, and a toast to 2022!

Jerome Stuart Nichols

Mr. Butters